Describe a plant, flower or tree that is famous or important in your country.
You should say

– what type of plant, flower or tree it is
– where it grows or is usually seen
– how it is used in your country
– and why it is famous or important

• I’m going to talk about oak trees, and I’ll also describe a specific example of a famous oak tree called the Major Oak. This is a huge tree in Sherwood Forest; it’s thought to be around 1000 years old, and I’d probably say that it’s the most impressive tree that I’ve ever seen.
• Oaks are very common in England; they can be seen in fields and areas of woodland in the countryside, but they are also commonly found in parks and gardens in towns and cities. The Major Oak is in Sherwood Forest, which is near Nottingham. It stands out from the other oak trees because its trunk and branches are so wide and thick.
• The wood from oak trees is used to make furniture; for example, I have an oak table, wardrobe and various other pieces of oak furniture at home. Oak is a strong and reliable wood that has traditionally been used in construction, for beams and other parts of the framework of houses and other buildings. The Major Oak obviously hasn’t been used in this way; it’s a tourist attraction that people visit and marvel at. For example, I went to see it on a school trip as a child.
• The oak tree is important in England because it symbolises history, strength and reliability – probably because of its traditional role in construction. The Major Oak is famous for a completely different reason: it was supposedly Robin Hood’s hideout, so it has a kind of legendary or mythical status because of the stories that are associated with it. For this reason, and because of its age and unusual size, the Major Oak has become known as Britain’s favourite tree.