Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Adventure Guides & Tourism Professionals 1

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four adventure guides sharing their extreme frustration when tourists show up for strenuous hikes wearing completely inappropriate footwear.

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

Which person

1   mentions having to physically support an injured hiker back to safety?

2   expresses frustration when clients ignore information sent in advance?

3   claims that the desire for the perfect photograph is the root of the problem?

4   carries spare items to lend to ill-equipped tourists?

5   points out that one person’s poor preparation can penalise the entire group?

6   admits this recurring issue has led them to contemplate a change of profession?

7   feels genuine sympathy for the pain experienced by unprepared walkers?

8   is amused by tourists who are upset when their expensive items get ruined?

9   explains that clients often wrongly assume urban shoes are tough enough for the wild?

10   observes that clients fail to comprehend the physical difficulty of the proposed route?

Walking on the Wild Side: A Guide’s Worst Nightmare

A Mark

It absolutely baffles me how anyone can book a strenuous ten-kilometre trek and turn up in flimsy canvas slip-ons. As a mountain guide, safety must always be my primary concern, and appropriate footwear is the absolute foundation of that. Last month, despite having briefed everyone thoroughly during our morning meeting, one participant insisted her thin-soled trainers would suffice. We hadn’t even covered three kilometres of jagged, uneven rocks when she slipped on a wet boulder and severely twisted her ankle. Consequently, the entire group had to abandon the expedition so I could practically carry the injured hiker back down the trail. It is incredibly unfair on the other clients who have invested time and money, and who have bothered to equip themselves properly, only to have their long-awaited experience cut short. I always bring a comprehensive first-aid kit, but I can’t magically heal a sprain on the spot.

B Sarah

What gets to me isn’t necessarily the arrogance of the tourists, but their complete lack of understanding of what ‘challenging terrain’ actually entails. People see a beautiful valley on a map and take it for granted that the path will be smooth. I always ensure an automated email is dispatched a week beforehand, explicitly detailing the necessity of sturdy hiking boots. Yet, time and again, they arrive in running shoes, completely disregarding the guidelines. While it is intensely irritating, I can’t help but feel a pang of compassion when I see them wincing in agony with every step. By the end of the day, their feet are covered in horrific blisters. They hobble along, clearly miserable, and what should have been an exhilarating adventure turns into a gruelling endurance test. It slows our pace down drastically, but more than that, it breaks my heart to see them in such genuine discomfort because they underestimated the wilderness.

C Jake

We live in an era where portraying a glamorous lifestyle online often trumps common sense. I frequently guide tours through muddy, treacherous rainforests, and you wouldn’t believe the designer brands people wear. It all boils down to their obsession with capturing the ultimate selfie. They want to look effortlessly stylish against a waterfall backdrop, oblivious to the fact that getting there involves wading through knee-deep mud. I honestly struggle to hide my smirk when a client throws a tantrum because their ridiculously expensive designer trainers are permanently stained or ripped by thorns. They complain bitterly, expecting me to somehow clean their shoes! I try to warn them at the trailhead, but they brush off my concerns, claiming they have great balance. It’s hard to be sympathetic when their priorities are so skewed. The wilderness is not a fashion runway, and nature really doesn’t care how many followers you have on social media.

D Elena

After fifteen years in this industry, I’ve seriously contemplated handing in my resignation on several occasions, almost entirely due to the footwear issue. It is utterly exhausting. Tourists from big cities seem to operate under the delusion that their everyday sneakers, which are perfectly fine for walking on concrete pavements, will hold up against loose scree and slippery roots. They simply do not grasp that urban footwear lacks the necessary grip and ankle support for survival in the wild. I’ve become so cynical that I now carry a heavy rucksack loaded with three extra pairs of generic hiking boots in various sizes. If I spot someone turning up in tennis shoes, I force them to change before we even set off. Yes, it’s an absolute nuisance to carry the extra weight, and I feel more like a nanny than an adventure guide, but it prevents the inevitable accidents that would otherwise ruin my week.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four river rafting instructors describing their experiences of guiding beginners through rapid waters.

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

Which person/section

1   believes that fostering a sense of unity among the crew is crucial?

2   describes a situation where they had to conceal their own anxiety from the group?

3   reflects on a disastrous outcome that was narrowly avoided?

4   derives pleasure from seeing passengers conquer their anxieties?

5   mentions that a passenger’s failure to follow instructions led to a dangerous moment?

6   states that their own enjoyment is less important than ensuring everyone remains unharmed?

7   explains how they try to predict passengers’ reactions before hitting the rough water?

8   suddenly realised the immense scale of the duty they had taken on?

9   emphasises the sheer physical effort required to regain control of a situation?

10   acknowledges that clients often misunderstand the instructor’s calm outward appearance?

Riding the Rapids: The Hidden Reality of a River Guide

A Mark

People often assume that being a rafting instructor is simply about steering a boat down a river. In reality, it’s mostly about reading people. Long before we hit the first major rapid, I am observing my crew. I need to figure out who will freeze and who might panic. If I hadn’t learned to anticipate these reactions, I would have faced far more flipped boats! Last week, we approached a particularly vicious stretch of white water. I noticed my front row trembling, and I felt a knot of dread in my stomach because the current was unusually fierce. However, I couldn’t let them see I was worried. It must have been terrifying for them to look ahead, so I gave them a reassuring grin, cracked a joke, and shouted our paddling rhythm. They took it for granted that I was entirely relaxed. By hiding my apprehension, I kept them focused, and we bounced back from a massive drop smoothly.

B Sarah

There is an undeniable rush that comes with navigating a grade-four rapid, a pure adrenaline spike that never really goes away. However, as an instructor, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that my personal thrill must always take a back seat to the safety of my raft. You are responsible for a boatload of absolute beginners who are often convinced they aren’t going to survive the trip. They grip the ropes so tightly their knuckles turn white! The most rewarding part of the job, hands down, is witnessing the transformation in these individuals. They start off petrified, but once we crash through the final wave and drift into calmer waters, their terror evaporates, replaced by pure elation. Some people think it’s the physical danger that draws me to this career, but truthfully, it’s watching someone face their ultimate fear and emerge victorious. It can’t be easy to trust a stranger with your life, yet they do it every single day.

C David

The sheer power of a swollen river is staggering, and an uncoordinated raft is a recipe for disaster. Consequently, before we even touch the water, I drill it into my clients that we are a single entity. Getting a group of panicked strangers to paddle synchronously is undoubtedly the toughest challenge. If they don’t work together, the river will easily overpower us. I distinctly remember a trip last spring when a sudden surge hit us unexpectedly. I shouted for everyone to paddle forward hard, which is essential to punch through a heavy wave. Unfortunately, one terrified passenger completely froze, dropped his paddle, and ducked down in the boat. His hesitation threw our balance off, and the raft violently spun sideways. We were dangerously close to capsizing. I told him later that he had put the whole crew at risk. Fortunately, the rest of the team compensated by paddling furiously, demonstrating exactly why establishing a strong sense of camaraderie is an absolute necessity.

D Elena

I will never forget my first solo run as a lead guide. We were navigating a notorious section of the river known as ‘The Serpent’. Up until that point, I had been treating the job a bit like a fun summer camp. But when the raft slammed into a submerged rock, the reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. The boat tilted drastically, and a young woman was abruptly thrown overboard. At that exact moment, the profound weight of my responsibility became crystal clear; these people’s lives were literally in my hands. If I hadn’t lunged forward and grabbed her lifejacket instantly, she would have been swept into a dangerous undertow. Hauling a fully grown adult back into a bouncing raft against the force of a raging river is utterly exhausting, requiring every ounce of my strength. I was left physically drained and mentally shaken. We survived, but the incident taught me that vigilance can never be relaxed.

Exercises:   123456