Lesson 25: Unit 49 THE NATURAL WORLD

Lesson 25: Unit 49 THE NATURAL WORLD

David: Today we look at the world around us.

Kevin: Especially places which are very hot or very cold.

Natalie: And we talked to this man. Matt Dickinson, an explorer who has experienced extreme temperatures in different parts of the world.

Kevin: Have you ever been anywhere that was very hot or very cold?

THE HOTTEST PLACE I’VE EVER BEEN TO

1.    The coldest place is Helsinki in mid-winter and I think it was minus 20.

2.    Oh! I lived in Madras, India, for almost three years and It’s was extremely hot there.

3.    The coldest would probably be parts of Northern Russia, when it was minus 26, 27. It may not be cold for the locals, but it felt very cold indeed to me.

4.    The hottest place I’ve ever been to is the deserts of New Mexico and the United States where it can get up to 40 degrees centigrade quite often but it’s a dry heat and you don’t feel it quite so much.

Natalie: The hottest place I’ve ever been to is India. When I was there, the temperature was over 40 degrees Celsius. However, I did spend most of my time in air-conditioned hotels.

David: The coldest place I’ve ever been to his Sweden. When I was there, it was 25 degrees  below zero. Although it didn’t feel cold because it was sunny and it wasn’t windy and, of course, there was central heating everywhere.

Kevin: That’s the difference between travellers and explorers. Travellers don’t want to be too hot or too cold, whereas explorers visit the hottest and coldest and most dangerous places on earth, because they want to experience the heat, the cold and the danger.

Natalie: That’s right. Being very hot or very cold can be exciting, however not everyone would agree.

TWO BEARS

Bear 1: Oh, it’s freezing!

Bear 2: What?

Bear 1: It’s freezing! I can’t put up with this at all!

Bear 2: Oh, it’s not as cold as last year.

Bear 1: What? I think it’s much colder than last year.

Bear 2: No, it isn’t, although I admit the wind is a bit stronger. Come on! Let’s go for a swim!

Bear 1: A swim? Here?! You must be joking! The water’s like ice!

Bear 2: It’s not! It’s a lot warmer than last year. Come on.

Bear 1: I’m not a very good swimmer.

Bear 2: Of course, you are! You swim much better than I do.

Bear 1: No, I don’t.

Bear 2: You’re not enjoying this holidays, are you?

Bear 1: No, not much.

Bear 2: Hmm. And I was looking forward to coming here so much.

… not as cold as…

…much colder than…

…a lot warmer than…

All that was left were the skeletons of the trees….

…extremes of heat that I’ve never encountered before…

The river was extremely cold… and extremely turbulent.

The expedition was almost completely  out of control.

Each place has its own dangers.

…not as terrifying…

…just as dangerous…

Natalie: Well, I suppose India isn’t the hottest place in the world after all.

David: and Sweden isn’t as cold as I thought it was.

Kevin: And travelling on the London Underground isn’t really that uncomfortable. Goodbye.