6A Summer holiday

ICE BREAKER

• Do you take regular holidays?
• Do you usually holiday in your own country or abroad?
• Do you go to the same place every year or do you like to explore different places?
• Do you book everything in advance or do you just go somewhere and then see what happens?
• What would you prefer: two weeks on a sunny beach or exploring interesting towns and countryside?
• Are you a good packer?
• What's more boring: waiting at an airport or sitting on the plane?
• What would you find in your ideal hotel?
• What holiday destinations are on your bucket list and why?
• What is your dream holiday like?

LANGUAGE CORNER

1. A resort is a place for holidays, sport, etc.
2. When you check out of a hotel you leave. You pay any money you owe and give back your key. You cannot check out of a plane flight.
3. Another meaning of the phrasal verb check out is to look carefully and closely at something. For example, you can check out the room when you arive at a hotel, ie you go and look at the room to see if it is OK.
4. The packing is an uncountable noun (from the verb to pack), referring to all the things you have packed. Packing is usually in suitcases (ie cases), bags, boxes or rucksacks. Do the packing means exactly the same as pack.
5. Luggage (AE: baggage) is another uncountable noun referring generally to all your bags, suitcases, etc. 
6. Hand luggage (or hand baggage) are bags that are light and small, and can be easily carried onto a plane, etc. Pick up can mean lift or collect from. 
7. A brochure is an advertising magazine, usually with colourful pictures.
8. Holiday (BE) means vacation (AE). Holiday in AE means 'a day off work' ie a public holiday or a bank holiday (BE).
9. You go on holiday or on vacation. You can also be on/take a/have a holiday/vacation.
10. Holiday can be used in some compound nouns such as holiday camp, holiday resort, holiday getaway, etc.
11. An all-inclusive holiday is a holiday where you pay one price and all travel, accommodation, food, etc. is usually included.
12. Last-minute holidays are ones that you book only a very short time before you travel. They are often bargains (ie have very low prices).
13. A travel rep (travel representative) is a person employed by a holiday company who helps you when you are at an airport, hotel, resort, etc. They usually solve problems and inform you about excursions, entertainments, etc.
14. Sunscreen (ie sun cream or sun block) is a liquid or cream you put on your skin to stop the sun from burning you.
15. To travel light means that the person doesn't take any cases or bags with them
16. I fancy somewhere different is short for I fancy going somewhere different. It means 'I would like to go somewhere  different'. 
17. If you fancy (doing) something, it means that 'you would like to do it m but don't feel very strongly about it'.
18. I'll probably get around to it in a week or two - if you get round to something you do it after some delay.
19. If you leave things till the last minute, you avoid doing things that you need to do until it is nearly too late.

Life experiences

• Have you ever stayed in a hotel on your own? If so:
• What was it like?
• How did you like it?
• Did you speak to other guests in the hotel?

Situation:

Imagine you are staying at a hotel on your own and it's your first morning there. You have just gone downstairs for breakfast and you are sitting at a table with people you don't know - what would you do and what would you sau to these people?


Further listening practice
Interview with a globetrotter

Randall's travel arrangements