Unit 9 Reading 1: Extreme Limits

Unit 9 Reading 1: Extreme Limits

plummet (v.)

to fall suddenly and quickly from a very high place

• The plane plummeted towards the Earth.

• The helicopters slammed together before plummeting to the ground.

 skydiving: the sport of jumping from a plane and falling through the sky before opening a parachute

climbing: the sport of climbing mountains or rocks

scuba diving: the sport of swimming under water while breathing through a tube that is connected to a container of air on your back

paragliding: a sport in which you jump off a hill or out of a plane and use a parachute to fly for long distances before floating back down to the ground

A hot air balloon is ascending and descending in the air during flight.

mountain biking:  the sport or activity of riding a mountain bike (a type of bicycle that has a strong frame, thick tires, and straight handlebars and that is used for riding over rough ground)

triathlon: a sports competition in which competitors run, swim, and cycle long distances

energize (UK usually energise)

to make someone feel energetic or eager:

• I felt very energized after my holiday.

glide (v.)

to move smoothly and quietly, as if without effort

• A swan glided across the surface of the lake.

• The plane glided through heavy clouds.

spiral

a line in the form of a curve that winds around a central point, moving further away from the center all the time

• The birds were flying loops and spirals through the trees, and across the sky.

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