Famous Places

Mount Kilimanjaro

Pre-Reading Warm Up Questions ☀

Mount Kilimanjaro
1. Do you know where Mount Kilimanjaro is located?

Mount Kilimanjaro lies on the border of Tanzania and Kenya, three 2. What is a volcano? What is a glacier?
degrees south of the equator. On a clear day, snow-capped Mount 3. What do you think is the height of Mount Kilimanjaro?
Kilimanjaro can be seen from more than 100 miles away.
4. Why do you think Mount Kilimanjaro is losing its
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, the highest free- glaciers?
standing mountain in the world, and one of the largest volcanoes 5. When do you think Mount Kilimanjaro first started to
ever to burst through the earth’s surface. attract the attention of foreigners?

The three summits of Mount Kilimanjaro are Shira, Kibo and

Mawenzi. Shira and Mawenzi both have eroded, and only jagged
peaks remain. Kibo, the central and highest peak, has survived as an
almost perfect cone. Since reaching a height thought to be 5900
meters during its last major eruption 360,000 years ago, glaciers,
rivers and landslides have eroded Kibo to its current height of 5895
meters. Kilimanjaro is thought to be losing its glaciers due to global
warming.

It is unlikely that early man was attracted to the steep and cold
slopes of Kilimanjaro when it was active and dangerous. Arab and
Chinese traders and historians mentioned a giant mountain lying
inland from Zanzibar, but few early traders traveled into the interior
of the continent. Slave traders passed below Kilimanjaro, and
raided villages located on the fertile volcanic soil around the base of
the mountain. But there was no real interest in the mountain until the
middle of the 19th century.
COMPREHENSION ✍
In 1848 Johann Rebmann, a missionary from Germany, saw Mount
A. True or False. Read the statements below. If the
Kilimanjaro while crossing the plains of Tsavo. His guide told tales
statement is true, write T beside the sentence. If it is
of porters who were sent up the mountain to bring back silver and false, write F. If it is false, correct the information.
treasures from the summit, and returned with only water. Rebmann's
report, published in 1849, created great interest in Germany. Several 1. Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Asia.
expeditions were organized, first by Baron von Decken and later by
2. Kibo is the highest of Mount Kilimanjaro’s three peaks.
Dr. Hans Meyer who finally stood on the highest point on October 5,
1889. 3. Mount Kilimanjaro is a dangerous, active volcano.

Mount Kilimanjaro now attracts many thousands of walkers each 4. Real interest in Mount Kilimanjaro didn’t begin until
year. Tourists who come to climb are surprised by the distinct bands the 1800s.
of trees, shrubs and flowering plants that change with the elevation.
5. Different plants grow at different elevations on Mount
Because certain plants will only grow at certain altitudes,
Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro changes from lush rain forests to permanent ice fields.
Animals that have adapted to mountain life live within these
different habitats.

1
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 Famous Places
Mount Kilimanjaro
B. Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner. Then write the answers in complete sentences.

1. Where is Mount Kilimanjaro located?

2. Why is Mount Kilimanjaro world famous?
3. Briefly describe the three summits of Mount Kilimanjaro.
4. Why is Mount Kilimanjaro thought to be losing its glaciers?
5. Why did few foreigners know about Mount Kilimanjaro before the 1800s?
6. How did the people of Germany become interested in Mount Kilimanjaro?
7. What are many tourists surprised by when they visit Mount Kilimanjaro?

VOCABULARY REVIEW ✍
A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right.

DISCUSS
_____ 1. border a) person sent to a foreign country to do religious work
_____ 2. equator b) change to fit a new situation 1. Mount Kilimanjaro attracts thousands
_____ 3. burst c) something that narrows to a point from a round, flat base of tourists each year. What other
_____ 4. summit d) line dividing two countries famous mountains attract visitors
from around the world? Where are
_____ 5. attract e) earth that is very good for growing plants
these mountains located? Have you
_____ 6. cone f) highest point; peak
visited any of them?
_____ 7. eruption g) usual natural place of growth of plants and animals
_____ 8. current h) imaginary line around the centre of the earth 2. Have you ever gone mountain
_____ 9. slave trader i) slanting line; side of a hill or mountain climbing? What do you think makes
_____ 10. fertile soil j) person who buys and sells people people want to climb mountains?

_____ 11. missionary k) explode; break out with a lot of force

3. Have you ever seen an active
_____ 12. slope l) of the present time volcano? If so, describe it. Where
_____ 13. expedition m) get the attention or interest of someone was it?
_____ 14. adapt n) a trip of exploration or discovery
_____ 15. habitat o) explosion of a volcano 4. Mount Kilimanjaro is thought to be
losing its glaciers due to global
B. Choose the word(s) with the closest meaning to the underlined words in warming? Discuss some of the other
the following sentences. effects of global warming that people
1. It is unlikely that early man was attracted to the steep slopes of Kilimanjaro. are seeing around the world?
a) hated b) not probable c) certain
2. Slave traders raided the villages located on the fertile soil at the base of the mountain.
a) raced into b) attacked c) built
3. Shira and Mawenzi both have eroded and only jagged peaks remain.
a) very smooth b) with rough, uneven edges c) low
4. Tourists are surprised by the distinct bands of plants that change with the elevation.
a) temperature b) air pressure c) altitude
5. Kilimanjaro changes from lush rain forests to permanent ice fields.
a) disappearing b) beautiful c) heavily growing

2
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 Famous Places
Mount Kilimanjaro

ANSWER KEY

Please note: The reading for this topic is also available in full-page format at the end of the lesson (page 4).

PRE-READING QUESTIONS

1-5. Individual answers.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

A. True or False
1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. T

B. Written Answers

1. Mount Kilimanjaro is located on the border of Tanzania and Kenya, three degrees south of the equator.
2. Mount Kilimanjaro is famous because it is one of the highest mountains in Africa, the highest free-standing mountain
in the world, and one of the largest volcanoes ever to burst through the earth’s surface.
3. The summits Shira and Mawenzi have both eroded and only jagged peaks remain. Kibo, the central and highest peak,
has survived as an almost perfect cone.
4. Mount Kilimanjaro is thought to be losing its glaciers due to global warming.
5. Few foreigners knew about Mount Kilimanjaro before the 1800s since few early traders traveled into the interior of the
continent.
6. Germans became interested in Kilimanjaro after Johann Rebmann, a missionary from Germany saw the mountain while
crossing the plains of Tsavo, and wrote a report in 1849.
7. Tourists are surprised by the distinct band of trees, shrubs and flowering plants that change with the elevation.

VOCABULARY REVIEW

A. Match the words...

1. d 2. h 3. k 4. f 5. m 6. c 7. o 8. l 9. j 10. e 11. a 12. i 13. n 14. b 15. g

B. Choose the words...

1. b 2. b 3. b 4. c 5. c

3
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 Famous Places
Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro lies on the border of Tanzania and Kenya, three degrees south of the equator. On
a clear day, snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro can be seen from more than 100 miles away.

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, the highest free-standing mountain in the world, and
one of the largest volcanoes ever to burst through the earth’s surface.

The three summits of Mount Kilimanjaro are Shira, Kibo and Mawenzi. Shira and Mawenzi both
have eroded, and only jagged peaks remain. Kibo, the central and highest peak, has survived as an
almost perfect cone. Since reaching a height thought to be 5900 meters during its last major eruption
360,000 years ago, glaciers, rivers and landslides have eroded Kibo to its current height of 5895
meters. Kilimanjaro is thought to be losing its glaciers due to global warming.

It is unlikely that early man was attracted to the steep and cold slopes of Kilimanjaro when it was
active and dangerous. Arab and Chinese traders and historians mentioned a giant mountain lying
inland from Zanzibar, but few early traders traveled into the interior of the continent. Slave traders
passed below Kilimanjaro, and raided villages located on the fertile volcanic soil around the base of
the mountain. But there was no real interest in the mountain until the middle of the 19th century.

In 1848 Johann Rebmann, a missionary from Germany, saw Mount Kilimanjaro while crossing the
plains of Tsavo. His guide told tales of porters who were sent up the mountain to bring back silver and
treasures from the summit, and returned with only water. Rebmann's report, published in 1849,
created great interest in Germany. Several expeditions were organized, first by Baron von Decken
and later by Dr. Hans Meyer who finally stood on the highest point on October 5, 1889.

Mount Kilimanjaro now attracts many thousands of walkers each year. Tourists who come to climb
are surprised by the distinct bands of trees, shrubs and flowering plants that change with the elevation.
Because certain plants will only grow at certain altitudes, Kilimanjaro changes from lush rain forests
to permanent ice fields. Animals that have adapted to mountain life live within these different
habitats.

4
Copyright 2009. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of ESL-Llibrary.com in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact info@esl-library.com for complete details.