Jumping above Mt Everest

                   Three skydivers made history over Mount Everest on October 5th by being the first people to parachute above the world’s highest mountain. The parachutists, from New Zealand, Britain and Canada, trained for many years to make their jumps. Their plane flew about 150 metres above Everest’s peak when they leapt out. They had to wear oxygen masks and parachutes that were larger than usual to help them in the thin air. The three were in freefall for 30 seconds before their chutes opened and they glided down to land. A member of the jumpers’ support team Krishna Aryal explained to the Reuters news agency what the jumps looked like from the ground: "They looked like tiny birds flying in the blue sky as they jumped from the plane," he said.  

                       The skydivers were over the moon with their jump over Everest. New Zealander Wendy Smith said: "It was stunning. I had never seen so many mountains before. To be on top of the world was simply stunning.” Britain’s Holly Budge agreed, saying her jump was “just spectacular”. Their jumps broke several skydiving records. They entered the record books for making the highest skydiving freefall at nearly 8,900 metres. They also landed on the world’s highest drop zone at 3,761 metres. Twenty-nine more daredevils are waiting for favourable weather conditions to make the same jump. The thrill seekers are part of the ‘Everest Skydive 2008’ event organized by the British extreme sports company High and Wild.

a)	What is the most stunning or spectacular thing you’ve ever seen?
b)	When was the last time you were over the moon about something?
c)	Would you prefer to dive in the sky or sea?
d)	What do you think of the three skydivers in this story?
e)	What do you think of skydiving as a hobby?
f)	What questions would you like to ask the skydivers?
g)	Would you like to be in freefall for 30 seconds?
h)	What kinds of feelings do you think you’d have floating down to the ground from above Mount Everest?
i)	What kind of training would the skydivers need to do this? j) Are you a thrill seeker?