Living in English: Travel

Living in English: Travel
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1
Lesson Plan Index: Travel
p3 - Group Work - Discussion

p4 - Group Work – Survey – The Last Trip You Took
p5 - Vocabulary Exercises – How Well do you Know Your Automobile?
p6 - Reading – Public Transportation
p9 - Travel and Transportation – Where Do I Belong?
p10 - Reading and Pair Work – Information Gap – World Vacation
Holiday Brochure
p13 - Idioms from Transportation and Travel
p14 - Idiom Review
p15 - Group Interaction - Find Someone Who
p16, 17 - Teacher’s notes
2
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION
Group Discussion
A. Discuss the following questions in your group.
1. How do you get to school? How long does it take you to get to school?
2. Do you have a driver’s license?
3. Do you own a car?
4. What is the speed limit in your city?
5. How much is bus fare in your city? Does your city bus company offer monthly bus passes? If so,
how much are they?
6. Do you have to pay for bus transfers? How long is a bus transfer valid?
7. Do you like traveling?
8. When you go on a holiday, what is your favorite method of travel?
9. Do you get seasick, airsick, or carsick when you travel?
10. If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you choose to go?
11. What is the difference between a hotel and a motel?
12. When you take a holiday, what is your favorite type of accommodation – hotel, motel, inn,
B&B, hostel, tent, R.V. , etc.?
13. What is the longest plane trip you have ever taken? Where did you go?
14. Have you ever been bumped from an airline because of overbooking?
15. Have you ever been on a cruise?
16. Have you ever lost your luggage on a trip?
17. Do you like airplane food?
18. When you fly, do you prefer a window seat, a middle seat or an aisle seat?
19. When you go on a trip, do you use a travel agent or do you book your tickets yourself? Do you
ever make your travel plans on the Internet?
20. What is the best (or worst) trip you have ever taken?
B. Vocabulary
speed limit – the maximum speed you are allowed to drive, according to the law
bus fare – the cost of a bus trip
bus transfer – a ticket or paper that allows you to change from one bus to another
accommodation – place to stay
inn – a type of hotel
B&B – also called a bed and breakfast – a type of accommodation, usually in a person’s
home; both a room and breakfast are included in the price
hostel – a building that provides cheap sleeping accommodation; usually several people
sleep in the same room; very common type of accommodation for young people
R.V. – recreational vehicle, mobile home, camper, a home on wheels
to be bumped – to be asked to give up your seat because there are not enough seats
to book – reserve, save a place
to overbook - to take more reservations than there is place for; to sell more tickets than there are
seats for
luggage – baggage, suitcase(s)
3
SURVEY - The Last Trip You Took
Complete the chart below by asking your classmates questions.
Ex. What was the last trip you took? Where did you go? How did you travel?
How long did it take to get there? etc.
#1 - Name of #2 - Name of #3 - Name of

Trip Information classmate classmate Classmate
Place
Method of Travel
Length of Trip
Traveling Companion(s)
Reason for Trip

(business, pleasure, family
needs, etc.)
When
Places of Interest
Best Part
4
Vocabulary Exercises – How Well Do You Know Your Automobile?
A. Choose the correct word from the list below to complete the following sentences.
windshield wipers – trunk – horn – speedometer – signal light – ignition – brake

emergency brake – visor – accelerator – jack – headlights – odometer – gas gauge
1. When I plan to make a turn, I use the __________________________.

2. When I park on a hill, I use the ______________________________.
3. When it is raining, I turn on the _______________________________.
4. When I want to know how fast I am going, I look at the ____________________.
5. When I have to change a tire, I use the ________________________.
6. When I want to warn a pedestrian not to cross the street, I use the _____________
7. When I think I need to stop at a service station, I look at the _________________.
8. When I want to increase my speed, I use the _______________________.
9. When the sun is in my eyes, I use the _____________________.
10. When I want to know how far I have traveled, I look at the _________________.
11. When I am driving at night, I need to turn on the _________________________.
12. When I am approaching a stop sign, I put my foot on the _______________.
13. When I want to start the car, I put the key in the _______________________.
14. When I have several suitcases, I use the ________________________.
B. Complete the following sentences using your own words.
1. I use the steering wheel __________________________________________________.
2. I use the clutch ________________________________________________________.
3. I use the glove compartment _____________________________________________.
4. I use the rear view mirror________________________________________________.
5. I use the gearshift ______________________________________________________ .
5
Reading – Public Transportation
A. Directions: Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with the correct word
from the list below. You may need to use your dictionaries.
suburbs – transfer – public – commuters – destination

exact – connecting – valid – convenient - fare
Some people drive to work everyday while many others use some form of _________________
transit. This may include buses, subways, street cars and trains. Many ________________
from the _________________ use a combination of these methods of public transit. In most
public bus systems, people may use either a ticket or cash for their bus _________________.
In some cities, bus drivers will not make change so riders need to have the ____________
fare. Many public transit users buy monthly bus passes because they are cheaper and more
_________________ .
It is often necessary for riders to change buses when traveling to their _________________.
If they have to change to another bus, they must ask the driver for a bus ________________
when they first board the bus. This paper marks the time, date, and bus route they are using.
The bus transfer is only ___________________ for a certain period of time. The rider must
give the transfer to the driver of the __________________ bus.
6
B. Read the following information about the Yorktown Regional Transit System and answer the
questions that follow on the next page.
YORKTOWN REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM FARES
CASH TICKETS (sheet of ten)

Adult $2.00 $17.50
College/University Student $1.75 $15.00
(with valid picture ID)
Seniors (with ID) $1.25 $10.00
Youth ( ages 6-18) $1.25 $10.00
Children under 6 Free
MONTHLY BUS PASSES (unlimited use)

Adult $60.00
College/University students $50.00
Seniors & Youth $37.50
YORKTOWN REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM BUS SCHEDULE

Route 99 – Yorkville Mall to Downtown
Lv. Yorkville Lv. Academy Lv. Lv. College Lv. Donald Ar.
Mall at and 4th Broadway and Young and downtown
Mission and 4th Pembina at Donald
and Main
6:10 a.m. 6:22 6:30 6:45 6:52 7:00

6:25 6:37 6:45 7:00 7:07 7:15
6:45* ----- ----- ----- ---- 7:23
7:00 7:12 7:20 7:35 ---- 7:48
7:15 7:27 7:35 7:50 7:57 8:05
7:30* ----- ----- ----- ----- 8:08
7:45 7:57 ----- 8:17 8:24 8:32
8:00 8:12 8:20 8:35 8:42 8:50
* - express bus from Yorkville Mall to dwntwn.
7
C. Comprehension Questions
1. How much is the adult fare in Yorktown? ______________________________
2. What do university students need in order to pay a lower fare? ___________________
3. What is the bus fare for a 14 year old student? __________________________
4. What is the cost of a monthly bus pass for a 70 year old? ________________________
5. If an adult buys a monthly bus pass for $60.00, how many trips may he/she take in a
month? ________________________
6. What does Lv. mean? ________________________
7. What does Ar. Mean? ________________________
8. How many express buses are there on route 99 between 6:00 and 8:00? __________________
9. If you live near Broadway and 4th and have an 8:30 meeting downtown,
which bus should you take? ________________________
10. What is an express bus? ________________________________________________
11. How long does it take to get from Academy and 4th to Broadway and 4th? ______________
12. Which two stops are the farthest apart? ________________________
13. Does Bus #99 always leave Yorkville Mall every 15 minutes? ________________________
14. If you are at College and Young and want to be downtown by 8:15, which bus should
you take? ________________________
8
Travel and Transportation – Where do I Belong?
Each of the words in the list at the bottom of the page is associated with a particular type
of travel or transportation. The word may refer to a piece of equipment, a method of travel,
an activity, a person who works in that area of travel, a place, etc. Work with your partner(s)
and put the words in the correct category. (Note: some words may fit in more than one
category.)
Airplane Automobile Train Bus Boat
1. terminal 16. pier 31. liner

2. station wagon 17. take off 32. propeller
3. depot 18. kayak 33. black box
4. flight attendant 19. toll booth 34. exit ramp
5. engineer 20. hitchhiker 35. mast
6. paddle 21. oar 36. porthole
7. boarding pass 22. shoulder 37. bumper
8. ferry 23. overpass 38. anchor
9. dinghy 24. overhead compartment 39. track
10. metal detector 25. pilot 40. cruise
11. station 26. fender 41. platform
12. cockpit 27. baggage carousel 42. runway
13. conductor 28. berth 43. hubcap
14. sedan 29. security 44. intersection
15. dock 30. land 45. fare box
9
Reading – Pair work – Student A
Directions: You and your partner each have a travel guide listing several different vacation
options. Some of the information is missing from each of your guides. Read your guide and
then, with your partner, complete the questions on the following page.
World Vacation Package Holiday Brochure
A. Sun and Sand Vacations

Hawaii Mexico
• _______days for $1299 • 14 days for $1699
• Maui Grand Pacific Hotel (5 star) • Acapulco Holiday Lodge (_____star)
• Air, hotel and ground transportation • Air, hotel and ground transportation
_______swimming pools, • All inclusive - all meals, drinks,
• 4 tennis courts water and beach sports
• 3 restaurants, casual and fine • Ocean view – across the street from
dining, poolside snack bar the _________________
• Located right on the beach! • Children under 12 stay for free! (air only -
$499)
B. City Lights
Paris London
• _______days for $1599 • 7 days for _________
• Air, hotel and daily breakfast • Air and hotel
• Le Chateau – a charming, little • The Regal Palace – in the
hotel in the heart of the _______ district center of the theater district
• Enjoy the sights and sounds of the • See the Tower of London and
most romantic city in the world Buckingham Palace
• Shopping, museums, fabulous food, • Explore, experience history, enjoy!
the Eiffel Tower and much more!
C. Ski Package D. Cruise the Caribbean

Canadian Rockies
• 5 days for $999. • 7 day cruise for _________
• Air, hotel and bus from airport • Airfare to ____________
• Banff Inn – right on the __________ • Stop in 7 ports
• Hiking, skiing, snowboarding, indoor • Swimming, tennis, nightly
pool and hot tub entertainment. fabulous
• Each room has a kitchenette and fireplace dining – all included
• Daily ski lift ticket included! • Escape to tropical paradise!
10
Reading – Pair work – Student B
Directions: You and your partner each have a travel guide listing several different vacation
options. Some of the information is missing from each of your guides. Read your guide and
then, with your partner, complete the questions on the following page.
World Vacation Package Holiday Brochure
A. Sun and Sand Vacations

Hawaii Mexico
• 7 days for $1299 • ________________ for $1699
• Maui Grand Pacific Hotel (____star) • Acapulco Holiday Lodge (3 star)
• Air, hotel and ground transportation • Air, hotel and ground transportation
• 3 swimming pools • All inclusive - all meals, drinks, water and
• 4 tennis courts, beach sports
• ____ restaurants, casual and fine • Ocean view – across the street from the
dining, pool-side snack bar beach
• Located right on the beach! • Children under 12 stay for free! (air Only -
$____)
B. City Lights
Paris London
• 10 days for $1599 • _________days for $1050
• Air, hotel and daily breakfast • Air and hotel
• Le Chateau – a charming, little • The Regal Palace – in the center of the
hotel in the heart of the shopping district _______district
• Enjoy the sights and sounds of the • See the Tower of London and ___________
most ________ city in the world • Explore, experience history, enjoy!
• Shopping, museums, fabulous food,
the Eiffel Tower and much more!
C. Ski Package D. Cruise the Caribbean

Canadian Rockies
• _______days for $999. • 7 day cruise for $1300
• Air, hotel and bus from airport • Airfare to Miami
• Banff Inn – right on the mountain • Stop in ________ ports
• Hiking, skiing, snowboarding, indoor • Swimming, tennis, nightly
pool and hot tub entertainment. fabulous
• Each room has a kitchenette and fireplace dining – all included
• Daily ski lift ticket included! • Escape to tropical paradise!
11
World Vacation Package Holiday Brochure – Comprehension Questions
A. Directions: Your World Vacation Brochure provides half the information for the following
questions. Your partner’s brochure provides the rest. Together with your partner, complete
the questions below.
1. Which sun holiday is longer?____________________

2. What do you think “ground transportation” refers to? ____________________
3. How many dining choices do you have at the Maui hotel? ____________________
4. How many swimming pools are there in the Maui hotel?____________________
5. Which is the better hotel, the one in Maui or in Acapulco? How do you know? ____________
6. Where is the Acapulco Holiday Lodge located? ____________________
7. How much would a five year old have to pay for the Acapulco holiday?__________________
(What about a 14 year old?) ____________________
8. Which holiday package includes nightly entertainment? ____________________
9. How many package holidays include no meals? ____________________
10. In which holiday package is the hotel located in a shopping district? ____________________
11. Which package allows you to visit more than one destination?____________________
12. What two tourist sites are mentioned in the London trip? ____________________
13. In which hotel can you cook in your own room? ____________________
14. If you go on the ski holiday, how much do you have to pay for lift tickets? _______________
15. How many ports does the Caribbean cruise ship stop in? ____________________
16. What city does the cruise leave from? ____________________
17. Which trip is the longest? ____________________
18. According to the brochure, what is the most romantic city in the world? ________________
B. Which package holiday do you think is the best? Why? Share your ideas with
your partner.
12
Idioms From Transportation and Travel
A. Many idioms come from words related to transportation and travel. In your groups, try to
guess the meanings of the following idioms. Use your imagination!
1. rush hour ____________________________________________________________

2. traffic jam ___________________________________________________________
3. in the same boat ____________________________________________________
4. have a lot of baggage _______________________________________________
5. hit the road__________________________________________________________
6. fender bender _______________________________________________________
7. down the road _______________________________________________________
8. drive someone crazy __________________________________________________
9. flying high ____________________________________________________________
10. lose one’s train of thought_____________________________________________
11. ship shape ___________________________________________________________
12. cruising for a bruising _________________________________________________
13. to be in the driver’s seat ______________________________________________
B. Now try to match the idioms above with the correct definitions below.
A. in the same bad situation __________

B. to be in control, in charge, the one making decisions __________
C. in the future __________
D. looking for a fight __________
E. forget the order of one’s words or thoughts __________
F. time of heavy traffic __________
G. bother, upset, annoy __________
H. have a lot of problems from your past __________
I. feeling great __________
J. leave, start a trip __________
K. many cars on the road and they can’t move easily __________
L. excellent condition __________
M. small car accident __________
13
Idiom Review
Choose the correct idiom from the previous page to complete the sentences below.
(Note: you may have to change the verb form.)
1. Please turn down that music. It is ______________________ me ______________________ !

I can’t get to sleep.
2. Let’s try to get to sleep early tonight. I want to ______________________ early

tomorrow morning so we can miss the heavy holiday traffic.
3. I took my car to the service station to be fixed. The mechanic said it is now in
______________________ . I won’t have any more problems with it.
4. He likes to stay at work late so he can miss the ______________________ .
5. I don’t think she should date that man. He has ______________________ and he may
make her very unhappy.
6. Now that you are the manager of the office, you are ________________________.
7. Robert and Frank both lost their jobs last week. Now they are in ______________________ .
8. He just won a $100,000 lottery. He is really ___________________________!
9. John loves to argue. He is always _____________________________. I think you

should stay away from him!
10. I got caught in a ______________________ this morning, so I was an hour late for
work.
11. It snowed yesterday and the road was very icy. I had a little ______________________ ,
so today I will have to take my car into the service station to be repaired.
12. Please don’t interrupt me. I don’t want to lose ___________________________.
13. We can’t afford to buy a house right now, but we hope that we will be able to
sometime _________________________.
14
Find Someone Who…..
Find someone in the class ….
1. who has been on a trip recently.

__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. who has a monthly bus pass.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. who gets a lift to school.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. who has stayed in a B & B.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5. who has been to London.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
6. who can tell you the meaning of “carry-on luggage”.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7. who prefers train travel to plane travel.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
8. who is planning to take a trip in the near future.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
9. who can explain the word “itinerary”.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
10. who knows the name of a local taxi company.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
11. who has been on a ferry.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
12. who has changed a tire.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
13. who can explain the meaning of “tourist trap”.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
14. who has been to a resort near the ocean.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
15
Travel and Transportation – Teacher’s Notes
These activities are designed for intermediate level adult ESL learners; however, with some
modification, they may also be suitable for upper–beginner and advanced levels.
Recommended Flashcards and Other Visuals to Accompany the Unit

Types of transportation, types of cars and boats, parts of an automobile, at the airport, local
bus and train schedules, travel brochures from a local travel agent.
Group Work - Discussion

Break the class into small groups to discuss the questions in section A. You may need to
teach the vocabulary in section B beforehand. When the students have completed their
discussions, have them share some of their information with the class as a whole.
Group Work – Survey – The Last Trip You Took

Break the class into small groups. Before the students begin interviewing each other, ask
them to provide questions for the words in the chart and write them on the blackboard.
Ex. What was the last trip you took? Where did you go? Who did you travel with? What
interesting things did you see? etc. This will ensure that they are asking the questions correctly
in their group work. After the students have completed the survey, you may have them
report back to the whole class to share some of their information.
Vocabulary Exercises – How Well do you Know Your Automobile?

These exercises may be done individually as a review after you have taught the parts of the
automobile, or you may prefer to have the students try them as pair work. Those students
who are familiar with cars may already know some of this vocabulary and will be able to
assist others. (Ans. Ex.A. 1.signal light 2. emergency brake 3. windshield wipers 4. speedometer 5. jack 6. horn
7. gas gauge 8. accelerator 9. visor 10. odometer 11. headlights 12. brake
13. ignition 14.trunk Ex. B. students answers may vary
Reading – Public Transportation

Ex. A. – ans. – 1. public 2. commuters 3. suburbs 4. fare 5. exact 6. convenient
7. destination 8. transfer 9. valid 10. connecting
B. Yorktown Regional Transit System – comprehension questions Ans. – 1. $2.00 2. picture ID 3. $1.25
4. $37.50 5. no limit 6. leave 7. arrive 8. two 9. 7:35 10. it has few or no stops between two locations
11. 8 minutes 12. Broadway and 4th and College and Young – 15 minutes 13. No, there is one 20 minute interval
between 6:25 and 6:45 14. 7:50
16
Travel and Transportation – Where Do I Belong?
This exercise can be used for vocabulary review or vocabulary development. Have the
students work in groups while categorizing the vocabulary. When you review with the whole
class, have students explain their choices by defining the words.
Reading and Pair Work – Information Gap – World Vacation Holiday Brochure
Before you begin this exercise, ensure that the students are familiar with the concept of
“package holidays”. Break the class into pairs. Give one student sheet A and the other B.
They each have the same travel brochure, but each is missing some of the information. Have
them first read their brochure silently and then work together to complete the questions on
the following sheet by asking questions and sharing information.
Ans. 1. the Mexican holiday 2. transportation between the airport and hotel 3. 3 restaurants 4. 3 pools
5. Maui Grand Pacific- it’s a 5 star hotel 6. across the street from the beach 7. $499, $1699 8. the Caribbean
cruise 9. 3 packages 10. Paris 11. the cruise – 7 posts 12. Tower of London, Buckingham Palace 13. Banff Inn
14. lift tickets are included in the price 15. 7 16. Miami 17. the one to Mexico
18. Paris
Idioms from Transportation and Travel

Put the students in groups and ask them to guess the meaning of the idioms. Let them use
their imaginations and have fun with this exercise. Then share their ideas with the whole class.
Ans. Ex. B - A.3 B.13 C.7 D.12 E.10 F. 1 G. 8 H.4 I. 9 J.5 K.2 L.11 M.6
Idiom Review
After working on the previous exercise in groups, ask the students to complete this exercise
on their own. Correct with the class as a whole. Follow-up by having the students give
sentences of their own using the new idioms.
Ans. 1. driving me crazy 2. hit the road 3. ship shape 4. rush hour 5. a lot of baggage 6. in the driver’s seat
7. the same boat 8. flying high 9. cruising for a bruising 10. traffic jam 11. fender bender
12. my train of thought 13. down the road
Group Interaction - Find Someone Who

Distribute the worksheet. Have the students write the questions before they begin the oral
practice and review the questions together. This will ensure they are asking the questions
correctly as they circulate around the room. Have the students circulate around the class
asking the questions they have written. When the student finds a classmate who can answer
the question, he/she will then write the student’s name on the line and follow-up with
one more question of his/her own. Ex. “Have you been on a trip recently”- If the student
answers “yes”, the second question might be: “Where did you go?”, “How long did you
stay?”, or “Who did you travel with?”, etc. Try to encourage the students to engage in real
conversation during this activity. Follow up by sharing the information with the whole class.
This activity provides a good opportunity for the students to practice new vocabulary
17

Living in English: Travel

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p3 - Group Work - Discussion

#1 - Name of #2 - Name of #3 - Name of

Reason for Trip

windshield wipers – trunk – horn – speedometer – signal light – ignition – brake

1. When I plan to make a turn, I use the __________________________.

B. Complete the following sentences using your own words.

1. I use the steering wheel __________________________________________________.

2. I use the clutch ________________________________________________________.

3. I use the glove compartment _____________________________________________.

4. I use the rear view mirror________________________________________________.

5. I use the gearshift ______________________________________________________ .

suburbs – transfer – public – commuters – destination

give the transfer to the driver of the __________________ bus.

YORKTOWN REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM FARES

CASH TICKETS (sheet of ten)

MONTHLY BUS PASSES (unlimited use)

YORKTOWN REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM BUS SCHEDULE

6:10 a.m. 6:22 6:30 6:45 6:52 7:00

* - express bus from Yorkville Mall to dwntwn.

1. How much is the adult fare in Yorktown? ______________________________

2. What do university students need in order to pay a lower fare? ___________________

3. What is the bus fare for a 14 year old student? __________________________

6. What does Lv. mean? ________________________

7. What does Ar. Mean? ________________________

which bus should you take? ________________________

10. What is an express bus? ________________________________________________

12. Which two stops are the farthest apart? ________________________

you take? ________________________

Airplane Automobile Train Bus Boat

1. terminal 16. pier 31. liner

World Vacation Package Holiday Brochure

A. Sun and Sand Vacations

C. Ski Package D. Cruise the Caribbean

World Vacation Package Holiday Brochure

A. Sun and Sand Vacations

C. Ski Package D. Cruise the Caribbean

1. Which sun holiday is longer?____________________

1. rush hour ____________________________________________________________

A. in the same bad situation __________

1. Please turn down that music. It is ______________________ me ______________________ !

2. Let’s try to get to sleep early tonight. I want to ______________________ early

4. He likes to stay at work late so he can miss the ______________________ .

8. He just won a $100,000 lottery. He is really ___________________________!

9. John loves to argue. He is always _____________________________. I think you

12. Please don’t interrupt me. I don’t want to lose ___________________________.

Find someone in the class ….

1. who has been on a trip recently.

Recommended Flashcards and Other Visuals to Accompany the Unit

Group Work - Discussion

Group Work – Survey – The Last Trip You Took

Vocabulary Exercises – How Well do you Know Your Automobile?

Reading – Public Transportation

Idioms from Transportation and Travel

Group Interaction - Find Someone Who

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1. Please turn down that music. It is me !