Geography, Climate & Astronomy – B2 English Listening Exercise

9 climate system 10 wind speed 11 shadows 12 Milky Way

13 bighorn sheep 14 plant fossils 15 thunderstorm

16 waxy coating 17 irrigation canals 18 photo exhibition

Mark: Hi everyone. My name is Mark, and I’m a wildlife photographer and geographer. I’ve just returned from an incredible expedition. As you may know, the diverse natural environment of Colorado encompasses everything from towering alpine ranges to arid desert regions. When planning the trip, I initially thought about focusing just on the mountains, or perhaps the river valleys. However, I ultimately decided to document the entire climate system because it’s so uniquely varied.

We started our journey high up in the peaks. I was fully prepared for freezing temperatures, and my guide had warned me about the likelihood of heavy snowfall. Yet, surprisingly, it was the wind speed that caused us the most trouble during our first few days, making it incredibly difficult to keep the camera steady.

While navigating the alpine ranges, we stopped at an impressive geological formation. Lots of tourists go there specifically to photograph the steep cliffs, and other visitors are endlessly fascinated by the ancient rocks. I, on the other hand, spent hours capturing the shadows cast across the valley floor, as they shifted beautifully as the sun moved across the sky.

Because the air is so thin and clear up at that altitude, the astronomy opportunities are fantastic. I was originally hoping to spot a famous comet that was due to pass by, or perhaps capture a bright meteor shower. But actually, getting a clear shot of the Milky Way was my proudest achievement that night. It looked absolutely spectacular away from the city lights.

Of course, I was also constantly on the lookout for wildlife. Everyone expects to see bears wandering in the forests, or golden eagles soaring overhead. Instead, it was a herd of bighorn sheep that gave me my best animal encounters, standing fearlessly right on the edge of a steep cliff.

Next, we descended into the arid desert regions. You’d think the landscape would be barren, just sand and dust. But the area is famous for its hidden history. I didn’t find any dinosaur bones, which the region is world-renowned for, but I did stumble upon some fascinating plant fossils embedded in the sandstone, perfectly preserved from millions of years ago.

The desert climate is extreme and unpredictable. You might expect the blistering heat to be the main danger, or perhaps severe dehydration. Surprisingly, my guide was constantly checking the horizon for a thunderstorm, because they can suddenly trigger devastating flash floods in the narrow canyons in a matter of minutes.

I was amazed by how nature adapts to such dry conditions. Some flora store water in thick leaves, while others have incredibly deep roots to reach underground springs. However, I was most impressed by a species of cactus that has developed a waxy coating to prevent moisture loss under the harsh sun.

It’s not just the wildlife that has to adapt; human settlements have had to as well. Many historical towns relied heavily on silver mining, and a few on limited agriculture. But it was the early irrigation canals that truly allowed these desert communities to thrive and sustain themselves in such a harsh environment.

I gathered so much material during the trip. I seriously considered writing a book, and a colleague even suggested creating a documentary film. Ultimately, I’ve decided to put together a photo exhibition to share the incredible geographic diversity of Colorado with the public. It opens next month, and I hope to see you there!

9 telescope 10 rock 11 shield 12 national park

13 blanket 14 August 15 gas

16 meteorite 17 bad luck 18 crater

Sarah: Hi everyone. My name’s Sarah Jenkins, and I’m an astronomer. I’ve come here today to talk to you about something that has fascinated humans for millennia: meteors, or as they are more commonly known, shooting stars.

People often ask me how I got into this field. Well, as a child, I didn’t spend hours reading thick encyclopaedias about space. Instead, my passion really began when my grandfather gave me a telescope for my tenth birthday. That changed everything, and I’ve been looking up at the night sky ever since.

So, what exactly is a meteor? Science fiction movies might make you imagine huge fiery balls hurtling through the solar system, but the reality is quite different. Before they hit our atmosphere, they are just small fragments of iron or rock floating in space. Most of them are actually no bigger than a grain of sand!

When these tiny fragments get pulled in by the Earth’s gravitational pull, they hit our atmosphere at incredible speeds. You might think the atmosphere just provides us with oxygen to breathe, but it actually acts as a shield. The immense friction causes the fragments to heat up and completely burn away before they can do any damage to the surface.

If you want to observe a meteor shower, finding the right location is crucial. You need a truly dark sky. I usually avoid standing on city balconies or even driving to the local beach because there is still too much artificial light. Personally, I prefer driving out to a national park where the light pollution is minimal and the sky is pitch black.

Many beginners ask what equipment they should buy to see the showers. You might be tempted to bring a pair of expensive binoculars, but they actually restrict your field of view, making it harder to spot fast-moving objects. Really, all you need is a comfortable blanket to lie down on so you can relax and look up at the whole sky without hurting your neck.

There are several regular meteor showers throughout the year. The Leonids, for instance, are in November, but the weather is often cloudy then. The most reliable and spectacular one actually occurs in August. It’s called the Perseids shower, and it can produce up to a hundred meteors an hour at its peak.

When you do see that sudden flash of light, it’s interesting to note that you aren’t actually seeing the solid fragment burning. The intense friction makes the air around the meteor super-heated. This heat vaporises the fragment and leaves a trail of glowing gas behind it. That’s the bright streak we identify as a shooting star.

Occasionally, a fragment is large enough to survive this fiery journey. If it doesn’t entirely burn up and actually strikes the earth, its name changes. It becomes known as a meteorite. Finding one of these is incredibly rare and scientifically valuable.

Historically, meteors have always captured our imagination. While today we tend to make a wish when we see a shooting star, in ancient times, they weren’t seen as positive events. Because they were unpredictable, they were often interpreted as a sign of bad luck by many ancient cultures, who feared they meant trouble was coming.

My own research takes me all over the world to study these amazing phenomena. Next month, for example, I won’t be staying in my laboratory. Instead, I’ll be travelling to Australia to examine a massive crater left by a meteor impact thousands of years ago. It’s going to be a fascinating expedition!

Does anyone have any questions?