Surfing Adventure

Surfing Adventure

Sally Cooper lives with her parents in a bungalow in a suburb of Sydney, not far from the sea. Sally is eighteen years old. On week-days she travels by electric train into the city where she works as a hairdresser in a hairdressing salon. She likes the busy crowded streets of the city, and she loves the large harbour where big ships from all over the world come and go.

In the summer Sally spends her free time on the beach with her boy friend Dave, who is a bank clerk.

When Dave and Sally arrived at Bondi beach one Sunday morning in January, the beach was already crowded. Some people were lying in the sun, and others were playing in the sea or surf­ing. Life-savers were patrolling the beach.

"The sea is rather rough today, isn't it?" said Sally.

"Yes, it's marvellous," Dave answered. He took his surf-board and ran quickly into the sea. Soon he was riding the high white waves.

Sally was angry. "Why doesn't he allow me to surf, too?" she thought. "He always says it's too dangerous for girls. But today I'm going to try."

She hired a surf-board on the beach and began to surf for the first time in her life. At first she could only lie on the board, but after she had practised for some time, she could stand up and ride the waves like the other surfers. It was great.

Suddenly a siren sounded. "A shark!" shouted a man.

Everyone rushed out of the water onto the beach. Sally looked for Dave, but she couldn't

see him in the crowd. Suddenly she heard another shout:

"Someone's still out there!"

Yes, one of the surfers was still in the sea. He was throwing up his arms. Where was the

shark? Had it attacked him?

A group of life-savers, who were all wearing

the same caps and swimming trunks, ran down the beach with a big reel. One of them was

wearing a belt that was tied to the rope on the reel. He swam out to the surfer - he caught hold of him - suddenly both men went under.

A woman who was standing near Sally yelled, "The shark has got them both!"

But at that moment the men were seen again. The life-saver was holding the surfer by the arms and the life-savers on the beach were pulling them back on the rope. And then Sally recognized the surfer. It was Dave!

The life-savers carried Dave to their club house. Sally ran after them.

Dave had had a bad shock, but he was all right now.

"That was close," Sally said. "What happened?"

"When I heard the siren I began to swim back to the beach. Suddenly a strong wave caught me and took my breath away."

"Well, you must admit," Sally said with a little smile, "surfing can be as dangerous for boys as for girls."

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS.

1. Where does Sally live?

a) In a house in Sydney.

b) In the centre of Sydney.

e) In a bungalow outside the centre of Sydney.

2. What does Sally like doing in the summer?

a) She goes shopping.

b) She watches ships in the harbour.

c) She goes to the beach.

3. What was the weather like?

a) It was a sunny January day.

b) It was a cold and stormy Sunday.

c) It was a warm August morning.

4. Why didn't Dave allow Sally to surf?

a) She had to look after the clothes.

b) He thought it was too dangerous.

c) She was a better surfer than him.

5. Why did she lie on the board at first?

a) She had never surfed before.

b) She was tired.

c) It was more fun.

6. Why did everyone leave the water?

a) It was too rough.

b) Someone had seen a shark.

c) The life-savers wanted to swim.

7. Why didn't Dave leave the water?

a) He tried but the water was too rough.

b) He still wanted to swim.

c) He didn't hear the siren.

8. What did Sally think?

a) Surfing is too dangerous for girls.

b) Surfing isn't really dangerous.

c) Surfing is sometimes dangerous for boys and girls.