The English Vocabulary Builder series uses storytelling and real life contexts to show how words are used in practice, so learners can learn vocabulary in an enjoyable way rather than having to memorize word lists. In this book on Travel, we will follow the adventures of the Young family – Mum, Dad, Mark (son) and Rebecca (daughter) as they plan for and go on their year-end vacation.

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English Vocabulary Builder Introduction
The English Vocabulary Builder series uses storytelling and real life contexts to show how
words are used in practice, so learners can learn vocabulary in an enjoyable way rather than
having to memorize word lists.
In this book on Travel, we will follow the adventures of the Young family – Mum, Dad, Mark
(son) and Rebecca (daughter) as they plan for and go on their year-end vacation.
In each reading, the Youngs are at a different stage of their holiday. Read through their
experiences and do the exercises that follow to understand and use the new vocabulary
presented. Don’t worry if you’re not sure about all the terms. Look at the clues in the
questions and try to infer (guess) the meaning of the new words. Be sure to write down any
new words you learn in a separate notebook so you can review them later.
Happy reading!

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1. Where should we go?
The end of year school holiday season was approaching, and over dinner at home,
Mum and Dad asked Mark and Rebecca where they would like to go for a holiday that year.
“Somewhere with snow so we can have a white Christmas,” gasped Rebecca,
“How about a place where we can ski in the mountains,” Mark suggested.
“We did that last year and the weather was frigid and unforgiving. Let’s try a place
where the temperature is a little more moderate for this time of year”.
Mum’s word was viewed with great respect in the Young family, and the children got
in line. Dad peered up from his evening newspaper, paused to think, and said, “how about
we visit Uncle Bob and Aunt May in San Francisco? They’ve haven’t seen the kids for years
and would be happy to host us. San Francisco is still cold in the winter but it rarely snows.
Plus there are many sights and different activities for the kids.”
“You’re thinking about how affordable it would be, since we can stay with Bob and
May and not have to pay for accommodation, aren’t you,” Mum quipped.
“Well, we probably won’t stay with them the entire time,” Dad replied. “But that’s a
good point you raised. It’s important for the kids to learn to work with a budget. At any
rate, San Francisco fits your criteria of moderate temperature.”
“Very well, then. Kids, how would you like to go to San Francisco?”
“No ski-ing? Then what can we do?”
“Well, let’s do a little research on the Internet, shall we?”
The Internet was a veritable treasure trove of information, reviews and
recommendations and what to do in San Francisco and the surrounding area. There were the
obvious tourist destinations like the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf and Coit Tower.
Mum and Dad decided they might also like to visit the vineyards in nearby areas, while
Mark was ecstatic that NASA’s Ames Research Center was within driving distance.

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Exercise One
A. Choose the correct word from the passage and fill in the blanks.
1. From December to April, the frozen tundra makes this region a __________ wasteland.
2. When the kids found out they were getting a puppy for Christmas, they were _________
and ran around the house celebrating.
3. That region of France is famous for the wine it produces; __________ stretch out as far as
the eye can see.
4. It is important for organizations to track how much they spend with a __________ so that
they don’t run out of money.
5. The director gave her team very strict _________ by which to interview candidates to
ensure their new employees would be up to standard.
6. When companies want to introduce a new product to the market, they may do _________
and get customer feedback to see if the product will sell well.
7. The sailors __________ into the distance trying to see through the fog to catch sight of
land.
8. The ballet instructor is very ________ when the dance team makes mistakes; she makes
sure they repeat the moves over and over again until they get them right.
9. Some scientists recommend that adults consume a ___________ amount of red wine for
its health benefits.
10. It is difficult to find goods that are both durable and ___________ because lasting
components tend to be more expensive.
B. Match the following terms used to describe destinations and travel planning
to their appropriate explanations.
Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words
A. Frigid 1. Glanced
B. Unforgiving 2. Requirement(s)
C. Moderate 3. Money available
D. Peered 4. Severely cold
E. Affordable 5. Exact
F. Accommodation 6. Investigation
G. Criteria 7. Harsh
H. Budget 8. Mild
I. Research 9. Lodging
J. Veritable 10. Economical

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6. At the Golden Gate Bridge
Over the next few days, the Youngs visited some of the iconic sites of San Francisco.
Perhaps the most famous landmark, known the world over, was the Golden Gate Bridge
with its renowned red arches.
In order to reach the bridge, the Youngs got on a municipal bus. Alighting from the
bus, they were greeted at the visitors area by the sight of the bridge and its magnificent
structure, set against the expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
They hadn’t exactly chosen the most opportune time of year to visit. Fortunately,
given its location by the Bay, San Francisco had a milder climate but things were still chilly
in winter. The family huddled together for the obligatory group photograph next to a
famous landmark.
The Youngs set off on a walking tour via the pedestrian path across the bridge and
back. Along the way, cars passed in either direction on their daily commute between the
peninsula area and Marin County. They paused for a moment in the middle, gazing into
the distance. The guide filled them in on the history of the bridge, including the effort to
finance and build it in the early twentieth century.
As a former civil engineer, Dad was struck by the sophistication of the bridge, given
how long ago it was built. It was tall enough for ships to pass through on their journeys over
the Pacific to the West Coast of America. Mum thought of relatives she knew whose
ancestors had come to the US via ship and must have sailed past the bridge and on to
Angel Island nearby. Mark and Rebecca in turn enjoyed the stories of the other nearby
island, Alcatraz, site of a famous prison and legendary escape attempts.

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Exercise Six
A. Choose the correct word from the passage and fill in the blanks.
1. It is often said that the golden __________ of the McDonald’s logo are among the most
recognised symbols in the world.
2. When moving around in a new city, you should try to recognise a key ___________ so you
can assess your position relative to this building when you get lost.
3. Chef Montague is __________ for his French cuisine and people come from all corners to
eat at his restaurant.
4. It was __________ outside when we left home and we shivered under our coats.
5. When the time came for my sister to go to university, our parents had already saved
enough money, so there was no worrying about how to _________ her education.
6. The ________ tennis player went unbeaten for a record number of matches over 3 years,
accomplishing something no one else had ever done.
7. As living in the city gets more expensive, more people are moving out to the suburbs,
housing is cheaper but the _________ is longer.
8. This __________ statue has appeared in magazines and on websites and has come to
symbolise the town it is located in.
9. The national newspapers tend to cover issues of interest in the capital but I think there
are important __________ concerns of individual towns that we should know about.
10. There is a monument in the national park dedicated to the __________ who came before
us and helped to build the nation.
B. Match the following terms used to describe destinations and travel planning
to their appropriate explanations.
Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words
A. Iconic 1. Related to local government
B. Landmark 2. Long Stretch
C. Commute 3. Grand
D. Renowned 4. Journey
E. Arches 5. Famous
F. Municipal 6. Well-known building or structure
G. Obligatory 7. Practically necessary
H. Magnificent 8. Curved architectural structures
I. Expanse 9. Emblematic
J. Opportune 10. Suitable

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8. On to the Cable Cars!
The Youngs and Uncle Bob and Aunt May boarded the Powell-Hyde line cable car
near Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. The kids learned that each cable car had a
conductor and a gripman who worked together to keep the car running smoothly.
Uncle Bob and Aunt May were residents of the city, so for them the cable car ride
held less novelty. However, they duly obliged and delighted in watching their nephew
and niece’s fascination with the experience.
Mark and Rebecca enjoyed the rustic look of the cable car, with its old-fashioned
signage and wooden exteriors, panels and benches. It was like going on a trip back in
time to the Wild West in a moving relic.
As the car trundled along, the family was amazed at the smoothness with which it
handled each steep climb and descent that came along. This, they learned, had as much to
do with the way the cars and cables were engineered, as with the skill of the gripman in
operating the car. They were treated to a tour of several neighbourhoods of the city. The
cable car was packed with fellow tourists and along the way, a few locals boarded and
disembarked on their regular commutes.
At the end of the line on Market Street, they alighted and were treated to the sight of
the cable car being rotated on a turntable, so it could change direction and be ready for its
next ride.
Rebecca thought the turntables were similar to those in restaurants that helped diners
pass the food around. Mark wondered why the cable car system, built on old technology,
was still around.
“It’s to preserve their heritage,” said Mum. “Apparently, the cable cars are
classified as a National Monument.”
“Yes. Besides, look at how many tourists want to take a ride on these things. It’s
good money for them. That ride cost us quite a lot,” Dad chimed in.
Uncle Bob and Aunt May laughed heartily while Mum rolled her eyes at Dad’s very
practical take on life.

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Exercise Eight
A. Choose the correct word from the passage and fill in the blanks.
1. The travellers eagerly ___________ after the plane came to a stop at the gate.
2. I wasn’t sure if I had found the right cafe because the _______ on the outside was faded.
3. When the children were first given their new toys, they played with them a lot, but over
time the _________ wore off and they looked elsewhere for amusement.
4. The politician tried to build bonds with his constituents by calling them his _______
citizens.
5. A collection of ancient ________ was found when divers salvaged the shipwreck.
6. Because there was no teacher in the classroom, a ________ into chaos led by the
mischievous students was unavoidable.
7. Everyone wanted to hear Jenny play the piano so even though she was tired and hadn’t
played in awhile, she _________ after much persuasion.
8. The ________ charm of this resort in the woods draws many city dwellers looking for a
break from their busy lives.
9. At the ________ centre, we learned about our ancestors’ cultural traditions.
10. My cousin Mike took us for a ride in his vintage car but because it was old, we couldn’t
go very fast and _________ along the expressway.
B. Match the following terms used to describe destinations and travel planning
to their appropriate explanations.
Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words
A. Novelty 1. Alighted
B. Obliged 2. Culture
C. Rustic 3. Uniqueness
D. Signage 4. Rolled
E. Relic 5. Artifact
F. Trundled 6. Interposed
G. Disembarked 7. Indulged
H. Heritage 8. Interpretation
I. Chimed 9. Country style
J. Take 10. Signboard

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Answer Key
Exercise One
A.
1. frigid
2. ecstatic
3. vineyards
4. budget
5. criteria
6. research
7. peered
8. unforgiving
9. moderate
10. affordable
B.
Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words
A. Frigid 1. Severely cold
B. Unforgiving 2. Harsh
C. Moderate 3. Mild
D. Peered 4. Glanced
E. Affordable 5. Economical
F. Accommodation 6. Lodging
G. Criteria 7. Requirement(s)
H. Budget 8. Money available
I. Research 9. Investigation
J. Veritable 10. Exact
Exercise Six
A.
1. arches
2. landmark
3. renowned / known the world over
4. chilly
5. finance
6. legendary
7. commute
8. iconic
9. municipal
10. ancestors

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B.
Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words
A. Iconic 1. Emblematic
B. Landmark 2. Well-known building or structure
C. Commute 3. Journey
D. Renowned 4. Famous
E. Arches 5. Curved architectural structures
F. Municipal 6. Related to local government
G. Obligatory 7. Practically necessary
H. Magnificent 8. Grand
I. Expanse 9. Long Stretch
J. Opportune 10. Suitable
Exercise Eight
A.
1. disembarked
2. signage
3. novelty
4. fellow
5. relics
6. descent
7. obliged
8. rustic
9. heritage
10. trundled
B.
Words from Passage Synonyms / Matching Words
A. Novelty 1. Uniqueness
B. Obliged 2. Indulged
C. Rustic 3. Country style
D. Signage 4. Signboard
E. Relic 5. Artifact
F. Trundled 6. Rolled
G. Disembarked 7. Alighted
H. Heritage 8. Culture
I. Chimed 9. Interposed
J. Take 10. Interpretation