Solution Pre-Interm Reading

Read the forum posts. Match texts A–D with questions 1–5. One text matches with two questions.

A

Dale – Bread maker I can’t remember how many times our bread maker has been used since Mum got it at Christmas, but it’s a lot. I was a bit worried because I read in a magazine that bread makers are one of those gadgets that people are often given as presents, but then they never use them. I don’t know why that is because it looks really easy to use. You just put all the ingredients in, press a button, and a couple of hours later you have a fresh loaf of bread. It beeps once when it’s ready! I love waking up to the smell of fresh bread each morning and Mum says she’ll never buy a loaf of bread again, so I think it was a really successful present

This gadget

B Karen – Spider catcher I’m a bit frightened of spiders. I don’t mind the little ones, but I don’t like the huge ones that are as big as your hand. I don’t like killing them though, so when my friend bought me a spider catcher, I was delighted. It’s a long stick with a kind of brush at the end that picks up the spider without hurting it. Then you can put the spider of out the window. I don’t know who it was invented by, but I think it’s a great idea

This gadget is

C Jack – Key alarm People say I’m a bit forgetful and they’re probably right. I often lose my keys, so when I was given a key alarm for my birthday, I was really pleased. It’s a gadget that you attach to your keys. Then, if you don’t know where they are, you can whistle or clap your hands and you’ll hear the alarm. It’s very loud, and it only stops when you find your keys and press a button. It does save a lot of time when I’m leaving the house. Before I had the alarm, it took me five to ten minutes to find my keys. These days all I have to do is whistle and I’m ready to go. The only bad thing about is that the batteries run out quite quickly, so I’m trying to be a bit more careful with my keys in case the alarm’s not working

This gadget ....

D Elliot – Ice lolly maker I was surprised when Mum bought me an ice lolly maker for my birthday. It seemed like a present for a young child. But then I used it and realised that it was great. You put the ice lolly maker in the freezer. Then, when you want to make a lolly, you just pour fruit juice into the maker. It freezes in about ten minutes, so you don’t have to wait very long to eat the lolly. And you can be really creative. I’ve used different fruit juices and put nuts and yoghurt in, too. It’s perfect for a hot day – really quick and healthy, and great fun however old you are.

This gadget...

On top of the world In January 2015, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell climbed to the top of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan – a famous mountain in Yosemite National Park, USA. This is often described as the world’s most difficult rock climb. It took Jorgeson and Caldwell eighteen days to climb the 900 metres to the top! During this time, they hung tents off the rock, and ate and slept in them. The Dawn Wall is so difficult because there is nothing big for climbers to hold onto. Jorgeson and Caldwell had to climb by holding tiny pieces of rocks with the ends of their fingers. They used ropes to protect themselves from falling, but not to help them climb. Kevin Jorgeson nearly didn't finish the climb. He found one part of the Dawn Wall extremely difficult. It took him seven days to do this part, and he fell eleven times. His fingers were damaged too, so he had to wait for them to get better before he could continue. But in the end, both men finished the climb together. It was an amazing achievement. Only two weeks later, an ice climber called Will Gadd became the first person to climb a frozen part of the Niagara Falls. These falls, on the Niagara River between America and Canada, are the biggest waterfalls in North America. They are made of three separate waterfalls, and Gadd climbed the Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. In winter, a part of these 50.9 metre falls freezes, and Gadd wanted to climb up the ice. But it was an extremely difficult climb. The ice was very thick in some places, but not in other places. And because only a part of the waterfall was frozen, a lot of water fell past Gadd as he climbed. Gadd knew that if he fell, he would probably die − but he got to the top. But why do people want to do dangerous climbs like these? 'Dangerous situations are very exciting,' says climber Terrence Jones. 'They make you feel alive.' Humans have always looked for challenges, but many of the old challenges – like climbing Mount Everest – aren’t exciting enough for some climbers because so many people have already done them. ‘Climbers like Caldwell and Gadd want to achieve more than anyone else,’ says Jones, ‘so that the world will read about them in the papers and see them on TV.’ One day people will complete all of the difficult climbs on Earth, so what will climbers do then? ‘I don’t know,’ says Jones. ‘But perhaps one day far in the future people won’t climb on Earth. There are still mountains to climb on Mars!’ This may never happen, of course, but one thing is certain: the search for adventure will not stop

1 Why was the Dawn Wall difficult to climb?

On top of the world In January 2015, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell climbed to the top of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan – a famous mountain in Yosemite National Park, USA. This is often described as the world’s most difficult rock climb. It took Jorgeson and Caldwell eighteen days to climb the 900 metres to the top! During this time, they hung tents off the rock, and ate and slept in them. The Dawn Wall is so difficult because there is nothing big for climbers to hold onto. Jorgeson and Caldwell had to climb by holding tiny pieces of rocks with the ends of their fingers. They used ropes to protect themselves from falling, but not to help them climb. Kevin Jorgeson nearly didn't finish the climb. He found one part of the Dawn Wall extremely difficult. It took him seven days to do this part, and he fell eleven times. His fingers were damaged too, so he had to wait for them to get better before he could continue. But in the end, both men finished the climb together. It was an amazing achievement. Only two weeks later, an ice climber called Will Gadd became the first person to climb a frozen part of the Niagara Falls. These falls, on the Niagara River between America and Canada, are the biggest waterfalls in North America. They are made of three separate waterfalls, and Gadd climbed the Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. In winter, a part of these 50.9 metre falls freezes, and Gadd wanted to climb up the ice. But it was an extremely difficult climb. The ice was very thick in some places, but not in other places. And because only a part of the waterfall was frozen, a lot of water fell past Gadd as he climbed. Gadd knew that if he fell, he would probably die − but he got to the top. But why do people want to do dangerous climbs like these? 'Dangerous situations are very exciting,' says climber Terrence Jones. 'They make you feel alive.' Humans have always looked for challenges, but many of the old challenges – like climbing Mount Everest – aren’t exciting enough for some climbers because so many people have already done them. ‘Climbers like Caldwell and Gadd want to achieve more than anyone else,’ says Jones, ‘so that the world will read about them in the papers and see them on TV.’ One day people will complete all of the difficult climbs on Earth, so what will climbers do then? ‘I don’t know,’ says Jones. ‘But perhaps one day far in the future people won’t climb on Earth. There are still mountains to climb on Mars!’ This may never happen, of course, but one thing is certain: the search for adventure will not stop

Jorgeson had to stop climbing for a while because

On top of the world In January 2015, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell climbed to the top of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan – a famous mountain in Yosemite National Park, USA. This is often described as the world’s most difficult rock climb. It took Jorgeson and Caldwell eighteen days to climb the 900 metres to the top! During this time, they hung tents off the rock, and ate and slept in them. The Dawn Wall is so difficult because there is nothing big for climbers to hold onto. Jorgeson and Caldwell had to climb by holding tiny pieces of rocks with the ends of their fingers. They used ropes to protect themselves from falling, but not to help them climb. Kevin Jorgeson nearly didn't finish the climb. He found one part of the Dawn Wall extremely difficult. It took him seven days to do this part, and he fell eleven times. His fingers were damaged too, so he had to wait for them to get better before he could continue. But in the end, both men finished the climb together. It was an amazing achievement.

Only two weeks later, an ice climber called Will Gadd became the first person to climb a frozen part of the Niagara Falls. These falls, on the Niagara River between America and Canada, are the biggest waterfalls in North America. They are made of three separate waterfalls, and Gadd climbed the Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. In winter, a part of these 50.9 metre falls freezes, and Gadd wanted to climb up the ice. But it was an extremely difficult climb. The ice was very thick in some places, but not in other places. And because only a part of the waterfall was frozen, a lot of water fell past Gadd as he climbed. Gadd knew that if he fell, he would probably die − but he got to the top. But why do people want to do dangerous climbs like these? 'Dangerous situations are very exciting,' says climber Terrence Jones. 'They make you feel alive.' Humans have always looked for challenges, but many of the old challenges – like climbing Mount Everest – aren’t exciting enough for some climbers because so many people have already done them. ‘Climbers like Caldwell and Gadd want to achieve more than anyone else,’ says Jones, ‘so that the world will read about them in the papers and see them on TV.’ One day people will complete all of the difficult climbs on Earth, so what will climbers do then? ‘I don’t know,’ says Jones. ‘But perhaps one day far in the future people won’t climb on Earth. There are still mountains to climb on Mars!’ This may never happen, of course, but one thing is certain: the search for adventure will not stop

3 What does the text say about Will Gadd's climb?

On top of the world In January 2015, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell climbed to the top of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan – a famous mountain in Yosemite National Park, USA. This is often described as the world’s most difficult rock climb. It took Jorgeson and Caldwell eighteen days to climb the 900 metres to the top! During this time, they hung tents off the rock, and ate and slept in them. The Dawn Wall is so difficult because there is nothing big for climbers to hold onto. Jorgeson and Caldwell had to climb by holding tiny pieces of rocks with the ends of their fingers. They used ropes to protect themselves from falling, but not to help them climb. Kevin Jorgeson nearly didn't finish the climb. He found one part of the Dawn Wall extremely difficult. It took him seven days to do this part, and he fell eleven times. His fingers were damaged too, so he had to wait for them to get better before he could continue. But in the end, both men finished the climb together. It was an amazing achievement. Only two weeks later, an ice climber called Will Gadd became the first person to climb a frozen part of the Niagara Falls. These falls, on the Niagara River between America and Canada, are the biggest waterfalls in North America. They are made of three separate waterfalls, and Gadd climbed the Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. In winter, a part of these 50.9 metre falls freezes, and Gadd wanted to climb up the ice. But it was an extremely difficult climb. The ice was very thick in some places, but not in other places. And because only a part of the waterfall was frozen, a lot of water fell past Gadd as he climbed. Gadd knew that if he fell, he would probably die − but he got to the top. But why do people want to do dangerous climbs like these? 'Dangerous situations are very exciting,' says climber Terrence Jones. 'They make you feel alive.' Humans have always looked for challenges, but many of the old challenges – like climbing Mount Everest – aren’t exciting enough for some climbers because so many people have already done them. ‘Climbers like Caldwell and Gadd want to achieve more than anyone else,’ says Jones, ‘so that the world will read about them in the papers and see them on TV.’ One day people will complete all of the difficult climbs on Earth, so what will climbers do then? ‘I don’t know,’ says Jones. ‘But perhaps one day far in the future people won’t climb on Earth. There are still mountains to climb on Mars!’ This may never happen, of course, but one thing is certain: the search for adventure will not stop

Terence suggests that Gadd and Caldwell climb

On top of the world In January 2015, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell climbed to the top of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan – a famous mountain in Yosemite National Park, USA. This is often described as the world’s most difficult rock climb. It took Jorgeson and Caldwell eighteen days to climb the 900 metres to the top! During this time, they hung tents off the rock, and ate and slept in them. The Dawn Wall is so difficult because there is nothing big for climbers to hold onto. Jorgeson and Caldwell had to climb by holding tiny pieces of rocks with the ends of their fingers. They used ropes to protect themselves from falling, but not to help them climb. Kevin Jorgeson nearly didn't finish the climb. He found one part of the Dawn Wall extremely difficult. It took him seven days to do this part, and he fell eleven times. His fingers were damaged too, so he had to wait for them to get better before he could continue. But in the end, both men finished the climb together. It was an amazing achievement. Only two weeks later, an ice climber called Will Gadd became the first person to climb a frozen part of the Niagara Falls. These falls, on the Niagara River between America and Canada, are the biggest waterfalls in North America. They are made of three separate waterfalls, and Gadd climbed the Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. In winter, a part of these 50.9 metre falls freezes, and Gadd wanted to climb up the ice. But it was an extremely difficult climb. The ice was very thick in some places, but not in other places. And because only a part of the waterfall was frozen, a lot of water fell past Gadd as he climbed. Gadd knew that if he fell, he would probably die − but he got to the top. But why do people want to do dangerous climbs like these? 'Dangerous situations are very exciting,' says climber Terrence Jones. 'They make you feel alive.' Humans have always looked for challenges, but many of the old challenges – like climbing Mount Everest – aren’t exciting enough for some climbers because so many people have already done them. ‘Climbers like Caldwell and Gadd want to achieve more than anyone else,’ says Jones, ‘so that the world will read about them in the papers and see them on TV.’ One day people will complete all of the difficult climbs on Earth, so what will climbers do then? ‘I don’t know,’ says Jones. ‘But perhaps one day far in the future people won’t climb on Earth. There are still mountains to climb on Mars!’ This may never happen, of course, but one thing is certain: the search for adventure will not stop

 In this article, the writer