Travel, TV, Exercise

ESL Private Lesson Notes

Running Locations:
- “Is there a park where you like to run?”
- “I run in the Hanifa Valley area. It’s a scenic valley with a waterfront.”
- “It has a four-star rating—looks like a great place!”
Morning vs. Evening Runs:
- “Do you run at night?”
- “Yes, but I prefer running in the morning. It’s cooler.”
- “Right now, I have a small knee injury, so I’m taking time to recover.”
Scenery & Atmosphere:
- “Can you see the sunrise while running?”
- “Yes! The sunrise there is beautiful, and the fresh air is refreshing.”
- “City air is different—Orlando’s air is okay, but Los Angeles has a lot of smog from traffic.”
Other Activities at the Park:
- “Can people have picnics there?”
- “Yes! It’s a big area where you can have picnics and cook kebabs.”

Fasting During Ramadan:
- “I’m fasting right now, but I will eat in two hours.”
- “When does Ramadan end?”
- “It ends on March 30th. Ramadan lasts one month.”
- “After that, I will be able to eat at any time again!”
Travel Plans After Ramadan:
- “After Ramadan, I might travel to Malta.”
- “That sounds like a great trip!”

Past Visits to Jordan:
- “I used to travel to Jordan every year for business.”
- “I visited Amman and worked on Saudi-financed projects like a cement project near Salt.”
- “Jordan isn’t very big, but the people are wonderful, and the food is amazing!”
What is an Antiquity?
- “Antiquities are ancient historical sites or objects.”
- “For example, Petra in Jordan is an antiquity, just like the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.”
- “Antiquities include ruins, statues, coins, or buildings from the ancient past.”
Places Visited in Jordan:
- “I visited Aqaba, the Dead Sea, and many historic sites.”
- “The hotels by the Dead Sea are beautiful, and the food in Jordan is incredible.”
Middle Eastern Cuisine:
- “Jordanian, Greek, and Turkish food are very similar.”
- “They have dishes like hummus, baba ghanoush, and falafel.”
- “In Jordan, they make a special rice-and-meat dish that is flipped upside down from a pot—delicious!”

American Perceptions Abroad:
- “I haven’t visited Jordan since 2017.”
- “It used to be easy to travel, but things have changed for Americans.”
- “When I travel, I sometimes say I’m Canadian. I even wear a Maple Leaf t-shirt!”
Hopes for the Future:
- “Things will get better, but right now, we have some political challenges.”
- “We used to do a lot of good in the world, and I hope we get back to that.”

Pronunciation Practice:
- “Reading out loud helps with pronunciation.”
- “Speaking is harder without notes, so reading helps structure sentences correctly.”
TV Genres & Shows:
- Crime Show / Mystery / “Whodunit”
  - “A detective investigates a crime and tries to find out who did it.”
- Romantic Movie / Comedy / Sitcom
  - “A lighthearted love story, often chosen by one partner while the other just pretends to like it!”
- Nature Show / Documentary
  - “A program about wildlife, science, or the environment.”
- Cooking Show
  - “A program where chefs teach recipes and cooking techniques.”
- Reality Show
  - “A competition or survival-based program where people live in unusual conditions.”

Gordon Ramsay’s Personality:
- “He’s famous for being tough on contestants and shouting at bad cooks.”
- “On his kids’ cooking show, he’s much nicer!”
Top Chef & Cooking Competitions:
- “Top Chef is a competitive cooking show where chefs have limited time to prepare dishes.”
- “It’s exciting because they rush to complete their meals.”
Do You Like to Cook?
- “I like cooking outside over a fire—it gives food the best flavor!”
- “Men in my culture often cook meat, while women prepare the side dishes.”

Popular Beverages:
- “I drink lemonade, iced tea, Sprite, and sometimes Coca-Cola.”
- “Coca-Cola is the most popular drink worldwide!”
Iced Coffee vs. Hot Coffee:
- “Some people love iced coffee, but I prefer hot coffee with a lot of sugar.”

Observing Wild Animals:
- “Nature shows often feature animals like rhinos in the wild.”
- “A photographer might take pictures while a guide drives the safari truck.”
Dangerous Wildlife Encounters:
- “Rhinos can be aggressive and charge at vehicles.”
- “Small cars are dangerous in the wild—you need a strong truck!”
Game Preserves & Conservation:
- “A game preserve protects animals from hunters.”
- “Photographers love capturing wildlife moments, even when they are dangerous!”

Regular & Irregular Past Tense Pronunciation:
- “Some past tense words pronounce -ed, while others don’t.”
- Examples:
  - “Watched” (silent -ed)
  - “Wanted” (pronounced -ed)
  - “Looked” (silent -ed)
Describing TV Shows:
- “The first episode of a show is called the pilot.”
- “A series is made up of multiple episodes.”
- “If a show is interesting, we say it’s gripping—it holds your attention!”