U Minh Thuong - A unique national park

(U Minh Thượng – Vườn quốc gia độc đáo)

Work in pairs. Look at the photos and discuss the questions.

(Làm việc theo cặp. Nhìn vào các bức ảnh và thảo luận các câu hỏi.)

- Have you ever been to U Minh Thuong National Park? Where is it?

(Bạn đã từng đến Vườn quốc gia U Minh Thượng chưa? Nó ở đâu?)

- What can / did you see in the park?

(Bạn có thể / đã nhìn thấy gì trong công viên?)

Read the article and match the headings (1-4) to the paragraphs (A-D).

(Đọc bài viết và nối các tiêu đề (1-4) với các đoạn văn (A-D).)

1. Flora and fauna (Hệ động thực vật)

2. Best time to visit (Thời gian tốt nhất để ghé thăm)

3. Location (Vị trí)

4. Geography (Địa lý)

A. ____________________

U Minh Thuong National Park is located in An Bien, An Minh, and Vinh Thuan districts of Kien Giang Province, about 60 km south of Rach Gia city centre. This place is considered one of the most important sites for ecosystem conservation in the Mekong River Delta. It attracts tourists not only with its wild and beautiful scenery, but also with its rare and rich biodiversity.

B. ____________________

U Minh Thuong National Park covers a large area of freshwater wetlands, including mangrove forests. Its central part is surrounded by waterways with a series of gates, which are used to manage the water level.

C. ____________________

Home to 226 species of plants, U Minh Thuong National Park is the region with the richest biodiversity in the Mekong River Delta. It used to be one of the largest habitats for water birds in the area, but their home was badly damaged by forest fires in 2002. Now there are about two hundred types of birds in the park, including some unique birds like the great spotted eagle. Thirty-two types of mammals have been found here. Ten of them, including the fishing cat and Sunda pangolin, are on the list of rare and endangered species, native to Viet Nam.

D. ____________________

The ideal time to explore U Minh Thuong National Park is from August to November, known as the floating water season of the region. Tourists can take a boat to experience nature and wildlife. Visitors can go to Trang Doi, a place where thousands of bats gather, hanging on the trees like huge fruits. Another popular place to visit is Trang Chim, a large area with thousands of colourful birds. So if you love nature, you should definitely go to explore this amazing natural park.

Work in groups. Discuss the following questions.

(Làm việc nhóm. Thảo luận các câu hỏi sau.)

Why do we need national parks? What should we do to protect them?

(Tại sao chúng ta cần công viên quốc gia? Chúng ta cần làm gì để bảo vệ chúng?)