PREVIEW ACTIVITY (I) Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2021. For use only with license.

A Travel Writer Shares His Best Tips (B1 - B2)

Work with a partner, group, or your teacher. Do the activities below together.

PART I Discuss the questions below about traveling.

1 What have been your favorite places you’ve traveled to and why?
2 What is enjoyable and valuable about traveling? Why do some
people love it so much?
3 What can be unpleasant about traveling?

PART II On a scale of 1 - 10, how important is traveling in your life? (1 = not at all / 10 = very
important). Check a box below and explain your answer.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

PART III Write the indicated parts of speech for the sentences below.

1 My friend wants to know what I think about the idea of traveling alone.
My friend wants to know my on traveling alone.
(plural noun)

2 All of my travel experiences mean something special to me.

All of my travel experiences have special in my life.
(noun)

3 One way to learn from your travels is to reflect and write about them.
One way to learn from your travels is through and writing.
(noun)

PART IV Choose the correct verbs that fit the three sentences about traveling below.

1 My brother is an experienced traveler, so I always his travel tips.

a. do b. keep c. follow

2 I think it’s important to find the time to your

thoughts about your travels and reflect on them.

a. bring b. gain c. collect

3 I like to travel to new places when there are cultural events or

festivals place there.

a. taking b. making c. going

PREVIEW ACTIVITY (II) Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2021. For use only with license.
A Travel Writer Shares His Best Tips (B1 - B2)

PART I Choose the correct definition for the vocabulary words as used in the sentences.

1 Traveling is the best way to gain insight into what other cultures are like.

insight means... a. organized or structured education in something

b. detailed or complex history of something
c. deep or clear understanding of something

2 I like to walk at a slow pace when I’m visiting a city for the first time.

pace means... a. piece or part

b. distance or length
c. speed or tempo

3 My hotel room is at the end of the corridor on the 10th floor.

a corridor is... a. a lobby

b. a hallway
c. a sidewalk

4 I like to observe people’s behaviors and cultural customs when I travel abroad.

observe means... a. disrespect or be rude to someone

b. exchange or trade something in secret
c. watch carefully with attention to detail

5 When I watch movies, I like trying to predict how the story will unfold.

unfold means... a. happen or develop

b. initiate or begin
c. rate or review

6 I plan to turn my written travel diary into a YouTube video with travel tips.

turn something into something means...

a. transform
b. imagine
c. debate

Bonus Phrases!

twirl a straw toss of the hair

= move part of your
= move a straw around
in a circular motion hair in a quick, light,
or careless motion
A TRAVEL WRITER SHARES
HIS BEST TIPS Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2021. For use only with license.
A Travel Writer Shares His Best Tips (B1 - B2)

PREVIEW DISCUSSION QUESTION

What do you think the benefits are of writing

about your travels? Do you ever do this?

VIEWING ACTIVITY

PART I Mark which 3 of the 6 actions below the travel writer gives as tips in the video.

Talk Organize

Walk Reflect

Observe Return

PART II Finish each sentence according to the information in the video.

0:46 1 Pico says that Singapore is a place where East and...

0:57 2 Pico says that the reason he travels is to...

2:02 3 Pico compares a travel book to a...

PART III Choose the correct phrase that fits the quote from the travel writer in the video.

“
Walking and observing are how you gather the ingredients of your
travel; reflection is how you .

a. return home a different person

b. collect tips for other travelers
c. turn them into a meal
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY (I) Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2021. For use only with license.
A Travel Writer Shares His Best Tips (B1 - B2)

PART I Choose the correct nouns that fit the spaces below.

pace insights corridor meaning thoughts

1 Pico recommends that you walk during your travels because he describes
walking as a “human .”

2 Pico says that in a hotel, there are short stories taking place in every room and
on every .

3 Pico recommends that you find a quiet place to collect your

at the end of a busy day traveling.

4 Reflection is how you turn the sights you’ve seen into ,

or “turn experience into .”

PART II Write the correct verbs that were used in the video.

1 Pico loves to watch how dramas and stories around him

when he travels.

2 In one of the video scenes, Pico observes a couple sitting together. He notices
how the girl her hair and how the man
his straw while sitting together.

3 If you Pico’s tips, you’ll return home a different person.

PART III Watch the first 25 seconds of the video again. Write the subject + verb in the
correct grammatical tense that Pico used in the video.

1 I am Pico Iyer and I am a travel writer. (I / travel) the

world and writing about my travels since 1986.

2 (I / write) 15 books and more than a thousand articles.

3 (I / talk) and traveling with the 14th Dalai Lama for 45

years.

4 Over the years, (I / develop) some tips for how to

become a better traveler.
 POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY (II) Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2021. For use only with license.
A Travel Writer Shares His Best Tips (B1 - B2)

PART I Study the examples and usage of the present perfect continuous below.

In the beginning of the video, the travel writer says...

“ I’ve been traveling the world and writing about my travels since 1986.
I’ve been talking and traveling with the 14th Dalai Lama for 45 years.

We use the present perfect continuous to refer to actions that started in the past and continue
until the present moment in time. It implies that the action is not finished and that it is still in
progress. In the first example above, it means that the travel writer started traveling the world in
1986 and he still continues doing it today.

STRUCTURE Subject + have / has + been + progressive form of the verb (verb + -ing)
SINCE / FOR since + point in time (1986) for + period of time (45 years)

I have been searching for a job as a tour guide for about a month.
MORE EXAMPLES
My brother has been working abroad in Singapore since last year.

PART II Write the correct form of the present perfect continuous in each sentence below.
Choose a verb below that fits the context and write since or for where necessary.

cry grow sit  drink wait explore rain

EX I have been sitting in a cafe and reflecting on my travels for a few hours.

1 I’m really tired. It’s 9:00 PM and I the city the morning.
I need a rest!

2 Alex and her boyfriend look drunk. They cocktails at the hotel bar
lunch time.

3 Unfortunately we didn’t go on a city tour today because it all day and

we didn’t want to get wet.

4 Me and Sarah for the shuttle bus from the airport to the city center
over an hour!

5 My small tour guide company in Paris gradually every year

I started it.

6 The baby in the room next to ours loudly a while. I will

ask a hotel manager if we can change rooms.
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY (III)
Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2021. For use only with license.
A Travel Writer Shares His Best Tips (B1 - B2)

SPEAKING TASK:

Your teacher will choose a few of the speaking topics below to discuss. Discuss the topics
with your teacher or partner. In your discussion, explain your ideas in detail.

1 Do you have any travel tips from your own travel experi-
ences that you think are important?

2 Some health experts say that traveling can be good for

your mental health. Why do you think this could be true?

3 Are you planning any travels right now for the future? If
so, where are you going and do you have any kind of plan
of what to do when you’re there?

4 Do you prefer AirBnB or hotels / hostels when traveling?

Do you have any memorable experiences staying in an
AirBnB, hotel, or hostel? If so, describe your experience.

5 What are some top places on your travel bucket list*?

*bucket list = a list of places you want to visit at some point
in your life

WRITING TASK:

Think about a special travel experience you’ve had in your life. Take some time and reflect
on it. Then write a short diary entry about your travel experience below. Write what your
insights are from your experience.
QUIZ & REVIEW ACTIVITY Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2021. For use only with license.
A Travel Writer Shares His Best Tips (B1 - B2)

Work with a partner. Complete the quiz and review activities below.

PART I Questions. Discuss the answers to the questions below about the video.

1. What were the three tips the travel writer gives in the video?
2. Why does Pico travel? What does it help him do?
3. What does the travel writer say is special about Singapore?

PART II Vocabulary: Explain and/or write what each word or phrase means below.

1. pace

2. observe

3. insights

PART III Vocabulary: Write the missing verbs in the two sentences below.

1 Pico recommends that you find a quiet place to your

thoughts at the end of a busy day traveling.

2 Reflection is how you the sights you’ve seen into insights,

or experience into meaning.

PART IV Grammar: Explain the usage of the present perfect continuous. Do you remember
the first example from the video? If so, write right the first part of the sentence below.

the world and writing about my travels since 1986.

Write two more of your own sentence using the present perfect continuous. Use the
time expression since in the first one and for in the second one.

PART V Bonus: Write the adjective form for each of the verbs / nouns used in the video below.

1 VERB: observe ADJECTIVE:

2 VERB: reflect ADJECTIVE:
3 NOUN: meaning ADJECTIVE: