05-01-2015 07:00

A group of swimmers met in London’s Hyde Park in 1864 to compete in a Christmas Day swim. They swam 100 yards (91 metres) in the cold water. This race became a tradition, and people take part in it every year.

This year was no exception. A crowd of people watched the brave swimmers jump into the icy waters, which are usually below 4°C. Not all swimmers can take part in this swim. They must get used to the cold conditions over a period of time, first.

Difficult words: exception (something which is different from what is normal), icy (very cold), get used to something (when something is easy for you to do).

You can read the original story and watch the video in the Level 3 section.