Geography, Climate & Astronomy – B2 English Listening Exercise

9 rotten eggs 10 grey mud 11 30 metres / thirty metres 12 cooking

13 insects 14 fog 15 helicopter

16 shooting stars 17 path 18 winter

David: Hi everyone. My name’s David, and I’m a geography student. I’m here today to talk about a recent field trip I took to New Zealand’s North Island. The area is famous worldwide for its intense geothermal activity, and I was incredibly excited to see it up close.

When you first arrive near the town of Rotorua, the very first thing you notice is the overwhelming smell. Friends who had visited before told me it smelled exactly like burning plastic. However, as soon as I stepped off the bus, I realised it was definitely more like rotten eggs. It’s caused by the sulfur dioxide gas escaping from the earth, and you do eventually get used to it!

Our first proper stop was the geothermal park to see the boiling mud pools. Because of the various minerals present in the earth, I had fully expected them to be filled with brightly coloured liquids. So, it was quite a shock to find that they are actually full of bubbling grey mud. It was mesmerizing to watch it spitting and popping as the heat pushed its way to the surface.

Next up were the geysers. These are natural springs that occasionally shoot hot water into the air. We stood waiting for the most famous one to erupt. The guidebook stated that it usually reaches 20 metres, which is impressive enough, but the day we were there, the pressure was particularly high and the water shot up to 30 metres in the air. The power of it was absolutely incredible.

Of course, this geothermal activity isn’t just a tourist attraction. The local Maori people have lived in this area for centuries. I had assumed that they mostly used the hot water for bathing during the colder months. However, the guide explained that historically, its main purpose was for cooking. They would lower woven baskets of food into the boiling springs, which is a tradition some still practice today.

The geothermal heat also has a fascinating impact on the local wildlife. I was keenly looking out for native frogs, which I thought might like the damp conditions. Our guide pointed out, though, that the warm ground is actually the perfect habitat for various insects. Because they are so abundant there, it brings in huge flocks of birds to feed on them, creating a unique ecosystem.

The weather can also interact with the geothermal landscape in interesting ways. On our second morning, I was worried that heavy rain would ruin my chances of getting some good photographs. But actually, it was the thick fog rolling in from the nearby mountains that obscured the view. When it mixed with the steam rising from the ground, you could barely see anything.

To really get a sense of scale, we wanted to see the enormous dormant volcano crater that shapes the region. We considered embarking on a long hike to a nearby peak, but we didn’t have enough daylight left. Instead, we decided to take a trip in a helicopter. Seeing the crater from above gave me a true appreciation of the massive geological forces at work.

Because the region is relatively remote, it’s also a fantastic spot for astronomy. One clear evening, we went out to look at the night sky. I’d set up my camera hoping to photograph planets, but I was lucky enough to witness a shower of shooting stars. With no city lights around, it was spectacular.

Naturally, preserving this unique environment is a top priority. The mineral crust on the ground is incredibly fragile. They recently removed some of the older wooden bridges, and now, to prevent any irreversible damage to the crust, visitors are strictly told they must stick to the marked path at all times.

People often ask me when is the best time to visit the North Island. Most tourists flock there in the summer months when the weather is warm. But if you want my advice, the dramatic steam effects from the hot springs are much more visible in the cold air of winter, so that’s my recommendation.

9 canyon 10 ocean currents 11 squid 12 helicopter

13 fur seals 14 wingspan 15 mountains

16 plastic bags 17 weather forecast 18 climate change

Tom: Hi everyone, my name is Tom, and I’m going to tell you about a marine biology fieldwork placement I recently completed. I was lucky enough to spend my time in Kaikoura, a beautiful coastal town on the South Island of New Zealand.

What makes this place so unique isn’t just the towering peaks that meet the sea. The real secret lies offshore. I originally thought the incredible variety of sea life was due to the warm climate of the region, but actually, it’s a deep canyon just off the coast that creates the perfect environment.

This steep underwater valley causes deep, cold water rich in nutrients to be pushed directly to the surface. I’d read in textbooks that strong winds sometimes cause this phenomenon, but here, it’s the specific ocean currents hitting the steep underwater walls that drive the process, which is known as upwelling.

This nutrient-rich water creates a massive, vibrant food chain. At the very top of this chain are the famous resident sperm whales. Because there is so much marine life, many people assume these giants are there to feed on the abundant schools of fish. However, researchers have found that it’s predominantly squid that makes up the largest part of the local whales’ diet.

Observing these enormous mammals was a daily privilege. We usually tracked them using hydrophones on our research boat to listen to their clicks beneath the waves. One day, though, the sea was far too rough for the boat, so instead we went up in a helicopter to monitor their surfacing patterns from the air, which was a thrilling alternative!

It wasn’t just whales we observed, though. The peninsula is also home to huge pods of dusky dolphins, which are incredibly acrobatic and fun to watch. I spent hours photographing them, though my main task that week was actually surveying the local fur seals, which rest on the rocky shores to recover after hunting at night.

Kaikoura is also world-renowned for its seabirds, particularly the great albatross. These birds are simply mesmerising to watch. You might think their body weight is what makes them so impressive, but when you see them gliding gracefully over the waves, it’s their enormous wingspan that truly takes your breath away. Some of them measure over three metres across!

We also studied a much smaller seabird called the Hutton’s shearwater. What’s bizarre about them is their breeding habitat. You’d normally expect seabirds to nest on coastal cliffs or maybe sandy beaches. Uniquely, though, this species flies far inland and builds its nests high up in the mountains, braving the freezing, snowy conditions to raise their chicks.

Of course, our fieldwork wasn’t only about wildlife observation; we also looked at human impacts on the environment. There was a local beach clean-up initiative I joined one weekend. We found some discarded fishing nets and plenty of glass bottles, but the most common items we had to remove were plastic bags, which pose a severe threat to marine creatures if they are swallowed.

If you ever plan to visit Kaikoura and go out on the water, my advice is to come prepared. I saw many tourists bringing expensive cameras or wearing heavy winter coats. While those can certainly be useful, checking the weather forecast before you book a trip is absolutely essential, as sea conditions out in the Pacific can change very rapidly.

My time in Kaikoura was an unforgettable learning experience. In the future, I hope to return there for my master’s degree. Some of my classmates want to focus on tourism management, but I’ve decided to research how climate change is affecting the migration patterns of marine life in the region. It’s a critical issue, and I can’t wait to get back out there.