Polar Explorers

This passage is about two female explorers who were the first to cross Antarctica on foot.

Lexile Level: 720L

Categories: People & Places Adventure


Imagine facing temperatures so cold that bare skin freezes instantly. Imagine battling winds so strong that you could be lifted off the ground. You look in every direction for help. You find there is nothing but icy peaks and frozen valleys. To survive, each day it takes you four hours to turn ice into drinking water. You must pull a 250 pound sled on skis. You must travel 1,700 miles. Mission impossible? Not for explorers Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen. In 2001, they became the first women in history to cross chilly Antarctica on foot. Both women grew up dreaming of an Antarctic expedition. Its success has inspired them to prepare for another extreme adventure. In 2007, they will attempt to cross the Arctic Ocean via the North Pole. They will have to ski, ski-sail, and swim a total of 1,240 miles. If they succeed, they will make history once again!


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