Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Extreme Expeditions & World Records 9

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four record-breakers reflecting on how the mental resilience they built during extreme expeditions completely transformed how they handle everyday stress back home.

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 a change in their reaction to events not going as scheduled?

2   explains how dividing a monumental task into smaller parts helps them cope with professional pressure?

3   admits that a domestic equipment failure would previously have caused them great distress?

4   notes that acknowledging our tiny place in the universe helped calm their mind?

5   has transferred a psychological survival tactic to deal with monetary worries?

6   used to experience intense anger when faced with transport delays?

7   claims that dealing with difficult people is now much easier?

8   states that modern society’s complaints about minor discomforts seem completely absurd to them?

9   points out that acknowledging what is beyond their control is the key to their current happiness?

10   realised that concentrating on the present moment prevents feelings of being overwhelmed?

Bringing the Wilderness Home: How Extreme Adventurers Beat Daily Stress

A Leo: The Mountain Climber

Before I became the youngest person to summit all fourteen 8,000-metre peaks, I was a notorious perfectionist. I used to be a victim of terrible road rage; sitting in a traffic jam on my morning commute would leave me seething with intense frustration for the rest of the day. Up in the “Death Zone”, however, Mother Nature makes the rules. If a sudden blizzard rolls in, your carefully planned itinerary is instantly ruined. I quickly learned that throwing a tantrum at a snowstorm achieves absolutely nothing. You just have to hunker down in your tent and wait. Today, whenever a train is cancelled or a meeting runs late, I simply shrug it off. I’ve come to terms with the fact that letting go of the things you cannot influence is the ultimate secret to a peaceful life. While others panic over derailed schedules, I take a deep breath and accept the detour.

B Marina: The Ocean Rower

Rowing solo across the Pacific Ocean for ninety days strips away your ego. When you are surrounded by nothing but thousands of miles of deep blue water, you realise just how insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things. Strangely, accepting this lack of importance brought me a profound sense of inner peace. That newly acquired mindset has been a lifesaver back on dry land, particularly regarding social interactions. I used to be highly sensitive to criticism and would often get dragged into exhausting arguments with awkward colleagues. Now, whenever someone tries to provoke me or creates workplace drama, I just picture the vastness of the ocean. The urge to snap back simply vanishes. When you’ve faced fifty-foot rogue waves that could capsize your boat in a heartbeat, a colleague’s bad mood or a petty disagreement suddenly feels incredibly meaningless. I’ve learned to step back and let the storm pass.

C Victor: The Polar Explorer

Trekking unaccompanied to the South Pole is a brutal test of endurance. If you focus on the agonizing hundreds of miles stretching out ahead of you, your spirit will break within days. To survive the psychological torment, I adopted a strategy of extreme compartmentalisation. I only ever thought about making it to the next ice ridge, or surviving until my next meal. Fast forward to my current life as an entrepreneur, and I employ the exact same philosophy. Whenever my company faces a daunting workload or a seemingly impossible deadline, I never look at the big picture. I break the project down into bite-sized, achievable daily goals. By anchoring my thoughts strictly in the here and now, I stop myself from panicking. Furthermore, I’ve even applied this mindset to paying off a heavy bank loan. Instead of fretting over the massive total debt, I just focus on clearing this month’s installment.

D Sylvia: The Ultramarathoner

Completing a 250-kilometre footrace across the Sahara Desert fundamentally rewired my brain regarding physical comfort. Out there in the blistering heat, enduring agonizing blisters and severe dehydration is simply par for the course. Returning to civilisation, I experienced severe culture shock. It honestly baffles me when I hear people moaning bitterly about a lukewarm coffee or a slightly uncomfortable office chair. These trivial societal grievances seem utterly ridiculous when you know what the human body can truly endure. In the past, if the central heating broke down in the middle of winter, I would have been beside myself with misery and complaining to anyone who would listen. Recently, when my boiler actually did pack up for a week, I barely batted an eyelid. I just put on an extra jumper and went about my day. My desert expeditions taught me that true resilience means not letting minor inconveniences dictate your happiness.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four team members describing the intense friction and furious arguments that erupt when four people are trapped in a tiny tent during a week-long blizzard.

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

Which person/section

1   admits to being the one who sparked a particularly fierce disagreement?

2   points out that the psychological strain was worse than the freezing temperatures?

3   had to conceal their growing panic for the sake of the team?

4   found relief from the tension through an unexpected burst of laughter?

5   mentions being unfairly criticised for avoiding their daily duties?

6   developed a silent mental strategy to deal with the confinement?

7   was driven crazy by a teammate’s repetitive physical quirk?

8   believes a previously strong relationship has been ruined beyond repair?

9   regrets a specific choice they made regarding their equipment?

10   questions the judgment of the person officially in charge?

Cabin Fever: Surviving the Blizzard and Each Other

A Liam – The Expedition Leader

As the designated expedition leader, I felt an enormous weight on my shoulders when the whiteout hit. We were inevitably pinned down in a three-man tent for seven agonising days, with the wind howling like a freight train outside. I was absolutely terrified that our food supplies would run out before the storm broke. However, I knew that showing even a hint of fear would cause morale to plummet instantly, so I put on a falsely confident front, reassuring everyone that rescue was imminent. The sheer proximity to others brings out the absolute worst in people. My oldest mate, Julian, was with us, and the severe claustrophobia essentially tore our dynamic to shreds. We exchanged some incredibly harsh words over the rationing of our remaining biscuits, and sadly, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to salvage our bond after the deeply hurtful things that were said. Some folks complained endlessly about the bitter cold, but honestly, keeping everyone from tearing each other apart was far more exhausting.

B Sarah – The Pragmatist

People always assume that the sub-zero environment is the most challenging aspect of being stranded in a mountainous region during a snowstorm. However, I can assure you that the biting wind paled in comparison to the utter lack of privacy; having four fully-grown adults crammed into a space the size of a dining table is enough to drive anyone to the brink of insanity. Tensions were running dangerously high by the third day. At one point, I was aggressively accused of deliberately shirking my daily responsibility to melt ice for our drinking water. I was absolutely furious, especially since I had just spent two freezing hours patching up a critical tear in the canvas! Furthermore, I kept kicking myself for packing a bulky DSLR camera instead of an extra thermal sleeping bag. I’d foolishly assumed we’d be taking stunning landscape shots, but that useless piece of gear just took up precious room while we desperately needed more warmth.

C Julian – The Navigator

Looking back, I can openly admit that the severe cabin fever got the better of me. The turning point was when a teammate accidentally knocked over a freshly brewed mug of powdered soup. I completely lost my temper and initiated a colossal, venomous shouting match that lasted for hours, which I deeply regret now. I also found myself silently fuming at Liam, our so-called experienced guide. If he had actually paid attention to the weather warnings on the radio instead of stubbornly pushing us to reach the summit, we wouldn’t have been caught in that merciless blizzard in the first place. On top of that, being cooped up made me hyper-sensitive to every little noise and movement. One of the guys had a subconscious habit of relentlessly drumming his fingers against his knee, and it grated on my nerves so intensely that I had to physically restrain myself from snapping at him.

D Chloe – The Medic

Surviving that horrific week required immense mental discipline and resilience. Whenever the bickering and complaining escalated, I would close my eyes and meticulously plan the architectural renovation of my childhood home in my head, imagining the layout room by room, just to tune out the overwhelming negativity. It was an absolute lifesaver that prevented me from joining the arguments. You’d think that in such a desperate, life-threatening situation, there would be no room for amusement, but the human spirit is a funny thing. The atmosphere in the tent was incredibly toxic until the fifth morning, when a pair of rock-hard, frozen socks that had been hanging from the ceiling suddenly plummeted, striking Julian squarely on the nose. The sheer absurdity of the situation caught us all off guard, and we instantly dissolved into uncontrollable hysterics. That brief, shared moment of hilarity undoubtedly prevented a full-blown mutiny.

Exercises:   123456