[TRAVEL ★]
“FIREFALL” MAKES STUNNING EFFECT IN CALIFORNIA
(P1) No, that is not LAVA flowing over a cliff. The ILLUSION of fire falling over Horsetail Fall in Yosemite NATIONAL PARK is a yearly PHENOMENON.
(P2) People call it the “firefall,” and it is a completely natural effect that occurs when the the sun sets at a particular angle and ILLUMINATES the WATERFALL.
(P3) “It’s the way the sun happens to hit it that causes the waterfall to glow in such a way,” said Yosemite National Park Ranger Ashley Mayer.
(P4) This STUNNING yearly event only happens for a couple of weeks in February.
(P5) “In late February, you’ll often see rows of photographers there catching the last rays of light in the evening,” reads the information on the Yosemite National Park website.
(P6) If you want to photograph the red and orange glow, the website suggests that the best view is at the El Capitan PICNIC area of the park, which is located in central California.
(P7) “When the fall started glowing, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” stated photographer Sangeeta Dey. “For 10 minutes, all of us sat there MESMERIZED by this SPECTACLE.”
(P8) This effect varies from year to year and depends on how much water is flowing in Horsetail Fall.
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SOURCE: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/18/travel/yosemite-firefall-irpt/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.
- What is the most beautiful sight you have ever seen?
- Do you take a lot of photographs when you travel, or not so many?
- Does your country have a national park system?
- Have you ever seen a waterfall in person?
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.
- National park
