📙 Part 2 - Describe a beautiful sky you enjoyed seeing

This episode's vocabulary

Skyline (noun) – the outline of a city seen against the sky. → I’ve really liked the New York City skyline.

Timeless (adj) – not affected by the passage of time; classic. → It’s got this sort of timeless quality.

Skyscraper (noun) – a very tall modern building. → The addition and removal of things like skyscrapers…

Reflect (verb) – to bounce back light, heat, or sound. → The water reflects the colour of the sky.

Sparkling (adj) – shining brightly with flashes of light. → That creates a shining or sparkling effect.

Claustrophobic (adj) – feeling trapped or confined in a small space. → I found it a little overwhelming and claustrophobic.

Overwhelming (adj) – very intense or difficult to handle. → I actually found it a little overwhelming.

Aircraft (noun) – any machine that can fly, such as a plane or helicopter. → The sky was full of planes and other aircraft.

Angle (noun) – a particular way of viewing something. → Enjoy it from different angles.

Mainland (noun) – the main landmass of a country or continent, not including islands. → The river between it and the mainland.

Panoramic (adj) – giving a wide view of an area. → The rooftop offered a panoramic view of the skyline.

Iconic (adj) – widely recognized and well-established. → The Empire State Building is an iconic part of New York.

Urban (adj) – related to a city or town. → Urban landscapes can be both chaotic and beautiful.

Horizon (noun) – the line where the earth or sea seems to meet the sky. → The sun dipped below the horizon.

Vibrant (adj) – full of life, energy, or color. → New York has a vibrant skyline, especially at night.

Questions and Answers

Maria: You should say where you saw it, who you saw it with, what you saw, and how you felt about it.

Rory: Uh, well, I've really liked the New York City skyline, and the skies above it whenever I've been to visit. It's got this sort of timeless quality, despite having changed over the course of the years as different buildings have gone up and come down. I've seen it with different people, from my parents when we went there to visit relatives, to some friends that I lived with briefly, and even by myself, just on a short break alone. These trips were all over the course of the last three decades, so obviously in that time, like I say, it's changed a lot. I was there in the summer, so the sky was always clear, and full of planes and other aircraft, which makes sense since New York is a major city. Some big differences are the addition and removal of things, like skyscrapers, due to everything that's happened there as time passed, like I mentioned.

Despite the changes, though, it's always beautiful. For example, the water, first of all, reflects the colour of the sky, and since it's always blue at that time of year, that's really nice. And then it also reflects light off the water, onto the glass of the buildings, and the water itself that surrounds the city as well, and that creates a shining or sparkling effect. You'd think that would make it hard to see, but I think it's quite nice to sit back and enjoy it from different angles, whether that's in the city itself, or the other bank of the river between it and the mainland, and I suppose that describes how I feel about it quite nicely. There's something about seeing a city skyline which I find really engaging and energising.

It wasn't like that at first. I actually found it a little overwhelming and claustrophobic when I was a bit closer up, but I got used to it. I'm glad that I had the chance to see it for myself, even though it's a popular sight on television and at the cinema, it's always better to see it in real life. And hopefully I'll have the chance again soon!