EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• attraction: a site that is interesting and brings in tourists
• puzzled: confused, baffled
• abundance: a large amount of something
• bacteria: tiny, single-celled organisms
• effortless: easy, simple
• concentration: the amount of a substance in a solution

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

Lake Hillier, a small lake on one of Australia’s , is a famous tourist attraction known for its unusual pink colour. The lake was first discovered in 1802. For years, even scientists were puzzled by the of a pink lake. However, most scientists now agree that the colour is probably caused by an abundance of bacteria. This bacteria doesn’t make the lake – it’s considered to be safe to swim in. In fact, swimming in Lake Hillier would be very effortless. This is because the high concentration of salt in the water would allow a person to easily on the surface. Not many people have been in the lake, though, because it is a protected area, and it’s difficult for the average tourist to access. Most tourists take a helicopter so that they can view the lake from the air.

Comprehension questions

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Discussion/essay questions

1. A similar lake in Australia, known simply as Pink Lake, was also once a popular tourist attraction. However, it lost its pink colour years ago due to human activities. Do you think this could happen to Lake Hillier? How could this be prevented?

Transcript

Lake Hillier, a small lake on one of Australia’s islands, is a famous tourist attraction known for its unusual pink colour. The lake was first discovered in 1802. For years, even scientists were puzzled by the idea of a pink lake. However, most scientists now agree that the colour is probably caused by an abundance of bacteria. This bacteria doesn’t make the lake unsafe – it’s considered to be safe to swim in. In fact, swimming in Lake Hillier would be very effortless. This is because the high concentration of salt in the water would allow a person to easily float on the surface. Not many people have been in the lake, though, because it is a protected area, and it’s difficult for the average tourist to access. Most tourists take a helicopter tour so that they can view the lake from the air.