AD1 – BRITANICO GOLD – READING TASK – MARCH 2021
You are going to read a magazine article about students who travelled around Australia alone during their
long summer vacation. For questions 1-10, choose from the students A-D. The students may be chosen
more than once.
C. Danny Holt
A. Phil Morston Travelling solo creates opportunities to meet people.
I remember sitting in the plane thinking to myself: There’s no substitute for sharing the experiences of
‘What have I let myself in for?’ The first few days the day with a companion, and being alone forces
were scary: I was all on my own on the other side of you to seek someone out. I’d never have met so
the world with nothing planned. But I soon met up many people if I’d been travelling with friends.
with people to travel with. Of course, some you get There’s also the wonderful freedom to do what you
on with, others you don’t. Some, for example, had like, when you like, without having to convince
every day planned out in minute detail, when in anybody that it’s a good idea. However, there are
practice things can change and it’s great to have the downsides; meal times are something I’ve never
freedom to go with the flow. And that’s easy enough really got to grips with in all the years I’ve travelled
to do. You can take the Oz Experience bus down alone. But my advice would be to give solo travel a
the west coast, jumping off whenever you want, then go –it can be very liberating maybe try a short trip to
catching the next bus when you’re ready to move on begin with, just in case it’s not for you. Another thing
again. Being away for a year, you do occasionally is stay in the nicest places your budget permits.
get lonely. To cheer myself up, I’d sit down and write Miserable hotels can really spoil a trip. And if you
a fortnightly email home about everything I’d been really are happy being anti-social, a pair of
up to. headphones can ensure the person in the next seat
doesn’t bore you to death on the plane!
B. Leila Stuart
Without doubt, you meet all sorts of people when D. Kerry Winterton
travelling alone. I even made a friend on the plane Fun as it is, travelling solo also has its low points,
out there. Some people are keener to make friends including occasional loneliness and the pressure that
than others, of course, but if someone’s chosen to you’re under to make your own mind up about
do the same type of trip as you, you’ve probably got everything. I chose to travel alone because I wanted
lots of ideas in common. The advantages of a pre- to do something different, but I did miss people from
planned tour are that you can get an agency to take home, and sometimes fell out with other travelers I’d
care of all the arrangements, which can be time- teamed up with along the way. But I learnt to accept
consuming to do yourself –but it does mean that that some people have different attitudes to mine;
you’re tied to a predetermined itinerary, which that you have to put up with irritating people in hostels
wouldn’t suit everyone. There’s also the safety and accept not having as much privacy as you’re
aspect in terms of the places you visit often being used to at home. The best thing for me about
very remote. If you go off trekking in the wilds of a travelling alone was that it was a brilliant experience
foreign country alone, it could be difficult to get help that enhanced my independence and helped me feel
if things went wrong. more self-assured. I knew I was on my own, which
made me make more effort to speak to people and
by doing so I made lots of great friends.
Which student mentions…
1. keeping in touch with his/her family to feel better? 1. ________
2. that not hiring an agency might be dangerous? 2. ________
3. feeling uncomfortable when having to eat alone? 3. ________
4. that you can listen to music to avoid talking to people? 4. ________
5. that having to make decisions by yourself is a downside? 5. ________
6. having to overcome his/ her shyness to talk to other people? 6. ________
7. having second thoughts about travelling solo when he/ she was on his/ her way? 7. ________
8. that it is likely to meet people with the same interests when travelling solo? 8. ________
9. that your first trip alone should not be very long? 9. ________
10. that accommodation is something that can make your holiday enjoyable? 10. _______
