Why do people do extreme sports?

Practicing sports is one of the most popular pastime activities nowadays. It helps us keep fit and healthy but also lets us relieve the tension and stress of everyday life. However, extreme sports can be deadly, dangerous and risky and still there are more and more people who find them appealing.

A lot of people look for thrilling adventures. They are bored with daily routine and want to do something that might help them forget about the monotonous work they have to do every day. They want to try some extreme experiences to raise their adrenaline level. A lot of businessmen, bank clerks, civil servants or teachers who are exemplary and obedient employees during the week, turn into crazy daredevils at weekends. When they glide 200 metres above the Earth or crawl deep under its surface in a dark cave, life is no longer dull but thrilling, adventurous and challenging. They climb steep walls, do parachuting or bungee jumping on Saturdays, and come back to their offices on Mondays ready for another five day period of tedious work.

Extreme sports help them forget about their everyday problems, unpaid bills, high taxes and nagging bosses. The fact that they risk their lives and do something extraordinary makes them see the world from a completely different perspective.

A lot of people do extreme sports because they need to test their courage, their abilities and their endurance. They look for more and more risky activities to prove to themselves that they are brave and strong. It gives them not only satisfaction but also the conviction that if they are able to surf in the sky they will be able to overcome all obstacles that can appear in their way.

Some people hate it when there’s something that frightens them. They feel they must try to conquer it, even if it means risking their lives.
Some people decide to do extreme sports because they want to show off. They want to be admired and appreciated by friends, colleagues, beautiful girls and handsome men. They want the whole world to see how fit, brave and wonderful they are.

Extreme sports can be addictive. You start with one bungee jump, you come back next week, then you feel like experiencing something new and you never want to stop. There are more and more possibilities for those who look for challenging sports. As our daily lives become safer, danger is being marketed as more and more desirable, and is being promoted on television and in colourful magazines.

Extreme sport enthusiasts claim that their hobby gives them a feeling of excitement and the joy of overcoming their fear. Their life has taken on a completely different meaning; it is no longer dull and monotonous.

Przykładowe pytanie, jakie może zadać egzaminator

Do you think that extreme sports are only a fashion or a true fascination?

I’m inclined to believe that extreme sports can be a true passion and fascination. People have always been keen on challenging activities and have always loved risk and adventure. Thanks to the development of civilization our lives are becoming more and more comfortable, safe and predictable. A lot of people want to escape from the monotony of everyday life, and so they take up extreme sports. They jump from aeroplanes and bridges, surf incredibly high waves and try white water rafting because they are really fond of it. I doubt that they would risk their lives only to do something fashionable. Maybe there are some crazy individuals who do extreme sports to show off but I’m sure that the majority do it because they find it appealing and exciting.