Idioms!

to take in– to attend a movie, concert, or play

Why don’t we take in a traditional Japanese play while we’re in the city?

for a song– very cheaply

We were able to buy these Japanese dolls for a song.

Answer the questions

1. What time is the bus leaving?

a. 9:00 b. 9:15

c. 9:50

2. When was the Golden Pavillion built?

a. in 1397

b. in 1379

c. in 1339

3. What is Ryoanji Temple famous for?

a. its trees b. its stone walls

c. its rock garden

4. What does the guide NOT say about Gion?

a. There are different shops to see. b. Tourists should visit the theaters. c. Gion is representative of traditional Kyoto.

5. How much time will visitors have to tour the castle?

a. 45 minutes

b. 60 minutes

c. 90 minutes

3. Vocabulary activities

Do the text completion quiz

Well, good morning everyone. My name is Craig Stone, and I'll be your guide for today's tour of Kyoto. First, I want to go over the ⁽¹⁾ … for the tour, so everyone can enjoy the trip without being worried about being left behind along the way. And no one has gotten lost so far.

First of all, we'll be leaving at 9:15 outside the main train station exit. That's in thirty minutes. Be sure to ⁽²⁾ … the bus by 9:00 sharp.

We'll be visiting some of the most famous ⁽³⁾ … spots in Kyoto. Our first stop will be at the Golden Pavilion, a temple constructed in 1397. We'll be leaving there at 10:30. You'll have about forty-five minutes to ⁽⁴⁾ … around the temple and its gardens.

Our next ⁽⁵⁾ … will be Ryoanji Temple. That's always a difficult one to ⁽⁶⁾…. This temple is famous for its beautiful rock garden. We'll ⁽⁷⁾ … from the temple at 11:45.

Next, we'll have lunch from 12:00 to 12:45.

In the afternoon, we'll be making a ⁽⁸⁾ … stop at Heian Jingu Shrine, which was constructed in 1895 to ⁽⁹⁾ … the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of the city of Kyoto.

After that, we'll head downtown and stop in Gion. Many people asked me about different traditional shopping areas, and this is a place we don't want to miss. You'll have about an hour to look around, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the ⁽¹⁰⁾ … of the entire area. The shops, the homes, and the restaurants. A very traditional flavor of Kyoto. We'll be leaving Gion at 2:30.

Finally, we'll visit Nijojo Castle, which was the residence of the first Tokugawa Shogun. You'll have about an hour to tour the castle, and we'll meet at the bus at 4:00.

Any questions?

4. Post-listening exercises

Are there any sightseeing tours available in your home city? If so, where would they take a visitor to your city? Pretend you are the tour guide hosting exchange students in your city. What details about the city would you share with your guests? What would be the best way to see your city: on foot, by bicycle, by bus, or by taxi?

Ex. 16 Listen to the recording “Making Hotel Reservations” and read along with the recording.

Discuss in groups:

What are the main factors that determine where you choose to stay on your vacation (e.g., price, location, hotel amenities, room decor, hotel reputation, etc.)? Rank these things from highest to lowest and discuss your reasons.

Online Investigation

Let's suppose you are going on a week vacation to the destination of your choice. Use the Internet and find the most expensive and cheapest place to stay in that city and compare the advantages and disadvantages of each accommodation.