You’re feeling bored. You’re having problems getting motivated. What you need is a challenge! There has never been a better time, but what should you go for? There are endless possibilities if you are an extreme sports fan. Traditional marathons and triathlons are still popular, but there are alternative endurance tests for those seeking a more adventurous experience. ¹ They are particularly popular in the USA and are very competitive. Here’s a look at some of the toughest events that will take an athlete into the realms of the extreme.

The first long-distance triathlon was the Ironman. It started in Hawaii, on Waikiki beach, in the 1970s. ² This is the hardest one-day endurance test in the world. Participants must complete a 3.86 km swim, a 180 km bike ride and run a whole marathon – and no stopping is allowed! The World Championships are held in Hawaii every year and the bike stage in this country is particularly difficult because you have to cross a desert!

Other challenging races include the Trans-Rockies. These are a series of contests which take place in different locations in the Rocky Mountains. ³ Just don’t try it if you’re afraid of the dark! Alternatively, head for New Mexico, where there is a bike ride that lasts for three days through the desert – cycling through sand dunes is tough!

If this isn’t enough, how about the Sea to Summit Triathlon 2.0. This race includes a 2.4 km swim off the Maine coast with only one buoy in the water for support on the way, followed by a 153 km bike trek which crosses two states and has no signposting! ⁴ There is no back-up for athletes on the way. They have to find a Sherpa, or someone very skilled in mountaineering, to carry the basics for them: food, water and equipment.

Want to push yourself even further? Then try the World Marathon Challenge. This is seven marathons, in seven days, on seven different continents, so it’s called The World Marathon Challenge for a reason! ⁵ Participants have to run 295 km, spend fifty-nine hours in the air and fly approximately 38,000 km from the Antarctic Circle to Sydney, Australia. ⁶ Why? Because the challenge of having less support or infrastructure makes it a truly life-changing experience. Are you ready to push yourself to the limit?

1 Why have fashion designers such as Dolce & Gabbana reinvented Queen Elizabeth’s look?

To make it more .

2 Which royal item of clothing had an influence on youth culture movements?

The royal .

3 Why are Barbour jackets made of hard-wearing, waterproof material?

Because they were originally made for .

4 How was Princess Diana’s look different from Kate Middleton’s?

Princess Diana’s style was – she wore tiaras and had . Kate prefers the trend for longer hair. She also dresses in a more , but way.

5 What two key elements make up the Kate Middleton look?

It consists of designer fashion carefully with everyday clothes from .

6 In which other country has Kate Middleton’s look become very popular?

It has also become very popular in the .

7 What type of look do most UK online shoppers prefer when they follow Kate Middleton?

They prefer the affordable look, which is , high street shop of clothing.

All languages are in a state of flux. In other words, they are constantly changing and evolving. ¹ In 2019, it was estimated that approximately 1.5 billion people speak English around the world and of that number, about 380 million speakers are native, or first language speakers, while more than 1 billion speak it as a second or foreign language.

So, why and how is English changing, and is this a positive or negative thing?

One obvious reason is globalisation and the fact that, these days, business and trade are conducted between people from all over the world – from Brazil to Nigeria to Japan – so the language spoken is very often English. ² It’s a kind of adapted English which can be understood by everyone from different cultures when they need to communicate in one language.

³ They see it as a corruption of the language. But, in today’s fast-changing world, can we really say there is a ‘correct’ English with a standard form? ⁴ And one thing we can be sure of is that technology, the internet and teenagers are really changing how languages develop. ‘When young people communicate with others of their own age, they establish new words or expressions that will probably be quite different from an older generation,’ explains Helen Robinson, a linguist studying the effects of the internet on English. ‘This doesn’t mean that internet language or using emojis or abbreviations like lol is wrong, it’s simply a different way of communicating, which is also creative.’

⁵ In Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines, English is spoken as a second language. Around 600 million people speak English in this way, meaning that they are bilingual. In the Philippines, Tagalog (the country’s main language) and English merge to create a variety called Taglish. This can be difficult to understand if you aren’t a local!

And what about the use of slang or less formal language which also has an effect on changes to a language? ⁶ This is because social media helps to spread popular words and expressions more quickly. Current teen applications, such as Instagram, show us that a word like fire can mean cool or amazing, or an abbreviation like fit refers to an outfit or clothes. He wore a fire fit at the concert is just as acceptable as He looked great in those clothes. There is no stopping language evolving, for better or for worse!

When we hear the word festival, we probably think of outdoor events like street parades, carnivals full of colourful costumes or huge gatherings where we can listen to live music. Well, think again! ¹ Why? To celebrate video gaming, which is one of the most popular free-time activities around, especially among the younger generations.

There are a lot of big gaming events all over the world to choose from and, because most gamers communicate in English, many of the top festivals take place in the UK, USA, Canada or Australia. So, for all you gaming fans, here are two of our top festival picks from around the globe. ²

Insomnia

Insomnia, which is the biggest gaming festival in the UK, is held every year near Birmingham and attracts thousands of young people. It’s an amazing get-together where you can meet the world’s most renowned players. ³ You can play in the tournaments or gaming arenas, and enjoy popular games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake or Animal crossing: New Horizons.

Marcela Moretti, from Rome, says: ‘I signed up for the Masters Rocket League last year which was really fun. ⁴ Insomnia is the best gaming festival I’ve ever been to! There’s a real sense of community. I met a lot of people who I only knew over the internet. We shared our love for video games and talked for hours about how to play them best. It’s also great for my English because that’s the language everyone speaks online and at the festival too!’

E3 Games

This popular event takes place in June in Los Angeles and is one of the top gaming conventions in the USA. Over three days, leading companies, cutting-edge technologies and new products are showcased on the show floor.

⁵ Lucas Hellyer from Melbourne says: ‘This really is one of the most important video and computer games conventions in the world. If you want to update your wish list of games for Christmas or a birthday present, this is the place to be. ⁶ He’s happy to make the trip from Australia a holiday for us every year. We’ve been twice now and we love it! As they say at E3, ‘Everyone plays!’