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English Vocabulary Builder Introduction

The English Vocabulary Builder series uses storytelling and real life contexts to show how words are used in practice, so learners can learn vocabulary in an enjoyable way rather than having to memorize word lists. In this book on Travel , we will follow the adventures of the Young family – Mum, Dad, Mark (son) and Rebecca (daughter) as they plan for and go on their year-end vacation. In each reading, the Youngs are at a different stage of their holiday. Read through their experiences and do the exercises that follow to understand and use the new vocabulary presented. Don’t worry if you’re not sure about all the terms. Look at the clues in the questions and try to infer (guess) the meaning of the new words. Be sure to write down any new words you learn in a separate notebook so you can review them later. Happy reading!

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1. Where should we go? The end of year school holiday season was approaching, and over dinner at home, Mum and Dad asked Mark and Rebecca where they would like to go for a holiday that year.

“Somewhere with snow so we can have a white Christmas,” gasped Rebecca,

“How about a place where we can ski in the mountains,” Mark suggested.

“We did that last year and the weather was fr igid and unforgiving. Let’s try a place where the temperature is a little more moderate for this time of year”. Mum’s word was viewed with great respect in the Young family, and the children got in line. Dad peered up from his evening newspaper, paused to think, and said, “how about we visit Uncle Bob and Aunt May in San Francisco? They’ve haven’t seen the kids for years and would be happy to host us. San Francisco is still cold in the winter but it rarely snows. Plus there are many sights and different activities for the kids.” “You’re thinking about how affordable it would be, since we can stay with Bob and May and not have to pay for accommodation, aren’t you,” Mum quipped. “Well, we probably won’t stay with them the entire time,” Dad replied. “But that’s a good point you raised. It’s important for the kids to learn to work with a budget. At any rate, San Francisco fits your criteria of moderate temperature.” “Very well, then. Kids, how would you like to go to San Francisco?” “No ski-ing? Then what can we do?” “Well, let’s do a little research on the Internet, shall we?” The Internet was a veritable treasure trove of information, reviews and recommendations and what to do in San Francisco and the surrounding area. There were the obvious tourist destinations like the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf and Coit Tower. Mum and Dad decided they might also like to visit the vineyards in nearby areas, while Mark was ecstatic that NASA’s Ames Research Center was within driving distance.

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Exercise One A. Choose the correct word from the passage and f i l l in the blanks. 1. From December to April, the frozen tundra makes this region a __________ wasteland.

2. When the kids found out they were getting a puppy for Christmas, they were _________

and ran around the house celebrating. 3. That region of France is famous for the wine it produces; __________ stretch out as far as

the eye can see. 4. It is important for organizations to track how much they spend with a __________ so that

they don’t run out of money. 5. The director gave her team very strict _________ by which to interview candidates to

ensure their new employees would be up to standard. 6. When companies want to introduce a new product to the market, they may do _________

and get customer feedback to see if the product will sell well. 7. The sailors __________ into the distance trying to see through the fog to catch sight of

land. 8. The ballet instructor is very ________ when the dance team makes mistakes; she makes

sure they repeat the moves over and over again until they get them right. 9. Some scientists recommend that adults consume a ___________ amount of red wine for

its health benefits. 10. It is difficult to find goods that are both durable and ___________ because lasting

components tend to be more expensive. B. Match the following terms used to describe destinations and travel planning to their appropriate explanations.

Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words A. Frigid 1. Glanced B. Unforgiving 2. Requirement(s) C. Moderate 3. Money available D. Peered 4. Severely cold E. Affordable 5. Exact F. Accommodation 6. Investigation G. Criteria 7. Harsh H. Budget 8. Mild I. Research 9. Lodging J. Veritable 10. Economical

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6. At the Golden Gate Bridge Over the next few days, the Youngs visited some of the iconic sites of San Francisco. Perhaps the most famous landmark, known the world over, was the Golden Gate Bridge with its renowned red arches. In order to reach the bridge, the Youngs got on a municipal bus. Alighting from the bus, they were greeted at the visitors area by the sight of the bridge and its magnif icent structure, set against the expanse of the Pacific Ocean. They hadn’t exactly chosen the most opportune time of year to visit. Fortunately, given its location by the Bay, San Francisco had a milder climate but things were still chi l ly in winter. The family huddled together for the obligatory group photograph next to a famous landmark. The Youngs set off on a walking tour via the pedestrian path across the bridge and back. Along the way, cars passed in either direction on their daily commute between the peninsula area and Marin County. They paused for a moment in the middle, gazing into the distance. The guide filled them in on the history of the bridge, including the effort to f inance and build it in the early twentieth century. As a former civil engineer, Dad was struck by the sophistication of the bridge, given how long ago it was built. It was tall enough for ships to pass through on their journeys over the Pacific to the West Coast of America. Mum thought of relatives she knew whose ancestors had come to the US via ship and must have sailed past the bridge and on to Angel Island nearby. Mark and Rebecca in turn enjoyed the stories of the other nearby island, Alcatraz, site of a famous prison and legendary escape attempts.

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Exercise Six

A. Choose the correct word from the passage and fi l l in the blanks. 1. It is often said that the golden __________ of the McDonald’s logo are among the most

recognised symbols in the world.

2. When moving around in a new city, you should try to recognise a key ___________ so you can assess your position relative to this building when you get lost.

3. Chef Montague is __________ for his French cuisine and people come from all corners to

eat at his restaurant. 4. It was __________ outside when we left home and we shivered under our coats.

5. When the time came for my sister to go to university, our parents had already saved

enough money, so there was no worrying about how to _________ her education.

6. The ________ tennis player went unbeaten for a record number of matches over 3 years, accomplishing something no one else had ever done.

7. As living in the city gets more expensive, more people are moving out to the suburbs,

housing is cheaper but the _________ is longer. 8. This __________ statue has appeared in magazines and on websites and has come to

symbolise the town it is located in. 9. The national newspapers tend to cover issues of interest in the capital but I think there

are important __________ concerns of individual towns that we should know about. 10. There is a monument in the national park dedicated to the __________ who came before

us and helped to build the nation. B. Match the fol lowing terms used to describe destinations and travel planning to their appropriate explanations.

Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words A. Iconic 1. Related to local government B. Landmark 2. Long Stretch C. Commute 3. Grand D. Renowned 4. Journey E. Arches 5. Famous F. Municipal 6. Well-known building or structure G. Obligatory 7. Practically necessary H. Magnificent 8. Curved architectural structures I. Expanse 9. Emblematic J. Opportune 10. Suitable

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8. On to the Cable Cars! The Youngs and Uncle Bob and Aunt May boarded the Powell-Hyde line cable car near Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. The kids learned that each cable car had a conductor and a gripman who worked together to keep the car running smoothly. Uncle Bob and Aunt May were residents of the city, so for them the cable car ride held less novelty. However, they duly obliged and delighted in watching their nephew and niece’s fascination with the experience. Mark and Rebecca enjoyed the rustic look of the cable car, with its old-fashioned signage and wooden exteriors, panels and benches. It was like going on a trip back in t ime to the Wild West in a moving relic. As the car trundled along, the family was amazed at the smoothness with which it handled each steep climb and descent that came along. This, they learned, had as much to do with the way the cars and cables were engineered, as with the skill of the gripman in operating the car. They were treated to a tour of several neighbourhoods of the city. The cable car was packed with fel low tourists and along the way, a few locals boarded and disembarked on their regular commutes. At the end of the line on Market Street, they alighted and were treated to the sight of the cable car being rotated on a turntable, so it could change direction and be ready for its next ride. Rebecca thought the turntables were similar to those in restaurants that helped diners pass the food around. Mark wondered why the cable car system, built on old technology, was still around. “It’s to preserve their heritage,” said Mum. “Apparently, the cable cars are classified as a National Monument.” “Yes. Besides, look at how many tourists want to take a ride on these things. It’s good money for them. That ride cost us quite a lot,” Dad chimed in. Uncle Bob and Aunt May laughed hearti ly while Mum rolled her eyes at Dad’s very practical take on life.

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Exercise Eight A. Choose the correct word from the passage and f i l l in the blanks. 1. The travellers eagerly ___________ after the plane came to a stop at the gate.

2. I wasn’t sure if I had found the right cafe because the _______ on the outside was faded.

3. When the children were first given their new toys, they played with them a lot, but over

time the _________ wore off and they looked elsewhere for amusement. 4. The politician tried to build bonds with his constituents by calling them his _______

citizens. 5. A collection of ancient ________ was found when divers salvaged the shipwreck. 6. Because there was no teacher in the classroom, a ________ into chaos led by the

mischievous students was unavoidable.

7. Everyone wanted to hear Jenny play the piano so even though she was tired and hadn’t played in awhile, she _________ after much persuasion.

8. The ________ charm of this resort in the woods draws many city dwellers looking for a

break from their busy lives. 9. At the ________ centre, we learned about our ancestors’ cultural traditions. 10. My cousin Mike took us for a ride in his vintage car but because it was old, we couldn’t

go very fast and _________ along the expressway. B. Match the fol lowing terms used to describe destinations and travel planning to their appropriate explanations.

Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words A. Novelty 1. Alighted B. Obliged 2. Culture C. Rustic 3. Uniqueness D. Signage 4. Rolled E. Relic 5. Artifact F. Trundled 6. Interposed G. Disembarked 7. Indulged H. Heritage 8. Interpretation I. Chimed 9. Country style J. Take 10. Signboard

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Answer Key Exercise One A. 1. frigid 2. ecstatic 3. vineyards 4. budget 5. criteria 6. research 7. peered 8. unforgiving 9. moderate 10. affordable B.

Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words A. Frigid 1. Severely cold B. Unforgiving 2. Harsh C. Moderate 3. Mild D. Peered 4. Glanced E. Affordable 5. Economical F. Accommodation 6. Lodging G. Criteria 7. Requirement(s) H. Budget 8. Money available I. Research 9. Investigation J. Veritable 10. Exact Exercise Six A. 1. arches 2. landmark 3. renowned / known the world over 4. chilly 5. finance 6. legendary 7. commute 8. iconic 9. municipal 10. ancestors

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B.

Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words A. Iconic 1. Emblematic B. Landmark 2. Well-known building or structure C. Commute 3. Journey D. Renowned 4. Famous E. Arches 5. Curved architectural structures F. Municipal 6. Related to local government G. Obligatory 7. Practically necessary H. Magnificent 8. Grand I. Expanse 9. Long Stretch J. Opportune 10. Suitable Exercise Eight A. 1. disembarked 2. signage 3. novelty 4. fellow 5. relics 6. descent 7. obliged 8. rustic 9. heritage 10. trundled B.

Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words A. Novelty 1. Uniqueness B. Obliged 2. Indulged C. Rustic 3. Country style D. Signage 4. Signboard E. Relic 5. Artifact F. Trundled 6. Rolled G. Disembarked 7. Alighted H. Heritage 8. Culture I. Chimed 9. Interposed J. Take 10. Interpretation