Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. hold (someone) back
    • ex. Mina is shy, and it holds her back from trying to speak English.
  2. decompress
    • ex. Joe takes a walk every evening to decompress after a busy day.
  3. realistically
    • ex. She spoke realistically about the challenges of starting a new business.
  4. vulnerable
    • ex. She feels vulnerable when walking alone at night, so she always brings her friend with her.
  5. navigate
    • ex. The tourists needed help to navigate the city during their first visit.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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American actress Tracee Ellis Ross, known for TV shows like Girlfriends, doesn’t let being single or child-free hold her back from enjoying life. She loves to travel and often takes trips alone to decompress and have fun. In fact, she takes at least one solo trip every year.

In a new documentary on The Roku Channel, Ross visits Morocco, Mexico, and Spain. She says solo travel has taught her many life lessons. She gives advice to help others travel alone realistically and safely. First, she says it’s important to know why you are taking the trip. Are you looking for adventure, quiet time, or to meet new people?

Second, safety is also very important. Some solo travelers may be more vulnerable, depending on where they go. Ross suggests planning carefully. She does research online. She also talks to others to help her navigate her trips successfully. She checks how busy and large the airport is so she can prepare for long walks. She wears comfortable shoes and packs things like a small fan for hot places. Being prepared helps you feel comfortable and confident, especially when traveling alone.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Traveling Alone

  • Do you like traveling alone? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • If you traveled alone, what would be your biggest concern? Discuss.
  • Do you think traveling alone is safe? Why or why not? Discuss.

Taking a Trip

  • Ross says it’s important to know why you are taking the trip. What are your usual reasons for traveling (ex. to decompress, to meet new people)? Discuss.
  • If you were to go on a solo travel to decompress, what things would you prepare? Discuss.
  • Talk about the best trip you’ve ever had. Discuss.