High aims

Who can join?

Everyone who applies to join a rescue team has first to demonstrate that they are a capable mountaineer. They are then trained further, supervised and assessed over a 12-month probation period.

If they pass, the whole team then usually has a vote on whether the trainee is allowed to become a fully fledged member. This weeds out anyone who may want to join for the badge alone. Many teams also have women members who, as well as rescuing, play a vital role in comforting injured females.

Who pays?

Mountain rescue in Britain is paid for by public donation. Calls for mandatory insurance for walkers and climbers to pay for their own rescue never come from the rescuers.

“And if someone can’t pay, do we leave them there?” says Mark Hodgson. “As for insurance, what do you insure for? Not all of the people we rescue are in the high places. Some people slip and break an ankle walking along a river path within half a mile of their car. We do it because we love the hills, we enjoy the camaraderie and we like to help. There is also an element of ‘there but for the grace of God’.”

The Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organization needs ₤20.000 a year to operate efficiently. This pays for Land Rovers, administration and equipment. None goes to members in any form.

On the map you can see places mentioned in the article.

Exercises and Tasks

1. Discussion

1. What are the most popular hiking areas in the UK?

2. In par 10 it is said “at the other end of the scale”. Which scale is meant? What are the two extremes of the hikers?

3. Is mobile phone a handy gadget in the hands of hikers? Why is it said that the nature of mobile phones can cause confusion?

4. What are the major reasons for calling out the rescuers?

5. Which of the described cases with the rescued hikers sounds as the most curious?

6. What is the author’s attitude to hikers? Rescuers? Find the words and phrases from the text to prove your point of view.

2. Vocabulary

• How do you understand the following words and word combinations?

peak time, busiest season, bleak winter, tourist hotspot, log, AA service for hikers, RAF helicopter, light shell suit, toil up, highlight, further education college, in an emergency, predicament, call 999, probation period, join for the badge alone, public donation, camaraderie, operate efficiently.

• Find in the text words and expressions that mean the same:

a person who walks for pleasure; in difficulties; reliable; bewildered, disconcerted; given the slightest excuse, without good reason; slide, lose balance; oversee the action/work of a person; mature; remove, rid; compulsory; make worse, more serious; criticize smb angrily.

• Find English equivalents for the following words:

любитель прогулок в хорошую погоду; направляться держать курс (в горы); стряхнуть пыль с ботинок; стойкий, отважный; порывы ветра достигают; вершина горы; команда спасателей; упасть в овраг; поисковая собака; усугублять, ухудшать; отправиться в путешествие; легкая куртка; без повреждений; с трудом идти; багажник; набрать телефонный номер; вести, гнать/держать под наблюдением; озадаченный, смущенный, оказавшийся в затруднительном положении; невероятно полезный; спасать жизненно важное время; без колебаний; затруднительное положение; сломанная лодыжка; опытный альпинист; поскользнуться и сломать; добровольцы; испытательный период; опытный член команды; отсеивать; требование обязательной страховки.

• Note down all the words related to:

1. weather and season;

2. elements of scenery;

3. injuries;

4. verbs of motion.

• Study some more verbs of motion. Complete the table for them (the first two have been done for you).

  verb	type of movement	reasons for type of movement
  limp	uneven	one leg hurts
  hobble	awkward	shoes too tight, feet hurt
  stagger
  stumble
  tiptoe
  amble
  stride
  tramp
  trample
  trudge
  chase
  file
  saunter
  sidle
  glide
  slump
  totter
  dawdle
  zip
  bolt

• The walking verb in each of these sentences is incorrect. Which verb would be a better choice for each sentence?

• We ambled along the muddy track to the top of the hill.

• The last time I saw her she was gliding around with the stick, having injured her ankle skiing.

• Running along the beach she trampled on a log and fell on the sand.

• Please try not to stumble on the daises – they look so pretty in the grass.

• The little dog tramped after the man and caught his trousers leg in his teeth.

• The sea was so rough that the passengers were tiptoeing around the deck.

• Tourist boats crawl up and down the river all day long.

  • Which of the verbs would these people probably do?

• graceful dancers

• schoolchildren going into class

• someone who is irritatingly anxious to make you like them

• tourists exploring in a relaxed way

• a girl with a sprained ankle

• exhausted backpackers

• a rambler with blisters after the long walk

• a hiker having heard howling of wolves

• a woman wearing particularly high heels

• a crowd of drunken football supporters

• a loiterer