Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- break (someone’s) record / breɪk ˈrɛk ərd / (idiom) – to achieve something that’s better than a previous achievement
Example:The athlete trained very hard to break his opponent’s record in high jump.
- summit / ˈsʌm ɪt / (n.) – a mountain’s highest point
Example:You can see a breathtaking sea of clouds from the summit.
- take advantage of (something) / teɪk ædˈvæn tɪdʒ ʌv / (idiom) – to use an opportunity or situation for one’s benefit
Example:Many surfers go to the ocean very early to take advantage of the big waves in the morning.
- favorable / ˈfeɪ vər ə bəl / (adj.) – helpful or beneficial to the success of a person or an activity
Example:The company’s flexible schedule is very favorable for working parents.
- ascent / əˈsɛnt / (n.) – the act of climbing up a hill or a mountain
Example:Our ascent to the mountain took four hours.
Article
Read the text below.
A Nepali Sherpa broke her own record as the most successful female climber of Mount Everest by reaching the summit of the world’s highest peak Thursday.
Lakpa Sherpa and several other climbers took advantage of favorable weather to reach the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit early in the morning, her brother and expedition organizer Mingma Gelu said. He said she was in good health and was safely descending from the peak.
Sherpa, 48, never got a chance to get a formal education because she had to start earning a living by carrying climbing gear and supplies for trekkers. Thursday’s successful ascent was her 10th — the most times any woman has climbed Everest — and she has always said she wanted to inspire all women so they too can achieve their dreams.
A native of Nepal, Sherpa lives in the U.S. with her three children in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Another Nepalese Sherpa guide, Kami Rita, reached the summit for the 26th time Saturday, breaking his own record for the most climbs of Everest. Rita led a group of Sherpa climbers who fixed ropes along the route so that hundreds of other climbers and guides can make their way to the top of the mountain later this month.
Hundreds of foreign climbers and an equal number of Sherpa guides are set to attempt climbs of Everest in May, the month when weather conditions in the Himalayan peaks are most favorable for climbing.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Lakpa Sherpa was not able to get a formal education because she needed to work at a young age. However, she considers it an achievement to be the woman who has climbed Mount Everest the most times. What kind of lesson do you think this is teaching children who also can’t get formal education? Discuss.
- Would you consider it an achievement to break your own record? Which do you think is a greater achievement, breaking one’s own record or breaking another person’s record? Why? Discuss.
Discussion B
- According to a news source, over 280 deaths have been recorded on Mount Everest from 1900 to 2018. The usual causes of death are avalanche, sickness, exhaustion, and fall. Why do you think a lot of people still want to climb Mount Everest despite the risks? Discuss.
- Given the chance, would you participate in extreme or risky activities (ex. climbing Mount Everest, skydiving)? Why or why not? Discuss.