From Inquiry to Review I. Read both emails and answer the questions: Email 1: Pre-Trip Formal Request Subject: Inquiry Regarding Accessibility & Dietary Requirements – Booking #TR-88402 Dear Customer Service Team, I am writing to inquire about specific accommodations for our upcoming "Coastal Explorer Excursion" scheduled for Saturday, August 15th (Booking #TR-88402). My husband and I are exceedingly excited about the trip; however, I would appreciate it if you could clarify

Travel Etiquette (Intermediate) Part 1: Warm-Up Reading & Vocabulary Reading Passage: Understanding Travel Etiquette & Tipping Customs Traveling to a new country is an exciting adventure, but navigating local social norms can sometimes be tricky. Cultural etiquette varies widely around the world, especially when it comes to dining, dress codes, and tipping practices. In North America, tipping is customary and considered a essential part of a service worker’s income. However,

Choosing the Right Vacation Package (Intermediate) Part I: Conversation I. Vocabulary: 1. Pitching (verb/noun): Presenting an idea, plan, or product persuasively to convince someone to accept or buy it. 2. Customized (adjective): Modified or tailored to suit a specific person, budget, or group. 3. Itinerary (noun): A detailed plan or route of a journey, including dates, times, and locations. 4. Excursion (noun): A short journey or trip, especially one taken as a leisure

Flight Cancelled?! (Intermediate) Part 1: Warm-Up Reading & Vocabulary Common Travel Disruptions Traveling can be exciting, but unexpected disruptions can quickly turn a dream vacation into a stressful situation. One of the most common issues travelers face is a flight cancellation due to severe weather or technical glitches. When this happens, passengers are often forced to wait in long lines at the customer service desk to request a rebooking or seek compensation for their

Wildfires and Your Health I. Read the following passage and answer the questions: In recent years, Canada has experienced longer, hotter, and drier summers. Due to climate change, these extreme weather patterns have become more common. This dry environment makes it easy for wildfires to ignite and spread rapidly through our forests. Wildfire smoke is carried by the wind for hundreds of kilometers. This smoke contains high levels of PM2.5, which are microscopic particles that

Quiz 10 I. Choose the correct answer in the following sentences: 1. Visitors ________ touch the museum exhibits; it is strictly forbidden. a) don't have to b) shouldn't c) must not d) might not 2. Identify the part of speech of the bolded word: The extremely loud music kept the neighbors awake. a) Adjective b) Adverb c) Noun d) Preposition 3. The restaurant has excellent reviews; ________, the service was incredibly slow tonight. a) furthermore

When is New Year's Day? I. Read and Practice the following conversation: Setting: A break room at a multicultural community center. Four friends are chatting over coffee about upcoming holidays. Characters: Samira: Celebrates Nowruz (Persian New Year) Lin: Celebrates Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year) Arun: Celebrates Puthandu (Tamil New Year) Mina: Celebrates Nayrouz (Coptic New Year) Samira: I can’t believe it’s already spring. For me, this is the most exciting time of the y

Working Dogs Listen to the following text about "Working Dogs" and choose the correct answer. I. Vocabulary: 1. Working Dog (noun) Meaning: A dog that is trained to do a specific job to help humans, rather than just being kept as a family pet. 2. Guide Dog (noun) Meaning: A specially trained dog that helps a blind or visually impaired person travel safely. 3. Lamppost (noun) Meaning: A tall post on the side of a street or path that holds a light. 4. Harness (noun) Meaning: A

Beyond Just One Day (Celebrating International Women's Day) I. Read and practise the following conversation between: Samir: The father Ali: His 14-year-old son Setting: The kitchen on a Saturday morning. Samir is making coffee, and Ali is looking at his phone. Samir: Ali, put your phone down for a minute. Do you know what today's date is? Ali: It’s March 8th. Why? Is it someone's birthday? Samir: No, it’s International Women’s Day. It’s a very important global event. Ali: Oh,

The Risk Behind Amazon Listen to the following text and choose the correct answer. I. Vocabulary: 1. Massive: (adj.) Definition: Exceptionally large, heavy, powerful, or severe. 2. Retail: (noun / adj.) Definition: The sale of goods directly to the public for their own use (not for resale). 3. Giant: (noun / adj.) Definition: A person or thing of very great size, power, or importance. 4. Analyst: (noun) Definition: A person who conducts analysis by examining data or a situati

"Celebrating Our Journeys" Elena: A student from Ukraine (lives in Canada for 1 year). Samir: A student from Syria (lives in Canada for 3 years). Setting: The school coffee room during a break. Elena: Hi Samir! Are you going to the community center this Friday? They are having a special event. Samir: Oh, really? What is the event for? Elena: It is for International Migrants Day. It’s on December 18th. Samir: Oh, I didn't know that! What do people do on Migrants Day? Elena:

Weddings Around the World I. Read the following article and answer the questions: The Meaning Behind Marriage Wedding traditions are rarely just about a party; they are deeply symbolic rituals meant to ensure a couple’s future prosperity, fertility, and happiness. While Western weddings often emphasize the bride wearing "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue," other cultures use entirely different symbols to bless a union. In traditional Chin

The Facebook Dilemma Listen to the following text and choose the correct answer. I. Vocabulary: 1. Isolation (noun) Meaning: The state of being alone, lonely, or separated from others. 2. Maintain (verb) Meaning: To keep something going; to continue or preserve a relationship or a state of being. 3. Double-edged sword (idiom/noun phrase) Meaning: Something that has both a good side (benefits) and a bad side (problems). 4. Digital space (noun phrase) Meaning: An online envi

The Global Phenomenon of the FIFA World Cup Listen carefully to the following audio and choose the correct answer. Choose the correct answer: 1. What is the primary purpose of the listening text? A) To chronicle the historical evolution of the FIFA World Cup. B) To critique the financial corruption within international sports organizations. C) To analyze the multi-faceted economic and social impacts of the World Cup. D) To argue that underdog teams deserve more representation

Quiz 9 I. Choose the correct answer: 1. How old __________ the children in that class? a. is b. have c. are d. has 2.. How _________ you go to work? a. do b. does c. are d. is 3. __________ people live in your city? a. How more b. How many c. How much d. How long 4. He doesn't have __________ money. a. many b. some c. a lot d. any 5. __________ to go to the movies tonight? a. Would you like b. Would you want c. You would like d. You would

More Than a Stretch A local radio segment interviews a fitness instructor, Maya, about the changing perception of yoga in western communities. Listen to the interview and choose the correct answer. I. Vocabulary: 1. Missing the forest for the trees (Idiom) Definition: Focusing too much on small details and failing to understand the big picture or the main point. 2. Overstimulated (Adjective) Definition: Overwhelmed or overly excited by too many sights, sounds, or inputs at o

Why Water Matters Listen to the following text about why water matters and choose the correct answer. I. Vocabulary: 1. Human (noun / adjective) Definition: Related to people. 2. Properly (adverb) Definition: Correctly, or in the right way. 3. Matters (verb) Definition: Is important. 4. Experience (verb / noun) Definition: To feel or go through something. 5. Dehydration (noun) Definition: A condition where the body does not have enough water to work well. 6. Urine (noun) Defi

Body Language Read the following passage then answer the questions: The Power of Non-Verbal Cues in a Canadian Workplace Imagine walking into a job interview. You have a flawless resume and have memorized answers to every difficult question. However, before you even open your mouth, the interviewer has already formed an impression of you. In North American culture, non-verbal communication—often called body language—carries immense weight. Experts suggest that up to 55% of ou

What Makes a Good Relationship? (Listening Activity) Listen to ten people talking about what makes a good relationship and do the activities: Speaker 1 (Appreciate) Listen to Speaker 1. Write T for True or F for False. The speaker's partner makes tea every morning. ______ Making coffee is a big, expensive thing. ______ The speaker said "thank you" to their partner last night. ______ The speaker feels happy when their partner makes coffee. ______ The speaker thinks it is impor

The Story of Ice Cream Listen to the following text about the story of ice cream and choose the correct answer. I. Vocabulary: 1. Popular (adjective) Meaning: Liked by many people. Example: Ice cream is a very popular dessert in the summer. 2. Treat (noun) Meaning: A special food or drink that tastes good and is eaten for pleasure. Example: After dinner, the children received a sweet treat. 3. Frozen (adjective) Meaning: Turned into ice, or made very cold and solid by freezin