From islands that are a week’s journey from the closest landmass to a small village in Arizona that still uses a mule to deliver the mail, take a page from some of the most isolated places around the world. (Poziom B1)
In big cities like New York or Rome, social distancing changes the very mood and vibe of these metropolises, rendering them almost unrecognizable. And yet, in remote reaches of the globe, this kind of seclusion is simply the norm. From islands that are a week’s journey from the closest landmass to a small village in Arizona that still uses a mule to deliver the mail, take a page from some of the most isolated places around the world.
Kalaupapa, Hawaii
Decades ago, this community—surrounded by sea cliffs towering 3,600 to 3,900-feet—was used as a leper colony. Now a national park whose waters humpback whales, green sea turtles and monk seals call home, the island is still pretty untouched.
Gásadalur, Faroe Islands
This tiny village has a last recorded population of just 18. Prior to 2004, it was an adventure just to try to access this small town on the breathtaking edge of a cliff, with one of the options being to hike over the neighboring 2,000-foot mountain. Now, a road—with a scary one-way tunnel—makes it accessible by car.
Tristan da Cunha, British Overseas Territory
This volcanic island is accessible only by boat and has just a single road that twists and turns throughout its only settlement. Sitting about halfway between Cape Town, South Africa, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, it takes about a week to reach the main island from South Africa.
Motuo, Tibet
Despite its location on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, this region enjoys a subtropical climate which allows for fruits like bananas and pineapples to grow. Until 2013, the only way to visit was by trekking on foot.
McMurdo Station, Antarctica
World’s Most Isolated Places
Foto: Getty Images
This research station was built on volcanic rock that is the solid land considered furthest south and still accessible by ship. For six months in the winter, there is no sunlight at all, while there is nothing but sunlight the rest of the year.
Longyearbyen, Norway
This old coal-mining town in the tough Arctic climate sits amongst a backdrop of snow-covered mountains and fjords and is inhabited by only a handful of people. Because thousands of polar bears live in the area, local laws require residents to carry a rifle for protection when out and about.
Oymyakon, Russia
This town in the Siberian tundra is the coldest inhabited place on Earth. With only 500 residents, Oymyakon’s average winter temperature is -58 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has dropped to -90. The frigid temperatures and few hours of sunlight in winter make it hard for crops to survive, so residents rely on a diet of mostly meat and fish—sometimes even consumed frozen.
Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Home to the Cocos Malaya people and very few outsiders, this island of picturesque beaches and crystal-clear waters sits about 1,700 miles from Perth, with flights between them only twice a week.
Supai, Arizona
World’s Most Isolated Places
Foto: Getty Images
Home to the Havasupai tribe—known as the “People of the Blue-Green Water” for the picturesque waterfalls and pools of turquoise water here—since A.D. 1300, this village in the Grand Canyon is only accessible by foot, helicopter or pack animal, by which the U.S. Postal Service delivers mail.
[SŁOWNICZEK]
vibe – atmosfera
render something unrecognizable – czynić coś nierozpoznawalnym
seclusion – izolacja, odosobnienie
leper colony – kolonia trędowatych
humpback whale – długopłetwiec oceaniczny (humbak)
breathtaking edge of a cliff – zapierająca dech w piersiach krawędź klifu
settlement – osada
trek on foot – wędrować na piechotę
backdrop – tło
frigid temperature – mroźna temperatura
picturesque waterfall – malowniczy wodospad
pack animal – zwierzę juczne
Task 1
Listen to the recording and answer the following questions: In which place …
1. … are you obliged to carry a rifle for self-protection?
2. … do inhabitants have no sunlight for six months?
3. … is the average winter temperature -58°F?
4. … did lepers once live?
5. … can you grow tropical fruit, despite its mountain location? 6. … do only a handful of people live?
Task 2
Watch the video from 00:37 to 03:27 and answer the following questions:
1. What do members of the Havasupai tribe call themselves?
2. What threatens their future?
3. How did a group of activists decide to raise awareness of the threat?
4. What ban is the Trump administration considering lifting?
5. Why are the tribal communities hesitant to trust the authorities?
Task 3
Describe the issue presented in the article. Use the expressions listed below. They will help you give structure to the text analysis.
key words:
isolated places
islands
collocations with positive meaning:
pretty untouched
picturesque waterfalls
breathtaking edge of a cliff
crystal-clear waters
collocations with negative meaning:
remote reaches of the globe
scary one-way tunnel
tough Arctic climate
frigid temperatures
action verb phrases:
deliver the mail
hike over the mountain
carry a rifle
trek on foot
Record your text analysis on a voice recorder or practice delivering your presentation in a group setting.
Examples:
In big cities like New York or Rome, social …
And yet, in remote reaches of the globe, …
Take a page from some of the most …
Task 4
Translate the sentences below using the suggested word or phrase. (See Key)
(surrounded … used) Dziesiątki lat temu tutejsza społeczność – otoczona morskimi klifami o wysokości od 3600 do 3900 stóp – służyła jako kolonia trędowatych.
(accessible) Ta wioska w Wielkim Kanionie, będąca domem plemienia Havasupai, jest dostępna tylko pieszo, helikopterem lub na zwierzęciu jucznym.
(access) Przed rokiem 2004 próba dotarcia do tego małego miasteczka na zapierającym dech w piersiach brzegu klifu była przygodą.
(makes) Obecnie droga – z przerażającym jednokierunkowym tunelem – umożliwia dojazd samochodem.
(twists) Ta wulkaniczna wyspa jest dostępna tylko łodzią i ma tylko jedną krętą drogę.
(takes) Dotarcie z Republiki Południowej Afryki na główną wyspę zajmuje około tygodnia.
You can use your translations in your presentation of the topic (in Task 6).
Task 5
Continue the translation using the suggested word or phrase. Remember: It’s not about translating these sentences perfectly—there are a number of possible ways to translate each sentence. This task aims to teach you TO THINK IN ENGLISH. By working on your translation of a sentence, you can change it to get closer to the sense of the original (see Key).
To stare, górnicze miasto in the tough Arctic climate leży pośród ośnieżonych gór i fiordów.
Ponieważ na tym obszarze żyją tysiące niedźwiedzi polarnych, lokalne przepisy wymagają od mieszkańców to carry a rifle for protection, gdy są poza domem.
Despite its location na południowych stokach Himalajów region ten enjoys subtropikalnym klimatem, który pozwala na uprawę owoców, takich jak banany i ananasy.
Do 2013 roku jedynym sposobem to visit były piesze wędrówki.
To miasto in the Siberian tundra jest najzimniejszym zamieszkanym miejscem na Ziemi.
Niskie temperatury i kilka godzin światła słonecznego w zimie make it hard for przetrwanie roślin.
You can use your translations in your presentation of the topic (in Task 6).
Task 6
Now it’s time to put forward your views on the issues. Record your speech on a voice recorder or practice presenting your opinion in a group setting. Consider the issues raised in the text from these viewpoints:
Geographical: Isolated places
There are remote reaches of …
Some of them you can access …
Tourism: Picturesque places
For those of you who …
For instance, …
Social: Harsh climate
For local people, …
The frigid temperatures and few hours of …
