Dominican Republic

Traveling is a wonderful leisure activity which allows a person to experience different cultures first hand. The picture above shows the beautiful scenery of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I am traveling here in just two weeks for a relaxing vacation with my boyfriend. We are going to stay at an all-inclusive resort for five days and four nights. Many of the engaging activities we are looking forward to include: scuba diving, snorkeling, jet skiing, para sailing, and just relaxing in the sun. Fortunately, both my boyfriend and I speak enough Spanish to get by while we are visiting. This trip is my first time being out of the country and I look forward to learning more about the culture.

Important Vocabulary

traveling - (verb) to go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane, or ship; take a trip; journey

leisure - (noun) freedom from the demands of work or duty

cultures - (noun) the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought

beautiful - (adjective) having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.

vacation - (noun) a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday

engaging - (adjective) winning; attractive; pleasing

para sailing - (noun) the sport of soaring while harnessed to a parasail that is towed by a motorboat, car, or other fast-moving vehicle, from which one often releases oneself to float freely.

snorkeling - (noun) the sport of swimming with a snorkel and face mask.

Important Places

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic- a republic in the West Indies, occupying the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola.

Vocabulary Practice

1. After the long rainstorm, a _________ rainbow appeared in the sky.

2. During my ________ time, I like to ride my bicycle down to the park.

3. When we go to visit grandma next week, we will be _______ by train.

4. I hope to see many colorful fish while ________ in the Carribean.

5. The classroom was very diverse and a lot of the students came from different ______.

6. During the holiday _______ from school, my family and I are planning a trip to Florida.

7. Reading can be a very _________ activity for book lovers.

8. I hope that I don't loose my favorite hat to the wind while ___________.

Grammar point: -ing forms of verbs

-ing forms are words that end in -ing

examples: drinking, eating, traveling, laughing

We use -ing forms:

• to add information to what is expressed in certain verbs and verb+ object combinations.
• when we want to use a verb after a preposition.
• as subjects and complements.
• to list activities.
• to add information to what is expressed in a clause.
• in continuous tenses

Question to think about:

Have you ever traveled out of the country before?

If so, where was your favorite place and why?