Water Sports & Beach Activities – B2 English Listening Exercise

9 documentary 10 bay 11 life jacket 12 shoulders

13 balance 14 tide 15 cliffs

16 confidence 17 festival 18 instructor

Jake: Hi everyone, my name’s Jake, and I’m here today to talk to you about a hobby that has completely taken over my weekends: waterskiing. I’m lucky enough to live right by the coast, so being in the water has always been a big part of my life. Lots of people assume I got into waterskiing because my older brother is a keen surfer and always at the beach, or maybe because of an advertisement I saw online. But actually, it was a fantastic documentary on TV that first caught my attention and made me want to give it a go. Seeing people glide across the water at such speeds was mesmerizing.

When it comes to where I practice, there are quite a few options. I live quite close to a large lake, which is a popular spot for beginners because the water is so calm. However, I usually head down to a sheltered bay near my house, just off the shoreline, to practice. The water is much clearer there, and it’s far less crowded on a Sunday afternoon, which is when I usually go out.

Before you even think about getting in the water, you need to make sure you have the right gear. I spent ages saving up for a proper winter wetsuit, which is brilliant at keeping me warm in the chilly sea. But the most crucial item, which the rental shop absolutely insists you wear at all times, is a high-quality life jacket for safety. You can’t compromise on that, even if you’re a strong swimmer.

When I first started, I found getting pulled up out of the water incredibly tough. It takes a lot of effort to fight the resistance of the water. I fully expected my legs to ache the next day from bending my knees so much. Actually, it was my shoulders that suffered the most because of how tightly you have to grip the tow rope! I could barely lift my arms for a couple of days.

Once you finally manage to stand upright, the feeling is exhilarating. My teacher gave me some brilliant advice. He told me not to focus entirely on the back of the boat, but to look ahead at the horizon. He also explained that maintaining good balance is far more important than having raw strength. Once I realized that, staying up on the skis became so much easier.

Because I ski just off the shoreline in the sea, the environmental conditions have to be exactly right. I don’t mind a bit of wind, as long as it’s not blowing a gale, but you have to pay extremely close attention to the tide before heading out. The water level changes dramatically along the coast, and it can become dangerously shallow very quickly.

Being out on the water at high speeds gives you a totally unique perspective of the shoreline. While my friends always look out for dolphins and other marine life, my absolute favourite thing is gliding past the towering cliffs which look spectacular from the sea. The view is simply breathtaking from that angle.

Waterskiing has been remarkably good for me personally. Some of my friends say it has improved my overall fitness, which is undoubtedly true, but I’ve actually noticed a huge boost in my confidence more than anything else since I started. Overcoming the initial fear of falling face-first into the water at thirty miles per hour really makes you feel like you can conquer anything.

It’s a very sociable and welcoming sport too. I haven’t entered any regional tournaments yet, though maybe I will one day, but I am currently helping to organise a local festival at the beach next month to introduce other teenagers to the sport. We’re hoping to get a lot of families down there.

Looking ahead, I want to just keep improving my technique. I don’t think I’ll ever be a professional competitor, the standard is just incredibly high, but I’d love to train to become an instructor in a few years, so I can teach others how to enjoy the waves. Thanks for listening!

9 windsurfing 10 sails 11 balance 12 wind direction

13 standing up 14 wetsuit 15 proud

16 lake 17 mental focus 18 jumping

Leo: Hi everyone! My name’s Leo, and I’m going to talk to you about an amazing new hobby I picked up over the summer holidays. My family and I were staying at a coastal resort, and on our first day, we went down to the beach. Usually, I just lie on the sand reading a book, but this time, my attention was drawn to the water. Some people were moving incredibly fast across the waves. At first glance, I assumed they were participating in kitesurfing because of the speed, but as I got closer, I realised it was actually windsurfing that had captured my attention. I ended up observing them for absolutely ages.

The equipment they were using was fascinating. The boards themselves looked relatively standard, quite similar to regular surfboards, to be honest. But what really caught my eye were the incredibly bright sails they were using to catch the breeze. They looked like massive, colourful wings against the blue sky.

I was so intrigued that I wandered over to a local water sports school on the beach and started chatting with an instructor. I asked him if you needed to spend hours in the gym to manage the gear. I figured you’d need massive arm strength to hold onto the rig. He laughed and explained that instead, having good balance is the most crucial requirement, as you use your body weight to control the power.

That conversation was enough to convince me to give it a go, so I decided to book a session. I was hoping to go the following afternoon because the forecast said it would be gloriously sunny. However, the instructor told me we had to base our timing on the wind direction to ensure we wouldn’t be blown out to sea. So, we settled on a morning slot instead.

When it came to the actual lesson, I was a bundle of nerves. I thought steering the board would be impossible. Actually, just standing up proved to be the most challenging part initially. Every time I tried to get to my feet, the board would wobble, and I’d end up splashing into the sea!

Speaking of the sea, it was nowhere near as warm as it looked. I had brought my own favourite swimming shorts, fully expecting to wear them. But the school insisted I wear a wetsuit because the water was absolutely freezing, and it would keep me protected from the elements. I was definitely grateful for it later!

By the end of the two-hour session, I had managed to sail a few metres without falling off. My friends, who had been watching from the shore, thought I’d be completely exhausted. But to be honest, I mostly felt incredibly proud of what I’d achieved. It’s an amazing sensation when you finally get it right.

I loved it so much that I wanted to keep practising when I got back home. I didn’t want to go straight back into the crashing waves of the ocean, though, as that felt a bit too intimidating for a beginner. Instead, I opted to practice my skills on a local lake near my house, which had much calmer waters.

I’ve been doing it for a few months now, and obviously, my general fitness has improved immensely. But the real surprise for me was the level of mental focus the sport demands. You have to be so aware of your surroundings, your body, and the weather conditions that you completely forget about your everyday worries.

Looking ahead to next summer, I have some big plans. Some of the guys at my local club want to enter races to see who is the fastest. For me, though, mastering the art of jumping is what I’m aiming for next. I’ve watched the professionals leaping over waves, and it just looks spectacular. I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m determined to get there!