[TRAVEL ★★]
CRUISE INTO THE COLD
(P1) Norway’s COASTLINE is long, RUGGED, and packed with natural MARVELS, including the famous FJORDS.
(P2) DEPARTING year-round from the southern city of Bergen, ships of Norway’s Hurtigruten (“express route”) service follow this dramatic coast north to the remote town of Kirkenes, far above the Arctic Circle.
(P3) The 2,500-nautical-mile (4,700 kilometers) journey takes 11 days to complete.
(P4) Norway’s coastal cities, towns and villages are located on MAJESTIC fjords kept ice-free by the warm waters of the GULF STREAM.
(P5) Begun in 1893, the Hurtigruten service has long been a LIFELINE for these otherwise ISOLATED communities.
(P6) “Some of the smaller SETTLEMENTS in particular still rely heavily on our daily service,” says Hurtigruten managing director Gordon Dirker. “We deliver mail and consumer goods, as well as passengers.”
(P7) Today the Hurtigruten fleet consists of 12 ships, each fully EQUIPPED with cabins and modern conveniences such as onboard wi-fi, restaurants, bars, gyms, and laundry rooms.
(P8) Passengers are a mix of Norwegian locals traveling up and down the coast and international tourists on multi-day CRUISES. The latter are offered a range of EXCURSIONS each day, depending on the weather, season, and PORT OF CALL.
WORDS: 190
SOURCE: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/14/travel/norway-hurtigruten-cruise-arctic-circle/index.html
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- Would you be interested in taking a cruise like this, or would it be too cold for you?
- Do you get SEASICK when you are out on the ocean?
- What is the smallest community you have ever lived in?
- The fjords are extremely SCENIC. What are the most impressive natural sights in your country?
EXPRESSIONS TO PRACTICE:
What do the following expressions mean? Practice using each expression in a sentence; extra points if you can use it in conversation.
- Gulf Stream
- Port of call
