BBC Learning English 6 Minute English Tree climbing: Part 2

NB: This is not an accurate word-for-word transcript

Dan:

Hello and welcome to this weeks 6 Minute English. Im Dan Walker Smith and today, for the second part of our tree climbing programme, Im joined by Kate.

OK Kate, well last week we were talking about tree climbing, and we covered some interesting vocabulary, including the parts of the tree. So could you quickly remind us of some of those?

Kate:

Of course. The trunk is the main body of the tree, the branches are the trees arms, and the leaves are the flat green parts at the end of the branches.

Dan:

Later on in the show were going to be talking about the worlds tallest tree, but this week's question for you Kate is: where would you find the worlds oldest tree? Is it:

a) in Australia b) in Tanzania c) in Sweden

Kate:

Ooh, thats a really difficult question. I have no idea, but Im going to guess, and go for a) Australia.

Dan:

Well see if youre right at the end of the programme. Now lets hear about the worlds tallest tree. Heres tree expert Tony Russell to tell us all about it. Have a listen to the extract; how tall is the tree?

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Extract 1 The biggest giant redwood is in California and its one called the General Sherman tree. And it is an astonishing size. In height its about 275 feet tall. Its circumference at ground level is over 100 feet; with a diameter across of 36 feet. Astonishing thing.

Dan:

So the tree is around 275 feet tall. As Tony said, its an astonishing size. What does astonishing mean here Kate?

Kate:

Well astonishing can mean both surprising and amazing. If somethings astonishing, its basically so incredible that you almost cant believe it.

Dan:

And as well as the height, Tony described the circumference and the diameter of the tree. Now what do these words mean Kate?

Kate:

Theyre both words that relate to the trees size; circumference is the distance around a circle or a round shape, and diameter would be the distance across a circle, so in this case, across the width of the tree.

Dan:

Can you imagine being at the top of that Kate?

Kate:

Oh, I dont think Id want to be actually. Im not very good with heights.

Dan:

Well some people spend practically their whole lives climbing up trees. Last week, for example, we heard from the professional tree climber James Aldred. He was talking about how he started climbing. So lets hear him again as he goes up a tree. We join him just as hes preparing to camp for the night, just above the forest canopy. What does he mean there Kate?

Kate:

OK, well to camp means to sleep outdoors, usually in a tent or under some sort of temporary shelter. And the canopy here is the upper layer. So in this case its the forests roof. But it really means anything that spreads out above you.

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Dan:

Lets have a listen to James as he prepares to camp. Can you tell me what hes going to sleep in instead of a bed?

Extract 2 So this is where Im going to camp for the night. The sun is just about to dip beneath the canopy level. Im just above the canopy, the surrounding canopy. So if I rig my hammock here I should catch the last rays of sun.

Kate:

Right, so James is setting up a hammock to sleep in. A hammock is a swinging bed made of cloth or rope.

Dan:

Lets have a listen to the final extract. Heres James at the top of the tree. He says its a hell of a view from up there. Can you explain this Kate?

Kate:

Well, saying its a hell of a view is an informal way of saying that the view is incredible. The phrase hell of a emphasises any quality youre talking about, whether its good or bad. And here its pretty obvious that James thinks the view is amazing.

Dan:

OK well lets have a listen to the extract; how does he describe the area around him?

Extract 3 It is a hell of a view from here; just looking out over endless forest. I can hear cars; I can hear traffic, but I cant see them. For all intents and purposes, Im in the middle of wilderness.

Dan:

So he says that for all intents and purposes hes in the middle of wilderness. Kate, whats he saying here?

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Kate:

OK, wilderness means an area of land thats never been developed by man. Its still wild, so its called the wilderness.

Dan:

And when he says for all intents and purposes?

Kate:

This phrase, for all intents and purposes, means in a practical sense. So James isnt actually in the wilderness, but because he cant see any cars or buildings, for all intents and purposes, it appears like he is.

Dan:

Well, were almost out of time, so lets go over some of the vocabulary weve come across today:

astonishing circumference diameter to camp canopy hammock hell of a for all intents and purposes wilderness

Dan:

And todays question was Kate: in which country would you find the worlds oldest living tree?

Kate:

And I took a complete guess and said Australia.

Dan:

I was quite surprised by this; the answer is in fact Sweden.

Kate:

Wow! That is surprising!

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Dan:

You wouldnt expect it to be in Sweden. It doesnt strike me as the kind of place to have that sort of wilderness about it.

The tree itself is a Norway spruce called Old Tjikko. And apparently its 9,550 years old!

Kate:

Wow! Thats so old!

Dan:

Thats almost 5,000 years older than the second oldest recorded tree, which can be found in California. But Kate, could you tell us about the largest tree in the world?

Kate:

Well, the largest tree by volume, including all its trunk, branches, and leaves, is called El Tule, and can be found in Mexico. It has a circumference of 119 feet, so its 36 metres around the base. And its diameter is 38 feet, which is almost 12 metres across.

Dan:

Ive actually been to that tree, and it is massive, absolutely huge.

Kate:

Oh I can hardly even imagine it.

Dan:

Its odd, because its not very tall; it just goes on and on. Its the size of a house basically; its absolutely massive.

Kate:

Wow!

Dan:

But Im afraid thats all we have time for here this week, so thanks very much for listening, and goodbye!

Kate:

Goodbye!

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