Explore the Rivers of Chesapeake

Bay Without Getting Wet

August 19, 2018
6 Intermediate Science & Technology USA & Americas

Exercise 1

Vocabulary
down-to-earth /ˌdaʊn tu ˈɜːrθ/ practical and simple
Adjective
He shared some down-to-earth tips for traveling
on a budget.

virtual /ˈvərtʃuːəl/
Adjective not physical; created by or existing on a computer

This software allows users to experience a virtual

city.
The ancient castle stood in virtual ruins on the top
of the hill.
The company created a virtual tour so that we
could fully see their design for the new building.
People at our company are used to having virtual
meetings with overseas clients.

tour /tʊr/ an organized visit to or around a place

Noun
I went on a tour of Europe after graduation.
We took a short tour through the university
campus.
We took a tour bus to the park.
I went on a tour of Italy during my summer
vacation.

perspective /pərˈspɛktɪv/ a point of view

Noun
That was the first time I saw the city from the
 perspective of the sky.
Going camping always gives me a fresh
perspective on life.
Let's try to look at your problem from a different
perspective.
I always try to understand the other person's
perspective when I'm preparing a case.
She is a career politician and thus has an insider's
perspective on the political process.

barrier /ˈbæriːər/
Noun something that prevents movement, access, etc.

In business, overcoming difficult barriers is

necessary for success.
The wall acts as a barrier to entry.

inspiration /ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃən/
Noun the process of being encouraged to do or achieve
something

Music is a source of great inspiration in many

people's lives.
As a writer, I get a lot of inspiration from nature.

Exercise 2

Article
Explore the Rivers of Chesapeake Bay Without Getting
Wet

Ryan Abrahamsen's very strange looking boat, covered with many

types of cameras and other high-tech equipment, looks like
something from outer space. But it has a very down-to-earth purpose.
It makes special maps of the rivers of Chesapeake Bay in the Eastern
United States.
Abrahamsen, who designed and built the boat, started Terrain 360, a
company that creates virtual tours of hiking trails, national parks, and
rivers throughout the United States. The cameras on the boat take
hundreds of thousands of images to 360-degree virtual tours of some
rivers from the perspective of sitting in a canoe. Abrahamsen said he
got the idea from Google Street View.

All kinds of things are photographed along the way, including trees,
birds, homes and people fishing. Abrahamsen believes that
technology doesn’t have to be a barrier to the outdoors. Instead, it
can inspire people to get outside and explore the nature around
them.

The money for the Chesapeake Bay project comes from an

environmental group, the Chesapeake Conservancy.

“We wanted to give people the information and inspiration to get on

our rivers, and explore the Chesapeake Bay area, so that they can
enjoy the beauty and think about protecting it,” said Joel Dunn,
Chesapeake Conservancy president.

Abrahamsen says that while virtual tours show the beauty of the
rivers, they also show environmental problems, such as river
pollution. He hopes that the virtual tours will make people do more to
protect the environment.
Exercise 3

Questions
1. Who started Terrain 360?

2. What kind of tours does Terrain 360 create?

3. What does Abrahamsen hope the virtual tours will encourage people
to do?

Exercise 4

Discussion
1. What are your thoughts on the Chesapeake Bay project?

2. If you could take a virtual tour of any place on earth, where would you
choose? Why?

3. Have you ever taken a boat trip on a river? If so, did you enjoy it? If
not, would you like to?

4. Do you take a lot of photos? If so, what do you like taking photos of? If
not, why not?

5. In your opinion, is technology a "barrier to the outdoors"? Why do you

think so?

Exercise 5
 Further Discussion
1. Do you enjoy spending time in nature? If so, how often do you get a
chance to do so? If not, why not?

2. Are there any natural areas worth exploring near where you live? If so,
please describe them.

3. What areas of your country would you recommend to tourists who

love the outdoors? Please explain your answer.

4. Do you believe that everyone has a responsibility to help protect the

environment? Why? Why not?

5. If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere. - Vincent van
Gogh. Do you agree? Why? Why not?

Source
This lesson is based on a news article originally published by VOA
news.

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