SELF-STUDYING WEEK 1 by Kim Ngoc from R3-G7

Topic: EXTREME SPORTS

READING ONE Extreme Sports - Do You Dare?
Yesterday, I did something a bit different. Not only did I turn 23, but I celebrated it for the first time
away from my friends and family. By "celebrate", I mean I went bungee jumping.

Are you a bit of an adrenaline junkie? Could you throw yourself out of a plane? Swim with sharks?
Go paragliding? It's normal to be very nervous about these crazy activities - not everybody enjoys
them, and some would rather not even try. And that's absolutely fine. But for those of you who are
interested, here is my review of the latest extreme sport I have tried.

Great Canadian Bungee is the biggest bungee jump in North America, with the rebound alone being
bigger than any other bungee jump on the continent. I pre-booked my jump so that I could choose
the time for my birthday. This particular jump is very near Canada's capital city, Ottawa. This means
it is quite easy to access, but the easiest method of transport is by car.

I arrived, gave my name to the lady at reception, and then had the unpleasant experience of signing
the disclaimer. At that point, I questioned myself. I was essentially signing my life away, and saying
that if I died, it was not their fault. Wow. I signed anyhow, and a little while later, I was allowed to
walk up the path to the scaffolding, where the jump takes place.

I should say that this jump site is rather beautiful, in a rustic way. You are surrounded by white and
grey cliffs amongst lots of trees, and are jumping towards blue water (which you can hit when you
jump, if you wish). The day I was there was a sunny and warm day, which always helps. After
climbing the steps up the scaffolding, the process begins.

We were a group of approximately 10 people in the same jump group, and our jump order was
assigned by height (heaviest to lightest), putting me towards the end as men often weigh more than
women. I watched several nervous men tentatively fall off the jump platform before my turn arrived.
For this reason, I would say bungee jumping is not for the faint-hearted!

Then, our scheduler gave me a waist harness and strapped me into a harness with 2 holes for my
feet. We walked to the platform area, where 2 more seasoned bungee jump instructors were waiting
to assist me. After double-checking all of my harnesses and safety equipment, I was attached to the
jump rope and allowed to walk to the platform edge.

Personally I have no fear of heights. Birds terrify me, but heights are pretty cool with me. After my
countdown from 5, I spread my arms into a swan dive and leapt from the platform. The DVD later
showed my entire jump to be rather more graceful than I had imagined it to be. The rebounds were
almost as good as the first jump, but then the blood did indeed rush to my head. One of my shoes
also felt like it might fall off under the strain of holding my body weight until I was lowered into the
waiting boat.

To summarise, it was a great experience and a wonderful birthday present to myself, but not as
much fun as skydiving. And definitely shorter! But if, like me, you enjoy the feeling of adrenaline,
I'd certainly recommend it.

Source : https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/magazine/sport/extreme-sports-do-you-
dare?fbclid=IwAR3M4tQsx6EY_3kj3XJjChbZzsTlrIP9vo3FkCY2zuV5w3dIHlGTiKb-ufw
Step 1. Summarize the readings: Authors celebreated his 26th birthday with went bungee
jumping.Series of questions is if you want to try this adventurous activity. It's the norm that you
nevous or scary and don’t want to try it. But he wrote a review about his experience bungee
jumping for people who want to try it. Great Canadian Bungee is the biggest bungee jump in North
America, with the rebound alone being bigger than any other bungee jump on the continent. You
will book an appointment whenever you want to join. There are many ways to get there and when
you get there, you will have to sign a statement that if something goes wrong, you will be fully
responsible. The place to jump is quite beautiful with unspoiled scenery. A group of about 10 people
and the dance order will be sorted by height. It was a great experience for the author and he
recommends that if you like the feel of andrealine, try it.
Step 2. Vocabulary
Vocabulary Pronunciation Meaning Vietnamses Example
meaning
paragliding (n) ˈpærəˌɡlaɪdɪŋ a sport in which you Dù lượn All the others had
jump off a hill or out done some
of a plane and use a paragliding before - I
parachute to fly for was the only total
long distances before beginner.
floating back down to
the ground
scaffolding (n) ˈskæfəldɪŋ a set of poles and Đoạn đầu đài You can see the
boards that are built scaffolding and the
into a structure for temporary roof well
workers to stand on enough I should hope.
when they are working
on the outside of a
building
cliff (n) klɪf a large area of rock or Vách đá The cliffs here are the
a mountain with a very highest in Britain.
steep side, often at the
edge of the sea or a
river

READING TWO Cheese rolling: an extreme sport?

Need more excitement in your life? Maybe it's time to take up an extreme sport!

Extreme sports are activities that involve a high amount of danger and excitement. Each year they
are becoming more and more popular, but why? The main reason is for an adrenaline rush and to
feel invincible. Some examples of extreme sports include base jumping, ice climbing, cave diving,
and ... cheese rolling?!

No one knows exactly how it started, but Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling Race is an annual event that
has taken place for over 100 years. The name comes from Cooper's Hill where the 'sport' takes place,
just outside the village of Brockworth, England.

It's as silly as it sounds – a wheel of cheese is thrown down a hill while a group of people chase
after it, trying to be the first to catch it or reach the bottom of the hill. The cheese weighs around 7
lbs (just over 3kg) and picks up a lot of speed travelling down the very steep slope. If you win, you
get to keep the cheese, and if you come second or third you'll receive £10. Incredibly, the event has
become so popular that people travel from all over the world to take part – even from as far away as
Canada and Australia.

But what makes the sport so extreme, and why has the local council tried to ban the tradition?
Injuries – and lots of them. The hill is so steep that it's not actually possible to run down it. Instead,
you fall, bounce and roll your way to the bottom. Ambulances arrive at the event before the race
even starts in preparation for all those who will need a trip to the hospital. Head on over to YouTube
and search for 'Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling' to see the event in action. Be prepared to both laugh
and cover your eyes in shock.
Source: https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/magazine/life-around-world/cheese-rolling-
extreme-sport

Step 1. Summarize the readings: Extreme sports are becoming more and more popular and
attracting a large number of participants. The main reason is for an adrenaline rush and to feel
invincible. But there is one sport that has become radicalized and the local council has been trying
to stop it. That is Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling Race, an annual event that has been going on for
more than 100 years. The name comes from Cooper's Hill, where the 'sport' takes place, just outside
the village of Brockworth, England. A cheesecake weighing about 7 lbs (just over 3kg) is thrown
down the hill and a group of people try to catch it. The first person to win gets to keep the cheese
and the 2nd and 3rd person to get $10. But the hill is too steep and you may fall and roll to the
bottom. The ambulance arrived at the event before the race started to prepare everyone who needed
to go to the hospital.“Head on over to YouTube and search for 'Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling' to
see the event in action. Be prepared to both laugh and cover your eyes in shock.”

Step 2. Vocabulary

Vocabulary Pronunciation Meaning Vietnamese Example

meaning
invincible (adj) ɪnˈvɪnsəbəl too strong to be Bất khả chiến Young athletes think of
destroyed or defeated bại themselves as
invincible.