Are You a Risk-Taker?

Pre-reading Task
1. Are you risk-taker? In pairs, discuss what is the riskiest thing in our life?
• parachute diving;
• scuba diving;
• riding a motorbike with your eyes closed;
• windsurfing;
• white-water rafting;
• snowboarding.

2. What can you add to this list? Give your reasons.

Reading
Read the following article and do the activities below:
Jason Reeds, 15, from San Francisco, is supposed to be a “lucky” boy. His life presented him with lots of surprises.
One day, when Jason was twelve, he was riding his new bright motorbike with his eyes closed. Suddenly he hit a traffic light. The bike broke into pieces. Jason survived, though he was taken to hospital where he had an operation. The witness said it was a real miracle, because he thought the boy would die.
A year later Jason decided to try scuba diving. So he was thoroughly instructed but suddenly the diving system broke and he had no oxygen to breathe. He escaped death by a second miracle.
A few months ago, Jason tried a parachute jump. The parachute failed to open well, but the boy fell into the river and just broke his leg.
I asked Jason, “Are you going to try another risky sport?”
“Why not?” was the answer, “I’m going windsurfing next summer, and I think I’ll try white-water rafting one day. Life is so exciting!”

Exercises:
1. Choose the best title for the article:
• Risky Jason.
• Lucky Jason.
• Jason Survives Three Accidents.
• Jason Adores Risky Sports.

2. Answer the questions:
1.  How many times has Jason tried risky sports?
2.  What happened when he was riding his new bright motorbike?
3.  What did the witness say?
4.  Why did Jason have no oxygen to breathe?
5.  How did the boy fall into the water?
6.  What did he break when he made a parachute jump?
7.  What is Jason going to do next summer?
8.  What does he think he’ll try next?
3. True or false:
1.  Jason Reeds is a famous sportsman.
2.  He is from North America.
3.  Jason’s new motorbike hit the wall.
4.  He went to try scuba diving and the diving system broke.
5.  The parachute didn’t open well.
6.  The boy fell into the lake and broke his leg.
7.  Jason is going to try snowboarding.

4. Change direct speech into indirect speech:
1.  “The boy is very lucky to survive. It is a real miracle”, the witness said.
2.  “Press this yellow button when you start diving”, the instructor said.
3.  “Look! The parachute won’t open!” the man said.
4.  “Jason, are you going to try another risky sport?” the reporter asked.
5.  “I’m going windsurfing next summer”, Jason answered.
6.  “I think I’ll try white-water rafting one day”, Jason said.

5. “Life is so exciting.” Why do you think Jason said this? What is so exciting in his life?

6. Role play. Work in pairs. One person is Jason. Another is an interviewer. Ask and answer questions about him. Here is some more information about the boy:
•   Favourite music: Black Eyed Peas, H.I.M.
•   Favourite school subjects: Spanish, Science.
•   Favourite sports: football, swimming, diving, riding motorbike.
•   Free time: sport; movies; visiting friends in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

7. Group discussion.
1.  Think of the reasons why people like risky sports.
2.  Divide into 2 groups. One group is in favour of risky sports, another is against them. Give your reasons. You may draw a chart like this and fill it by the end of your discussion:

Key: Ex. 3. 1. F; 2. T; 3. F; 4. T; 5. T; 6. F; 7. F