SNOWBOARDING A Put in the or a/an where necessary in the first paragraph: Try Snowboarding (it's safer than skiing) The results are in, and THE__fact is that snowboarding is safer than skiing. AN__analysis by Professor Jasper Shealy of the Rochester Institute of Technology shows 0.75 deaths for every 1 million skier visits, versus 0.47 deaths per million snowboarder visits. While both of these death rates are very low, snowboarding does have A__lower risk of mortality. I ski a lot more than I snowboard. I'm blessed with two legs and two feet, and it seems natural to use them independently. But there are times when snowboarding beats all. If you are A__good skier, skiing at small ski areas can get A__little dull. You go up, you go down. And the going up part takes much longer than going down, which is why you went up in THE__first place. So unless you're A__fan of hypothermia, it's fun to learn to snowboard. Also, places like Lake Tahoe, California tend to get very wet snow. Skiing through /__deep, wet snow is miserable because A__promising start generally ends in a fall. On A__snowboard, all of your weight and energy are focused on one edge of _THE_ board, so it's much easier to cut through wet snow. Ready to ride? Here are some tips for /__first-timers. Riding Stance You may have heard about riding 'regular' or 'goofy.' Regular foot riders stand with their left foot forward on the board, while goofy foot riders stand with their right foot forward. If you skateboard or surf you probably know what your stance is. If not, have someone push you lightly from behind. Whichever foot you put out first to balance yourself is probably the foot you should have in front. Pick Your Board Snowboard performance is influenced by the combination of materials used, the shape of the board, and its length, weight and stiffness. Technical freestyle boards have twin tips, with tail shapes for riding forward or backward. Freestyle boards are usually directional in shape, with a longer tip for better flotation in the snow and a stiffer tail for more power. Freeride boards (sometimes known as all-mountain boards) are very versatile models, and usually have a directional shape. This is a good choice for a board to learn on. Freecarving boards tend to be the stiffest and narrowest. The nose (front) of the board is curved while the tail (back) is flat. While stable at high speeds, these boards generally aren't for doing tricks or all-around riding. Dress Code Your style is what you make it, but I can offer a few words of advice. Don't wear jeans. You will be spending time on your butt, your jeans will get wet and you will get cold. In a hypothermic state, you won't be able to mouth your favourite swearword. Most snowboard clothing is designed to fit looser than ski wear, giving more freedom of movement. Also, many snowboard pants are reinforced in the seat and knees for extra protection when kneeling or sitting on the snow. B Find the following expressions in the article: DULL -nudný, jednotvárný, hloupý HYPOTHERIMA -podchlazení A PROMISING START -slibný začátek TEND -mít tendenci, sklon EDGE -hrana snowboardu VERSATILE SWEARWORD -všestranný SWEARWORD -nadávka LOOSER -volnější REINFORCE -zpevnit, vyztužit C Do you find snowboarding more fun than skiing? Why, why not?