As a competitor in the Marathon des Sables, you’ll be responsible for your own food. To maintain physical strength, you’ll need between 3,000 and 4,000 calories per day. Dried food is best because of its low weight and volume. Plan for a solid breakfast before the race, and a large evening meal afterwards. Take dried fruit and nuts, and high energy bars as snacks.
During the race, you’ll need to drink between six and seven litres of water per day. Water is distributed in the morning, at control posts during the race and on completion of each stage – remember to save some each evening to prepare breakfast the next day. You mustn’t discard water bottles in the desert; they should be exchanged for new ones or thrown away at the control posts.
You’ll need a comfortable rucksack that doesn’t cover the competitor number on your chest; if it does, you may not be allowed to compete. The bag should contain everything you need, including food, a stove for heating water, a sleeping bag and your clothes. Everything you carry must be weighed so that your rucksack isn’t too heavy for you.
You should start preparing at least six months before the event starts. Aim to run 150 to 190 miles a week, increasing the distance as time goes on. Train with a rucksack occasionally and get used to drinking water on long runs. You can also use the practice runs to test different energy foods. If you aren’t used to running, you should not enter the competition.
Special satellite facilities are arranged during the race so that you can call friends and family. Phone calls cost around €3 per minute, so bring cash or a credit card with you. You can send one free email per day and the rest you will be charged for. If you want to receive internet messages, the sender will need your full name and competitor number.
Warm-up
Pairwork crossword - definitions
labor
worker
apprentice
part-time
full-time
temporary
permanent
overtime
shift
trainee
probation period
sick leave
maternity leave
headhunt
recruit
Pairwork - explain the difference between the following terms:
● wages - income - salary
● bonus - perks
● staff - crew - employee - employer
● training - skills - qualifications
● apprentice - trainee - intern
Created by the team of authors.
READING (EXAM PRACTICE - multiple choice questions)
Read the text and for questions 1 -7 choose the best answer A, B, C or D.
Employment law has undergone quite a considerable increase in both volume and importance over the past two
centuries. This stemmed from the industrial revolution the beginning of which (taking into account different times
in different countries) may generally be dated back to the turn of the 19th century. Employment rights before then
were virtually non-existent and depended on the benevolence of paternalistic or ruthless employers, called
masters in those times, while those depending on them as employees were referred to as servants, which
suggests a considerable degree of control by the former over the latter.
With the advent of the industrial revolution things began to change. At first, the conditions of employees (factory
workers) considerably decreased sometimes being dreadful beyond description. However, the first actions of
workers trying to better their living conditions were doomed to failure and only started to be taken seriously by
Dear Mr. Jacobs,
Thank you very much for your letter of 5 March. In answer to your request, we have pleasure in enclosing our latest catalogue and price list. I would like to draw your attention to the special offers. These products are available at a reduced price for a limited time only. If you would like any further information, please get in touch with me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Howard Johnson
Sales Manager
Enclosed: catalogue, price list, special offers supplement.