‘So big and so close’: going on a bear hunt in northern Spain
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EN: Use 'almost' before a verb in the past tense to mean that something came very close to happening, but did not actually happen.
He almost missed the train this morning.
EN: In Spain, the Cantabrian brown bear is a symbol of wildlife conservation. By the late 20th century, hunting and habitat loss reduced their numbers drastically, making their recent recovery a widely celebrated European success story.
EN: Use 'in the late + decade' (like 'in the late 1980s') to talk about the final years of a specific decade. Combine this with the past simple tense (lived) to describe actions or states that happened in the past.
In the early 1990s, many people bought their first computers.
EN: The Cantabrian mountains (Cordillera Cantábrica) in northern Spain are one of the last remaining natural habitats for the endangered European brown bear in southwestern Europe.
EN: The verb 'hurt' has the same form in the past tense as in the present tense (hurt - hurt - hurt). In this sentence, it is used in the simple past to describe what happened to the bears.
The loud noise hurt my ears yesterday.
EN: Use the pattern 'be close to + noun' to express that someone or something is near a certain condition, place, or situation. 'Close' functions as an adjective here, followed by the preposition 'to'.
The team was very close to victory.
EN: Use the pattern 'X means (that) Y' to explain the definition or result of something. The word 'that' can be left out, followed directly by a full sentence clause.
Success means you never give up.
EN: Use 'help someone do something' (or 'help someone to do something') to show who is helping and what action they are helping with. After 'help', you can use the base form of the verb (survive) without 'to'.
Teachers help students learn new words.
EN: In wildlife protection, 'conservation workers' include park rangers, biologists, and local volunteers who work together to restore endangered animal populations.
EN: Use 'and' to connect two actions in the past (Past Simple: protected and stopped) done by the same subject.
We cleaned the park and planted new trees.
EN: Use 'there are' to state that multiple things or people exist. You can add 'about' before numbers to mean 'approximately'.
There are about thirty students in the classroom.
EN: In news reporting, a person's profession or title (like 'nature guide') is often placed directly before their full name without commas, functioning as a concise identifier.
EN: Use the coordinating conjunction 'but' to connect two independent clauses that contrast with each other. A comma is typically placed before 'but'.
The weather was cold, but we had a wonderful walk.
EN: The term 'endangered species' is an official conservation classification used worldwide by organizations such as the IUCN to identify species at high risk of extinction in the wild.
EN: Use 'can + verb' to express ability or possibility. 'Can' does not change its form with different subjects.
You can see many birds in this forest.
EN: Asturias is an autonomous community in northwest Spain renowned for its rugged coastline and the Cantabrian mountains. Somiedo natural park, located within Asturias, is one of the most famous sanctuaries for the endangered Cantabrian brown bear.
EN: Use the linking verb 'became' (past tense of 'become') followed by a noun phrase to describe how someone or something changed into a new role, status, or state in the past.
She became a doctor in 2020.
EN: In Spain and Europe, designating a region as a 'protected area' (such as a natural park) imposes strict laws against hunting and habitat destruction, which was a pivotal step in saving the Cantabrian brown bear from near extinction in the late 1980s.
EN: Use the pattern 'bring [someone/something] to [a place]' to talk about moving or attracting someone or something to a specific location.
The music festival brings tourists to the small town.
EN: Wildlife tourism has become an important conservation tool in Europe. By allowing visitors to observe endangered animals like the Cantabrian brown bear responsibly, local communities gain economic benefits that encourage them to protect the animals instead of hunting them.
EN: Use 'to + verb' (infinitive) to explain the purpose of an action (why someone does something). Here, 'to find' explains why guides use special equipment.
She uses binoculars to watch birds in the park.
EN: In wildlife watching tourism, guides use high-powered spotting scopes and binoculars to observe wild animals from a distance. This keeps visitors safe and prevents disturbing endangered wildlife in their natural habitat.
EN: Use 'every time + subject + verb' as a conjunction meaning 'whenever' or 'each time an action happens'. Adding 'almost' softens it to mean nearly every time.
Almost every time I visit the park, I see cute birds.
EN: Use the linking verb 'is' with singular or uncountable subjects. Note that 'news' looks plural because of the 's', but it is an uncountable singular noun, so it takes 'is', not 'are'.
This good news makes everyone happy.
EN: Use 'will need to + base verb' to express a future necessity or requirement.
We will need to leave early tomorrow.
EN: In ecology and wildlife conservation, 'population' specifically refers to all the organisms of the same group or species living in a particular geographical area, rather than human inhabitants.
EN: Use 'much' before a comparative adjective (like 'better') to mean 'a lot more'. We use 'than' to introduce the thing being compared.
Today feels much colder than yesterday.
EN: Use 'and' to connect two actions (verbs) done by the same subject in the past tense: 'Subject + Verb 1 + ... and + Verb 2'. Here, 'One visitor' did two things: 'saw' and 'said'.
She opened the window and looked outside.
EN: In conversational English, people often make exclamations using just adjectives without full sentences (e.g., 'So big!' instead of 'It is so big!'). This pattern conveys immediate excitement or shock upon seeing wildlife unexpectedly close.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
to stop existing completely; to become extinct
a type of animal or plant that may soon become extinct
a clearly defined geographical space recognized, dedicated, and managed to achieve long-term conservation of nature
tourism centered around observing and interacting with local animal and plant life in their natural habitats
at a great distance in space