Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Endurance Sports & Country Walking 9

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four individuals reviewing the importance of respecting nature and following the ‘leave no trace’ principle while enjoying the outdoors.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   mentions how a modern trend encourages people to behave irresponsibly?

2   confesses to having previously misunderstood what constitutes harmless waste?

3   feels compelled to confront people who are causing a disturbance?

4   expresses dismay at how artificial sounds can spoil the natural atmosphere?

5   warns that a moment of carelessness can lead to widespread devastation?

6   explains how leaving natural food scraps behind can negatively impact local wildlife?

7   emphasises the extreme fragility of plant life in certain habitats?

8   vividly recalls the emotional impact of seeing a ruined landscape?

9   points out that human disruption can force creatures to abandon their homes?

10   warns against the temptation to explore areas beyond the designated routes?

Treading Lightly: The Importance of Leaving No Trace

A Oliver

I’ve always been passionate about hiking, but I must admit that in my earlier days, I was completely ignorant about organic waste. I would happily toss a banana skin or an apple core into the bushes, taking it for granted that it would simply rot away. However, I recently read an eye-opening article that completely shifted my perspective. It turns out that non-native fruits take months, if not years, to biodegrade in certain soils. Worse still, leaving food scraps lying around artificially alters the foraging habits of local wildlife, occasionally making them dangerously dependent on human handouts. Nowadays, I carry a small, reusable container to pack out absolutely everything I bring in. It frustrates me when I see other hikers treating the wilderness like a compost bin. The ‘leave no trace’ principle is quite literal; if you carried it up the mountain, it is your responsibility to carry it back down.

B Sarah

For me, respecting nature is primarily about sticking to the marked paths. It might be incredibly tempting to venture off the beaten track to discover a hidden waterfall or find the perfect angle for a photograph, but the environmental cost is simply too high. I’m particularly frustrated by the recent influx of social media influencers who actively promote going off-trail to their thousands of followers. What they fail to realise is that many ecosystems, particularly high-altitude alpine tundras, are incredibly delicate. A single misplaced footstep can easily crush rare vegetation that has taken decades to grow. When multiple people follow the same unauthorized route, it causes severe soil erosion and permanently scars the landscape. We need to remember that we are merely guests in these environments. By resisting the urge to wander into untouched areas, we ensure that the breathtaking scenery remains intact for future generations.

C Julian

Nothing beats sitting around a roaring campfire under the stars, but it comes with a massive responsibility. A few years ago, I hiked through a national park that had recently been ravaged by a massive wildfire. Witnessing the charred remains of ancient trees and the utterly barren, ash-covered ground was a deeply harrowing experience that will stay with me forever. If the previous campers had drowned their fire properly, that magnificent forest would never have been destroyed. It only takes a momentary lapse in concentration or a sudden gust of wind for a tiny ember to ignite dry undergrowth and cause catastrophic damage. Because of this, I strictly adhere to campfire regulations and often opt to go without one if the conditions are even slightly dry. If you do light a fire, you must soak it with water until it is cold to the touch. You simply cannot afford to be complacent.

D Maya

When people talk about pollution, they typically picture plastic bottles or toxic chemicals, but noise pollution is equally detrimental to the environment. The great outdoors should be a sanctuary of tranquillity, a place to escape the relentless hustle and bustle of city life. Yet, I am increasingly encountering groups of walkers blaring loud music from portable Bluetooth speakers. Not only does this completely shatter the peaceful ambience for other nature lovers, but it also has a profound impact on the local fauna. Sudden, unnatural noises cause immense stress to birds and mammals, often driving them away from their natural breeding grounds. Although I strongly dislike conflict, I’ve reached the point where I politely but firmly ask these individuals to turn their devices off. Most are simply unaware of the disturbance they are causing and apologise immediately. True appreciation of nature means listening to the rustle of leaves, not your own playlist.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four teenagers who were inspired to attempt athletic challenges after reading sports autobiographies.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person

1   initially doubted the author’s honesty about their struggles?

2   admits to underestimating the financial cost of their chosen challenge?

3   relates to the author’s experience of dealing with a physical disadvantage?

4   was inspired by the author’s ability to ignore negative opinions from others?

5   found the author’s description of a specific landscape particularly motivating?

6   was prompted to change their attitude toward failure after reading the book?

7   appreciates that the author didn’t take up their sport early in life?

8   felt compelled to push their limits after realizing they had become too comfortable?

9   experienced a moment of panic during their feat that mirrored a scene in the book?

10   was drawn to the autobiography because it was recommended by a family member?

Pages to Pavements: Books that Made Us Move

A Liam

I’ve always been a decent pool swimmer, but reading Against the Tide by endurance swimmer David Corby changed everything. Before picking up his autobiography, I had a tendency to play it safe. It suddenly dawned on me that I was stuck in a rut, rarely doing anything that genuinely challenged me. Corby’s candid reflection on his disastrous first attempt at crossing the English Channel was a revelation. I used to view coming up short as the ultimate embarrassment, but seeing how he used his setbacks to fuel future success completely transformed my outlook. Inspired, I signed up for a gruelling 10-kilometre open-water ocean race. The preparation was brutal, and I quickly realised that pool swimming hadn’t prepared me for the freezing waves. During the actual event, I was suddenly engulfed by a wave of anxiety when seaweed wrapped around my leg—a scenario Corby vividly described in chapter four. Recalling how he managed to calm his racing heart in that exact situation was the only thing that stopped me from calling for the rescue boat.

B Chloe

Climbing a formidable peak wasn’t something I’d ever entertained until my aunt insisted I read Reaching the Summit. The author, a renowned alpinist, wrote intimately about her lifelong battle with a chronic lung condition. Having struggled with severe asthma since childhood, I instantly felt a profound connection to her story. It is so rare to find an athletic role model who doesn’t possess perfect genetics! Although my friends warned me that tackling Mount Snowdon in winter was a foolish idea, I was determined to prove them wrong. The autobiography doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of alpine environments, which was incredibly useful. Halfway up the ascent, the biting wind made breathing exceptionally difficult, and I seriously considered turning back. However, I remembered a passage where the author focused solely on taking one step at a time, ignoring the overwhelming distance left. Adopting that precise strategy helped me reach the peak. The view from the top made all the months of exhausting cardio training absolutely worth the effort.

C Jamal

Whenever I watched long-distance runners, I assumed they were simply born with an endless supply of stamina. That misconception was shattered when I read The Long Run. The author makes a point of highlighting that he was notoriously unfit and didn’t even attempt his first 5K until he was well into his thirties. As someone who already felt too old to take up a new sport at sixteen, this was incredibly reassuring. At first, I must admit, I was highly skeptical of his dramatic descriptions of the blisters and muscle cramps; I figured he was just embellishing the truth to make the book more gripping. It wasn’t until I began training for a 50-kilometre trail run that I realised he had actually been downplaying the agony! What ultimately pushed me through the darkest moments of my training, however, was his defiant attitude. Seeing how he simply tuned out the sports journalists who claimed he lacked the right physique, letting his achievements speak for themselves, gave me the courage to pursue my own seemingly impossible goal.

D Maya

My cycling journey began somewhat accidentally after I stumbled across a memoir by a former professional cyclist. While she did mention the physical toll of riding hundreds of miles, it was her evocative depiction of navigating the sweeping valleys and rugged coastal paths of the Scottish Highlands that truly captured my imagination. I immediately decided to undertake a week-long cycle tour across the country. I already owned a basic mountain bike, so I assumed the logistical side of things would be relatively straightforward. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I hadn’t taken into account the sheer price of panniers, waterproof gear, and puncture repair kits; my savings were completely wiped out before I even started pedalling. Despite the initial shock to my bank account, the experience was transformative. There was a terrifying moment on the third day when a heavy goods vehicle swerved far too close to me. My heart was in my mouth, but the breathtaking scenery I encountered over the next few miles quickly calmed my nerves, reminding me exactly why I had set out on this adventure.

Exercises:   123456