Work in groups of three. ■■ A, read about Ellis Island below. ■■ B, read about the Great Barrier Reef. ■■ C, read about the Taj Mahal. Find out what these numbers mean. 1 Ellis Island: 1892–1954, 12 million, 2% 2 Great Barrier Reef: 900, 2,600, 1 billion, 1981 3 Taj Mahal: 1631, 20,000, 25 million Tell each other about the places. Which of the places sounds the most interesting? Why? Media task. Research a place on the internet that you have always wanted to see or have already seen and find fascinating. Write an article about this place. Collect your articles in class and turn them into an online magazine on “The best places to see.” Maybe you would like to place the articles on your school website? Your article should: ■■ state why you have always wanted to see it or why it has impressed you so much. ■■ include some facts and figures. ■■ give important background information. ■■ mention possible tourist activities. Write about 140 words. You can use the descriptions in 15 to help you. 1 World Heritage Site: a place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building or city) that is listed by the UNESCO as being of special cultural importance. World Heritage Sites in Austria are, for example, the historic centres of Graz, Salzburg and Vienna als well as the Wachau. 15 a b Ellis Island is a short boat ride from Manhattan. It was the historical door to the USA for millions of immigrants. The Ellis Island Immigration Station opened in 1892 and closed in 1954. During this time, the US Bureau of Immigration dealt with twelve million immigrants. The immigrant s that were allowed to enter generally spent about two to five hours at Ellis Island. Officials asked them 29 questions including name, occupation, and the amount of money they carried. Those with health problems or a criminal background were sent back to their home countries or put in the island’s hospital. About two per ce nt were not allowed to enter the USA. This is why Ellis Island was sometimes called ‘Heartbreak Island’ or ‘Th e Island of Tears’. Now a museum, millions of people have visited Ellis Island. The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Pacific Ocean, off the north-eastern coast of Australia. The world’s largest reef is made of billions of corals. It has over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. It is over 2,600 kilometres long and can be seen from outer space. The reef is also a paradise for snorkelling and scuba diving. It is a popular tourist destination, especially the area around the town of Cairns. Tourism is importa nt for the region, earning $1 billion per year. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the negative consequences of fishing and tourism. In 1981, the Great Barrier Reef became a World Heritage Site1. The Taj Mahal is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. She was the third and favourite wife of Shah Jehan, the Moghul emperor of India. When Mumtaz died in childbirth in 1631, the emperor decided to create a beautiful building in memory of his beloved wife. It took 20,000 workers more than 20 years to complete it. The Taj, in the city of Agra on the Yamuna river, is now one of the most famous places in the world. Since 2000, it has had more than 25 million visitors. Today Mumtaz and her husband lie in the Taj together, but some people say that Shah Jehan wanted his own tomb to be in a second, black Taj, on the other side of the river. c 16 Writing 134 Language skills Extras Explore 11 Experiences Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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