Junko Tabei – L2T – Second Language Tech

First Sentences

272 Words

Junko Tabei was a woman from Japan.

She was born in 1939.

She was born in a small town.

The town was near mountains.

Junko was a quiet girl.

She was small.

She was strong.

She liked school.

She liked books.

When she was a child, she climbed a small mountain.

She loved the mountain.

She wanted to climb more mountains.

Junko wanted to be a climber.

Many people said no.

They said, “Girls do not climb mountains.”

Junko did not stop.

She said, “I want to climb.”

She went to college in Tokyo.

She studied English.

She joined a climbing club.

She was the only woman there.

Some men were not kind to her.

Junko did not give up.

Junko made a climbing club for women.

The women climbed many mountains.

They were strong.

Junko had a big dream.

She wanted to climb Mount Everest.

Mount Everest is very tall.

Junko went on a big trip.

The trip was hard.

It was cold.

It was windy.

Junko worked very hard.

She did not stop.

One day, snow fell from the mountain.

Junko was under the snow.

Her friends helped her.

She rested for two days.

Then she climbed again.

Junko reached the top of the mountain.

She was very happy.

She said, “We did it together.”

Junko climbed many big mountains.

She climbed mountains on many continents.

She was the first woman to do this.

Junko taught children.

She loved nature.

She helped clean mountains.

She helped other people.

Junko died in 2016.

Many people remember her.

She said, “Do not give up.”

Junko showed the world that women are strong.

Level 1 Reader

590 Words

A Girl in Japan

Junko Tabei was born in Japan. She was born in 1939, in a small town. The town was called Miharu. It was in the country, near mountains. Junko was a small girl. She was quiet. But she was strong. She liked school. She liked reading. When she was 10 years old, she went on a trip. She climbed a small mountain. She loved it! She wanted to climb more mountains.

People Said “No”

Junko wanted to be a climber. But it was hard. People said, “You are a girl. Girls don’t climb mountains.” Junko did not stop. She said, “I want to climb.” She went to college in Tokyo. She studied English and literature. But she still loved the mountains. After college, she joined a climbing club. She was the only woman. Some men did not want her there. They said, “You are weak. You are slow.” Junko was sad, but she did not give up.

Her Own Climbing Club

In 1969, Junko made her own climbing club. It was for women. The club was called “Ladies Climbing Club: Japan.” Junko and her friends climbed many mountains. They were strong and brave. Then Junko had a big dream. She wanted to climb Mount Everest. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.

The Big Trip

Junko and 15 other women planned a trip. They wanted to climb Everest. It was 1975. The trip cost a lot of money. Junko did not have much money. But she worked hard. She made her own clothes. She cooked for people to save money. People laughed at her. They said, “This is too hard. You are a mother. You should stay home.” But Junko said, “I want to try.” They flew to Nepal. They walked many days to the base of the mountain. It was very cold. It was windy.

The Avalanche

One day, the team was in a tent. A big avalanche came! That is snow and ice falling down the mountain. Junko was under the snow. She could not move. Her friends pulled her out. She was hurt. She needed rest. But after 2 days, she said, “Let’s go!” She was not afraid.

She Reached the Top

On May 16, 1975, Junko and her guide, Ang Tsering, climbed to the top. They were very high. They could not breathe well. The air was thin. It was very cold. But they made it! Junko was the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest. She was very happy. But she did not say, “I did it alone.” She said, “We did it together.”

More Mountains

Junko did not stop climbing. She wanted to climb the tallest mountain on every continent. She climbed all of these mountains:

– Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa
– Mount Elbrus in Europe
– Mount Aconcagua in South America
– Denali in North America
– Mount Vinson in Antarctica
– Mount Kosciuszko in Australia

She was the first woman to climb all these big mountains.

Helping Others

Junko was also a teacher. She taught children about nature. She said, “Mountains are our friends. We must take care of them.” She helped clean up trash on mountains. She also helped women and children in poor countries. She was kind and strong.

A Big Smile

Junko Tabei died in 2016. She was 77 years old. Many people were sad. But they remembered her smile. They remembered her words: “Do not give up. Keep climbing.” Junko showed the world that women can do great things. She was small, but her heart was big.

Level 2 Reader

626 Words

The Woman Who Climbed the Highest Mountains

Junko Tabei was a Japanese mountain climber. She was the first woman to reach the top of Mount Everest. She was also the first woman to climb the highest mountains on every continent. Junko Tabei showed the world that women could be strong, brave, and determined.

A Girl with a Big Dream

Junko Tabei was born in 1939 in a small town in Fukushima, Japan. She was a quiet child who loved nature. When she was ten years old, she went on a school trip to climb a mountain. It was a small mountain, but it changed her life. From that day, she wanted to climb more mountains.

Her family was not rich. Climbing was expensive, so she couldn’t do it often. But Junko did not give up. She studied hard and went to university in Tokyo. There, she joined a climbing club. Most of the members were men, but that didn’t stop her.

Facing Challenges

In the 1960s and 70s, many people in Japan believed that women should stay at home. Some people told Junko to stop climbing and to get married. But she loved climbing too much. She said, “I just wanted to climb mountains.”

Junko married a man who also liked mountain climbing. They had two children. Even after becoming a mother, Junko kept climbing. She took care of her family and trained for her climbs.

In 1969, Junko started a women’s climbing club. It was called the Ladies Climbing Club: Japan. Their motto was “Let’s go on an overseas expedition by ourselves.” This was a big idea, because at the time, most climbing teams were only men.

Climbing Mount Everest

In 1975, Junko and her team went to Nepal to climb Mount Everest. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. It is 8,848 meters high. Many people have died trying to reach the top.

Junko’s team was the first all-women team to try climbing Everest. They had to carry heavy bags and walk for many days in the cold. One night, there was an avalanche. Snow came crashing down on their tents. Junko was buried under the snow. She could not move. Her team rescued her, but she was very weak.

Even after this, she did not stop. She rested for two days and then started climbing again. On May 16, 1975, Junko reached the top of Mount Everest. She became the first woman in the world to do this.

More Mountains to Climb

After Everest, Junko continued climbing. She wanted to climb the “Seven Summits.” These are the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents:

Mount Everest in Asia
Mount Aconcagua in South America
Mount McKinley (Denali) in North America
Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa
Mount Elbrus in Europe
Mount Vinson in Antarctica
Mount Kosciuszko in Australia

She finished climbing all seven in 1992. She was the first woman to do this.

Junko climbed over 70 mountains in her life. She did not climb to become famous. She climbed because she loved it.

Helping Others

Junko also helped protect the environment. She saw how trash and pollution were hurting the mountains. She worked to clean up climbing areas and to teach others to respect nature.

She also helped children. She organized trips to the mountains for young people, including those affected by earthquakes and disasters. She believed that nature could heal people.

A Life of Inspiration

Junko Tabei died in 2016. But her story continues to inspire people around the world. She showed that women can follow their dreams. She proved that with courage and hard work, anything is possible.

Her words are still remembered today:

“Do not give up. Keep on going. Even if it’s only one small step at a time.”

Level 3 Reader

606 Words

The Mountain Climber Who Reached the Top

In the world of mountain climbing, one name stands out: Junko Tabei. She was the first woman in the world to reach the top of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth. But her story is about much more than that. It is a story of strength, determination, and breaking barriers.

Early Life

Junko Tabei was born in 1939 in a small town called Miharu, in Fukushima, Japan. As a child, she was small and quiet. She enjoyed reading books and playing music, especially the piano. No one imagined that she would grow up to be a famous mountain climber.

She first discovered her love for climbing at the age of ten. During a school trip, she climbed Mount Nasu in the Tochigi Prefecture. From that moment on, she was fascinated by mountains. But in post-war Japan, it was rare for girls to enjoy outdoor sports, and climbing was especially seen as a man’s activity.

Climbing in a Man’s World

After finishing university, Junko continued climbing, even though many people told her it was dangerous and not suitable for women. Some male climbers refused to climb with her because they thought she was too weak. Others said she was just looking for a husband.

But Junko didn’t give up. She believed that women had just as much right to enjoy the mountains as men. In 1969, she started the Ladies Climbing Club: Japan, the first women-only climbing club in the country. Their motto was: “Let’s go on an overseas expedition by ourselves.” It was a bold idea at the time.

The Everest Challenge

In 1975, Junko led a group of Japanese women on an expedition to Mount Everest. It was a difficult journey from the beginning. They had to raise their own money, and Junko even sewed her own climbing clothes to save costs.

On the mountain, they faced extreme cold, dangerous winds, and avalanches. At one point, an avalanche buried their camp, and Junko was knocked unconscious. After being rescued, she needed two days to recover. But even after such a dangerous event, she continued the climb.

On May 16, 1975, Junko Tabei stood at the top of Mount Everest. She had become the first woman to achieve this incredible goal. Around the world, people celebrated her success. But Junko was humble. She said she didn’t climb Everest “to be the first woman” but because she loved mountains.

More Than One Summit

Climbing Everest was not the end for Junko. In fact, it was just the beginning of a much bigger goal. She wanted to climb the highest mountains on all seven continents. Over the next years, she achieved this dream, becoming the first woman to complete the “Seven Summits.”

Mount Everest in Asia
Mount Aconcagua in South America
Mount McKinley (Denali) in North America
Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa
Mount Elbrus in Europe
Mount Vinson in Antarctica
Mount Kosciuszko in Australia

She continued climbing well into her sixties and even after being diagnosed with cancer in her later years. Until her death in 2016, Junko worked to protect mountain environments and encourage women to enjoy the outdoors.

Legacy

Junko Tabei is remembered not only for her climbing records but also for her courage and her belief in equality. She opened doors for women in a male-dominated sport and inspired people around the world to follow their dreams—no matter how high.

Today, her story is told in schools and museums, and many young climbers continue to look up to her. She showed the world that strength isn’t just physical—it’s also about spirit, passion, and never giving up.

Extensive Listening

Level 1 Audio