Vacations

1. Getting information about a destination

1.1 Vocabulary - Geographical locations

desert
/ˈdezərt/
a large area of land that has very little water and very few plants growing on it. Many deserts are covered by sand
the Sahara Desert

hill
/hɪlz/
an area of land that is higher than the land around it, but not as high as a mountain
I love walking in the hills(= in the area where there are hills).

mountains
mountain
/ˈmaʊntnz/
a very high hill, often with rocks near the top
a mountain rescue team

ocean
/ˈoʊʃn/
the mass of salt water that covers most of the earth's surface
the depths of the ocean

coast
/koʊst/
the land beside or near to the sea or ocean
a town on the south coast of England

lake
/leɪk/
a large area of water that is surrounded by land
We swam in the lake.

valley
/ˈvæli/
an area of low land between hills or mountains, often with a river flowing through it; the land that a river flows through
a small town set in a valley

river
/ˈrɪvə(r)/
a natural flow of water that continues in a long line across land to the sea/ocean
the River Thames

beach
/biːtʃ/
an area of sand or small stones (called shingle), beside the sea or a lake
tourists sunbathing on the beach

forest
/ˈfɔːrɪst/
a large area of land that is thickly covered with trees
a tropical forest

1.2 Expressions - Weather ，seasons and temperature

Talking about weather, seasons and temperature
There are various ways to describe a place's weather and climate.
You can describe weather and temperature.
It's often windy.
It's so cold and cloudy.
It gets to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. That's, like, 46 degrees Celsius!

You can use adjectives of feeling and opinion.
Fall is perfect.
Winter is terrible.
It's lovely in spring.

You can compare times, places and conditions.
It gets cooler at night.
It's nicer here than in the desert.
It's hot in summer and cold in winter.

1.3 Reading - Travel brochures

Reading strategy
When you read in a second language, you may encounter words and expressions that are unfamiliar. One strategy for dealing with this is to work out the meaning of a new word by reading the words and sentences around it. You can often find synonyms, antonyms, definitions and explanations of the new word near it.

In the following first sentence, you see the word waterfall. In the next sentence, you read an explanation: water from the Paine River falls beautifully into Pehoe Lake. You can use this to guess the meaning of the word waterfall.

Take a hike to Salto Grande waterfall. There, water from the Paine River falls beautifully into Pehoe Lake.

1.4 Expression - Talking about places

Asking for and giving information about places

One way to encourage someone to talk about their hometown is to ask them whether they like it.

A: Where are you from?
B: I'm from Ottawa.
A: Do you like it there?
B: Oh, yeah. There are fantastic museums and festivals.

To ask about something specific, you can use the expression What's the + noun + like? Remember, this use of like is different from that of Do you like ...?


A: What's the weather like in your hometown?
B: It's cold and snowy in winter. It gets to -30 degrees. But it's warm in summer and fall.


A: What's the food like in Ottawa?
B: Well, we eat a lot of fish. And poutine is popular. It's special french fries with cheese.


A: What are the people like?
B: Many people are university graduates and can speak English and French.

1.5 Final Task - Getting information about a destination

2. Discussing vocation plans

2.1 Vocabulary - Vacation activities

fishing
/ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
the sport or business of catching fish
They often go fishing.

horseback riding
/ˈhɔːrsbæk ˈraɪdɪŋ/
the sport or activity of riding horses
Horseback riding is generally done with a saddle.

camping
/ˈkæmpɪŋ/
living in a tent, etc. on holiday/vacation
Do you go camping?

diving
dive
/ˈdaɪvɪŋ/
an act of going underwater and swimming there with special equipment
a dive to a depth of 18 metres.

going to a spa
/ˈɡoʊɪŋ tə ə spɑː/
going to a relaxing place where you can receive treatments, such as massages or facials
Do you feel relaxed after going to the spa yesterday?
going to a spa downtown

sightseeing
/ˈsaɪtsiːɪŋ/
the activity of visiting interesting buildings and places as a tourist
to go sightseeing

shopping
/ˈʃɑːpɪŋ/
the activity of going to shops/stores and buying things
to go shopping

going to the beach
/ˈɡoʊɪŋ tə ðə biːtʃ/
going to an area of sand beside the sea, ocean or lake
John's family is going to the beach for vacation this year.
going to the beach in summer

biking
/ˈbaɪkɪŋ/
to go somewhere on a bicycle or motorcycle
My dad bikes to work every day.

visiting family
/ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ ˈfæməli/
spending time with people who are related to you
He couldn't make it to the picnic because he's visiting family today.
visiting family on vacation

2.2 Grammar - 'Going to' vs. 'will' for future

'Be' + 'going to' for plans, and 'will' for predictions
Use be + going to + verb to talk about a firm plan or intention for the future.

A: What are you going to do on vacation?
B: I'm going to visit friends and family. And I'm not going to work.

Use will + verb to say what you predict or believe will happen. In spoken English, the pronoun and the verb are usually contracted.

We'll probably stay in a hotel.
I'll be happy living by the sea.
You'll like Paris.

When the pronoun and the verb are not contracted, it's usually for a particular emphasis.

You will have fun.
We will not fight.

For negative meaning, use will + not + verb. The short form is won't.

I won't get sick.
They won't come with us.

To specify time, you can add future time expressions:

I'm going to go horseback riding on Thursday.
The next two days will be an adventure.

2.3 Expressions - Expressing doubt

Use expressions like the following to express doubt. Notice how the intonation reinforces the speaker's doubtfulness.

Are you sure about that?
If you say so.

Another way to express doubt is to repeat or contradict what a person has just said. Notice again the intonation of the person expressing doubt.

A: I'll probably go to the spa tonight.
B: The spa?
A: We're going to travel through Europe this year.
B: You're not going to Asia?

Language note: Be careful how, and to whom, you say these expressions of doubt. For example, it might not be a good idea to say If you say so to your boss!

2.4 Final Task - Discussing vacation plans

You're outside and bump into your neighbor, who tells you about her vacation plans with her husband Bill. Listen and record the correct response.

3. Seeing someone off

3.1 Grammar - 'Will' for offering or volunteering

Use will + verb to offer or volunteer to do something in the near or more distant future.

Let's go to Istanbul. I'll make the plane reservations right now.
I'll drive you to the airport next week, if you want. I'll drive you to the airport next week, if you want.

Use will + subject + verb to make informal requests.
A: When I go on vacation, will you take care of my dog?
B: Sure, I'll take care of little Sammie.

You can use will not to refuse a request, but be careful: It could be considered too direct and may offend people.
A: Will you get my luggage?
B: No, I won't.

3.2 Expressions - Farewell language

Use expressions like these to bid farewell when someone leaves on a trip:

Have a great trip!
Drive safely!
Have a good flight.
Call me when you get there.
Don't worry about anything.

You can use the phrase Bon voyage! when someone leaves on a trip. The phrase is taken directly from French.
A: OK, then. I'm going.
B: Bon voyage!

3.3 Grammar - The verbs 'try','remember' and 'stop'

The meanings of the verbs try, remember and stop change depending on the form of the verb that follows them.

Try
When the verb try is followed by an infinitive (to + verb), like to buy, it describes an attempt to do something.

I can't go to the mall. Maybe I'll try to buy something online.


When the verb try is followed by a gerund (verb + -ing), like swimming, it means doing something for the first time or doing something different.

I don't like biking. Maybe I'll try swimming on my vacation. I don't like biking. Maybe I'll try swimming on my vacation.

Remember
When the verb remember is followed by an infinitive, like to call, it describes remembering to do a duty or task.

I always remember to call my mother on Sunday.


When the verb remember is followed by a gerund, like calling, it describes a memory of something done in the past.

I remember calling the neighbors. I remember calling the neighbors.

Stop
When the verb stop is followed by an infinitive, like to eat, it describes stopping one action to begin another. In this example, the person was working, but stopped her work to eat.

I stopped to eat when I got hungry. I stopped to eat when I got hungry.


When the verb stop is followed by a gerund, like eating, it describes a discontinued action.

I stopped eating when I felt sick.

3.4 Listening - Reduced forms

Remember that, in spoken English, not every sound of every word is always pronounced. Vowel sounds, especially, are often shortened or reduced. These forms are rarely used in written English, but it's important to be able to recognize them when you hear them.

Listen to the reduced forms for going to, have to and want to. Notice the differences between how they are written and spoken.

Going to
We're going to fly to Hawaii.
I'm going to call my mom.
She's going to play computer games.

Have to
I have to go.
We have to be quick.
She has to leave.
He has to get up early.

Want to
I want to go to bed. I want to go to bed.
Do you want to go to the movies?
She wants to eat out.
He wants to go home.

Notice that the spoken reduced forms for have to and want to change if the subject pronoun is he, she or it; the reduced form for going to, however, doesn't change.

3.5 Final Task - Seeing someone off

4. Describing a vacation

4.1 Vocabulary - Verbs for vacation

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4.2 Grammar - 'So' for describing a result

You can use so to describe the result of an action or event. Notice that the cause (he lost his passport), comes before the result (he went to the embassy).

*Shawn lost his passport, so he went to the embassy. *

Be careful: So is used to introduce a result; because is used to introduce a reason. Notice the difference between the following sentences:

Emily recommended Corcovado, so we went there.
We went to Corcovado because Emily recommended it.

4.3 Expressions - Expressing purpose

Use in order to + base verb to express purpose. Use a comma if the in order to clause comes before the main clause of the sentence. If it comes after the main clause, a comma is not needed.

In order to reserve our room, I called the hotel.
I called the hotel in order to reserve our room.

You can omit in order altogether and simply use to. In fact, to is far more common, especially in spoken English.

Courtney went early to avoid the crowds.

You can also use so that + clause to express purpose. Use a comma after the so that clause if it comes before the main clause. If it comes after the main clause, a comma is not needed.

I turned off my phone so that I could relax.
So that I could relax, I turned off my phone.

You can omit that, and simply use so.
I saved my money so I could visit Terry.

4.4 Writing - Using appropriate register

September 6
Hi, Nicole!
How are you? I'm going to stay another night in Mali so that I can relax and do more sightseeing. Tomorrow, I'll take a tour of Djenne to see the amazing old buildings. The downtown market is full of wonderful smells, so I'm eating a lot of good food. I hope my money lasts because I'm buying many beautiful clothes. I'll give some to you!

See you in a week!
Love,
Megan

Using appropriate register
It's important to use the correct register when writing to someone. Here are some expressions for opening and closing in informal and formal ways.
Informal opening
Dear Kim,
Hi, Mom!

Informal closings
Love,
Take care.
See you soon.

Formal openings
Dear Ms. Tackett,

To whom it may concern:
Formal closings
Sincerely yours,
Best regards,

4.5 Final Task - Writing a postcard

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