Rock climbing is a great sport. You climb up, down or across rocks. The rocks can be natural or manmade. You can climb inside or outside. To climb inside, you go to a climbing gym. It has one or more walls to climb. Hand and toe holds of different colors cover the walls. You use these holds to climb on the wall. At a climbing gym, climbers can improve their skills. They can climb for exercise or just for fun.

Conversation A

(in the Jungle Café)

Matt:    I’m learning a new sport, Tina.

Tina:    That’s great, Matt! What sport?

Matt:    Rock climbing.

Tina:    It sounds fun. Is it hard?

Matt:    Well, it’s not easy. You climb up, down or across rocks.

Tina:    Where do you climb?

Matt:    I go to a climbing gym.

Tina:    Oh, so you climb inside.

Matt:    Yes. But you can also climb outside. I’m going to try that sometime.

Conversation B

Tina:     What is the climbing gym like?

Matt:     It has a manmade wall to climb.

Tina:     And there are hand and toe holds on the wall?

Matt:    Yes, they’re different colors. You grab the holds with your hands.

Tina:    And you can also step on them.

Matt:    That’s right.

Tina:    So you really like climbing.

Matt:    Yes! Climbing is a lot of fun, and it’s good exercise.

Questions

1. Where does Matt go rock climbing?

2. Would you like to try rock climbing?