Natural World Extremes
What is the largest mammal on Earth?
The (Antarctic) blue whale
The Statue of Liberty is an iconic monument that celebrates the emancipation of the United States from British dominion. It was a gift from the French government and it depicts a female figure holding a lamp and a map, to symbolize freedom and wisdom.
The Lie: The figure holds a burning torch and a slate that marks the exact date of the Declaration of Independence.
It was built by the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel.
The new PE teacher is ......... tall. He towers over all of us!
A. absolutely
B. extremely
C. totally
B. extremely
'Tall' is a basic, therefore gradable adjective.
''I hate it when the city gets c________ in the summer. I feel like I can't enjoy my vacation because of all those people everywhere!''
What has many keys but can’t open a single lock?
The Piano.
The deepest lake in the world is located in the middle of a picturesque mountain view in Siberia. It is called...
Lake Baikal
The ''Camp Nou Stadium'' is the largest in Europe. It is located in Portugal and can host over 99,000 people.
It was built back in the fifties and it is also a popular tourist destination for people who travel to Catalonia.
The lie: the stadium is located in Spain, Barcelona.
A room in the Grand Hotel costs $70 per night, but a room in Tip Top Hotel is only $35 per night.
A room in Tip Top is _______ (cheap) than a room in the Grand Hotel.
A. much more cheaper
B. a lot cheaper
C. slightly more cheap
B. a lot cheaper
''Don't worry, you can find a new bag at the d_________ s______ in the neighboring city. The prices are decent, too!''
department store
What has 13 hearts, but no other organs?
A deck of cards
True or False?
The Peregrine Falcon is a lot slower than the grey-headed albatross.
False
The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world.
Its speed can reach a dizzying 110 km/h in a horizontal chase and a staggering 389 km/h in a dive for prey.
In Marrakesh, people can go sightseeing and shop for cheap clothing and antiques. This city is located in South Africa and offers a range of historical places to visit: palaces, mosques, and museums.
The lie: Marrakesh is located in North Africa.
Identify the mistakes and correct them!
''Our holiday started well: we landed in the best weather conditions and we found the most low price possible for the accommodation. Then, suddenly, the sirens on the island started wailing. We turned the TV on in the hotel room and saw a very terrifying piece of news: an extremely dangerous hurricane was about to hit the island. We were completely scared, so we hid in the closet. When we came out, nothing had happened. It turned out the siren was only being tested on that day, and the announcement for the hurricane was for another island, 4,000 miles away!''
Mistakes:
- most low; correction: the lowest
- very terrifying; correction: absolutely/completely/totally terrifying
- completely scared; correction: very/extremely/quite/really scared
''We found the entire trip to the mountains completely e __________. We were not well equipped and the b________ we had to go on to cross the river was the last drop! It was extremely d__________ !
exhausting
bridge
dangerous
Mary has four daughters, and each of her daughters has a brother. How many children does Mary have?
Five—each daughter has the same brother.
Which tree is known to be the 'loneliest' in the world?
A. A cycad (a palm tree)
B. A coniferous tree (fir or pine)
C. A fruit tree (an extremely old apple tree)
A. A cycad
Its name is Encephalartos Wodii and it is the last of its kind. The tree is now 110 years old and it is located in Kew Gardens, the UK.
''Bushcraft skills'' refer to the ability to survive in extreme temperatures, such as camping in the mountains in winter or finding drinkable water in boiling temperatures. If you want to take up this hobby, you will also learn how to build a fire, a hut to spend the night in, to hunt for rabbits and cook them.
The lie: bushcraft skills are meant to teach you basic survival skills under normal temperatures.
Make the comparative or superlative of the words in brackets:
''Sloths are known as the 1.________(lazy) animals in the world, but I think this label is unfair. In fact, these animals have 2.______ (proper) adaptation skills than most of the creatures that share their habitat. If you see an adult sloth taking 3. _______ (long) nap you could imagine, keep this in mind: you might be looking at one of the 4. _________(caring) mothers in the animal kingdom, in the full process of grooming or nursing her baby!''
1. the laziest
2. more proper/properer
3. the longest
4. most caring
''You must write a letter of complaint to the mayor at the t_______ h_______ so that you raise awareness about the fact that people throw r_________ in public places. You can also mention the fact that the y______ c_________ is not well organised, which leads to children and teens feeling bored or frustrated with the lack of activity.
Lastly, you should let the mayor know about the state of the f__________ behind the art gallery: the water is dirty and smelly!''
town hall
rubbish
youth centre
fountain
What begins with an "e" and only contains one letter?
An envelope
The smallest reptile in the world is ...
A. a type of turtle
B. a species of gecko
C. a species of chameleon
C. a species of chameleon
This tiny creature, also known as the 'nano-chameleon', is around 13 mm long and weighs a little more than the seed of a plant.
Death Valley (USA) and Arica (Chile) are widely known to be some of the driest places on earth. But what people fail to consider is that some places - like the North Pole for instance - are also deserts, even if they are made of ice. There is almost no rain or snowfall there!
The lie: The North Pole is not an ice desert - Antarctica, at the South Pole is.
There is little to no rain/snowfall there and it is considered the driest place on earth.
Give the non-gradable (extreme) equivalents for the following words:
1. surprised
2. cold
3. pleased
4. big
5. beautiful
1. amazed, stunned
2. freezing
3. delighted
4. huge, enormous, massive
5. gorgeous, splendid, sublime
''Oh, you can't buy books from here - this is a ________, not a ___________. Please go to Cărturești if you're looking for a present for your friend. But if you'd like to _________ a book from us, you can fill in the form and I'll bring it to you right away. Don't forget that you can also check out the new section for black-and-white encyclopedias. Although, to be honest, it might be a bit _________.
library
bookstore/bookshop
borrow
dull/boring
I have many keys, but no locks and space, and no rooms. What am I?
A piano.