My Country — Unit 13, Beginner English
Countries and continents, describing geography, prepositions of place, famous places, and weather/landscape.
Reading: My Beautiful Country
My country is Chile. It is in South America. It is a long and narrow country. It borders Argentina to the east, Peru to the north, and Bolivia to the north-east. The Pacific Ocean is to the west.
The capital city is Santiago. It is in the middle of the country. The population is about 19 million people. Many people live in the capital. The weather in Chile is very different. In the north, it is very dry and hot. The Atacama Desert is there. In the south, it is cold and rainy. There are many mountains in Chile. The Andes Mountains run from the north to the south.
One famous place is Easter Island. It is in the Pacific Ocean. There are big stone statues on the island. Another famous place is the Torres del Paine National Park. It has beautiful mountains and lakes. Many tourists visit Chile to see the mountains and the desert. I love my country. It is beautiful and interesting.
I live in a small town on the coast, about two hours from the capital. There are green hills behind the town and a long beach in front of it. In summer the town is full of tourists. In winter it is quiet and very windy.
Near my town there is an old church and a small museum. The museum is free for students. There is also a big square in the centre, where people meet in the evening.
My grandparents live inland, next to a lake. There is a forest near their house and the water is very cold, even in January. We go sightseeing there every spring.
Chile is a long country, so we say, "You can ski in the morning and swim in the afternoon." That is almost true. The mountains are high and the sea is never far away. That is why I love living here.
Vocabulary from this unit
| Continent | Pronunciation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | /ˈjʊərəp/ | France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Germany, the UK |
| Asia | /ˈeɪʒə/ | China, India, Japan, Thailand, Pakistan |
| North America | — | Canada, the USA, Mexico |
| South America | — | Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Chile |
| Africa | /ˈæfrɪkə/ | Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia |
| Australia | /ɒˈstreɪliə/ | Australia, New Zealand |
| Antarctica | /ænˈtɑːktɪkə/ | (no countries) |
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| capital city | /ˈkæpɪtəl ˈsɪti/ | the most important city | The capital city is London. |
| large | /lɑːdʒ/ | big (synonym: big) | It's a large country. |
| small | /smɔːl/ | not big | It's a small country. |
| population | /ˌpɒpjəˈleɪʃən/ | the number of people | The population is 10 million. |
| borders | /ˈbɔːdəz/ | lines between countries | It borders Italy and Austria. |
| neighbour | /ˈneɪbə/ | a country next to yours | My neighbours are Italy and Austria. |
| long | /lɒŋ/ | not short | The river is long. |
| high | /haɪ/ | tall (for mountains) | The mountain is 4,000 metres high. |
| coast | /kəʊst/ | land next to the sea | We have a long coast on the east. |
| beach | /biːtʃ/ | sandy area by the sea | We have beautiful beaches. |
| mountain | /ˈmaʊntən/ | a very high hill | There are mountains in the north. |
| river | /ˈrɪvə/ | a large area of water | The longest river is the Amazon. |
| sea | /siː/ | a large area of salt water | The sea is warm in summer. |
| lake | /leɪk/ | water surrounded by land | There is a lake near my home. |
| island | /ˈaɪlənd/ | land surrounded by water | It is a big island. |
| Phrase | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| in the north | — | northern part of the country | I live in the north. |
| in the south | — | southern part of the country | The capital is in the south. |
| in the east | — | eastern part of the country | The mountains are in the east. |
| in the west | — | western part of the country | My family lives in the west. |
| next to | /nekst tə/ | beside | France is next to Germany. |
| near | /nɪə/ | close to | My country is near Italy. |
| between | /bɪˈtwiːn/ | in the middle of two things | My country is between France and Spain. |
| on the coast | /ɒn ðə kəʊst/ | next to the sea | We live on the coast. |
| inland | /ˈɪnlənd/ | not near the sea | The capital is inland. |
3 more vocabulary sections in the full unit.
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Beginner — roughly CEFR A0–A1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.