English reading practice - English Channel Crossing (B1/B2 intermediate level English)

In the swimming world, some things that people achieve are really amazing and show how strong people can be when they work together. In 1981, a group of six lifeguards from England did something very special. They swam across the English Channel in just 7 hours and 17 minutes, breaking the previous records.

The English Channel is a wide area of water that separates England from France. It's a big challenge for swimmers because the water is very cold and the currents are strong. In 1981, six lifeguards from the southern part of England decided to try this challenge. They wanted to beat the old record for swimming across the channel as a team and make history.

The way they did it was by taking turns swimming. Each person swam for an hour or less, and then the next person took a turn. They helped each other and were working together well. They swam through the cold water and the strong currents, using their strength to move across the big 21-mile-wide channel. They planned everything very carefully and worked together perfectly, which helped them finish the swim in just 7 hours and 17 minutes. This was much faster than the old record, which was held by a team from Egypt.

The English Channel can be very difficult because the conditions change a lot and sometimes there are things like jellyfish in the water. But the lifeguards were brave and faced these challenges. They changed their plans when they needed to and kept going even when things were hard. They were very determined and in great shape, which helped them overcome the tough parts of the swim.

The lifeguards' amazing swim in 1981 didn't just break a record – it also showed how strong teamwork, hard work, and never giving up can be achieved. People were really impressed with what they did. They held the record until 1990 when a team from America broke it by finishing the swim in 6 hours and 52 minutes.

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