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WEEKS 1 - 2: SENTENCE PARAPHRASING

What is a paraphrase?
Paraphrasing is a way of presenting a text, keeping the same meaning, but using different words and phrases.
A paraphrase may result in a longer, rather than shorter, version of the original text. It offers an alternative to
using direct quotations and helps students to integrate evidence/source material into assignments. Paraphrasing is
also a useful skill for making notes from readings, note-taking in lectures, and explaining information in tables,
charts and diagrams.

When to paraphrase
• Paraphrase short sections of work only; a sentence or two or a short paragraph and use paraphrases as
alternatives to direct quotations
• To rewrite someone else’s ideas without changing the meaning.
• To express someone else’s ideas in your own words.
• To make someone else’s idea our own
• To avoid plagiarism.

Example

“Statements that seem complimentary in one context may be inappropriate in another. For example, women in business are
usually uncomfortable if male colleagues or superiors compliment them on their appearance: the comments suggest that the
women are being treated as visual decoration rather than contributing workers.” (Locker, 2003)

Read the following three paraphrases and decide which one is the best in terms of both wording and structure,
and in terms of whether the original meaning is retained. Explain why the other two are not chosen.
Paraphrase A:
Words or expressions which appear favorable in one situation might be improper in a different situation. For
instance, employed females are often uneasy when they are given positive comments on their looks. These remarks
imply that the females are being viewed as adornment instead of as productive employees.

Paraphrase B
Some statements may be inappropriate in one context, even though they are complimentary in another.
Compliments by male colleagues or superiors regarding a female coworker’s appearance, for example, often make
the woman feel uncomfortable. Instead of treating the women as contributing workers, men obviously think of
them as visual decoration.

Paraphrase C
Women may feel uneasy upon receiving ordinarily positive comments on their appearance from male coworkers
or supervisors. To these women, the remarks carry an implied meaning: instead of being thought of as productive
employees, they are actually being viewed as just a pretty part of the atmosphere. Depending on the situation,
words or expressions which appear favorable may actually be unsuitable in a conversation.

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How to paraphrase
• Read the source carefully. Make sure that you understand it.
• Identify the main points and key words.
• Put the original source away and rewrite it in your own words.
o Use synonyms/ antonyms
o Change Word Forms
o Use different sentence structure (Clause ~ Phrase, Quoted Speech ~ Indirect Speech, Active Voice
~ Passive Voice)
o Change the order of presentation of information Change the order in which ideas are presented if
possible.
• Check the paraphrase and edit it in your own style.

Paraphrasing Quiz
Select the correct paraphrase
1. Choose the best paraphrase of the following: In general, female birds are less colorful than male birds.
• In general, male birds are more attractive than female birds.
• On the whole, the feathers of the female birds are not as striking as that of their counterpart
• Generally speaking, female birds are less colorful than male birds.
2. Choose the best paraphrase of the following: A handshake does not mean the same thing around the world.
• A handshake means something different around the world.
• Internationally, a greeting by shaking hands is not the same.
• A handshake does not mean the same thing around the world.
3. Choose the best paraphrase of the following: His job wasn't very interesting, but it paid well.
• Though somewhat boring, his job paid well.
• Though somewhat uninteresting, his job paid well.
• Though somewhat boring, his position earned him a handsome income.
4. Choose the best paraphrase of the following: Our life is defined by the quality of our choices.
• Our life is determined by the quality of our choices.
• Our life is affected by the type of choices we make.
• Our decisions influence the nature of our life.
5. Choose the best paraphrase of the following: Climbing mountains is a dangerous activity.
• Climbing mountains is a dangerous activity.
• A treacherous sport is mountain climbing.
• Climbing mountains can be an unsafe activity.
6. Commonly used paraphrasing techniques. Which is NOT a paraphrasing technique.
• Synonym
• Moving phrases
• Writing down the words exactly as you see them
7. This is an example of what technique? Moving phrases, changing voices, using synonyms?
Statement 1-Overuse of ground water would lead to pervasive drought
Statement 2- Overuse of ground water would cause widespread dryness
8. What technique is shown here? Moving phrases, changing voices, using synonyms?
Sentence 1-His job wasn't very interesting, but it paid well.
Sentence 2- His well paying job was not very interesting

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Practice
A. Find the synonyms of the bolded words or phrases in the following sentences.
1. The adolescents showed great enthusiasm for the festival.
2. There was a very serious car crash on the expressway yesterday.
3. The typhoon terrified many sailors who were at sea on their ships.
4. The two companies signed a contract to work together in their businesses.
5. The student placed more emphasis on entertainment than on school work.
6. The man went on holiday to the coast after completing his project.
7. The team had to adjust their schedule due to rain.
8. Looking at computer monitor for too long can injure your eyes.
9. Approximately 30,000 students may be assisted by the proposed "free lunch" program.
10. With the development of flash memory cards, the market for portable music players jumped sharply.
11. Therefore, the effect was an increase in student examination results.
12. In addition, a strong typhoon is expected to batter the coast over the next few days.
13. The money needed to fight climate change will require changes to the federal government’s financial
plans.
14. The engineer must judge how much dynamite to use according to the volume of material to be removed
from the tunnel.
15. Two students were kicked out of school for breaking the school's "no fighting" rule.

B. Rewrite the following sentences by changing nouns to verbs or vice versa

1. This essay gives an analysis of the problem of climate change and describes a potential solution.
2. The Korean President did not give an explanation for the pardon of his business friend.
3. Our class debate concerned the issue of nuclear weapons.
4. We performed a review of the company's annual reports.
5. The school club of actors did a performance of Romeo and Juliet on the second of June.
6. There is a need to study this Master's program.
7. Political candidates need to perform well during a TV debate.
8. Our city needs to assess the recycling system.
9. I hope my students will use this material.
10. The police investigated the robbery.

C. Rewrite the following sentences without changing their meanings.

1. Not until the Triassic Period did the first primitive mammals appear.
2. Both genes and viruses are made of essential chemicals called nucleoproteins.
3. Successful managers neither proceed without a plan nor ignore opportunities that arise.
4. Psychologists suggest that incentives cause workers to increase productivity.
5. Blood pressure can become elevated as a result of increased salt consumption.
6. Viruses and the first life forms that appeared on Earth millions of years ago have a similar structure.

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7. The lungs have a higher oxygen concentration than the blood does.
8. Picasso’s work was not the same during various artistic periods.
9. Despite the advantage that young people enjoy for recall in vocabulary studies, older people appear to be
better at word recognition.
10. It is interesting that people over the age of sixty-five experience fewer mental health disorders.

D. Rewrite the following sentences without changing their meanings.

1. With the advance of technology, a college education has become more important than ever.
……………………………………………………………………………………
2. It is not illegal in some cultures to be married to more than one woman, but the monogamous relationship
is the most common.
……………………………………………………………………………………
3. Some 10 million girls a year are married off before the age of 18 across the world, according to a UNICEF
report released this year.
……………………………………………………………………………………
4. Japan has long had deep misgivings about immigration and has tightly controlled the ability of foreigners
to live and work here.
……………………………………………………………………………………
5. Many babies in Afghanistan die because of traditional practices, such as placing them on the floor to ward
off evil spirits, which can cause infection.
…………………………………………………………………………………

E. Rewrite the following sentences without changing their meanings.

1. Officials in Da Lat plan to add traffic lights at major intersections in the city to deal with worsening traffic.

2. With the rise in demand for online food delivery, a number of services have seen an increase in customers.

3. Vietnam National University in Hanoi will include golf as a trial subject in its physical education
curriculum starting in 2021–2022 academic year.

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4. Vietnam's major cities, especially Hanoi and Saigon, have lost countless trees to urban development in
recent years.

5. Last November, it was reported that Vingroup had reached a deal to manufacture two million phones for
an American company.

6. It seems obvious that a comfortable, safe, and encouraging school environment makes for happier and
more engaged students.

7. Teachers are allowed to decorate their offices, classrooms, and hallways to highlight their interests; this
makes them more excited to come into work.

8. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, both women and men had relatively easy access to jobs, but the quality
of such jobs was, on average, lower among women than among men.

9. Recently, the Ministry of Education and Training approved a 10-year trial program to add Korean and
German as foreign language options in the public syllabus.

10. In 2011, the Ministry added Japanese as an optional language at school due to the increased cultural and
economic exchanges between Vietnam and Japan, though the majority of schools across the country only
offer English.

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WEEK 3: PARAGRAPH PARAPHRASING

Sample:

Step 1. Read the original passage until you understand it fully. Look up unfamiliar words.
Step 2. Make a brief outline (main points & keywords)

Step 3. Write your paraphrase from the notes. Don’t look at the original while you’re writing.
Humans (1)________________ through language. However, because (2)____________ are so many
different languages, people around the world have a difficult time (3)________________ one another.
Some people have (4)________________ for a universal international language that speakers all over
the world could understand. There reasons are (5)___________ and clear. A universal language would
(6)_________ cultural and economic bonds. It would also create better feelings among countries.
Step 4. Check your paraphrase against the original (in terms of meaning and expressions).

Practice
Task 1. Mark the paraphrases “Too similar”, “Inaccurate” or “Best”
Original passage 1

Paraphrases

A.

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B.

C.

Original passage 2

Paraphrases

A.

B.

C.

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Task 2. Paraphrase the passages below following the aforementioned steps

Original passage 3
Many people, when driving their cars, go over the speed limit in city centers. As a way of solving this,
the government should put more speed cameras on major streets to put people off speeding. If this is
done, more people who speed will be caught and this problem will eventually be solved.

Original passage 4
It is sometimes thought that it is beneficial for companies to sponsor sports events through advertising.
By doing this, extra funding, which is often lacking, can be raised to support sports events and ensure
that they continue to run. Furthermore, companies can also contribute clothing or equipment which
supports the event, teams and players.

Original passage 5
Cell phone usage has exploded over the past decade and continues to rise. Today there are over one
billion phone users worldwide. Concern has arisen over whether cell phone usage can harm a person’s
health. Brain cancer rates in the United States have risen since cell phones were introduced, leading
some people to wonder if cell phone usage is the reason for increase.

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WEEK 4: REVISION OF PARAPHRASING

Task 1: Paraphrase the following sentences.
1. With the development of flash memory cards, the market for portable music players jumped sharply.

2. The U.S. government declared that the AIDS crisis poses a national security threat.

3. Minority groups in the United States have been hit hardest by the epidemic.

4. Many babies in Afghanistan die because of traditional practices, such as placing them on the floor
to ward off evil spirits, which can cause infection.

5. Although only about one‐tenth of the world’s population lives there, sub‐Saharan Africa remains the
hardest hit region by AIDS‐related illnesses, accounting for 72 percent of the people infected with
HIV during 2000.

6. Two students were kicked out of school for breaking the school's "no fighting" rule.

Task 2: Read the following texts and paraphrase them.

7. Women have traditionally been seen as mothers and home makers and it is only in recent years that
they have been making significant inroads into the job market. There is still a long way to go before they
achieve complete equality with men but the situation has definitely improved.

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8. Of the more than 1000 bicycling deaths each year, three-fourths are caused by head injuries. Half of
those killed are school-age children. One study concluded that wearing a bike helmet can reduce the risk
of head injury by 85 percent. In an accident, a bike helmet absorbs the shock and cushions the head.

9. In American society, Introverts are outnumbered about three to one. As a result, they must develop
extra coping skills early in life because there will be an inordinate amount of pressure on them to “shape
up,” to act like the rest of the world. The Introvert is pressured daily, almost from the moment of
awakening, to respond and conform to the outer world. Classroom teachers unwittingly pressure
Introverted students by announcing that “One-third of your grade will be based on classroom
participation.”

10. Sleep scientists have found that traditional remedies for insomnia, such as counting sheep, are
ineffective. Instead, they have found that imagining a pleasant scene is likely to send you to sleep
quickly. The research team divided 50 insomnia sufferers into three groups. One group imagined
watching a waterfall, while another group tried sheep counting. A third group was given no special
instructions about going to sleep. It was found that the group thinking of waterfalls fell asleep 20 minutes
quicker. Mechanical tasks like counting sheep are apparently too boring to make people sleepy.

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WEEKS 5-6: SUMMARIZING

What is a summary?
A summary is an overview of a text. The main idea is given, but some details and examples are left out.
Used with longer texts, the main aim of summarizing is to reduce or condense a text to its most important
ideas.
Summarizing is a useful skill for making notes from readings and in lectures, writing an abstract/synopsis
and incorporating material in assignments.

What is a good summary like?

• It condenses the source text.
• It is written in the summary writer’s own words.
• It does not evaluate the source text.
• It contains the name of the author (if any), the main idea(s) and enough supporting details.
• It uses enough transition devices to show the logical relationship of the ideas.
• It is between 1/3 and 1/4 of the original length.

How to summarize?
• Read the source material and highlight the main points (leave out examples, evidence, etc.)
• Write your summary
o Restate the main idea at the beginning plus all major points
o Paraphrase, using different grammar and vocabulary
• Check your summary against the original. Make sure you haven’t changed the meaning.

Example 1
Read the texts below and answer the questions
1. How many sentences are there in the original passage? In the paraphrase? In the summary?
2. Compare the paraphrase and the summary. What two details were left out of the summary?

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Example 2

Read the original text. Cross out the

specific details that shouldn’t be
included in the summary.

1. Companies must change their products

to succeed.
2. Dairy products are not popular in China.
3. Domino’s Pizza offers pickled ginger
pizza in India.
4. Examples of companies: Domino’s,
Heinz, Haagen-Dazs, Frito-Lay.

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Read two summaries below. Which one is better? Why?

Comments

Comments

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Practice
Task 1. Read and summarize the following paragraphs by filling in the blanks.
1. Many animals go into hibernation in the winter. Hibernation is somewhat similar to sleeping. The
animal’s heartbeat and breathing slow down greatly. Animals are also much less active during
hibernation. This allows them to burn far less energy in the winter months when food is hard to find.

Some animals …………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. In earlier times, there was little evening entertainment. Before the spread of electricity to most
homes, there were no TVs, radios, or even lights to read a book by in the evening. As a result, most
people went to bed very early and got up when the sun rose. Now, however, the sleeping habits of
people are generally very different. People now stay up quite late, and wake up later than they used
to because they have more entertainment options.

The invention of electronic entertainment has changed ………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. In the 1500s, when European empires began to explore Africa and the Americas, they found three
plants that changed the history of the world: coffee beans, tobacco leaves, and sugar cane. Coffee,
tobacco, and sugar were instantly popular in Europe, where they were seen as rare luxuries. Demand
for these products grew, and more and more ships began to cross the Atlantic to get them. Thus,
coffee, tobacco, and sugar all played an important role in the growth of European colonial empires.

The discovery of coffee, tobacco, and sugar helped drive ……………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4. It is a well-known fact that most species of birds fly south for the winter. What is less understood
is how birds are able to find their way while flying thousands of miles. Some scientists believe that
birds use the position of the sun to help them navigate. By contrast, other scientists believe birds
use landmarks like rivers and mountains to help them find their way.
Scientists are unsure of exactly …………………………………………………..………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...….

5. Today, we are amazed by what the ancient Egyptians were able to accomplish. They were able to
build huge pyramids with extremely exact measurements. The Egyptians were also able to develop
one of the world’s first writing systems and one of the most powerful empires of their time. Clearly
the ancient Egyptians had a very advanced civilization.

It is obvious that the civilization of …………………………………………………………………… =

……………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………….

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Task 2. Read the following paragraphs. Identify the main points and write summaries.
1. “Children spend a very large proportion of their daily lives in school. They go there to learn, not
only in a narrow academic sense, but in the widest possible interpretation of the world – about
themselves, about being a person within a group of others, about the community in which they
live, and about the world around them. Schools provide the setting in which such learning takes
place.” (Leyden, S., 1985)

2. “Knowing how to argue is a useful skill. We use it on ourselves in order to arrive at decisions;
we use it with others as we discuss business strategies or policy changes on committees, as
members of the local PTA, a law office, an environmental action group; we use it as fundraisers
for a cause, like saving whales, we use it in applying for foundation grants and in drafting a letter
to the editor of our hometown paper; we use it when we discuss child abuse, toxic waste, tax
cuts, pothole repair, working mothers, and university investment policies. Our ability to express
opinions persuasively—to present our views systematically as arguments—will allow us to make
some difference in public life. If we lack the necessary skills, we are condemned to sit on the
sidelines. Instead of doing the moving, we will be among the moved; more persuasive voices
will convince us of what we must do.” (Hall, B. & Birkerts, S. 1998)

3. When one hears the term “reality” applied to a television show, one might expect that the events
occurred naturally or, at the least, were not scripted, but this is not always the case. Many reality
shows occur in unreal environments, like rented mansions occupied by film crews. These living
environments do not reflect what most people understand to be “reality.” Worse, there have been
accusations that events not captured on film were later restaged by producers. Worse still, some
involved in the production of “reality” television claim that the participants were urged to act out
story lines premeditated by producers. With such accusations floating around, it’s no wonder
many people take reality TV to be about as real as the sitcom.

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4. It has often been shown that controversial material is more readily learnt if it fits in with existing
beliefs and attitudes. For example, pro-communist students learnt more readily than anti-
communist students a list of statements favourable to the U.S.S.R. That material is most easily
learnt which conforms to existing opinions. The recall of controversial material may also be
selective: for instance, theistic students remembered better than atheistic students statements
favourable to religion and vice versa. This suggests some resistance to learning and retaining
material which is not acceptable to us. Conversely, we are very ready to learn from certain
sources to which we are favourably inclined, such as a political weekly or a particular author
whose work we admire. Even in factual subjects, in which there may not seem to be much room
for controversy, there may be parts of the subject which you regard as old-fashioned or dead
wood. Once you begin to develop enthusiasms for certain approaches to your subject, as every
active and spirited person does, it becomes rather too easy to dismiss other approaches as worth-
less and not to bother to learn about them. The hard fact is, however, that if you have to cover a
syllabus, you probably cannot afford to neglect any part of it because you think it is unimportant
or because you don't like the way it is taught.

5. West German researchers have a Solution to cholesterol clogged blood vessels. It is garlic. Old
wives have for centuries claimed that garlic cures many ills from snake bites to toothache. Now,
according to Professor Hans Reuter, of Cologne, there is proof that garlic helps to clear the fat
accumulating in the blood vessels of those who eat rich food, so reducing the danger of heart
attacks. Tests showed that volunteers fed on butter containing 50 grams of garlic oil had a
cholesterol level considerably lower than that of a control group fed on butter without garlic. In
another experiment, patients ate three grams of raw garlic a day. After four weeks their
cholesterol level fell markedly. According to Professor Renter, garlic not only drives out
unwanted fats in blood. Tests indicated that the herb also kills other bacteria, among them those
causing diphtheria and tuberculosis. Professor Reuter said garlic was in some cases more
effective than penicillin. To get the full benefit. you must use fresh garlic. Garlic powder won't
work any medicinal miracles, since the plant loses its healing properties when processed.

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Task 3: Summary this essay

1.
……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

2.
……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

3.
……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

……………………………………...……………………………

Task 4: Summarize this essay

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WEEKS 7-8: SUMMARIZING (REVISION)

Read and summarize the following essays/ paragraphs

1. Overall, the first two quarters of 2008 have been profitable to the company. Nineteen of twenty
departments report cutting costs at least twenty percent, and sales from fifteen departments have
risen five percent, or about $5 million. Despite these positive developments, most department heads
believe that they will not be able to maintain these levels for the remainder of the year.

2. The movement toward education by computer is developing fast. Massive Open Online Courses,
called MOOCs, are changing how people learn in many places. For years, people could receive study
materials from colleges or universities and take part in online classes. Such classes, however, were
not designed for many thousands of students at one time, as MOOCs are.

3. The oil paints themselves were also superior to previous paints. One of the most obvious
improvements was the fact that the paint dried slowly, and thus, layers of paint could be brushed on
top of previously applied layers, allowing the artist to erase a section that was not perfect. Another
refinement was the range of consistencies possible with oils. Thin oil paints take on the
characteristics of a glaze, but thick oils look like paste and can be layered to create a three-
dimensional aspect.

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4. Very few people in the modern world obtain their food supply by hunting and gathering in the
natural environment surrounding their homes. This method of harvesting from nature's provision,
however, is not only the oldest known subsistence strategy but also the one that has been practiced
continuously in some parts of the world for at least the last two million years. It was, indeed, the only
way to obtain food until rudimentary farming and very crude methods for the domestication of
animals were introduced about 10,000 years ago.
Because hunter-gatherers have fared poorly in comparison with their agricultural cousins, their
numbers have dwindled, and they have been forced to live in the marginal wastelands. In higher
latitudes, the shorter growing season has restricted the availability of plant life. Such conditions have
caused a greater dependence on hunting and, along the coasts and water-ways, on fishing. The
abundance of vegetation in the lower latitudes of the tropics, on the other hand, has provided a greater
opportunity for gathering a variety of plants. In short, the environmental differences have restricted
the diet and have limited possibilities for the development of subsistence societies.
Contemporary hunter-gatherers may help us understand our prehistoric ancestors. We know from
observation of modern hunter-gatherers in both Africa and Alaska that a society based on hunting
and gathering must be very mobile. Following the food supply can be a way of life. If a particular
kind of wild herding animal is the basis of the food for a group of people, those people must move
to stay within reach of those animals. For many of the native people of the great central plains of
North America, following the buffalo, who were in turn following the growth of grazing foods,
determined their way of life.
For gathering societies, seasonal changes mean a great deal. While the entire community camps
in a central location, a smaller party harvests the food within a reasonable distance from the camp.
When the food in the area is exhausted, the community moves on to exploit another site. We also
notice a seasonal migration pattern evolving for most hunter-gatherers, along with a strict division
of labor between the sexes. These patterns of behavior may be similar to those practiced by
humankind during the Paleolithic Period.

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5. People who are looking for outdoor adventure often go to Maine. This state in the northeastern
United States contains large areas of wilderness. There you can enjoy a new and exciting sport: white
water rafting. In the past, this sport was practiced only in the western states. Now, several outdoor
travel companies offer weekend rafting trips. They provide guide service, equipment, and even food
and they invite people who have had no experience at all. Thus, city residents, too, can get a taste of
wilderness. All they need to bring with them is a desire for adventure.
"White water" is the water of a river when it moves very fast over rocky areas. As the water fills
with air bubbles, it looks white. The areas of white water are also the most exciting areas for rafters—
and also the most dangerous. In fact, rafting guides must always be on the look for white water.
Rafters must be ready to swim, because the raft can tip over in white water. For that reason, rafters
should always wear special life vests that will keep them afloat.

Rafting is a sport that almost anyone can do. It does not require great physical strength.
Sometimes, at very rocky parts of the river, rafters will need to walk for a while. They may also need
to carry the rubber rafts at times, but these are very light. Paddling the boats is easy because they are
going down river. The main activity is simply to enjoy the wonderful wild scenery.

Most rafting companies offer overnight trips that combine with camping. This kind of trip is ideal
for a family with children over twelve. Several rafts of people will start out from a base camp. Their
food supplies, sleeping bags, tents, and other necessities are sometimes packed onto the rafts, or all
the supplies might be brought by car to the next camp site. The guide often is also the cook for the
group of rafters and may be quite a good chef. After a day of rafting, in any case, the food tastes
good and sleep comes easily.

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