Ida Dalessanclro, age 11, of Farrell, Pennsylvania, for her question:

What exactly is spelunking,?

"Spelunk" is an old word for a cave or cavern, especially one used as an animal's den or lair. There are, of course, such caves in almost all mountainous regions, often in gentle hills and in the cliffs by the seashore. A spelunker is a person who goes exploring caves and the name of this game is spelunking. A crack in a cliff is a daring challenge and exploring its depths is full of thrills and excitement. But this is merely the bright side of the game.

Let's not forget that the original definition suggests booby traps. True, a young spelunker is now less likely to face a fierce wild animal in a newly discovered cave. But other hazards remain. Most caves are made of weakened rocks. Even the weight of a step can cause them to collapse and bring down tons of crushing material. True spelunkers are the world's most cautious explorers    and they never, never work alone. Most important, at least one member of the party is a trained and experienced expert.