Challenges and achievements

​Challenges and Achievements
🏆 🏆 🏆

​Do you spend much time in nature? Where do you go?
Have you been to any of these places? Where? What was it like?
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- a desert /ˈdez.ət/ 🏜️
- a glacier /ˈɡlæs.i.ər/ or /ˈɡleɪ.ʃɚ/ or /ˈɡleɪ.si.ɚ/🧊
- the summit of a mountain 🏔️
- the middle of the ocean 🌊

​Do you know any stories of people doing the following challenges?
Were they successful? Why? / Why not?
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- sailing round the world ⛵️
- reaching the North Pole 🌎
- crossing a desert 🐪
- jumping from a high altitude 🌁

​Where's it?
What's happening?
What might be the problem?

​Looking at the photo – the clear blue sky and queues of people – you might think that this is a group of walkers on a summer’s day climbing a popular local peak. But this is the summit of Everest – almost 9,000 metres high, with temperatures of -15 and winds blowing at 50km/h on a ‘good’ day. What’s more, at this altitude the lack of oxygen can cause confusion, slow your movements and make it almost impossible to keep warm. It’s so dangerous they call this place ‘the Death Zone’.

  .

Some argue that pictures like this create a false impression. They attract too many amateurs who have a romantic idea of reaching ‘the top of the world’ and are rich enough to pay $70,000 to make their dream come true. However, they have no proper concept of the risks when they climb Everest. They rely too heavily on using fixed ropes and the support of their guides and they don’t have the skill or experience to cope when things go wrong.

​Read the rest of the article. It tells you about a man called Maurice Wilson, who attempted to climb Everest.
What do you think of Wilson?

​Based on your knowledge of the world, what you understand from the article and your opinions, discuss these questions:
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- Why do you think he was refused entry into Tibet and Nepal?
- Why do you think flying solo to India was described as 'a huge achievement'?
- Why do you think he ignored the climbing equipment?
- Why do you think he was starving, half blind and in great pain?
- What do you think happened to the Sherpas?
- What do you think drove Wilson to do what he did?
- In what ways do you think Wilson is the same or different to the amateurs talked about at the beginning of the article?

Drag and Drop

Complete the sentences:



1) I climbed the ​

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in Europe - Mont Blanc. I was so happy when​

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, I can't express it.

2) A year ago I did the Marathon des Sables challenge, which is a 254km race through the Sahara desert. It was very ​

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but I managed to ​

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and finish.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

highest peak

I reached the summit

tough

get through the pain

Drag and Drop

Complete the sentences:



3) Until last year, I'd never been in the sea because I was so ​

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, but last year I had some swimming lessons and I finally ​

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. I was so proud of myself!

4) My biggest ever challenge was giving up smoking. It ​

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and a lot of strength and ​

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, but I finally managed to do it. My son is very proud of me!

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

scared of drowning

overcame my fear

took several attempts

determination

Drag and Drop

Complete the sentences:



5) I've always ​

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of becoming a writer and now my dream's ​

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because my book is going to be published.

6) My ​

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is to become a millionare before I'm 40 and I'm well on the way to​

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.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

dreamt

come true

ambition

reaching my goal

Drag and Drop

Complete the sentences:



7) I ​

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of learning 50 words or phrases each week. I'm sure I can ​

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it.

8) I'm blind so I think getting a degree and a good job has been a big achievement as you have to ​

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when you are ​

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.

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set myself a target

achieve

overcome many barriers

disabled

​Which looks like the biggest challenge / achievement to you? Why?
Do these sentences remind you of anyone / anything?
.
1) I climbed the highest peak in Europe - Mont Blanc. I was so happy when I reached the summit, I can't express it.

2) A year ago I did the Marathon des Sables challenge, which is a 254km race through the Sahara desert. It was very tough but I managed to get through the pain and finish.
3) Until last year, I'd never been in the sea because I was so scared of drowning, but last year I had some swimming lessons and I finally overcame my fear. I was so proud of myself!

4) My biggest ever challenge was giving up smoking. It took several attempts and a lot of strength and determination, but I finally managed to do it. My son is very proud of me!
.
5) I've always dreamt of becoming a writer and now my dream's come true because my book is going to be published.

6) My ambition is to become a millionare before I'm 40 and I'm well on the way to reaching my goal.
7) I set myself a target of learning 50 words or phrases each week. I'm sure I can achieve it.

8) I'm blind so I think getting a degree and a good job has been a big achievement as you have to overcome many barriers when you are disabled.

​What are your biggest achievements so far?
.
What dreams and ambitions do you have?
How close are you to making them come true?
🏆 💭