Chapter 6 – The “great outdoors” and the risk of skin cancer
For our students, Chapter 6 of Emma and Lucas – A Journey to Australia provides a great opportunity to refresh some commonly used English weather words, while also zooming in on a subject which many Australian beach-goers would probably prefer not to think about – namely the risk of skin cancer. In our story, the scene is set in a nice noodle-shop at Shenzhen airport. Lucas and Emma are enjoying some noodles and dumplings. After Emma has reassured her twin brother that “it doesn’t snow in Sydney“, she settles back in her seat and reads about the country of their destination. “She learns that Australia has one of the *highest rates of skin cancer in the world.” (Note – Chinese students learning English often find it difficult at first to pronounce the words “highest rates.” You may also find it easier to first pronounce the singular “highest rate” and then proceed to learn the plural “rates” after the first step has been mastered.
“For many decades, Australia has had one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world…”
Why is the risk of skin cancer in Australia so high?
The risk and prevalence of skin cancer in Australia essentially boils down to 3 factors:
1. Australia has one of the highest UV levels in the world, due in particular to its latitude and clear skies.
2. Many Australians are of European descent, and as such have fair skin, light hair and light eyes, making them more genetically susceptible to UV-induced skin damage and melanoma (a particularly dangerous form of skin cancer).
3. Outdoor lifestyle: Traditionally, Australians have a love of what is often locally termed as “the great outdoors” – with the beach, sporting and other outdoor recreation remaining high on the priority list. This naturally increases sun exposure also for children, which significantly increases the risk of skin cancer later in life.
“Australia has one of the highest UV levels in the world, due in particular to its latitude and clear skies…”
Emma decides that she will buy a hat “soon after she arrives in Sydney.” Not mentioned in our story is the fact that being Chinese, Emma actually has an extremely low risk of contracting skin cancer compared to a fair-skinned Australian. However, that being said, a broad-brimmed hat is probably not a bad investment for any young person planning on living for a year in Australia.
Here you can listen to a preview of Chapter 6.