Episode 13: The Grand Canyon
[00:00:00] Welcome to English, please, the podcast where we explore captivating topics in under 10 minutes and clear, intermediate English. I’m your host, Christopher. I live and work in New York City, and I’m a language enthusiast who has always been interested in the most effective ways to learn a new language. Thank you for joining me for another episode, designed to help you improve your English listening skills and vocabulary.
My apologies for the longer than normal break between episodes. Unfortunately, I caught the flu. I felt terrible, but the biggest problem was that I lost my voice! It’s true—for several days, I was only able to whisper. Now after more than a week, I’m finally feeling better, and I’m ready to go! [00:01:00]
In the most recent episode of English, please, I talked about the American West, and since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about the West. One of the most well-known sites there is the Grand Canyon. Maybe you’ve visited? If not, maybe you’ve seen photos? It’s a fascinating place.
Ah, before we begin. “canyon” might be a new word. Although you might see or hear the word occasionally, it’s most often used in the name “Grand Canyon.” In the simplest terms, a canyon is a huge crack or gap in the ground, with steep sides, like walls, that are almost vertical. Generally canyons are formed by rivers flowing over rocks and dirt, and over a long period of time, this crack or gap becomes deeper and deeper, and the sides become higher and higher. And when I say a [00:02:00] long time, I mean this process takes millions of years.
With that in mind, imagine standing on the edge of a vast canyon created by millions of years of relentless erosion. There are layers of colorful rock, with each layer representing a kind of chapter in the Earth’s story. Looking at this incredible site leaves you breathless. This is the Grand Canyon, a natural wonder that is absolutely unforgettable.
The amazing history of the canyon isn’t just something you read about, either. You can see this history by looking directly at the rocks. The Colorado River has been creating this deep canyon for over 6 million years. As you walked down into the canyon, each layer of rock tells a different story about the past. For example, you’ll see an ancient sea floor that has [00:03:00] turned into shiny rocks. Evidence of this ancient sea floor was visible in the form of fossils that include shellfish-like creatures. The presence of these fossils, along with the composition of rock layers themselves, tells geologists that the area was once entirely underwater.
You’ll also find colorful layers of sandstone. Oh, “”sandstone is a type of rock made from tiny sand particles pushed together over millions of years. The Grand Canyon has several layers of sandstone, and, simply put, these layers of sandstone each represent a different time in the history of the earth. And you can identify them by their colors. It’s incredible to see!
Aside from being beautiful, the sides, or walls, of the Grand Canyon support, many plants and animals. [00:04:00] For example, there are desert plants that thrive there as well as majestic, and enormous, birds, called California Condors that fly above the Grand Canyon. The mighty Colorado River, which flows within the Grand Canyon supports fish and mammals who live and feed in the fast moving water.
Seeing the Grand Canyon really is amazing and unforgettable. There’s no question about it. But starting in 2007, visitors were able to see the Grand Canyon in an entirely new way. It’s called the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and it’s a platform in the shape of a letter U. It’s made of clear glass, and it extends over the edge of the Grand Canyon. It allows visitors to walk out over the canyon and see amazing views of the Colorado River far [00:05:00] below—almost 4,000 feet below! That’s more than 1,200 meters! The skywalk has also very strong, and it can hold 800 people at one time. It’s located in an area that belongs to a native American tribe, the Hualapai. Although the skywalk is made of very strong glass, standing on it and looking below into the canyon can be quite scary, although it is unforgettable.
The story of the Grand Canyon isn’t complete without acknowledging the human connection. For thousands of years, diverse cultures have lived there. Native American tribes, like the Havasupai and Hopi see the canyon as a sacred space, and it is part of their stories and traditions. Major John Wesley Powell, a geologist and also a hero of the American Civil War, led the first [00:06:00] documented expedition through the Grand Canyon in 1869. His expedition provided important information about the formation of the Grand Canyon, and also, it highlighted the challenges of traveling and navigating the Grand Canyon. Artists like Thomas Moran and Albert Bierstadt captured the canyon’s beauty in their powerful paintings, forever preserving images of the Grand Canyon for generations to admire.
Today, the Grand Canyon continues to inspire artists, scientists, and travelers from all over the world. It isn’t just a destination to visit and take a photo—being there really is powerful. It makes you feel very small compared to the enormous canyon that has been forming for millions of years. You can see natural beauty all around you, and you can discover some of what the people who lived in and around the canyon experienced for [00:07:00] thousands of years. In short, as I’ve said, the Grand Canyon is unforgettable. There’s nothing quite like it anyplace else on the planet.
And that brings us to the end of another episode of English, please. Thank you for listening. Don’t forget to review the transcript. The link is available in the episode notes. If you want to check your understanding of any of the content. I recommend listening again with the transcript to help with anything that wasn’t clear. Again, I’m Christopher.
And I want to invite you to join me in future episodes of English, please, to hear about many different topics, all focused on helping you with your English. Subscribe now, wherever you listen to podcasts and let’s embark on an adventure together in clear, understandable English. I also encourage you to visit comullen.com/pod for more information. Thanks for listening. [00:08:00]
It really is great to be back.
See you soon.