Going Home
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Gabrielle
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Todd
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Gabrielle: Hello!
Todd: How are you doing today?
Gabrielle: Good thanks.
Todd: Now, Gabrielle, I hear that you are going back home to New Zealand.
Gabrielle: That's right. I'm going home for summer.
Todd: OK. What are your plans?
Gabrielle: Probably a week relaxing, going camping and then I'm going back to work.
Todd: Oh, OK. Where do you work?
Gabrielle: I teach as an English teacher in Christchurch in New Zealand.
Todd: Oh, OK. And that's where you're from, naturally.
Gabrielle: That's right.
Todd: Were you born there?
Gabrielle: I was, yeah.
Todd: Well, you are going to have this short little break or vacation, are you going go to the beach or the mountains?
Gabrielle: Probably, to the beach and camping for about a week with friends. Yeah.
Todd: Actually, how warm is it in the summer?
Gabrielle: Probably, a maximum of about 30 degrees. A nice dry heat. Very comfortable.
Todd: So when you go to the beach is the water warm enough to swim in?
Gabrielle: No, no! We swim but it is not warm. Yeah! It's pretty chilly actually.
Todd: OK. Any other plans when you go home?
Gabrielle: Yeah, I'm looking forward to catching up with friends and family and animals.
Todd: Animals?
Gabrielle: Well, I miss my pets.
Todd: OK. Well, what pets do you have?
Gabrielle: I have a cat, a dog, a sheep called Sydney and two gold fish.
Todd: Wow!
Gabrielle: Yeah! And I really miss them.
Todd: I'm sure they're really excited to see you. Alright, thanks a lot.
Gabrielle: Cheers!
short break
I'm going home on a short break for the summer.
A 'short break' is time that is used to relax and escape from the stress of daily life. This can be a few minutes, hours or days depending on what you are talking about. Notice the following:
- I always need to take a short break from work in the
afternoon.
- A weekend away will be a short break from life.
chilly
Is the water warm enough to swim in? No, it's actually
pretty chilly.
If something is 'chilly' it is too cold to be comfortable. Notice the following:
- It is getting chilly in here. Turn off the air-con.
- It's a little chilly outside today.
look forward
I look forward to going home.
You 'look forward' to a future event that you are excited about. Notice the following:
- I am really looking forward to having my own apartment.
- Do you look forward to graduating?
catch up
I'm going to catch up with friends and family and animals.
To 'catch up' with people means to talk to them and find out what they are doing now in their lives or any recent news that they have. Notice the following:
- It was really nice to catch up with you.
- We can get coffee and catch up.
miss
I really miss my pets.
To 'miss' something, you want to be near it again because it is no longer a part of your life. Notice the following:
- What do you miss the most about Mexico?
- She loved her new school, but missed her old friends.
Vocabulary Quiz
look forward • catch up • miss
