Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. dormant
    • ex. Many seeds stay dormant during the cold winter.
  2. bloom
    • ex. The roses in our garden are blooming beautifully.
  3. flowering
    • ex. The flowering trees make the neighborhood look beautiful in the spring.
  4. vibrant
    • ex. The artist used vibrant colors to paint the sunset.
  5. an attraction
    • ex. The new amusement park is a major attraction for families.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Spring has arrived in Chile, and heavy rains have turned large parts of the Atacama Desert into a colorful field of flowers. Atacama Desert is known as the driest desert on Earth, but an El Niño weather pattern brought unusually heavy rain earlier this year. The water helped millions of seeds and bulbs grow after staying dormant for many years. More than 200 plant species are now blooming across the desert.

The unusual phenomenon, called “Desierto Florido,” has changed the normally dry and brown landscape. The Atacama stretches about 1,600 kilometers along northern Chile, between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. The head of Chile’s National Forest Corporation said the flowering event is extraordinary and different from other desert flowers.

The flowers have also brought many tourists to the remote desert. About 300,000 overnight trips are expected in the region before the natural event ends in November. Visitors are traveling from Chile and other countries to see the flowers covering large areas. Some tourists have traveled long distances to enjoy the vibrant landscape and celebrate special occasions. The event is also becoming an important attraction for the region.

 This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Photo Credits: The Associated Press

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

The Desierto Florido

  • Would you like to visit the Atacama Desert to see the blooming flowers? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • About 300,000 overnight trips are expected in the region. How does a sudden increase in tourists affect remote natural areas? Discuss.
  • The head of Chile’s National Forest Corporation said the flowering event is extraordinary. Why is it important to protect extraordinary natural events? Discuss.

Natural Events

  • Heavy rain turned the driest desert into a colorful field. Have you ever seen an unusual natural event or sudden change in scenery? Discuss.
  • An El Niño weather pattern brought unusually heavy rain to the area. Have you experienced any unusual weather changes in your country recently? Discuss.
  • Some tourists travel long distances just to enjoy the vibrant landscape and celebrate special occasions. Why do you think people are so willing to travel far for natural events? Discuss.