Amundsen’s party at the South Pole, December 1911. Photo: Olav Bjaaland · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons.Scott’s party at the South Pole, January 1912. Photo: Henry Bowers · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons.
C1 English reading comprehension about Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott and the race to the South Pole. Read carefully, answer the questions, then practise reading fluency.
The race to reach the South Pole is often retold as a simple contest between two heroic leaders, but the expeditions of Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott reflected markedly different strategies. Norwegian explorer Amundsen had originally planned an Arctic expedition, but after learning that other explorers claimed to have reached the North Pole, he secretly redirected his attention south. His team established a base at the Bay of Whales and relied heavily on skis and carefully managed dog teams—methods informed by Norwegian polar experience and Indigenous Arctic practices Amundsen had observed on earlier journeys. Scott's British Terra Nova Expedition pursued a broader scientific programme as well as the Pole. His transport strategy combined motor sledges, ponies, dogs and ultimately extensive man-hauling, with mixed results. Amundsen and four companions reached the South Pole on 14 December 1911 and returned safely. Scott's five-man polar party arrived on 17 January 1912 to discover the Norwegian flag already there. Their return journey became disastrous amid exhaustion, severe weather, frostbite and dwindling supplies. Edgar Evans and Lawrence Oates died first; Scott, Edward Wilson and Henry Bowers died in their tent in late March, only about 18 kilometres from a supply depot. Their bodies and journals were found months later. For decades, British culture often framed Scott chiefly as a noble martyr, while later historians scrutinised his planning more critically. Modern interpretations tend to resist both extremes, recognising genuine errors alongside extraordinary endurance and significant scientific work.
Comprehension questions
What transport did Amundsen rely on heavily?
When did Amundsen reach the Pole?
What did Scott’s party discover at the Pole?
How close were Scott’s final three men to a supply depot?
How does the passage characterise modern interpretations of Scott?
