Hiking and trekking

Vocabulary

A. = Adjective ADV. = Adverb IDM. = Idiom N. = Noun V. = Verb

altitude sickness N. an illness caused from being at high elevations a canteen N. a container used for carrying drinking water dehydration N. a physical condition caused by not drinking enough water; having the water removed from something gear N. equipment used for a particular purpose (camping, sports, fishing, etc.) to hike V. to go on a walk through nature for pleasure or exercise a hike N. a walk through nature for pleasure or exercise a permit N. written permission from a government office or other organization to do something a porter N. a person who carries gear and supplies on a trek a ranger N. a person who is employed to take care of a state park or a national park a trail N. a path (through forest, grass, sand) created when many people or animals walk back and forth over the same area

Marked paths in natural parks and reserves are usually called trails. to trek V. to travel by foot over a great distance a trek N. a journey over a great distance

We often use the word “trek” when a trip lasts several days and is quite challenging.

A) Fill in all the blanks with the words given:

altitude sickness canteen dehydration gear hiking permit porter ranger trails trekked

Todd: How was your trip to the Grand Canyon, Francoise?

Francoise: It was excellent! We spent five days (1) ............. along the Colorado River and exploring the side canyons. It was great to get out of the city and get back to nature.

Todd: I have only been to the Grand Canyon on a day trip. Did you need to make any special preparations to camp at the bottom of the canyon?

Francoise: We wanted to get into the back country away from the tourists, so we had to get a wilderness (2)............. .

Todd: Was that difficult?

Francoise: No. We just went to the (3) ............. station and told them what we wanted to do. They talked to us about where we wanted to go and how long we wanted to stay. They are really just trying to make sure that you know what you are doing and that you have the proper (4) .............. They also give you information on the various (5) .............through the park and educate you about wildlife and park conditions. From what I understand, every year tourists get sick or die from (6) .............. The park officials want to make sure that you have a good (7) ............. full of water before you leave.

Todd: I know what you mean. People often try to do these things without first educating themselves about the dangers. Last year, I went to Nepal with some friends. We (8) ...........to the base of Mount Everest. I had read that (9) ............. was a real problem, so I hired a local (10) ............. to help carry things to the higher elevations. Despite the thin air, one of my friends tried to carry his stuff by himself, and he ended up getting really sick. I guess it pays to know what you are doing.

B) Fill in the blanks with the words given:

altitude sickness canteen dehydration gear hike permit porter rangers trails trek

1. Last year, Sam did a week-long ................. through the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda.

2. Before you can learn to drive in the US, you need to get a learner’s ..................

3. The ................. to the peak of the mountain was harder than Debra had expected.

4. Debbie just bought a new ................. at the camping supply store. It holds more than two liters of water.

5. I didn’t hire a .................; I carried my own gear during the trek.

6. He has all the necessary camping ................. : a sleeping bag, a strong tent, a canteen, a good backpack, a compass and more.

7. The park ................. asked the campers to properly store their food so bears would not be attracted to their campsite.

8. When John went skiing last year in Colorado, he had a slight problem with ................. .

9. The doctor said Alex was suffering from ................. because he had not been drinking enough.

10. The national park is very well maintained. All of the ................. are clearly marked - it is almost impossible to get lost.