Read the following passage, and answer the questions.
Use the words provided below each question.
Extreme Sports
For most of us, when we think of sports, we think of volleyball, basketball, tennis, and the like. However, for some, sports mean skydiving from an airplane thousands of feet above the ground, scaling a tall wall of ice, or snowboarding down the steepest of hills. Such sports are called “extreme sports.”
Extreme sports are activities that typically involve great speed or height. They also involve an element of danger, and require specialized equipment. Those who enjoy such sports push themselves to their physical limits. The point is to defy all personal and environmental obstacles to reach personal goals.
Extreme sports have always been considered counter-culture. They most appeal to people who really want to do something different. For example, you may want to try reaching great underwater depths without any form of breathing apparatus. You need to try the sport known as “free diving.” Or you can try “free running,” a sport in which participants include natural obstacles, like a wall or stairwell, in their course. The result is a series of graceful stunts requiring both speed and agility.
What appeal do these sports have? Psychologists say that some people crave the adrenaline rush that comes from risk-taking. Adrenaline results in an increased heart rate, higher rate of metabolism, and much greater strength. Psychologists believe that these sports give people the feeling that they are unstoppable and that they are able to defy the odds. As a result, there is an incredible sense of accomplishment when a task that seems impossible is done in style.
scale: to climb up
defy: to challenge
apparatus: device; tool
agility: an ability to move quickly and easily
crave: to want greatly
metabolism: energy producing functions of a living body
1. According to psychologists, what appeals do extreme sports have in common?
crave, adrenaline, feeling, unstoppable, odds
Your answer may begin like: They give some people an adrenaline rush which ....
2. What kinds of extreme sports are popular in your country?
in-line skating, skateboarding, artificial climbing wall, hang gliding
Your answer may begin like: In the U.S., extreme sports are so popular that...