Reading. Task 1. a) What do you look for in a holiday destination?

Task 1. a) What do you look for in a holiday destination? Discuss with a partner if these things are important or not.

- Natural wonders, such as waterfalls, mountains, etc.

- Ancient archeological sites and great monuments

- Romantic, historical cities

- Exciting modern cities

- Beautiful beaches and coastline

b) TV travel programme asked its viewers to vote for 'The top 100 places to visit before you die'. They voted in the five categories in exercise 1. Scan the text and answer these questions.

a Which place won in each category? Which country is it in?

b Which ones have you heard of before? What do you already know about them?

c Check these words in your mini-dictionary. Which of the five places do you associate these things with?

canals and bridges	cliffs
layers of rock	neon lights
extravagant hotels	coconut trees
paintings and sculptures	temples
stretches for 443 kilometres	turquoise sea
white sand	gambling

c) Work in pairs or small groups. Find these pieces of information as quickly as you can.

a The names of two famous people married in Las Vegas.

b The age of the city of Petra.

c The name of the largest island in Thailand.

d Two 'ancient monuments' you can find in Las Vegas.

e The name of the second most popular natural wonder.

f Two things you will find in the Doge's Palace.

g The number of people who die falling into the Grand Canyon every year.

h The nationality of the traveller who found Petra about 200 years ago.

i Three things you can do on Koh Samui.

j The number of bridges in Venice.

d) Read the text again and think about the questions. Then compare your opinions in pairs or groups.

• Put the five places in order starting with the one you would most like to visit.

• Are there any other places in the world that you have always wanted to go?

• Have you been anywhere that you think 'everyone should see before they die'?

Natural wonder

The Grand Canyon, USA

Known to native Americans as the 'Mountain lying down', the Grand Canyon stretches for 443 kilometres where the Colorado River cuts through northwest Arizona. The canyon is a baby by geological standards - only five or six million years old, although the rocks at the bottom are almost two billion years old. It is the incredible colours of these different layers of rock that delight visitors - over five million of them every year. Surprisingly though, after making the long journey there, the average visitor spends only fifteen minutes looking at the Canyon. Even so, visitors should still be careful: every year an average of five people fall over the edge.

A viewer's opinion: 'It's just incredible, you feel as if you have died and gone to heaven.'

2^nd Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil

3^d Great Barrier Reef, Australia

4^th Rocky Mountains, Canada

5 ^th Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Ancient wonder

Petra, Jordan

The location for a number of Hollywood films, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the city of Petra was built in rocky cliffs more than 2,000 years ago, and was once an important commercial city. Temples, palaces, and a huge amphitheatre were all cut out of the cliffs, whose amazing colours give the city its rose-red appearance. Historians believe that the citizens of Petra had to abandon it around 551 AD and this incredible archeological site was forgotten by the West, until a Swiss traveler rediscovered it in 1812.

A viewer's opinion: 'It's very difficult to imagine how enormous and how splendid it is from photographs - you just have to see it in person. It'll blow your mind!'

2^nd Machu Picchu, Peru

3^d The Pyramids, Egypt

4 ^th The Great Wall of China

5 ^th Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Modern city

Las Vegas, USA

A surprising choice as your favourite city. Las Vegas means the 'meadows' in Spanish, but meadows are probably the only thing you can't find here. Even for those who aren't interested in gambling, Las Vegas is one of the most exciting cities in the world. 'The strip', in the centre of town, is five kilometres of the most extravagant hotels you will ever see, including replicas of the Eiffel Tower, the Egyptian Pyramids and ancient Roman Palaces. It uses almost 24,000 kilometres of neon lights! Famous for its 'quickie' weddings (both Elvis Presley and Richard Gere were married here) you can even arrange a 'drive through wedding' and be back in the casinos in an hour!

A viewer's opinion: 'There can be no other place like this on earth - it's like entering a cartoon world.'

2 ^nd Sydney, Australia

3^d Hong Kong, China

4 ^th New York, USA

5^th Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Romantic city

Venice, Italy

What could be more romantic than going down a Venetian canal in a gondola? No wonder Venice is the favourite of lovers all over the world. This unique city is located on 118 flat islands, and has over 200 canals and 400 bridges. Visit the Piazza San Marco, one of the most beautiful squares in the world with its 500-year-old buildings, and marvel at the Basilica of St Mark, and the Doge's Palace, the home of many of Venice's most famous paintings and sculptures.

A viewer's opinion: 'Imagine going back in time to a life without cars, where magnificent art and architecture were all around you - this is what you experience when you go to Venice.'

2 ^nd Prague, Czech Republic

3 ^d Paris, France

4 ^th Istanbul, Turkey

5 ^th St Petersburg, Russia

Beach

Koh Samui, Thailand

A tropical paradise located in the warm blue waters to the southeast of Thailand. Although it is the kingdom's second largest island after Phuket, it was unknown to tourists until a few years ago. Easy to reach from Bangkok, it is covered with coconut trees and brightly- coloured flowers and is surrounded by white sandy beaches and turquoise seas. Whether you want remote beaches, great shopping, first- class restaurants or an exciting night-life, you'll find it on Koh Samui.

A viewer's opinion: 'The most perfect paradise island in the Far East - such friendly people and good food! Everyone should go there before they die, but hopefully not at the same time!'

2^nd Whithaven beach, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

3^d Cancun, Mexico

4 ^th Boulder's Beach, South Africa

5^th Bora Bora, French Polynesia

(taken from Sarah Cunningham and Peter Moor New Cutting Edge Intermediate Student’s book. p.28-29)

Grammar: Different types of comparison and comparative phrases

Task 2. Underline the correct word(s).

1 Carmen arrived at the office most/a bit earlier than everyone else.

2 The weather isn't getting any/no better.

3 The director's latest film is even/any more boring than his last one.

4 Using paper products is far/most more environmentally friendly from/than using plastic products.

5 Is their living room any/more different to before?

6 A: How are you feeling today?

B: Oh, I'm very/a lot better, thanks.

7 Colin is much/most helpful.

8 Physics is by far/even my least favourite subject at school.

(taken from Virginia Evans and Jeny Dooley Enterprise Grammar 4. p.119)

Task 3. Fill in: very or much.

William has just bought a 1 ) very nice new car. It is 2)_______faster than his old one and 3)________more comfortable. He is 4)__________proud of it as it is 5)___________more stylish than any of his friends' cars. And so it should be, because it was 6)________expensive indeed. He spent 7)_________more money on it than he could afford and his friends think he was 8)__________foolish to buy it.

(taken from Virginia Evans Round up 5. p.130)

Task 4. Choose the correct item.

Dear Clare.

I'm 1) really (completely/really/slightly) sorry I haven't written earlier. I've been 2) (a lot/enough/extremely) busy recently. The children are on holiday at the moment and so I'm 3) (absolutely/much/enough) exhausted! I'll be 4) (too/just/awfully) glad when they go back to school! Then I’ll be 5 ) (completely/a lot/rather) free during the day! The school holidays are 6) (enough/just/too) long. The children get 7) (terribly/much/ enough) bored and I get 8) (slightly/totally/a lot) exhausted! Well, write soon with your news.

Take care, Joe

(taken from Virginia Evans Round up 5. p.129)

Task 5. Study the information in the table

Like is used: As is used:

to say what sb or sth looks like. She looks like Madonna. (She isn't Madonna.)	to say what sb or sth is really or to talk about one's job or role. He works as a clerk. (He's a clerk.)
after feel, look, smell, sound + noun. It smells like fish.	in certain expressions: as usual, as...as, as much, such as, the same as. He plays the piano as well as I do.
with nouns/pronouns/-ing. She works like a robot. (She isn't a robot.) It was like flying in the air.	after the verbs: accept, be known, class, describe, refer to, regard, use. He is regarded as the best student in his class.

(taken from Virginia Evans Round up 5. p.128)

Task 6. Fill in the gaps with like or as, as in the example.

1 A: I can't tell what flavour this ice cream is.

B: Nor can I. But it tastes a bit ...like... oranges, doesn't it?

2 A: What does Sheryl do?

B: She works__________a lab assistant in a hospital.

3 A: How did Jim react to the news?

B: He cried___________a baby.

4 A: I'm sure I've met that woman before!

B: She does seem familiar. I know! She looks _______that old film star, Bette Davis!

5 A: Wasn't Batman a fantastic film?

B: It was indeed. And Michelle Pfeiffer was great _________Catwoman.

6 A: That was a delicious meal, especially the dessert.

В: I know. No one makes chocolate cake __________Annie.

7 A: Mr Brown knows a lot about Ancient Egypt.

B: Yes. He is regarded ___________an expert on the subject.

8 A: Did Dave enjoy the opera last night?

B: He didn't see it! He fell asleep during the first act _________ usual.

9 A: What's this, Grandma?

B: It's an old bottle, but I use it ____________a vase.

10 A: I'm very happy that I finally met Mrs Arnold.

B: Yes, she seems________a very interesting person.

11 A: I've never driven a car before.

B: Do exactly __________I say and everything will be fine.

12 A: You forgot to take your gloves with you.

В: I know, and now my fingers are as cold ___________ ice.

(taken from Virginia Evans and Jeny Dooley Enterprise Grammar 4. p.121)

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