Meet Billy Barr, the Snow Guardian

Billy Barr, also known as the Snow Guardian, has been living in a cabin in the woods for over 40 winters. He has been keeping a meticulous record of snow in his area, taking notes twice a day, every day, during the winter months.

Life in the Cabin

Billy lives alone in his cabin, growing his own garden and collecting hats. He loves cricket and dreams of Bollywood. Every couple of weeks, he skis into the nearest town to gather supplies.

Recording the Snow

Billy’s records of snow have been used by researchers to study climate change. He has noted a trend of later snowpack and earlier melting, resulting in less snow on the ground. He has also observed an increase in dust blowing in, which causes the snow to melt faster.

Climate Change Concerns

Billy is not hopeful about the future of the snowpack, which is a crucial water supply for the Southwest. He believes that reversing the effects of climate change will be difficult.

Advice from Billy

Billy’s advice is to learn from your mistakes and be prepared to fall. He has learned to survive in the harsh winter environment and believes that learning to fall is an essential part of the process.

Key Vocabulary

Term	Definition	Example Usage
Snowpack	The amount of snow that has accumulated in a given area, often serving as a natural reservoir for water.	The snowpack in the mountains is crucial for the water supply in the Southwest.
Climate Change	Long-term changes in the Earth’s climate, often resulting from human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation.	Billy’s records of snow have been used by researchers to study the effects of climate change.
Meticulous	Paying great attention to detail, being extremely careful and precise.	Billy has been keeping a meticulous record of snow in his area for over 40 winters.
Reservoir	A natural or artificial storage space for water or other liquids.	The snowpack serves as a natural reservoir for water in the mountains.
Dust	Small particles of solid matter that are blown through the air.	Billy’s observations have noted an increase in dust blowing in, which causes the snow to melt faster.
Harsh Environment	A setting that is difficult to survive in due to extreme conditions such as weather, terrain, or lack of resources.	Billy has learned to survive in the harsh winter environment of the mountains.
Crucial	Extremely important or necessary for something to happen or exist.	The snowpack is crucial for the water supply in the Southwest.
Reversing	To change the direction or trend of something, often making it go back to a previous state.	Billy believes that reversing the effects of climate change will be difficult.

Watch The Video

He Spent 40 Years Alone in the Woods, and Now Scientists Love Him | Short Film Showcase

Vocabulary Quiz

1. Which word means ‘a person who guards or watches over something’ in the context of Billy Barr’s nickname?

A) Researcher
B) Collector
C) Guardian
D) Survivor

2. What does ‘meticulous’ mean in the context of Billy Barr’s record-keeping?

A) Careless
B) Infrequent
C) Detailed and precise
D) Disorganized

3. What is ‘snowpack’ in the context of Billy Barr’s observations and climate change?

A) A layer of dust on the snow
B) A type of ski equipment
C) A layer of snow on the ground
D) A type of plant that grows in the winter

4. What does ‘reversing’ mean in the context of Billy Barr’s concerns about climate change?

A) Ignoring the effects of climate change
B) Reducing or stopping the effects of climate change
C) Increasing the effects of climate change
D) Studying the effects of climate change

5. What is ‘crucial’ in the context of the snowpack’s role in the water supply for the Southwest?

A) Unimportant
B) Optional
C) Essential or vital
D) Secondary

Answer Key:

1. C
2. C
3. C
4. B
5. C

Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The present perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and continues up to the present moment. It is formed using the present tense of the auxiliary verb “has/have” + “been” + the present participle of the main verb (e.g., “has been living”, “has been keeping”). This tense is often used to talk about actions that have a connection to the present. For example, in the text, “Billy Barr, also known as the Snow Guardian, has been living in a cabin in the woods for over 40 winters” indicates that Billy started living in the cabin in the past and is still living there now. Another example from the text is “He has been keeping a meticulous record of snow in his area”, which shows that Billy started keeping records in the past and continues to do so.

Grammar Quiz:

1. Billy ____________________ in a cabin for over 40 winters, and he still lives there.

A) lives
B) has lived
C) has been living
D) lived

2. By the time Billy skis into town, he ____________________ his supplies for a couple of weeks.

A) has been gathering
B) gathers
C) is gathering
D) had gathered

3. Researchers ____________________ Billy’s records to study climate change for several years now.

A) have used
B) use
C) are using
D) have been using

4. Billy ____________________ a trend of later snowpack and earlier melting over the years.

A) notes
B) has noted
C) is noting
D) had noted

5. Billy believes that people ____________________ from their mistakes to learn how to survive in harsh environments.

A) can learn
B) have learned
C) are learning
D) have been learning

Answer Key:

1. C) has been living

2. B) gathers

3. D) have been using

4. B) has noted

5. A) can learn