Warm-up
Answer a few quick questions before today’s lesson about travel.
Listening
Listen carefully to the recording and answer each question. You can replay the audio up to two times.
Listening — Gap Year Adventures
Read all the questions carefully before the recording begins. You will hear the recording twice.
Reading
Read the passage on the left, then work through the questions on the right.
Reading — The Traveller Who Almost Missed Everything
Read the passage on the left, then answer the questions one by one.
The Traveller Who Almost Missed Everything
When Sarah booked a three-week trip across Southeast Asia, she meticulously planned every detail. She had researched temples in Cambodia, beaches in Thailand, and markets in Vietnam for months. However, by the time she arrived in Bangkok, she realised she had overlooked something crucial: she hadn’t left room for spontaneity. On her second day, Sarah missed her scheduled tour to Ayutthaya because she had gotten lost in the backstreets of the old city. Rather than panic, she decided to follow a local street vendor who invited her to a family lunch. That single detour led to friendships that lasted years and photographs she treasured more than any professional guidebook could have captured. She later reflected that if she hadn’t missed that tour, she would never have experienced authentic Bangkok life. This unexpected pattern repeated itself throughout her journey. In Hanoi, a broken scooter rental forced her to explore on foot, and she discovered a hidden café where she spent hours chatting with other travellers. In Ho Chi Minh City, a cancelled flight meant she stayed an extra two days—time she spent volunteering at a local school. By the end of her trip, Sarah had abandoned her original itinerary almost entirely. When friends asked whether she regretted the missed plans, Sarah smiled and said no. She explained that had she stuck rigidly to her schedule, she would have collected only stamps in her passport. Instead, she had collected stories, connections, and a deeper understanding of Southeast Asia. Her journey taught her that the best travel moments are often the ones you don’t plan—they are the detours, the unexpected encounters, and the willingness to embrace uncertainty that transform a holiday into a life-changing experience.Use of English
Transform the root word in brackets to fit the sentence.
A Life-Changing Journey Through Southeast Asia
Use of English — Word formation
Choose or type the correct word for each gap in the passage above.
Writing Task
B2 First — Writing Part 2
Enter your name if you would like your teacher to identify your work — this is optional. Click Start when you are ready. The timer will begin immediately.
Speaking
Speaking task. Read the instructions, then complete the task.
After the Lesson
Reflect on what you learned and how confident you feel now.
Teacher Guide
Practise with
- achievementnoun
something successfully accomplished
- avoidingverb
Deliberately staying away from or not doing something; keeping clear of a person, place, or situation.
- committedadjective
Devoted to a cause or belief, willing to invest significant time and effort continuously.
- excitingadjective
making you feel interested and happy about something
- friendshipnoun
a close and caring relationship between two or more people who like and trust each other.
- isolatedadjective
separated from other people or places; not connected to or influenced by others
- kindnessnoun
the quality of being kind
- photographsnoun
Pictures made with a camera to capture and keep memories of people, places, or events.
- plannoun
a set of ideas about what you will do
- planningnoun
The process of deciding on and organizing the details of something you want to do in advance.
- quicklyadverb
at a fast speed
- Vietnamnoun
A country in Southeast Asia with beaches and mountains.