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Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Article
Level
2 / A2
Published
Title
The Long Road Home
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-11-06-the-long-road-home/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: Main Idea, True or False, Put Events in Order, Multiple Choice

Language: Vocab Match, New Sentences

Use It: Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions

Answers

(1) If you had a month to explore a country on foot, which country would you choose? Why?

(2) Have you ever had a trip that did not go as planned? What happened?

World map showing a red route from Punta Arenas, Chile, through the Americas, across northern Asia and Europe to Hull, England.
Bushby’s route home.

Vocab List

adventurer (n.) — A person who visits new places and does exciting, sometimes dangerous things.
permission (n.) — Being allowed to do something.
engine (n.) — The part of a car, plane, or other machine that makes it move.
border (n.) — The line between two countries.
route (n.) — The way you go from one place to another.
banner (n.) — A long piece of cloth with words or pictures on it.
jungle (n.) — A forest in a hot place where many trees and plants grow close together.
stranger (n.) — A person you do not know.
Reading

In 1998, Karl Bushby decided to walk around the world, from Chile in South America to his childhood home in England. He thought it would take 12 years. Instead, it took 28 years and covered about 50,000 kilometers. The British adventurer was 57 when he finally reached his mother's house in Hull, England.

He began his journey with a tent and a few hundred dollars. He made one important rule: he would not use cars, planes or other transport with engines to travel towards home.

His route took him through thick jungle and across ice between Alaska and Russia. He also swam across the Caspian Sea. But nature was not his only problem. He had trouble getting permission to cross borders, and sometimes he did not have enough money. These problems added years to his trip.

After swimming across the English Channel, he walked the final part of the route. Hundreds of people welcomed him in Hull. Then his mother hugged him outside her home, under a “Welcome Home Son” banner.

Bushby said he could not have finished the journey without the help of many strangers around the world.

The Long Road Home

Level 2 Article Source: aljazeera.com, nytimes.com
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

World map showing a red route from Punta Arenas, Chile, through the Americas, across northern Asia and Europe to Hull, England.
Bushby’s route home.

In 1998, Karl Bushby decided to walk around the world, from Chile in South America to his childhood home in England. He thought it would take 12 years. Instead, it took 28 years and covered about 50,000 kilometers. The British adventurer was 57 when he finally reached his mother's house in Hull, England.

He began his journey with a tent and a few hundred dollars. He made one important rule: he would not use cars, planes or other transport with engines to travel towards home.

His route took him through thick jungle and across ice between Alaska and Russia. He also swam across the Caspian Sea. But nature was not his only problem. He had trouble getting permission to cross borders, and sometimes he did not have enough money. These problems added years to his trip.

After swimming across the English Channel, he walked the final part of the route. Hundreds of people welcomed him in Hull. Then his mother hugged him outside her home, under a “Welcome Home Son” banner.

Bushby said he could not have finished the journey without the help of many strangers around the world.

Speaker: British Male  Duration: 1:38  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

In 1998, Karl Bushby decided to walk around the world, from Chile in South America to his childhood home in England. He thought it would take 12 years. Instead, it took 28 years and covered about 50,000 kilometers. The British adventurer was 57 when he finally (1) his mother's house in Hull, England.

He began his journey with a (2) and a few hundred dollars. He made one important rule: he would not use cars, planes or other transport with engines to travel towards home.

His route took him through thick jungle and across ice between Alaska and Russia. He also swam across the Caspian Sea. But nature was not his only problem. He had trouble getting permission to cross borders, and sometimes he did not have enough (3) . These problems added years to his trip.

After swimming across the English Channel, he walked the final part of the route. Hundreds of people welcomed him in Hull. Then his mother (4) him outside her home, under a “Welcome Home Son” banner.

Bushby said he could not have finished the journey without the help of many (5) around the world.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Discussion Builder

  1. Q: Which would be harder for you: walking through a jungle or crossing ice?

    A:

  2. Q: Do you think a journey like this is worth spending so many years away from family?

    A:
Use It

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Q: Which would be harder for you: walking through a jungle or crossing ice?

    A: Crossing ice would be harder for me I hate being cold.

    although / because

    Crossing ice would be harder for me because I hate being cold.

  2. Q: Do you think a journey like this is worth spending so many years away from family?

    A: No, I don't think it's worth it. I love travelling, I wouldn't want to spend 28 years away from my family.

    but / so

    No, I don't think it's worth it. I love travelling, but I wouldn't want to spend 28 years away from my family.

Discussion Questions
  1. What do you think is the most surprising part of this journey?
  2. What do you think about his rule against using transport with engines?
  3. Do you think a journey like this is worth spending so many years away from family?
  4. Which would be harder for you: walking through a jungle or crossing ice?
  5. What three things would you always carry on a long walking trip?
  6. Who would you choose to travel with on a difficult journey?
  7. What's the longest walk you've ever done?
  8. How would you welcome someone home after many years away?
  9. If you made a film about this journey, which part would you most want to show?

Discussion Questions

  1. What do you think is the most surprising part of this journey?
  2. What do you think about his rule against using transport with engines?
  3. Do you think a journey like this is worth spending so many years away from family?
  4. Which would be harder for you: walking through a jungle or crossing ice?
  5. What three things would you always carry on a long walking trip?
  6. Who would you choose to travel with on a difficult journey?
  7. What's the longest walk you've ever done?
  8. How would you welcome someone home after many years away?
  9. If you made a film about this journey, which part would you most want to show?

Answers The Long Road Home / Level 2

Listening: (1) reached, (2) tent, (3) money, (4) hugged, (5) strangers

Main Idea: Bushby finally completed his journey home despite years of problems along the way.

True or False:

  1. False. He started in Chile and planned to walk to his childhood home in England.
  2. True. Problems getting permission to cross borders and a lack of money added years to his trip.
  3. False. He swam across the English Channel, then walked the final part of the route to Hull.
  4. True. He said he could not have finished without the help of many strangers around the world.

Multiple Choice: b, a, c

Put Events in Order:

  1. Bushby began his journey in Chile.
  2. He swam across the English Channel.
  3. He walked the final part of the route to Hull.
  4. His mother hugged him outside her home.

Vocabulary:

  1. adventurer: A person who visits new places and does exciting, sometimes dangerous things.
  2. engine: The part of a car, plane, or other machine that makes it move.
  3. route: The way you go from one place to another.
  1. jungle: A forest in a hot place where many trees and plants grow close together.
  2. permission: Being allowed to do something.

New Sentences: 1. engine; 2. permission; 3. banner; 4. stranger; 5. route

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Contrast.

  1. because
  2. but

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