The Sailing Stones

Hola familia!! .. Hoy les traigo una lectura con un tema super interesante! .. «LAS PIEDRAS NAVEGANTES» … cuénteme cómo les pareció el tema y que teoria los convenció más 😀 … Recuerden que en la parte inferior de la lectura esta el vocabulario. El audio se los dejo aqui abajo para los que tengan dudas con la pronuciación o para los que quqieran practicar el Listening 😉

Imagine this: Rocks of different sizes⁽¹⁾, some weighing⁽²⁾ more than 300 kilos, sit on a dried-up flat lake bed⁽³⁾ that goes on for kilometers and kilometers. You would think that these rocks, especially the heaviest and biggest ones⁽⁴⁾, would just sit in one spot forever⁽⁵⁾ wouldn´t you?. Not the ones in Death Valley, California, in the U.S.A!

You can see them on the enormous expanse of dry lake bed called Racetrack Playa, which is named after theses «racing» stones. Much to everyone´s surprise⁽⁶⁾, many of them, including the really big and heavy ones, have actually moved⁽⁷⁾ hundreds of meters from their original location – but, of course, this happened when no one⁽⁸⁾ was looking.

Not only the rocks and stones move far⁽⁹⁾, some seemed to have stopped and changed direction⁽¹⁰⁾! A few even turned around⁽¹¹⁾ and moved back to their original locations! Rocks moving on their own isn´t possible, is it? As⁽¹²⁾ you read this, you are probably thinking of all kinds of weird explanations⁽¹³⁾. Before blaming this on⁽¹⁴⁾ extraterrestrial beings, read on.

In the 1970s, some long-term studies⁽¹⁵⁾ of the phenomenon were carried out⁽¹⁶⁾. Scientists now believe this: Every year, the dry lake bed gets flooded⁽¹⁷⁾ with melted snow⁽¹⁸⁾ from the surrouding mountains. Most of the water turns the lake bed into mud⁽¹⁹⁾, but some of the water freezes, creating thin sheets⁽²⁰⁾ of ice on top of the mud. Although⁽²¹⁾ no one has actually seen⁽²²⁾ the rocks move, the best guess⁽²³⁾ is that wind moves the rocks across the slippery surface⁽²⁴⁾ of the lake bed.

Sounds like a logical explanation, doesn´t it?. Indeed⁽²⁵⁾ it is, but without anyone actually witnessing⁽²⁶⁾ the phenomenon, doubts remain.⁽²⁷⁾

VOCABULARY:

1. Sizes: Tamaños.
2. Weighing: Pesando
3. Sit on a dried-up flat lake bed: Sentadas en el lecho seco de un lago plano.
4. Heaviest and biggest ones: Las más pesadas y grandes.
5. Would sit in one spot forever: Se sentarian en un lugar para siempre.
6. Much to everyone surprise: Para sorpresa de todos.
7. Have actually moved: De hecho se han movido.
8. No one: Nadie.
9. Not only the rocks and stones move far: Las rocas y piedras no solo se han movido lejos.
10. Some seemed to have stopped and changed direction: Algunas parecen haberse detenido y cambiado su dirección.
11. Turn around: Giraron.
12. As: Mientras.
13. Weird explanations: Explicaciones extrañas.
14. Before blaming on: Antes de culpar.
15. Long term studies: Estudios a largo plazo.
16. Were carried out: Se llevaron a cabo.
17. Gets flooded: Se inunda.
18. Melted snow: Nieve derretida.
19. Mud: lodo.
20. Thin sheets: Laminas delgadas.
21. Although: Aunque.
22. No one has actually seen: De hecho nadie ha visto.
23. The best guess: La mejor suposición.
24. Slippery surface:Superficie resbaladiza.
25. Indeed: En efecto.
26. Witnessing: Presenciado.
27. Doubts remain: Quedan dudas.