128 o n e h u n d re d a n d t we nt y - e i g ht

US National ParksThe United States is bigger than a lot of other countries, so it has a more varied landscape. There are beautiful tropical beaches in Florida on the east coast (Atlantic Ocean) and California on the west coast (Pacific Ocean). There are also high peaks in America. The Rocky Mountains, which stretch north-south almost 5,000 km from Canada to the USA, have snow-capped mountains,green valleys and pine forests.

In the Midwest, the Mississippi River irrigates the land before flowing south to the sea, making the soil one of the most fertile in the world. This is also the region of the Great Lakes and their connecting channels, which together form a very large fresh water system. The Niagara River connects two of the lakes,

Erie and Ontario, and sends up to 3000 m3 of water per second over the spectacular Niagara Falls!

The US also has arid deserts, where little vegetation grows. The Great Basin Desert in the north-west has colder temperatures and higher altitudes, while further south Death Valley in the Mojave Desert is much hotter and drier than any other desert in America.

There is a great choice of National Parks across the USA. One of the most spectacular national parks is the Everglades in Florida.

The Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the USA and the only ecosystem in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist. It is also unique because the fresh water in Florida Bay meets the salt water of the

Gulf of Mexico. You can take a ranger-led tour of the park by tram, take a boat trip along the mangrove coast, or rent a bicycle, canoe or kayak and explore the park yourself. If you’re looking for a cheap place to stay, there is also an official campsite in the park and plenty of places to eat and drink. You have probably already heard of Yellowstone Park in Wyoming. It is the oldest national park in the world and one of the most famous for its mountain views, hot springs and an amazing diversity of wildlife. There’s plenty to do, too. In summer, you can go camping, hiking or picnicking, fishing or wildlife viewing, boating or cycling, or go horse riding, llama packing or even take a wild-west wagon ride! In winter, you can go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, take a snowmobile or a snowcoach tour, and there are several lodges and campsites in the park to accommodate you.

Exam Maximiser - Reading comprehension F

CLIL: Geography

129o n e h u n d re d a n d t we nt y - n i n e

But nothing is more enjoyable than the spectacular views of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River with its 17 million years of history. You can visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona all year round, but spring and summer are better for the North Rim. To avoid the traffic altogether, you can arrive by train on the Grand Canyon Railway.Once there, you can hike or ride a mule down the canyon, rent bicycles or take a coach trip along the scenic desert view drive. Other excursions include a whitewater raft trip along the Colorado River. There are also junior ranger courses or backpacking adventure trips and plenty of lodges to stay in, to give families the best holiday ever.

wilderness _______________

ranger-led guidato da rangers

springs sorgenti

cross-country skiing sci di fondo

whitewater _______________

New Words

Questionnaire1 Read the text and answer the questions.

1 On which coast can you find tropical beaches?

2 What is name of the mountain range that connects the United States with Canada?

3 Which land is irrigated by the Mississippi River?

4 Which river connects two lakes?

5 What is the Everglades?

6 How can you travel in the Everglades?

7 What can you do in Yellowstone Park?

8 When can you visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon?

9 Do you know any national parks? Which ones have you visited?

10 Do you think it is important for a country to save its wilderness? Why?

Summary Writing2 Prepare a brief summary of the text.

Remember to include the following information.

• the names of the most important mountains, rivers, etc.

• where you can find them

• where the national parks are

• what you can do there

Oral presentation

3 Research Do some research on the Internet or your geography book on a national park of your country. Prepare a list of topics you want to cover and take notes. Use the text about the US National Parks to help you.

4 Use your notes to prepare your oral presentation about a national park. Prepare to speak for about 1 minute. Give your presentation to your classmate, take notes of his feedback and try to find a way to improve your presentations together.

Migliorare l’esposizionePrepara un elenco di frasi ed espressioni inglesi che ti possono servire per rendere naturale e personale la tua esposizione. Ripassa frasi ed espressioni dei box Useful language sempre presenti nei box Focus on functions del tuo libro di testo.

Exam Competences

CLIL: Geography