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Views #1417 | Intermediate (B1)

Travel Tips for Venezuela

Gilda gives Katie some tips on things she should do or try when she visits Venezuela.

Katie: So imagine that I was going to go to Venezuela, what are three things that I absolutely have to see if I go there?

Gilda: Well, it depends where you go. But if you go to Caracas, the capital, definitely visit the wealthy side of the city. You can go shopping at very nice shopping malls. And also, you have to go to the disco. There are so many nightclubs.

Katie: Nice.

Gilda: Enjoy salsa. Yeah. What else? Oh. Well, we are very close to the beach side from the city. So like normally, every weekend, people in Caracas, the capital go to the beach and spend the day there after having – after spending the whole night dancing, so.

Katie: That sounds amazing.

Gilda: It's like connecting two days.

Katie: Amazing.

Gilda: Yeah. If you go to the south, definitely you should visit the Canaima National Park. It's a famous park because it has the highest waterfall in the world. It's called Angel Falls.

Katie: Yeah.

Gilda: Yeah. So, and obviously, if you go there, you will get to see how the indigenous people live and try some of their food. Yeah. Arepa, which is mandatory if you got to Venezuela, you have to eat that.

Katie: What's that?

Gilda: It's made of corn, yes corn – it's sort of like corn flour. It's only in Venezuela, you can find it. And it's daily breakfast. So like I cannot live without arepas every day. I have to eat it.

Katie: So is it like a sandwich or…?

Gilda: It looks like a hamburger

Katie: Okay.

Gilda: And in the middle, like you put stuff in. It could be anything you want; cheese, meat, whatever you want. So there are so many styles of arepas. Yeah.

Katie: Sounds amazing. And speaking of food, what other Venezuelan food could you recommend?

Gilda: We also eat a lot of empanadas. I think you can find those in all the countries in South America. But every country has their original style.

Katie: What's that?

Gilda: It's also made from corn flour, and it's baked. Some of them could be fried. And they have meat or chicken inside. It's very tasty. And it's always like a breakfast thing. Yeah.

Also, if you go there during Christmas, you can try hallaca. It's a traditional dish in Christmas. And it has all the four types of meat. It has pork, it has chicken, beef, fish, plus vegetables. It's very tasty. I know it sounds a little bit like oh, all together, but it's very tasty but you get a lot of weight after Christmas.

Katie: I can imagine. That's what Christmas is for, right? Putting on weight.

Gilda: Yeah, exactly. So everybody in January, new resolutions, losing weight.

Katie: Sounds about right. Now I'm really hungry.

Answer these questions about the interview.
Audio Lessons about Phrases and Vocabulary

absolutely

What are three things that I absolutely have to see?

Here, absolutely means definitely, or surely. Notice the following:

  1. You absolutely have to go there.
  2. It is absolutely the best place I have visited.

spend the day

You can spend the day there.

Here spend the day means use most of your time in one place. Notice the following:

  1. I love to spend the day at the beach.
  2. I spent the day with my family.

indigenous

You will get to see how the indigenous people live

Indigenous people are people who are originally from one area. Notice the following:

  1. Eskimos are indigenous people in Alaska.
  2. The museum features art from indigenous people.

 

mandatory

It is mandatory if you go there.

When something is mandatory, you must do it. Notice the following:

  1. Paying taxes is mandatory.
  2. Wearing a uniform is mandatory.

putting on weight

I am putting on weight

Putting on weight means gaining weight or getting a little fatter than before. Notice the following:

  1. Is she putting on weight or is she pregnant?
  2. I keep putting on weight as I get older.

resolution

Everyone in January has new resolutions.

A resolution can be a personal promise to do something or change something about your life. Notice the following:

  1. She made a resolution to stop smoking.
  2. After putting on weight, I made a resolution to lose weight.

Vocabulary Quiz

absolutely • spend the day • indigenous
mandatory • put on weight • resolution
  1. I love to at the beach.
  2. I tend to around the holidays.
  3. Who are the people of this area?
  4. I already broke my new year's .
  5. You are right. I agree with you.
  6. Is the meeting ?

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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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