500 places to see before they die Level 2 Intermediate 1 Warmer Where in the world can you find ... a) ... Battersea power station? b) ... the Nazca lines? c) ... the Everglades? d) ... Little Italy? Skim-read the article to check your answers. 2 Key words Match these key words with the definitions. interference devastation deforestation squeezed Regency derelict landmark threatened degenerating gloom folly vulnerable 1. When something is __________________ it is in a weak position and in danger. (para 1) 2. Damage and destruction affecting a large area or a lot of people: __________________. (para 2) 3. Becoming involved in a situation although you have no right to do so: __________________. (para 2) 4. Something that is __________________ is in danger of being harmed or destroyed. (para 3) 5. Something that is becoming worse is __________________. (para 4) 6. The process of removing trees from a piece of land: __________________. (para 5) 7. Something that is being __________________ is being pressed or pushed from all sides. (para 5) 8. When applied to a building this means old, run-down, not looked after, empty, and in a bad condition: __________________. (para 6) 9. A __________________ is a building that has no practical use and is built as decoration. (para 6) 10. A famous building or object that you recognize easily: __________________. (para 6) 11. A period in history – the time from 1811 to 1820 before George IV became King of England: __________________. (para 7) 12. Bad depressing news, the feeling of having no hope: __________________. (para 8) E• L ©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ h5e0r0s Lpltadc 2es0 0to8 see before they die / Intermediate •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED 500 places to see before they die Level 1 Intermediate 500 places to see before they die dumping by sanitation companies and ships. The Nazca lines in Peru, one of the world’s most A new guidebook for travellers shows the sites interesting and mysterious ancient sites, face most at risk destruction as roads are built and global warming Amelia Hill, social affairs correspondent and deforestation cause floods and mudslides. October 26, 2008 Also under threat is New York’s Little Italy. Though a small part of the area, made famous 1 The The first guidebook of ‘last chance’ holidays by films such as The Godfather and Mean will be published tomorrow for travellers who Streets, has been preserved, it is being gradually want to visit the most endangered tourist squeezed by the rapidly growing Chinatown and destinations across the world. Frommer’s 500 SoHo districts.’ Places To See Before They Disappear provides 6 Tourists should also visit some of Britain’s a list of sites where it is still possible to see rare ancient architectural treasures which, she says, and vulnerable animals, special landscapes and risk becoming derelict because of a lack of unique cultural sights. money. Strawberry Hill, Sir Horace Walpole’s folly 2 Holly Hughes, one of the authors and a former in west London is trying to raise £8m. One of the executive editor of Fodor’s Travel Publications, oldest churches in England, St Mary’s, in Stow in said: ‘The devastation brought on by climate Lindsey, Lincolnshire, needs £3m for renovations. change and direct man-made interference is Another London landmark, Battersea power familiar to all of us. But this book is a carefully station, becomes more run-down every day chosen list of last-chance destinations that as government, property developers and local travellers can enjoy – if they go soon – for community boards argue over its future. possibly the last time.’ 7 Hughes also suggests a trip to Kentish Town, 3 According to Hughes and co-author Larry West, north London, to visit Little Green Street, one of an award-winning investigative journalist, more the last complete Georgian streets in London. than 20 of Britain’s best-loved landmarks deserve This perfect piece of Regency London was used a place in their book. The Tower of London and as the setting for numerous music and photo Greenwich Maritime Museum, for example, are shoots. Further north, the Holderness coast, in at risk from rising sea levels which will cause the East Yorkshire, loses nearly 6ft (1.8 metres) a River Thames to flood. year due to rising sea levels caused by climate change and man-made interference, she said. 4 With 500 threatened destinations to choose from, she suggests that tourists go to the Everglades 8 West points out that the guidebook’s message in southern Florida. Filled with rare species, is not all gloom. ‘Some of the destinations are this ecosystem is degenerating with alarming already on the road to being saved’, he said. rapidity. Already half has been lost to agricultural ‘And even in the cases where a site has been and urban development. Low water levels and lost, or irreversibly damaged, it often has become pollution have put what remains at risk. ‘The a place where activists meet and plan to fight number of birds has fallen by 93 per cent and on so that the same mistakes aren’t made many of the fish and even the alligators who again. The planet is poorer every time we allow remain have high mercury levels,’ said Hughes. something beautiful to die.’ 5 The Dead Sea may only be a tourist destination © Guardian News & Media 2008 for three more decades. By then, says Hughes, ‘it First published in The Observer, 26/10/08 could be completely dry, because the rivers that run into it are being diverted’. Marine life around the Falkland Islands is in great danger from E• L ©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ h5e0r0s Lpltadc 2es0 0to8 see before they die / Intermediate •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED 500 places to see before they die Level 1 Intermediate 3 Comprehension check Are these statements true (T) of false (F) according to the article? 1. The co-authors of the book are a journalist and an editor. 2. The book lists the 500 most endangered birds and animals. 3. Part of the film The Godfather was filmed in New York. 4. 93% of alligators in the Everglades have high mercury levels in their blood. 5. Little Green Street is a district of New York. 6. The Nazca lines are on the Falkland Islands. 7. The Greenwich Maritime Museum is near the River Thames in London. 8. There is no hope for any of the places mentioned in the book. 9. The Dead Sea could be dry within 20 years. 10. If you are quick you will still be able to visit the places mentioned in the book. 4 Pronunciation oooOo renovations vulnerable destruction interference architectural sanitation a) devastation has this pronunciation pattern ooOo - which other 3 words above have the same pattern? _______ _____________ ____________________ ____________________ b) Which word has the same pronunciation pattern as irreversibly ooOoo ____________________ c) Which word has the stress on the first syllable Oooo ? ____________________ d) Which 3-syllable word has the stress on the middle syllable oOo ? ____________________ e) These two nouns from paragraph 1 are pronounced in exactly the same way but their meanings are different. Write (or look up) a definition for each. a site ____________________ a sight ____________________ 5 Discussion a) How many tourist destinations can you find in the article? Underline them. Have you been to any of the places that are mentioned? If not, would you like to go to any of the places? b) Explain the last sentence of the article in your own words: ‘The planet is poorer every time we allow something beautiful to die.’ Do you agree with this statement? 6 Webquest a) Choose one of the destinations in the article and find it on Google Earth (weblink: http://earth.google.com/). b) Does the destination have an official website? c) What can you see or do there? d) How could you travel there? e) Where can you stay while you’re there? f) How much would a trip to visit this destination cost? g) What is the weather like there at the moment? E• L ©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ h5e0r0s Lpltadc 2es0 0to8 see before they die / Intermediate •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED 500 places to see before they die Level 1 Intermediate KEY 1 Warmer 5 Discussion a) London, UK a) Tourist destinations: b) Peru • The Tower of London c) Florida, USA • The Greenwich Maritime Museum d) New York, USA • The Everglades in Florida • The Dead Sea 2 Key words • The Falkland Isalnds • The Nazca Lines in Peru 1. vulnerable • Little Italy in New York 2. devastation • Strawberry Hill in London 3. interference • St Mary’s Church in Stow in Lindsey 4. threatened • Battersea power station, London 5. degenerating • Little Green Street, London 6. deforestation • The Holderness coast, East Yorkshire 7. squeezed 8. derelict 9. folly Teachers’ notes 10. landmark 11. Regency Here you can see photos of some of the places and 12. gloom wildlife (in Britain) mentioned in the book: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2008/oct/26/en- dangered-britain-ireland?picture=338973178 3 Comprehension check You could show the pictures as a warmer or anytime during the lesson. 1. T 2. F This links directly to the book: 3. T http://www.frommers.com/bookstore/047018986X.html 4. F 5. F The new book title is an homage to / is inspired by the 6. F bestseller 1000 Places To See Before You Die: 7. T http://www.1000beforeyoudie.com/ 8. F 9. F The webquest can be done during class time if you 10. T have the technology available. If not, it can be set as homework and the students can present their findings in 4 Pronunciation oooOo the next lesson. a) sanitation renovations interference b) architectural c) vulnerable d) destruction E• L ©N EMWacSm LiEllSanS OPuNbSli s/ h5e0r0s Lpltadc 2es0 0to8 see before they die / Intermediate •PHCOATN OBFE CRDOOOMP WINWALEOBBSAIDTEED