READING

Auroras (Northern and Southern Lights)

Imagine seeing the night sky turn bright green, purple and red, and that all of these
lights suddenly start dancing around. It is one of most beautiful sights known to
humans.
Although these lights, called auroras, look absolutely magical, their occurrence can
actually be explained through science. Appearing above the North and South poles,
they are created when electrically charged particles from the sun collide and penetrate
into the atmosphere.
Their color variations depend on the type of gas particles which come together. Auroras
do not just appear every night – their activity happens in cycles, and reaches its peak
every 11 years. For this reason, interested observers should really plan their trip
carefully.
Apart from the poles, auroras are best seen in parts of Canada, Iceland, Norway and
the coastal waters of Siberia.
Mount Everest, Nepal
Located in the subrange of the Himalayas, Mount Everest is the world's highest
mountain, standing at 29,029 feet (8,848 meters). The Himalayas Mountain chain was
formed when the Indian tectonic plate, or in other words massive rocks, pushed against
the Asian plate.
British mountaineers tried to ascent to the summit of Mount Everest eight times before
two of them finally succeeded in 1953. Several thousands of people have climbed to
the peak since then, normally with the assistance of Sherpas, local Nepalese people
who carry the equipment and know the mountain very well.
Because of the harsh climate and the temperature that can drop down to -76°F (-
60°C), this is a very dangerous journey. The mountain is so high that the climbers have
to use bottled oxygen to keep their lungs functioning. Interestingly, the summit point
also lies on the international border between Tibet and Nepal.
Grand Canyon, the United States of America
These 227 miles (446 km) long canyon is located in the state of Arizona and was
carved by the Colorado River. The Grand Canyon reaches the depth of over one mile
(1,857 meters). It expands over a vast area which was once inhabited by Native
Americans, and was considered to be a holy site.
Scientists believe the Colorado River built this natural wonder up to 6 million years ago.
Even though the elevation change from the river to the highest point in the canyon is
huge, there are still quite a few plants and animals living there, although most of the
animals are rodents (mice and rats) and bat species.
Today, the Grand Canyon is a national park, and tourists can enjoy climbing the
beautiful red rocks, rafting on the river, or simply sightseeing.
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe/Zambia
Victoria Falls, or "The Smoke that Thunders" (Mosi-oa-Tunya in the Tonga language),
as the locals call it, is a large waterfall on the Zambezi River, bordering Zambia and
Zimbabwe.
The world-famous explorer David Livingstone is thought be the first European who
found the waterfall, naming it in honor of Queen Victoria.
Victoria Falls is considered to be the world's largest waterfall based on the amount of
falling water – every second, some 33,000 cubic feet (935 cubic meters) of water fall
over. Still water levels are not constant, and they particularly rise during the flood
season from February to May.
Victoria Falls is surrounded by a rainforest where it actually rains every single day due
to all the vapor rising from the waterfall. Wildlife is abundant in this forest, so it is
common to spot an elephant, a zebra, or even a lion in the areas around the waterfall.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Consisting of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands, this is the largest coral reef
in the world, spreading across 133,000 square miles (344,400 km2). Being larger than
many countries, the Great Barrier Reef is visible from outer space.
The variety of living organisms which make the reef their home is impressive. Over
1500 different species of fish, and a great number of turtles, sharks and seahorses can
regularly be seen in the reef. Thirty different species of whales and dolphins also swim
in these waters.
While the climate change greatly affects the biodiversity in the reef, most parts of it are
protected from fishing. Thousands of tourists who come in every day are also asked to
be careful about how they treat this precious environment.
1. What does "abundant" mean?
a. left behind
b. rare
c. plentiful
2. What does "vapor" mean?
a. earth mineral
b. substance suspended in the air
c. melted snow
3. What does "collide" mean?
a. avoid one another
b. grow out of something
c. strike one another, crash
4. What does "tomb" mean?
a. the highest point of a mountain
b. the lowest temperature on a mountain
c. a base camp on a mountain
5. What does "ascent" mean?
a. slide down
b. gradually become stronger
c. climb, move upwards
6. In the Grand Canyon, the __________ change is huge.
a. level
b. height
c. elevation
7. Great Barrier Reef is visible from __________ space.
a. exterior
b. external
c. outer
8. Electrically __________ particles create auroras.
a. charged
b. filled
c. powered
9. British mountaineers were the first to __________ to the summit.
a. rise
b. ascent
c. take off
10. The __________ climate makes climbing Mount Everest very dangerous.
a. cruel
b. harsh
c. grinding
11. Australians fear climate __________ will damage the reef.
A. change
B. distortion
C. alteration
12. Water levels rise during the __________ season.
a. overflowing
b. swamping
c. flood
13. On Mount Everest, the temperature can drop __________ to -76°F.
a. low
b. down
c. close
14. It is common to __________ a zebra near Victoria Falls.
a. glance
b. identify
c. spot
15. The Grand Canyon was __________ by the Colorado River.
a. carved
b. designed
c. cut up
16. Which river created the Grand Canyon?
a. Zambezi
b. Colorado
c. Grand Yellow
17. What does the color of an aurora depend on?
a. the time of the year
b. the place where it happens
c. the type of gas particles
18. Why do most mountaineers hire Sherpas?
a. to carry the equipment
b. to find oxygen
c. to communicate with local people
19. Where does climate change have a negative impact on biodiversity?
a. in the Grand Canyon
b. in the Great Barrier Reef
c. in the Victoria Falls rainforest
20. Who named Victoria Falls?
a. Queen Victoria
b. the people of Zimbabwe
 21. Based on the information in this lesson, which statement is true?
a. The Grand Canyon is mostly home to mice, rats and bats.
b. Only snakes and lizards can survive in the Grand Canyon.
22. Based on the information in this lesson, which statement is false?
a. On Mount Everest, mountaineers use bottled oxygen only in rare
circumstances.
b. It is nearly impossible to climb Mount Everest without additional oxygen.
23. Based on the information in this lesson, is the following statement true or false?
"It would be possible for astronauts to see the Great Barrier Reef from space."
a. True
b. False
24. Based on the information in this lesson, is the following statement true or false?
"The only way to see auroras is to travel to the North Pole."
a. True
b. False
Practice English Listening Test for A2 - Listening for Match Pictures with
Illustrated Words or Name Test #3 - English Practice Test
Listening 1
Listen and write a letter in each box. There is one example.
David often forgets to bring things home. Where did he leave each thing?
umbrella F
diary
scarf
dictionary
camera
torch

Listening 2
Listen and write a letter in each box. There is one example.
Alex’s uncle loves taking photos with his new camera. Where did he take each
photo?
flowers C
swan
insects
parrot
bats
men

Listening 3
Listen and write a letter in each box. There is one example.
Robert loves animals. Which animal picture has he got on each of his things?
jacket D
address book
socks
toy box
umbrella
gloves

SPEAKING
1. Are there wild animals in your country?
2. Have you ever been to a zoo or a safari park?
3. What is the animal you would like to see in the wild?
4. Are there TV programs about wild animals in your country?