Unique cycler
Love what you do, and live it each day. These are the words of Terry "Unigeezer" Peterson. And he is speaking from his own experience.
A couple of years ago, Terry was approaching 50. He was putting on weight and feeling pretty low. So he decided to get back into shape. And take up an odd pastime he had loved as a kid: unicycling.
Back in those days, the sport had not even been invented. But even then, Terry liked to get off the beaten track. And that is precisely what he has been doing these past years!
Unigeezer is an aficionado of M-Uni, that is, mountain unicycling. He says the unicycle is perfect for exercise.
There are no gears to help you up those steep slopes, and you cannot coast. You have to keep on pedalling every single moment. As well as keeping total focus and balance.
Now at 54, Terry is back into life again, 100%. Youth is a state of mind, he feels.
Level: A2
Exercises
| 1) | a. | Which tenses are used in this text? Why? |
| b. | Why does American English contain expressions of Spanish origin? | |
| c. | One of the words in this text would be spelled differently in American usage. Can you find that word? | |
| 2) | Is youth a state of mind? Does exercise help keep people young? Why? Discuss in class! | |
| 3) | a. | In which ways are a bicycle and a unicycle similar or different? Write some keywords. |
| b. | Which elements combine to shape the unique experience of mountain unicycling? First discuss in small groups, then as a class! | |
| 4) | a. | Terry just went for a 100 mile ride (on roads, not mountains!). Now he is aiming at 200 miles, at one go. Obviously, the ordeal will strain his muscles and cardio-vascular system. How should he prepare for this effort? |
| b. | What do you think happens mentally, when you have to stay completely balanced and focused for so long? Discuss in small groups! | |
| 5) | Do you love what you do? Is there something you would like to live each day? Write a short text about your own dreams. |
