IT'S OKAY TO BE WEIRD

W
E
I
R
D
P
L
A
C
E
S

By:
Munira

UNIT 3 : Weird Places

This unit focuses on Speaking, Listening, Reading , Writing and Grammar activities.
The themes discussed are Weird Places, Unusual destinations and Travel.

3.1 Speaking
Think and Discuss.
1. Do you know what these lights are in the sky?
2. Where can you see these lights?

Here is a list of the top strangest
places in the world:
1. Bermuda Triangle
2. The Great Pyramids of Giza
3. Stonehenge
4. Easter Island
5. The Nazca Lines
6. Angkor Wat
7. Teotihuacan

Can you identify them in the pictures
given?



Exercise A: Let’s discuss.

Unusual destinations
Exercise B: Look at the photos and read the captions and the
information. Then discuss the questions.
Are you bored with the same vacation spot? Our world has so many beautiful
places. Some of them are natural like this cave in Bahamas and some of them
are manmade like this cave in Turkey. Many people goes to the same place
every year. This year be adventurous and plan your next vacation at an unusual
destination. Then, spend the rest of your life enjoying the natural and manmade
wonders across our world. So many places and so little time!
1. Where do you like to travel?

2. What differences do you see between the photos? How are they alike
and how are they different

3. Look at the two photos. Which place do you want to go to?

A manmade cave in Turkey

A diver exploring underwater cave in Bahamas

Exercise C: Language Function: Asking for Repetition

Here are some phrases you can use when you want someone to repeat
something you didn’t understand.

What? What did you say? Excuse me? Did you say . . . ?

Practice the conversations from exercise A with a partner. Then switch

roles and practice them again.

Conversation 1
A: What are you doing?
B: I’m reading a book on South Africa.
A: What did you say?
B: I’m reading a book on South Africa. I’m going to Cape

Town next month.

Conversation 2
A: Do you want to have dinner now?
B: No, I’m planning my vacation.
A: Did you say you’re planning your vacation?
B: Yes, I leave next week!

Group Discussion

Exercise D: Work with a group of your classmates. Follow the instructions below.

Imagine you are on a vacation. Tell your classmates what you are doing on
your vacation. Your classmates try to guess where you are. Your
classmates can ask for repetition if they don’t understand something.

I am wearing sunglasses. Did you say you are
I am swimming. walking in the sand?

I am walking in the sand.

Yes. I am walking in

the sand. You are at the beach!

Group Discussion

Exercise C : Discuss with your group members which destination would you
choose to travel to. Prepare a mind map of the destination of your
choice and present to the class.

Pamukkale, Turkey
A remarkable UNESCO World Heritage
Site in southwest Turkey, a visit to
Pamukkale (Cotton Palace) also takes in
the ancient ruins of Hierapolis, the once
great city that was built around it. Water
cascades from natural springs and down
the white travertine terraces and forms
stunning thermal pools perfect for a quick
dip.

Lake Hillier, Western Australia
This remarkable lake was discovered in 1802
on the largest of the islands in Western
Australia’s Recherche Archipelago. The lake
keeps its deep pink colour year-round, which
some scientists say is down to high salinity
combined with the presence of a salt-loving
algae species known as Dunaliella salina and
pink bacteria known as halobacteria.

Cat Island, Japan
A short ferry ride from Japan’s east coast,
Tashirojima has a population of one hundred
humans who are vastly outnumbered by their
furry friends. Originally the cats were encouraged
as the island produced silk and mice are a natural
predator of silkworms. Local fishermen regarded
them as good luck and the island even has a cat
shrine, along with newly built cat shaped cabins
for tourists to stay in. It goes without saying that
there are no dogs allowed.

3.2 Listening
Exercise A: Watch and listen to the video below.

Scan the QR code or go to this link.
https://youtu.be/X9HzpvydnxE

Exercise B: Answer the questions below.

1) What is the adjective used to describe the exterior, walls and ceilings of this house?
Answer the question using your own words

2) This house is divided into ... spaces.
A) two
B) three
C) Four

3) In this house there are ... rooms.
A) four
B) three
C) Two

4)Match the items:

view sight
rooftop place on the top of the building
multi-purpose changed into something else
converted used for different functions

5) The owner of the house sold it for ...
A) the exact original price
B) more than the half of the original asking price
C) half of the original asking price

6) The person who designed this house was
A) very little
B) a refugee in Germany
C) built in 2013

7) Fill the gap: In this house you can use ________________________ and
________________________ as well as stairs.

8) To create this house, the architect used two ...
A) abandoned houses
B) cathedrals
C) churches

9) Correct the wrong word: There are two separate homes in this house.
_________________________________________________________

3.3 Building Vocabulary

Exercise A: Look at the photos. Then read the descriptions.
Notice the highlighted words. These are words you will ‘
use in Exercise B.

There are many breath taking places on Earth. Some of them are natural
places and others are manmade attractions. From very old to very
modern, we recommend the following spectacular manmade destinations

Manmade islands of Dubai
These are manmade islands off the coast of
Dubai. They are several miles wide. One
group of islands is in the shape of palm trees
and another group is in the shape of a world
map. They are resort islands. Many people
visit them each year.

Petra, Jordan
This city is 2500 years old and is on many
travellers' lists for unusual destinations. It is
in the middle of the Jordanian desert. There
are many beautiful temples1 and
monuments.2 It is recommended for
travellers seeking an unknown vacation spot

Wat Rong Khun, Thailand
There are many temples in Thailand, but the
Rong Khun, named The White Temple, is
spectacular. It is just outside Chang Rai in
northern Thailand. This unusual temple is all
white. It has a mix of modern and old styles
together.

SkyPark, Singapore
SkyPark is located on top of three tall
buildings. It overlooks the beautiful city
of Singapore. With restaurants, a large
swimming pool, and a museum of
modern art, there is something for
everyone. The view is breath taking!

Exercise :B Match each word highlighted in exercise A with its definition.

1. natural (adj.) a. to look out on something
2. manmade (adj.) b. combination
3. attraction (n.) c. an area that you can see
4. recommend (v.) d. very exciting or impressive
5. spectacular (adj.) e. not made by people
6. view (n.) f. made by people
7. mix (n.) g. something interesting or fun to do
8. overlook (v.) h. to suggest or advise

Exercise C: Read the sentences. Circle the correct word.

1. I like to go to manmade (attractions/overlooks). I like

to see modern buildings.

2. I am standing at the top of a mountain now. The

(view / overlook) is breath taking.

3. The mountains and rivers are (natural/manmade)

attractions in this country.

4. This bridge(overlooks/mix) the lake. The view is

breath taking.

5. I like a mix of (manmade/spectacular) and natural

destination.

6. That man (overlooks/recommends) the natural

attractions. He says there are spectacular.

7. A (n) (mix/attraction) of old and modern is an

interesting style.

8. The view from the top of the building is An ice sculpture at
(spectacular/recommend). a festival in China

Exercise D: Complete the sentence using the words given.
Questions: What place would you most like to visit in the world? Why?

1. It’s usually a great idea to travel with a good arrive
________________ so you don’t get lost. depart
2. The Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Eiffel Tower in hotel
Paris are very famous ________________s. information desk
3. I always buy lots of ________________s when I travel international
because I like to remember the places I’ve travelled to. landmark
4. What time does our flight leave, or ________________? luggage
5. When will you get there, or ________________?
6. Where can I buy a train ________________? map
7. Last month, when I was in Vienna, I sent my passport
grandmother a ________________ of the city. postcard
8. Our flight leaves from Gate 43, but I don’t know where sightsee
Gate 43 is. Let’s ask at the ________________. souvenir
9. My family and I are flying to Taiwan tomorrow, so we
need to go to the ________________ airport. ticket
10. Millions of ________________s visit the Great Wall of tourist
China every year.
trip
hotel

11. The way my face looks changes as I get older, so I need

to get a new ________________ every ten years.
12. Don’t forget to bring everything you need in your

________________. We’ll be travelling for two weeks.

13. Should we travel with a tour group and take our cameras

when we ________________ around the country?

14. Did you enjoy your ________________ to Dubai?
After we arrive in Berlin, we’ll check in at a nice

15. ________________ and get some rest.

Exercise E : Grammar practice

An alternative ‘Bucket List’ of unusual places to visit in the world
Recently travel website Lonely Planet revealed the top 500 places to visit. The
list, compiled by travel experts and writers, includes the world’s top sights.
Today though, I thought we’d (1)__ on some of the more (2)__ and (3)__
places to visit in the world. Surprisingly there are quite a few of them to (4)__
visiting.
What about a visit to Silfra in Iceland? Here, divers can see where two
continents meet. Alternatively there is Jellyfish Lake in Palau. You can (5)__
swim with millions of huge (6)__. In the Cayman Islands there is Stingray City.
This place is a (7)__ for tourists wanting to get up close to the many different
types of Stingray. An interesting place to visit is the Pére Lachaise Cemetery
in Paris. It is the world’s most visited (8)__. Here you can see the resting
places of Oscar Wilde, 60s rock star Jim Morrison and Chopin.

cemetery / haven / actually / alternative / jellyfish / focus / unusual / consider

Silfira Iceland Stingray City Cayman Island

Jellyfish Lake Palau Lachaise Cemetery Paris

3.4 Reading

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

Adventure travel

Time for an adventure?

Are you a bit bored with your nine-to-five routine? Have a look at our
exciting range of holidays and decide what type of adventure you’d like.

Activity holidays
Our activity holidays are for everyone, people who love danger or who just
like sports. We have a huge variety of water, snow or desert holidays. We’ll
take you SCUBA diving in the Red Sea or kayaking and white water rafting
in Canada. If you prefer snow, you can try skiing or snowboarding in the
Alps or even igloo-building. For those who like warmer weather, we also
have sandboarding (the desert version of skateboarding) or camel safaris.

Polar expeditions
Take a cruise to Antarctica or the northern Arctic; explore a land of white
natural beauty and wonderful wildlife. Our experts will explain everything
about the two poles as you watch the penguins in Antarctica or whales and
polar bears in the Arctic. There's no greater adventure than travelling to the
ends of the earth. A once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Cultural journeys
Our cultural journeys will help you discover ancient civilisations: India,
Thailand, Egypt and many more. Visit temples, palaces and ancient ruins –
just remember to bring your camera! Get to know local ways of life by
exploring markets, trying exotic foods and meeting local people.

Trekking tours
We have trekking holidays to famous places such as Machu Picchu
or the Everest Base Camp Trek, as well as some nearer to home in
the Highlands of Scotland. You don’t need to be very sporty, just
fairly fit. You’ll have a great time enjoying nature with a group of new
friends. Some of the holidays include camping, but we’ll transport
the tents for you!

Wildlife holidays
We organise small-group tours to get closer to nature in Africa, Asia
or South America. Go on safari in Africa and watch lions and
giraffes. Meet the famous turtles of the Galapagos Islands. Look for
tigers in India, or take an elephant safari in Sri Lanka. We use local
guides and stay in a range of accommodation, from tents to tree
houses.

Exercise A: Match the activities with the correct holiday

.

❑ learn about foreign cultures ❑ visit the South Pole ❑ see whales

❑ visit Scotland ❑ try different local food ❑ follow a local guide

❑ try different sports ❑ see lions ❑ climb mountains ❑ go kayaking
1. Wildlife holidays

2. Polar expeditions

3. Cultural journey

4. Trekking tours

5. Activity holidays

Exercise B : Answer the questions below with information from the passage.
1. What activities are suitable for people who likes warm weather ?
2. What will you be able to see when you visit the two poles?
3. Why do you have to bring camera when you go for cultural journeys?
4. When you go for trekking holidays, what will you be able to enjoy?
5. Where do you have to go to get close to wildlife?

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

An alternative ‘Bucket List’ of unusual places to visit in the
world

Recently travel website Lonely Planet revealed the
top 500 places to visit. The list, compiled by travel experts and
writers, includes the world’s top sights. Today though, I thought
we’d focus on some of the more unusual and alternative places
to visit in the world. Surprisingly there are quite a few of them to
consider visiting.

What about a visit to Silfra in Iceland? Here, divers
can see where two continents meet. Alternatively there is
Jellyfish Lake in Palau. You can actually swim with millions of
huge jellyfish. In the Cayman Islands there is Stingray City. This
place is a haven for tourists wanting to get up close to the many
different types of Stingray.
An interesting place to visit is the Pére Lachaise Cemetery in
Paris. It is the world’s most visited cemetery. Here you can see
the resting places of Oscar Wilde, 60s rock star Jim Morrison and
Chopin. In Poland, you could visit The Wolf’s Lair that is located
in the Masurinan Woods. This is where Hitler used to meet his
generals.

What about a visit to Chernobyl in Ukraine? About
10,000 visitors a year visit the place where the nuclear explosion
happened. Visitors though are not allowed to touch anything.
Kolmanskop in Namibia, Africa, is definitely worth a visit. This old,
once thriving, German diamond mining town is now gradually
sinking into the sand. Staying in Africa what about a visit to
Ghana’s Slave Forts? Cape Coast Castle was one of the largest
slave holding forts exporting slaves to America from the Cape
Coast in Ghana.

Finally what about a visit the Cu Chi tunnels in
Vietnam or a holiday to North Korea? If not, perhaps a visit to the
DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) on the border of South Korea and
North Korea.

Exercise C : Answer the questions below. You may use a dictionary or the
internet if you need help to find meaning.

1)What is Lonely Planet?
2)How many places were on the list?
3)Name three countries.
4)What is a cemetery?
5)Who was Hitler?
6)Where is Kolmanskop?
7)What is a slave?
8)What does ‘DMZ’ mean?
9)Where is North Korea?
10)What is a jellyfish?

3.5 Writing

Choosing the Best Vacation

Exercise A: Use descriptions from the box below.
Write all the descriptions that apply in the chart.

adventurous dangerous incredible relaxing
rough special typical breath taking
exciting risky thrilling
secluded one of a kind
unusual

Sightseeing in Antarctica

Ballooning in Turkey Kayaking in the Philippines

Vacation Destinations

Turkey Antarctica Philippines

Exercise B: Think about each vacation in exercise A. Which vacation is
best for you? Write a short paragraph below.

My dream vacation is ___________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Exercise D: Essay writing

You and your family had gone for a holiday recently. Write a letter to your friend telling
him/her about your experience. Write an essay between 120 to 150 words

Answer Key

3.2 Listening
Exercise B
1. The house is transparent
2. B
3. A
4. rooftop- place on top of the building

converted-change into something else
multipurpose-used for different functions
view- sight
5.C
6. B
7. Slides / Stairs chutes
8. C
9. There are two separate dwellings in the house

3.3 Building Vocabulary

Exercise :B Match each word highlighted in exercise A with its definition

1. natural (adj.) -not made by people

2. manmade (adj.) -made by people

3. attraction (n.) -something interesting or fun to do

4. recommend (v.) - to suggest or advice

5. spectacular (adj.) - very exciting or impressive

6. . view (n.) - an area that you can see

7. mix (n.) - combination

8. overlook (v.) - to look out on something

Exercise D: Complete the sentence using the words given.

1. map
2. landmarks
3. souvenirs
4. depart
5. arrive
6. ticket
7. postcard
8. information desk
9. International
10. tourists
11. passport
12. luggage.
13. trip
14. hotel

Exercise E : Grammar practice

(1) focus
(2) unusual
(3) alternative
(4) consider
(5) actually
(6) jellyfish
(7) haven
(8) cemetery

3.4 Reading
Exercise A: Match the activities with the correct holiday

1. Wildlife holidays
see whales
see lions

2. Polar expeditions
visit the South Pole

3. Cultural journeys
learn about foreign cultures
try different local food

4. Trekking tours
follow a local tour guide
visit Scotland
climb mountains

5. Activity holidays
go kayaking
try different sports

Exercise B : Answer the questions below with information from the passage

1. Cultural journeys and Wildlife holidays
2. the penguins in Antarctica or whales and polar bears in the Arctic.
3. to take picture of interesting historical monuments.
4. enjoying the nature
5. join the wildlife holidays to Africa