Tag: travel

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?

Yellow School Bus

B1 – Intermediate

In the US, the school bus is believed to be the safest vehicle on the road. Parents feel safe when their children take this yellow bus to school. They have safety features that not all vehicles have. It is easy to notice them on the road because they are yellow in color.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript and find out why school buses are yellow.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/reasons-for-yellow-us-school-buses-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why are school buses in yellow?
  2. Why do you think school buses are safer than most vehicles?
  3. Are school buses common in your country? Are they also painted yellow?
  4. Do you have children or young family members who go to school? How do they usually get there?
  5. What other protective measures should be included in yellow buses or school transport?

Special Emergency Landing

B1 – Intermediate

Plane accidents are rare. Well, they should be! Because surviving it could be very difficult, in fact, almost impossible.

It is always a relief to hear a plane making a safe emergency landing and hearing that no one died or got badly injured.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about an emergency plane landing.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/special-emergency-landing-level-3/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news?
  2. Do you get afraid about being in a plane accident? Why or why not?
  3. What is the most incredible plane accident you’ve ever heard of? Talk about it.
  4. Did you ever dream about learning to fly a plane? Why or why not?

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?

Japan Opens to Foreign Tourists

B1 – Intermediate

Japan is one of the world’s most visited country. It is well-known for it’s pop culture and advance technologies.

However, like most countries, they had to close their borders due to the pandemic. After almost two years, they are finally opening their borders up to foreign tourists again.

Let’s read the article below to know more about Japan’s reopening for tourism.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2205/220530-japan-tourism-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is it better to travel domestically rather than internationally at the moment? Explain.
  2. What are the benefits of international tourism? Explain.
  3. Was Japan right to close to tourists for two years? Why or why not?
  4. Is it time for countries to reopen and relax travel restrictions now? Explain.
  5. Is it better to travel as part of a package tour or as a solo traveler? Explain.
  6. How was your country during the Covid pandemic?
  7. What places in Japan would you really like to visit and why?
  8. Why should foreign tourists visit your country?

Seven Wonders of the World

B1 – Intermediate

Some places in the world are just inexplicably amazing. Some of them are known as the Wonders of the World. If you were asked to name all the Wonders of the World, would you be able to? That’s going to be hard to do. But we can try.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the Seven Wonders of the World.

https://listenaminute.com/s/seven_wonders_of_the_world.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about the Seven Wonders of the World? 
  2. Which ones have you visited? Talk about it in full details.
  3. Which ones would you like to see/visit? Why?
  4. What place/places in your country do you think is/are also a wonder?
  5. Maybe future wonders will be in space. What is your opinion on this?

Sightseeing

B1 – Intermediate

Sightseeing is one of the most interesting and exciting things to do when traveling. You go around a city or a country to see their most important places or landmarks. It’s very interesting to learn and discover something new about a place every time.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about sightseeing.

https://listenaminute.com/s/sightseeing.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do people like sightseeing so much? Why do some people don’t like it?
  2. Do you like sightseeing? Why or why not?
  3. What is a place you learned about at school and visited? How was your experience in that moment?
  4. What is the best time of the day to go sightseeing and why? Which do you prefer and why?
  5. Which place do you want to see and why?

Traveling

B1 – Intermediate

There is a saying that goes, “Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer”. There are just too many places to visit, too little time.

Traveling gives us a lot of experiences and memories.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about traveling.

https://listenaminute.com/t/travelling.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the reasons you travel?
  2. Why do you think some people don’t enjoy traveling?
  3. Talk about your most memorable trip.
  4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of planning your trips in advance?
  5. Have you ever gone to a trip without any plans at all? Why or why not?
  6. Who is the most interesting person you’ve met while traveling? What makes this person interesting?
  7. Do you visit places that are off the beaten track? Why or why not?
  8. How do you feel about being somewhere with thousands of other tourists?

Holidays

B1 – Intermediate

We can see how vacations are crucial in keeping a healthy balance in everyone’s life, whether they are students or working professionals. Everyone yearns for holidays to revitalize and enhance their quality of life by taking a break from the grind. We must take pleasure in our vacations and spend them efficiently to avoid time loss and disappointments.

Let’s read the transcript and listen to the audio about holidays. https://listenaminute.com/h/holidays.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why are holidays important?
  2. What holidays do you really look forward to?
  3. How can one spend their holidays?
  4. Is it better to stay at home on holidays or go somewhere?
  5. What is it like moving around your country during holiday time?
  6. What are the pros and cons of spending holidays with your family, with your friends, or alone?