13.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below:(Q.No.13-18)
Mountains have a great fascination for men and people. Mountain climbing, however, is not without risks. It is a challenge to the unconquerable spirit of man and his love of adventure. That it is a dangerous sport cannot be denied. As one climbs higher and higher, breathing becomes more and more difficult. Some climbers, therefore, carry a heavy apparatus from which they inhale oxygen.
Mountain climbing is dangerous in the extreme. There are snow storms and blizzards. It is difficult to walk through the snow. It is still more difficult to climb on ice because it is difficult to keep foothold and cut steps with axes in order to make progress. The cold is so severe that the climber’s skin, feet, toes, fingers and tissues freeze, become numb and they may suffer frostbite. The most serious difficulty is the climber at a high altitude gets exhausted with a little effort.
Mountain climbing requires proper training, skill and knowledge. The climbers must be well-equipped. They must be in good physical condition and should possess courage, perseverance and power of endurance. They should carry with them maps, compasses and other equipment so that they are able to find out where they are in the absence of any tracks. They must travel through dense woods as they approach a mountain and then climb steep rocks. Near the summit of a high peak, the climbers have to move over snow fields and glaciers. In dangerous areas they use ropes to tie themselves in groups.
The climbers carry with them packs loaded with first-aid supplies, food and extra clothing for sudden changes of weather. They display spirit of sportsmanship and fellow-feeling and face the severe risks of life undaunted. Mountain climbing is a common sport in Europe. There are mountaineering clubs where training in mountaineering is imparted.
Is mountaineering a dangerous sport?
