FCE 3

You are going to read an article about outdoor swimming. Choose the answer which you think fits best according to the text.

Taking part in an open water swimming race

by Matthew Mulgrew

I love swimming, but when my school sports teacher suggested our class take part in an open water swimming challenge, I didn’t immediately jump at the chance. Getting into open water where I live – at a nearby lake – means getting cold, something I would ordinarily choose to avoid. I’d experienced it once before, believing it would be a great place to do my preferred activity one summer. Had the challenge been going for a quick swim, I might have been tempted, but it also involved racing against other schools to win a prize. I’m not into inter-schools sports events, and not being competitive either, there was little to make me sign up.

My classmates started training, and over the following week, they urged me to have a go, too. It was fun, they said. They also insisted that if I left it much longer to make up my mind, it would be too late – I’d be too far behind in training for the 2-kilometre race. They made sessions at the local pool sound like the best laugh they’d had in ages and after giving it some thought, I went ahead and signed up.

I couldn’t help feeling my friends had overestimated how enjoyable the training was, and although I definitely started to make progress, I wasn’t in the best physical condition compared to some of those who raced regularly. The instructor was patient and encouraging, though, pushing us to swim a little further each day. He suggested techniques for keeping going should tiredness set in during the race, and I unexpectedly discovered a side of myself that wanted to win – and badly!

As the day of the race drew near, we spent time at the lake, getting used to the water temperature. Wearing a wetsuit for the first time was an unusual experience. Although its name should have given me a clue, for some reason I’d expected to stay dry inside it, and when it first filled with water, I couldn’t help gasping in shock. But I didn’t doubt I was dressed appropriately, and it didn’t take long moving around in the water to start to feel warmer.

Eventually, the race day dawned and, together with my class, I took my position at the start. I should have been thinking about the race, but there was just so much to look at. There were people in support boats, officials who would time the race, and lots of spectators – though not my parents, fortunately. Everyone looked the same in their wetsuits and brightly coloured swimming hats, and it was difficult to pick my friends’ faces out of the crowd. It wasn’t a cause for concern. Once we were in the water everyone would do their own thing, although it wasn’t an individual competition; everyone’s times would be combined to find the winning team, and no one wanted to let their side down!

What immediately became obvious was how tricky it was to see ahead in the water. Swimming pools are generally calm, but with the windy weather conditions and the number of other swimmers splashing about, even small waves made it challenging to get to grips with the direction I was travelling in. Even the flags marking the route seemed to disappear. All I could do was keep an eye on the rest of them and follow. Half an hour into the race, I was feeling tired and reached for some water from volunteers in support boats. Thankfully, all the training we’d done paid off and I remembered our instructor’s words telling me to breathe calmly and have a rest before carrying on.

Our school didn’t win the race, but our sense of achievement was more fulfilling than any prize would have been. We’d done something different and lived to tell the tale! I know I would have regretted it if I hadn’t taken part.

Matthew was not initially keen to take part in the race because

Taking part in an open water swimming race

by Matthew Mulgrew

I love swimming, but when my school sports teacher suggested our class take part in an open water swimming challenge, I didn’t immediately jump at the chance. Getting into open water where I live – at a nearby lake – means getting cold, something I would ordinarily choose to avoid. I’d experienced it once before, believing it would be a great place to do my preferred activity one summer. Had the challenge been going for a quick swim, I might have been tempted, but it also involved racing against other schools to win a prize. I’m not into inter-schools sports events, and not being competitive either, there was little to make me sign up.

My classmates started training, and over the following week, they urged me to have a go, too. It was fun, they said. They also insisted that if I left it much longer to make up my mind, it would be too late – I’d be too far behind in training for the 2-kilometre race. They made sessions at the local pool sound like the best laugh they’d had in ages and after giving it some thought, I went ahead and signed up.

I couldn’t help feeling my friends had overestimated how enjoyable the training was, and although I definitely started to make progress, I wasn’t in the best physical condition compared to some of those who raced regularly. The instructor was patient and encouraging, though, pushing us to swim a little further each day. He suggested techniques for keeping going should tiredness set in during the race, and I unexpectedly discovered a side of myself that wanted to win – and badly!

As the day of the race drew near, we spent time at the lake, getting used to the water temperature. Wearing a wetsuit for the first time was an unusual experience. Although its name should have given me a clue, for some reason I’d expected to stay dry inside it, and when it first filled with water, I couldn’t help gasping in shock. But I didn’t doubt I was dressed appropriately, and it didn’t take long moving around in the water to start to feel warmer.

Eventually, the race day dawned and, together with my class, I took my position at the start. I should have been thinking about the race, but there was just so much to look at. There were people in support boats, officials who would time the race, and lots of spectators – though not my parents, fortunately. Everyone looked the same in their wetsuits and brightly coloured swimming hats, and it was difficult to pick my friends’ faces out of the crowd. It wasn’t a cause for concern. Once we were in the water everyone would do their own thing, although it wasn’t an individual competition; everyone’s times would be combined to find the winning team, and no one wanted to let their side down!

What immediately became obvious was how tricky it was to see ahead in the water. Swimming pools are generally calm, but with the windy weather conditions and the number of other swimmers splashing about, even small waves made it challenging to get to grips with the direction I was travelling in. Even the flags marking the route seemed to disappear. All I could do was keep an eye on the rest of them and follow. Half an hour into the race, I was feeling tired and reached for some water from volunteers in support boats. Thankfully, all the training we’d done paid off and I remembered our instructor’s words telling me to breathe calmly and have a rest before carrying on.

Our school didn’t win the race, but our sense of achievement was more fulfilling than any prize would have been. We’d done something different and lived to tell the tale! I know I would have regretted it if I hadn’t taken part.

What does urged mean in line 16?

Taking part in an open water swimming race

by Matthew Mulgrew

I love swimming, but when my school sports teacher suggested our class take part in an open water swimming challenge, I didn’t immediately jump at the chance. Getting into open water where I live – at a nearby lake – means getting cold, something I would ordinarily choose to avoid. I’d experienced it once before, believing it would be a great place to do my preferred activity one summer. Had the challenge been going for a quick swim, I might have been tempted, but it also involved racing against other schools to win a prize. I’m not into inter-schools sports events, and not being competitive either, there was little to make me sign up.

My classmates started training, and over the following week, they urged me to have a go, too. It was fun, they said. They also insisted that if I left it much longer to make up my mind, it would be too late – I’d be too far behind in training for the 2-kilometre race. They made sessions at the local pool sound like the best laugh they’d had in ages and after giving it some thought, I went ahead and signed up.

I couldn’t help feeling my friends had overestimated how enjoyable the training was, and although I definitely started to make progress, I wasn’t in the best physical condition compared to some of those who raced regularly. The instructor was patient and encouraging, though, pushing us to swim a little further each day. He suggested techniques for keeping going should tiredness set in during the race, and I unexpectedly discovered a side of myself that wanted to win – and badly!

As the day of the race drew near, we spent time at the lake, getting used to the water temperature. Wearing a wetsuit for the first time was an unusual experience. Although its name should have given me a clue, for some reason I’d expected to stay dry inside it, and when it first filled with water, I couldn’t help gasping in shock. But I didn’t doubt I was dressed appropriately, and it didn’t take long moving around in the water to start to feel warmer.

Eventually, the race day dawned and, together with my class, I took my position at the start. I should have been thinking about the race, but there was just so much to look at. There were people in support boats, officials who would time the race, and lots of spectators – though not my parents, fortunately. Everyone looked the same in their wetsuits and brightly coloured swimming hats, and it was difficult to pick my friends’ faces out of the crowd. It wasn’t a cause for concern. Once we were in the water everyone would do their own thing, although it wasn’t an individual competition; everyone’s times would be combined to find the winning team, and no one wanted to let their side down!

What immediately became obvious was how tricky it was to see ahead in the water. Swimming pools are generally calm, but with the windy weather conditions and the number of other swimmers splashing about, even small waves made it challenging to get to grips with the direction I was travelling in. Even the flags marking the route seemed to disappear. All I could do was keep an eye on the rest of them and follow. Half an hour into the race, I was feeling tired and reached for some water from volunteers in support boats. Thankfully, all the training we’d done paid off and I remembered our instructor’s words telling me to breathe calmly and have a rest before carrying on.

Our school didn’t win the race, but our sense of achievement was more fulfilling than any prize would have been. We’d done something different and lived to tell the tale! I know I would have regretted it if I hadn’t taken part.

What surprised Matthew once he started training?