Read the text "Lake Baikal" and complete it with the phrases below.
Lake Baikal\.
Lake Baikal, in eastern Siberia, is a miracle of nature. It’s the deepest lake on Earth __________________\(1\). Is’s also the oldest lake on Earth and, after more than 25 million years, lake Baikal is still growing at a rate of 2 cm a year. However, facts and figures fail to describe the breathtaking beauty of Baikal. The water is crystal clear, __________________\(2\). But then this tranquility can easily become a tempest. As the lake changes its mood, the wind rises ____________\(3\).
Lake Baikal is surrounded by some magnificent mountain ranges, such as the Primorsky, Baikalsky and Barguzinsky. More than 300 rivers flow into Lake Baikal _____________\(4\). Of the 22 islands in the lake, the most famous is Olkhon Island, where they say the sun shines brightly for more than 300 days a year. Olkhon is a place of legend and wild spirits, _____________________\(5\).
This environmental treasure also contains a wealth of biodiversity. Most of the 2,635 species of animals _______________\(6\). The lake is also the only breeding ground for the Baikal Seal _____________\(7\). In 1996, Baikal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The total area of the site is 8.8 million hectares, which includes the lake’s surface, three reserves, ________________\(8\).
Today, this precious Russian jewel is threatened by the industry around its shores. We can only hope that future generations will be able to come here _________________\(9\).
- and when you can see the shimmering stones on the bottom of the lake it’s hard to believe they’re so deep down.
- and it contains more water than all the Great Lakes of America put together.
- and huge waves begin to roll across the surface.
- and only one river, the Angara, flows outwards.
- and it’s home to the famous Shamanka, where shamans used to live in times gone by.
- and plants discovered in and around Lake Baikal cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
- and the Omul fish, on which they feed.
- and two national parks, Pribaikalsky and Tunkinsky.
- and enjoy Lake Baikal as much as we do.