UNIT 6  Nurturing nature

Using language

Conversation 1

5 Listen to the conversation and choose the places mentioned.

Rachel: Dad, I've been searching online for some information about holidays, as you asked.

Dad: OK Rachel. So, what's caught your eye?

Rachel: I thought we might go on an ecotourism holiday. The idea is that you go to a natural place and help conserve it. To me, that's much better than just sitting on a beach.

Dad: Hmm... I'm not sure about that...

Rachel: Oh,come on,Dad. The fact is that travel does a lot of harm to the environment.Wouldn't you agree that we should do something positive?

Dad: If you ask me,lying on a beach is doing something positive! OK, where do you want to go?

Rachel: Well, there's a holiday to Nepal. It looks fantastic. You get to hike in the mountains and plant trees. And you get to count rhinos to help protect them.

Dad: Wait, what? There are rhinos in Nepal?

Rachel: Yes,Dad! You also eat simple local food, like rice and vegetables. That's real ecotourism!

Dad: Rice and vegetables? I can eat that at home! And I don't think hiking up mountains and planting trees are very relaxing. I would say they sound like hard work!

Rachel: Yes, that's true. OK. Let's find a compromise so we can both be happy.How about Thailand? We can look after elephants and sleep in a treehouse...

Dad: Look after elephants? What would we have to do?

Rachel:Well,we would have to feed them three times a day. In the afternoon, you wash the elephants. Oh, and you also have to play with them—you can swim in a river with them or play with baby elephants.Apparently the older elephants can play a kind of football!

Dad: I admit that sounds rather fun... Rachel, is this holiday near the coast?

Rachel: Yes,it is.

Dad: Then let's meet in the middle. As a compromise,how about we stay nearby in a nice hotel? You can do some ecotourism activities while I lie on the beach and read a book. Then we're both happy.

Rachel: So I can look after elephants? OK then, I agree, but we both have to go on a one-day bike tour of the jungle.

Dad: Fine,it's a deal.