Read paragraph one from "What Is Asthma?" Asthma is a disease that causes the bronchial tubes that bring air into a person's lungs to become red and swollen. Because air cannot move smoothly in and out of the lungs, asthma sufferers have difficulty breathing.

Based on this information, what can a reader conclude about Tom Dolan's asthma in "Striving for the Gold"?

He was sensitive to pollen.

He needed to use an inhaler.

He often had trouble breathing.

His lungs were always hurting.

Part B:

Which sentence from "Striving for the Gold" BEST supports your answer in part A?

Tom has a case of asthma that might prevent some people from walking down the street, but he has won two gold medals and has broken a world record.

When Tom was twelve, he was running on the playground and suddenly felt like he could not breathe.

Tom's asthma did not stop him from becoming a competitive swimmer in college though, nor did the fact that he was also diagnosed with exercise—induced asthma.

Even a collapse and subsequent hospitalization in Hawaii during his sophomore year in college did not stop Tom.