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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Cruise Ships
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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Biggest Ever Cruise Ship Sets Sail (27th November, 2009)

The world's largest cruise ship has set sail. It is the biggest, longest, widest, heaviest and most expensive cruise ship ever built. It is five times bigger than the Titanic and as long as three football pitches. The Oasis of the Seas left Miami on its maiden voyage. It was an impressive sight. The cruise ship has 17 floors and can carry 6,000 passengers. It has everything on it, including a real-life park with bushes and trees. One guest, Howard Goodman, 57, from London, loved it. He said: “There are a million and one things to do.”

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The Oasis of the Seas is amazing to look at. It’s larger than most buildings. In fact, it’s bigger than most small towns. People who love cruises will be rushing to take a vacation on it. Other people didn’t like the ship. Some critics said it looked like a floating office tower. I suppose you can’t please everyone. I always wonder why people go on cruises. Spending a long time on a ship doesn’t sound much fun. I would like to walk around this ship – just for an hour or two. I’d rather spend my money on a real holiday than take a cruise.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	set	a.	as three football pitches
2	five times bigger	b.	sail
3.	as long	c.	and trees
4.	6,000	d.	one things to do
5.	bushes	e.	than the Titanic
6.	a million and	f.	passengers

Paragraph 2

1.	amazing to	a.	why
2	bigger than	b.	on a real holiday
3.	I suppose you can’t	c.	or two
4.	I always wonder	d.	most small towns
5.	just for an hour	e.	look at
6.	I’d rather spend my money	f.	please everyone

LISTENING GAP FILL

The world's largest cruise ship _____________. It is the biggest, longest, widest, heaviest and most expensive cruise ship ever built. It is five times bigger than the Titanic ______________ three football pitches. The Oasis of the Seas left Miami _____________ voyage. It was an _______________. The cruise ship has 17 floors and _______________ passengers. It has everything on it, including a real-life park with bushes and trees. One guest, Howard Goodman, 57, from London, loved it. He said: “There are a million and _______________.”

The Oasis of the Seas is _______________ at. It’s larger than most buildings. In fact, it’s bigger than most small towns. People who love cruises _______________ to take a vacation on it. Other people didn’t like the ship. _______________ it looked like a floating office tower. I suppose _______________ everyone. I __________________ people go on cruises. Spending a long time on a ship doesn’t sound much fun. I would like to walk around this ship – just for _______________. I’d rather spend my money on a real holiday than take a cruise.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

The world's largest cruise ship has set sail. It is the biggest, longest, widest, heaviest and most expensive cruise ship (1) ____ built. It is five times bigger than the Titanic and as long as three football pitches. The Oasis of the Seas (2) ____ Miami on its maiden voyage. It was an impressive (3) ____. The cruise ship has 17 floors and can carry 6,000 passengers. It has everything on it, including a real-life park with (4) ____ and trees. One guest, Howard Goodman, 57, from London, loved it. He said: “There are a million and (5) ____ things to do.”

The Oasis of the Seas is (6) ____ to look at. It’s larger than most buildings. In fact, it’s bigger than most small towns. People who love cruises will be (7) ____ to take a vacation on it. Other people didn’t like the ship. Some critics said it looked like a floating (8) ____ tower. I suppose you can’t (9) ____ everyone. I always wonder why people go on cruises. Spending a long time on a ship doesn’t sound much fun. I would like to walk around this ship – just for an hour or two. I’d (10) ____ spend my money on a real holiday than take a cruise.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	ever	(b)	never	(c)	even
2.	(a)	right	(b)	depart	(c)	left
3.	(a)	site	(b)	sight	(c)	sights
4.	(a)	bush	(b)	bushes	(c)	bushed
5.	(a)	one	(b)	once	(c)	ones
6.	(a)	amazement	(b)	amazed	(c)	amazing
7.	(a)	hurry	(b)	rushing	(c)	quickly
8.	(a)	office	(b)	official	(c)	offices
9.	(a)	pleased	(b)	pleasing	(c)	please
10.	(a)	rather	(b)	like	(c)	prefer

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	The world's rtlaesg cruise ship
2.	five times igebgr
3.	three football eispcht
4.	an impressive hgits
5.	uhesbs and trees
6.	a inilmlo and one
Paragraph 2
7.	nmzagia to look at
8.	take a anitocav
9.	Some ccirits
10.	I oussppe
11.	I always odwenr why
12.	I’d hearrt spend my money

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	walk around this ship – just for an hour or two. I’d rather spend my money on a real holiday than take a cruise.
( )	expensive cruise ship ever built. It is five times bigger than the Titanic and as long as three football
( 1 )	The world's largest cruise ship has set sail. It is the biggest, longest, widest, heaviest and most
( )	trees. One guest, Howard Goodman, 57, from London, loved it. He said: “There are a million and one things to do.”
( )	pitches. The Oasis of the Seas left Miami on its maiden voyage. It was an impressive sight. The cruise ship has 17
( )	small towns. People who love cruises will be rushing to take a vacation on it. Other people didn’t like the
( )	ship. Some critics said it looked like a floating office tower. I suppose you can’t please everyone. I always
( )	The Oasis of the Seas is amazing to look at. It’s larger than most buildings. In fact, it’s bigger than most
( )	wonder why people go on cruises. Spending a long time on a ship doesn’t sound much fun. I would like to
( )	floors and can carry 6,000 passengers. It has everything on it, including a real-life park with bushes and

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	cruise ship The has world's set largest sail.
2.	times bigger It than is the five Titanic.
3.	on maiden Miami its voyage Left.
4.	ship 17 cruise has floors The.
5.	one do are and to There million things a.
6.	most It’s than buildings larger.
7.	ship Other didn’t the people like.
8.	looked It tower office floating a like.
9.	always on wonder cruises why people I go.
10.	I’d my a spend on holiday rather money real.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about cruise ships for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about cruise ships. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about cruise ships. Include imaginary interviews with one person who thinks cruises are the best kind of holidays, and one person who disagrees. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the captain of the cruise ship Oasis of the Seas. Ask him/her three questions about the ship. Give him/her three of your opinions on cruise ships. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Cruise Ships (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)