Tourists
Oct 23 2015
Intro
Every major metropolitan city is crowded with tourists, especially in the summer. Tourism is an important part of many cities’ economies, because tourists spend money at restaurants, hotels, and cultural attractions. Also, many people have jobs in the tourism industry.
There are some downsides to tourism, too, though. The tourist crowds can get to be too much. And sometimes tourists are rude, and they don’t try to understand the customs of a city. They act as if the people of the city should be there to serve them. Find out Mason and Marni’s take on tourists in this cities English lesson.
There are some downsides to tourism, too, though. The tourist crowds can get to be too much. And sometimes tourists are rude, and they don’t try to understand the customs of a city. They act as if the people of the city should be there to serve them. Find out Mason and Marni’s take on tourists in this cities English lesson.
Dialogue
English, baby! English lesson audio.
Mason: I just had a friend in town, and I had to do the whole tourist, host thing. Which I like doing every once in a while, it sort of gives you a chance to go some of the places that you don’t usually go.
Marni: True.
Mason: But, overall, I’m glad we don’t live in a city that I think is a big tourist destination because, generally, they kind of annoy me.
Marni: Really? I guess I’m a little ambivalent about tourists. I think there’s a real benefit to having tourists. It’s a good boost to the economy. And I always chucklewhen I see people doing the traditional pose with the digital camera in front of certain very scenic sights around town. You usually can kind of tell who they are.
Mason: Sure. It’s all about the volume, right? If you go to New York, or you go to London, or Paris, any of the really huge cities-
Marni: Major cities.
Mason: It’s like nobody lives there. It’s just people standing around taking pictures or giant tour buses.
Marni: I don’t know. Any major city is going to have that. I like to travel, but I don’t like to think of myself as a tourist, but I’m sure other people look at me as a tourist. I don’t want to be too judgmental.
Mason: I have been guilty of stopping in the middle of a busy street because I don’t know where I’m going, to look at a map, and someone bumps into me.
Marni: Sure, but that’s part of the experience, right? When you’re somewhere you don’t know.
Marni: True.
Mason: But, overall, I’m glad we don’t live in a city that I think is a big tourist destination because, generally, they kind of annoy me.
Marni: Really? I guess I’m a little ambivalent about tourists. I think there’s a real benefit to having tourists. It’s a good boost to the economy. And I always chucklewhen I see people doing the traditional pose with the digital camera in front of certain very scenic sights around town. You usually can kind of tell who they are.
Mason: Sure. It’s all about the volume, right? If you go to New York, or you go to London, or Paris, any of the really huge cities-
Marni: Major cities.
Mason: It’s like nobody lives there. It’s just people standing around taking pictures or giant tour buses.
Marni: I don’t know. Any major city is going to have that. I like to travel, but I don’t like to think of myself as a tourist, but I’m sure other people look at me as a tourist. I don’t want to be too judgmental.
Mason: I have been guilty of stopping in the middle of a busy street because I don’t know where I’m going, to look at a map, and someone bumps into me.
Marni: Sure, but that’s part of the experience, right? When you’re somewhere you don’t know.
Discussion
Mason recently hosted a friend from out of town. He took the friend around his city, and, in a way, that made him feel as if he was a tourist in his own home. He’s glad that his city does not generally see a lot of tourists. It bothers him when he goes to a larger city and sees tourists everywhere.
Marni is more ambivalent about tourists. She feels more than one way about them. She really sees the economic benefits to tourism, even if she sometimes thinks their actions are a little silly. Most of all, she knows that sometimes she is a tourist, too, so can she really complain?
How do you feel about tourists? Do many tourists come to your city or town? When you travel, do you think you act like a typical tourist?
Marni is more ambivalent about tourists. She feels more than one way about them. She really sees the economic benefits to tourism, even if she sometimes thinks their actions are a little silly. Most of all, she knows that sometimes she is a tourist, too, so can she really complain?
How do you feel about tourists? Do many tourists come to your city or town? When you travel, do you think you act like a typical tourist?
Grammar Point
Contractions and Abbreviations
Marni says that it’s easy to become a tourist whenyou’re somewhere you don’t know. She uses twocontractions.
A contraction is simply a quick way to combine two words, using an apostrophe. The apostrophe replaces a letter or letters. In the examples above, you’re is a contraction of you are. The apostrophe replaces the “a”.Don’t is a contraction of do not, and the apostrophe replaces the second “o”. Marni could have said, “when you are somewhere you do not know.”
Keep in mind that an apostrophe + s can also be used to show possession. A good trick is to try to replace the apostrophe with the word “is.” If it makes sense in the sentence, then you’ve got a contraction, not a possessive.
Which is correct, “He’s so sick of tourists,” or, “Hes so sick of tourists”?
Marni says that it’s easy to become a tourist whenyou’re somewhere you don’t know. She uses twocontractions.
A contraction is simply a quick way to combine two words, using an apostrophe. The apostrophe replaces a letter or letters. In the examples above, you’re is a contraction of you are. The apostrophe replaces the “a”.Don’t is a contraction of do not, and the apostrophe replaces the second “o”. Marni could have said, “when you are somewhere you do not know.”
Keep in mind that an apostrophe + s can also be used to show possession. A good trick is to try to replace the apostrophe with the word “is.” If it makes sense in the sentence, then you’ve got a contraction, not a possessive.
Which is correct, “He’s so sick of tourists,” or, “Hes so sick of tourists”?
Quiz
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