"Guinness Book
of Records" (1— is) one of the most popular books in the world. It (2 —
contains) records of all kinds„ there (3 — are) thousands of them. It all
(4 — started) in 1954 when a man (5 — called) Norris McWhirter (6 — published)
the Guinness Book of Records for the Guinness brewery — Guinness, by
the way, (7 — being) a type of beer. Very quickly the book (8 — became) a
best-seller. It (9 — has sold) over 49 million copies so far. And if you (10 —
think) that it (11 — is) the English who (12 — are) mad about records,
you (13 — are) wrong: the book (14 — has been translated) into 24 languages. There
(15 — are) a lot of people all over the world who (16 — seem) to want
(17 — to read) about other people who (18— are) faster, fatter, fitter or
just madder than they (19 — are). Since ancient times people (20 — have been trying)
to break a record. If you (21 — want) to break a record one day, you (22
— will have) to find someone reliable who (23 — would watch) you and then (24 —
ask) a newspaper (25 — to write) a report. Then, when you (26 — break) the
record, you (27 — should write) to the Guinness Book and (28 — hope) that the
day (29 — comes) when your record (30 — is printed) in the newspaper. Your
name and photograph (31 — will be placed) in many newspapers and your record (32 —
will be translated) into twenty-four languages— in one of the world's famous
books. You (33 — could) do it, for example by (34 — walking) on your hands a
long way or (35 — singing) the same song over and over again or (36 — doing)
any other thing not many people (37 — are able) to do. Why not (38 — try)
and (39 — see) what (40 — happens)?