Look at the chart. Do any of the statistics surprise you? Why?

Match the photos with four of the countries in the chart. What do you know
about the places in the photos? Would you like to visit them? Give reasons.
USA: The Niagara Falls are located on
the border of Ontario, Canada and New
York State, USA. They consist of three
China: The Great Wall of China is a
adjacent waterfalls. They are not the
series of walls first built in the fifth highest in the world (the highest are
century BC. It served to protect the Angel Falls in Venezuela) nor the
Chinese borders from attacks from widest the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe /
the north. Zambia) but they are exceptionally
beautiful and attract a million visitors a
month.

Mexico: Chichen Itza is an

archaeological site built by the
Italy: St Peter's Square is in front of St
Mayan civilisation. It contains ruins
Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It is
in various states of preservation
from here that the Pope gives his
including a castle, temples, ball
blessing from a window of the Vatican
courts, shrines and a market. The
Palace, which looks out onto the
monument in the photo is a castle.
square.
Listen to three people talking about where they would like to visit and why.
Match three or four of the reasons below (1-10) to each speaker.
architecture landscape atmosphere to improve language skills cultural activities
to meet people food outdoor activities history personal challenge

Speaker 1 sample some of the cuisine, volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, meet Icelandic people,
glacier-hiking, whitewater rafting

finding out about Inca civilisation, spectacular landscape, lugging your stuff, test myself
Speaker 2 and find out my stamina levels

old Roman ruins, museums and galleries, practise Italian, meet loads of people
Speaker 3
 Complete the sentences from the listening with the -ing form of the verbs below.
attempt backpack kip lug pay see trek

paying
1 For me it'd be a place well worth ______________ a visit because I'm really interested
in doing outdoor activities.

seeing
2 It's always fascinating ______________ how other people live.

trekking
3 I'd find it really exhilarating ______________ through the mountains at high altitude.

lugging
4 It's hard work ______________ all your equipment with you.

attempting
5 Obviously it'd be crazy______________ to get to every country inside a month.

backpacking on my own, a real adventure.

6 I actually think it would be fun ______________

7 It's a bit of a pain ______________

kipping on the train, but I' ll survive I'm sure.
It can be used as a preparatory subject or object for an -ing form, especially in
informal style.

We often use it with adjectives.

It was interesting hearing what he had to say.

It will be great seeing you all again.

We often use it with the noun worth.

Is it really worth buying those jeans?

It was worth asking for help.

The object of the -ing form can sometimes become the subject of the sentence.

It’s worth seeing Regent’s Park.

Regent’s Park is worth seeing.

It is also often used negatively with the noun use.

It won't be any use waiting here for nim.

Some nouns and adjectives can be followed by -ing forms. A preposition usually
joins the -ing form with the noun or adjective.

I hate the idea of getting bad exam results.

 Complete the sentences with the words below and the -ing form of the verb in brackets.
good nice pointless tiring use worth
use reporting reporting the crime. Your wallet will never be found. (report)
1 It's no _____________

2 It was pointless taking your mother out for lunch. She didn't eat anything. (take)
_____________

good staying
3 It's no _____________ on at school if you aren't going to study. (stay)

nice talking
4 It's been _____________ to you. Thank you for your time. (talk)

tiring dealing
5 It was _____________ with the same old problems, day in and day out. (deal)

worth selling
6 It isn't _____________ our house right now. (sell)
 Complete the sentences using the word in brackets and an -ing form.
1 Nobody wants to have an operation. (thought)
People don't like the thought of having an operation .
2 Of course I'll pass all my exams. (confident)
I'm ____________________________________________
confident of passing all my exams.
3 Everybody thinks that Nadal will win. (chance)
Nadal has a good chance of winning.
____________________________________________
4 Her main concern is that her children may get lost. (worried)
worried about her children getting lost.
She's ____________________________________________
5 I've never spent the night in an igloo before. (strange)
strange spending the night in an igloo.
It' ll be ____________________________________________
6 Kids rarely like thinking that their parents might split up. (thought)
Most children hate the____________________________________________
thought of their parents splitting up.
Which of the phrases did the speakers use in the listening?
listen again and check your answers to exercises 4 and 5.

a bit of a, in a way, just kind of, sort of, or that kind of thing, or something like that,
or whatever
Read these sentences aloud, adding some phrases from the speaking tip.
1 Paris, Rome and Madrid are good places to visit.
Paris, Rome and Madrid are sort of good places to visit.
2 I'd like to travel round the world.
In a way I'd like to travel round the world.
3 Tom wants to backpack or hitchhike round Europe.
Tom just kind of wants to backpack or hitchhike round Europe.
4 We're planning to visit the Seychelles or the Maldives.
We're sort of planning to visit the Seychelles or the Maldives.
5 Thailand has to be top of my list of holiday destinations.
In one way or another, Thailand has to be top of my list of holiday destinations.