Extreme sports like base jumping, parachute jumping, snowboard...

Extreme sports like base jumping, parachute jumping, snowboarding, ice climbing, skateboarding, paragliding  and others are becoming  very popular . This indicates an eagerness to participate in activities too close to the edge ,where danger , skill and fear  combine to give a sense of expanding personal boundaries. Most extreme sports are activities without margin for error , no second chances . That’s why so many people are injuring themselves or even getting killed .

What is the reason for this risk-taking ? Is everyday life too dull ? What makes people intentionally expose themselves to danger ?

Previous generations perhaps did not need to seek out risk . Danger was part of daily life: there were wars , diseases and pandemics from the flu to polio, earthquakes , volcanic eruptions ,wild animals , etc. Recent  generations have to face less real risk maybe because science , technology and the rule of law have reduced many of those traditional dangers .

It is true that without some risk, we may never know our limits and therefore who we are  as individuals . It is also true that to create innovative technology , to make discoveries , it is necessary to move forward , beyond the existing rules . However the questions remain : How much is enough ? Which risks are worth taking ?

Vocabulary

Extreme – radical

Eagerness – ânsia

Edge – limite

So many – tantos, tantas

Generations – gerações

To seek out – procurar

To be worth –valer a pena

MARQUE VERDADEIRO(V) OU FALSO (F)NAS AFIRMAÇÕES ABAIXO DE ACORDO COM OTEXTO.

1)Extreme sports are very popular because they are too close to the edge.      (              )

2)There are never second chances in extreme sports. (            )

3)By taking some risks , people may know their limits.    (                )

4)Previous generations feared taking risks. (             )

5)Making new discoveries and creating technology include some risks .      (             )

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