METU/SFL Spring 2021

DBE
Reading Handout 1
INTERMEDIATE GROUP
(Student's Copy)
Taking our Time Off
1 Andrew Sims has a no-fly rule. As an international development expert and policy director for London's
New Economics Foundation, he spends his days thinking globally. However, when he travels on
holiday, it's always closer to home, as, several years ago, he decided never again to take a vacation
abroad by air. This decision was not only driven by a concern for the environment but also by a desire
to travel in a more leisurely way. Now, instead of jumping on a cheap flight to Spain or the Côte
d'Azur, Sims and his family board a sleeper train from London to the west coast of Scotland. They
spend unplanned days hiking, cooking, or just dreaming. The journey itself is a key part of the trip, and
it doesn’t matter to them that it takes three times longer than flying.

2 Sims is one of the first to try this popular new way to travel: in the slow lane. As work life becomes
increasingly busy, holidays are occupying a more important place in our lives. When we take a break,
we want to truly get away from the monotony. Just as the slow-food movement has encouraged diners
to enjoy meals and the way they are produced, the trend toward slow travel promotes a more
thoughtful style of vacationing. It refers not only to leisurely and environmentally-friendly modes of
transport (train, boat, bike, or foot) but also to a trip that is smaller in scope and to places not so
popular with tourists. It generally involves quieter, more intimate accommodation, that is, homey
boutique hotels or apartment exchanges. With time shares and second-home ownership on the rise,
many travelers take more vacation days, enabled by the technology that allows them to connect to the
office even while in the Arctic.

3 More and more, people are living for their vacations. (I) The concept of holidays for holidaymakers has
changed, and the word “holiday” has differing meanings in different parts of the world now. (II) They
are using up every single vacation day and are bargaining with their employers for even more time to
enjoy their travels. (III) Gone are the days when holidays were a predictable part of the year; today
they are considered an essential, non-negotiable part of life. We move naturally from the boredom of
work and the responsibilities of family to the pleasures of time off—and back again. Today's tourists
view travel as a form of self-expression. They don't want to come back with an object, or even a
picture. They want to come back with a story.

4 The trend toward leisurely, in-depth holidays, like so many others, stems from the generation of the
baby boomers—people who were born in the US in the years following World War II. They've worked
hard, and now they have the money and the time to enjoy themselves. Because they have been
traveling since they were teens, they've already seen the great museums of Europe, and probably the
key monuments of Asia and the plains of Africa. Rather than visit 20 countries in 20 days, they are
more interested in spending their time in a remote corner of one. For these people, quality and depth
of experience are far more important than crossing out famous spots on a checklist, as they have no
intention to show off when they go back home.

5 Still, it's important to note that slower holidays are primarily a Western phenomenon. While many
Americans and Europeans can afford to take their time and plot their own paths, developing-world
tourists are still trying to earn enough money to afford the traditional one-week packaged tour.
However, there are signs that more-leisurely travel is becoming popular even in the developing
countries. Urban Chinese are taking weekend trips to country farms to overcome stress. Budget hotel
chains catering to the growing number of domestic travelers in India and China are increasingly
offering such relaxing facilities as health spas.
1
6 How these new travelers—whose numbers are expected to grow even faster—will eventually spend
their time and money is anyone's guess. What's clear is that traditional holidays will continue to
evolve, becoming more personalized and in-depth. Among travelers, the sense of urgency—Climb
Kilimanjaro before it melts away! See the Sistine Chapel before you die!—that is common in the
everyday world is becoming less and less. Despite all the worry about climate change, the world is not
going to disappear any time soon; in fact, environmental activism seems to be increasing in strength.
And if you missed the "Mona Lisa"? Oh well. There's always next time.
Adapted from: Newsweek 05/18/07 (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18471915/site/newsweek/

A. Read the questions, determine the key words, and then look through the text to find the answers
as quickly as possible. (2 minutes)

1. According to the passage, what are some of the environmentally-friendly modes of transport?

___________________________________________________________________________

2. Who are the baby boomers?

____________________________________________________________________________

B. Read the text, and find words in the text that mean the following. Write ONE WORD on each line,
and DO NOT change the form of the word.
1. important, necessary (para. 1) : _______________________
2. to beat, defeat (para. 5) : _______________________
3. to develop, change (para. 6) : _______________________

C. Read the text in detail, and answer the following questions according to the text.
1. According to para. 1, what are the TWO reasons why Andrew Sims doesn’t prefer to fly anymore?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

2. According to para. 2, what are the main characteristics of the slow-travel trend?
* ___________________________________________________________________________
* ___________________________________________________________________________
* ___________________________________________________________________________
* ___________________________________________________________________________

3. Which underlined sentence does not fit in paragraph C?

a) I b) II c) III

2
4. It can be inferred from the text that if a traveler prefers leisurely, in-depth holidays, ________.
a) s/he will be keen to buy souvenirs to bring back
b) the journey itself will be one of the main attractions
c) s/he will be willing to visit the typical tourist places

5. According to para. 4, why are baby boomers more willing to spend their holidays in a remote
place rather than visit a popular European country?

_________________________________________________________________________.

6. According to para. 5, why do most tourists from the developing countries still prefer one-week
packaged tours instead of taking a “slow holiday”?
___________________________________________________________________________.

7. According to paragraph 6, _____.

a) the number of new travelers will decrease in time due to time and money constraints
b) there is a sense of urgency for people to see places of interest as soon as possible
c) traditional holidays will be better designed to accommodate slow travel

3
 COLLOCATIONAL VOCABULARY
RHO 1
 concern (about sth/sb) (n.): a feeling of worry * There is growing concern about violence on
about sth important television.
 to be concerned about sth. (adj.) * In the movie, he plays a concerned and sensitive
father who tries to bring up two teenage
children.
* Many people are very concerned about the
destruction of the rainforests.
 a key point / factor / role/ element / feature / * The president makes all the key decisions on
decision (adj.) : very important or necessary. foreign policy.

 to occupy sth (v.): to fill, exist in, or use a place or * The house hasn’t been occupied by anyone for a
period of time. few months.
* Football occupies most of my leisure time.
 to encourage sb to do sth. (v.): to give sb the * Cooder’s parents encouraged him to begin
courage or confidence to do sth. playing the guitar.
 encouragement (n.)
* I couldn’t have achieved this without the
encouragement of my husband and family.

 to involve sth. (v.): if an activity, situation, etc. * The second accident involved two cars and a
involves sth, that thing is a part of the activity, lorry.
etc.
* School officials say they welcome parental
 involvement (in/with sth) (n.) involvement.

 to stem from sth (phrasal verb.): to develop as a * His headaches stemmed from vision problems.
result of something else.
* Their disagreement stemmed from a
misunderstanding.
 to intend to do sth (v.): to have as a plan or * We intend to go to Australia next year.
purpose.
 intention (to do sth) (n.) * It wasn’t my intention to hurt her.
* I have no intention of going to the wedding.
intention (of doing sth)
 to afford sth (v.): to be able to buy or do sth. * I don’t know how he can afford a new car on his
because you have enough money or time. salary.

 to overcome a difficulty /a problem (v.): to * He struggled a lot to overcome his financial

successfully control a feeling or problem that problems.
prevents you from achieving sth.
* The plan was designed to help women and
minorities overcome discrimination in the
workplace.

4
D. Choose the correct vocabulary item for each statement.
1. Most of her psychological problems ________ her diffi cult childhood.
a) are occupied by b) stem from c) are concerned about d)overcome

2. Turkey’s _______ in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest is sti ll uncertain.

a) concern b) involvement c) intenti on d) encouragement

3. The president has announced that she does not _________ to run for re-electi on.
a) involve b) concern c) overcome d) intend

4. The test _______ simple calculations, such as additi on and subtracti on.
a) involved b) intended c) concerned d) stemmed from

5. The new teaching methods _________ students to think for themselves.

a) concern b) intend c) encourage d) afford