Download this free B1–B2 English worksheet PDF for English learners and teachers. This topical lesson explores the extraordinary story of British adventurer Karl Bushby and his 28-year journey around the world on foot.
Bushby left Punta Arenas in Chile in 1998 with the aim of returning to Hull, England, without using transport to move forward along his route. What he originally expected to take around twelve years has become an expedition lasting almost three decades.
The article explains the two rules Bushby set himself: he would not use transport to make forward progress, and he would not return home until he could arrive on foot. If he had to leave the route temporarily, he had to return to the exact place where he had stopped.
Students read about some of the most difficult stages of the journey, including deserts, mountains, dangerous jungle, border restrictions, illness and money problems. In 2006, Bushby crossed the partly frozen Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia, and in 2024 he swam across the Caspian Sea with a small group.
He reached Britain on 5 October 2026 after swimming the English Channel, but his expedition was not yet complete. At the time of the worksheet, he still had to walk from Dover to Hull and hoped to finish at his mother’s home.
The lesson also considers the personal cost of such a long journey. Bushby has spent years away from his family, struggled to maintain relationships and now faces the challenge of adjusting to a more settled life after decades on the move.
The discussion section encourages students to talk about travel, determination, difficult goals, family, risk and the point at which persistence can become stubbornness.
Level: B1–B2
Date: 15 October 2026
Focus: Reading comprehension, phrasal verbs, vocabulary and discussion about travel, determination and long-term goals
This free worksheet includes:
- A three-paragraph reading article about Karl Bushby’s 28-year journey from Chile towards Hull
- Eight True/False reading-comprehension questions
- A Phrase Match activity with 10 useful expressions from the article
- A Synonym Match exercise with 10 key vocabulary items
- A Use the New Language activity in which students write their own sentences
- 16 discussion questions divided between Student A and Student B
- Speaking questions about travel, perseverance, risk, family and long-term ambitions
- A complete answer key
- Example sentences showing how the target phrases can be used naturally
Useful language from the worksheet includes set off, stick to, come back, get through, put up with, run out of, get by, give up, look after and settle down. Students also practise vocabulary such as remarkable, precise, enormous, restrictions, temporary, frightening, kindness and relationships.
This worksheet works particularly well for speaking lessons because the story naturally leads into questions about determination, sacrifice and whether the experiences gained along the way can be as important as reaching the final destination.
More free English resources from Britfluency:
A2–B2 English Worksheets
B2–C2 English Worksheets
IELTS Practice Materials
Free English Grammar Worksheets PDF
