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endeavor --- an attempt metabolism --- chemical changes in the body by which energy is burned insurmountable --- impossible to overcome lament --- to cry out in grief or pain
rush that comes from risk-taking endeavors. Adrenaline is a substance the body produces when a person is in a stressful, dangerous, or frightening situation. It results in an increased heart rate and metabolism, and sweating. 30
Psychologically, an adrenaline rush can produce a sense of euphoria that can actually be addictive, like a drug. Psychologists believe that these sports give people the feeling they are unstoppable and able to defy the odds. As a result, there is an incredible sense of accomplishment when a seemingly insurmountable feat is accomplished.
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Extreme sports have experienced a great rise in popularity. The X Games, held every summer and winter, are the Olympics of extreme sports. They are viewed by millions worldwide, and some of the athlete’s faces are the same faces you might see in Olympic events, like snowboarding or ski jumping. Fewer young people take up baseball, soccer, or American football in favor of sports
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like cave diving, kite surfing, or bungee jumping. Because they have become so popular, extreme sports are big business, which many athletes lament. What were once thought of as “fringe” activities have now become mainstream ones. Corporations have realized that they can make a lot of money by buying expensive advertising time during the X Games or
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hiring a well-known athlete to endorse a product. Extreme sport fashion has also become a huge money-maker for corporations. Although there are no regulated uniforms in extreme sports, the fashion world has influenced what the athletes wear. The loose, baggy clothing by big-name designers, along with the accessories such as sunglasses, hats, and gloves, are pricey, lending weight to the argument
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that extreme sports has “sold out” to corporate greed. Although extreme sports may still be unknown to many, they will soon be a part of all of our lives. It is likely that we will soon see these sporting events broadcast as much as basketball or baseball games. Athletes will continue to push the limits of
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what we ever thought humanly possible, and the world will sit back and watch, in admiration, amazement, or possibly horror. Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds
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