Travelling is a favorite hobby for thousands of people across the globe. It also offers numerous advantages and benefits to people. Here's why travelling is important.

I. Pre-listening activity.

Exercise 1. Transcribe, explain the meaning of the given words and word combinations and suggest their Russian equivalents.

Virtue, to bless, precisely, immemorial, infrastructure, whereabouts, barrier, confined, inherent, to rejuvenate, challenge, frustration, albeit, to heal, to attain, to be bound to do sth, family bonds, to mingle with sth/ sb, apt, to instill, travel bug, to emerge

 

II. Listening section.

Exercise 2. Listen to the speaker and insert the missing words and word combinations.

The ability to move around from one place to the other is the biggest _________ one can ever have. All humans and animals have been blessed with this ability, but humans are always a step ___________. We, humans, possess an extraordinary virtue of seeing, experiencing and learning from it, and this is precisely what makes our _____________ more satisfying and enriching.

Humans have been travelling from time immemorial for a variety of reasons. In an age when there was no infrastructure and no __________________, even for long-distance journeys, people used to travel on foot or on ___________. Sometimes, these journeys were extremely long and __________ and it took a person weeks or even months together to reach the ______________. A person who went on a long-distance journey returned home after years. Till then, his family had either no or very little knowledge regarding his whereabouts and well-being. In some ___________ cases, a person would never return. In spite of all these barriers and difficulties, people travelled; not always because they needed to, but many times, also because they loved to. And why not? Travelling not only takes us to distant lands and _____________ us with different people, but it also tends to break the ___________ of our lives.

 

Why Should We Travel?

 

It is indeed very ______________ that some people feel travelling is a sheer waste of time, energy and money. Some also find travelling an extremely boring ____________. Nevertheless, a good majority of people across the world prefer travelling, rather than staying inside the confined spaces of their __________. They love to explore new places, meet new people, and see things that they would not find in their ____________. It is this very popular attitude that has made tourism, one of the most ____________, commercial sectors in the world.

People travel for various reasons. Some travel for work, others for fun, and some for finding __________________. Though every person may have his/ her own reason to go on a journey, it is essential to note that travelling, in itself, has some inherent ______________. For one, for some days getting away from everyday _____________ is a pleasant change. It not only refreshes one's body, but also mind and ___________. Travelling to a ______________ place and doing exciting things that are not thought of otherwise, can rejuvenate a person, who then returns home, ready to take on new and more difficult challenges in life and work. It makes a person forget his _____________, problems, frustrations, and fears, albeit for some time. It gives him a chance to think wisely and _____________. Travelling also helps to heal; it can mend a broken heart.

For many people, travelling is a way to attain ____________, and perhaps, a quest to find answers to their questions. For this, many people prefer to go to faraway and ____________ places. For believers, it is a search for God and to gain higher knowledge; for others, it is a search for _________ peace. They might or might not find what they are looking for, but such an experience certainly ___________ their lives.

With people, their culture, thoughts and ideas also travel. When they go from one place to the other, they are bound to meet people and share their thoughts and experiences with them. This is where ___________ of ideas takes place, and it definitely broadens a person's ____________. It makes him/ her think in a different way, from a different ____________. When we speak of cultural influences and exchange, _________ is one of the important factors. The food habits of people say a lot of things about them. It is very interesting to ___________ new and unknown ways and values; they really add spice to life.

Travelling also creates lifelong __________. Whether a person travels solo or with family and friends, the experience definitely gives him/ her nice and exciting stories, which he/ she can share with people back home. A good long holiday with loved ones enables him/ her to spend some quality time with them, which in turn, helps to ________ and _________ relationships and creates very strong one-to-one and family bonds. In fact, travelling away from home and spending time with near and dear one(s) can give the relationship an entirely ______________ and possibly, people may start understanding each other in a better way.

Above all, travelling and getting away from our homes enables us to spend some time with our own __________. It makes us more ___________ and more ___________ towards others. It makes it easier for us to meet and mingle with different kinds of people, and also teaches us to live life ______________.

 

Travelling for Medical Aid

 

Thousands of people across the world travel every year from one country to the other in order to get proper and apt medical ___________. Some of them travel from richer countries to poorer ones in quest of __________ medication; some others travel from poorer countries to more developed ones to get the right medication. Medical tourism is today, one of the most important parts of the travel and tourism sector and more than 50 countries have identified it as a _______________.

Personal health is what makes travel ______________ important. People here, travel because they don't have a choice in most cases. One might wonder that if a person gets medical _______ only after he reaches his/ her destination, what importance does travelling hold in this case? Well, travelling instills _______ in a person. As a person travels and gets more and more closer to the destination, the hope of getting cured and living a __________ and __________ life ahead goes on increasing. Thus, travelling makes a person more _________ towards life.

Travelling can therefore be an extremely enchanting and enriching experience that may help improve the ________ of your life. So, let the travel bug ________ you so that you experience the thrill and the calmness of life at the same time, and emerge a different person altogether.

 

By Sucheta Pradhan

III. Comprehension check. Published: 6/4/2013

Exercise 2. Finish up the sentences using the article.

1. The ability to move around from one place to the other is ….
2. A person who went on a long-distance journey returned home …. Till then, his family … regarding his ….
3. In spite of all these barriers and difficulties, people travelled; not always because they needed to, but many times, also because ….
4. Though every person may have his/ her own reason to go on a journey, it is essential to note that travelling, in itself, has ….
5. Travelling also helps …; it can mend ….
6. For many people, travelling is a way to …, and perhaps, a quest ….
7. For believers, it is … and to gain …; for others, it is a search for ….
8. Travelling also creates lifelong ….
9. Above all, travelling and getting away from our homes enables us ….
10. Thousands of people across the world travel every year from one country to the other in order to get proper and apt ….
11. Thus, travelling makes a person ….
12. So, let the travel bug bite you so that you experience … and … at the same time, and emerge a ….

Exercise 3. Read out the sentences which resemble the following. Sometimes several sentences are needed to prove the idea.

1. We, humans, possess an extraordinary ability of seeing, experiencing and learning from travelling, and this is precisely what makes our trips more satisfying and prefect.
2. Humans have been travelling since the ancient times for a variety of reasons.
3. These journeys were extremely long and tiring and it took a person much time to reach the destination.
4. Travelling not only takes us to remote places and helps us gets friends with different people, but it also can break the routine of our lives.
5. It is indeed very unfortunate that some people feel travelling is a real waste of time, forces and money. Some also find travelling an extremely tiresome activity.
6. However, a good deal of people all over the world prefers travelling, rather than staying inside their houses.
7. Travelling gives a person a chance to think better and creatively.
8. When we speak of cultural understanding, meals is one of the essential aspects.
9. As a matter of fact, travelling far away and spending time with dearest people can give the relationship an absolutely new perspective and people are likely to comprehend each other in a better way.
10. Medical tourism nowadays is one of the most significant parts of the travel and tourism sector and more than 50 countries consider it to be a national industry.
11. Travelling brings hope to people. As a person travels and gets closer to the destination, the hope of getting healed and living a better life ahead goes on increasing.
12. Travelling can be an absolutely delightful experience that may help make the quality of your life better.

 

Exercise 4. Come up with your own utterance concerning the importance of travelling.

 

UNIT 4