The English Lesson 1 theme is CAPE TOWN TOURISM

Part One: Learn English Skills

Read the following text and answer the questions that follow:

Since it became a democracy in 1994, South Africa has become a very popular tourist destination. Cape Town has led this tourism revival and has earned the title "Gateway to Africa".

Visitors to Cape Town have a broad range of tours to choose from. The tourism industry has grown very quickly and now provides jobs for many people.

Tourists come to Cape Town from all over the world, especially from Europe, the Far East and South America. There are also many visitors from other African countries. The result is that Cape Town is full of life and an excellent place to meet interesting people.

Your Turn

1. Give another word that means the same as "gained".
    
2. What do people usually "earn"?
    
3. "Provides" means a) takes, b) gives, c) needs.
    
4. What is the present tense of "led"?
    
5. What is the opposite of "broad"?
    
6. Which word in the text means "particularly"?
    
7. Which phrase in the text means the same as "vibrant"?
    
8. What is the opposite of "interesting"?
    
9. Tricky question: Why does this text often use the present perfect form (for example, "has become", "has led")?

Part Two: Learn English Structure

About To + Verb

The form "about to + [the verb in the infinitive]" means that the action is going to happen soon. For example: The airplane is about to leave. You should climb on board immediately. It can also be used in the past tense to say that something was going to happen soon after the action. For example: I was about to call a taxi, but then a bus arrived.

Your Turn:

Rewrite these sentences using "about to" and the infinitive form of the verb. The first example has been completed for you.

1. We are (going to arrive at the hotel soon). We are about to arrive at the hotel.
    
2. I am (going to go up Table Mountain soon).
    
3. They will (be starting their English lesson soon).
    
4. She was (planning on visiting the Winelands soon), so she read some interesting information in her Cape Town tourism guidebook.

Part Three: Funnies

A student stood in a Cape Town museum looking at the skeleton of an enormous dinosaur.

The tourist walked over to the museum guard and asked if she knew how old the bones were. She replied "Those bones are three million and four years, and twenty-one days old."

"That's a very exact answer," replied the tourist. "How did you know that?"

"Well," she replied, "those bones were three million years old when I started working here, which was exactly four years and twenty-one days ago."

Part Four: Famous Words

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference."

These are the words of a famous English poet, Robert Frost. The word "diverged" means "separated" or "moved apart". Mr. Frost is suggesting that we should be adventurous and follow our hearts. An excellent suggestion! Any comments?

Answers

Answers to Part One

1. got/received/earned
2. People earn money if they have a job.
3. b) gives
4. lead
5. narrow (thin and small are wrong)
6. especially
7. full of life
8. boring
9. When we relate past events to the result that they have in the present, the correct verb form is "Present Perfect". For example: It has started to rain. (I can see rain drops on my jacket.)

Answer to Part Two

1. I am about to go up Table Mountain.
2. They are about to start their English lesson.
3. She was about to visit the Winelands, so she read some interesting information in her guidebook.