Tag: Travel and Holiday

Electric Tuk-Tuks

B1 – Intermediate

Picture yourself going through narrow streets, feeling the wind on your face, and enjoying the sights and sounds of a busy city.

This is the charm of the tuk-tuk — a popular three-wheeled vehicle, known for their compact size and open-air design, have become synonymous with urban mobility and cultural experiences.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about electric tuk-tuks.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/electric-tuk-tuks-level-2/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “fix” mean in this sentence, “Sri Lanka is having problems with their energy supply and many people lost their jobs because of it. To fix this, the government wants to change 500,000 tuk-tuks to electric ones over five years.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. “The government hopes to help people who have lost their jobs and help the environment, too.” What does “environment” mean? Use it in a sentence.
  3. “Sri Lanka is having problems with their energy supply and many people lost their jobs because of it.” What does “energy supply” mean? Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever ridden in a tuk-tuk? If yes, where was it and what was your experience like? If not, would you like to try riding in one?
  2. How can the change from traditional to electric tuk-tuks affect the owners/drivers in Sri Lanka?
  3. What are the differences between traditional taxis and tuk-tuks?
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using tuk-tuks for short-distance travel?
  5. How do you think tuk-tuks help the tourism industry in different countries?

First Class Travel

B1 – Intermediate

Airlines are spending more money on luxurious first-class cabins that look like hotel rooms as an answer to the increasing demand for luxury travel.

These cabins have amenities such as sofas, double beds, televisions, desks, wardrobes, minibars, and even walk-in showers.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about first-class travels.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/first-class-travel-level-3/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of “recoup” as used in the article? “The airline aimed to recoup its financial losses by increasing the prices of first-class seats and attracting more affluent passengers.” Make a sentence using the word.
  2. What does the word “goldmine” mean in the context of the article? “The introduction of luxury first-class cabins resembling mini hotel rooms has turned out to be a goldmine for airlines.” Make a sentence using the word.
  3. What does the expression “to enter the fray” mean? “Airlines are entering the fray by investing heavily in revamping their fleets and competing to offer the most luxurious and exclusive services in the industry.” Make a sentence using the idiom.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some of the amenities included in the first-class cabins?
  2. Would you pay more money for a first-class experience on a flight? Why or why not?
  3. What is your opinion about airlines spending a lot of money on first-class cabins that are like mini hotel rooms?
  4. Other than luxurious cabins, how else can airlines improve the overall travel experience of their passengers?
  5. Talk about your experience traveling first-class.

Nepal Bans Solo Mountain Climbers

B2 – Upper Intermediate

People take up the hobby of mountain climbing for a lot of reasons. Some do it for the thrill and sense of adventure, while others want to set new records or break the older ones. Regardless of the reason, safety should be the main priority in this activity.

Let’s read the article and find out about this law in Nepal to minimize the risks for mountaineers.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/travel/nepal-bans-solo-mountain-climbers.htm

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of the word “amputee“?” The new law also prohibits blind and double amputee climbers from trying to reach the top peaks.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “acute” mean? “Although mountaineers die for a number of reasons, almost every fifth death is caused by acute mountain sickness.” Give two synonyms and use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does the word “peak” mean in this context? “Nepal has banned solo mountaineers from climbing Mount Everest and other peaks.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is the Nepalese government imposing stricter rules on mountaineers?
  2. How does this new law benefit the locals and the mountaineers alike?
  3. Do you agree with this law? Why or why not?
  4. What is your opinion on the prohibition of physically handicapped people from climbing the Mount Everest?

Get a Refund on a ‘Non-refundable’ Hotel Reservation

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Cancellations, especially last-minute ones, are the bane of the hospitality industry as a whol,e but most places will offer a refund if you have a reasonable excuse. 

Read the article to know what to say and do to get a difficult hotel refund.

https://lifehacker.com/how-to-get-a-refund-on-a-nonrefundable-hotel-reservatio-1848372634https://lifehacker.com/how-to-get-a-refund-on-a-nonrefundable-hotel-reservatio-1848372634

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define the expression “life gets in the way“, “Pandemic or not, sometimes life gets in the way of your travel plans.” Use this expression in your own sentence.
  2. Define “to save a few bucks“, “When you request for a nonrefundable rate to be refunded you are essentially asking the hotel to disregard the risk that you took in order to save a few bucks.”. Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. Define “to have a better shot at something“, “We should note that it’s always left to the discretion of the hotel or booking site as to whether or not to give you your money back—these are just situations where you have a better shot at being successful.“. Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you prefer to call or email a hotel when you want to discuss something with them? Why is this the case?
  2. What are some reasons why people cancel their reservations?
  3. What do you usually pre-pay when you book a hotel?
  4. Do you know anyone who paid a cancellation fee? How much was it?
  5. What will you do if you have to cancel a non-refundable service?
  6. When was the last time you asked for a refund? Why?

Game-Changing Travel Hacks

B2 – Upper Intermediate

For people who don’t travel often, it’s stressful to get ready for a trip. Do you have any travel tips on how to enjoy the journey and not stress out about everything?

Read the article to know how you can ensure you see everything you want and don’t lose anything before traveling to your next destination.

https://theeverygirl.com/travel-hacks/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “all-time high“, “With airports as busy as ever and flight prices at what seems like an all-time high, we could all use a few travel hacks to get us through the trips we have coming up.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. Define the phrase “to shove something into“, “When you’re shoving all your clothes into a suitcase with shoes, bags, jackets, and more, it’s possible that they will lose their freshly cleaned laundry scent—especially if you’re going on a long trip.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. Define the expression”to find one’s self in a pinch, “We would recommend investing in a travel jewelry case, but if you ever find yourself in a pinch before a trip without one (or if you just don’t feel like buying one), there is another solution.” Use this expression in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of these recommendations? Do you like them? Why/why not?
  2. How do you usually plan for your trips? Do you like planning them? Why/why not?
  3. What do you do to make your trips interesting and safe?
  4. What do you do to not feel stressed and worried before your trip?
  5. Share any special travel hacks you use.

AirPods Track Down

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Thousands of flight passengers flock at airports on a daily basis and they lose things all the time. 

During disembarkation, a passenger quickly realized her AirPods had gone missing on the plane, but was allegedly not allowed to go back to her seat to check if they were back there.

She tenaciously tracked them while being on-the-move for weeks. 

Read the article about a woman’s experience losing her Airpods on a plane and her story on how she tracked them down and got them back.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/airpods-tracked-down/index.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does ”blast” mean, “She worked out the email format for United employee emails, and “blasted” every single executive she could find, across the globe.”? Use this word in your own sentence.
  2. What does the word “ping” mean, “He matched the address the earphones were pinging from to an address for an employee of the airport – a contractor working to load food onto aircraft.”? Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “lifeline” mean, Maybe they look like AirPods to normal people, but it’s my lifeline to my husband and means something different to me.”? Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news about a case of alleged theft from a plane?
  2. What is your opinion on how the airline handled this incident? 
  3. What do you think of how Alisabeth handled this incident?
  4. If you were in her shoes, what would you have done?
  5. Have you ever lost anything while on a public transport vehicle/means? Talk about that moment.

Spot A Vacation Rental Scam

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Short-term rentals have become more popular nowadays, especially among travelers. Most of them prefer renting Airbnb places because of their low cost, convenient location, and household amenities. Unfortunately, fraudsters have started scamming people.

Read the article to learn how to spot a vacation rental scam.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-spot-vacation-rental-scam-airbnb-vrbo_l_63bed1f6e4b0b2e1506d1838

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to get bad press” mean, “These types of accommodations have also gotten bad press, thanks to reports of fraudsters using fake listings to swindle families out of their hard-earned vacation dollars.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2.  What does “swear by something” mean, “Many travelers swear by short-term rentals due to their space, privacy, and price options.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  3. What does “fall victim to” mean, “If you fall victim to any type of vacation rental scam, it’s important to report it immediately…”? Use this idiom in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you prefer Airbnb to hotels when on a vacation? Why/why not?
  2. How and where do you usually book accommodations?
  3. What do you look for in accommodations?
  4. Have you or anyone you know experienced getting scammed when booking on Airbnb? Share this experience.
  5. Do you think the techniques mentioned in the article are helpful? Why/why not?
  6. What are other ways to avoid falling victim to rental fraud?

Japanese Will Never Travel Again

B1 – Intermediate

As the lockdowns end and borders reopen, people became free to travel to other countries again! You would think everyone would be excited about this.

Apparently, some Japanese think the opposite. They prefer to explore their own country and its nature instead.

Read the article to know why some Japanese do not want to travel again.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2301/230102-travel-plans-4.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “lockdown” mean? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What is a “bucket list”? Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does “engrossed” mean? Use it in your own sentence. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this, “Almost 35 percent of Japanese people said they never wanted to leave Japan again.”?
  2. What are reasons some Japanese do not want to travel outside of their country again?
  3. How has the pandemic changed your interest in traveling?
  4. Which is better: traveling around your own country or overseas? Explain.
  5. Did you travel in a new city in your country during the pandemic? Talk about your discovery.

Hotel Reservations

B1 – Intermediate

It is always a good idea to have your travel needs arranged before your trip. A place to stay is one of the things you may need when you are going on a trip. Whatever type of accommodation you choose, it is better to book in advance to avoid the last minute hassles of finding an available room for you.

Let’s listen to the audio for an example hotel reservation scenario.

Hotel Reservations

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “suite” mean? Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does “all booked” mean in this sentence,” Are you all booked that night?” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What type of room did Max reserve?
  2. What other room types did the hotel clerk recommend?
  3. How much does he need to pay for the room reservation?
  4. Have you made a hotel reservation before? What information did you provide?
  5. What other ways of hotel reservation do you know? Which one is the most convenient?

Eiffel Tower in Need of Repair

B1 – Intermediate

Paris is a very famous touristic city. The Eiffel Tower is an equally famous sight in it. Millions of people visit this important tourist spot.

The Eiffel Tower was built for the World’s Fair in 1889. After more than a hundred years, this iconic structure needs some repairs.

Read the article about the Eiffel Tower’s state and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2207/220707-eiffel-tower-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you seen the Eiffel Tower? What do you think of it?
  2. How do you feel about the state it is in?
  3. Should historical structures like this be taken down when they are too old, damaged, or broken down? Why or why not?
  4. What is the most important structure in your city? Talk about it. How is it being maintained?