The English Lesson 2 theme is CAPE TOWN NATURE

Part One: Fascinating Fynbos

Read the following text and answer the questions that follow:

The area around Cape Town is the world's richest floral kingdom. It has three times as many different species of plant, per square kilometre, as the South American rainforests!

The type of plants that grow naturally around Cape Town are called "fynbos". The word fynbos comes from Dutch, and means "fine bush". This is due to the thin leaves of many of the plants. Table Mountain and the spectacular Kirstenbosch botanical gardens in Cape Town are some of the best places to see fynbos flowers, including the unique Protea. This is South Africa's national flower.

Fynbos often smells aromatic and has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. You might even have tried Rooibos tea, which is a healthy fynbos tea that is becoming popular around the world. 

Your Turn

1. English often uses words from other languages. "Fynbos" is an example of this, as it came from Dutch. The word "aardvark" also comes from Dutch. Do you know what it means? (CLUE: It eats termites!).
    
2. How can you recognise a fynbos plant?
    
3. Name a well-known fynbos flower.
    
4. Are there many kinds of fynbos plants?
    
5. "Aromatic" means that something gives off a pleasant smell. How can you say that something smells bad?
    
6. Give another word with the same meaning as "spectacular".
    
7. Which drink is made from a fynbos plant?
    
8. 1. The word "thin" has a similar meaning in the following two sentences, but in each sentence it has a different opposite. What is the opposite of thin in each sentence?
   
   2. a) The thin man likes to walk in the forest. b) The blue crane is a bird with thin legs.
    
9. Genius Question: Kirstenbosch is an excellent place TO SEE proteas. Why do we use the infinitive form of "see" in this sentence?

Part Two - Grammar Groans

As Much As / As Many As / As Beautiful As

"Much" and "Many" have the same meaning, but are used together with different kinds of nouns. "Much" is used with nouns that you can't count, such as air, energy and coffee. For example: If you drink too much coffee, you won't sleep well.

"Many" is used with nouns that you can count, such as trees, birds and roses. For example: I gave her many red roses.

The form "as much + noun + as" is used to compare two things or people and show that they are equal in some way. For example: Baboons have as much intelligence as a small child. The form "as many + noun + as" is used in the same way, but For example: Pat has seen as many lions as Chester.

We can also use this form in the negative, to show that two things are not equal in some way. For example: I haven't taken part in as many hikes as Andrew.

The form "as + adjective + as" can be used to compare two things or people and show that the same adjective describes them equally.

For example: Tahrs are as small as rabbits, but are related to elephants.

It can also be used in a negative way to show that the adjective suits one of the compared people or things better than the other one.

For example: Rabbits are not as big as elephants.

Your Turn:

Make sentences comparing Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Cape Point Nature Reserve. The first sentence has been completed for you.

1. Kirstenbosch covers a big area. Cape Point covers a bigger area than Kirstenbosch.
   
   Answer: Kirstenbosch is not as big as Cape Point.
    
2. Kirstenbosch has many species of plants. Cape Point also has many species of plants, but not more than Kirstenbosch.
   
   Answer: Kirstenbosch has __________ Cape Point.
    
3. Cape point has one restaurant. Kirstenbosch has three restaurants.
   
   Answer: Cape Point __________ Kirstenbosch.
    
4. Cape Point is very beautiful. Kirstenbosch is also very beautiful.
   
   Answer: Kirstenbosch __________ Cape Point.

Part Three: Funnies

A frog visits a Zulu witchdoctor and is told, "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl who will want to know everything about you." The frog says, "This is great! Will I meet her at a party, or where?" "No," says the witchdoctor, "Next semester in her biology class." 

Part Four: Famous Words

God in his wisdom made the fly And then forgot to tell us why. - Ogden Nash

Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to. - Mark Twain 

Part Five: Links

Fynbos Facts

There is an interesting web page about fynbos, with links to lots of photos, at:

http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/envfacts/fynbos/

American English Dictionary

A good dictionary for English words, which even includes sound files with pronunciation for common words, is:

http://dictionary.msn.com/

Answers

Answers to Part One

1. An aardvark is a small mammal that survives by eating termites.
2. It has thin leaves.
3. The protea.
4. Yes. There are three times as many plant species per square kilometre as in the South American rainforests!
5. Stinky / smelly / odorous
6. "Stunning" and "brilliant" are the closest in meaning, but other words such as "amazing" and "magnificent" have a similar meaning.
7. Rooibos tea.
8. a) fat b) thick
9. The answer to this question will be included next week (We must wait for our genius teacher).

Answer to Part Two

1. Kirstenbosch is not as big as Cape Point.
2. Kirstenbosch has as many species of plants as Cape Point.
3. Cape Point does not have as many restaurants as Kirstenbosch.
4. Kirstenbosch is as beautiful as Cape Point.