CHUCK MILLER'S UNUSUAL JOURNEY
It is a warm evening in April, and Chuck Miller is lying on the grass in a national park in the USA. He is too tired to move. He walked for ten hours today. Chuck did that every day this week, and he will continue walking every day until October. He is on an unusual journey. He is walking across America – a distance of about 5,000 kilometers.(lines 1–9)
Chuck has always lived in New York, a city on the east coast of the USA. Before he started his journey, he never traveled far from there. But Chuck wanted to go to other cities in America and to visit the beautiful national parks. He also wanted to meet new people. So he decided to walk from New York to the west coast of the USA.(lines 10–13)
Chuck prepared very carefully for his journey. First, he decided which cities and national parks to visit. He also practiced walking with heavy bags for a few hours every day. "I have to carry six liters of water, in addition to food and special equipment," explains Chuck. "So I practiced until I was sure that I was strong enough to carry so much weight. Then I began my journey."(lines 14–17)
Some days Chuck walks in the countryside and never sees anyone. He doesn't mind walking alone. But when he is in a city, he tries to meet people. So then he carries a sign that says, "I am walking across America." People who see the sign start talking to him because they want to hear about his journey. They also want to tell him about the interesting places they have visited.(lines 18–21)
Chuck plans to finish his journey in San Francisco, a city on the west coast of the USA. "It has a famous bridge that I've always wanted to see," he says. "After a short rest, I would like to find a job in San Francisco so that I can live there for a year. Then I will go back to New York – but I won't go on foot!"(lines 22–25)