Let’s talk using real English! In this blog post we will answer the following questions:
- What is a tourist attraction?
- What does the phrasal verb “light up” mean?
- How are waterfalls used to generate (make) electricity?
Audio A
If we want to talk using real English we need to have a real story to talk about. We can practice today using my story from the last part of my Canada trip. I went to…
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a very popular tourist attraction. A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, usually for its natural or cultural value, historical importance, natural or created beauty, offering fun, adventure and excitement.
What we call “Niagara Falls” is actually three waterfalls located at the international border between Canada and the United States. The province of Ontario in Canada, and the state of New York in the U.S.
At night time they light up the falls to make them even more beautiful!
LIGHT UP is a phrasal verb that means to become bright or to make something become bright with light or color.
(Click HERE to for the definition from Oxford Learners Dictionaries.com)
More past participle review @ my PASSIVE VOICE post HERE.
Audio B
The waterfalls are not the tallest in the world but they are very wide. The amount of water that travels over the falls is huge! During the highest water flow times, as much as 2,400 cubic meters (m3) of water are moving over the edge of the falls every second. All this moving water is used to spin turbines to make electricity.
A spinning turbine converts (changes) the energy of flowing water into mechanical energy. A generator converts this mechanical energy into electricity. There are several power plants that send this electricity to houses and businesses in Ontario, Canada, and New York, U.S.A.
I had fun in Niagara Falls, even though I was only there for 1 night.
Now you talk using this new English
Your turn!
What is a tourist attraction in your country?
Have you been there? Did you have fun? What can you do there?
What tourist attractions have you visited in other countries?
Where do you want to visit next?
Write a comment in the REPLY section below and use your new English!
Parts One and Two of my Canada trip Learn Natural English stories.
Canada Trip Pt. 1
Canada Trip Pt. 2
- Learn English from TV – A complete guide (3 Tips)Learn English from TV shows 3 Tips for Learning English from TV Tip #1 – Choose a small piece of video. Tip #2 – Watch… Read more: Learn English from TV – A complete guide (3 Tips)
- 120 Idioms About MONEY (Common Financial Idioms)120 Money Idioms Native speakers love to use idioms in conversation. Using idioms will help you sound more like a native speaker too. In this… Read more: 120 Idioms About MONEY (Common Financial Idioms)
- English Spring vocabulary (10 New words + PDF download)Spring has arrived! (This is a natural way to say “It’s now Spring!”) Now is the perfect time to learn some English Spring vocabulary. In today’s blog post let’s practice some words we use when Spring arrives.
- Stop Confusing “Across” and “Through” – 14 Clear examples (free PDF)Some of my students ask me to explain the difference between across and through. The meanings are similar and they can even sometimes be used… Read more: Stop Confusing “Across” and “Through” – 14 Clear examples (free PDF)
- 42 Advanced Phrasal Verbs (That You Need to Know)Phrasal verbs are very common in English conversation. Learning phrasal verbs is a great way to make your English sound more natural. Some phrasal verbs are literal, which means… Read more: 42 Advanced Phrasal Verbs (That You Need to Know)