Unit7 What shall we do when there’s nothing to do?

II. Basic Listening Practice

12. Script

M: We offer all kinds of tours and excursions. DO you have anything particular in mind?

W: Not really, we’d just like to see the local sights and have an English speaking guide. It would be good if they were someone local too. My husband is interested in the local stories and folklore.

Q: What does the woman mention as one of her preferences?

2. Script

M: Are you joining a tour group when you go to Indonesia?

W: No, I’m going to backpack my way round. I like being independent and seeing things at my own pace. Besides, there’s more chance of meeting local people that way. I’ve just got to be careful.

Q: what dose the woman want?

3. Script

W: Hey, could you bring your video camera to the kids’ concert tomorrow? I’d love to capture it on film.

M: No problem. I’ll burn it to a DVD for you afterwards, then you can watch it at home.

Q: How will the woman watch the concert later in the week?

4. Script

W: I can’t find that track I really like anywhere. It’s not on CDs in any of the shops, and I really want it on a CD.

M: Well, let’s look online. Maybe we can download it, then burn it to a CD.

Q: What does the man suggest doing to get the track?

5. Script

W: Here’s a riddle: You love deep-sea finishing in Florida, and you’re crazy about skiing in Canada, but you can’t afford even one vacation home. What do you do?

M: I buy a share in two holiday homes, so I own a week or more at each place. Timesharing is the way many people afford seemingly expensive holidays.

Q: What advice does the man give for people unable to afford expensive holiday homes?

 

 

III. Listening In

Task 1: Types of tour

M: Good morning!

W: Good morning! May I help you?

M: Yes. What kind of tours does your travel agency offer?

W: Different types of tours, both individual tours and group package tours. We also offer special tours like the cultural tour, regional tour, biking tour, camping tour, adventure tour, and so on.

M: Sounds interesting. Could you give me more details?

W: There are five basic kinds of tour. They vary according to their purpose. The first and most popular is recreational.

M: I see, most tourists just want recreation.

W: Such tours usually involve a large group who are after the sun, sea, sand, fresh air or sports like swimming, surfing, and so on.

M: And the second type?

W: The second is cultural tour. These tourists want to experience new cultural activities in certain rural areas or towns.

M: What about the third type?

W: It’s historical tour, visits to heritage locations, museums, cathedrals and son, the fourth is ethnic tour.

M: what does ethnic tour mean?

W: This allows tourists to participate in unusual customs in remote areas inhabited by ethnic minorities.

M: And how about the fifth?

W: Environmental tour. It aims at high-income groups. Those people are often interested in visiting faraway or “pure” environments. Because of their remoteness, the journeys normally cost a lot.

M: Thank you for the information. Historical tour appeals to me.

 

 

 

Task 2: Home Exchange

Have you ever wanted to travel to faraway places and live like a native but somehow there never seems to be quite enough money to get you there? Well, have you ever thought of home exchange holidays? It’s the vacation with a difference. You stay in the exchange family’s house and often have the use of their car also; and they in turn stay in your home and have the use of your facilities. If you like the sound of this, then visit our website for your one-stop house exchange vacation.

You will not only find your dream destination in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and European destinations such as France, Spain, England, etc., but you can also book your flights and car hire. On an average, families can save approximately $5, 000 by swapping their homes instead of booking hotels. Travels are interested in house swapping not just to save money. They also see it as a means of meeting locals and experiencing local culture.

Last year my partner and I tried a home exchange holiday in Denver, Colorado, and it was the best. We lived in a superb neighborhood and enjoyed the community and the shopping. We are now planning our next home exchange holiday and we hope to visit Australia.

There are lots of people who say “I don't like the idea of strangers living in my houses while I’m not there”, but don’t forget you are living in their house and by the time the holiday date comes around, you have e-mailed them and phoned them so they feel like friends.

Perhaps you have a second vacation home which could work just as well for the exchange. If you want to rent it out for part of the year, you can advertise the house on our website free of charge.

 

 

Task3: The development of the weekend

The notion of a weekly rest is ancient. Christian religions celebrate a day of rest known as the Sabbath, also called the Lord’s Day. It is on Sunday. The weekend as a holiday is a rather modern invention. Before the industrial revolution the wage labor force was a small fraction of the population. The day of the Sabbath was viewed as one dedicated to God, not one of relaxation.

 

The early industrial period in Europe saw a six-day work week with only Sunday off, but some workers had no days off at all. Only the workers’ rights movements in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century saw a five-day work week introduced as Saturday became a day of rest and relaxation. This movement began in England.

 

In many ways this has been a great boon to the economy as it leads to a great increase in consumer spending on Saturdays as restaurant visits, motorcar journeys, or trips to the movies became common on Saturday. Many jurisdictions continued to enforce strict Lord’s Day laws on Sunday, which meant that most places of recreation, such as stores and theaters, were forced to close on that day. These regulations began to weaken in the years after the Second World War, and Sunday also became a day of recreation for many.

 

After centuries of development, the weekend is now a part of the week usually lasting two days in which most paid workers do not work. This is a time for leisure and recreation, and for religious activities.

 

IV. Speaking Out

MODEL 1   Would you like to do anything?

Amy: Would you like to go to see a movie tonight, say, The Lord of the Rings?

Bill:  Thanks for asking, but there’s too much violence in those blockbusters.

Amy: Then, let’s go roller-skating.

Bill:  I don’t really like to now that I’m not so young any more. You know, my knees ache terribly.

Amy: I’ m sorry to hear that. Hey, let’s go to see a country singer tonight?

Bill:  No. I’m not really in the mood.

Amy: Well, would you like to do anything?

Bill:  Sure, let’s stay home and watch TV.

Amy: Is there anything worth watching tonight?

Bill:  Let me look at the TV Guide first. Well, Survivor’s on Channel 3 at 7:30.

Amy: If I remember correctly, there’s a documentary about animals on another channel.

Bill:  Yes, on Channel 10. Do you want to watch it?

Amy: Do you mind if we watch it?

Bill:  Well. I really wanted to watch the Rocket game tonight.

 

 

 

MODEL2   I can’t make up my mind!

Script

John: Hey!

Nora: Hey!

John: I see you’re reading travel brochures. Planning a holiday trip somewhere?

Nora: Once the warms up. I get itchy feet. I think about going places.

John: Will this be a trip abroad or some excursion close to home?

Nora: Two tours are offered in May: one to big American cities; one to Europe.

John: Are these whirlwind tours that allow you a few hours in each place?

Nora: Oh, no, no, they’re both three-week three-city tours, with a week in each city.

John: That’s more like it. You can look around and not feel rushed. What cities?

Nora: I can’t make up my mind: London, Paris and Rome or New York, San…?

John: Stop there. Europe’s more interesting. America’s OK, but it’s all the same.

Nora: You didn’t let me finish. San Francisco and Chicago, a modern metropolis.

John: Big U.S. cities are so much alike. European cities differ from one anther.

Nora: Yeah, like, they’re in different countries.

John: There are other differences in languages, architecture, food, and customs.

Nora: All right. You convinced me. They say variety’s the spice of life. Variety, here I come.

 

 

 

MODEL3   You’d better get more exercise in your leisure time.

Script

Amy: Look at you! You’re fat and flabby. You’d better get more exercise in your leisure time, or you’ll never be Governor of California.

Bill: That’s right. I’m no Schwarzenegger, no Mr. Universe, so don’t bug me.

Amy: He shows what exercise can do. He used to be a skinny kid from Austria.

Bill:  He likes exercise; I don’t. I was born tired, and I’ve been resting ever since.

Amy: Seeing a fine specimen like him, don’t you feel like exercising vigorously to stay in good shape?

Bill:  Whenever I feel like exercising, I lie down and rest until the feeling passes.

Amy: Ha, ha, very funny. Surely you’ve read about the dangers of obesity.

Bill:  Scientists constantly find dangers: smoking, cholesterol. What else is new?

Amy: You must know an exercise like walking benefits the mind and body.

Bill:  I do, and I walk every day—from my office to the parking lot, not-stop.

Amy: OK, have it your way. Eventually you’ll be a burden on our health system.

Bill:  And just what do you mean by that? I’m not sick. My appetite is good.

Amy: If you stay fat, heart trouble or high blood pressure could hospitalized you.

Bill:  Well, you may have a point there. I suppose we could go for a walk after dinner, slowly.

 

 

 

 

V. Let’s Talk

Script

 

 

VI.  Further Listening and Speaking

Task1: Recreational Vehicles

In North American the term recreational vehicle or RV, is generally used to refer to a vehicle equipped with living space and amenities found in a home. A recreational vehicle normally includes a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom and a living room. A large RV is very elaborate, with satellite TV and Internet access and space for storing a small car inside it. In other countries the terms caravan or camper van are more common; these vehicles are typically smaller than those in North American.

An RV allows the user to bring the comforts of the modern household, such as indoor plumbing, electricity, cooling facilities and so on into remote or wilderness areas where such service might be unavailable or hard to obtain. Other advantages include not having to move one’s things in and out of motel rooms, not having to rent motel rooms, and sleeping in a bed on is comfortable with. Also, if you prepare food yourself, it saves money compared to eating in restaurants, and you can meet any dietary restrictions or preferences. In addition, an RV provides a more organized living space an better protection from the weather than t tent. What’s more, there is no tax if you choose to live in an RV.

Disadvantages of RVs include poor fuel economy for the motorized RV, lack of maid service as experienced in motels at high-end resorts, and the challenge of driving large RV models for the novice. Large models may not be able to travel on small road due to weight, height, and length restrictions. If the RV is above a certain size, the driver is required to have a heavy vehicle license.

There is a stereotype that people who live in RVs full-time do so because they are poor and cannot afford more conventional housing. However, and increasing number of people are opting to sell their homes and live in their RVS, which can cost as much as their home did. Some return to home ownership after several years while some few bounce back and forth between owning a home and living in RVs full-time.

 

Task 2: The Modern Circus

Script

The first modern circus was staged in London in 1768 by Philip Astley, a former English cavalry officer, who performed as a trick ride. Beginning with a visit to Paris in 1772, Astley introduced the circus in cities throughout continental Europe and was responsible for establishing permanent circuses in a number of European countries as well as in England. A circus was first presented in 1793 at the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg.

 

By the early 19^th century, several permanently-based circuses were located in larger European cities. In addition, small traveling shows moved from town to town in covered wagons in which the performers lived. The traveling shows were usually simple affairs, featuring a fiddler or two, a juggler, a ropedancer, and a few acrobats.  In the early circuses such performers gave their shows in open spaces and took up a collection for pay; later, the performers used elaborate shows. In the earlier part of the 19^th century a main feature of the permanent circus program was the presentation of grams that included displays of horsemanship. Throughout the 19^th century the circus evolved in programming and management. Initially, trained horse and horsemanship performances dominated circuses, but rope-dancing, juggling, acrobatic acts, wild-animal acts, and clowning were all introduced within the first few decades. The flying trapeze, an important part of the modern circus, was not invented until 1858, and the street parade and sideshow did not become standard circus events until later in the 19^th century. Tents are believed to have come into use in the 1820s, but it is uncertain whether they appeared first in Europe or in the United States.

 

Nowadays, the entertainment activities offered at a circus are more elaborate, generally consisting of displays of horsemanship, exhibitions by gymnasts, aerialists, wild-animal trainer, performing animals, and comic performance by clowns.

 

Task3:  I’m doing a lot of things on the computer!

Script

Barbara: Jack, you’re sitting in front of your computer again! The sea and the sand are only steps only away. Why are you wasting these beautiful holidays? The summer will be over before you know it.

Jack:     I’m not wasting the holidays as you say. The computer is a good thing. On the Internet you can go to any part of the world; I can see everything in the world. It’s more real than reality.

Barbara: But…but you can’t spend your entire summer watching that screen. You’ll get a big bottom.

Jack:     I’m not just watching the screen. I’m doing a lot of things—I’m sending e-mails, I’m learning things, I’m chatting in chat rooms…

Barbara:  Right! But I’ll bet you’re spending most of your time playing computer games—a time-wasting, mindless activity that I’ll turn your brain into Chinese doufoo.

Jack:    No, it isn’t a single mindless pastime. It’s many activities: role-playing games, arcade games, adventure games, strategy games…

Barbara:  I understand the computer is a wonderful thing, but you have to be careful not to get too much of a good thing. Every life needs some variety in it. It would be a lot healthier if you played a chess game outdoors, in the park.

Jack:    It wouldn’t be the same. In those games in the park I can’t play against the grandmaster of Moscow, can I? And there are creative games in the computer, where I can learn city planning and psychology.

Barbara:  Well, what about me? Don’t you think I’d like a little attention?

Jack:     Now, Baby, that’s no way to talk. After all this time together, you know I love you.

Barbara:  I’m not so sure any more. It’s time you made a choice. Is it going to be more me or the computer?

Jack:     Well…