reading comprehension

  Read the advice to competitors in a race. Match questions A–F with paragraphs 1–5. There is one extra question.

How to achieve success at the Marathon des Sables

The best – and probably only – way of completing this six-day ultramarathon in southern Morocco is to make efficient preparations. Here are some tips to help you survive the 251 km course.

1 ___

As a competitor in the Marathon des Sables, you’ll be responsible for your own food. To maintain physical strength, you’ll need between 3,000 and 4,000 calories per day. Dried food is best because of its low weight and volume. Plan for a solid breakfast before the race, and a large evening meal afterwards. Take dried fruit and nuts, and high energy bars as snacks.

2 ___

During the race, you’ll need to drink between six and seven litres of water per day. Water is distributed in the morning, at control posts during the race and on completion of each stage – remember to save some each evening to prepare breakfast the next day. You mustn’t discard water bottles in the desert; they should be exchanged for new ones or thrown away at the control posts.

3 ___

You’ll need a comfortable rucksack that doesn’t cover the competitor number on your chest; if it does, you may not be allowed to compete. The bag should contain everything you need, including food, a stove for heating water, a sleeping bag and your clothes. Everything you carry must be weighed so that your rucksack isn’t too heavy for you.

4 ___

You should start preparing at least six months before the event starts. Aim to run 150 to 190 miles a week, increasing the distance as time goes on. Train with a rucksack occasionally and get used to drinking water on long runs. You can also use the practice runs to test different energy foods. If you aren’t used to running, you should not enter the competition.

5 ___

Special satellite facilities are arranged during the race so that you can call friends and family. Phone calls cost around €3 per minute, so bring cash or a credit card with you. You can send one free email per day and the rest you will be charged for. If you want to receive internet messages, the sender will need your full name and competitor number.

Read the advice to competitors in a race. Match questions A–F with paragraphs 1–5. There is one extra question.

How to achieve success at the Marathon des Sables

The best – and probably only – way of completing this six-day ultramarathon in southern Morocco is to make efficient preparations. Here are some tips to help you survive the 251 km course.

1 ___

As a competitor in the Marathon des Sables, you’ll be responsible for your own food. To maintain physical strength, you’ll need between 3,000 and 4,000 calories per day. Dried food is best because of its low weight and volume. Plan for a solid breakfast before the race, and a large evening meal afterwards. Take dried fruit and nuts, and high energy bars as snacks.

2 ___

During the race, you’ll need to drink between six and seven litres of water per day. Water is distributed in the morning, at control posts during the race and on completion of each stage – remember to save some each evening to prepare breakfast the next day. You mustn’t discard water bottles in the desert; they should be exchanged for new ones or thrown away at the control posts.

3 ___

You’ll need a comfortable rucksack that doesn’t cover the competitor number on your chest; if it does, you may not be allowed to compete. The bag should contain everything you need, including food, a stove for heating water, a sleeping bag and your clothes. Everything you carry must be weighed so that your rucksack isn’t too heavy for you.

4 ___

You should start preparing at least six months before the event starts. Aim to run 150 to 190 miles a week, increasing the distance as time goes on. Train with a rucksack occasionally and get used to drinking water on long runs. You can also use the practice runs to test different energy foods. If you aren’t used to running, you should not enter the competition.

5 ___

Special satellite facilities are arranged during the race so that you can call friends and family. Phone calls cost around €3 per minute, so bring cash or a credit card with you. You can send one free email per day and the rest you will be charged for. If you want to receive internet messages, the sender will need your full name and competitor number.

  Read the advice to competitors in a race. Match questions A–F with paragraphs 1–5. There is one extra question.

How to achieve success at the Marathon des Sables

The best – and probably only – way of completing this six-day ultramarathon in southern Morocco is to make efficient preparations. Here are some tips to help you survive the 251 km course.

1 ___

As a competitor in the Marathon des Sables, you’ll be responsible for your own food. To maintain physical strength, you’ll need between 3,000 and 4,000 calories per day. Dried food is best because of its low weight and volume. Plan for a solid breakfast before the race, and a large evening meal afterwards. Take dried fruit and nuts, and high energy bars as snacks.

2 ___

During the race, you’ll need to drink between six and seven litres of water per day. Water is distributed in the morning, at control posts during the race and on completion of each stage – remember to save some each evening to prepare breakfast the next day. You mustn’t discard water bottles in the desert; they should be exchanged for new ones or thrown away at the control posts.

3 ___

You’ll need a comfortable rucksack that doesn’t cover the competitor number on your chest; if it does, you may not be allowed to compete. The bag should contain everything you need, including food, a stove for heating water, a sleeping bag and your clothes. Everything you carry must be weighed so that your rucksack isn’t too heavy for you.

4 ___

You should start preparing at least six months before the event starts. Aim to run 150 to 190 miles a week, increasing the distance as time goes on. Train with a rucksack occasionally and get used to drinking water on long runs. You can also use the practice runs to test different energy foods. If you aren’t used to running, you should not enter the competition.

5 ___

Special satellite facilities are arranged during the race so that you can call friends and family. Phone calls cost around €3 per minute, so bring cash or a credit card with you. You can send one free email per day and the rest you will be charged for. If you want to receive internet messages, the sender will need your full name and competitor number.

Read the advice to competitors in a race. Match questions A–F with paragraphs 1–5. There is one extra question.

How to achieve success at the Marathon des Sables

The best – and probably only – way of completing this six-day ultramarathon in southern Morocco is to make efficient preparations. Here are some tips to help you survive the 251 km course.

1 ___

As a competitor in the Marathon des Sables, you’ll be responsible for your own food. To maintain physical strength, you’ll need between 3,000 and 4,000 calories per day. Dried food is best because of its low weight and volume. Plan for a solid breakfast before the race, and a large evening meal afterwards. Take dried fruit and nuts, and high energy bars as snacks.

2 ___

During the race, you’ll need to drink between six and seven litres of water per day. Water is distributed in the morning, at control posts during the race and on completion of each stage – remember to save some each evening to prepare breakfast the next day. You mustn’t discard water bottles in the desert; they should be exchanged for new ones or thrown away at the control posts.

3 ___

You’ll need a comfortable rucksack that doesn’t cover the competitor number on your chest; if it does, you may not be allowed to compete. The bag should contain everything you need, including food, a stove for heating water, a sleeping bag and your clothes. Everything you carry must be weighed so that your rucksack isn’t too heavy for you.

4 ___

You should start preparing at least six months before the event starts. Aim to run 150 to 190 miles a week, increasing the distance as time goes on. Train with a rucksack occasionally and get used to drinking water on long runs. You can also use the practice runs to test different energy foods. If you aren’t used to running, you should not enter the competition.

5 ___

Special satellite facilities are arranged during the race so that you can call friends and family. Phone calls cost around €3 per minute, so bring cash or a credit card with you. You can send one free email per day and the rest you will be charged for. If you want to receive internet messages, the sender will need your full name and competitor number.

Read the advice to competitors in a race. Match questions A–F with paragraphs 1–5. There is one extra question.

How to achieve success at the Marathon des Sables

The best – and probably only – way of completing this six-day ultramarathon in southern Morocco is to make efficient preparations. Here are some tips to help you survive the 251 km course.

1 ___

As a competitor in the Marathon des Sables, you’ll be responsible for your own food. To maintain physical strength, you’ll need between 3,000 and 4,000 calories per day. Dried food is best because of its low weight and volume. Plan for a solid breakfast before the race, and a large evening meal afterwards. Take dried fruit and nuts, and high energy bars as snacks.

2 ___

During the race, you’ll need to drink between six and seven litres of water per day. Water is distributed in the morning, at control posts during the race and on completion of each stage – remember to save some each evening to prepare breakfast the next day. You mustn’t discard water bottles in the desert; they should be exchanged for new ones or thrown away at the control posts.

3 ___

You’ll need a comfortable rucksack that doesn’t cover the competitor number on your chest; if it does, you may not be allowed to compete. The bag should contain everything you need, including food, a stove for heating water, a sleeping bag and your clothes. Everything you carry must be weighed so that your rucksack isn’t too heavy for you.

4 ___

You should start preparing at least six months before the event starts. Aim to run 150 to 190 miles a week, increasing the distance as time goes on. Train with a rucksack occasionally and get used to drinking water on long runs. You can also use the practice runs to test different energy foods. If you aren’t used to running, you should not enter the competition.

5 ___

Special satellite facilities are arranged during the race so that you can call friends and family. Phone calls cost around €3 per minute, so bring cash or a credit card with you. You can send one free email per day and the rest you will be charged for. If you want to receive internet messages, the sender will need your full name and competitor number.

 Read the text and choose the correct answers.

A Scottish summer camp

Summer camps are becoming more and more popular with young people, but what are they like? Last month, junior reporter Sally Henshaw travelled to Loch Lomond, Scotland, to find out.

‘I’ve been travelling for ten hours,’ I thought, when the minibus finally drove past a sign saying ‘Welcome to Camp Lomond’. It was dark, and I just wanted to go indoors and jump into a nice, soft bed. But the camp leaders had other ideas. We all had a barbecue, then we sat around a campfire and talked (or fell asleep). Finally, one of the leaders divided us into groups of three and gave us the really bad news.

‘Now it’s time to put up your tents,’ he said.

I don’t know how three of us managed to sleep in a tent the size of a single bed, but somehow we did. When we woke up the next day, my new friend Ingrid opened the front of the tent, and we all looked out. There, shining silver between the trees, was Loch Lomond. ‘Loch’ means ‘lake’ in Scottish, and Loch Lomond is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! That morning after breakfast, we went horse riding around the lake. I’ve never ridden in such an amazing place.

In the next few days, I went BMX biking, tried rock climbing and played volleyball every day until I couldn’t stand up! It was great! The camp organises different activities every day. Most sports activities are in the afternoon, and in the morning you can choose lessons like drawing, chess, drama and cookery. I’ve never been very good at art or board games − and I’m not a great actor − so I went along to the cookery class. I love food, but I didn’t know how to cook anything before I went to Scotland. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been baking cakes for my parents! (And they haven’t been to hospital with food poisoning yet, so I must be quite good at it!)

You have to work hard on a summer camp. Everybody has to do chores, and you do activities all day, too − you can’t just sit around and hang out. But I really had a great time. The best thing about the camp was making new friends. Since I came home, Ingrid and I have been texting every day. The activities are great, but the people are even better.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to go on a summer camp? I’ll tell you the answer in two words: exhausting and fun!

    1   How did Sally feel when she first arrived?

Read the text and choose the correct answers.

A Scottish summer camp

Summer camps are becoming more and more popular with young people, but what are they like? Last month, junior reporter Sally Henshaw travelled to Loch Lomond, Scotland, to find out.

‘I’ve been travelling for ten hours,’ I thought, when the minibus finally drove past a sign saying ‘Welcome to Camp Lomond’. It was dark, and I just wanted to go indoors and jump into a nice, soft bed. But the camp leaders had other ideas. We all had a barbecue, then we sat around a campfire and talked (or fell asleep). Finally, one of the leaders divided us into groups of three and gave us the really bad news.

‘Now it’s time to put up your tents,’ he said.

I don’t know how three of us managed to sleep in a tent the size of a single bed, but somehow we did. When we woke up the next day, my new friend Ingrid opened the front of the tent, and we all looked out. There, shining silver between the trees, was Loch Lomond. ‘Loch’ means ‘lake’ in Scottish, and Loch Lomond is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! That morning after breakfast, we went horse riding around the lake. I’ve never ridden in such an amazing place.

In the next few days, I went BMX biking, tried rock climbing and played volleyball every day until I couldn’t stand up! It was great! The camp organises different activities every day. Most sports activities are in the afternoon, and in the morning you can choose lessons like drawing, chess, drama and cookery. I’ve never been very good at art or board games − and I’m not a great actor − so I went along to the cookery class. I love food, but I didn’t know how to cook anything before I went to Scotland. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been baking cakes for my parents! (And they haven’t been to hospital with food poisoning yet, so I must be quite good at it!)

You have to work hard on a summer camp. Everybody has to do chores, and you do activities all day, too − you can’t just sit around and hang out. But I really had a great time. The best thing about the camp was making new friends. Since I came home, Ingrid and I have been texting every day. The activities are great, but the people are even better.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to go on a summer camp? I’ll tell you the answer in two words: exhausting and fun!

    2  The next morning, Sally

Read the text and choose the correct answers.

A Scottish summer camp

Summer camps are becoming more and more popular with young people, but what are they like? Last month, junior reporter Sally Henshaw travelled to Loch Lomond, Scotland, to find out.

‘I’ve been travelling for ten hours,’ I thought, when the minibus finally drove past a sign saying ‘Welcome to Camp Lomond’. It was dark, and I just wanted to go indoors and jump into a nice, soft bed. But the camp leaders had other ideas. We all had a barbecue, then we sat around a campfire and talked (or fell asleep). Finally, one of the leaders divided us into groups of three and gave us the really bad news.

‘Now it’s time to put up your tents,’ he said.

I don’t know how three of us managed to sleep in a tent the size of a single bed, but somehow we did. When we woke up the next day, my new friend Ingrid opened the front of the tent, and we all looked out. There, shining silver between the trees, was Loch Lomond. ‘Loch’ means ‘lake’ in Scottish, and Loch Lomond is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! That morning after breakfast, we went horse riding around the lake. I’ve never ridden in such an amazing place.

In the next few days, I went BMX biking, tried rock climbing and played volleyball every day until I couldn’t stand up! It was great! The camp organises different activities every day. Most sports activities are in the afternoon, and in the morning you can choose lessons like drawing, chess, drama and cookery. I’ve never been very good at art or board games − and I’m not a great actor − so I went along to the cookery class. I love food, but I didn’t know how to cook anything before I went to Scotland. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been baking cakes for my parents! (And they haven’t been to hospital with food poisoning yet, so I must be quite good at it!)

You have to work hard on a summer camp. Everybody has to do chores, and you do activities all day, too − you can’t just sit around and hang out. But I really had a great time. The best thing about the camp was making new friends. Since I came home, Ingrid and I have been texting every day. The activities are great, but the people are even better.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to go on a summer camp? I’ll tell you the answer in two words: exhausting and fun!

    3   What types of activities did Sally do at the camp?

Read the text and choose the correct answers.

A Scottish summer camp

Summer camps are becoming more and more popular with young people, but what are they like? Last month, junior reporter Sally Henshaw travelled to Loch Lomond, Scotland, to find out.

‘I’ve been travelling for ten hours,’ I thought, when the minibus finally drove past a sign saying ‘Welcome to Camp Lomond’. It was dark, and I just wanted to go indoors and jump into a nice, soft bed. But the camp leaders had other ideas. We all had a barbecue, then we sat around a campfire and talked (or fell asleep). Finally, one of the leaders divided us into groups of three and gave us the really bad news.

‘Now it’s time to put up your tents,’ he said.

I don’t know how three of us managed to sleep in a tent the size of a single bed, but somehow we did. When we woke up the next day, my new friend Ingrid opened the front of the tent, and we all looked out. There, shining silver between the trees, was Loch Lomond. ‘Loch’ means ‘lake’ in Scottish, and Loch Lomond is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! That morning after breakfast, we went horse riding around the lake. I’ve never ridden in such an amazing place.

In the next few days, I went BMX biking, tried rock climbing and played volleyball every day until I couldn’t stand up! It was great! The camp organises different activities every day. Most sports activities are in the afternoon, and in the morning you can choose lessons like drawing, chess, drama and cookery. I’ve never been very good at art or board games − and I’m not a great actor − so I went along to the cookery class. I love food, but I didn’t know how to cook anything before I went to Scotland. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been baking cakes for my parents! (And they haven’t been to hospital with food poisoning yet, so I must be quite good at it!)

You have to work hard on a summer camp. Everybody has to do chores, and you do activities all day, too − you can’t just sit around and hang out. But I really had a great time. The best thing about the camp was making new friends. Since I came home, Ingrid and I have been texting every day. The activities are great, but the people are even better.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to go on a summer camp? I’ll tell you the answer in two words: exhausting and fun!

    4   What happened after she came home from the camp?

Read the text and choose the correct answers.

A Scottish summer camp

Summer camps are becoming more and more popular with young people, but what are they like? Last month, junior reporter Sally Henshaw travelled to Loch Lomond, Scotland, to find out.

‘I’ve been travelling for ten hours,’ I thought, when the minibus finally drove past a sign saying ‘Welcome to Camp Lomond’. It was dark, and I just wanted to go indoors and jump into a nice, soft bed. But the camp leaders had other ideas. We all had a barbecue, then we sat around a campfire and talked (or fell asleep). Finally, one of the leaders divided us into groups of three and gave us the really bad news.

‘Now it’s time to put up your tents,’ he said.

I don’t know how three of us managed to sleep in a tent the size of a single bed, but somehow we did. When we woke up the next day, my new friend Ingrid opened the front of the tent, and we all looked out. There, shining silver between the trees, was Loch Lomond. ‘Loch’ means ‘lake’ in Scottish, and Loch Lomond is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! That morning after breakfast, we went horse riding around the lake. I’ve never ridden in such an amazing place.

In the next few days, I went BMX biking, tried rock climbing and played volleyball every day until I couldn’t stand up! It was great! The camp organises different activities every day. Most sports activities are in the afternoon, and in the morning you can choose lessons like drawing, chess, drama and cookery. I’ve never been very good at art or board games − and I’m not a great actor − so I went along to the cookery class. I love food, but I didn’t know how to cook anything before I went to Scotland. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been baking cakes for my parents! (And they haven’t been to hospital with food poisoning yet, so I must be quite good at it!)

You have to work hard on a summer camp. Everybody has to do chores, and you do activities all day, too − you can’t just sit around and hang out. But I really had a great time. The best thing about the camp was making new friends. Since I came home, Ingrid and I have been texting every day. The activities are great, but the people are even better.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to go on a summer camp? I’ll tell you the answer in two words: exhausting and fun!

    5   Overall, how does Sally feel about Camp Lomond?