Episode 294
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Hi! I'm Georgiana, and I'm back with a new episode. I'm here to help you speak English fluently.
Ok, let's start!
Mount Rushmore is a giant and famous place in the United States. It's located in South Dakota, inside the Black Hills. On this big mountain are huge carvings of the faces of four American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These presidents are very important because they did great things for America.
The carvings of Mount Rushmore are huge. Each president's face is as large as a tall building! People made this long ago, starting in 1927 and finishing in 1941. So, it took 14 years to complete. They did not have modern machines, so it was very tough work.
Mount Rushmore is special for a few reasons:
George Washington was the first president to help start the country.
Thomas Jefferson made America bigger by buying a large area of land from France, known as the Louisiana Purchase.
Theodore Roosevelt protected nature and made sure businesses treated people fairly.
Abraham Lincoln kept the country together during the Civil War, which was a very difficult time.
Mount Rushmore is also meaningful because of its location. Before it became a monument, Native American tribes, saw the Black Hills as a sacred place. The story of Mount Rushmore includes these tribes and their connection to the land.
When people visit Mount Rushmore, they can explore the Avenue of Flags. This path has flags from all 50 states in the USA. It makes people feel connected to everyone in the country. It is a reminder that, even though we are different, we are all part of one big nation.
Mount Rushmore is not only beautiful because of the nature around it. It also makes us think about the leaders who shaped America, and reflect on how we can all help make the country better.
Making Mount Rushmore changed the mountain forever. It turned a natural place into a symbol of America's history. This means different things to different people. Some see it as a celebration of freedom and great leaders. Others remember the land and the first people who lived there.
Great! I hope you're enjoying this episode!
Now, let’s practice.
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IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING
Mini-Story: Speaking Practice
Answer the questions aloud with short and quick responses. Repeat the Mini-Story several times to improve your speaking and listening.
Mount Rushmore is in South Dakota and has huge carvings of four presidents.
Is Rushmore a mount or a president?
A mount. It is a mount, not a president.
Is Mount Rushmore located in South Carolina?
No, it is not located in South Carolina. It is located in South Dakota.
What state is Mount Rushmore located in?
In South Dakota. That's its location.
Are there three, four, or one hundred big carvings of presidents?
Four. There are four big carvings of presidents on Mount Rushmore.
So, the Mount Rushmore presidents were craving a cake, right?
No, no. Not craving! Carving. Craving is an intense desire for something. On Mount Rushmore, presidents do not crave cake. Mount Rushmore has huge carvings of four presidents.
How are those carvings? Small?
No, not small. They are huge. They are very big! Definitely a place to take nice pictures!
The carvings on the mountain took 14 years to complete, and they were difficult to do without modern tools.
Did it take 14 days to complete the carvings on the mountain?
No, no. Not 14 days. That would be super fast. Actually, it took 14 years!
How many years did it take to complete the carvings?
It took 14 years. It took that time to complete the carvings on the mountain.
Was it an easy job?
No, no. It wasn't an easy job. It was a hard job.
Was it done with modern tools?
No, no. It wasn't done with modern tools, which is why it was a hard job.
What took 14 years to complete? The Washington Monument?
No, no. The carvings on the mountain took 14 years to complete, and the Washington Monument took about 40 years to build.
Why did it take so long?
Because it was a hard job.
Carvings represent four American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Do the carvings represent four Australian presidents?
No, no. The carvings represent four American presidents.
Do the carvings represent the four residents of the Mount?
No, not residents. Presidents! The carvings represent four American presidents.
Do they represent George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln?
Yes. The carvings represent George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln, but they also represent Theodore Roosevelt.
Does it show four presidents?
Yes, the carvings represent four American presidents.
What are the four presidents carved in the mountain?
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Visitors can see flags from all 50 states, feeling connected to the whole country.
Do visitors see the 50 states from the top of the Mount?
No. They don't see the 50 states. That would be silly. They see flags from all 50 states.
What do they see?
Flags. They see flags. Visitors can see those flags.
Where are those flags from?
From all 50 states. They are from all the states of the country.
Does it feel connected to the whole country or just a part of it?
The whole country. Those flags feel connected to the whole country.
Mount Rushmore symbolizes American history and the stories of its land and people.
Does Mount Rushmore symbolize the history of mounts and mountains of the country?
No, no. Not the mounts and mountains. It symbolizes American history and the stories of its land and people.
What stories does it symbolize?
Land and people. The story of its land and people. Mount Rushmore is an important place in the country, symbolizing American history and the stories of its land and people.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
carving
a shape or image cut into a hard material.
monument
a structure built to honor a person or event.
granite
a very hard type of stone.
sculptor
an artist who creates three-dimensional works.
Black Hills
the mountain region where Mount Rushmore is located.
landmark
a famous or easily recognized place.
president
the elected head of a republic.
enormous
extremely large.
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