The document profiles two teenage skateboarders from Los Angeles named Monica and Carl. It discusses the origins of skateboarding in the 1950s in California among surfers. Monica and Carl describe learning to skateboard in their youth, with Monica starting at age 13 and Carl receiving a board as a birthday gift at age 11. They discuss skating at parks and on streets, injuries from falling, competitions and fashion trends in skateboarding culture.

1. Read an interview with two skateboarders from Los Angeles.
Monica and Carl are teenagers from Los Angeles in the United States. They both love skateboarding.
Read this interview with them and find out more about their favourite sport.
Who invented skateboarding?
Monica: Skateboarding began in California in the 1950s, but we don’t know who the first person to go on a
skateboard was.
Carl: In the beginning, skateboarding was popular with surfers. They wanted to practise surfing on land
when the ocean was calm or the weather was bad.
Where can you go skateboarding?
Monica: There are skate parks in lots of towns and cities. They are special places for skateboarding. You
can practise jumps at skate parks and meet other skateboarders.
Carl: You can skateboard in the street too, but you have to look out for the traffic, people, bicycles and
dogs.
When did you start skateboarding?
Monica: When I was a child, I liked going rollerskating with my friends. When I was thirteen, one of my
friends got a skateboard and I tried it. I fell several times but I loved it. Two weeks later, I got my first
skateboard. I haven’t stopped rollerskating. I like both sports now.
Carl: I live in the city and there’s a skate park near my house. When I was eleven, my dad gave me a
skateboard for my birthday and I spent the summer skateboarding at the skate park. I love the freedom
and speed. When I was a child, I rode my bike every day, but I never ride it now.
Is skateboarding dangerous?
Carl: All skateboarders fall off their boards but fortunately most injuries are minor. It’s a good idea to wear
a helmet to protect your head.
Are there skateboarding competitions?
Monica: Yes, there are. They usually take place in skate parks. Skateboarders do jumps or tricks. The
skateboarders who do the most difficult jumps or tricks win.
Carl: There was a campaign to get skateboarding included in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro
but unfortunately it wasn’t successful. But who knows? Maybe, skateboarding will be in the 2020 games!
Tell me about “Go Skateboarding Day”.
Monica: “Go Skateboarding Day” is on the 21st of June every year. In the United States, Europe and
Australia, there are competitions, parties and barbecues for skateboarders.
LA Skaters: An interview (level 1): Read at your level - text

2. What about fashion? Is there a skater look?
Carl: At the moment, the fashion is for skateboarders to wear tight jeans or black trousers and a T-shirt or
check shirt. Baseball caps and hats are popular too.
Monica: A lot of skateboarders have long hair too. But fashion doesn’t matter. For me, enjoying the sport
is more important than clothes.
What’s a long board?
Monica: A long board is skateboard that’s longer and has got bigger wheels. Skateboards are usually 70
to 80 centimetres long, but long boards are 90 to 120 centimetres long. It’s difficult to do jumps on a long
board, but you can go fast.
Carl: Listen to this! In 2006, a skateboarder went across Australia on a long board. That’s 5,850
kilometres!
Robin Newton

3. Read the text about skaters in LA then do these exercises to check your understanding.
1. Check your understanding: grouping
Write the phrases into the correct group.
goes rollerskating and skateboarding
says that baseball caps and hats are popular with
skateboarders
says it’s a good idea to wear a helmet got a skateboard for a birthday present
loves the freedom and speed of skateboarding started skateboarding with a friend
thinks skateboarding is more important than
fashion
says that skateboarding began in California in the
1950s
Monica Carl
2. Check your understanding: true or false
Circle True or False for these sentences.
1. Surfers wanted something to do when the sea was calm. True False
2. When she was a child, Monica rode her bike every day. True False
3. Monica started skateboarding when she was eleven. True False
4. Skateboarding isn’t going to be in the 2016 Olympic games. True False
5. “Go Skateboarding Day” is on 21st
July every year. True False
6. It’s fashionable for skateboarders to wear tight jeans. True False
7. All skateboarders have long hair. True False
8. It’s difficult to do jumps on long boards. True False
LA Skaters: An interview (level 1): Read at your level - exercises

4. Answers to LA Skaters: An Interview exercises.
1. Preparation: matching
1. d
2. a
3. f
4. c
5. b
6. e
1. Check your understanding: grouping
Monica Carl
goes rollerskating and skateboarding got a skateboard for a birthday present
started skateboarding with a friend says it’s a good idea to wear a helmet
thinks skateboarding is more important than
fashion
loves the freedom and speed of skateboarding
says that skateboarding began in California in the
1950s
says that baseball caps and hats are popular with
skateboarders
2. Check your understanding: true or false
1. True
2. False
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. True
LA Skaters: An interview (level 1): Read at your level - answers