Traveling to Taiwan
Hana talks about a trip she took to Taiwan and her thoughts of her trip and the country.
Hana: So Daniel, I heard you went on a vacation, where did you go?
Daniel: Yeah, I went to Taiwan.
Hana: Oh, sounds interesting. What did you do?
Daniel: Well, I did a lot of things. It's a really interesting place. I saw a lot of culture. I saw a lot of history. I went to beautiful places. They have like really, really beautiful nature. Everything was really, really good.
Hana: How was the food?
Daniel: Well, the food in Taiwan is amazing. You wouldn't believe how good it is. Everything tastes amazing. And the good thing about it, it's really, really cheap.
Hana: I see. Who did you go with?
Daniel: I went with a Taiwanese friend, so that was really good because I cannot speak Mandarin. And my friend helped me a lot with all the food, and that was really good because I really appreciated that.
Hana: How long did you go for?
Daniel: It was about eight days. And I think it was more than enough to get like a quick view of the whole island. It was really nice to go from Taipei in the north to some cities in the south. I think I got a really good impression of what Taiwan is.
Hana: Why did you go to Taiwan?
Daniel: Well I'm really interested in Asia and Asian cultures, and since it's really far from my background, I really want to get to know better all those cultures. And since for many western people are quite the same, I really want to find out those differences. And that's why I chose Taiwan.
Hana: I see.
a lot of
I saw a lot of culture. I saw a lot of history.
'A lot of' means 'much' and is used instead of 'much' in positive sentences. Notice the following:
- There is a lot of snow in winter.
- I have a lot of free time today.
You wouldn't believe
You wouldn't believe how good it is.
The phrase 'you wouldn't believe, you won't believe, and I can't believe' are common phrases to show something is surprising. Notice the following:
- You wouldn't believe how beautiul Bali is.
- You won't believe how little it costs.
- I can't believe you didn't call me.
the good thing (about it / is)
Everything tastes amazing. And the good thing about it, it's really, really cheap.
We often use the phrase 'the good thing (is)' to express another unexpected benefit. Notice the following:
- I got a new job, and the good thing is I get to live near my girlfirend.
- This dish is really easy to make, and the good thing about it is it is really healthy.
a lot
My friend helped me a lot with all the food
We use 'a lot' after a verb to show the action was done is large amounts. Notice the following:
- He talks a lot.
- She works a lot.
since
I liked the town, and since it was cheap, I stayed.
Since means 'because' in these sentences. Notice the following:
- Since it is raining, let's stay inside.
- Bob is late, but we should start dinner since the food is getting cold.
Vocabulary Quiz
the good thing • since
About the Teacher / Creator
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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