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Cave explorers in Sơn Đoòng Cave, Việt Nam
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A. Skim the article. What is it mainly about?
a. the formation of a cave
b. the discovery of a cave
c. the exploration of a cave
B. Scan the article. Who discovered the cave?
C. Talk with a partner. What famous caves do you know? Do you know how caves are formed?
CAVE OF SECRETS: THEN AND NOW
Hidden in the jungle of central Việt Nam, Sơn Đoòng Cave, which means "mountain river cave," was formed millions of years ago. It was discovered by Hó Khanh, a local man, in 1991, but it wasn't until 2009 that the cave was explored for the first time. However, a group of British cavers had to stop after 4 kilometers because a great wall blocked their way. One year later, they returned to continue their expedition.
Then they found two spectacular natural skylights deeper in the cave. An explorer said, "Watch out for dinosaurs" as his partner walked into the light. In this dreamy place, prehistoric reptiles seem likely to appear at any moment. There are even misty clouds-the cave is so large that it has its own weather system. After a two-day climb, they literally saw light at the end of the tunnel as they reached the cave's exit. Nine years later, three British divers discovered an underwater tunnel connecting the cave with another one called Thung Cave. When they're officially connected, 1.6 million cubic meters will be added to the cave volume. The trio planned to return in April the following year. It's awe-inspiring that our largest cave is still being explored.
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