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AROUND THE WORLD 1: Man Climbs Tallest Tower

While many people around the world were celebrating Christmas on December 25, Alain Robert climbed the world’s tallest tower. Taipei 101 is a 508-meter office tower on top of a shopping mall. The building officially opened on New Year’s Eve, but the celebration began with a climb.

Alain Robert’s well-known climbing abilities--in addition to his red jacket, pants, and shoes--earned him the nickname "Spiderman." Robert has climbed the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower, and the Petronas Towers. He usually climbs the magnificent structures with only his bare hands. He is not afraid of heights or falling off the buildings.

However, he used ropes to climb Taipei 101 because the rain made holding on nearly impossible. It took four hours in the rain to climb to the top of the building. He often disappeared from sight because the building reaches into the clouds. Alain Robert was very tired from his climb, but enjoyed a fast ride down in Taipei 101’s lift. He hopes to return to Taipei 101 in better weather to climb it in true Spiderman fashion--without ropes.

--Written by Katheryn Troyer

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Read AROUND THE WORLD 2: Massive Earthquake and Tsunami