A printable worksheet for news-based English conversation classes.
Date: 2023/07/08
Difficulty: Upper Intermediate B2
PDF: Extreme travel: Risks, rewards, and insurance solutions
infested • | • creative |
inherent • | • carry |
innovative • | • lessened |
bear • | • be ready for |
be poised for • | • natural |
mitigated • | • overrun |
infested | overrun |
inherent | natural |
innovative | creative |
bear | carry |
be poised for | be ready for |
mitigated | lessened |
Extreme travel, including trips to the South Pole, remote mountaintops, shark-infested waters, and space, is increasingly popular despite inherent risks, as highlighted by the recent deaths of five people exploring the Titanic shipwreck.
The global adventure tourism industry is projected to generate over $1 trillion in revenue by 2030, which will also increase search and rescue missions. Businesses are emerging to address these risks, offering rescue services, medical evacuation, and innovative insurance policies for adventurous travels. Traditional travel insurance does not typically cover rescue services, a gap that companies like Global Rescue, Medjet, AirMed International, and SkyMed aim to fill.
With space tourism on the rise, insurers such as Lloyd's of London and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance are entering the space travel insurance market. However, taxpayers often bear the costs of rescues, as the expense typically falls on state and local agencies. The future of extreme travel insurance is poised for expansion, although risks remain that cannot yet be fully mitigated.
A: | I hate how insurance companies profit from stoking fear. |
B: | Like selling extra health insurance for "what-ifs"? |
A: | Right! Life's risky but we can't insure everything. |
B: | True, but what about risky ventures like the Titan sub? |
A: | I suppose. Some may exploit them for profit, though. |
B: | Oh god, yeah, imagine tours to see the Titan wreckage. Crazy, right? |
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/07/08/travel/travel-insurance-oceangate-titanic/