Many people throughout the world like to spend their holidays differently. But the majority of them think that travelling is the best way to have rest and to get fun during their holidays.
1. Read Jane’s opinion about travelling and say what is her idea about it.
JANE:
Travelling? I think travelling is great. For me it’s the best way to spend holidays, to have rest and to enjoy free time. That is why every time I have a chance to go somewhere I do it without any hesitation.
I like everything connected with travelling: packing up the luggage, booking tickets for a plane or a train, doing hundreds of preparations. And every time I set for a flight or go on a journey, I am so excited and happy that I think about nothing else but a trip. I imagine myself sitting in a fast train and looking out of the window: villages, trees and rivers are passing by. Everything is so beautiful and new. Or isn’t it thrilling to fly high up in the sky when the towns, forests and fields are so small down there. I hold my breath when we get higher up in the sky and fly above white clouds.
Yes, I believe travelling is fun and a learning experience also, because while travelling I get to know a lot about the places I visit, meet new people and learn a lot about new cultures and traditions. Travelling helps me to get away from my daily routine, and have a good time while travelling. Isn’t it fantastic?
2. Find in the opinion sentences that can help you to explain:
1. why Jane likes to travel;
2. why Jane is happy and excited about the trip;
3. how Jane likes to spend her holidays;
4. why Jane likes to travel by plane;
5. what Jane thinks about travelling by train;
6. how Jane prepares for her journeys;
7. why Jane thinks that travelling is a learning experience.
3. Look in Jane’s opinion for the ideas to prove that:
· travelling takes a lot of time and efforts;
· travelling by train is exciting;
· travelling by plane is thrilling;
· travelling is fun.
4. Taking into consideration the girl’s opinion about travelling, choose the best title to her story and say why you chose it:
1) Travelling is fun.
2) To travel or not to travel?
3) Travelling is the best way to spend time.
4) Travelling by train is fantastic.
5. Tell your mates what Jane thinks about travelling. The following model might help you.
Jane thinks that …
· First of all, … for example, …
· She also likes … because …
· What’s more, she …
· That is why …
6. Now read Kate’s opinion about travelling and say how she likes to spend time.
KATE:
Some people call me a “couch potato”, because I don’t like to travel. Why should I? Travelling is so troublesome. You have to think about booking tickets, packing all the necessary things, choosing the place to go and plan everything in advance - it’s such a routine.
More than that, travelling is dangerous nowadays. I’ve heard a lot about air-crashes and many people killed in car accidents. Why should I get on risk?
People say that travelling is a good chance to see different places and to learn about other countries and cultures. But I can easily do it at home. There are many interesting educational programmes on TV and there are a lot of books and magazines about various places. They give me much information about different countries and people. It is more comfortable and less expensive.
What’s more, while travelling you deal with a lot of strangers, and I don’t like it very much. So, you see, travelling isn’t for me, is it?
7. Find in the opinion the sentences to explain.
1. why people call Kate a “couch potato”;
2. why Kate thinks that travelling is troublesome;
3. how Kate gets information about other countries;
4. what makes travelling dangerous;
5. why Kate is not sociable.
8. In the opinion Kate speaks about the disadvantages of travelling. Look through the list of disadvantages and complete the following sentences according to the model. Mind that sometimes several answers are possible.
*model* Kate thinks that travelling is … because …
1. Kate thinks that travelling is dangerous, because _______________.
2. Kate thinks that travelling is expensive, because _______________.
3. Kate thinks that travelling is troublesome, because _____________.
4. Kate thinks that travelling is boring, because __________________.
5. Kate thinks that travelling is tiresome, because _________________.
6. Kate thinks that travelling is risky, because ____________________.
7. Kate thinks that travelling is dull, because _____________________.
8. Kate thinks that travelling is costly, because ___________________.
· one should think about tickets
· one should pack a lot of things
· one should think about a place to go
· one should be very careful
· one should spend a lot of money
· one should plan everything in advance
· one should never forget about danger
· one should always deal with a lot of paper work
· one should spend a lot of time in buses, trains or planes
· one can meet a lot of strangers
· one can get into trouble
· one can’t be left alone
· one can’t do what he/she wants
9. Tell us whose opinion is closer to you: Jane’s or Kate’s. Explain why.
What don’t you like about Jane’s (Kate’s) idea about travelling?
Whom would you join if you were given a chance to do it? Why?
Say how you prefer to spend your holidays.
10. What statement do you think more exactly expresses your idea about travelling? Prove it.
“Travelling is a learning experience.”
“It isn’t necessary to travel much if you want to learn a lot about the world.”
11.Jane and Kate have just received a letter from their friend who invites them to go to London. Write an answer and say whether they accept the invitation or refuse it. Explain why they want or aren’t able to go. Start the letter that way:
A Letter of Refusal
Dear ____________,
Thank you very much for your invitation to go to London with you. But I am afraid I won’t be able to join you.
There are several reasons for this. First of all ________________