Reaching the READING 8
We asked you to send us your holiday experiences
(good or bad) on the subject of ‘height’.
Here are some of the best posts we received.
A Rocio Montoya B Gareth Williams C Steffi Kunstmann D Sam Freeman
AGED 14 AGED 15 AGED 14 AGED 13
Machu Picchu Mount Snowdon Dinner in the sky Mount Ruapehu
Machu Picchu, which in I’ve climbed Mount Snowdon in Wales My dad won tickets to As my mum and I are huge
Quechua means `old peak’, is several times now, usually with friends. the Dinner in the Sky fans of The Hobbit, we went
a city in the clouds close to It’s been described as the busiest restaurant in Vienna on a dream holiday to New
the modern-day city of Cuzco. mountain in Britain, and for good so he took the whole Zealand last year. We visited
It is an ancient Inca city that reason. Every time I have been, there family, including my many of the locations from
stands 2,430 metres above sea have been plenty of walkers no matter grandparents. Dinner in the movies and the one that
level, and its ruins are visited by what time of year it is. There are six the Sky is an amazing sticks in my mind is Mount
tourists from all over the world. main routes – some more difficult than concept. It’s a gourmet Ruapehu, the setting for the
I visited it as part of a school others – and the climb can take five restaurant that is lifted Lonely Mountain, home of
project and we did `The Inca to six hours from start to finish. 50 metres into the air by Smaug the dragon.
Trail’, a five-day trek along an Apparently, Sir Edmund Hillary trained a crane, giving amazing Part of me was disappointed
ancient Inca path that passes here for his amazing 1953 Everest views of the city. when we got there. I had
through many famous Inca climb. Presumably he chose some However, I can’t say that expected to see the huge film
ruins and involves camping of the trickier routes, something we I would like to repeat the sets but of course, they were
outdoors. It’s not for everyone always do when we go up. You experience. Every time dismantled once filming had
– your feet and legs will ache, feel a real sense of achievement I looked down, I felt dizzy, finished. However, the scenery
but I found it very rewarding, when you reach the top after a and as a result, I lost there is breathtaking and
in particular when we finally difficult ascent. And the hot soup my appetite. I tried we got to do a whole load
arrived at the Sun Gate of they sell in the café there is a to be happy for my of great activities, including
Machu Picchu. great reward! But if you’re family’s sake, but skiing and snowboarding. The
feeling a bit lazy, take the I only relaxed once chair-lift ride to Knoll Ridge
If you are interested in doing the
railway, which was built in the we were back on Chalet, New Zealand’s highest
trail, book in advance as there
late 1890s, to the top. the ground. Not café at 2,020 metres, is out of
are limited places, avoid the
Personally, I’ve never surprising really – I this world. I would definitely
rainy season (October–April) and
been up on the feel the same way recommend a visit to Mount
consider taking tablets to deal
train. on the balcony of our Ruapehu. Just don’t go
with the altitude.
flat on the fifth floor. expecting to see film sets and
pack your winter clothing!
3 2.18 For each question, choose from 5 Find each word in the text and write a
the people A–D. The people may be chosen short definition or close synonym. Use
more than once. a dictionary if necessary.
1 sea level (para A)
Which person
2 altitude (para A)
1 mentions a famous mountaineering 1
expedition? 3 ascent (para B)
2 4 crane (para C)
2 made an effort to enjoy the trip?
5 sake (para C)
3 suggests the place they visited was cold? 3
6 sets (para D)
4 suggests that they visited the place for 4
educational purposes? 7 scenery (para D)
5 8 breathtaking (para D)
5 suffered from being so high up?
6 had a different experience from what 6
they imagined?
7 gives advice on how to organise a trip? 7
8
THINK | RESEARCH | CULTURE | LEARN | ME
8 stresses how many routes there are?
Find two more facts online about each of the four
places in the article and turn them into eight questions.
4 In pairs, compare your answers to Exercise
3. If you agree, find the part of the text In pairs or groups, give each other a quiz.
which gives you the answer. If you disagree,
justify your choices.
Workbook Unit 8: Reading, pages 60–61, exercises 1, 2, 3 81
