

WOMAN: So how long did it take you to train for this marathon journey, Brad?
MAN: I would say about 7 years in total. I needed to be really fit.
WOMAN: Yes, because you were carrying a lot of equipment, weren't you?
MAN: I was - and the weight of the sled I had to pull was nearly my own weight. I didn't realise that was going to make it such a tough trek, but it did.
WOMAN: And what were you hoping to achieve?
MAN: My real goal was to set a record time for a solo walk to the pole. I'd aimed to do the whole thing in 30 days - that's averaging about 16 miles a day.
WOMAN: But in pretty appalling conditions.
MAN: Weather-wise, they certainly were. I had to deal with temperatures well below freezing and the loneliness, of course, but I expected that.
WOMAN: Now, you must be disappointed that things didn't turn out as you'd expected.
MAN: Well, that's putting it mildly.
WOMAN: So what exactly brought your attempt to a premature close?
MAN: Well, the conditions didn't help, of course, but the real crunch came with something totally unexpected - a broken ski-boot. The bolts attaching the binding of the boots to the skis just sheared off and I didn't have any others. So I had to be air-lifted out by helicopter.
WOMAN: But being beaten by something like that's pretty rotten luck, isn't it?
MAN: Too true - especially when I'm still in excellent physical condition.
WOMAN: Any plans to return?
MAN: Well, given the fact that we're now witnessing the disintegration of the Arctic ice pack, I may well be one of the last to have attempted this journey on foot.
A woman is interviewing a man about his attempts to reach the North Pole. What does the man say made his walk to the Pole surprisingly difficult?
$A$. the weight of the sled.
$B$. the distance he had to cover.
$C$. the dreadful weather conditions.
$D$. the exceptionally low temperatures.
MAN: I would say about 7 years in total. I needed to be really fit.
WOMAN: Yes, because you were carrying a lot of equipment, weren't you?
MAN: I was - and the weight of the sled I had to pull was nearly my own weight. I didn't realise that was going to make it such a tough trek, but it did.
WOMAN: And what were you hoping to achieve?
MAN: My real goal was to set a record time for a solo walk to the pole. I'd aimed to do the whole thing in 30 days - that's averaging about 16 miles a day.
WOMAN: But in pretty appalling conditions.
MAN: Weather-wise, they certainly were. I had to deal with temperatures well below freezing and the loneliness, of course, but I expected that.
WOMAN: Now, you must be disappointed that things didn't turn out as you'd expected.
MAN: Well, that's putting it mildly.
WOMAN: So what exactly brought your attempt to a premature close?
MAN: Well, the conditions didn't help, of course, but the real crunch came with something totally unexpected - a broken ski-boot. The bolts attaching the binding of the boots to the skis just sheared off and I didn't have any others. So I had to be air-lifted out by helicopter.
WOMAN: But being beaten by something like that's pretty rotten luck, isn't it?
MAN: Too true - especially when I'm still in excellent physical condition.
WOMAN: Any plans to return?
MAN: Well, given the fact that we're now witnessing the disintegration of the Arctic ice pack, I may well be one of the last to have attempted this journey on foot.
A woman is interviewing a man about his attempts to reach the North Pole. What does the man say made his walk to the Pole surprisingly difficult?
$A$. the weight of the sled.
$B$. the distance he had to cover.
$C$. the dreadful weather conditions.
$D$. the exceptionally low temperatures.