The Highest Mountain Read the text and find a word or phrase that means:
• • • •
The height of the ocean: Sea level In reality:
in fact
When ash and lava came out of the top of a mountain: erupted Places where you can study the sky and stars: observatories
Which is the highest mountain in the world? Mount Everest, right? Well, yes - and no. How high is Mount Everest? This famous mountain in Nepal is 8,848 meters above sea level. But the Mauna Kea, a mountain in Hawaii, is in fact taller. This inactive volcano is 10,000 meters tall! That’s much taller than Everest. So why does Mount Everest hold the record as the highest mountain in the world? The reason is that the Mauna Kea only measures 4,205 meters above sea level. The other 5,795 meters are under water. Mauna Kea means the White Mountain in the Hawaiian language.
126
It last erupted 3500 years ago. There are 12 observatories on the top of the mountain, with the two most important telescopes in the world in them. The most experienced mountaineers in the world all want to climb Mount Everest. It is probably the most difficult mountain to climb in the world. In comparison, Mauna Kea isn’t difficult at all. In fact, climbing it is like a walk in the park! Scientists usually measure the height of mountains from sea level. So which do you think is the highest mountain in the world?
Module 5