Chapter 9 :

Have money,
Will
Travel !
 Conservation Practice : Living in Kyoto
Robin : Have you ever been to Japan ?
Patricia : No, I´ve 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. It´s 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 WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE

BEEN? 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 bigger, nicer, colder, fresher,
slow, old, cheap, smarter, slower, older, cheaper
Two syllable adjectives pretty, heavy, early, tasty, prettier, heavier, earlier, tastier,
with “Y” happy, noisy, easy happier, noisier, easier
Two syllable adjectives modern, polite, careful, more modern, more polite, more
without “Y” charming, tired, careful, more charming,
more tired
Three syllable + interesting, expensive, more interesting, more expensive,
adjectives comfortable, organized, more comfortable, more
beautiful, dangerous organized, more beautiful, more
dangerous
Superlatives :
One syllable adjectives small, tall, long, young, thin, smallest, tallest, longest,
poor youngest, thinnest, poorest
Two syllable adjectives nasty, lazy, crazy, smelly, nastiest, laziest, craziest, smelliest
with “Y” busy, friendly , busiest, friendlier
Two syllable adjectives famous, crowded, boring, most famous, most crowded,
without “Y” most boring
Three syllable + popular, intelligent, dynamic most popular, most intelligent,
adjectives most dynamic

Exceptions :
good better best
bad worse worst
far farther farthest
less least
Exercises :
A : Complete the sentences. Use the adjectives from the following list to make
comparatives. You can only use each adjective once.

Interesting warm pretty healthy

Beautiful easy important popular
Intelligent serious funny 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 big country in the

world
Mexico City populated city
Africa
the Sahara Desert expensive mountain
South America
Mt. Everest high ocean
Asia
the Pacific 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. What is the most interesting place to live ?

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

1. Who is the most intelligent person you know ?

2. What country is the friendliest ?
3. What is the most expensive car ?
4. Who is the most important person in your life ?
5. Which language is the easiest to learn ?
6. What is the most difficult sport to play ?
7. Who is your closest friend ?
8. What was your best vacation ?
9. 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 Eurail pass hitchhiking sleeping bag

sightseeing temples museums history
culture Buddhism art galleries childhood dream
youth hostels guest houses visa passport
budget hotels student card airline ticket 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 it’s 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 that’s possible ?
Travel Agent : It shouldn´t 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 ? I´m 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, that´s 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, that´s 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, I´m 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, it´s Charlie Smothers.
Travel Agent : Is that C-H-A-R-L-I-E S-M-O-T-H-E-R-S ?
Charlie : Yes, that´s 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 : I’m not crazy about something means that I don’t 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. Don’t 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 + to + PLACE (i.e., Turkey, Brazil, Bangkok, Sydney)

I am going + by + TRANSPORTATION ( i.e. bus, train, taxi, plane)
I am going + with + PERSON (i.e. a friend, my wife, my sister)
I am going + for + LENGTH OF TIME ( i.e. 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 days)
I am going + in + TIME BEFORE DEPARTURE ( i.e. a week, a year)
I am going + on + SPECIFIC DAY OR DATE (i.e. Monday, May 1st)
I am going + at + 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 else’s card. Try to make the situations as original as possible.

Some examples of cards:

I am going to the North Pole. Lester is going to Tasmania.

I am going by dogsled. He is going by rowboat
I am going with my mother-in-law. He is going with his cat.
I am going for 2 years. He is going for 7 days.
I am going in 2 days. He is going in 3 hours.
I am going on Monday. He is going on July 31st.
I am going at midnight. He is going at 1:01 a.m.

My friend is going to the Sahara Desert. My teacher is going to Siberia.

She is going by camel. He is going by helicopter.
She is going with her Arabic lover. He is going with his students.
She is going for one and a half years. He is going for 3 months.
She is going in about 2 weeks. He is going in 10 minutes.
She is going at noon. He is going at 11:30
She is going on Friday, April 1st. He is going on Saturday
morning.

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)
Nov 11 - 15th Jaisalmer - 3 day desert trek
th

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. When are you leaving ?
2. What countries are you going to visit ?
3. How much time are you going to spend in each place ?
4. How long is your vacation ?
5. When are you returning to Canada ?
6. What type of “adventure activities” are you going to do on your trip ?
7. What modes of transportation are you using on your holiday ?
8. Have you ever been to India or Nepal before ?
9. 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 I’ve
ever taken.
Lucy : Yeah, and it was one of the most
crowded, too!
Rafael : I’m glad we’re 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!