Story : Country Park Outing
【明報專訊】There was great excitement in the Bear household this Sunday. The whole family was getting ready for a special outing to Sai Kung.
"Children, have you checked the route we will take to get to Sai Kung East Country Park?" asked Father Bear.
"Oh yes, Father," replied Little Sister. "We've already looked it up online and marked it on our map."
"Once we reach Sai Kung town, we can take a green minibus or a taxi to the High Island East Dam. Then we follow the Maclehose Trail," added her older brother.
"Good work, kids. It's always useful to do your preparation, plan your route in advance and get to know the surrounding area. It pays to be careful."
Father Bear was pleased and gave them each a hiking pole.
"You'll find this a great help, especially going uphill. Here's one for you too,"he said, turning to his wife, who was busy packing their backpacks.
"Oh, thanks! I don't know what I'd do without it," said Mother Bear. "I've prepared a picnic lunch for us, with salad, fruit, sandwiches and snacks. Now, here's a waterbottle for each of us."
The young bears jumped for joy and the family set out for their expedition looking very smart with their sun hats and their hiking boots on. They took a bus to Sai Kung town, then joined a queue for the green minibus. Luckily, they didn't need to wait very long and soon managed to get on.
It was a lovely ride, with the sparkling blue sea on one side and the bright, green hills on the other. On arriving at the East Dam, everyone got off and headed in all directions. The Bear family stood awhile, taking in the beautiful scenery. Then they, too, began to follow the trail and soon reached the magnificent hexagonal volcanic rock columns. These rock formations were very tall and over a metre in diameter.
"Are these really natural or man-made?" wondered the children. "We've never seen anything like it! Have you, Father?"
"No, I must confess I haven't. This is the first time I've ever seen this, even though I've been living here for many years. These marvelous structures are the work of nature, millions of years ago."
Mother Bear said, "I read in the newspaper that these hexagonal rock columns have been selected for the first list of one hundred Geo Heritage Sites worldwide. There are more examples of such columns on remote islands in the area, such as the Ninepins. Aren't we lucky to see such spectacular sights right here in our little island home?"
They took lots of photos and the children made sketches. Then they hiked to a nearby beach, spread out a tablecloth and enjoyed their picnic.
■Grammar
present perfect tense: have + past participle
eg. "have you checked"
How many examples of the use of the present perfect tense can you find in this story?
■Useful vocabulary
"Geo" means "earth" and is used in combination in these words:
Geography - the study of the Earth. Someone who does this is a geographer.
Geologist - a branch of geography specializing in rocks. Someone who does this is a geologist.
■Glossary
dam(n) 壩
surrounding(adj) 周圍
magnificent(adj) 壯麗的
man-made(adj) 人造
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[Smarties' Power English 第360期]
