Chapter 9 :

Have money,
Will
Travel !

Conservation Practice : Living in Kyoto

Robin : Have you ever been to Japan ?

Patricia : No, Ive never been there. Have you ?
Robin : Yes, I worked in Japan for two years as an
English teacher.
Patricia : Really ? That must have been very interesting.
Robin : Yes, it was a great experience.
Patricia : Where did you live in Japan ?
Robin : I lived in a city called Kyoto. Its really famous.
It has a reputation of being the most Japanese
place in Japan.
Patricia : What do you mean ?
Robin : When most people think of Japan, they think of Geishas, kimonos, tea
ceremony and Zen Buddhism. Well, Kyoto has all of it and more. There
are hundreds of temples and shrines. It is the cultural and artist center of
the country.
Patricia : It sounds wonderful. Is it expensive to go there ?
Robin : Yes. Japan is probably one of the most expensive places to visit.
Patricia : Can you speak any Japanese ?
Robin : Sure. Would you like me to teach you some ?
Patricia : That would be great !

Class Survey : Where have you been? Where would you like to go?
Interview two students and ask them the questions below. Then exchange the information

NAME :

WHERE HAVE YOU

BEEN?

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE

TO GO ? WHY?

Practice the conversation above and then replace Japan with some of
the places you have been or would like to go.

Comparatives and Superlatives

The chart will explain how comparatives and superlatives work in English. We
use comparatives to compare things , and we use superlatives to say that
something, has more of a quality than anything else of its kind.
Ex. The blue skirt is longer than the green one. (Comparative)
The Nile River is the longest river in the world. (Superlative)
Canada is bigger than Mexico.(comparative)
Canada is the biggest country in the world. (Superlative)
Mexico City is the largest city in the world.
Petroleos Mexicanos is the biggest company in Mexico.
General motors is the bigger than Daimlerchrysler in Mexico.

Adjective :

Comparatives or
Superlatives

Comparatives :
One syllable adjectives big, nice, cold, fresh, smart
slow, old, cheap,
Two syllable adjectives pretty, heavy, early, tasty,
with Y
happy, noisy, easy
Two syllable adjectives modern, polite, careful,
without Y
charming, tired,
Three syllable +
adjectives

interesting, expensive,
comfortable, organized,
beautiful, dangerous

Superlatives :
One syllable adjectives small, tall, long, young, thin,
poor
Two syllable adjectives nasty, lazy, crazy, smelly,
with Y
busy, friendly
Two syllable adjectives famous, crowded, boring,
without Y
Three syllable +
popular, intelligent, dynamic
adjectives
Exceptions :
good
bad
far

Exercises :

better
worse
farther
less

bigger, nicer, colder, fresher,

smarter, slower, older, cheaper
prettier, heavier, earlier, tastier,
happier, noisier, easier
more modern, more polite, more
careful, more charming,
more tired
more interesting, more expensive,
more comfortable, more
organized, more beautiful, more
dangerous
smallest, tallest, longest,
youngest, thinnest, poorest
nastiest, laziest, craziest, smelliest
, busiest, friendlier
most famous, most crowded,
most boring
most popular, most intelligent,
most dynamic

best
worst
farthest
least

A : Complete the sentences. Use the adjectives from the following list to make
comparatives. You can only use each adjective once.
Interesting
Beautiful
Intelligent

warm
easy
serious

pretty
important
funny

healthy
popular
good

1. Paris is _________________ than Delhi.

2. The book is very interesting. It is ___________________ than this one.
3. English is very easy. It is ______________ than Spanish.
4. Thailand is a tropical country. It is ____________ than Iceland
5. This report is_________________ than the other one.
6. Roses are _______________ than dandelions .
7. Whole wheat bread is ____________ than white bread.
8. Rock and roll music is ________________ than country music.
9. Einstein was ___________________ than the average man.
10. The Three Stooges were _______________ than Charlie Chaplin.
11. This problem is __________________ than the one we had last month.
12. This one is good, but that one is _______________ .
B : Construct superlative sentences using the following vocabulary.

Japan
world
Mexico City
Africa
the Sahara Desert
South America
Mt. Everest
Asia
the Pacific
Ocean

big

country

in the

populated

city

expensive

mountain

high

ocean

long

desert

Ex. Canada is the biggest country in the world.

1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________________

Ask and answer these questions with a partner. Give reasons for your
answers.
In your opinion...
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

What is the most interesting place to live ?

Who is the most famous person ?
What is the most romantic city ?
What is the most popular music ?
What is the best food ?
What is the worst place to visit ?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Who is the most intelligent person you know ?

What country is the friendliest ?
What is the most expensive car ?
Who is the most important person in your life ?
Which language is the easiest to learn ?
What is the most difficult sport to play ?
Who is your closest friend ?
What was your best vacation ?
What was the nicest thing someone did for you ?

Role Play :
Situation 1 :

A : You are taking a trip with a friend and you have to make
arrangements about your trip. You want to go backpacking
around Europe .
B : You are excited about going on a trip with your friend, but you
want to go to Asia. You have always been fascinated with Thailand,
Indonesia, the Philippines, etc...

Some useful vocabulary :

backpacking
sightseeing
culture
youth hostels
budget hotels

Eurail pass
temples
Buddhism
guest houses
student card

hitchhiking
museums
art galleries
visa
airline ticket

sleeping bag
history
childhood dream
passport
guide book

travel agency

reservations

accommodation

transportation

Reading Comprehension :
Mexico, Something for Everyone.
Mexico is a country of incredible diversity. It is one of the
most fascinating places in the world to visit. It is a rich
mixture of indigenous and Spanish ancestry. There are over
50 distinct Indian cultures, each one has its own language
and traditions, which are maintained to this day. Tourism is
one of the most important industries in Mexico. There is
something for everyone. It has some of the most beautiful mountain ranges and
beaches in North America. It has only been in the past century that modern
technology has been part of Mexican life. Today, Mexico City, the largest city in
the world, with a population of approximately 22 million, contains some the most
modern and the most ancient architecture and history in the country.
As a tourist, Mexico provides everything from delicious cuisine to intricate
handicrafts, the majority of which are made by hand. Each region has its own
distinct flavor. The music, food, local lingo, and handicrafts all vary from state to
state. Geographically, Mexico has mountains, beaches, deserts, and volcanoes.
Popocatepetl, a volcano close to Puebla, is currently active and causing some
concern. The word is in Nahuatl, one of the indigenous languages, meaning
mountain that blows smoke. The volcano beside Popo, as it is fondly referred to,
is Iztaccihuatl, which means sleeping woman. Legend has it that these two
volcanoes were once lovers and changed into volcanoes by the gods so that they
could be together forever. Mexico is full of rich folklore . It has one of the oldest
histories in the world. It goes back as far as 20,000 years. If you get the chance to
spend some time in Mexico, it will probably be one of the most interesting and
exciting experiences in your life. It will certainly be a holiday you will never forget
and hopefully you can learn some Spanish along with some words of Nahuatl.
Questions about Mexico, Something for Everyone
1. How many distinct indigenous peoples live in Mexico ?
2. What is one of the most important industries in Mexico ?
3. What is the largest city in the world ?
4. Geographically, what does Mexico have to offer ?
5. Are all the regions the same ? If not, how are they different ?
6. What are the names of the two volcanoes near Puebla ?
General Questions about Mexico :
1. Have you ever been to Mexico ? If so, when? If not, would you like to go?
2. What are your perceptions about Mexico and Mexicans ?

3. Can you speak any Spanish ?

Conversation Practice :

Organizing your Dream Vacation.

Travel Agent : Can I help you with something, sir?
Charlie :
Yes, I would like to take a trip to
Greece. I would like to find out
about the airfare to Athens, please.
Travel Agent : Sure, no problem sir. I can check for
that information in our computer.
Charlie :
Great! I would like to leave in about
6 weeks, if thats possible ?
Travel Agent : It shouldnt be a problem, sir. There are
three airlines that travel to Greece. You
can fly with Air Greece, SwissAir, or

KLM.
Charlie :
Which airline is the safest to fly ? Im not crazy about flying*.
Travel Agent .They are all excellent airlines, sir, but I guess the safest would be
between KLM and SwissAir. They both have excellent records.
Charlie :
Is there any difference in price ?
Travel Agent :You said you wanted to fly in about six weeks, right ?
Charlie :
Yes, thats right.
Travel Agent : Well, that would make it* the 10th of April, which is low season so
KLM would be a little cheaper. Maybe about $100 cheaper.
Charlie :
Wonderful ! What is the fare with KLM ?
Travel Agent : Economy would be $699 return*.
Charlie :
What a bargain*. Can I make a reservation now ?
Travel Agent : Certainly, sir. Would you like to pay by cash or credit card ?
Charlie :
Oh, I only want to make a reservation. Could I pay next week? You
see I get paid next week.
Travel Agent :Yes, thats fine. You have to pay for the ticket at least three weeks in
advance for this fare. Which date would you like to leave, exactly ?
Charlie :
I would like to leave on a Friday, the 8th of June , if possible.
Travel Agent :Oh, Im sorry. KLM only flies on Saturdays and Tuesdays from Toronto.
Charlie :
Okay, Saturday the 9th would be fine.
Travel Agent :Great. May I have your first and last names please ?
Charlie :
Yes, its Charlie Smothers.
Travel Agent : Is that C-H-A-R-L-I-E S-M-O-T-H-E-R-S ?
Charlie :
Yes, thats right.
Travel Agent :Okay, Mr. Smothers. You are reserved on KLM flight 978 Vancouver
- Athens at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 9th, reservation no. KCS65691.

Cultural note : Im not crazy about something means that I dont like something
very much. The expression that would make it means it would equal or it would

calculate to a certain time or amount. What a bargain means what an excellent price
or what a good deal. A return ticket means both ways there and back.

Irregular Past Tense Verbs

In this chapter, we will cover irregular past tense verbs that deal with travel.

Simple Present

Simple Past

begin : I begin my class at 9 a.m. everydaybegan : She began to study Spanish when
she was 12.
bring : Optimism brings happiness.
brought : She brought a lot of clothes
on her vacation.
drive : My father drives to work every
drove : We drove a rental car all around
morning.
Europe.
keep : My grandmother keeps all her
kept. : While we were on holidays, I
old photographs.
kept a journal.
get : I never get sick on a trip.
got : My husband got sick when we
went to Mexico.
leave : My son always leaves the light
left : Roger and Gwen left on their trip
on when he goes to sleep.
to Jamaica last week.
swim : My father-in-law swims three
swam : When I went to Thailand, I
times a week.
swam almost every day.
send : Our friends send us e-mail all the sent : We sent postcards to all our
time.
friends.
win : My sister always wins when we
won : My best friend won a trip to
play cards.
Disneyland in Florida for 2 weeks.
spend : My husband and I spend a lot
spent : They spent a lot of time
of time together.
together in Ireland.
ride : I ride my bicycle to work.
rode : Julie rode a horse on the beach.
lend : Sometimes, my parents lend me
lent : My sister lent me her sleeping bag
money.
and tent when I went camping.

Write it !.
Write a short story about one of your holidays. Use as many past
tense verbs as you can. Dont use any of the verbs twice.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

I AM GOING + PREPOSITIONS
In chapter 7, we talked about the idiomatic future. For example, I am going to see a
movie or She is going to do her homework. Now, we are going to use the same
structure, but we can use different prepositions to express different things.
I am going
I am going
I am going
I am going
I am going
I am going
I am going

+
+
+
+
+
+
+

to
by
with
for
in
on
at

+
+
+
+
+
+
+

PLACE (i.e., Turkey, Brazil, Bangkok, Sydney)

TRANSPORTATION ( i.e. bus, train, taxi, plane)
PERSON (i.e. a friend, my wife, my sister)
LENGTH OF TIME ( i.e. 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 days)
TIME BEFORE DEPARTURE ( i.e. a week, a year)
SPECIFIC DAY OR DATE (i.e. Monday, May 1st)
SPECIFIC TIME OF DAY (i.e. midnight, 3 p.m.)

Class Activity : Have each student make up a card with all the sentences above and fill out
the appropriate information which corresponds to each preposition. Then the students exchange
cards and read out someone elses card. Try to make the situations as original as possible.

Some examples of cards:

I am going to the North Pole.
I am going by dogsled.
I am going with my mother-in-law.
I am going for 2 years.
I am going in 2 days.
I am going on Monday.
I am going at midnight.

Lester is going to Tasmania.

He is going by rowboat
He is going with his cat.
He is going for 7 days.
He is going in 3 hours.
He is going on July 31st.
He is going at 1:01 a.m.

My friend is going to the Sahara Desert.

She is going by camel.
She is going with her Arabic lover.
She is going for one and a half years.
She is going in about 2 weeks.
She is going at noon.

My teacher is going to Siberia.

He is going by helicopter.
He is going with his students.
He is going for 3 months.
He is going in 10 minutes.
He is going at 11:30

She is going on Friday, April 1st.

morning.

He is going on Saturday

Itinerary for a Trip

You are going on an adventure tour to India and

Nepal. Below is your itinerary. Look it over and then
answer the questions .

Mystical Magic Tour :

Nov. 1st
Depart from Mexico city
Nov. 2nd - 7th Delhi and Agra (Red Fort,
Fadapor Sikri, Taj Mahal)
Nov. 8th - 10th Jaipur and Jodhpur (visit the
forts and temples)
th
Nov 11 - 15th Jaisalmer - 3 day desert trek
on camel.
Nov. 16th
Train to Delhi
Nov. 17th Fly to Benares - (ghats, sitar
concert, tour of the old city)
Nov. 18th - 19th
Bus trip through the
Himalaya
Mountains to Katmandu
Nov. 20th - 25th
5 day trek in the
Himalaya Mountains
Nov. 26th - 28th
Sightseeing around
Katmandu and nearby
village
Nov. 29th
Return to Mexico City.

Questions about the Itinerary :

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

When are you leaving ?

What countries are you going to visit ?
How much time are you going to spend in each place ?
How long is your vacation ?
When are you returning to Canada ?
What type of adventure activities are you going to do on your trip ?
What modes of transportation are you using on your holiday ?
Have you ever been to India or Nepal before ?
What are your perceptions about these places ?

**In partners, make up an itinerary for an exciting adventure tour.

Class Activity : Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4. Half the class are travel
agents and the other half are clients. The travel agents make up some package
tours. Each agency should specialize in one particular area (i.e. Asia, Caribbean,
Europe, etc...) The agencies set up prices, hotel lists and some advertising. The
clients have to come up with a budget and an idea of where they want to go. They
should prepare a list of questions for each agency. The clients rotate around the
agencies comparing prices and packages. Each group can only buy one package.
The agency with the most customers, wins. Suggestion : If the students or
teacher can get some travel brochures or pamphlets from a travel agency, it makes
the activity much more life-like.
Role Play :
In Partners, act out the following situation in front of the
class. Write a script and practice, if necessary. You can choose
any city in the world.

A : You are in a tourist and you visit the Tourist

Information Center for some information. You need a
map of the city, and some information about hotels,
points of interests and transportation.
B : You work in the Tourist Information Center of our
city. You have all the information that your customer
needs, including a free map of the city.

Wrap up :
.

How Do I Get from the Airport to my Hotel ?

Rafael : That was the longest flight Ive
ever taken.
Lucy : Yeah, and it was one of the most
crowded, too!
Rafael : Im glad were finally in Italy ! I
have to call the hotel to confirm
our reservations and to get
directions.
Hotel Clerk :Good, morning. Sheraton Hotel,

Rome. How may I help you ?

Rafael :
Yes, good morning. My name is Rafael Sanchez. I would like to confirm
my reservation with your hotel for 7 nights starting today.
Hotel Clerk : Rafael Sanchez, yes I have your reservation. When can we expect you ?
Rafael :
We are coming right away. Could you please give me directions? I
bought a map but I left it on the plane.
Hotel Clerk :Sure. Our address is 2540 Leonardo de Vinci Boulevard. Are you taking
a taxi from the airport?
Rafael :
Yes, we are.
Hotel Clerk : Just tell them you are going to the Hotel Sheraton on Leonardo de Vinci.
They all know the way. Welcome to Italy!