The Rock Climbing Challenge
You discover an indoor rock climbing gym and decide to have a go at it. Over the course of a week, you face difficult choices about whether to persist through frustration, seek help, and maintain your commitment to mastering this new skill.
A free Story Adventure for Teens at CEFR B2 level. Topic: Vocabulary: Trying and succeding.
Story
- Your friend Maya invites you to try out the new indoor rock climbing gym that just opened downtown. You've never climbed before, but the colorful walls and challenging routes look exciting. When you arrive, the instructor explains that climbing requires patience, technique, and mental strength. She…
- You decide to trust the instructor's experience and start with the beginner route. The first climb feels awkward—your arms tire quickly and you slip twice—but you manage to reach the top on your third attempt. The instructor gives you encouraging feedback and shows you proper hand placement. You…
- You confidently approach the intermediate route, determined to show that you can handle it. The first holds feel too far apart, and your legs shake as you reach halfway up. You slip and drop back down to the mat—twice. Frustration builds inside you as you watch other climbers, some younger than…
- You take a deep breath and decide to try the intermediate route again, but this time you watch how other climbers position their bodies and feet. You make an effort to use what you've observed, adjusting your grip and focusing on footwork rather than just arm strength. Halfway up, your muscles…
- With your improved technique from the beginner route, you approach the intermediate route feeling ready. The holds are smaller and farther apart than you expected, but your training has prepared you well. You manage to reach the midpoint on your first try, which feels like real progress. However,…
- You ask the instructor for specific tips before moving to the intermediate route, and she's pleased by your thoughtful approach. She teaches you about reading routes—identifying which holds are for your hands and which are for your feet—and shows you how to use your legs instead of relying only on…
- Inspired by your breakthrough moment, you sign up for a monthly membership and commit to climbing three times a week. You set a goal to complete five intermediate routes within a month. The first week is exciting, but by week two, your muscles ache constantly and school assignments pile up. You're…
- You and Maya celebrate your success with hot chocolate at the café next to the gym, talking excitedly about your achievement. You feel proud and accomplished, but you're also physically tired. Over the next week, you think about returning to the gym, but life gets busy with school projects and…
Vocabulary
- give up
- have a go at
- keep it up
- keep to
- make an effort
- manage to
- drop out
- try out
- work out
Printable worksheet
This Story Adventure comes with a free printable worksheet: 2 parts for students to do after the game, and an answer key for the teacher. It prints at three levels (Support, Core and Challenge); this is the Challenge sheet. Sign in free to print the whole sheet.
What's on the worksheet
- Remember the story · Answer in a full sentence.
- A new ending · Write a new ending for the story. Use three story words.
Part 1: Remember the story
Answer in a full sentence.
- Why does the instructor suggest the beginner route?
- What helped you improve on the beginner route?
- Why did you struggle on the intermediate route?