Why is it important to travel?

I love travelling, but it hasn't always been my passion. In my first year of university, I started to travel during the holidays. During the Christmas holiday I went to Paris, and during the spring vacation, I visited Athens and various cities in Italy – I was very excited because this was the first time I had travelled abroad with just my friends. This desire to travel started off simply as a way to have something to look forward to after exams, but I soon discovered how important it is to travel.

On my travels I have had the opportunity to not only experience new and vibrant cultures through the art, history, language and food, but I have also had the chance to interact with people who have different outlooks on life. Travelling is a learning experience for both oneself and also the people you encounter. Some people I met during my travels had never heard of the Gambia and it was very gratifying to share my African roots with them. When you travel you will meet people who have different cultural backgrounds and as a result, sometimes your own ideas and opinions might be challenged. It's important to learn to see things from other people's perspectives and to challenge your own preconceptions. 

This is how I realised that travelling is the realisation of home. When you travel you are exposed to a different setting, a different language and a different way of living. All these elements, mixed with a new and exciting adventure, make you realise your own home. Not just the physical location of home, but also your way of life and your outlook.

Travelling is truly an enriching experience and I am always excited for the discoveries that await me in my next adventure!

Discussion

Where have you travelled to? Do you like travelling? Why or why not? Where would you like to travel?  

Writing examples and tips

 

Adventure Travel

Check out this brochure with some of the most exciting adventure holidays around the world that may include Scubadiving, as we are big fans of it, and improve your reading skills. Are you ready for this?

Time for an adventure?

Are you a bit bored with your nine-to-five routine? Have a look at our exciting range of holidays that me and my partner in crime prepared and decide what type of adventure you’d like.

Activity holidays

Our activity holidays are for everyone, people who love danger or who just like sports. We have a huge variety of water, snow or desert holidays. We’ll take you SCUBA diving in the Red Sea, we will show you all the beautiful fish fauna that exist and we love so much or kayaking and white water rafting in Canada. If you prefer snow, you can try skiing or snowboarding in the Alps or even igloo-building. For those who like warmer weather, we also have sandboarding (the desert version of skateboarding) or camel safaris.

Polar expeditions

Take a cruise to Antarctica or the northern Arctic; explore a land of white natural beauty and wonderful wildlife. Our experts will explain everything about the two poles as you watch the penguins in Antarctica or whales and polar bears in the Arctic. There's no greater adventure than travelling to the ends of the earth. A once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Cultural journeys

Our cultural journeys will help you discover ancient civilisations: India, Thailand, Egypt and many more. Visit temples, palaces and ancient ruins – just remember to bring your camera! Get to know local ways of life by exploring markets, trying exotic foods and meeting local people.

Trekking tours

We have trekking holidays to famous places such as Machu Picchu or the Everest Base Camp Trek, as well as some nearer to home in the Highlands of Scotland. You don’t need to be very sporty, just fairly fit. You’ll have a great time enjoying nature with a group of new friends. Some of the holidays include camping, but we’ll transport the tents for you!

Wildlife holidays

We organise small-group tours to get closer to nature in Africa, Asia or South America. Go on safari in Africa and watch lions and giraffes. Meet the famous turtles of the Galapagos Islands. Look for tigers in India, or take an elephant safari in Sri Lanka. We use local guides and stay in a range of accommodation, from tents to tree houses.

Discussion

What's the best holiday you have ever had? Where did you go? What did you do?

Earth Hour

Earth Hour

Earth Hour is an annual event which asks you to switch off all your lights for one hour. The aim
is to involve as many people as possible in positive change for our planet.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises to check your
understanding.
Preparation task
Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).
Vocabulary Definition
1. …… sustainable
2. …… an activist
3. …… a candle
4. …… to raise awareness
5. …… a hemisphere
6. …… a logo
7. …… a sunset
8. …… an acoustic instrument
a. to increase understanding
b. able to continue forever by not consuming resources
c. a design or symbol for something (e.g. a product, a
company, an event)
d. a person who takes action to try to change society or
the world
e. a type of musical instrument that doesn’t need any
electrical device to make sound
f. a stick of wax that burns slowly and gives out light
g. the top or bottom half of the earth
h. the time in the day when the sun goes down and it
gets dark

What is Earth Hour?
Earth Hour is organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and it’s a big event usually
at the end of March every year. On this evening, people ‘go dark’ – that is, switch off lights in
their homes, schools and businesses all at the same time for one hour.
Earth Hour started in Australia in 2007, when 2.2 million people in Sydney turned off all
unnecessary lights for an hour. Since then it has grown into an international event, and many
countries around the world have taken part. Famous buildings that have gone dark for Earth
Hour include the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the Petronas Towers in Kuala
Lumpur, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris,
the Forbidden City in Beijing and New York’s Empire State Building. Even astronauts on the
International Space Station have taken part by reducing their power use on the station, and
Google has shown its support by making a dark homepage for the event.
What’s the idea behind Earth Hour?
The idea is to raise awareness of environmental issues and call for action to protect nature, so
that people enjoy healthy, happy and sustainable lives now and in the future.
It’s true that switching off the lights for just one hour saves only a small amount of power. But
this is only the beginning. On one level, joining in Earth Hour makes people think about the
problem of climate change and what we can do in everyday life to protect nature. For
example, eating less meat, using low-energy electrical items instead of high-energy ones and
using green forms of transport all help the planet.
But on another level, a large number of people all acting together sends a powerful message
to governments and companies. It pushes them to take urgent action on a large scale by
making changes to laws and by considering green issues when making big decisions.
What does ‘60+’ mean?
The logo of Earth Hour is ‘60+’. The number 60 is for the 60 minutes of Earth Hour, and the
plus invites people to keep on taking action even after Earth Hour is finished. In fact, people
who join in Earth Hour say that taking part makes them want to do more for the environment.
The climate activist Greta Thunberg says that ‘Earth Hour is every hour of every day.’
What else do people do, apart from switching off the lights?
There are a lot of events that people can join. There are concerts performed with acoustic
instruments instead of electric ones, and using candles instead of electric light. Celebrity
chefs have created special recipes for families to prepare and eat by candlelight. There are
also tree-planting sessions, group walks and runs, and meditation sessions.
Why March?
Around the end of March in the northern and southern hemispheres, the days and nights are
the same length, which is called an equinox. It means that at this time of year, the sunset is at
a similar time in both hemispheres, so it is dark in the evening in each country for the Earth
Hour switch-off.

Task 1
Choose the three correct answers.
1. What do people do for Earth Hour?
Switch off non-essential lights
Listen to acoustic music concerts
Light candles
Switch on the lights at famous buildings
2. When is Earth Hour?
Usually at the end of March
During the whole month of March
Around the time of an equinox in the northern hemisphere
Around the time of an equinox in the southern hemisphere
3. Which of these have gone dark for Earth Hour?
The International Space Station
The Petronas Towers
Every country in the world
Schools and businesses
4. How does Earth Hour help the planet?
It saves a very large amount of electrical power.
It raises people’s awareness of environmental issues.
It makes people want to live a green life even after Earth Hour is finished.
It calls on governments and companies to take action.
5. Which of these statements are true?
Earth Hour is bigger now than when it started.
Earth Hour began in Australia.
Earth Hour’s logo means something important.
In some countries, Earth Hour takes place during the daytime.
Task 2
Complete the sentences with linking words or phrases from the box.
instead of Even that is
But and Since then
1. On this day, people ‘go dark’ – ………………………………, switch off lights in their homes, schools
and businesses.
2. It started in Australia in 2007. ……………………………… it has grown into an international event.
3. Famous buildings have gone dark for Earth Hour. ……………………………… astronauts on the
International Space Station have taken part.
4. The idea is to raise people’s awareness of environmental issues ……………………………… the
small things we can do in our everyday life to protect nature.
5. Switching off the lights for just one hour saves only a small amount of power.
……………………………… it has a much greater effect by making people think about the
problem of climate change.
6. Using low-energy electrical items ……………………………… high-energy ones can help the
planet.
Discussion
Do you think Earth Hour is a good idea? Will you take part?

Answers
Preparation task
1. b
2. d
3. f
4. a
5. g
6. c
7. h
8. e
Task 1
1. Switch off non-essential lights / Listen to acoustic music concerts / Light candles
2. Usually at the end of March / Around the time of an equinox in the northern hemisphere
/ Around the time of an equinox in the southern hemisphere
3. The International Space Station / The Petronas Towers / Schools and businesses
4. It raises people’s awareness of environmental issues. / It makes people want to live a
green life even after Earth Hour is finished. / It calls on governments and companies to
take action.
5. Earth Hour is bigger now than when it started. / Earth Hour began in Australia. / Earth
Hour’s logo means something important.
Task 2
1. that is
2. Since then
3. Even
4. and
5. But
6. instead of

Active vs. Pasive Voice

https://ed.ted.com/on/4jwwAkmp

Extra English episode 28 Christmas

Guess who game

Guess who. A speaking or writing activity.

Speaking. Before the class, prepare a set of pictures of famous people with very clear personality traits. For this activity the students are sitting in pairs, one student (A) facing the board and the other (B) with his back to the board. Display the photo of a celebrity and ask student A to describe this person in general terms focusing on his personality.

Writing. Before the class, prepare a collage with pictures of famous people with very clear personality traits. Ask students to write a description of one of them focusing on their personality without saying their names. Descriptions are read aloud and students will need to determine the identity of the person being described.