Read the
text and say if you prefer to travel in a company or alone. Explain your choice

Go alone and find yourself

After two days in Florence, Italy, I had
already met some fascinating people. When you are with a companion it’s
easy to focus on that person and forget about meeting Europeans and other
travellers. Without the comfortable crutch of a friend, you are more likely to
know the joys of self-discovery and the pleasures found in the kindness of
strangers. You will be exploring yourself as well as a new country and culture.
Solo travel gives you complete freedom and independence. You can decide where
to go, how far to travel, how much to spend and when to call it a day.

Of
course, there are downsides to travelling alone. Accommodation typically costs
more because you are not splitting the bill and you may be more vulnerable to
theft, but the biggest struggle is loneliness. If you don’t feel
comfortable travelling alone, consider joining a tour. With a tour, all of your
hotel rooms are reserved, a guide plans most of your activities and other tour
members keep you company. I have talked to too many people who put off their
travel dreams because they don’t want to do it alone: don’t delay
– just go!

Source:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sc-trav-0511-steves-20100511,0,6913270.story.
Excerpt from a story by Rick Steves, edited by Emma Clayton.

Are these
statements Tue or False according to the text?

1.
Many people are afraid to travel alone but it can be a rewarding
experience.

2. People do not learn
things about themselves when they travel.

3. The author thinks it
is better to stay home than to travel without friends.

Choose the
best answer to the questions based on the text

1. What did the author do
in Florence?

he ate lots of gelato

he met fascinating people

he rode in a taxi

2. According to the
author, which of the following can you enjoy when you travel solo:

self-discovery

self-confidence

self-reliance

3. Which of the following
best describes the decisions you can make when you travel solo:

where to go, how much to spend, when to rest

where to go, how much to sleep, when to rest

where to go, how much to spend, when to eat

4. Which of the following
is something negative about traveling solo:

more expensive food

more expensive hotel rooms

more expensive airfare

5. Which of the following
is an advantage of joining a tour:

not being alone

not being hungry

not being tired

6. Generally speaking,
what does the author think people should do?

decide to travel by themselves

find a tour group to join

follow their travel dreams

Fill in the
blanks using the words in the box

loneliness
crutch
self-discovery
fascinating

independence               vulnerable
freedom

The
author met many _________________ people while travelling in Italy. He thinks
that when people travel with a friend, they use their friend as a
_________________ and don’t meet any new people as a result. The author
believes that _________________is an important reason to travel solo. When he
travels solo, the author has the _________________to do and see whatever he
wants. The author believes that travelling solo increases a person’s
_________________. Sometimes travelling solo isn’t fun. People can feel
_________________ and experience _________________ when they are travelling
alone.

Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of travelling “solo”. Consider time, budget, personal
space, flexibility, stresses and inconvenience with luggage, accommodation,
safety, etc.