Oregon Beauty
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Tim
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Jeff
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Jeff: So where are you from?
Tim: I'm from Oregon.
Jeff: Oregon.
Tim: Yeah. It's on the West Coast of America, above California and below Washington. It has the coast. It has the mountains and a lot of different regions really.
Jeff: Really, so which is your favorite of those for regions, which do you like the best?
Tim: Well, that's difficult. I like the coast a lot. The coast of Oregon is really, really rocky. It's really natural. In Washington it's really, really developed and in California as well, but in Oregon it's really, really natural - really rocky. There's beaches and you go out there and it's just nature.
Jeff: Swimming? Fishing?
Tim: It's cold so there's not a lot of swimming. There's surfing. There's really good fishing. People fish. They take boats out. It's really nice, but...
Jeff: Sounds good. So you have the ocean and then you can move inland to the woods.
Tim: Yeah, from the ocean you move inland and you've got a real green area. In fact, in gets some of the most rain in all of America really.
Jeff: So it is a rain forest.
Tim: Well, there are areas that are considered a rain forest. One of the biggest rain forests in America is there, but it's real wet, real green and really mossy. There's moss hanging off the trees. It's beautiful. The greenest place you've ever seen.
Jeff: And then, so you had the beach, the ocean. You had the woodland. Is there any other types of regions or landscapes?
Tim: Well, you got the real green area I talked about and then from there you go to the mountains, and the mountain kind of traps all the rain. On the other side, it's really dry. It's called kind of a dessert region. Lots of cattle ranchers. Real dry. It gets snow. It's good for outdoor sports, but hardly any rain really.
Jeff: And that is mostly, you say farmland?
Tim: Yes. It's farmland. Ranching land.
Jeff: Are there any cowboys?
Tim: There's lots of cowboys, actually. Lots of cowboys. Lots of people think of Oregon as a real liberal area but on the other side of the mountains it's real conservative. So really two types of people.
Jeff: So, you have those three regions. Do you have any big cities?
Tim: We have Portland Oregon. It's a pretty big city. It's got a basketball team. It is a real nice city. It's got good public transportation.
Jeff: So would you like to live in Portland?
Tim: I'd like to live in Portland. It's be OK, but there's two college towns that I think would be really good: Corvalis, Oregon and Eugene, Oregon. Real liberal college towns. They've got really good places to eat and friendly people. A little more liberal and laid-back, so it's my type of place.
Jeff: So that sounds like a pretty good place to live. It has a little bit of everything.
Tim: Yeah, I think so.
Jeff: Maybe I'll move there.
really developed
In Washington it's really, really developed and in California as well.
When somewhere is 'really developed' it means that it is very commercialized. In developed areas there are houses, businesses, apartment buildings, etc.
Notice the following:
- I find living in really developed areas can be quite stressful.
- He says that he does not want to live anywhere really developed, as he prefers the peace and quiet.
mossy
One of the biggest rain forests in America is there, but it's real wet, real green and really mossy.
When something is 'mossy,' it means that it has a lot of moss growing on or around it.
Notice the following:
- Be careful not to slip outside, as the path is very mossy.
- The ground was very mossy, and we needed to fix that.
traps all the rain
The mountain kind of traps all the rain.
Something that 'traps the rain' holds the rain clouds and prevents them from moving somewhere else.
Notice the following:
- Our town is in a valley, and so it traps all of the rain.
- The hills trap all of the rain, so it is usually dry where we live.
liberal area
Lots of people think of Oregon as a real liberal area.
A 'liberal area' is a region that does not have conservative or highly traditionalist views.
Notice the following:
- I would much prefer to live in a liberal area.
- Over the years, it has become much more of a liberal area.
real conservative
On the other side of the mountains it's real conservative.
When somewhere or someone is 'real conservative,' it means that the area is very traditional.
Notice the following:
- Her grandparents are real conservative.
- I used to be real conservative, but as I have got older I have become much more liberal.
Vocabulary Quiz
liberal • conservative
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