Learning English

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Transcript

It looks like a marathon...

But strong legs are just one of the requirements to succeed in the Strongman Run.

About 11,000 competitors scramble over mud and slide on water. Fancy dress is optional.

The athletes even give each other a helping hand around the 23km Nurburgring racetrack in Germany.

This year's winner did it in just over an hour and a half.

Vocabulary

marathon
a running race of just over 42km (just over 26 miles)

requirements
conditions which are necessary

scramble
move quickly but with difficulty

slide
move easily over a surface

fancy dress
party clothes usually representing a particular thing or character

To do

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports.

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

marathon / requirements / scramble / slide / fancy dress

1. "However, it is important to remember that our universities have high-entry __________ and they will only offer places to students who will flourish and succeed on their courses. Admission to university is and should be based on merit, and any decisions about admissions must also maintain high academic standards."

2. For most runners, a __________ is not just 26.2 miles of physical endurance - it means months and months of arduous, painstaking preparation.

3. A pick-up truck has been captured __________ down an icy road in Alabama, before hitting other parked cars.

4. We've seen some pretty weird and wild __________ costumes but this could be the most realistic cat costume we've ever seen.

5. Mount Everest is a dangerous place, and the Khumbu Icefall is one of the most dangerous parts of the climb. At 06:00 local time on Saturday, we were __________ through its living, moving blocks of ice.

Answers

1. "However, it is important to remember that our universities have high-entry requirements and they will only offer places to students who will flourish and succeed on their courses. Admission to university is and should be based on merit, and any decisions about admissions must also maintain high academic standards."

See story

2. For most runners, a marathon is not just 26.2 miles of physical endurance - it means months and months of arduous, painstaking preparation.

See story

3. A pick-up truck has been captured sliding down an icy road in Alabama, before hitting other parked cars.

See story

4. We've seen some pretty weird and wild fancy dress costumes but this could be the most realistic cat costume we've ever seen.

See story

5. Mount Everest is a dangerous place, and the Khumbu Icefall is one of the most dangerous parts of the climb. At 06:00 local time on Saturday, we were scrambling through its living, moving blocks of ice.

See story

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