5. Scientists are exploring in the South Pole.

6. Is the South Pole beautiful ? Would you like to travel there ? Imagine you are travelling alone to the South Pole. What will you take with you ? Why ? warm clothesglovescapdried foodtentsleeping bag bootssnowshoescompass map backpackcellphoneradio sledstovematchsunglassesropeice pick medicineflag To keep warmTo offer your body energy Used for sleeping and having a rest To walk easily in snow or on iceTo tell you the directions To keep in touch with your family or friends To enjoy yourself by listening to music or learning about the outside world To cook food and keep warm To light fireTo protect you from the sunTo dig and pick up ice When you are ill, you can take some medicine so that you can get well soon. Don’t forget to bring your national flag to the South Pole.

7. reindeermoosewolfpolar bear sealswalruswhale Animals living on the North Pole

8. penguins walrus seals whale dolphins sea lions Animals living on the South Pole the South Pole fish

9. Countries that are part of the North Pole : Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, US, Canada, Greenland. Countries that are part of the South Pole : Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand.

10. Why do polar bears never eat penguins ? Because polar bears only live on the North Pole while penguins only live on the South Pole. the North Pole the South Pole

11. Answer the following questions : 1.Where is Antarctic ? 2. Who travel alone to Antarctic ? 3. How did the writer celebrate her 60 th birthday ? 4. Has she ever been to the North Pole ? When ? 5. When did she begin her journey to Antarctic ? 6. Did she have a dog team to pull her sled ? 7. What is the weather like in Antarctic during the journey ? 8. What happened to her during the journey ? 9. Why did the writer say it was an experience she would never forget and would value for the rest of her life ?

12. 3. How did the writer celebrate her 60 th birthday ?3. The writer travelled alone to the South Pole to celebrate her 60 th birthday 1.Where is Antarctic ?1.Antarctic is another name for the South Pole. 2. Who travel alone to Antarctic ? 2. Helen Thayer. 4. Has she ever been to the North Pole ? When ?4. Yes. At 50 she travelled alone to the North Pole. 5. When did she begin her journey to Antarctic ?5. On November 1 st, 1997. 6. Did she have a dog team to pull her sled ?6. No, she didn’t. 7. What is the weather like in Antarctic during the journey ? 7. The first days the weather was very good. The wind was icy but not very strong. There was bright sunshine 24 hours a day. On the third day it became stormy. During the next week the wind grew stronger. On November 12 th the storm died down.

13. 8. What happened to her during the journey ? During the journey, she met with many difficulties. She had to struggle through stormy weather. One day she fell into a hole and was hanging on the ropes tied to the sled. The next morning, she had a bad accident with the sled and hurt her leg. 9. Why did the writer say it was an experience she would never forget and would value for the rest of her life ? Having overcome the difficulties, she had made a 400-mile journey on the South Pole and had enjoyed the challenges of solo travel in an extreme climate.

14. Choose the best answer according to the reading passage : 1. Antarctica is another name for __________________. A. Australia B. the South Pole C. the North Pole D. Canada 2. The sun does not go down in Antarctica, so Helen’s workdays were usually ______________. A. 2 hours B. more than 12 hours C. less than 12 hours D. 24 hours 3. Helen Thayer was born on ______________. A. 1 November 1937 B. 12 November 1937 C. 22 November 1947 D. 1 November 1997 4. On the 22 nd day of the expedition Helen Thayer had an accident. What happened ? A.She was attacked by a polar bear. B. Her tent was blown away by the storm. C. She fell into a hole that was a few hundred feet deep. D. The sled knocked her over and hurt her leg. 5. What decision did Helen make after the accident ? A. She spent a whole day in her tent. B. She waited till she got better and continued her journey. C. She gave up and went back home. D. She was thankful for all the training she had had. B. the South Pole B. more than 12 hours B. 12 November 1937 D. The sled knocked her over and hurt her leg. C. She gave up and went back home.

15. 1. What kind of woman is Helen Thayer ? Describe her in a few sentences. 2. Do you admire Helen Thayer ? Why ? 3. What can we learn from the passage ?

16. Helen Thayer is a special woman who loves life and enjoys adventure travel. She has a very strong will and perseverance. She is so brave that she dares to challenge an unknown field, meanwhile, she is also very optimistic and responsible. She knows that the people in her life, such as her family, are more important than her personal achievement. She knows when to go on and when to give up. It shows she is wise to make a decision. 1. What kind of woman is Helen Thayer ? Describe her in a few sentences.

17. 2. Do you admire Helen Thayer ? Why ? Yes. I admire Helen Thayer very much. Because she is very brave and has a strong will. Besides, she is very wise and responsible. She made solo travel to the South Pole. It is unusual for women of her age to do things like that. I admire her not only because she dares to face difficulties and challenges in her life or because she never gives up when she meets with difficulties, but also because she knows when to go on and when to give up. Although she made a decision to stop her journey after the accident, we can’t say she is halfway. Instead, it shows that she is a wise and responsible woman.

18. 3. What can we learn from the passage ? Helen Thayer shows us that no matter whether we are men or women and no matter what age we are at, we can set ourselves goals and work hard to achieve them. In the process of getting there, we experience difficulties and set-backs. These experiences form our feedback and we use them to change our methods or ways to reach the goal. Along the way, we must make decisions. The most difficult decisions are when to go on and when to give up. Therefore, we must learn how to make a wise decision.