DAY 2- A HIKING FAMILY

Idioms

“get ahead” = become successful in your business or career : dẫn đầu

“Often, people give up time with their families to get ahead in life .”

“control/hold the purse strings” = control the money in a family

“My wife is much better at managing our finances, so she controls the purse strings .”

Ex 1: Listening Exercise
A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
https://esllab.b-cdn.net/audio/mp3/hiking.mp3?_=1
1. Where did Randall grow up?

a) in Indiana
b) in Venezuela
c) in Utah

2. What was his undergraduate major?

a) Spanish
b) Japanese
c) English
3. How many children does he have?

a) three
b) two
c) four
4. Randall ______ when he goes on hikes with his children.

a) points out the wildlife

b) tells them stories
c) teaches them survival skills
5. Randall suggests that parents _____.

a) be consistent in their discipline

b) help children solve problems
c) enroll their children early into schools

Ex 2: LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAP

https://www.esl-lab.com/intermediate/hiking-adventures/
My name’s Randall Davis, and I’m ___________________(1) from the state of Indiana in the United
States. When I was 19 years old, I _______________(2) to Venezuela in South America, and later
returned to the United States, where I attended Brigham Young University in the 1980s. I majored in
____________(3) education and TESOL, or teaching English as a _________________(4). After
graduating from college, my wife and I moved to Japan where we lived for eight years. Now, I
____________(5) back in the States in Utah.
However, my greatest interests are my family. Years ago, I wanted to make something of
myself in my ________________(6). . . you know . . . get ahead in life. However, I realized that
the most important things in life lived within the walls of my own home, and today, I try to
_____________________________(7). My kids wouldn’t remember me for the work I did outside of
the home; they would only recall the moments we spent together.

Therefore, I enjoy spending time with my family. I have ___________(8) children, and we go hiking
and camping together, usually in Utah. On our hikes, we often talk about life, and I ___________(9)
or _________________.(10) When I do this, I can focus on the kids without the distractions of
video games or the Internet. Telling stories sounds easy, but when you have to think of a new story
on a hot, 12-kilometer hike through the desert, you have to ____________________(11) ideas off
the top of your head.

Now, this doesn’t mean we don’t have problems; all families face challenges in their lives, and our
family is no exception. However, we try to talk __________(12) about our problems, and we try to
solve our problems together. Building a strong family ______________ (13), but it is worth the
effort.

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

 make something of oneself (idiom): become successful in a career or other activity

– My dad never thought I would make something of myself because I didn’t graduate from a
prestigious university, but I proved him wrong.
 get ahead (phrasal verb): become successful in the business world
– If you want to get ahead in life, you have to set clear goals.
 realize (verb): understand the importance of something
– Many young married couples don’t realize how challenging raising children can be until they
have children of their own.
 recall (verb): remember something from the past
– I can’t recall a time when my parents argued in front of me and my brothers.
 focus on (verb): pay careful and direct attention to a particular person or thing
– When people focus too much on their careers, they sometimes neglect their family’s needs.
 distraction (noun): something that takes your attention away from another activity
– Watching too much TV can be a big distraction from building a good relationship with
children.
 off the top of your head (idiom): think of something immediately without preparation
– I felt really embarrassed when I couldn’t remember her name off the top of my head.

Ex 3: CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER

1. Do you _______________ what time we started hiking this morning?
? remind
? recall
? foot
2. You don't have to do great things to _____________ something of yourself. The simple
things, like going hiking with family, can be a simple family success.
? make
? give
? be
3. Why don't we sit outside on the ______________ and enjoy the stars tonight?
? chair
? sofa
:-) porch
4. Although the weather was a little cold, all of the campers just made the __________ of it and
tried to have a good time.
? best
? end
? call
5. You often have to work very hard to get _____________ in life, but don't forget to enjoy life
along the way.
? down
? ahead
? together