Top 5 Places to Visit in Australia

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Exercise 1

Vocabulary

iconic

Adjective

aɪˈkɑːnɪk

famous or widely recognized, especially in a way that serves as a symbol

This is the iconic little black dress Audrey Hepburn wore.

The superhero wears his iconic golden mask.

The black dress that the actress was wearing became iconic.

indigenous

Adjective

ɪnˈdɪdʒənəs

coming from or existing naturally in a particular place

Kangaroos are indigenous only to Australia.

American Indians are the indigenous people of the United States.

engraving

Noun

ɪnˈɡreɪvɪŋ

a picture made by cutting into a hard surface

The engravings found in the cave date back to the Stone Age.

reef

Noun

riːf

a line of rock or coral in the sea

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef.

ashore

Adverb

əˈʃɔːr

on the land or towards the land from an area of water

He jumped from the boat and started swimming ashore.

Exercise 2

Article

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Top 5 Places to Visit in Australia

Planning a trip 'Down Under' can seem like a big challenge. Australia's a huge place, but the following highlights are worth considering.

1. Sydney

With its iconic Opera House and Harbor Bridge, Sydney has a large, diverse population. Examples of ancient indigenous rock art and engravings can be seen at nearby Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

2. The Blue Mountains

A beautiful area with a mild climate, the Blue Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Some visitors climb the Giant Stairway to see The Three Sisters, an unusual rock formation, then walk to the nearby Katoomba Falls.

3. The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is made up of over 2900 individual reefs, spread across 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometers. It's the world's largest reef and took over 20,000 years to grow. Unfortunately, climate change is causing large areas of the reef to die.

4. Uluru

Uluru is a large sandstone rock formation which is sacred to the local aboriginal people. The area around Uluru has many springs, caves, and ancient paintings, and can be explored by several walking tracks. Uluru is also famous for its amazing sunrises and sunsets, which cause the rock formations to change color as the sun moves.

5. Melbourne

Melbourne boasts a rich nightlife and local arts and culture scene. Visit the Queen Victoria Markets, the largest open air market in the Southern Hemisphere. Nearby Phillip Island features regular 'penguin parades', where large numbers of Little Penguins come ashore to nest.

Exercise 3

Questions

What can be seen in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park?

How many reefs is the Great Barrier Reef made up of?

What can you see on Phillip Island?

Exercise 4

Discussion

Have you ever been to Australia? If so, how did you find it? If not, would you like to? Why? Why not?

Which of the places featured in the article would you most like to visit? Why?

Which city sounds more appealing to you, Sydney or Melbourne? Why?

Do you prefer visiting natural areas or towns and cities when traveling? Please explain your answer.

Do you find it concerning that "climate change is causing large areas of the [Great Barrier Reef] to die"? Why? Why not?

Exercise 5

Further Discussion

Is Australia a popular tourist destination for people from your country? Why do you think this is the case?

Does planning a trip usually represent "a big challenge" for you? Please explain your answer.

Are you interested in exploring a city's nightlife when traveling? If so, which of the places you've visited has the best nightlife? If not, why not?

Are there any natural areas in your country that are considered sacred by the local people? If so, please share what you know about these places.

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. - Hilaire Belloc. Do you agree with Belloc? Why? Why not?

Source

This lesson is based on an article by H.J. Meech.