EPISODE 248
LEVEL A1.2/A2.1
READING COMPREHENSION
COUNTRY HOLIDAYS
Next year I’m going to spend my holiday in a rural area (= area in the country). I’m going to visit a remote village (= a village far from other villages, towns and cities), which is situated in a valley. The village is surrounded by beautiful scenery ( = there are many beautiful places around) with hills (= small mountains) and mountains. The view there is really spectacular (= very beautiful). The good thing about staying in the country is that you get peace and quiet (= a place with little noise), but the pace of life (= the speed of life) is really slow.
More contexts for the new words:
• I live in an urban area .
(= I live in the city.)
• I stayed in a small cottage during my last holiday.
(= I stayed in a small, village house during my last holiday.)
EXERCISE 1
Decide if the sentences are correct or incorrect. Correct the sentences which are wrong.
1. A rural area is in the city.
2. In a city, the pace of life is very fast.
3. Mountains are small hills.
4. ‘Rural’ and ‘urban’ are synonyms.
5. ‘Remote’ and ‘far’ are synonyms.
6. A cottage is a small house in the country.
ENGLISH IN USE
Today we will focus on talking about the future again. We will learn how to talk about our plans. Look at the following sentence:
Next year I’m going to spend my holiday in a rural area.
Do you know this construction? If you want to talk about your plans and intentions you should use „to be going to”. Here are some more examples for you:
She is not (= isn’t) going to stay here.
They are going to stay in a small cottage.
Are you going to visit your home next summer?
IDIOM CLOSE-UP
A/ How was your holiday in the country?
B/ Fantastic! We had A WHALE OF A TIME!
If you have a whale of a time, you have a great time.
PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP
1. If you SEE someone OFF, you go somewhere such as a station or airport with someone in order to say goodbye to them.
Anne saw Jack off at the station.
My parents saw me off at the airport.
2. If you PICK someone or something UP, you go and meet someone or something that you have arranged to take somewhere in a car.
Will you pick me up after the party?
I’ll pick up my suitcases in the morning.
EXERCISE 2
Rewrite the sentences keeping the same meaning and using the word in capitals. Use the idiom and phrasal verbs you have learned in this lesson.
1. Whose turn is it to take the children home after school?
UP …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. I will go with you to the station to say goodbye.
OFF…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. I have a lot of fun at work.
WHALE………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
NEWS
THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOTEL IN THE WORLD
The Emirates Palace, located in the United Arab Emirates city of Abu Dhabi, is considered to be the most expensive hotel in the world. It took three years to create it, and the work of 20,000 people from 50 countries. Nobody really knows how much it cost to build, but rumours speak of around £2 billion. Outside, it has 114 domes that are 80 metres high. Inside, many of the suites are furnished in gold and marble. In December 2010, it had the world’s most expensive Christmas tree, costing over 11 million dollars. The cheapest room costs $400 per night, and the most expensive – $11,500 per night.
GLOSSARY
– to consider –to think
– rumours – gossip; news people repeat without checking if it’s really true
– a dome – a roof like half of a ball
– a suite – an apartment
>>Answers
KEY TO EXERCISES
Ex.1
1. Incorrect – it is in the country.
2. Correct
3. Incorrect – hills are small mountains.
4. Incorrect – they are opposites.
5. Correct
6. Correct
Ex.2
1. Whose turn is it to pick the children up after school?
2. I will see you off at the station.
3. I have a whale of a time at work.
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