Geographical features

Hello guys,

Look at the photos. Do you have any places like this in your country?

Use the letters to write words connected with landscape. Add them to the list.

beach

desert

lake

mountain range

river

sea

harbour

canal

woods

stream

pond

field

valley

glacier

waterfall

hot spring

rainforest

island

desert

coast

grassland

forest

cliff

plain

cave

volcan

Match features 1-5 with photos A – E.

1. mountains, rocks, desert

2. sea, reefs, islands, tropical beaches

3. mountain, ocean, sandy beaches, rainforests, harbour

4. canal, river

5. mountains, rocks, valley, river

Read the notices. Then complete the labels with the correct words.

a cliff          a desert       a beach       a mountain           rainforest    a river         a field.

1.                 Check the weather forecast before starting to climb.

2.                 Use bridge to cross – 300 metres away.

3.                 No water for the next 50 km.

4.                 Sun chairs here – 50p an hour.

5.                 No climbing! Danger – falling rocks.

6.                 Help the environment – save the trees!

7.                 Public path but please shut the gate – farm animals.

Try to match these places with the features from the list.

The Sahara

The Sahara is a desert in North Africa.

Loch Ness

Loch Ness is a lake in Scotland.

Everest

Everest is a mountain in Nepal.

The Mississippi

The Mississippi is a river in the USA.

The Pacific

The Pacific is an ocean between America and Asia.

The Baltic

The Baltic is a sea that is enclosed by Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Etna

Etna is a volcano in Sicily, Italy.

The Nile

The Nile is the longest river in the world, Africa.

The Baikal

The Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, Russia.

Listen to the information about the places in the photos. Which places would you like to visit?

A. The Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

“Awesome” is how people describe the Grand Canyon! But words cannot describe it. You have to see it. The Grand Canyon in northwest Arizona, USA, is 446 kilometres long, 29 kilometres wide and about 1,800 metres deep. Scientists believe the canyon is 17 million years old. It is not the deepest or the longest canyon in the world.

However, it is probably the most beautiful. The rocks change colour depending on the time of the day, from red and orange to grey and orche brown. The best view of the Grand Canyon is from a helicopter. But for a real adventure, you need to take a boat along the valley of the river Colorado.

B. Venice, Italy.

The “floating city” in the northeast Italy is famous for its unique beauty and wonderful architecture. The city consists of around 117 islands and 409 bridges. You can walk through the narrow streets for hours and then sit in a square and admire the impressive buildings. St. Mark’s is the most famous square and the central point of the city. The public transport system is fantastic. For example, the famous vapotretto (river bus) only costs about 5 euros. It takes you all the way down the Grand Canal. Alternatively, you can pay around 150 euros to do same trip on a gondola!

C. Chris The Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer is 38 metres high and dominates of Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the best-known sights of this lively city. When visitors go to the top of the Corcovado mountain to visit the statue, they get a breathtaking view of the city. From there you can see other famous sights: the Sugar Loaf mountain, the Atlantic Ocean, the harbor and the long sandy beaches. As you drive up the narrow road to the top of the mountain, you pass favelas (slums), rich neighbourhoods and green rainforests.

D. The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

It is one of the most amazing natural wonders of the world. It is located in the Coral Sea and covers 2,600 km along the northeast coast of Australia. It consists of around 3,000 coral reefs and hundreds of tropical islands. It is a popular destination for scuba divers. They love the clear and shallow sea water and all the different types of fish. The golden sands of the tropical beaches attract about 1 million tourists each year.

E. The Lost City of Petra, Jordan

The lost city of Petra is located in the rose-coloured mountains of southwest Jordan. This ancient city was once a busy trading centre and the capital of the Nabataean empire. It had a population of around 20,000. They made spectacular monuments from the pink limestone rock. The city was “lost” for centuries. Nobody knows exactly when or why people left the city. Luckily, European travellers “found” it again in the nineteenth century. Today you can visit the spectacular ruins on foot, on horseback or by camel.

Answer the questions about the texts.

1.                 How big and how old is the Grand Canyon?

2.                 What is the best way to visit the canyon today?

3.                 How many islands are there in Venice?

4.                 What’s the most expensive way to visit Venice?

5.                 Where in Rio is the famous statue of Christ?

6.                 How do you get to the statue?

7.                 Where is the Great Barrier Reef?

8.                 Why is it a popular destination for scuba divers?

9.                 In which country is the Lost City of Petra?

10.            How do tourists visit the city?

Listen to the descriptions. Decide which locations (A to E) would be the most suitable for each person (1 to 3) to visit.

1. Charlie wants to visit somewhere very old and a bit mysterious. He’s interested in a natural world, in geology and rocks, but he doesn’t like heights. He’d like to go somewhere he can walk around.

He’d like to visit … E. The Lost City of Petra.

2. Bella wants to go somewhere hot with her family. She and her mum like sunbathing and her dad likes water sports.

She’d travel to … D. The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

3. Max wants to visit an exciting city where he can see lots of sights and beautiful old buildings. He doesn’t want to pay for taxis or coach trips.

He’d go to … B. Venice, Italy.

What is your country or hometown famous for?

Use the vocabulary of the lesson and complete the sentences to make them true for your country or hometown.

The most awesome natural wonder is ……….

The most impressive building is ………

The most famous square is ………….

The most popular tourist destination is …………

The most spectacular historic ruins are ………….