Views #1239 | Intermediate (B1)

Big Plans

Daniel talks with Vella about what he hopes to do within his lifetime.

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Vella: OK, Daniel, I know you're still really young but I know you must be thinking about what you're going to do in the future so my question would be what do you want to achieve in your life?

Daniel: Well, there are definitely three things I want to do. For example, I want to do before I die, at least three things. The first one is I want to visit every continent in the earth. I'm still young but I want to do it in the next couple of years. I've never been to Africa, for example, that's a continent, that's a part of the world I'm very interested in.

The second one is that I want to see things from a different perspective. For example, I want to climb a really, really high mountain. I don't know, Everest would be amazing but I know like you need the special training and stuff like that. Or do paragliding, I would love to have the feeling that I'm flying. That's something that really, really calls my attention to see, you know, to see something from a different perspective. It can give you not only the experience but also it can help you think in a very different way for, I don't know, many things in the future.

And the third one is definitely to raise my children. I don't have any yet but, I don't know, I would love to have that feeling that I've done my job and I've finished it so, I don't know, to have my children, to raise them properly and to see that they succeed in what they do. Those are the three things I would love to do, I don't know, before I die.

Vella: That is sweet. But earlier you told me like you were afraid of heights. Do you still want to do this thing?

Daniel: I am a little bit but that's a thing that I mean at least once even though you are afraid you have to do it at least once. I'm not going to do it every week, the paragliding thing, but at least once I wouldn't mind.

Vella: And do you have anything specific that you want to do in Africa?

Daniel: No, it's just, there are so many, I think, myths about Africa. People tell you different stories. How they live, what they do, what the conditions are that I want to see it by myself. I know Africa it's really different because it's really big. It's really different among the countries but it has so many cultures that I really want to go and see it by myself.

Vella: Good. I hope you get the chance to do those three things before you die.

Daniel: Thanks.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

perspective

image

I want to see things from a different perspective.

Here, 'perspective' really means point of view. Daniel would like to see how the earth looks from a high point. Notice the following:

  1. I am really short, so I see the world from a different perspective.
  2. Actually, being in the water is a totally different perspective than being in a boat.

paragliding

image

I would love to go paragliding, so I can feel like I'm flying.

'Paragliding' is a sport where you jump from a plane with a rectangular parachute that you can direct to where you want to go. Notice the following:

  1. Would you be too scared to go paragliding?
  2. I would love to go paragliding over the ocean.

raise children

image

I definitely want to raise my children.

'Raising children' involves caring for them and teaching them from the time they are born until they are adults. Notice the following:

  1. They used to travel a lot, but they decided to settle down in one place to raise their children.
  2. Even though they got a divorce, they worked together to raise their children.

sweet

image

What you said about kids is sweet.

Here, 'sweet' means something that is sensitive or romantic. Notice the following:

  1. My husband thought the ending of the movie was stupid, but I thought it was sweet.
  2. He is a very sweet boy.

myths

image

There are so many myths about Africa.

A 'myth' is a commonly told story or piece of information that is not true. Notice the following:

  1. The idea that shaving makes your hair grow back thicker is actually a myth.
  2. It is a myth that oranges, the fruit, are always orange on the outside.

Vocabulary Quiz

perspective • paragliding • raising
sweet • myth
  1. How do you feel about children in a different country?
  2. Seeing the city from an airplane gives you a different on how big it really is.
  3. The idea that humans and dinosaurs existed at the same time is a complete .
  4. looks fun in movies, but I think it would be scary to actually do.
  5. It's really that he makes dinner for you sometimes.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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Hello, and welcome to elllo. My name is Todd Beuckens. I've been an ESL teacher for 25 years. I created elllo to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.
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