My holiday

Level 3 Advanced
1 quick quiz

Test your knowledge of Europe. Find and label the countries (a–i).

Denmark England France

Germany the Netherlands Luxembourg
Slovenia Spain Switzerland

In which countries are these places: Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and Cornwall? ____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Scotland b.

Ireland

c. d.

a.

e.
f.

g. h.

i.

Which country would you like to visit? Find someone who agrees with you.
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SPOT ON NEWS LESSON / My holiday / Advanced

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 My holiday

Level 3 Advanced
2 What does it mean?

Match the words from the article (in boxes) with the definitions. The paragraph title will also help
you find the correct word.
nature activities
to do research to get sunburnt
rainforest macaw pool
to go inter-railing to go white-water rafting
dolphin moors turtle
barbecue wax museum
places to sleep or live feelings
hut shanty town shocking
host family hostel atmosphere
tent eco-camp cool
prison cell homesick
1. Amazon adventure
a forest in a tropical region of the world where it rains a lot ____________________
a small simple shelter ____________________
an area where very poor people live in badly built houses ____________________
an animal with a shell and four short legs that lives on the land, in the ocean, or in rivers and lakes ___________________
something that makes you feel extremely surprised or upset ____________________
feeling sad and alone because you are far from home ____________________
a large ocean animal, similar to a fish, with a big nose ____________________
a South American bird with a long tail and coloured feathers ____________________
to make a detailed study of something in order to discover new facts ____________________

2. Holiday on horseback
the mood or feeling that exists in a place ____________________
attractive or fashionable ____________________
a small area of still liquid ____________________
a large area of high land covered with grass and bushes ____________________

3. The best of Britain

a family that provides the place for you to stay ____________________
a place where visitors can see a collection of wax models of famous people ____________________
to get skin that is red and sore from too much sun ____________________
4. One trip, many places
to travel by train through Europe (using a special ticket that is valid for several countries) ____________________
a building where people can stay and get meals at cheap prices ____________________
a shelter made of cloth and supported with poles and ropes ____________________

5. Big holiday, small country

an institution where people are kept as punishment for committing a crime ____________________
a small room in a prison ____________________
a camp relating to the environment ____________________
a meal at which meat and other food is cooked and eaten outside ____________________
to float in a simple boat along rivers where the current is very fast ____________________
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SPOT ON NEWS LESSON / My holiday / Advanced

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 My holiday

Level 3 Advanced
My holiday
by Ann Foulds and Paul Wheatley

ol – the instructors
re would you go? There was a great atmosphere at the scho
If you could go anywhere in the world, whe were cool and everyone loved the school’s
owners, Ted and
teens who went
Ann Foulds and Paul Wheatley speak to six Mary. The food was good – we even ate fish and chips a few
to fantastic places. perfect for hors e-rid ing! Sometimes
times! I love Cornwall. It’s
horses into the
we went to a pool on the moors and rode the
1 Amazon adventure water. Everybody got really wet but had a
great time!”
ting at her
When Amber Mezbourian, 19, went to a mee Jess’s tip: “Come prepared for all kinds of
weather.”
the midd le of the
school in Jersey, she didn’t expect to be in things!”
Amazon rainforest a few months later. Amb
er told us: Brittany’s tip: “Talk to everyone and try new
Society (BSES) 3
“Someone from the British Schools Exploring The best of Britain
e trips the orga nization offers. England with 40 of
talked to us about the adventur Silke Wessels, 15, from Germany, went to
I decid ed to go to the Amazon. ly for three weeks.
It all sounded really exciting, so her classmates. She lived with a host fami
leaving all my ve that I would
As the holiday got closer, I was worried. I was “I was excited but also nervous. I couldn’t belie
big day arrived – I y day and
friends behind for the whole summer! My be in England – speaking another lang uage ever
to Lima, in Peru, e so quickly
flew to London, then to Madrid, Spain, then meeting lots of new people. Som etim es they spok
rt was just a hut English.
and finally to my destination, Iquitos. The airpo I couldn’t understand but I reall y enjo yed spea king
– with insects all over it! The best thing about Seaton was the beac
h – because
shanty towns in the sea
We stayed in Iquitos for three days. We saw the weather was fanta stic, we wen t swim ming
of monkeys athed – we
and markets with fruit, dead turtles and parts whenever we had time . After swim ming we sunb
Paca ya-Samiria
– it was quite shocking! Then we went to the even got sunburnt!
hom e for six
National Reserve, where boats became our Every morning, we had English lessons. And
every
of trees ! It was
weeks. All I could see was the river and lots Wednesday, we visited a different city.
ed like a strange
very hot and difficult to stay clean – this seem saw the Hard Rock
stic suns et, after London was the best place we visited. We
dream holiday! Every evening, we saw a fanta saw Buck ingham Palace.
e were no lights Café, walked through Hyde Park and
which it always got dark very suddenly. Ther Que en was at home – but
d hear were the We saw the flag – which meant the
anywhere, except on the boat. And all we coul ame Tuss auds
we didn’t see her! We also visited Mad
insects and birds in the rainforest.
homesick but wax museum.
The first week was hard. Many of us felt quite ld love to go back.
ed to have a good time. I did lots of great things in Britain and wou
that quickly disappeared and I start My friends and I
trip we did research English people are really friendly and polite.
All BSES trips have a scientific aim. On my might visit England this summer – but not
for English lessons
studied dolphins,
about the way the rainforest is changing. We this time, just for lots more fun!”
crocodiles.
turtles, macaws and caimans, which are like d (or 40!)!”
h and mea sure them . Silke’s tip: “It’s always good to go with a frien
Sometimes we had to catc
travel more. Next 4
I loved my trip and it has made me want to One trip, many places
a
!” worl d to have
I’m going to south-eastern Asia and then India You don’t have to go to the other side of the
you go with is ntur e.
Amber’s tip: “Make sure the company fantastic adve
you don’ t want to -railing for three
respectful of the country you’re visiting – Dominic Kraus, 19, from Bavaria, went inter
. Thei r ticket allowed
destroy nature just so you can have fun.” weeks in 2004 with his friend Bernward
them to travel in six other countries.
Holiday on horseback where we could
2 Brittany “For our holiday we wanted to go to places
Jess Borer, 19, from Basel, Switzerland, and start ed our trip in Munich and
t friends since practise our English. So we
Lankston, 17, from England, have been grea lin, Belfa st, Glas gow , Amsterdam,
ol in Cornwall. went to Paris, London, Dub
they met on holiday at a horse-riding scho In mos t place s, we spok e English.
ay. My mum Denmark and Luxembourg.
Jess: “I wanted to go on a horse-riding holid camped
found the school, T.M. We stayed in hostels in Paris and London but
said yes – if I went to England. We We nearly alwa ys foun d reall y nice places
phon ed and asked lots of everywhere else.
International, on the Internet. Mum and nothing was
to camp. But we arrived in Belfast at night
questions. It looked great!
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SPOT ON NEWS LESSON / My holiday / Advanced

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 My holiday

Level 3 Advanced
My holiday
by Ann Foulds and Paul Wheatley

our tent and so we

open. We couldn’t find anywhere to pitch
slept in front of a police station!”
meet new people.”
Dominic’s tip: “Travelling is a great chance to
Big holiday, small country
5 enia was great.
Deirdre McCarthy, 19, had heard that Slov
their dream holiday!
So she and her friend Ann started planning
country, but of
“We’d read that Slovenia was a very safe
course we were careful.
ed at an eco-camp
The best part was the Soca Valley. We stay
barbecue, slept in a
run by young Slovenians. We ate from a
ng and talked to
tent, went canyoning and white-water rafti
lots of people from different countries.
… wow!
Ljubljana is a wonderful city. The castle was
It’s an old prison if you can say
Fantastic! We stayed at the Celica hostel. Deirdre’s tip: “People will be very happy
prison bars not difficult!”
and you sleep in the cells. There are still please and thank you in their language. It’s
people and the
– but they open! It’s full of international on.de
atmosphere is cool. I’d love to go back!” © Spot on, May 2007, www.spot

3 Find the information

1. Who experienced these problems? Write: Amber, Jess, Silke or Dominic.
I felt really homesick and
I couldn’t find a place
sad at the start but it went
to pitch my tent one night in
away quickly.
Northern Ireland. So I slept in a
very strange place! b.
a. I was nervous. I
couldn’t understand English
I got really wet on the moors! at the beginning because
But I had a lot of fun. people spoke too quickly.
c. d.
2. Read paragraph 4 again. Dominic and Bernward visited six countries. Draw their journey by
marking the countries they travelled to on the map in Part 1.
3. Read about the holidays again. What was the most interesting thing each person did, in your
opinion? Find someone in your class who agrees with you.
names most interesting thing (write one thing only!)
1. Amber
2. Jess and Brittany
3. Silke
4. Dominic and Bernward
5. Deirdre and Ann
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SPOT ON NEWS LESSON / My holiday / Advanced

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 My holiday

Level 3 Advanced
4 teen talk

1. Read paragraph 5 again. Match the adjectives to the words on the right.
a. great the atmosphere
b. wonderful Slovenia
c. fantastic the castle
d. cool Ljubljana

2. Read paragraph 3 again. Which words does Silke use to talk about her holiday?
___________________________________________________________________

5 Share your experiences!

What things have you done? Complete the ‘me’ column. Then interview two classmates and write
their answers in the other columns. If the answer is ‘yes’, ask your classmate for more information,
e.g. When? Where? What was it like?
Have you ever …? me student 1 student 2
1. felt homesick

2. ridden a horse

3. studied English abroad

4. eaten from a barbecue

5. been to a wax museum

6. slept in a tent

7. got sunburnt

8. been white-water rafting

9. spent a night on a boat

10. seen a dolphin or a turtle

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SPOT ON NEWS LESSON / My holiday / Advanced

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 My holiday

Level 3 Advanced
6 Webquest
Alone or in small groups, visit a website and choose a holiday. Find out:
• What can you see there?
• What can you do?
• What can you learn?
• How do you travel?
• Where can you stay?
• How long is the trip?
Then make a brochure about a holiday you like. Share your brochure with other groups. Vote on the
best holiday!
Useful websites:
• www.istc.org
• www.interrailnet.com
• www.lonelyplanet.com

7 Packing for a holiday

1. With two classmates, choose a travel destination that you would like to visit. Then make a list of
all the things you would like to take with you in your rucksacks (equipment, clothes, etc.). Have
you included the items from the box below?
…
Don’t leave home without
… your passport and visa (if you need one). … tickets (for trains, planes or events).
… travel insurance (to help you if you lose your bags). … health insurance.
… money. … a camera.
… your toothbrush and any medicines you need. … a map.

2. Look at your own list again. Decide which things are: extremely necessary (N), quite important
(I) or a luxury (L). Do you all agree?
3. You have packed too much! Which five things can’t you take? Decide as a group.

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SPOT ON NEWS LESSON / My holiday / Advanced

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 My holiday

Level 3 Advanced
Key

1
a. England
b. Denmark
c. the Netherlands
d. Germany
e. Luxembourg
f. France
g. Switzerland
h. Slovenia
i. Spain
Dublin = Ireland; Belfast = Northern Ireland, Glasgow = Scotland; Cornwall = England

2
1. Amazon adventure 4. One trip, many places
rainforest to go inter-railing
hut hostel
shanty town tent
turtle
5. Big holiday, small country
shocking
prison
homesick
cell
dolphin
eco-camp
macaw
barbecue
to do research
to go white-water rafting
2. Holiday on horseback
atmosphere
cool
pool
moors
3. The best of Britain
host family
wax museum
to get sunburnt

3
1. a. Dominic, b. Amber, c. Jess, d. Silke
2. France, England (UK), Ireland, Northern Ireland (UK), Scotland (UK), the Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg

4
1. a. great – Slovenia, b. wonderful – Ljubljana, c. fantastic – the castle, d. cool – the atmosphere
2. Silke says the weather was fantastic and she did great things in Britain.
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SPOT ON NEWS LESSON / My holiday / Advanced

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