IELTS Speaking for Success - 🎢 Amusement parks (S06E11) + Transcript

Episode Date: September 13, 2021

Do you like amusement parks? When was the last time you went there and what did you do? Are there many amusement parks where you live? Tune in and have a great day! - Get exclusive episodes on IELTS Speaking parts 1, 2, and 3: https://linktr.ee/sfspremium Transcript: https://successwithielts.com/s06e11 Find an IELTS Speaking Partner: https://links.successwithielts.com/ieltspartner Our social media: https://linktr.ee/successwithielts © 2021 Success with IELTS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello, love, I'm Maria. And my name is Rory, and we're the host of the AIL Speaking for Success Podcasts, the podcast dreams to help you improve your speaking skills, as well as your listening skills along the way. We've started this podcast, you know why, just to bring joy and a smile onto your face, together with some good vocabulary and grammar for your IOTS and also for your English life. If you want more from us, more I mean IOTS speaking part two, and IOT speaking part three, we have our premium podcast, where we talk about IOT speaking part two and three parts. This week, we're going to be talking about a person who you think

wears unusual clothes. I know, this is for speaking part two. And for speaking part three, we're going to talk about clothes in general. The link is in the description. Do check it out. So, Rory, how is life in Scotland? How's the weather like? What do you do? What do you have for breakfast? Oh my God, too many questions. My life isn't your private amusement park, you know. Oh, private amusement park. Shall we talk about amusement parks, Rory? I suppose we should instead of my private life.

What a coincidence. Again, on this podcast, yeah, we're going to be talking about amusement parks. Rura, do you like amusement parks? Not really. I remember going to Disneyland as a preteen and absolutely. loathing it, partially because I was a bit of a bookworm, but more so I found it really artificial and claustrophobic with all the crowds and everything, so it's not really my thing at all. How often do you go to amusement parks?

Well, these days, almost never. In fact, I don't think I've been anywhere near one since, well, since the time I described to you there. I'd need to think about it in more depth, probably. When was the last time you went there and what did you do? Well, I think about it. After that experience in Disneyland, I wasn't overly keen to have another outing to an amusement park. But I think there was one since then. I think the last time I was even close to somewhere remotely like it was when I went to this place in Spain with a bunch of roller coasters and the usual, I don't know, amusement park fair. I wasn't very taken with it then either, to be honest.

What do you usually do at an amusement park? Mown about it and want to leave. If you mean what people do generally, though, they go on the rides and live vicariously through others if you're an adult watching your kids or they try and dodge the crowds. It's a shame I find it's such a downer, actually, because there's more to fairgrounds than just roller coasters and crowds. like the VR simulators look good, as do the sort of lighter rides. It's maybe just the overstimulation that does me in, to be honest. Are there many amusement parks where you live? I think there are a few traveling fairs and circuses,

but nothing sort of on the scale of Disneyland. I think the closest thing might be the big wheel in the middle of Edinburgh. And I think that would be stretching the definition of amusement park from where I stand. Do you think you'll go to an amusement park soon? That is highly unlikely. Like I said, not a great fan of them. Thank you, Rory, for your jolly answers. Sorry, I'm a bit of a downer with this subject.

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Gambling problem call connects Ontario 1866 531-260-19 and over physically present in Ontario. Eligibility restrictions apply. See golden nuggettcasino.com for details. Please play responsibly. Now we know that Rory doesn't like raisins, he doesn't like bananas, and also he doesn't like amusement parks. Yeah, but first of all, dear listener, let's talk about what is an amusement park. Can I call it a theme park? Roy, could you tell us what's going on?

Well, I think an amusement park is just about the rides, whereas, or the things that are there, which is on the theme park, there's actually like, well, there's a theme. So, for example, I'm trying to think of a distinction. Like, if you go to a place... So Disneyland. Disneyland is both, to be honest, because the theme is Disney.

But there are lots of amusements there. that people go on. People probably would say it's a theme park more than an amusement park. Maybe a better example is there's a place in Spankel Puerto Ventura, which is it's got a lot of rides. There's not really an overarching theme to anything. It's just different rides like roller coasters and carousels. Whereas Disneyland is a theme park because the theme, the main topic, everything is based around Disney. Yeah, so a theme park, T-H-E-M-E, like a topic park, but we don't say a topic park, we say a theme park, is all about one topic, right? And an amusement park is all about rides and roller coasters, right? So all these, you know, crazy roller coasters.

What's the verb that I use with the roller coasters? I go on a roller coaster, I do the roller coaster. I go on a roller coaster. Yeah. Or ride a roller coaster. Or you just say, people go on the rides. Yeah, ride. Yeah, yeah.

Ride a roller coaster. Or you go on the rides. Right? So you just say, people go on the rides. Or I enjoy going on different rides. What do you call this crazy roller coaster with this, a dead loop? Do you call it a dead loop? When you are hanging upside down over there?

I have absolutely no idea what that is In Russia we would say Like a dead loop I think Loop is like like womb Okay It's womb You know

But you know what I'm talking about this Like the circle That you go on this little Train and then the train goes like Whoa I think that's just a roller coaster Rollercoaster Rollercoaster

Alright anyway Sorry I'm not really a big fan of amusement parks so I can only describe different ways of describing how much I don't like them rather than what's actually in them. Yeah, oh, Rory, what do you usually do at an amusement park? I moan and I cry and I complain and I want to go home. Yeah, so like moan and want to go home. It's like just none of her saying like, I complain. That's what I do.

That's my fond of amusement park. We can talk about different fun fairs, carnivals, or just fairs, right, at an amusement park. in an amusement park or both? Both, really? We describe, like, if you say that you're at the amusement park, that's just a way of describing the general area, and then in the amusement park is actually being inside it. But the distinction is a very fine one.

I think people just say them interchangeably. Yeah, you can also talk about different fairs, gardens, picnic areas. Yes. That you can go to. And you mentioned VR simulators, that we can enjoy at a park. And at the beginning of our talk, you said that you loathed it. Loathed.

Hmm. Yes, I didn't like it much, did I? So I remember going to Disneyland and I loathed it. So loath is a strong word, which means hate. I really hated it. So if you really hate it, you can say, I loathe it. Where else can I use it?

Well, to talk about things you don't like, I absolutely loathe bananas or raisins, for example. You can also say that amusement parks are artificial and claustrophobic. But, okay, so if we talk about artificial, it's just like it's fake, or it feels fake. Everything feels very manufactured there, which is to say that it doesn't feel real. And if we talk about claustrophobic,

It's just because there's lots of people there and you feel like quite closed off. I imagine it's different these days, but I'm not going to waste my time going because I know that I don't like it and I have other things to do. And then you said, like, amusement parks are not my thing at all. Yeah. So it's not really my thing. Can I say it's not my cup of tea? I think many people use this expression like, oh, it's not my cup of tea. Would it be natural or not really?

I was on the cusp of saying it's not my cup of tea It's quite cliche isn't it but then you know it doesn't matter It's the thing people can say it you understand the idea But I think it's important to point out that you don't stress the individual parts Because people say it's not my cup of tea And then look at you and be like ha ha I used the advanced phrase Look at me You're like okay yes but you do understand it's not really stressed

Closed like that's just like it's not a cup of tea Sorry Nice on my thing at all But if our listener does enjoy amusement parks Rory, what words can we say that? It is my cup of tea I really love it I'm joking, I'm joking

Oh no, come on Oh I adore amusement parks The amusement parks are fabulous I'm really into amusement parks Yeah, I'm into amusement parks I really enjoy it I can't get enough Right and then you say

Like how much you adore Being on all the crazy rides And you go there you scream the hell out of yourself. So your voice is horse, right? Yes. Horse voice? Yeah.

You lose your voice. You lose your voice. Yeah. Okay. Then, you said that I wasn't overly keen to have another outing. Outing meant a visit. Um, yes, basically. It's like an outing is just to go out somewhere.

like you have an outing to an amusement park or you have an outing to a park, the normal park. How can we use it in a positive context if I want to visit an amusement park and I say, I'm always looking forward to an outing? Yeah, just say like I'm planning an outing to an amusement park. Done. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, we should talk about the crowds because you can get a little bit claustrophobic because

of the crowds and also you will try and dodge the crowds. Yes. Now, if you dodge the crowds, it's just another way of saying avoid, but everybody hears like avoid the crowds,

so dodge the crowds is the same thing. Hmm, dodge the crowds. Yep. Yep. Probably important to point out that we talk about a fair ground, but we can also say standard amusement park

fair, F-A-Y-R-E, which is just another way of saying things in the amusement park. But you can use it to describe other things that are pretty much like standard, like standard fare at McDonald's is like a Big Mac probably. McDonald's give us free stuff.

There are other rides to talk about as well, though. Like VR simulators, virtual reality simulators, if you've been on them, they're like the pods that move up and down and everything and they look ridiculous from the outside, but then you're inside and actually it looked quite cool. You said something like, do the lighter rides.

Yes, I was going to say that. Lighter rides, like, roller coasters are very heavy rides, because they're just huge and a very emotional experience. But light rides can be something like carousels, things like that. Oh, yeah. So I can say, like, I'm into lighter rides. I've done some heavy rides before, but I don't really enjoy it.

It's not my thing. I prefer doing the lighter rides. Yeah. Would it be okay? Yeah. Oh, nice. Okay. Interesting.

Like, I think I quite enjoy amusement parks. I don't usually go there, but if I go, I quite like it. Yeah, I think it is more your thing. It's not my thing at all. Yeah, but the heavy rides, oh my gosh. I had to, like, force myself onto this heavy ride that we took, I think a year ago in Sochi, in this amusement park, close to the Olympic Village. Oh, my God.

I was so scared, Roy. You have no idea. I was trembling all over before and even more after. But I closed my eyes. I didn't see anything. but the ride was crazy it was like I think what five seconds

but it's crazy but I think it's like a good like you have some adrenaline not some but a lot of adrenaline in this short period of time and I don't know it might help you to release certain emotions

yeah but some people don't like that and by some people I mean me yeah so you've never done that you've never been on this heavy ride if you don't want to mean. The roller coaster ride. Yeah, I don't think I have.

Going all... Yeah. Rory's life is a roller coaster. I've done it, but I didn't enjoy it. I can't say I enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy it. Really. But, Rory, you did the jumping thing, the bungee.

Bungi jumping. Yeah, I did that. I suppose, like, part of the reason for that is it's a more personal experience because it's just you and roller coasters you're crammed in with everyone else aren't you? So it's not just like the ride itself, it's the atmosphere around it.

Oh, interesting. Yeah, dear listeners, you can say, well, I don't enjoy crowds, I don't like being crammed with everybody else into this small wagon of a train. So I'm more of a bookworm.

I'm a bit of a bookworm. Well, I was. Rory was a bookworm. But again, is it positive or negative to say that I'm a bit of a bookworm? Well, I think it's positive. Being a bookworm, like being into books and reading, is good. Yeah. So, I don't really enjoy amusement parks.

I'm a bit of a bookworm. I enjoy listening to IOT, Speaking for Success podcast, where Rory and Maria go off on a large tangent about their own experiences. Well, we've had to talk about it. experiences. Oh gosh. Yeah. So, Disneyland and also

which one did you talk about Port Ventura? Yeah, Portaventura. It's a big amusement park in Spain. Yeah, there you go. It's a very popular among holiday makers. Yeah, but also do you listen. You can talk about your local amusement park.

Yeah. So in your town or area. or a fair, for example, like a weekend fair with all the, I know, performances or different activities. What's the typical food that they usually have at this amusement park?

Oh, God, there's like candy floss, popcorn, I think. Candy floss, yeah, there we go, candy floss. Hot dogs, candy floss, Coca-Cola everywhere. Waterfalls of Coca-Cola and candy floss. inside you. Oh, yum, yum, yum. Anyway, on such a bright note, thank you for coming into our amusement park of grammar and vocabulary. Bye.

Rura, do you like amusement parks? If I'm honest, not really. I remember going to Disneyland as a preteen and absolutely loathing it, partially because I was a bit of a bookworm. But more so, I found it really artificial. claustrophobic with all the crowds and everything so it's not really my thing at all. How often do you go to amusement parks? Well, these days, almost never. In fact,

I don't think I've been anywhere near one since, well, since the time I described you there. I'd need to think about it in more depth, probably. When was the last time you went there and what did you do? Well, now that I think about it, after that experience in Disneyland, I wasn't overly keen to have another outing to an amusement park.

But I think there was one since then. I think the last time I was even close to somewhere remotely like it was when I went to this place in Spain with a bunch of roller coasters and the usual, I don't know, amusement park fair. I wasn't very taken with it then either, to be honest. What do you usually do at an amusement park? Mown about it and want to leave. If you mean what people do generally, though, they go on the rides

and live vicariously through others if you're an adult watching your kids or they try and dodge the crowds. It's a shame I find it's such a downer, actually, because there's more to fairgrounds than just roller coasters and crowds. The VR simulators look good, as do the sort of lighter rides.

It's maybe just the overstimulation that does me in, to be honest. Are there many amusement parks where you live? I think there are a few traveling fairs and circuses, but nothing sort of on the scale of Disney I think the closest thing might be the big wheel in the middle of Edinburgh. And I think that would be stretching the definition of amusement park from where I stand. Do you think you'll go to an amusement park soon?

That is highly unlikely. Like I said, I'm not a great fan of them.