Question

Chris Kennedy looked into the camera. "Here we go," he said, with a slightly goofy smile. Then he dumped a bucket of ice and water on his head.

It was an important moment in history.

Believe it or not, the video of this social media stunt touched off a trend. It spurred scientific research and led to important medical advances. It also helped improve the lives of patients. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge made a splash on social media back in 2014. But it's had a lasting effect. The success story shows what can happen when people pull together for a good cause.

What Is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that damages nerve cells. It affects a patient's ability to move, speak, eat, and breathe. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Lou Gehrig, who many say was one of the greatest baseball players of all time, had ALS. That's how many people learned about the disease.

A Chilly Challenge

In his video, Chris Kennedy didn't just drench himself with icy water. He dared others to do the same or else give money to help support ALS research. Kennedy posted the video on social media in June 2014. But it got only a modest amount of attention. Among the first to accept the challenge, however, were Anthony Senerchia, Pete Frates, and Pat Quinn. They had ALS themselves. The three of them worked hard to popularize the campaign. They're considered the founders of the movement.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral on social media during the summer of 2014. And donations poured in. Many people gave money and got drenched. They also got a chance to raise even more money by calling out friends. Taylor Swift, LeBron James, Lady Gaga, and Selena Gomez stepped up. So did former president George W. Bush. Over 17 million people took part in the chilly challenge. These efforts raised global awareness about the disease. They also raised more than $200 million in donations for ALS organizations worldwide.

Outstanding Outcomes

The flood of donations made a huge difference. The ALS Association has said the Ice Bucket Challenge "changed the fight against ALS forever." Thanks to the challenge, the organization got nearly three times more money for research. It was also able to start working with more doctors, which enabled more patients to receive quality care.

The rush of funding sped up the development of new drugs, too. In the past, decades might pass between breakthroughs. But within the span of just two years, there was progress. Between 2022 and 2023, the government approved three new treatments for ALS.

Dare to Care

Are you ready for a challenge? If there's a cause you care about, there might be a creative and safe way to raise awareness and make a meaningful difference. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge proved that one cool idea can lead to progress.

According to the article, which of these happened after the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral?

a. People learned that baseball player Lou Gehrig had ALS.
b. Drugs to treat ALS developed more quickly.
c. Chris Kennedy poured a bucket of ice water over his head.
d. Doctors learned that ALS affects how a person moves or speaks.

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

b. Drugs to treat ALS developed more quickly.

Answer 2

Which is the closest antonym for the word breakthrough, as it is used in the article?

prediction
agreement
setback
reward

Answer 3

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

setback