ENG

23

ENJOYING THE BEACH

“We protect what we love, and I love the ocean.”

—Jacques Cousteau (1910-1997), Oceanographer

Sharing Stories

Many people find a beach to be restful – a place for fun, relaxation, and renewal. Chat with your conversation partner about your beach experiences. Remember to be patient, cheerful, helpful, and encouraging.

1. How old were you when you first saw an ocean? Which ocean?

2. Have you ever taken a beach vacation? Where did you go?

3. Did you sunbathe, jog, or read on the beach? Did you swim or wade in the waves?

4. When is your favorite time to be on the beach? Dawn, noon, or dusk? Why? What makes this time special at the beach?

5. What activities do you like to do at the beach?

6. Do you have any photographs of the beach? Can you describe a favorite one?

7. What are some beach souvenirs that tourists can buy?

8. Which seas and oceans have you seen?

9. Which was most stormy? Which was most calm? Most beautiful?

10. Which ocean or sea was coldest? Which was the warmest?

11. What sports can be played on the beach or in the water?

12. What kind of bathing suit do you usually wear? Do you have a favorite bathing suit?

13. What do you usually bring to the beach?

14. What precautions do you take to avoid being sunburned?

15. Do you like to swim? Do you prefer swimming in a pool or in an ocean? Why?

16. What movies have you seen that celebrate the beach or surfing?

17. Have you ever tried to bodysurf? What happened?

18. Have you ever tried to use a boogie board? A surfboard? What happened?

Vocabulary

Read the vocabulary list aloud. Then, with the help of your conversation partner, write five sentences about the beach.

souvenir | stormy | calm | surfboard | dolphin | shark

jellyfish sting | lotion | umbrella | hurricane | tsunami

The Conversation Continues

1. Have you ever gone snorkeling? Scuba diving? Did you enjoy it?

2. Have you ever gone swimming in the ocean at night?

3. Have you ever seen dolphins in the water? What were they doing?

4. Have you ever seen sharks in the water? How did you feel?

5. Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish? How did you treat the sting?

6. Have you ever gone saltwater fishing? Did you catch anything?

7. What birds have you seen at the beach? Pelicans? Seagulls? Other?

8. Can you describe a memorable day at the beach? What happened?

9. Why do so many children love going to the beach?

10. What activities have you done with children on a beach?

11. Have you ever built a sand castle? How big was it?

12. Have you ever collected shells? What is your favorite type of shell?

13. Have you ever kept something you found at the beach? What is a beachcomber?

14. On the beach, what is the difference between high tide and low tide?

15. What are some threats to clean beaches? How can we help protect them?

16. Have you ever seen a beach after a hurricane or tsunami? What did you see?

17. Do you prefer going to the beach alone, with your partner, your family, or with a group of friends? Why?

18. What islands or beaches would you like to visit? Why?

Sayings

Write the meaning of three of the following sayings and proverbs.

He has buried his head in the sand.

She’s in deep water.

It’s hard to swim against the current.

Sink or swim.

He’s riding a wave of popularity at the moment.

The ocean does not choose its trash. —Japanese

Discussing Quotations

Read aloud all the quotations. Pick your favorite and explain why it is your favorite to your conversation partner.

1. “In every curving beach, in every grain of sand, there is the story of the earth.”

—Rachel Carson (1907-1964), biologist and environmentalist

2. “The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choice less as a beach-waiting for a gift from the sea.”

—Anne Morrow Lindberg (1906-2001), writer

3. “Time and tide wait for no man.”

—Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400), English author

4. “On vacations: We hit the sunny beaches where we occupy ourselves keeping the sun off our skin, the saltwater off our bodies, and the sand out of our belongings.”

—Erma Bombeck (1927-1996), America humorist

5. “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

—John Muir (1838-1914), environmentalist

6. “I hate vacations. If you can build buildings, why sit on a beach?”

—Phillip Johnson (1906-2005), American architect

7. “A beach not only permits inertia, but enforces it, thus neatly eliminating all problems of guilt. It is now the only place in our overly active world that does.”

—John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006), American diplomat, economist

8. “You can tell all you need to about a society from how it treats animals and beaches.”

—Frank Deford (193, sports commentator

9. “The sea never changes and its works, for all the talk of men, are wrapped in mystery.”

— Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), novelist

On Your Own

Find a picture in a magazine or pamphlet that shows a beach you would like to visit. Share the picture with your conversation partner or your class. Describe the scene to them.