Boat made by cardboard
Sourse: Speakup Magazine
Language level:A2 Pre-intermediate
Speakers: Justin Bermingham and Chuck Rolando
Standard: Amercian Accent
THE HEBER SPRINGS CARDBOARD BOAT RACES
There are many crazy sports in the world, but the “Heber Springs’ World Championship Cardboard Boat Races” must be the craziest. Heber Springs is a small town on the shore of Greers Ferry Lake. It is in Arkansas, in the United States. This year’s event takes place on July 30th.
The Cardboard Boat Race is certainly spectacular. The boats aren’t simple boxes. They are all kinds of shapes and sizes. There are traditional pirate ships with crews of six of more people. There are one-man canoes. Last year there was Scooby Doo’s VW van and an incredible guitar-shaped ship.
THE SECRET…
All the boats have one thing in common, they are made of cardboard. They must survive four 200-metres races to win the championship, not just one! So how do they stay afloat? Local companies and families take months over their preparation. First the form of the ship is created using cardboard. The parts are glued together and joints are reinforced with tape. Small blocks of wood are used to mount oars and masts. But here’s the real secret the bottom of the boats are painted and then covered with wax.
TITANIC
Finally, the boats are taken to Sandy Beach and launched onto the lake. The Ozark Mountains form the magical background scene. The races begin. The crowds laugh as many of the boats sink. The winners are applauded. At the end of the day there is the Demolition Derby. The boats crash into each other. Only the strongest survive. Prizes are awarded to the winners. The Titanic award goes to the most dramatic sinking.
MYSTERY
There is something under the water of the lake. But race competitors needn’t worry. It isn’t a monster, it’s an old market town called Hidden. The town was submerged when the Greers Ferry Dam was built in the 1960s. The dam created the lake; and Hidden is there, several metres below its surface.
ECO-FRIENDLY
There’s just one more question: why cardboard? Organizer Marilyn Wright explains: “Because of the challenge. It’s a challenge to make it float! And it won’t pollute the lake, either.”
