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1. Take a look at the pictures and answer the following questions

a) Have you ever been to New York?

b) Do you know the name of these places?

c) Which is your favourite place? Why?

d) What would you like to visit as soon as you arrive to New York?

e) Do you know the steps that you need to follow to plan your trip to the

city that never sleeps?

1ST STEP: BOOKING THE FLIGHT

1. In groups of 5 people take a look to the following web pages and try to find a cheap flight to New York City. Once you have found your flight answer to the following questions.

http://www.britishairways.com

http://www.ryanair.com

http://www.jetairways.com

Which is the cheapest flight you have found?

Which is the city of departure?

When are you going to travel?

How many hours will you spend on the plane?

Is it a direct flight? Is there any stopover?

In which airport are you going to land?

How much do you know about this airport? (Is it near the

college/accommodation?)

2. In the next session you are going to have a videoconference of 20 minutes

with an American student from New York. Prepare some questions to ask

them and don’t forget that you will also have to answer their questions

about you and Spain.

2ND STEP: AT THE AIRPORT.

TIPS

You may ask questions about:

Places of interest Food

Their family Weather

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2ND STEP: AT THE AIRPORT.

1. Watch the following video and pay attention to the pronunciation of words related to the airport. Write down all new words and also their pronunciation and practice them with a partner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCKFGYFxg7A

2. Complete the following sentences with the words in the box

1) Buying a ticket I'd like to ____ two seats to New York. Will that be one way or ____? How much is it? It's $819. Will you pay by check or by___?

2) Checking In Can I see your ticket and ____, please? Here they are. Can we get one seat near the ___? Yes, that's no problem. You're in seats 27B and 27C. Thanks. Where do we go next?

Go to ___ A8, straight ahead then turn left.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

3. Match the English expression with the Spanish equivalent.

1. Is the plane delayed? a)Abrochense los cinturones, por favor.

2. Look at the timetable b) ¿Tiene su tarjeta de embarque?

3. Do you have your boarding pass? c) El avión está aterrizando/despegando

4. Where is my baggage? d) ¿El vuelo va con retraso?

5. Fasten your belts please! e) ¿Dónde está mi equipaje?

6. The plane is landing / taking off. f) Mire los horarios de vuelo.

aisle book passport round trip gate credit card

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4. Videoconference. Remember to take notes of their answers as you will have to hand them in.

3RD STEP: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEW YORK

READING

NYC, THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS.NYC, THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS.

No matter your age, background or interests, it’s easy to find something to love about the Big Apple. Here are the things that make me proud to call it home (and why you should visit as soon as possible).

When “American Way” asked me to write about New York, I realized that this fascinating city doesn’t need much of an introduction these days. I also realized that New York City and I go together for a great many reasons. For one thing, though I have lived and worked here for a long time, I very often feel like a tourist for the simple reason that every day here is exciting. Every day presents something new to discover, and as I see so many visitors on a daily basis, I am constantly surprised of what an amazing place New York City is. People come from far and wide to visit, and I am lucky enough to live here. 

New York resonates with history. The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Wall Street, Fifth Avenue, Times Square, Broadway, Lincoln Center, Central Park — all these places are astonishing, well known and worth visiting. In addition, top-level museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and many more make New York City their home base. That’s the great thing about this city — only the best can make it here, so the best is what you will get.

Living here for so many years has made me selective about what I like to do; having access to so many wonderful things allows you to be particular. So I’m giving American Way readers a glimpse of my New York City — places that are close to my heart, what I admire most about the city and what it means to me.

As a longtime resident, I can say without hesitation that New York City is the greatest city in the world. Some people may feel stressed about the noise. However, if you analyze all it has to offer — the constant energy level, the sophistication, the many nationalities, the variety of events and entertainment — it becomes clear that everything is here. Manhattan is the world on one outstanding island. I have no doubt that when you visit, you won’t be disappointed.

Reading Strategy:

Work out of the main topic of the text before you read it for specific details. Underline the words you don’t understand in order to add them to your list of new

words Read the article quickly, you don’t need to understand every word or sentence to

get the general idea.

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READING COMPREHENSION

1. Why is New York the perfect city for the author?

a) Because you can do something new everyday

b) Because many visitors go there everyday

c) Because New York needs no presentation nowadays

2. What does the author mean in line 15 when he says that only the best can make it here?

a) That only the best people go to New York

b) That only the best people will succeed in New York

c) That you can find the finest things in New York

3. What does the author mean by glimpse on line 20?

a) A review

b) An overview

c) A brief impression

VOCABULARY

4. Look at the highlighted adjectives and try to explain the differences between the ones ending in –ing and –ed.

5. Try to make up some sentences using the following adjectives:shocked/shocking; bored/boring; relaxed/relaxing.

4TH STEP: WHERE DO YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO BEST?

ADJECTIVES USE EXAMPLE

-EDTo describe how people feel about

something

She felt tired after working hard all day

-INGTo describe things

and situationsWorking hard all day

is tiring

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1. Check this website and follow the instructions.

http://www.nycgo.com/must-see-nyc

1. Read the brief descriptions of the different places that you can find in New York.

2. Decide where would you like to go and why.3. Write an essay trying to convince your classmates about your choice.

EXPRESSING PERSONAL VIEWS

CONNECTORS SUGGESTIONS

In my opinion...I think/feel/believe...I strongly believe that...As far as I’m concerned...

Firstly/Secondly...In the first/second place...On the one hand...On the other hand.In addition...However...Although...Therefore...In spite of...Consequently...Because/ since/as/for...In conclusion/To sum up/To conclude...Finally...

It might be a good choice because...Probably the best idea is...There is no doubt that/doubtlessly/undoubtedly the best option is...It seems to be a good idea to go...

4. Remember that your composition should have an introduction, a body (with your arguments for) and a conclusion.

REMEMBER!

* There will be a DEBATE in which you will have to defend your ideas and interact with your partners. Here you have some useful strategies.

Don’t you agree with me that...?

Personally, I would rather...

VOCABULARY

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

1. Complete the following sentences with the words in the table.

travel tour voyage

trip journey excursion

What do you think about my point?

How about you, what would you suggest?

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A) She is going on a(n) ____ to Japan.

B) Have a safe _____ !

C) They embarked on a(n) _____ across the sea.

D) Next Tuesday I’m going on a(n) _____ to the mountains.

E) A bus took us on a sightseeing _____ of the city.

f) After leaving school she spent a year _____, in Africa.

2. Choose the correct adjective in each sentence.

Is she _____about her husband’s health? (worried/worrying)

What’s the most ______football match you’ve ever watched?

(excited/exciting)

When was the last time you felt really _____? (tired / tiring)

I can’t stand this actress. She’s really ______. (boring / bored)

When did you last have a ______day at work? (tired / tiring)

Doing nothing for a long time makes her ____. (depressing / depressed)

What’s the most ______city you’ve ever been? (interesting / interested)

All of the passengers looked ______after the plane landed. (frightening /

frightened)

Some people easily get __________. (embarrassing / embarrassed)

3. Second videoconference. Remember to take notes of their answers as you will have to hand them in.

READING (CROSS CURRICULAR)

CULTURE SHOCK IN HONG KONG

YOUR TRIP IS GETTING CLOSER

You may want to find out about:

Public transport Fees (taxes) Boroughs

Shopping Night life Others...

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In 2005, when I first went to Hong Kong to spend a year there, I was culture shocked. There is no way to avoid it, even the strongest people at some stage get hit with the culture shock and often it comes out of nowhere like a slap in the face.  It is important to stay optimistic, open-minded and keep in mind that it will pass.

Prepare yourself for…

The Toilets

Chinese toilets on the whole are less than clean, definitely not pleasant smelling and most likely a Westerners worst nightmare which is a squat toilet. But don’t be afraid

of the squat toilet, despite its offensive smell it is actually quite hygienic and once you know how to use it you will get used to it!

The Traffic

Crossing the road in Hong Kong is always an adventure! Road rules, what road rules!?  There appears to be no regard for road rules or safety on Chinese roads (or foot paths).  It is important to be extremely alert particularly on footpaths where scooters can come out of nowhere and crosswalks where the cars definitely won’t stop for you even when the green man says walk!

The Language

There are some people who say: “Don’t worry about the language barrier, after the Olympics and the Expo heaps of people speak English” Ignore that! The average taxi driver, bus driver, shop assistant, waiter and nearly everyone you would be dealing with day to day is unlikely to speak much if any English! But don’t worry with a phrasebook in hand and some mime, it might take a while but you will be able to communicate.

Lack of Communication

You may be very frustrated by the Chinese way of little to no communication. While in the west we are used to asking direct questions and getting direct answers your Chinese colleges are unlikely to be so open with their communications. Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do but be persistent. You will soon learn this whole lack of communication is very much a part of Chinese culture.

What Political Correctness?

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Walking down the street you will often hear the words “Laowai” or “Waiguoren” (the Chinese word for foreigner) uttered behind your back as you walk past. It may sound really rude especially when they say “Ni Hao Laowai” (Hello Foreigner) after all we don’t go around saying “Hello Chinese” but don’t be upset they generally aren’t being rude, they are just interested in you. And unlike in the west where political correctness reigns supreme, in Hong Kong that trend hasn’t quite caught on.

By the way, bear in mind that culture shock for most people comes in a few distinct stages. Just keep in mind that adjusting to life in a new city is always difficult let alone in a country so different to your own. Try and stay in a positive mindset, make some good friends who will be there to help you keep your head above water and continue to enjoy all the new experiences.

READING COMPREHENSION

1. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Justify your answers.

a) Chinese people won’t greet you because they don’t like foreigners.

b) Chinese roads are not very safe so you should bear in mind road rules.

c) If you can speak English you won’t have any problems of communication in

Hong Kong.

d) When going abroad you might experience the so-called “culture shock”

e) Toilets in Hong Kong are very clean.

2. Try to locate the city of New York in the map.

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Can you do the same with Hong Kong in the map of China?

GRAMMAR: RELATIVE CLAUSES

1. Put these relative pronouns and adverbs with their antecedents.

a) That is the car _______ broke down last night and had to be towed up by the

b) police.

c) The boy to __________ I sold my collection wants the money back.

d) It is at Christmas __________ all workers have and extra month wages bonus.

e) If you see the girl ____________ asked about my house, give her my number.

f) The class has already started, __________is not good.

g) That is my friend, ___________ father is a doctor in the walk-in centre.

h) I finally bought the house ____________ I loved so much.

i) The main reason ____________ I left the party was because I was angry.

j) If you had seed the place ___________ I had to park you would not believe it.

2. Complete the rules.

who which which where when whose that whom why

DID YOU KNOW THAT...?

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire. That’s why it is frequently described as a place where "East meets West".

With a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Though it is situated just south of the Tropic of Cancer, Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate.

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_____clauses give detailed information defining a general term or expression.

_____relative clauses are not put in commas.

Do you know the girl who is talking to your neighbour?

_____relative clauses give additional information on something, but do not

define it. _____relative clauses are put in commas. Note that the use of who and

which in relative clauses cannot be replaced by that.

The girl, who is wearing a red jacket, is talking to your neighbour.

LISTENING

1. Fill in the gaps in the following song. These streets will make you feel ____ new,Big lights will _____ you,Hear it for New York! (New York, New York, New York)

On the avenue, There ain't never a curfew, ladies work so hardSuch a _____ potOn the corner selling rockPreachers pray to God,Hail a gipsy cab,

Takes me down from Harlem to the _____Bridge.

Someone sleeps tonightWith a hunger for more than an empty ____...

I'm going to make it by any means,I got a pocket full of _____,

Baby I'm from New York!Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,There's nothing you can't doNow you're in New York!These ____ will make you feel brand new,Big _____ will inspire you,

Hear it for New York!(New York, New York, New York)

Grew up in a ____That is famous as a place of movie scenes,____ is always loud There are sirenes all around, And the streets are mean If I can make it here, I could make it _____,That's what they say

Seeing my face in lights,Or my name in marquees found down ____Even if ain't all it seems, I got a pocket full of dreams Baby I'm from New York!Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,There's nothing you can't doNow you're in New York!

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WRITING

1. E-mail your American student thanking him for the information provided and

wishing him to have a great time in Spain. In the appendix you can find a

writing guide that will help you with your task.