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ENGLISH FOR TEENAGERS · GENERAL ISSUES · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

SOLO
ADVENTURERS

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1 Warm up

Look at the map and answer the following questions.

1. Write the names of two countries you’d like to visit in each continent.
2. Tell a classmate why you would like to visit each country. What would you see there? What would
you do there?
3. Imagine that you are going on a round-the-world vacation. Draw your route. You can only travel
to one country in each continent (plus your own country).
4. Decide how long you would stay in each place and how you would travel. Tell a classmate about
your round-the-world route and destinations.

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2 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Match each word or phrase to its correct definition.

Group 1

1. typhoon (n) a. do or achieve what was hoped for or expected

2. run over (phr. v.) b. knock a person or an animal down while driving a vehicle

3. severe (adj.) c. a light vehicle with wheels that you pull or push by hand

4. cart (n) d. a violent tropical storm with very strong winds

5. fulfill (v) e. extremely bad or serious

Group 2

1. voyage (n) a. plan and direct the course of a ship or plane by using a map

2. discourage (v) b. an accident in which a vehicle hits something

3. navigate (v) c. try to prevent something or to prevent somebody from

doing something
4. crash (n) d. a long journey, especially by sea or in space

5. capable (adj.) e. having the ability or qualities necessary for doing something

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Part B: Write the correct word or phrase from Part A in each sentence. Do you find any of the
sentences surprising?

1. The Titanic sank on its first ever . The huge ship was sailing from the UK to the
US.

2. She her childhood dream to become a professional soccer player.

3. There was a outside my house this morning. It involved three cars, but I don’t
think anyone was hurt.

4. My dad fell off his bike and had to go to hospital, but his injuries are not too . He’ll
be able to come home tomorrow.

5. I think you are of much better. How much time did you spend on this homework?

6. My dog escaped this morning and nearly got . It’s got no road sense at all.

7. Can you ? I’m no good with maps.

8. I would all young people from smoking. It’s a disgusting habit and once you start
it’s difficult to stop.

9. Fred is on its way this weekend, so we need to stay indoors.

10. Farmers used to use a horse and to move things around but many use tractors
these days.

Discuss the following questions with a classmate. Use the word in bold in your answers.

1. When was the last severe storm in your country?

2. What would you discourage teenagers from doing?
3. What do you think computers will be capable of doing in the future?

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3 Reading for general comprehension

Part A: You’re going to read about four solo travelers that have broken different world records. Which
world record do you think you will read about? Do you think these things are possible? What would
be the biggest challenges?

1. The first person to drive around the world alone.

2. The fastest woman to cycle around the world.
3. The fastest person to run around the world.
4. The oldest person to fly a helicopter around the world.
5. The youngest person to sail around the world on their own.
6. The youngest person to ride a horse around the world.
7. The youngest woman to fly around the world by themselves.
8. The first person to swim around the world.

Part B: Read the article and match the following people to a world record.

record breaker world record

1
Jenny Graham

2
Laura Dekker
3
Kevin Carr
4
Zara Rutherford

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Solo Travelers
Four round-the-world travelers who broke a different world record

1. Solo Traveler 1

In January 2022, Zara Rutherford became the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. Ms. Rutherford,
19, flew over the Atlantic to Canada before reaching Colombia via the Caribbean. From there, she flew up the
west coast of the US to Alaska, where she crossed the dangerous Bering Sea to Russia. She then flew across Asia,
the Middle East and back to Europe. A total of 41 countries and 32,300 miles. It wasn’t all easy though. She
had to avoid northern India because of smog and changed her flight plans over the Philippines due to a typhoon.
The British-Belgian teenager hopes her journey will inspire more women to become involved in the science and
technology sectors. She says, "Boys learn through toys, street names, history classes and movies that they can be
scientists, astronauts, CEOs or presidents," and she wants girls to do the same.

2. Solo Traveler 2

Kevin Carr entered the record books as the fastest person to circumnavigate the planet on foot in 2015. The
34-year-old from England ran 16,300 miles through 26 countries in 621 days. During his adventure Kevin came
face-to-face with bears in Canada and packs of wild dogs in Romania. He was twice run over by cars and suffered
severe heatstroke in India. He averaged more than a marathon a day – and did so unsupported (the first person
ever to do this), pushing a cart containing his food and camping equipment for the entire adventure. Kevin ran
through Europe, before flying to India and onto Australia and New Zealand. He then went to Canada and the
United States, before crossing Chile and Argentina. Finally, he flew into the west coast of Ireland before arriving
back in England. Kevin said: "I’m absolutely exhausted but delighted! I simply wanted to be the fastest man around
the world."

3. Solo Traveler 3

Many people said she was too young to do it but in 2012, 16-year-old Laura Dekker fulfilled her ambition and
became the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The Dutch teenager took just over a year to complete
her journey on her 38ft sailboat, Guppy. On dry land and reunited with her family, she said: "There were moments
where I was like, ’What am I doing out here?’ But I never wanted to stop. It’s a dream, and I wanted to do it." Her
voyage was controversial however and Guinness World Records decided to stop recognizing records for youngest
sailors to discourage dangerous attempts. Dutch officials tried to prevent her from leaving, arguing she should be
in a classroom rather than navigating the trip of 27,000 miles. Judges eventually let her go on the condition that
she continued her schoolwork online.

4. Solo Traveler 4

Jenny Graham from Scotland became the fastest woman to cycle around the world in 2018 when she completed
her journey in 124 days and 11 hours, nearly three weeks faster than the previous record holder. The 39-year-
old’s 18,000-mile journey began in Berlin, Germany and took her through 16 countries and four continents. On
average she cycled 13.5 hours each day with a daily average of 156 miles. Her journey wasn’t without danger and
problems. She had to deal with bears in Canada, escape from kangaroos in Australia and had a crash in Mongolia.
Ms. Graham said: "I was curious to see how far I could go and now I’m officially a world record holder. I’d encourage
anyone to get out on their bike and discover they are capable of far more than they think they are." - sources: The
Independent, cyclist.co.uk, flyzolo.com

Glossary:
circumnavigate (v) - to go all the way around something, especially all the way around the world
heatstroke (n) - an illness caused by being in the heat for too long

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Part C: Read the article again and decide if the answer is Zara Rutherford (ZA), Kevin Carr (KC), Laura
Dekker (LD) or Jenny Graham (JG).

1. Who traveled the longest distance?

2. Who took the most time?

3. Who had problems with officials?

4. Who had similar problems?

5. Who thinks other people should do the same thing?

6. Who believes treating everyone in the same way is important?

7. Who said they were tired at the end of their trip?

8. Who had to study during their trip?

4 Speaking: Adventurers

Work in groups of four. Imagine that one of you is Zara Rutherford, one of you is Kevin Carr, one of
you is Laura Dekker and one of you is Jenny Graham. Look at the questions below and prepare some
quick answers.

1. How was your trip? How do you feel? Where did you go?
2. Did you have any problems on the way? What happened?
3. How did it feel to be alone for so long?
4. Would you do it again?

5 Listening: Flying solo

Part A: You are going to watch a video about Zara Rutherford’s solo trip around the world (00:00 -
04:00). Have you ever been on a plane? Would you like to be able to fly a plane? Why/Why not?
Listen and put the events in order.

1 Zara speaks about more girls doing jobs in science and engineering.

Zara arrives in Iceland.

Zara talks about having problems with the weather in Greenland.

Zara’s mom talks about her daughter.

The narrator talks about Zara’s childhood.

Zara worries about having problems with her plane where there are no people.

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Part B: Watch the video again and circle the word you hear.

1. She’s already crossed the Atlantic. On the way to Greenland a few days earlier she ran into her
first rough / difficult patch.

2. Her parents are both pilots and began taking Zara up with them when she was still a child / toddler.

3. Zara grew up with planes and her parents support her in her dream of circumnavigating the planet
/ globe even if they do worry.

4. Shortly before takeoff in August 2021 Zara Rutherford chose this ultra-light sport aircraft /airplane
to make her experiment / attempt.

5. On August 18, 2021 Zara Rutherford took off from Cordroy, Belgium. The project has the support
of sponsors / marketing.

6. The young pilot is hoping her interest / enthusiasm for flying will inspire other women and girls.

6 Project: An interview with an adventurer

Imagine you are Kevin Carr, Laura Dekker, or Jenny Graham. You have been asked to appear on a TV
show to talk about your round-the-world experiences.

Read the following questions that the TV station has sent you and prepare your answer. You could
do some online research for your answers to be as close to the truth as possible, or you could invent
some anecdotes.

1. Which World Record did you break?

2. What was your biggest worry before you left?
3. What route did you take?
4. How did you feel about being alone for such a long time?
5. What was the most exciting part of your journey?
6. What was the most frightening part of your journey?
7. What would you like to do next?

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