The top of the world

What's in the lesson

1. 1Warm-up
2. 2In this lesson
3. 3Guess the words (1)Vocabulary exercise
4. 4Guess the words (2)Vocabulary exercise
5. 5Check the wordsVocabulary
6. 6Reading: the top of the worldReading comprehension
7. 7Listen: Pemba, a mountain guideListening comprehension
8. 8Use the new wordsVocabulary exercise
9. 9What does it mean?Grammar exercise
10. 10a, an, the or no article?Grammar rule
11. 11Everest factsGrammar exercise
12. 12Say it naturallySpeaking practice
13. 13Committee meeting: new rules for EverestSpeaking practice
14. 14Let's discussDiscussion
15. 15Wrap-up

Homework

1. 1Homework: closest meaningVocabulary exercise
2. 2Homework: your sentencesVocabulary exercise
3. 3Homework: a, an, the or no article?Grammar exercise
4. 4Homework: should Everest be limited?Discussion

Words

• summit/ˈsʌmɪt/

  the highest point of a mountain

• mountain range/ˈmaʊntn reɪndʒ/

  a long line of mountains

• border/ˈbɔːrdər/

  the line between two countries

• expedition/ˌekspəˈdɪʃn/

  a long, organized trip to a difficult or faraway place

• guide/ɡaɪd/

  a person who shows other people the way

• supplies/səˈplaɪz/

  the food, equipment and other things that you need for a trip or a job

• oxygen/ˈɑːksɪdʒən/

  a gas in the air that people and animals need to breathe

• altitude/ˈæltɪtuːd/

  how high a place is above the sea

• permit/ˈpɜːrmɪt/

  an official document that allows you to do something

• avalanche/ˈævəlæntʃ/

  a large amount of snow that falls very fast down the side of a mountain

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

Let's talk about mountains.

1. Have you ever climbed a mountain or a high hill? How did you feel at the top?
2. How high do you think Mount Everest is? Where is it?
3. Why do you think people want to climb dangerous mountains?

Grammar rule

a, an, the or no article?

a / an

• one of many, or the first time we mention it: There was a long line of climbers.
• jobs: Hillary was a beekeeper. She is an engineer.
• an before a vowel sound: an avalanche, an hour (h is silent)

the

• we know which one: the summit (of Everest), the line (we mentioned it)
• superlatives and first, last, only: the highest mountain, the first woman
• oceans, rivers, mountain ranges, deserts: the Pacific, the Nile, the Himalayas, the Sahara

no article

• plural and uncountable nouns in general: Climbers need oxygen.
• most countries, cities and single mountains or lakes: Nepal, Kathmandu, Mount Everest, Lake Tahoe

The unit's grammar lesson has more: the United States, go home, $150 a night…