topic 5 holidays and travel

EXPRESSIÓ ORAL ADVANCED LEVEL

TOPIC 5: HOLIDAYS AND TRAVEL preparation time: 7 minutes

1.- Conversation. Talk about the following questions with your partner. You can use the pictures

to help you if you wish.

1. Who do you know that really needs a holiday, and why? Where should they go and what

should they do?

2. What special clothing/customs are associated with your favorite holiday?

3. What are three holidays that you like to spend with your family?

4. How do you spend your time when you are on holiday and the weather is bad?

5. Do you think that people should be allowed to drink beer or other drinks with alcohol on

the beach?

TOPIC 5 HOLIDAYS AND TRAVEL.odt 1

2. MONOLOGUE.

Partner A. Below there are three statements related to the topic. Talk about them for

approximately 1,5 minutes without help from the examiner. You may be asked further questions

about the topic when you have finished.

1. Compare the experience of being a tourist with being an international student.

2. Do you enjoy talking with strangers on an airplane?

3. In your opinion, what are the five most essential items to pack on any holiday?

Partner B. Below there are three statements related to the topic. Talk about them for

approximately 1,5 minutes without help from the examiner. You may be asked further questions

about the topic when you have finished.

1. Compare package tours with do-it-yourself tours.

2. What are some of the things that are done to show that this holiday is being observed?

3. Would you rather have a younger, more beautiful/handsome flight attendant or an older,

more experienced one?

Total score: 25 Pass mark: 15 (60%)


Questions Holidays

6. When is the holiday celebrated?

7. Is it celebrated as a family or a group?

1. Does your family celebrate this holiday?

2. Has your family always celebrated this holiday? If not, when did you start celebrating it?

8. When does the celebration for this holiday generally start?

9. Is it a religious holiday?

1. Which religion celebrates it?

2. Is attending a temple or a church on that day part of the celebration?

3. Are there specific prayers or blessings that go with the holiday?

10. Are there special foods connected with the holiday?

1. Have you eaten any of these foods?

2. Do you or did you like the foods?

3. Can you make these foods? Are you good at making them?

11. Is gift giving a part of this holiday?

1. Are there specific types of gifts to be given?

2. Who are they given to?

12. What are some of the things that are done to show that this holiday is being observed?

13. Is it strictly an American holiday?

1. When did Congress approve this holiday? Or did they?

2. Is it only a state or city approved holiday?

3. Has is ever been disapproved by officials?

14. What does the holiday stand for? Why is this holiday celebrated?

15. Are the banks, post offices or schools closed for this holiday?

16. Is there is a person or god connected with the holiday?

1. Who are they and do you believe in them?

2. If you do not believe in these people or gods, does the celebration of these bother you

in any way (e.g., ignored, dismissed, angry, etc.)?

17. Do you enjoy the holiday?

1. Why or why not?


18. Do you decorate the outside of your house for the holiday?

1. Do your neighbors decorate their house?

2. How is the house decorated?

3. Is the inside decorated? How?

19. Are there special songs associated with the holiday?

1. Do you know the songs?

2. Can you sing some of them?

20. Do schools, temples or churches have special programs for this holiday?

21. Are there parties?

1. Are these for adults, children or both?

22. Do you see your relatives during this holiday?

1. Who did you visit?

2. Do you visit them every year on this holiday?

23. How many different nationalities or ethnic groups do you see celebrating this holiday?

24. What do you usually do for this holiday?

1. What did you do last year?

2. What would you like to do next year?

25. Are cards sent or given for this holiday?

1. Did you send any cards last year?

2. How many cards did you send?

3. Who did you send cards to?

26. What traditional colors are associated with this holiday?

27. Do you do something different during this holiday?

28. Would you like to go on a cruise? Why or why not?

29. Will you go back to the same place again?

30. Have you ever entered a competition to win a holiday?

31. Compare the experience of being a tourist with being an international student.

32. Would you take a job where you had to travel at least once a month?

33. In your opinion, what are the five most essential items to pack on any holiday?

34. Is a 'working holiday' really a holiday?


35. Who do you know that really needs a holiday, and why? Where should they go and what

should they do?

36. Compare caravan holidays with youth hostels.

37. Compare camping in a tent with staying in a five star hotel.

38. Compare traveling alone to traveling with a companion.

39. Compare package tours with do-it-yourself tours.

40. Do you think package holidays for pets is a good idea?

1. If so, what kind of tours and activities should they offer?

2. How much should they be?

3. Should dogs and cats be allowed to travel on the same tour?

41. What holidays have disappeared in your country?

42. What is your parent's favorite holiday?

43. What new holiday are needed in your country?

44. What holiday should be abolished?

45. What are some of your fondest memories of Thanksgiving?

46. What kind of traditional food do you eat for Thanksgiving?

47. Where is the best place to be for the holidays?

48. Do you think holidays are important? Why?

49. What kinds of thing do you like to do on the holidays?

50. Do you ever feel blue during the holidays? What do you do about it?

51. Do you think pets need holidays? What kinds of holidays would we have for pets?

52. What games do you play during your holidays?

53. How many holidays do you have in your country?

54. What special foods are associated with your favorite holiday?

55. What special clothing/customs are associated with your favorite holiday?

56. What is your favorite holiday memory? Tell us about it.

57. Who is your favorite holiday character (e.g. Santa Claus)? Why?

58. What are three holidays that you like to spend with your family?

59. What is your worst holiday memory? Tell us about it.

60. If you had a long holiday, what will you do with it?


61. Do you like to stay up late on holidays?

62. Who do you usually spend the holidays with?

63. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, should you get another day off?

64. What is best present you ever received?

65. What is your favorite holiday food?

66. What is your favorite holiday song?

67. Does it bother you that some holidays are religious and some are not?

68. Do you celebrate holidays differently now than you did when you were a child?

69. What is your favorite holiday festival in your country?

70. Do you light off fireworks on New Years Eve in your country?

71. If you could visit any other country during Christmas, where would you go?

72. What holiday is the most dangerous in your country?

73. What holiday is the most exciting in your country?

74. Why do we celebrate Easter?

75. Do you celebrate Easter in your country?

76. How do you celebrate Easter in your country?

77. Do you have any special family traditions?

78. Did the original meaning of Easter get lost?

79. What do you think of Father's Day? Mother's Day? Parent's Day?

80. What are 3 holidays that you like to spend with your family?

81. If you had a long holiday, what will you do with it?Do you like to stay up late on holidays?

82. What's your favorite holiday food?

83. What kinds of religious holidays have become secular in your country?

84. Is there any religious holiday that has a special meaning for you?

85. Is there any non-religious holiday that has a special meaning for you?


Questions Travel

1. Have you ever been abroad?

2. Where have you been?

3. Are you planning on going anywhere for your next vacation?

1. If so, where?

2. Who with?

3. How long will you stay?

4. Are you afraid of going abroad alone?

5. Could you live in another country for the rest of your life?

6. Describe the most interesting person you met on one of your travels.

7. What was your best trip.

8. What was your worst trip.

9. Did your class in high school go on a trip together?

1. If so, where did you go?

2. How long did you stay?

3. How did you get there?

10. Do you have a driver's license?

11. Do you like to travel with children? Why or why not?

12. Do you like to travel with your mother? Why or why not?

13. Do you prefer summer vacations or winter vacations?

14. Do you prefer to travel alone or in a group? Why?

15. Do you prefer to travel by train, bus, plane or ship?

16. Do you prefer traveling by car or by plane?

17. Have you ever been in a difficult situation while traveling?

18. Have you ever been on an airplane?

1. How many times?

2. What airlines have you flown with?

19. Have you ever been to a foreign country?

20. Have you ever gotten lost while traveling? If so, tell about it.

21. Have you ever hitchhiked? If so, how many times?


22. Have you ever taken a package tour?

23. How do you spend your time when you are on holiday and the weather is bad?

24. How many countries have you been to? How many states?

25. How many times have you traveled abroad?

26. How much luggage do you usually carry?

27. If you traveled to South America, what countries would like to visit?

28. If you went to ___(Insert a country name)__, what kind of souvenirs would you buy?

29. If you were going on a camping trip for a week, what 10 things would you bring? Explain

why.

30. What are some countries that you would never visit? Why would you not visit them?

31. What are some things that you always take with you on a trip?

32. What countries would you like to visit? Why?

33. What countries would you most like to visit?

34. What countries would you not like to visit? Why?

35. What country do you most want to visit?

1. Why?

2. Do you think you will ever go there?

36. What do you need before you can travel to another country?

37. What is the most interesting city to visit in your country?

38. What is the most interesting souvenir that you have ever bought on one of your holidays?

39. What languages can you speak?

40. What place do you want to visit someday?

41. What was the most interesting place you have ever visited?

42. What's the most beautiful place you've ever been to?

43. When was the last time your traveled?

44. When you are on a long car journey do you play games or sing songs to occupy your time?

1. What kind of games?

2. What songs?

45. Where are you going to go the next time you travel?

1. When are you going to go?


2. Who are you going to go with?

3. How long are you going to go for?

4. What are you going to do there?

5. What kind of things do you think you will buy?

46. Where did you go on your last vacation?

1. How did you go?

2. Who did you go with?

47. Where did you spend your last vacation? Your summer vacation? Your Christmas vacation?

48. Where will you go on your next vacation?

49. Would you like to take a cruise? Where to? With who?

50. Do you prefer traveling on a hovercraft or a ferry?

51. Would you prefer to stay at a hotel/motel or camp while on vacation?

52. Would you rather visit another country or travel within your own country?

53. Would you rather go to a place where there are a lot of people or to a place where there are

few people?

54. Do you find more fulfillment from your leisure activities including vacations than from your

job?

55. Do you think the type of vacation one takes reflects one's social status?

56. What are popular tourist destinations in your country?

1. Have you been to any of them?

2. Which would you recommend if you could only recommend one? Why?

57. Do you prefer active or relaxing holidays? Why?

58. Which is better, package tour or a tour you organize and book yourself?

59. Why do you travel?

1. Why do people travel?

60. Would you like to go back to the same place?

61. Did you find anything of particular interest? / Did you get attracted to anything special?

62. What are some benefits of travel?

1. Why do people travel?

63. What is your favorite mode of travel?


64. Have you travelled in business class?

65. When you were a child did your family take a vacation every year?

66. Do you prefer a budget or first class hotel? Why?

67. Do you travel with a lot of baggage or do you like to travel light?

68. What is your favorite method of travel at your destination? Train? Bus? Boat? Bicycle?

Backpacking?

69. What is the best kind of holiday for different ages of people? Children? Teenagers? Adults?

Elderly people?

70. Do you think it is a good idea to travel with friends, or alone? How about with your family?

71. If you had $100,000, where would you go on holiday? How about if you had $10,000? What

about $1,000?

72. Which countries have you travelled to?

73. Do you prefer hot countries or cool countries when you go on holiday

74. Who makes the decisions when your family decides to go on holiday

75. If you could choose one place to go this weekend, where would it be?

76. Has the airline ever lost your luggage? What happened?

77. On long flights do you usually walk around the plane to avoid health problems?

78. Have you ever read an interesting question in an in-flight magazine? What was it?

79. Is there any difference between young tourists and adult tourists?

80. Do you think tourism will harm the earth?


Questions Countries

1. What country would you like to visit?

2. What country would you like to live in and why?

3. What country would you like to work in?

4. What country has the most interesting customs?

5. What country would be fun to work in?

6. Would you like to work in a tropical country?

7. Would you like to work in Antarctica?

8. Would you like to live where there is always snow?

9. Would you like to live where there is desert and hot weather?

10. What countries in Europe have you visited?

11. What countries would you not like to visit and why?

12. What country in Asia would be a great place to live?

13. Is your country the best place for you to live?

14. What is special about your country?

15. What festivals and feasts does your country have?

16. Would you like to go and live in another country?

17. What countries would you like to travel to for a vacation?

18. How would you travel to see your country?

19. How would you travel the world?

20. What countries would you travel to if you were to do a world trip?

21. Which country gets the most snowfall and why?

22. What country/ countries neighbor (neighbor) your country?

23. What are some similarities and differences between your neighboring country and your

country?


Questions Airplanes

1. How old were you when you went on your first flight?

1. Where did you go?

2. Do you like to travel by airplane?

3. What was the longest flight you have ever taken?

4. What seat do you prefer: window, center or aisle?

5. What are three things you're supposed to do before the flight takes off?

6. What do you like to do during the flight?

1. Does the plane provide anything to do to pass the time?

7. What are some movies you remember seeing on the plane?

8. What do you do when you experience turbulence?

9. Have you ever met anyone or established any relationships during a flight?

10. What should be done with obese people who practically take up two seats?

11. Can you sleep during the flight?

12. Have you ever seen a female pilot?

1. Why do you think that most pilots are men?

13. Would you like to be a flight attendant?

1. What are the benefits and /or downfalls?

14. Are most flight attendants female?

1. Is being a flight attendant considered a good job in your country?

15. What do you think are the qualifications?

16. Are planes really safer than cars? ( A British study shows that flying is 176 times safer than

walking, 15 times safer than driving and 300 times safer than a motorbike.)

17. Would you rather have a younger, more beautiful/handsome flight attendant or an older,

more experienced one?

18. What are the advantages of traveling by airplane?

1. What are the disadvantages?

19. Do you know someone who is afraid of flying in an airplane?

20. What questions should you ask when buying airplane tickets?

21. What is a group rate?


22. What is a charter flight?

23. What arrangements should you make for pick-up at the airport?

24. What things can you see in an airport?

25. What questions do they ask you when you check-in at the airport?

26. What questions do they ask you when going through immigration and customs at the

airport?

27. Have you ever seen an airplane crash?

28. Have you ever seen terrorists on the plane?

29. Have you ever met an annoying person during a flight?

30. Have you ever had an accident during a flight?

31. Have you ever work as a flight attendant?

32. Do you only fly one airline?

33. Do you think budget airlines are safe?

34. Do you like to fly? Why or why not?

35. What is the smallest airplane you have ever been on? How small was it?

36. Do you prefer to fly in big planes or small planes? Why?

37. Would you like to learn how to fly? Why or why not?

38. Do you think being a pilot is a good job? Why or why not?

39. Have you ever gone sky-diving? Why or why not?

40. Have you or someone you know ever been in a plane crash?

41. What would you do if you were on a plane that was crashing?

42. Do you like to watch movies or TV about airplane crashes? Why or why not?

43. Do you enjoy the foods on airplane?

44. What arrangements should you make for pick-up at the airport?

45. What things do you see in an airport?

46. What questions do they ask when you check-in at the airport?

47. What questions do they ask when going through immigration/customs at the airport?

48. How much baggage do you take with you?

49. What items should not be included in your hand baggage?

50. What documents do you need for international travel?


51. What airline do you prefer using?

52. How was the service on your last flight?

53. Do you like airline food?

54. Would you pay money for airline food?

55. Do you enjoy talking with strangers on an airplane?

56. Do you enjoy takeoff / landing?

57. What are some airplane disaster movies?

1. Why do you think they are popular?

58. How do the pilot and the co-pilot navigate their planes?

59. What is a boarding pass?

60. When do you pay for airport tax?

61. Where can you hang your coats after boarding an airplane?

62. What do you do when you get blocked ears during take off / landing?

63. What do you do before take off / landing?

64. Where can you smoke while traveling by plane?

65. What do you do when you need a flight attendant's assistance?

66. How can passengers reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis?


Questions Beach

1. When was the last time you went to the beach? Where did you go?

2. What do people do at the beach?

3. Can you swim?

1. When did you learn to swim?

2. Who taught you to swim?

3. What kind of swimming suit do you wear?

4. Have you ever been night-swimming?

5. Are there any problems with jellyfish, sharks or stonefish at your local beach?

6. Have you ever played sports on the beach?

1. Which sports have you played

2. ? How are they different from non-beach versions of the sport?

7. Have you ever collected seashells?

1. Can you describe a shell that you have collected?

2. What did you do with the shells that you collected?

8. What sort of animals live at the beach?

9. Have you ever been fishing on the beach?

1. What did you catch?

2. What did you use as bait?

10. What is the "tide"?

1. Why is there a tide?

2. What is a "rip tide"?

11. Have you ever been on a sail boat or a row boat?

12. Have you ever used a surf board or body board?

13. Do you like to suntan?

14. Do you think sunblock is important?

15. Have you ever been to a famous beach?

16. What do you wear to the beach?

17. How do you keep your wallet safe while you are swimming?

18. Is erosion a problem at your local beach?


19. Is pollution a problem at your local beach?

20. Should people be able to own a beach or part of a beach?

21. Why is beachfront land so expensive?

1. Why do so many people want to live there?

2. Would you like to live there?

3. What are some dangers of living on beachfront property

22. Do you prefer a calm sea or do you prefer big waves?

23. Should dogs be allowed on the beach?

1. Should dogs have to be kept on leashes at the beach?

24. Should cars be allowed on the beach?

25. What do you think of people who swim in the nude?

26. Is there a nude beach near where you live?

1. What do you think about nude beaches?

2. Would you ever want to swim in the nude?

3. Have you ever gone to a nude beach?

4. What do you think of topless swimming?

27. Which is your favorite beach?

28. Are there life guards at the beaches in your country?

29. Do you think that people should be allowed to drink beer or other drinks with alcohol on

the beach?


Questions Cars and Driving

1. How old were you when you first learned to drive?

1. Was there anything difficult about learning to drive?

2. Can you drive a car?

3. Can you drive a manual shift car?

4. Do you have a car?

5. If so, what kind of car do you have?

1. Is it a standard (manual shift) or automatic shift?

2. Which do you like best, a standard or automatic shift car?

6. What are the advantages of owning a car?

7. What are the disadvantages of owning a car?

8. Are you a good driver?

9. Have you ever been in a car accident?

10. Have you ever been pulled over by the police?

1. What happened?

11. Have you ever driven a car in a foreign country?

1. If yes, which side of the road did they drive on?

2. Were the road signs different?

12. Are the drivers in your area where you live good drivers?

13. Do you know anything about repairing or maintaining a car?

1. What do you know how to do?

2. Where did you learn how to do this?

14. Do you enjoy repairing cars?

1. What are some things you do to maintain your car?

15. Do you prefer driving or riding public transportation?

16. What kind of car do you prefer?

17. Do you like drive at night?

18. Do you think cars should be banned from city centers?

19. What side of the road do you drive in your country?

20. Is drunk driving a problem in your country?


21. What kind of laws does your country have about drunk driving?

22. What is the penalty for drunk driving in your country?

23. Have you ever been (or) do you know anyone who has been in an accident related to drunk

driving?

24. Is jaywalking legal in your country?

25. Do people often jaywalk in your country?

26. Who taught you to drive?

27. How long did it take you to learn to drive?

28. What is the longest trip you have ever taken by car?

29. Have you ever broken down and been stranded on the side of the road?

1. Who helped you?

30. How do American drivers compare to drivers in your country?

31. What are the speed limits in your country?

32. On what occasions do you honk your car horn?

33. Is it acceptable to honk in your country

34. Are men better drivers than women?

35. Are women better drivers than men?

36. At what age can you get a licence in your country?

37. Do you think the age for driving should be raised or lowered?

38. Do you think driving lessons should be provided by high schools?

39. Should new drivers have a period of accompanied driving?

1. Or some kind of trial period?

40. Do you have a GPS (Global Position System)?

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a GPS?

41. Does the type of car a person drives tell us about the person who drives it?

42. What can we tell or imagine about a person by looking at the car they drive?

43. What are the laws about seat belts in your country?

1. How are they different to this country?

44. Is your car air conditioned?

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of air conditioning?


45. Do you have a GPS?

1. If yes, when do you use it? If no, would you like one? Why or why not?

46. What is the price of gasoline in your country?

1. Is it cheaper or more expensive than in this country?

47. Do you allow passengers to eat inside your car?

48. What are the advantages/disadvantages of buying a second-hand car?

49. Do you wash your car yourself or do you have it washed?

50. Do you think that there is a relation between global warming and cars?

51. Have you ever seen a "hybrid" car?

52. What do you know about "hybrid" cars?

53. Do you really think that car manufacturers are interested in global warming?

54. How often do you need to get your car repaired?

55. On what occasions do you honk your car horn?

1. Is it acceptable to honk in your country?

56. Do you like to drive or be driven?

57. Have you ever bribed a policeman in your country after he pulled you over?

58. Is it common for traffic cops to accept bribes?

59. How are the traffic laws in your country?

1. Are they strict or lax?

60. Do most people follow the rules of the road?

61. Is it easy to find parking?

62. Is parking expensive?

63. What should be done in order to prevent traffic congestion in your city?

64. Is there any kind of rules to avoid traffic congestions?

65. How do you feel about spending time in your car during rush hour?

66. Is car theft a big problem in your country?

67. Have you had your car stolen?

68. Have you had your radio stolen?

69. Is road side assistance common in your country?

70. Can you change a flat tire?


71. Do you know anything about fixing a car?

72. Who taught you to drive?

1. Was it pleasant or unpleasant?

73. Have you ever broken down and been stuck on the side of the road?

1. Who helped you?

74. What do you think of international car-free days?

75. Can you recall any memorable car drive in your life?

76. What are the most frequent driving offenses?

77. What factors are responsible for railway crossing accidents?

78. According to insurance statistics women are better driver than men.

1. Do you agree?

79. What do you think of car pooling?


Questions Bullfighting

1. Have you ever seen bullfighting?

2. Which countries are famous for bullfighting?

3. Can you explain what happens at a bullfight?

4. Why do some people find bullfighting a wonderful spectacle?

5. Why do some people call bullfighting cruel?

6. What happens the bulls after they killed?

7. Can women be bullfighters?

8. If you don't want to ban bullfighting, would you impose restrictions on who watches this

kind of sport?

9. Do you know anything about "bull-running" in Pamplona, Spain?- would you like to take

part in this? Why?/ Why not?

10. Would you ban bullfighting in Spain?

11. Do you think bullfights, cockfights, dogfights, fish fights and the likes should be banned?

Why?

12. How do you gamble on bullfighting?


HOW TO DESCRIBE PHOTOS

1.- Type the visual document.

This document is …....

What we have here is/are ….........

a photograph

a painting (un cuadro)

a strop cartoon (un cómic)

a drawing (un dibujo)

a caricature

an advert (un anuncio)

a map

a poster

a snapshot (una instantánea)

newspaper front page (una portada de un periódico)

in colour

in black and white

2.- Origin of the visual document.

It comes from …...

It was taken from …...

It appears in/on ….............

I dates from …. (que data de)

It is (not) recent

We may suppose it appeared recently (podemos suponer que apareció recientemente)

We may suppose it appeared long ago (podemos suponer que apareció hace mucho tiempo)

We may suppose it appeared time ago (podemos suponer que apareció hace tiempo)

a newspaper

a magazine

a website

a business magazine

a women's magazine called …....


3.- The author.

This photo was taken by ….

This was made by …...

This was painted by …...

This was created by …....

4.- Describing of the visual document. (Describiendo del documento visual)

Position.

In the upper part (En la parte superior)

In the lower part (En la parte inferior)

At the top (right/left) (En la parte superior (derecha / izquierda))

At the bottom (right/left) (En la parte inferior (derecha / izquierda))

On the right

On the left

In the foreground (En el primer plano)

In the background (En el fondo)

In the middle

In the corner

In front of/behind

Above (por encima)

Under (bajo)

Close

Far away (lejos)

The scene takes place ….....(La escena tiene lugar)

in a home

in a bedroom

in a kitchen

in the street

in a shop

in the country

in the desert


in the mountains

The setting is ….......( El escenario es )

a school

a big city

a small village

on the moon

on another planet

in an imaginary world

(un)familiar

exceptional

typical atmosphere

It takes place …...

during the day

at night

in the summer

in the winter

The general atmosphere is ….....

sad

serious

tense

romantic

mysterious

sophisticated funny

relaxed

ordinary crazy

ironical

unusual


topic 5 holidays and travel

Documents

favorite holiday

religious holiday

american holiday

holiday stand

city approved holiday

questions holidays

special foods

following questions