Joe: I’m glad you suggested this walk. I feel more relaxed already.
Amber: Yes, there’s nothing like a hike through nature to unwind.
Joe: Look, there are beavers over there!
Amber: Oh, they’re adorable!
Joe: And busy at work, building a dam. What an amazing sight.
Amber: They reintroduced them recently, to restore the wetlands.
Joe: Really? Were there not many left, then?
Amber: No, they were hunted almost to extinction, for their fur.
Joe: Poor things! Well, I’m glad they’re back. I wonder what other creatures we’ll spot today.
Amber: I think there are deer around here somewhere. Lots of birdlife, too.
Joe: Cool! We’ll have to keep looking up. Let’s see if we can catch a glimpse of any birds.
Amber: Haha, we’ll make a birdwatcher out of you yet!
NOW LET’S REVIEW THE VOCABULARY!
Glad indicates a feeling of pleasure or happiness. You can also use ‘pleased’ or ‘happy’.
The idiom “There’s nothing like...” is used to express praise for something, in this case, a walk.
A hike is a long walk, usually in the countryside.
To unwind is a synonym of ‘to relax’.
Over there is a short distance away.
A wetland is an ecosystem where the land is saturated by water.
To be left means to remain.
To wonder indicates a desire to know something, in other words, to be curious about something.
To spot means to see someone or something that you are looking for or that is hard to find.
Birdlife refers to birds collectively. usually in a particular region.
To catch a glimpse means ‘to see (in this case, birds) briefly’.
A birdwatcher observes birds out of scientific interest or just as a recreational activity.
We’ll make a (something) out of you yet is an idiomatic expression meaning the person can be transformed into something; yet in this context means ‘eventually'.
