This lesson suits upper-intermediate to advanced learners. After listening, to test your learning.
Learning notes
Lesson language objective
Talking about winter holiday plans
Useful phrases when talking about going on a holiday
- I can't wait to take some time off.
- These holidays can't come soon enough!
- My daughter’s so relieved that it’s the end of term!
- Any plans for the school holidays?
Useful phrases when talking about going to the snow
- I was not prepared for this cold snap!
- We should hit the slopes!
- Just rug up.
- You can hang out by the fire and get cosy.
Useful phrases when talking about heading somewhere warm
- We’re making our way up north to somewhere warm.
- It’ll be great to go hiking without having to dress up in layers.
- I can’t wait to escape the cold.
- We’re heading north / We’re making our way up north.
Colloquial expressions:
To hit the slopes means to go skiing. ‘I can’t wait to hit the slopes this winter.’
To keep something on ice means to delay something. ‘Let’s keep this plan on ice for now.’
To be under the covers means to be in bed with a blanket or doona over you. ‘I would rather be under the covers than work today.’
To be a stick-in-the-mud means to be dull and unadventurous. ‘Come wall-climbing with us. Don’t be a stick-in-the-mud.’
To rug up means to put on warm clothing. ‘It’s going to be cold today. Make sure you rug up.’
To dress up in layers means to wear several pieces of clothing on top of one another. ‘She dressed in layers before going out.’
To catch some sun/rays means to sit or lie where the sun shines. ‘He loves going to the beach to catch some sun/rays.’
To take time off means to stop working temporarily or to take a break from work. ‘I took time off to take care of my kids.’
When something can’t come soon enough, it means someone is impatiently waiting for something to happen. ‘My birthday can’t come soon enough.’
Vocabulary:
Cold snap – A period when the temperature suddenly drops and it becomes very cold
Hang out – To relax, usually without anything particular to do.
Term – a period of a few weeks when primary and secondary students go to school. There are four terms in one school year
Cultural information:
Because of the size and location of Australia, the climate can be very different around the country. This means that in winter, there some colder places for people who want to enjoy a holiday in the cold and snow, and some warmer places for those who want a holiday where they can enjoy some warmer weather.
Find out about some winter holidays in Australia on .
Three children running into the ocean Source: Getty/ / James Braund
Transcript:
((Learning English helps me plan for a fun holiday))
Hi! You are listening to the SBS Learn English podcast, in which we help Australians to speak, understand and connect.
My name is Nikki, and like you, I'm learning the English language.
I’ll be joining you on today’s episode because Josipa is away on a holiday. How wonderful! While we can’t wait for her to get back, we hope she’s having tons of fun!
And speaking of fun and holidays, guess what we’ll be learning today? Our episode today will be all about going away for a winter holiday.
Australia is very big so the weather can be very different in different parts of the country.
In winter, there are areas that remain generally warm, such as the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Northern Queensland; but some other areas experience much colder weather.
Because of the different climates around Australia, we can choose to go on holiday to somewhere cold and snowy or to go somewhere warm and sunny, even during winter!
Let’s first listen to a conversation between Allan and Maryanne, a couple discussing plans for a snowy holiday in the mountains.
Maryanne:
I’m switching the heater on. It’s freezing! I was not prepared for this cold snap!
I’m switching the heater on. It’s freezing! I was not prepared for this cold snap!
Allan:
I love this winter weather! It means there’ll be snow up in the mountains soon. We should hit the slopes!
I love this winter weather! It means there’ll be snow up in the mountains soon. We should hit the slopes!
Maryanne:
Hmm, let’s keep that idea on ice for now. I can’t stand the cold! I’d rather be under the covers. Plus, I don’t know how to ski.
Hmm, let’s keep that idea on ice for now. I can’t stand the cold! I’d rather be under the covers. Plus, I don’t know how to ski.
Allan:
Oh, don’t be a stick-in-the-mud! Just rug up. And you don’t have to go skiing. You can always just hang out by the fire and get cosy.
Oh, don’t be a stick-in-the-mud! Just rug up. And you don’t have to go skiing. You can always just hang out by the fire and get cosy.
Oh, the snow! Even though I Iove seeing snow, I’m like Maryanne – I really feel the cold! What about you?
Let’s look deeper into their conversation.
Maryanne said,
I was not prepared for this cold snap!
A cold snap happens when the temperature suddenly drops and it becomes very cold. It may only last for a short while, but it can bring snow, especially in the mountains.
While Maryanne isn’t loving the cold, Allan says that he loves it and that,
We should hit the slopes!
To hit the slopes means to go skiing.
While skiing and snowy mountains aren’t the first things you think of when you think of Australia, there are a lot of awesome skiing places in the country you can visit during winter, such as Thredbo in New South Wales and Mt. Buller in Victoria.
Maryanne replied,
Hmm, let’s keep that idea on ice for now.
To keep something on ice means to delay it. This expression comes from the idea that you don’t have to use something, such as food, right away when you freeze it.
This expression originated when ice was used to keep food stay fresh for longer. So putting something on ice would delay needing to use it or eat it.
In this scenario, Maryanne wants to keep the idea of going to the snow on ice because she’s still not sure if she wants to go.
You can use the phrase in other ways to say that you would like to delay something. For example, ‘She kept her dream on ice because she had kids to raise.’ Or, ‘Let’s keep the project on ice until we know we have enough money to finish it.’
Maryanne also said,
I’d rather be under the covers.
To be under the covers means to be in bed, with a blanket over you.
Another example of using this expression is ‘I’d rather be under the covers than go to work.’
Allan said,
Oh, don’t be a stick-in-the-mud!
A stick -in-the-mud is someone who is dull and unadventurous. It is a mild insult. For example, ‘Come to the party! Don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud.’
He also said,
Just rug up.
To rug up means to put on warm clothing. You can rug up by wearing clothing such as a jumper or a coat. For example, you could say to someone ‘It’s cold outside. Make sure you rug up.’
According to Allan, there’s another thing that Maryanne can do,
You can always just hang out by the fire and get cosy.
To hang out means to relax without doing anything in particular.
We can also use the expression ‘hang out’ to mean spending time with other people in a relaxed way. For example, ‘Let’s hang out and watch a movie.’ Or, ‘She likes hanging out with artists.’
If the snow or the cold isn’t for you, maybe you’d like to travel somewhere warm during winter? The awesome thing about Australia is that you can do that anytime of the year!
Listen to this conversation between Allan and Maryanne. They are parents whose kids are about to go on school holidays.
Allan:
My daughter’s so relieved that it’s the end of term! Any plans for the school holidays?
My daughter’s so relieved that it’s the end of term! Any plans for the school holidays?
Maryanne:
We’re flying up north to somewhere warm. It’ll be great to go hiking without having to dress up in layers. What about you?
We’re flying up north to somewhere warm. It’ll be great to go hiking without having to dress up in layers. What about you?
Allan:
Yes! I can’t wait to escape the cold. We’re heading north as well to go to the beach and catch some sun, maybe do some snorkelling.
Yes! I can’t wait to escape the cold. We’re heading north as well to go to the beach and catch some sun, maybe do some snorkelling.
Maryanne:
Sounds amazing! I can't wait to take some time off. These holidays can't come soon enough!
Sounds amazing! I can't wait to take some time off. These holidays can't come soon enough!
Hmm, the beach sounds great right about now. Maybe I should start planning for a holiday. What about you? Are you planning to go anywhere anytime soon?
Let’s take a closer look at the conversation between Maryanne and Allan.
Allan said,
My daughter’s so relieved that it’s the end of term! Any plans for the school holidays?
The school year is divided into four part called terms.
Primary and secondary schools in Australia have four terms in each school year.
In Australian universities, the year is usually divided into two, sometimes three, parts called semester.
Maryanne replied,
We’re making our way up north to somewhere warm. It’ll be great to go hiking without having to dress in layers.
In Australia, up north refers to states that are closer to the equator and tend to stay warm throughout the year
To dress up in layers means to wear several pieces of clothing on top of one another. An example of using this phrase is, ‘I knew it was going to be cold today, so I dressed up in layers.’
Allan said,
We’re heading north as well to go to the beach and catch some sun, maybe do some snorkelling.
To catch some sun (or to catch some rays) is a phrase that means to sit or lie in the sun . For example, ‘I’ve been stuck in the house for too long. I need to catch some sun.’ Or, ‘She went to the beach to catch some rays.’
Maryanne replied,
I can’t wait to take some time off. These holidays can’t come soon enough!
To take some time off means to stop working for a little while or to take a break from work. You can take some time off for several reasons - to go on a holiday, to rest, to get better after an illness and so on.
For example, ‘He took time off to visit his parents.’ Or, ‘She took time off last week because of the flu.’
When someone says they can’t wait for something to come soon enough, it means they’re impatient for something to happen or they’re really excited about it. For example, ‘Christmas can’t come soon enough!’ Or, ‘The weekend can’t come soon enough.’
Whether you’re a fan of the cold or you prefer warm weather, there are so many wonderful places to go to in Australia.
Just ask our guest today, my well-travelled friend and colleague from SBS Filipino, TJ Correa.
Hi TJ! Tell me – what do you think makes winters in Australia so special?
TJ:
Well, for one, our seasons are the opposite of seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. Winter in Australia runs from June to August; and while we’re enjoying wintertime in Australia, it’s summer in the United States, Asia and Europe.
Nikki:
Oh yes, that’s true!
Oh yes, that’s true!
TJ:
But that doesn’t mean that winter only brings the cold and the snow! Because Australia is such a big country and because of where we’re located, each state and territory experiences winter differently. So while Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT start getting cooler weather; up north, in the Northern Territory, Northern Queensland and Western Australia, it’s still mostly sunny and warm.
Nikki:
How interesting! No wonder we have a lot of different choices when it comes to going on holiday even during winter.
TJ:
Yes! If you live somewhere cold and hate rugging up, you can go up north and catch some sun. If you live somewhere warm, but you want to hit the slopes, you can find a lot of places in Australia for that too!
Nikki:
Do you have any suggestions on where to go?
TJ:
Oh yes! I’ve done a lot of research and I’ve made a list of all the places I want to go in the near future.
For the snow and the cold, I’m aiming to go to Mt. Buller in Victoria this year. There’s also Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia or Thredbo in New South Wales.
For the sun and the warm weather, I want to go to Whitsundays, off the coast of Queensland and Broome in WA. I’m also looking into taking a road trip from Darwin to Uluru.
Nikki:
Wow! Those are great choices, TJ! I’ll add them to my list of places to go to as well!
Wow! Those are great choices, TJ! I’ll add them to my list of places to go to as well!
A big thank you to our educational consultant Professor Lynda Yates, our guest TJ Correa, Winmas Yu, and Paul Nicholson and Coni Laranjeira who voiced the characters of Allan and Maryanne.
