• TEXT 2

• The Rocky Mountains, which border the USA and Canada, are a major venue for skiers and lovers of winter sports. The ranges are huge (the peaks average 3,350 m above sea level) and they cover some 3,220 km² from central New Mexico to north-eastern British Columbia.

• The southern Rockies include some of the most famous ski centres in North America such as Vail, Aspen and Telluride. Colorado ski country attracts around eleven million skiers annually – 20 percent of the total number of skiers in the USA.

• The ski slopes of Colorado, a sunny state known for its powder snow, are among the most difficult in the world. Over half of Vail's 193 runs are 'advanced'. There's snowboarding here as well as downhill skiing. High-speed chairlifts for four and a number of other lifts and gondolas can take visitors to the top in record time.

• Colorado has a long season. You can usually ski from late November to mid-April, depending on the weather. Mother Nature is helped by snowmaking machines. To use them, however, temperatures must be cold enough to create the correct mixture.

• At the northern end of the Rockies, 120 km north of Vancouver, is North America's number one ski resort – Whistler-Blackcomb. Whistler has 7,071 acres of skiable terrain which are served by fifteen different types of lifts and gondolas taking 30,000 skiers per hour onto the mountains. Whistler has five base stations, including a European-style village with restaurants, bars, hotels, condominium apartments and shops.

• Canada has a reputation of being a cold country but because Whistler is not far from the Pacific Ocean, temperatures stay quite mild. Even in the middle of winter, temperatures don't often fall below -15ºC.

• Activities

1. Choose the right variant

• 1. The Rocky Mountains border

1. the USA and Canada.

2. North and South America.

3. the USA and Mexico.

4. New Mexico and British Columbia.

• 2. What are Vail, Aspen and Telluride?

1. famous ski resorts in the northern Rockies

2. famous towns in Colorado

3. famous ski resorts in British Columbia

4. famous ski resorts in the southern Rockies

• 3. Why are the ski slopes of Colorado difficult?

1. because of the mixture of artificial snow

2. because there's snowboarding and downhill skiing

3. because many of its runs are 'advanced'

4. because it takes a long time for skiers to get to the top

• 4. What makes Colorado's ski season so long?

1. snowmaking machines

2. the cold weather

3. Mother Nature and the weather

4. snowmaking machines and the cold weather

• 5. Which of these is not true about Whistler-Blackcomb?

1. it has fifteen different types of chairlifts and gondolas

2. it has the lowest temperatures in Canada

3. it has a European-style village with lots of amenities

4. it's one of the biggest and best-equipped resorts

• Speaking

1. What do you think is most attractive to the elderly travel?

2. Think about the pros and cons of travelling in retirement?

3. Imagine an average old man in your country. What could be his motives for travel?

4. What kinds of travel do you consider most appropriate for older people in your country?

5. To make your speech more logical use the following expressions:

• I think ...

• It seems to me ...

• (Personally,) I believe ...

• From my point of view / viewpoint...

• As far as I can see, ...

• I guess ...

• Naturally/Certainly!/Exactly!

• Probably/ Perhaps…..

• The matter is that...

• I can't say for sure, but…

For all that...

On an average....

It's often the case with....

At any rate...

On the whole....

• Unit 3 sectors in tourism

• The tourism industry has been divided into eight different sectors or areas. The following sector descriptions are brief overviews.

• 

• Do you know anything about each of these sectors?

• Part 1 accommodation

• Make a list of different types of tourist accommodation in your country.

• Which of these have you stayed in? Tell your partners about the best / worst / most unusual accommodation you have ever stayed in.

• Vocabulary

• Read and memorize the following words

• ability

• accommodate

• air-conditioning

• ambience

• amenities

• appeal

• award-winning

• ballroom

• buffet

• cabin

• campground

• cater

• chain

• chalet

• cliff

• convention

• dormitory

• employee

• entertainment

• facilities

• family room

• franchise

• furnishing

• indoor bar

• half-board

• hookup

• landmark

• laundry

• meeting room

• outhouse

• price

• properties

• rental

• rooftop terrace

• saddle (up)

• sleeping bag

• snack bar

• suburbs

• suite

• tent

• transfer

• twin room

• wafts

• washroom

• WC (water closet)

• wilderness