At a Tourist Information Center

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

tourist information center

Noun

ˈtʊrɪst ɪnfərˈmeɪʃən ˈsentər

a place that provides tourists with all the information about the places they are visiting

Let's stop by at the tourist information center to ask about local events.

pamphlet

Noun

ˈpæmflɪt

a small book containing a few pages about a certain topic

There are some extra pamphlets on the table.

They are looking at a pamphlet of home furniture.

cuisine

Noun

kwɪˈziːn

a style of cooking typical for a certain country or area

The restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine.

Sushi is one type of Japanese cuisine.

As a professional chef, he was interested in the cuisine of other countries.

French and Italian cuisines are probably the most popular around the world.

They serve excellent Philippine cuisine.

chapel

Noun

ˈtʃæpəl

a small church

We had our wedding at an outdoor chapel.

An old chapel appeared in the middle of nowhere.

Exercise 2

Useful Expressions

Do you have these pamphlets/books in English/Japanese/ Chinese/etc.?

What sights can I visit in this area?

Where can I try local cuisine?

Where can I find information about local events?

Exercise 3

Dialogue Practice

Read the dialogue aloud with your tutor.

Yan-ting goes to the tourist information center to find out more about the town he is visiting.
	Clerk Welcome! How can I be of assistance?
	Yan-ting Hello! I have a few questions.
	Clerk Okay, go ahead. What would you like to know?
	Yan-ting I'd like to learn more about the history of this town. Do you have any pamphlets perhaps, or some books to recommend?
	Clerk Well... We have a few interesting tour books here!
	Yan-ting That sounds great.
Yan-ting takes a look at the bookshelf.
	Yan-ting Do you have these in Mandarin?
	Clerk Yes! Here you go!
	Yan-ting Thank you. Are there any sights that I can visit in this area?
	Clerk Hmm... Let's see.
The clerk opens one of the books.
	Clerk Ah, yes. There is an 18th century chapel you can visit. It’s 10 minutes away from here. You can find the directions and information in the book. I'd recommend visiting it - it's beautiful.
	Yan-ting It does seem interesting... Okay, I will go there. Thank you very much!
	Clerk You’re welcome! Have a great day!
As Yan-ting leaves, James walks in.
	James Hello!
	Clerk Hi! How can I help you today?
	James I'd like to know where I can try local cuisine.
	Clerk Here! Take these pamphlets. Here are the names and addresses of quite a few restaurants that serve great local cuisine. Look, they even have maps with directions on the back.
The clerk shows a map on one of the pamphlets.
	Clerk You are here right now. This is where the closest restaurant is. Will you be able to find your way?
	James Yes, thank you. And I have another question, if you don't mind.
	Clerk Not at all! What else would you like to know?
	James Where can I find information on local events?
	Clerk There will be a beer festival next week, so you can visit it. For information about events in neighboring towns you can read this!
The clerk gives James another pamphlet.
	James Thank you so much!
	Clerk It was a pleasure, sir. Have a nice day!

Exercise 4

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks to complete the dialogue.

Zach goes to the tourist information center to get some information about the town he is visiting.
	Zach Hello!
	Clerk Hello! How can I help you?
	Zach Well, I've just arrived here, so I have a few questions, if you don't (1)?
	Clerk Of course not, I'd be glad to (2) you. What would you like to know?
	Zach First of all, do you perhaps have some (3) I could take?
	Clerk Of course, feel free to take any of these. This one, for example, is very useful; it has all the major sights marked.
	Zach That's great! So, what sights can I (4) in this area?
	Clerk There is a history museum close by. Also, take a look at these pamphlets, you may find something you like.
	Zach Thanks. Do you perhaps (5) Greek?
	Clerk I'm sorry, we don't.
	Zach That's okay, English will do as well. Is there any place nearby where I can try (6)?
	Clerk There are a few traditional restaurants on High Market Street. It’s not far from here.
	Zach Great! And what about the events? Where can I find information about (7)?
	Clerk Take this pamphlet. You can find everything about the upcoming events there.
	Zach Perfect! Thank you so much for your help!
	Clerk You're welcome! Enjoy your stay!

Choose answers from the options below that fit in blanks 1 to 7

Answer Pool (Questions 1-7)

local events
local cuisine
maps
visit
have these in
mind
help

Exercise 5

Role Play

Role-play the following situation with your tutor.

Situation

You are in your teacher’s hometown and you go to the tourist information center to find out about the places to visit, events, the places to eat, etc. Your teacher will act as a clerk in the center. Switch roles after that.

Exercise 6

Discussion

Have you ever been to a tourist information center? Why?

Is there a tourist information center in your town/city/living area?

What are your favorite places to visit? (e.g. museums/art galleries/historical sights/just city streets/other) Why?

Do you prefer eating street food or eating at a restaurant? Why?

Do you like buying souvenirs? Why?