Athlete mails himself home in a crate

ESL Lessons: True Stories

A printable worksheet for story-based English conversation classes.

Difficulty: Intermediate B1

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Warm-up

Have you ever lost your wallet? (Yes, I have. I lost it...)

Vocabulary Match

stranded •• stuck
javelin •• spear
initially •• flashlight
torch •• pee
urine •• bear
endure •• slipped
sneaked •• at first

Vocabulary Answers

strandedstuck
javelinspear
initiallyat first
torchflashlight
urinepee
endurebear
sneakedslipped

True Story

Listen and fill in the blanks with words from above.

In the 1960s, Australian athlete Reg Spiers was ________ in London with no money. He needed to return to Australia for his daughter's birthday. So, he came up with a plan to mail himself in a crate. Reg had been a ________ thrower and aimed to compete in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, but an injury stopped him. Working at an airport, he lost his savings when his wallet was stolen.

Reg built a crate with his friend John McSorley's help. Inside, he had some food, a ________, a blanket, and bottles for water and ________. He sent himself to Perth, facing many challenges during the flight. He had to hide in the crate, ________ delays, and even deal with heat in Bombay.

Finally, Reg arrived in Perth. He ________ out of the airport and got back to his family in Adelaide. His adventure made him famous in Australia. His wife ________ didn't believe his story, but she eventually accepted it. Reg's journey was risky and such an attempt wouldn't be possible now due to strict security.

In the 1960s, Australian athlete Reg Spiers was stranded in London with no money. He needed to return to Australia for his daughter's birthday. So, he came up with a plan to mail himself in a crate. Reg had been a javelin thrower and aimed to compete in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, but an injury stopped him. Working at an airport, he lost his savings when his wallet was stolen.

Reg built a crate with his friend John McSorley's help. Inside, he had some food, a torch, a blanket, and bottles for water and urine. He sent himself to Perth, facing many challenges during the flight. He had to hide in the crate, endure delays, and even deal with heat in Bombay.

Finally, Reg arrived in Perth. He sneaked out of the airport and got back to his family in Adelaide. His adventure made him famous in Australia. His wife initially didn't believe his story, but she eventually accepted it. Reg's journey was risky and such an attempt wouldn't be possible now due to strict security.

Quiz

  1. Why did Reg Spiers decide to mail himself in a crate?
  2. What were some of the challenges Reg faced during his journey?
  3. What was the reaction of Reg's wife when she heard his story?

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. Because he was stranded in London with no money and needed to return to Australia.
  2. He had to hide in the crate, endure delays, and even deal with heat in Bombay.
  3. Initially, she didn't believe his story, but she eventually accepted it.

True or False

  1. Reg Spiers was stranded in London because he lost his job. T F
  2. The crate contained food, a flashlight, a blanket and bottles. T F
  3. Reg returned to his family after he sneaked out of the airport. T F

True or False Answers

  1. False
  2. True
  3. True

Conversation

A:Reg, are you sure about this plan?
B:I have no other choice, John. I need to get back home.
A:But mailing yourself in a crate? It's risky!
B:I know. But I can handle it. Just help me build the crate.
A:Alright, but you owe me one!
B:Deal. Let's get to work.

Discussion

  1. Have you ever been stranded somewhere without money?
  2. Would you consider mailing yourself in a box to get home?
  3. Can you think of any other ways to travel without money?
  4. What's the craziest adventure you've ever been on?

Further Reading

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31700049

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