Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Water Sports & Extreme Adventures 7

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four teenagers sharing their experiences of attending an outdoor survival camp that taught them how to navigate rivers and build shelters.

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

Which person/section

1   confesses to having initially overestimated their own abilities?

2   points out that learning the theory of a skill is very different from putting it into practice?

3   mentions a specific moment where they had no choice but to put their faith in their peers?

4   was taken aback by the intense physical demands of a particular activity?

5   appreciates how the absence of modern distractions positively affected their mindset?

6   discovered an unexpected personal strength during a challenging water-based task?

7   mentions how sudden changes in the climate forced the group to adapt quickly?

8   explains how facing a difficult situation helped to unite a previously divided group?

9   explicitly states that the experience has altered their everyday habits back home?

10   admits they only attended the camp because they were pressured into it?

Surviving the Wild: Teenagers Put to the Test

A Leo

I’ve always been an avid viewer of survival documentaries, so when I signed up for this wilderness camp, I took it for granted that I’d be a natural. I genuinely believed I’d be showing everyone else the ropes. However, it didn’t take long for reality to kick in. We were tasked with constructing a waterproof shelter using only branches and foliage. While I knew the theory inside out, translating those concepts into a sturdy structure was a whole different ball game. The first night, my poorly tied knots gave way, and my roof collapsed. It was a humbling experience that taught me a harsh lesson. I had to swallow my pride and ask the instructors for assistance. We also spent hours navigating kayaks down a fairly calm river. Although my arms ached by the end of the day, the real wake-up call was realising that watching survival experts on a screen doesn’t automatically equip you with the practical skills needed to survive in the wild.

B Maya

Before setting off, I was incredibly anxious about the river navigation aspect of the camp. I’m a reasonably strong swimmer, but white-water rafting sounded terrifying. When we finally hit the rapids, the sheer force of the current completely caught me off guard. The instructors had warned us it would be tough, but paddling against those relentless waves pushed my body to its absolute limits. I woke up the next morning with muscles I didn’t even know I had screaming in agony! During one particularly treacherous stretch, our raft spun out of control, and I briefly lost my paddle. Panic set in, but I had absolutely no option but to trust my teammates to steer us away from the jagged rocks. They communicated flawlessly and pulled us to safety. I’ve always been fiercely independent, but that heart-stopping incident made me come to terms with the fact that sometimes, your survival literally depends on relying on others.

C Sam

The camp enforced a strict ban on electronic devices, meaning our smartphones were confiscated upon arrival. Initially, the thought of being completely disconnected from my friends back home filled me with dread. Yet, within a couple of days, that anxiety faded, and I found the mental clarity incredibly refreshing. Without the constant buzzing of notifications, I could genuinely focus on the present moment. The highlight for me was the river crossing exercise. Our group was struggling to figure out how to transport our heavy gear across a fast-flowing stream without getting it soaked. To my own amazement, I suddenly stepped up, delegated tasks, and devised a makeshift pulley system using ropes and branches. I’ve always been the quiet one in the background, so stepping into a leadership role was a revelation. Since returning home, I’ve actually set strict limits on my screen time; I make a point of leaving my phone in another room while studying or eating, which has completely transformed my daily routine.

D Chloe

If I’m entirely honest, I wouldn’t have been caught dead at a survival camp if my parents hadn’t insisted it would be “character building.” I arrived with a heavy heart, and my mood wasn’t helped by the fact that the people in my group were constantly bickering over minor issues during the first two days. We simply couldn’t see eye to eye. However, everything shifted on the third afternoon. We were in the middle of building a communal shelter when the sky turned an ominous shade of grey, and a torrential downpour began out of nowhere. The sudden drop in temperature meant we had to act fast to avoid hypothermia. Suddenly, all our petty arguments evaporated. We worked frantically as a unified team, gathering thick moss and insulating the walls just in time to stay dry. That intense, high-pressure situation broke the ice completely. We spent the rest of the evening huddled together, laughing about our earlier disagreements, having forged a genuine bond out of necessity.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four people describing the physical sensation of free-falling during their first skydiving experience and why they want to do it again.

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

Which person/section

1   hopes to pay more attention to the landscape on a future jump?

2   was astonished that the descent felt more like hovering than dropping?

3   is eager to acquire the skills necessary to jump independently?

4   believes the activity serves as a useful tool for dealing with daily pressures?

5   experienced a brief moment of difficulty with their breathing?

6   notes the comical way the extreme wind altered their appearance?

7   temporarily lost their sense of direction immediately after leaving the aircraft?

8   is keen to relive the thrilling build-up experienced just before the leap?

9   describes an uncomfortable physical sensation in their stomach as they exited the plane?

10   admits their brain struggled to process the sheer volume of sensory input?

Taking the Leap: The Thrill of the Free-fall

A Liam

Stepping out of the plane, I didn’t feel the stomach-churning drop I had nervously anticipated. Instead, it was absolute sensory overload. My brain simply couldn’t process the overwhelming amount of information coming at me all at once. The wind roared past my ears at a deafening pitch, and the sheer force of the air rushing into my face meant I spent the first few seconds gasping, completely unable to catch my breath. It wasn’t panic, just pure physical shock. I had originally thought about taking a solo skydiving course, but honestly, having a tandem instructor took all the pressure off my shoulders. Once the parachute eventually opened, the world below looked incredible, but during the actual free-fall, everything was just a high-speed blur. I’m absolutely desperate to go back up. Next time, knowing what to expect physically, I hope to keep my eyes wide open and actually take in the magnificent coastal views rather than just surviving the rush.

B Maya

Everyone had warned me that falling at two hundred kilometres per hour would be terrifying, but my experience couldn’t have been more different. Rather than feeling like a stone plummeting towards the earth, it genuinely felt as though I was floating on a dense cushion of air. I was astonished by how peaceful that hovering sensation was, despite the chaotic roar of the wind around me. Unlike others, I didn’t struggle to breathe at all; I just let myself be carried by the atmosphere. While the patchwork of green fields below was undeniably beautiful, it’s not the primary reason I’ve already booked my second jump. For me, it’s entirely about the intense build-up. The heart-pounding anticipation as you sit at the open door of the aircraft, your legs dangling into the abyss, is fiercely addictive. I want to recreate that ultimate adrenaline rush just before taking the leap; it’s an unparalleled feeling of being truly alive.

C Tom

The exact moment I rolled forward out of the aircraft, my stomach practically leapt into my throat. It was that classic rollercoaster drop, but magnified a hundred times over. However, that uncomfortable bodily sensation only lasted a fraction of a second before terminal velocity kicked in. From then on, the physical force acting upon my body was extraordinary. The sheer pressure of the wind was so intense that it violently blew my cheeks back towards my ears, pulling my face into an exaggerated, hilarious grin. I remember watching the official video afterwards and laughing out loud at my heavily distorted expression! It wasn’t exactly a peaceful float, but rather an aggressive, high-speed thrill. Having had a taste of this extreme environment, I’ve decided I no longer want to be a passive passenger strapped to someone else’s chest. I’ve recently signed up for an intensive course to earn my own skydiving licence so I can manage my own equipment.

D Chloe

As someone who constantly worries about strict workplace deadlines and targets, my colleagues thought I was completely crazy to jump out of an aeroplane. In the initial few seconds after exiting the cabin, I must confess I completely lost my bearings. My body was tumbling clumsily, and I temporarily couldn’t tell which way was the sky and which was the ground. Fortunately, my tandem instructor swiftly corrected our posture, and we stabilised into a smooth, belly-to-earth position. Unlike other jumpers I’ve spoken to, my stomach didn’t lurch at all; it was purely a moment of spatial confusion. Once we were stable, the relentless rush of the air against my skin wiped my mind completely blank. In that minute of free-fall, absolutely nothing else mattered. That profound sense of living entirely in the ‘now’ is exactly why I’m returning. I’ve realised that hurling myself out of an aircraft is a remarkably effective method for putting my mundane everyday anxieties into perspective.

Exercises:   123456