Finding many benefits of solo travel (P4)

河北邯郸一中 王延超

I. Warm-up

Do you prefer traveling alone or traveling with other people? Why?

When you travel, do you like when someone picks you up when you arrive?

Please read about the author’s experience in the passage. 

II. Fast Reading

Read the passage quickly, and see if you can summarize its main idea. 

The passage mainly describes the author’s wonderful solo travel in Toronto. She was very proud of herself for traveling alone, and had a fantastic time in Toronto. Traveling alone had a lot of benefits. However, in the future, I think she will prefer to travel with another person or in a small group. 

Summarize the main idea of each paragraph. 

Para 1 

Why I traveled alone to Toronto

Para 2

One week by myself and the happiness of traveling alone

Para 3

In spite of the benefits, I found that there were also some disadvantages of traveling alone. 

Para 4

My achievements of traveling alone in Toronto, and my travel plan later on.

Match the English explanation with concerning words.

daunting

exhausting 

adventure 

combat 

bounce 

argumentative

like-minded 

 

◆exciting or daring experience

◆ slightly afraid or worried about sth

◆ moves upward from a surface or immediately after hitting it 

◆ people have similar opinions, ideas, attitudes, or interests 

◆tired, either physically or mentally

◆fight between two or more people

◆ready to disagree or argue with other people

 

Careful Reading

Now please read the passage in-depth, and answer the following questions.

1. Why did she chose to go to Toronto?

Traveling alone can be daunting. I have traveled by myself many times, but on every occasion, there was someone to meet me at the other end of the bus, train or plane journey. This time was different. Last week, I had a holiday from work, but none of my friends had the same week off. I decided that I still wanted to do something, so I booked a train ride to Toronto and reserved a bed in a hostel for one week.

2. What benefits of traveling alone did she find?

1) She was able to do whatever she wanted. She could get up and go to sleep when she wanted and she didn't have to wait for anyone else to shower and get ready every morning. 

2) Instead of relying on someone else to remember directions or to suggest activities to do, she discovered her independence and developed map-reading skills that she didn't know she had. 

3) Being in the safe environment of a hostel with like-minded travelers also gave a great opportunity to meet new people from all over the world, which can help combat loneliness.

3. What are the disadvantages of traveling alone?

She missed having someone to talk to and to bounce ideas off. Without a travel partner, she won’t be able to laugh about and remember my Toronto adventure with a friend or family member in years to come. In addition, eating in a restaurant or cooking in the hostel was less fun on her own.

4. In the future, what would the author prefer to do?

In the future, she thinks she will always prefer to travel with another person or in a small group. Though, maybe it depends who she travels with – she would rather be by herself than with someone who is lazy, difficult and argumentative. 

Fill in the blanks according to tips in the brackets.

1. Last week, I had a holiday from work, but none of my friends had the same week____. 

2. I booked a train ride to Toronto and ______（预订） a bed in a hostel for one week. 

3. I discovered my _________(独立) and developed map-reading skills that I didn't know I had. 

4. I missed having someone to talk to and to _____（探讨） ideas off. 

5. In addition, eating in a restaurant or cooking in the ____(青年旅社)was less fun on my own. 

Try to identify whether the statements are true or false.

1.She hadn’t traveled by herself before.  

2.In spite of the benefits, she found that there were also some disadvantages of traveling alone. 

3.With a travel partner, she won’t be able to laugh about and remember her Toronto adventure with a friend or family member in years to come. 

4.Experiences are often less enjoyable if they are shared, and part of the fun of traveling is the memories you have afterwards. 

5.She would rather be by herself than with someone who is lazy, difficult and argumentative.

Underline the attributive clauses in the passage.

…there are many benefits that come from traveling alone.

I spent hours in museums that would have seemed boring and dull to some of my friends. 

I walked all around the city, which some people may have found too exhausting. 

I discovered my independence and developed map-reading skills that I didn't know I had. 

Being in the safe environment of a hostel with like-minded travelers also gives a great opportunity to meet new people from all over the world, which can help combat loneliness.

…part of the fun of traveling is the memories you have afterwards. 

I would rather be by myself than with someone who was lazy, difficult and argumentative. 

Please enjoy this song video and have a rest.

Translate the following sentences into English.

1.在大巴车、火车或者飞机的另一头，有人在迎接你。

There was someone to meet me at the other end of the bus, train or plane journey. 

2.我预定了一班去多伦多的火车，预定了一周时间的青年旅社。

I booked a train ride to Toronto and reserved a bed in a hostel for one week. 

3.我发现了我的独立性，培养了阅读地图的技能。

I discovered my independence and developed map-reading skills.

4.与志趣相投的人在青年旅社的安全环境里给我提供了见到世界各地的新的人的机会。

Being in the safe environment of a hostel with like-minded travelers also gives a great opportunity to meet new people from all over the world 

5.尽管有有点，我发现独自旅行也有一些缺点。

In spite of the benefits, I found that there were also some disadvantages of traveling alone. 

Sentence appreciation

I spent hours in museums that would have seemed boring and dull to some of my friends. 

这句话当中，包含一个由_____引导的定语从句。

一般情况下，定语从句的先行词是一个名词，但是在这个句子中，是不适合的。经过分析，我们认为，that从句的先行词应为I spent hours in museums这件事。

这种用法比较常见的是出现在非限制性定语从句中。如：

Little Andy told a lie, _____made his parents very sad.

再比如：

_____is said in the report, the Earth moves around the Sun.

III. Discussion

Discuss with your group members which kind of travel type you like best. Exchange your ideas freely.

IV. Homework

1.Try to write a travel journal of your own, and then share the journal with your classmates.

2. Find out useful sentence structures in the passage, and memorize their usages.

 

Good attitude pays off (P6)

河北邯郸一中 王延超

I. Warming up

When you graduate from college several years from now, will you choose to live in a big city, or live with your parents and loved ones in a small town?

This is a problem that most graduates must face.

In this passage, the author’s choice proves very successful.

II. Fast Reading

Read the passage quickly, and try to summarize the main idea of the passage

The passage tells the experience of a college graduate who chooses to go back to her small hometown, rather than go to New York like many of her classmates did. But years later, she does much better than her classmates.

Try to match the words with its English explanation:

pursue

dedication 

launch

define

assume

pay off

stereotype

excelled

destiny

ethic 

 

complete and wholehearted 

begin sth that requires effort

try to get or do sth 

set of moral ideas/principles

state clearly what it is

take on titles, offices, duties

be very good at doing sth

sth that inevitably happens

a conventional conception

produce a result that you want

 

Careful Reading

Read the passage in-depth, then try to divide it into three parts, describing the main ideas of each part. 

Para 1

After hesitating for so long, I chose to stay in Florida with my loved ones rather than go to NY like many of my other classmates did. I decided to stay in Florida and begin my career here 

Para 2-3

I continued my work with Coton Colors and tried to establish myself. Working hard, I continued to ask for more responsibilities, and before I knew it, I was leading meetings, directing support staff and flourishing in my position.

Para 4-5

After getting back in contact with my classmates, I knew that it seemed that all of my friends were now assistants, without getting any useful experience. I was in control of my own destiny and didn't need to move to a big city.

Answer the following questions after reading the passage.

1. Why did she struggle? What prompted her to decide to stay in Florida and begin her career here?

In my last semester of college in the US, I struggled with the decision to move to New York to pursue an advertising career, or to stay somewhere in Florida to be near my loved ones. While I was leaning toward the latter, everyone kept telling me if I didn't go to New York, I would never make anything of myself or my career. Those statements made my blood boil, but also prompted me to decide to stay in Florida and begin my career here. 

2. How did she start in Coton Colors?

Before I graduated, I accepted a marketing coordinator position with Coton Colors. I knew the company was growing fast, so it felt like a great place to launch my budding career. 

3. How did she define my future role at the company?

I continued my work with Coton Colors and tried to establish myself, which was very challenging. I took on basic marketing tasks like helping with small campaigns or simple designs, but there was no clear path that would define my future role at the company. I started assuming more and more tasks and discovering things I liked and excelled in. I continued to ask for more responsibilities, and before I knew it, I was leading meetings, directing support staff and flourishing in my position. 

4. What did she find when she got back in contact with her classmates?

I started getting back in contact with a few of my New York classmates to ask them how everything was going. It seemed that all of my friends were now assistants, running to get coffee and make copies, without getting any useful experience. Those conversations helped me realize that I was in control of my own destiny. I didn't need to move to a big city to become an important part of a successful team - I was already part of one. 

5. Why did she go to the CEO, and what happened afterwards?

I went to the CEO and asked to create and lead an events team. After only a few months, I worked around the clock to grow this branch of the Coton Colors brand while also continuing to maintain my regular job duties. In the end, all of my hard work and dedication paid off. 

Identify whether the sentences are True or False.

1. In my last semester of college in the US, I struggled with the decision to move to New York to pursue an advertising career, or to stay somewhere in Florida to be near my loved ones. 

2. Those statements made my blood boil, but also prompted me to decide to stay in New York and begin my career here. 

3. I continued my work with Coton Colors and tried to establish myself, which was very easy to do. 

4. Those conversations helped me realize that I was in control of my own destiny. I needed to move to a big city to become an important part of a successful team 

5. I have overcome many stereotypes of my generation with my hard work ethic and positive attitude. 

Fill in the blanks using the words and phrases given in the box.

prompted  launch  responsibilities  destiny  paid off  stereotypes 

1. Those statements _______me to decide to stay in Florida and begin my career here. 

2. The company felt like a great place to ____ my budding career. 

3. I continued to ask for more__________.

4. Those conversations helped me realize that I was in control of my own _____.

5. In the end, all of my hard work and dedication ____ ___.

6. I have overcome many _________ of my generation with my hard work ethic and positive attitude.

III. After Reading

What are the benefits and disadvantages of living in big cities and in small cities?

Think about this problem and discuss it with your group members for five minutes.

Afterwards, divide the whole class into two groups: one holds the opinion that big cities are better to live in; while the other holds the opinion that smaller cities are better to live in.

Now, debate in your groups on the benefits and disadvantages of living in big cities and in small cities.

After discussing with your classmates, what did you get? 

IV. Homework

Write a letter to your parents telling them which city you plan to live in after college graduation.