Read the passage and do the tasks that follow. Son Doong Cave in Viet Nam - Good Morning America

Son Doong Cave and Swallow Cave (En Cave) were recorded and broadcast on Good Morning America - a programme of ABC Television (USA). By being broadcast on Good Morning America (ABC Television), Son Doong Cave would be introduced widely to international travellers.

This is a good chance for Quang Binh tourism to promote the image of Son Doong - the biggest cave in Viet Nam - to travellers around the world. Therefore, the film crew worked in the most favourable conditions. The programme was directly broadcast on satellite in May 2015.

The cave is a part of the underground system connecting over 150 other caves in Viet Nam near Viet Nam - Lao border with many caves such as Phong Nha Cave.

Son Doong Cave is compared equally to Mount Everest in terms of attraction. The biggest natural cave in the world is appreciated to be an interesting destination for a several-day tour, including exploring underground rivers, caves and camping... The overwhelming natural landscapes inside Son Doong Cave create an attraction by majestic and magnificent scenes. It takes months to end up a cave’s round. In addition, the condition to join tours in Son Doong Cave is extremely high? Adventurers must be in good mental and physical health to conquer the cave. Son Doong, the biggest cave in Viet Nam, along with other attractions in Quang Binh, is an attractive destination for travelers, especially those who are fans of natural exploration. The first exploration tour was held in early August 2013. The first tour consisted of 6 people from the US, Russia, Australia, and Norway. They underwent 7 days and 6 nights to explore Son Doong Cave. There are a large number of tourists registering for next tours since then.

Task 1. Identify whether the statements are true (T), or false (F).

1. Thanks to the programme of Good Morning America on ABC Television, a large number

of people around the world will know Son Doong Cave. True

2.The film crew making the programme about the cave met a lot problems from the local authorities.

3.There are many caves in Quang Binh province but Son Doong Cave may be the most well known.

4.The number of people climbing Mount Everest is the same as that exploring Son Doong Cave.

5.The exploration tour of Son Doong Cave is so hard that it requires tourists to have good physical and mental health.

6.Tourists can explore the cave in several months.

Task 2. Read the passage again and answer the questions.

1. When was the programme about Son Doong Cave on Good Morning America broadcast?

2. What can be found in the underground system in Quang Binh province?

3. In which aspect is Son Doong Cave compared to Mount Everest?

4. What activities can tourists do in the cave?

5. When was the first exploration tour held?

6. How long did the first group of tourists spend in the cave?

Read the text and choose the correct answer for each question below: 

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is a group of offshore islands that is the best example of marine invaded limestone region in the world.  The Bay holds over 1,600 islands and islets. There are caves and grottoes, with stalactites and stalagmites. Its limestone pillars are a unique natural feature of great scenic beauty and biological interest. The great extent and the richness of its forms set it apart from many other sites.

Ha Long Bay is an extremely popular destination both for foreigners and Vietnamese: already in the early 1990s it saw over 1 million visitors a year. It is unlikely that the number has decreased over the years - so there will always be about 3,000 other people in the Bay at the same time as you!

The natural beauty of the Bay lay hidden today under a very common fog. As I had already seen the similar karst landscape in China a couple of years before, I certainly said that I was blown away by the beauty of Ha Long Bay. We went onto one of the islands to visit the Surprising Cave - an indeed surprisingly big and beautiful cave with three hollow chambers. We saw some monkeys here too, just outside the cave exit.

Part of the tour was half an hour of kayaking - enough to paddle a full circle around the main area. The views from the kayak I found much more impressive than from the larger boat: you're so tiny then and the peaks rise sharply in front of you. I had a better look at the water too, and cannot say that I saw pollution by plastic or other junk floating around.  There is a thin layer of oil on the water in some parts though.

And then it's time to get back in the bus to Ha Noi, another 3.5 hours. The tour was carried out well with good seafood for lunch and I had a satisfying day.

 Question: The writer was _______.

A. able to escape from an explosion in Ha Long Bay

B. very impressed by the beauty of Ha Long Bay

C. unable to see Ha Long Bay due to the fog

D. really frightened of visiting the Surprising Cave

Read the text and choose the correct answer for each question below: 

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is a group of offshore islands that is the best example of marine invaded limestone region in the world.  The Bay holds over 1,600 islands and islets. There are caves and grottoes, with stalactites and stalagmites. Its limestone pillars are a unique natural feature of great scenic beauty and biological interest. The great extent and the richness of its forms set it apart from many other sites.

Ha Long Bay is an extremely popular destination both for foreigners and Vietnamese: already in the early 1990s it saw over 1 million visitors a year. It is unlikely that the number has decreased over the years - so there will always be about 3,000 other people in the Bay at the same time as you!

The natural beauty of the Bay lay hidden today under a very common fog. As I had already seen the similar karst landscape in China a couple of years before, I certainly said that I was blown away by the beauty of Ha Long Bay. We went onto one of the islands to visit the Surprising Cave - an indeed surprisingly big and beautiful cave with three hollow chambers. We saw some monkeys here too, just outside the cave exit.

Part of the tour was half an hour of kayaking - enough to paddle a full circle around the main area. The views from the kayak I found much more impressive than from the larger boat: you're so tiny then and the peaks rise sharply in front of you. I had a better look at the water too, and cannot say that I saw pollution by plastic or other junk floating around.  There is a thin layer of oil on the water in some parts though.

And then it's time to get back in the bus to Ha Noi, another 3.5 hours. The tour was carried out well with good seafood for lunch and I had a satisfying day.

Question: The word “karst” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _____.

A. the common landscape found in China suitable for kayaking and boating

B. an irregular limestone region with underground streams, and caves

C. a large number of islands and islets in Viet Nam and China

D. the explosive that can blow tourists away if they are not careful.

Read the text and choose the correct answer for each question below: 

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is a group of offshore islands that is the best example of marine invaded limestone region in the world.  The Bay holds over 1,600 islands and islets. There are caves and grottoes, with stalactites and stalagmites. Its limestone pillars are a unique natural feature of great scenic beauty and biological interest. The great extent and the richness of its forms set it apart from many other sites.

Ha Long Bay is an extremely popular destination both for foreigners and Vietnamese: already in the early 1990s it saw over 1 million visitors a year. It is unlikely that the number has decreased over the years - so there will always be about 3,000 other people in the Bay at the same time as you!

The natural beauty of the Bay lay hidden today under a very common fog. As I had already seen the similar karst landscape in China a couple of years before, I certainly said that I was blown away by the beauty of Ha Long Bay. We went onto one of the islands to visit the Surprising Cave - an indeed surprisingly big and beautiful cave with three hollow chambers. We saw some monkeys here too, just outside the cave exit.

Part of the tour was half an hour of kayaking - enough to paddle a full circle around the main area. The views from the kayak I found much more impressive than from the larger boat: you're so tiny then and the peaks rise sharply in front of you. I had a better look at the water too, and cannot say that I saw pollution by plastic or other junk floating around.  There is a thin layer of oil on the water in some parts though.

And then it's time to get back in the bus to Ha Noi, another 3.5 hours. The tour was carried out well with good seafood for lunch and I had a satisfying day.

 Question: The attraction that Ha Long Bay offer to tourists is _______

A. a large number of islands and islets

B. the largest limestone region in the world

C. its caves and grottoes, with stalactites and stalagmites

D. its unique value of landscape and biology

Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.

Son Doong Cave

Located in the limestone mountains of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. Son Doong Cave was first found in 1991 by Ho Khanh, a local man. In 2009, the cave was explored and published by a group of scientists from British Cave Research Association.

Son Doong Cave was formed from 2 to 5 million years ago, when the river flowed through the limestone mountain area and was buried. The water eroded limestone and created an underground tunnel. In soft limestone areas, the collapse of tunnel ceiling formed large holes which became giant domes afterward. The cave is about 200m high, 200m wide and at least 8 5km long. Especially, Son Doong consists of two entrances, which is unique among explored caves in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. Exploring the cave, visitors were surprised with spectacular scenery of numerous stalactites of which some giant stalagmites are more than 70 metres high. Deep inside the cave exists a grandiose tropical jungle called “Garden of Eden" by the explorers. The jungle is home to a diversifiedsystem of fauna and flora. Besides, the cave possesses a 2.5-kilometre underground river. Not far from the “Garden of Eden” lies an enormous “pearl collection” consisting of tens of thousands of small stone pieces in dry ponds, contributing to magnificent beauty of the cave.

The thing that makes it different from other caves in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is ……….

A. stalactites and stalagmites

B. the two entrances into the cave

C. its discovery by a local man

D. large holes in the ceiling

Read the text and choose the correct answer for each question below: 

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is a group of offshore islands that is the best example of marine invaded limestone region in the world.  The Bay holds over 1,600 islands and islets. There are caves and grottoes, with stalactites and stalagmites. Its limestone pillars are a unique natural feature of great scenic beauty and biological interest. The great extent and the richness of its forms set it apart from many other sites.

Ha Long Bay is an extremely popular destination both for foreigners and Vietnamese: already in the early 1990s it saw over 1 million visitors a year. It is unlikely that the number has decreased over the years - so there will always be about 3,000 other people in the Bay at the same time as you!

The natural beauty of the Bay lay hidden today under a very common fog. As I had already seen the similar karst landscape in China a couple of years before, I certainly said that I was blown away by the beauty of Ha Long Bay. We went onto one of the islands to visit the Surprising Cave - an indeed surprisingly big and beautiful cave with three hollow chambers. We saw some monkeys here too, just outside the cave exit.

Part of the tour was half an hour of kayaking - enough to paddle a full circle around the main area. The views from the kayak I found much more impressive than from the larger boat: you're so tiny then and the peaks rise sharply in front of you. I had a better look at the water too, and cannot say that I saw pollution by plastic or other junk floating around.  There is a thin layer of oil on the water in some parts though.

And then it's time to get back in the bus to Ha Noi, another 3.5 hours. The tour was carried out well with good seafood for lunch and I had a satisfying day.

Question: During half an hour of kayaking, the writer found that _______

A. he was more impressed by the view from the kayak than by that from the boat

B. the problem of pollution there was serious with plastic or other junk floating around

C. he could see the peaks rise sharply in front of him

D. he could see a thin layer of oil on the water in a full circle around the main area

Read the text and choose the correct answer for each question below: 

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is a group of offshore islands that is the best example of marine invaded limestone region in the world.  The Bay holds over 1,600 islands and islets. There are caves and grottoes, with stalactites and stalagmites. Its limestone pillars are a unique natural feature of great scenic beauty and biological interest. The great extent and the richness of its forms set it apart from many other sites.

Ha Long Bay is an extremely popular destination both for foreigners and Vietnamese: already in the early 1990s it saw over 1 million visitors a year. It is unlikely that the number has decreased over the years - so there will always be about 3,000 other people in the Bay at the same time as you!

The natural beauty of the Bay lay hidden today under a very common fog. As I had already seen the similar karst landscape in China a couple of years before, I certainly said that I was blown away by the beauty of Ha Long Bay. We went onto one of the islands to visit the Surprising Cave - an indeed surprisingly big and beautiful cave with three hollow chambers. We saw some monkeys here too, just outside the cave exit.

Part of the tour was half an hour of kayaking - enough to paddle a full circle around the main area. The views from the kayak I found much more impressive than from the larger boat: you're so tiny then and the peaks rise sharply in front of you. I had a better look at the water too, and cannot say that I saw pollution by plastic or other junk floating around.  There is a thin layer of oil on the water in some parts though.

And then it's time to get back in the bus to Ha Noi, another 3.5 hours. The tour was carried out well with good seafood for lunch and I had a satisfying day.

Question: All of the following statements are true about Ha Long Bay EXCEPT that ______.

A. the writer thought its beauty surpassed many other sites

B. the writer didn’t think the number of tourists had decreased over the years

C. the writer saw some monkeys in the chambers of the Surprising Cave

D. it took three and a half hours to travel from Ha Noi to Ha Long by bus

Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.

Son Doong Cave

Located in the limestone mountains of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. Son Doong Cave was first found in 1991 by Ho Khanh, a local man. In 2009, the cave was explored and published by a group of scientists from British Cave Research Association.

Son Doong Cave was formed from 2 to 5 million years ago, when the river flowed through the limestone mountain area and was buried. The water eroded limestone and created an underground tunnel. In soft limestone areas, the collapse of tunnel ceiling formed large holes which became giant domes afterward. The cave is about 200m high, 200m wide and at least 8 5km long. Especially, Son Doong consists of two entrances, which is unique among explored caves in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. Exploring the cave, visitors were surprised with spectacular scenery of numerous stalactites of which some giant stalagmites are more than 70 metres high. Deep inside the cave exists a grandiose tropical jungle called “Garden of Eden" by the explorers. The jungle is home to a diversifiedsystem of fauna and flora. Besides, the cave possesses a 2.5-kilometre underground river. Not far from the “Garden of Eden” lies an enormous “pearl collection” consisting of tens of thousands of small stone pieces in dry ponds, contributing to magnificent beauty of the cave.

The reason why Son Doong Cave was formed is that ………..

A. an underground tunnel was buried in the area

B. the limestone areas were soft

C.it only happened from 2 to 5 million years ago

D. the river was buried in the limestone mountains

Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.

Son Doong Cave

Located in the limestone mountains of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. Son Doong Cave was first found in 1991 by Ho Khanh, a local man. In 2009, the cave was explored and published by a group of scientists from British Cave Research Association.

Son Doong Cave was formed from 2 to 5 million years ago, when the river flowed through the limestone mountain area and was buried. The water eroded limestone and created an underground tunnel. In soft limestone areas, the collapse of tunnel ceiling formed large holes which became giant domes afterward. The cave is about 200m high, 200m wide and at least 8 5km long. Especially, Son Doong consists of two entrances, which is unique among explored caves in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. Exploring the cave, visitors were surprised with spectacular scenery of numerous stalactites of which some giant stalagmites are more than 70 metres high. Deep inside the cave exists a grandiose tropical jungle called “Garden of Eden" by the explorers. The jungle is home to a diversifiedsystem of fauna and flora. Besides, the cave possesses a 2.5-kilometre underground river. Not far from the “Garden of Eden” lies an enormous “pearl collection” consisting of tens of thousands of small stone pieces in dry ponds, contributing to magnificent beauty of the cave.

The reason why Son Doong Cave was formed is that ………..

A. an underground tunnel was buried in the area

B. the limestone areas were soft

C.it only happened from 2 to 5 million years ago

D. the river was buried in the limestone mountains

1. The Central Highlands is also highly appreciated thanks to its high biological ……….. 2. The Bach Ma area has long been famous for its rich ……., and plant species richness within Bach Ma national park is still high. 3. Son Doong Cave has been ……….. as the largest natural cave in the world. 4. Phong Nha Cave has the longest underground river, the highest and longest cave, broadest and most beautiful fine sand beaches inside the caves, the most spectacular stalagmites and ………… 5. Ecotourism is a form of travel that seeks to improve environmental ……….. foster cultural respect, and benefit the economic development of local communities. 6. The Mekong delta is one of the world’s largest and most …………. inland fisheries. 7. The most typical ……... activities are visits and studies in some national parks, adventurous activities in the mountain areas, and community-based ecotourism activities in the mountainous areas. 8. Researchers consider Phong Nha – Ke Bang to be particular importance for bird ……….