Unit 32: Holidays

English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate » Unit 32: Holidays

Word List

Exercises

32.1 ‣ Complete this table. Use a dictionary to help you, if necessary.

adjective	noun	verb
fascinating		_____
delightful	_____	_____
exhilarating	_____	_____
glamorous	_____	_____
luxurious	_____	_____

32.2 ‣ Fill in the gaps in this holiday message with appropriate adjectives from the opposite page.

Hi,

Am having a wonderful holiday here. The town here is very old and quite ¹. The guidebook says it is remarkable for its ²_____ charm and it is right! It is surrounded by magnificent mountains and yesterday I went for an ³_____ climb. Even though it isn’t too expensive, the hotel is quite ⁴_____ and the view from my balcony is ⁵_____.

Wish you were here!

Love, P

32.3 ‣ Complete these sentences with a word from the opposite page.

At the youth hostel Anya insisted on sleeping in the top .
As soon as we got to the campsite we _____ our tent.
Visitors to our hotel have _____ access to our own private beach.
It’s often cheaper to go on a _____ holiday, where everything is paid for inadvance.
I'd love to hire a boat and spend a month _____ round the Mediterranean, wouldn't you?
I wouldn't recommend that hotel. It's extremely _____; it's seven miles to the nearest beach and ten miles to the town.
Our trip to South Africa was undoubtedly the most _____ holiday I've ever had.
A narrow _____ road led up the mountain to the cottage we'd rented.

32.4 ‣ Which of the adjectives from C could describe each of these?

a club which only a select group of members can go to
a hotel with very expensive facilities and very attentive staff _____
a village with very pretty buildings and lots of flowers _____
a view from the top of a mountain over a magnificent landscape _____
the opportunity to go on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday _____
a walk along a windswept beach _____

32.5 ‣

Over to you

Answer these questions. Write sentences.

Which of the holiday places and types of holiday in A have you or your friends experienced?
_____
Which would you prefer and why - a holiday in the centre of a historic city or one in a remote village with spectacular surrounding countryside?
_____
What’s the most memorable holiday you’ve ever had?
_____
Which would you say is the most impressive city you’ve visited?
_____
What would you say is the most fascinating place you’ve been to?
_____
Have you ever had a holiday experience you’d describe as terrifying?
_____

Answer Key

A ‣ Places to stay and types of holiday

A ‣ Places to stay and types of holiday

campsite: a place where you can pitch a tent or park a caravan

self-catering flat/apartment: a flat which you rent; you cook for yourself

guesthouse: accommodation like a hotel but cheaper and with fewer services

youth hostel: cheap accommodation, mainly for young people, with, perhaps, ten or more people sleeping in bunk beds in one room

package holiday: a holiday in which you pay for travel, accommodation and food (even occasionally excursions) in advance

cruise: a holiday spent touring (or cruising) on a boat, stopping off to go sightseeing at different ports

an adventure holiday: a holiday involving unusual, exciting and possibly dangerous activities suitable for adventurous people

B ‣ Holiday messages

B ‣ Holiday messages

Dear Zara

Having a wonderful holiday. It’s so nice to get away¹. We’re staying at an amazing campsite up in the mountains. It’s very remote² and we had to drive up an unbelievably winding³ road to get here. But once we made it, the views over the surrounding⁴ countryside made the terrifying⁵ drive worthwhile. I'm sending a photo of our camping spot.

Love, Sami

¹ go somewhere different
² far from other places
³ with lots of bends, not at all straight
⁴ all around
⁵ very frightening

Dear Nico

This is turning out to be probably the most memorable¹ holiday I’ve ever had. The town is absolutely fascinating² with lots of very impressive³ buildings. Our hotel is delightful⁴ - if a little inconvenient⁵ from the transport point of view - and the food in this area is exceptional⁶. These are some of the old buildings in the town.

Wish you were here too!

Francesca

¹ one that will always be remembered (a memorable holiday is a strong collocation)
² extremely interesting
³ grand, making an impact
⁴ charming
⁵ hard to get to
⁶ unusually good

C ‣ Holiday brochures

C ‣ Holiday brochures

These are often written in quite exaggerated language. Here are some typical adjectives with nouns that they collocate with.

breathtaking views / scenery / pistes (ski slopes) [breathtaking (like stunning) suggests that something is so magnificent that it takes your breath away]

exclusive access / club / shops [only the most special people can use the facilities]

exhilarating feeling / ride / walk [makes you feel excited and full of energy]

exotic beauty / charm / location [unusual and more exciting than your everyday reality]

glamorous surroundings / film star / hotel [especially exciting and attractive]

luxurious cruise ship / accommodation / lifestyle [provides great comfort]

picturesque streets / villages / cottage [very pretty; attractive to look at - as pretty as a picture]

unspoilt charm / village / woodland [still in a beautiful and natural state]

unique opportunity / charm / facilities [so special it does not exist anywhere else]

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