Comprehensive reading

Read the travel guide extract and define if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).

New Zealand

New Zealand lies in the Pacific Ocean, 1.600 km to the east of Australia. It consists of two large islands and a number of smaller ones. It’s similar in size to the United Kingdom but it only has a population of about 3.8 million people. Most of them live in the North Island and over one million in Auckland, which is the country’s largest city. New Zealand’s capital is Wellington.

The South Island is a little larger than the North Island and is famous for its Southern Alps. You might think you were in Switzerland, not New Zealand. The eastern side of the Alps is dry but the west coast has a lot of rainfall and magnificent forests, lakes, mountains and glaciers. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island. It is smaller than Auckland but has good international travel links.

The main characteristic of the landscape is its diversity: mountains, lakes, rivers, beaches, hills, volcanoes, rainforests and fjords are all contained in quite a small area. From the volcanoes of Tongariro national Park to the cliffs of Fjordland, New Zealand’s thirteen national parks contain an amazing range of scenery, beautiful walking tracks and various plants and animals that are not found in other parts of the world.

1. New Zealand is south of Australia.

2. The population of New Zealand is similar to that of the UK.

3. The North Island has a larger population than the South Island.

4. Auckland is the capital of New Zealand.

5. The South Island is famous for its mountains.

6. It rains a lot on the west coast of the South Island.

7. New Zealand is famous for the variety of its scenery.

8. There are thirty national parks in New Zealand.

Brochure language

Complete the sentences using the phrases given.

9. Cardiff, ………………, is to the west.

10. The park, ………………, is Indonesia’s premier wildlife reserve.

11. Tokyo, ………………, is in fact a series of small towns and villages.

12. The Louvre, ………………, is a stunning mix of old and new.

13. Thailand, ………………, has something for everyone.

14. Berlin’s Reichstag building, ………………, is the home of the Bundestag, ……………… .

15. on the southwestern tip of Java

16. with its new welsh parliament building and rugby stadium

17. Germany’s parliament

18. beautiful, interesting and very easy to travel around

19. built in 1200 as a fortress

20. redesigned by architect Norman Foster and rebuilt during 1990s

21. one of the world’s largest and most complex cities

Vocabulary

Use the words and phrases below to complete the ‘Standards of performance’ advice sheet to tour guides from a training manual.

anecdotes first-aid kit rapport eye contact body language gestures seat belts microphone clarity hazards sense of humour tone

Standards of performance

Aim: To inform, entertain, and care for visitors and enhance their experience

• Establish a welcoming 15) ……… with the group by smiling when you greet the group and introducing yourself and the driver.

• Use open 16) ……… – do not fold arms, do not keep hands in pockets.

• Control hand and arm 17) ……….

• Check that the 18) ……… is switched on and working, and adjust it to ensure 19) ……….

• Make sure that you are looking at everyone and establish 20) ……… when talking to the group.

• Use voice correctly with a variety of pitch and a lively 21) ……… .

• Be enthusiastic and use your 22) ……… to entertain and make the group smile and laugh when appropriate.

• Tell stories and 23) ………, but try not to make them too long.

• Inform group about safety, use of 24) ……… on the coach, 25) …….., and emergency procedures,

• Warn group of 26) ………, e.g. while walking and getting off the coach.

Places to see. Match the places with the definitions.

27. canyon a) special time for celebration and ceremonies

28 palace b) deep valley with very steep sides of rock

29 cathedral c) large mountain with a hole in the top

30 festival d) place where monks live

17. valley e) large house built for a royal family

18. monastery f) lowland between lines of hills or mountains

19. stately home g) very large church

20. volcano h) large house in the countryside