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The Ugly American

The Ugly American

Date: Jan 24 2006

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

What do you call a person who can speak three languages? Trilingual.

What do you call a person who can speak two languages? Bilingual.

What do you call a person who can speak one language? American!

Many people in the world have very strong opinions about America and Americans. Some of these opinions are fair, others are not.

Listen to Taylor and I chit chat about American tourists.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Dave

Dave

Taylor

Taylor

Dave:  Taylor, have you ever, have you traveled overseas?

Taylor:  No, I have not.

Dave:  No?

Taylor:  No, not at all, in fact.

Dave:  Do you have any plans or desire to go?

Taylor:  I would love to tour Europe, Japan, different parts of Asia. Would love to.

Dave:  Yeah.

Taylor:  Financially unable.

Dave:  Yeah, oh yeah. Money is a big part of it, right?

Taylor:  Yes.

Dave:  We get, you know, Americans have kind of a bad reputation overseas. We’re always called the, ah, what do they call us? Like, the bumbling American, or the, ah, inconsiderate American traveling overseas, but in my experience – and I’ve traveled pretty much everywhere in the world, except Africa – is that Americans are usually more quiet than, say, Europeans. On the beaches of Thailand I would see people, you know, making out on the beach, or Westerners getting really drunk and obnoxious in downtown Bangkok. And my thought was, if Thais were to come to the U.S. and behave that way, people would be up in arms.

Taylor:  Definitely. Well, you know, I don’t know if these countries’ tourism agencies, you know, advocate this sort of, you know, “Destination Crazy” lifestyle, but, I think that for financial reasons, it’s encouraged: “Come here! Spend your money. Live your life.”

Dave:  Yeah.

 

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Discussion

Tourism is a relatively new, and sometimes controversial, thing. Many places around the world, such as Cancun, Mexico, Koh Samui, Thailand, and Jamaica, depend on tourists to come and spend lots of money.

As Taylor said the above conversation, sometimes these places encourage tourists to come, party and act crazy. While the money spent by tourists helps support the local economy, many people who live in these touristy towns do not like how foreign travelers behave.

What are your thoughts on tourism? Have you been on a “Destination Crazy” vacation?

 

Comments

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ayhann

ayhann

Turkey

drinking much,making out and being obnoxious is such a common Western behaviour,indeed. I liked how you summerize all of those in this lesson :)

12:07 PM Aug 18 2011 |

wwongsapun

wwongsapun

Thailand

I’m agree with my country are the city of travel. You have a freedom life in here for eat, drink and ….Okay, This place have many destination crazy if you want to go. The tourism will support and present you go to there. All right money is the important reason.. I want to tell you this place have many difference people and beautiful culture but unfortunately that most of peple overlook with this. I love Thailand.

10:16 AM Aug 18 2011 |

tiger_bagira

Greece

NICE

11:13 AM Nov 14 2010 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

I like traveling and I visit a lot of country many in Europe. It's prety cool when u travel u have many experiences and u mach learn about people, history, and know many new friends.

03:44 PM Jan 11 2009 |

minw

minw

China

it is absolutely wrong to judge a coutry or people from that coutry just by a few people that they've met!

that is not fair ,i would say, that is silly!

02:36 PM Dec 24 2008 |

1 person likes this

minw

minw

China

i've expeienced this feeling as i am in uk,i met lots of foreigners as me ,we talk about the local people,it is said that the local people dislike us foreigners,especially the black people,thet talk about the foreigners about things that they don't like,same way ,the black people would talk about the english people about their bad maners,their foolishness and so on…

it is such a silly thing that judging people by their skin coulor!what is the difference???

 

02:33 PM Dec 24 2008 |

1 person likes this

D ecember

D ecember

China

thanks for the lesson

07:27 AM Apr 27 2008 |

D ecember

D ecember

China

thanks for the lesson

07:27 AM Apr 27 2008 |

omarov

Morocco

not so dificult ,but ,about ameicans touists ,when they are taveling in other county ,they behave not so bad like in america.

07:16 PM Apr 11 2008 |

jalal12345

Jordan

thanks alot it is good and nice lesson

03:22 PM Apr 02 2008 |

jo5582

jo5582

Jordan

Oh my God , thanks ebaby, really i feel my english is going better when i read your lesson, i recently arrived Toronto , the language, the words are using here the same what i hear here in toronto . really thank you,

10:56 AM Mar 07 2008 |

stitch_x

stitch_x

France

thkx for this lesson!Laughing

03:51 PM Feb 25 2008 |

cubalwz

Finland

nice one!!Smile

04:41 AM Nov 20 2007 |

edikson

Russian Federation

im out!bye all!^))))my address :,write me letter plz!

11:47 AM Nov 19 2007 |

edikson

Russian Federation

i love u all!!!!!

11:45 AM Nov 19 2007 |

edikson

Russian Federation

hello my friends!!!!

 

11:44 AM Nov 19 2007 |

edikson

Russian Federation

hello my friends!!!!!my name is eduard!!!!i love all!!!

11:43 AM Nov 19 2007 |

antyliu

China

hello,thanks so much for your lesson .i like the atmosphone of america and admire it .but i really don't people act crazy without taking local custome into consideration.

 

02:12 AM Nov 19 2007 |

الراجح

الراجح

Saudi Arabia

thanks

 

08:06 PM Nov 18 2007 |

tommy76

Poland

hello, thanks for the lesson; nice and easy to understand; i agree with the opiniom – people sometimes act really strange when they are on their holidays; then the general opinion about nation goes all over the world. best regards.

05:51 PM Nov 14 2007 |

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