Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Extreme Expeditions & World Records 5

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four individuals reflecting on the bizarre anti-climax and strange emptiness they felt the morning after successfully breaking a highly coveted Guinness World Record.

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 struggling to articulate their subdued mood to well-wishers?

2   confesses they wrongly assumed the triumph would drastically transform their existence?

3   acknowledges that the pursuit itself brought more satisfaction than the final victory?

4   feels a deep sense of loss regarding the social connections forged during the project?

5   describes a momentary physical confusion upon waking up the next day?

6   was taken aback by how rapidly the media spotlight shifted away from them?

7   expresses doubts about whether the resources dedicated to the goal were justified?

8   states that the official documentation of their feat felt remarkably underwhelming?

9   misses the strict daily regimen they had established prior to the event?

10   is unsure what to dedicate their free time to now that the objective has been met?

The Morning After the Record: Why Success Can Feel So Empty

A Liam

For two years, my entire existence revolved around breaking the world record for the longest continuous stationary cycle. I took it for granted that finally crossing that finish line would bring immense, long-lasting euphoria. However, when I opened my eyes the morning after the event, I experienced a bizarre jolt of panic, my legs instinctively trying to pedal an invisible bike before my brain caught up with reality. Once that initial disorientation faded, a crushing wave of emptiness washed over me. I had grown so accustomed to my punishing training schedule that without it, I felt utterly adrift. While I don’t regret the physical toll, the sudden absence of my strict 5 a.m. alarms and rigid dietary plans left me staring blankly at the ceiling. People naturally assume you must feel on top of the world, but honestly, I just felt unemployed. I’ve achieved my ultimate ambition, yet I’d gladly give anything to go back to the gruelling routine of preparing for it.

B Sarah

As the official adjudicator verified my 5,000th vintage pocket watch, confirming my new world title, the applause was deafening. Yet, waking up the next day surrounded by ticking timepieces, I felt incredibly hollow. It slowly dawned on me that the true joy lay in scouring dusty antique markets and negotiating complex deals, rather than simply owning the largest collection on earth. Now that the hunt is definitively over, I find myself aimlessly pacing the house, completely at a loss for how to fill my weekends. Furthermore, looking at the sheer volume of metallic items taking up my living space, I can’t help but seriously wonder if the thousands of pounds I invested were truly well spent. I could have easily put a deposit on a house or travelled the globe instead. The thrill of the chase had kept me motivated, but now I must come to terms with the somewhat terrifying question: what on earth do I do next?

C Mark

I balanced 150 spoons on my face to secure my place in the record books. It sounds completely absurd, but for twenty-four hours, I was an absolute internet sensation. My phone buzzed relentlessly with interview requests and congratulatory messages. I genuinely believed this viral fame would be a turning point, opening doors to lucrative television appearances or sponsorships. But the morning after the official verification, the silence was deafening. The trending algorithms had already moved on to the next viral craze, and my fifteen minutes of fame had abruptly concluded. It was a harsh reminder of how fleeting modern attention can be. Sitting alone at my kitchen table, I felt utterly ridiculous. The sudden shift from global attention to total obscurity left me feeling flatter than ever before. I had invested months perfecting this bizarre skill, only to realise that holding a world record doesn’t automatically redefine who you are in the real world.

D Chloe

Coordinating three hundred volunteers to build the world’s largest recycled bottle-cap mosaic was an administrative nightmare, but it brought us incredibly close together. We had spent six intense months laughing, arguing, and collaborating to make it happen. Waking up the day after we broke the record, the harsh realisation hit me that our daily meetings and lively group chats were abruptly finished. I felt a profound grief for that lost sense of community. When the courier finally delivered the framed certificate a few weeks later, I simply stared at it in disbelief. This modest piece of glossy cardboard felt entirely inadequate to represent the blood, sweat, and tears we had collectively poured into the artwork. Since then, colleagues and relatives keep patting me on the back, expecting me to be radiant with pride. I force a smile, finding it impossible to explain why my heart feels so heavy despite our monumental success. The record belongs to history now, but I genuinely miss the people.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four expedition leaders describing the intense pressure of making critical leadership decisions while suffering from severe oxygen deprivation at high altitudes.

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 relying on previously established protocols rather than in-the-moment thinking?

2   experienced a sensory hallucination that temporarily clouded their judgment?

3   felt an overwhelming sense of isolation despite being surrounded by their team?

4   points out that physical fitness is less important than mental clarity in extreme environments?

5   was forced to abandon a crucial piece of equipment to ensure survival?

6   admits to having second thoughts about a decision long after the expedition ended?

7   observed a teammate making an irrational suggestion due to the lack of oxygen?

8   explains how the slow pace of their thought process nearly caused a disaster?

9   felt a sudden burst of energy or clarity right after descending to a safer altitude?

10   highlights the heavy burden of knowing their choice would affect others’ lives?

The Thin Air: Leadership in the Death Zone

A Julian

Above 8,000 metres, your brain simply stops functioning normally. During our 2021 K2 attempt, we were pinned down by a brutal storm. Despite being securely roped to three other climbers, the howling wind and biting cold made me feel entirely cut off from humanity, as if I were the last person on Earth. The severe oxygen deprivation made my thoughts incredibly sluggish. We had to decide whether to push for the summit or retreat to the lower camps. I eventually gave the order to turn back, convinced the weather would inevitably worsen. Ironically, the skies cleared just two hours later. Even though it was the safest call at the time, and if we had pressed on, the consequences might have been fatal, I still find myself awake at night, wondering if we could have made it. It’s a bitter pill to swallow. People assume the freezing temperatures are the hardest part, but it’s the mental fog that truly puts you in danger.

B Nadia

When you are suffering from hypoxia, your mind plays relentless tricks on you. You can’t rely on your gut instinct because your cognitive abilities are severely compromised. That is precisely why I insist on memorising strict emergency procedures before we even set foot on the mountain; when disaster strikes, you just execute the plan rather than trying to think logically. On Makalu, we faced a terrifying situation when our fixed lines were completely wiped out by a sudden avalanche. My brain felt like it was wrapped in thick cotton wool. To move fast enough to escape the danger zone, I had to order the team to drop our expensive supplemental oxygen tanks and heavy climbing gear. It went against every instinct, but it saved our lives. The sheer relief when we finally dropped below 6,000 metres was unforgettable. It was as though a thick fog had instantly lifted from my brain, and I could suddenly string a coherent sentence together again.

C Henrik

Many novice climbers mistakenly believe that conquering a mountain is simply a matter of having tremendous stamina and strong muscles. However, in the ‘death zone’, brute strength is entirely useless if your mind betrays you. On Annapurna, my cognitive processing slowed to an absolute crawl due to the exceptionally thin air. I remember staring at a deep, icy crevasse for what felt like an eternity, completely unable to figure out how to navigate around it. That terrifying delay nearly cost us our brief weather window, putting everyone in serious jeopardy. As the expedition leader, the pressure is incredibly suffocating. You are acutely aware that every single command you give dictates whether someone’s son or daughter makes it home safely. I had to fight through the dizzying altitude sickness and force my sluggish brain to process the surrounding terrain. There is absolutely no room for error when your team’s survival rests squarely on your shoulders.

D Chloe

At extreme altitudes, oxygen starvation can lead to profoundly strange experiences. During our descent from Lhotse, my vision played a terrifying trick on me. For a few frantic minutes, I was absolutely convinced that a large, dark figure was blocking our path, which made me freeze in panic before I finally realised it was merely a shadow cast by a jagged rock formation. This sort of mental confusion is incredibly dangerous, not just for the leader, but for the entire crew. I had to intervene when one of my most experienced guides suddenly insisted we take a ‘shortcut’ straight down a sheer ice cliff. He must have been completely delirious to genuinely believe it was a gentle slope. I had to physically restrain him and talk him down calmly. Leading an expedition in those conditions is like trying to solve a complex puzzle while severely sleep-deprived; you have to constantly second-guess everything you see and hear.

Exercises:   123456