What are some outdoor activities that you do?
Why do you like these activities?
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Hiking is an excellent outdoor activity. Many people do it. Hiking is when you go for a long walk in the woods or up a mountain. It is very healthy. Being in the woods is calming. You feel connected to nature. It helps you relax. Hiking is also great exercise. It makes your legs and your heart stronger. The air is cleaner in the woods than in the city.
Sometimes people hike alone. They can use the time to think about their lives. Sometimes they don’t think much at all. Maybe they just want peace. The only sounds they hear are the birds singing or a stream trickling. They smell the fresh air, the dirt, and the leaves.
Other times, people hike with friends. They spend time talking to each other. It is nice to have a conversation in the woods. Being in nature can help you think more clearly.
One mountain range in New York State is called the Adirondacks. The Adirondacks have 46 tall mountains called the “High Peaks”. A peak is the top of a mountain. Some people climb all 46 mountains. They are proud to finish hiking all of these mountains. People who have climbed all 46 mountains are called “46ers”.
My mom is a 46er. It took her many years to do. She started when she was young and had children. She used to hike the mountains with her brother John. My Uncle John finished climbing all the mountains many years ago. Because of her job and her children, she didn’t have a lot of time to go hiking.
When we grew up and my mom retired, her brother John died. She decided she would finish climbing all of the mountains for him. When she went hiking, she thought a lot about him. Hiking was a way of mourning her brother. She finished all the hikes in 2019. I went with her on her final hike to complete the set of 46. We were very proud of her.
Comprehension Questions
1.What are three benefits of hiking?
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2. Why do people hike with friends?
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3. What is a “46er”?
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4. Why did it take my mom a long time to finish all 46 mountains?
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5. How did hiking help my mom?
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Fill-in-the Blanks 1: Hiking Vocabulary in Context
| stream | dirt |
| think | mountain |
| birds | outdoor |
| air | connected |
| legs | woods |
| calming ……….. | heart |
| cleaner | alone |
Hiking is an excellent ___________ activity. Many people do it. Hiking is when you go for a long walk in the ___________ or up a ___________. It is very healthy. Being in the woods is ___________. You feel ___________ to nature. It helps you relax. Hiking is also great exercise. It makes your ___________ and your ___________ stronger. The air is ___________ in the woods than in the city.
Sometimes people hike ___________. They can use the time to ___________ about their lives. Sometimes they don’t think much at all. Maybe they just want peace. The only sounds they hear are the ___________ singing or a ___________ trickling. They smell the fresh ___________, the ___________, and the leaves.
Fill-in-the Blanks 2: Hiking Vocabulary in New Context
| stream | dirt |
| think | mountain |
| birds | outdoor |
| air | connected |
| legs | woods |
| calming ………. | heart |
| cleaner | alone |
