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Views #321 | Intermediate 4

Christchurch

Gabrielle talks about her hometown.

Script
Vocab
Quiz


Gabrielle	Todd

Todd: So, Hello!

Gabrielle: Hi!

Todd: Can you say your name please?

Gabrielle: Gabrielle:

Todd: Gabrielle. Now, Gabrielle you talked to us last year.

Gabrielle:That's right!

Todd: And you said that you're from Christchurch?

Gabrielle: Uh-huh, from Christchurch in New Zealand.

Todd: OK, can you talk about your city?

Gabrielle: Absolutely! Absolutely! Well, Christchurch I guess compared to Japan is pretty small, but for New Zealand it's quite a big city. I think it's a great place. Yeah, we've got the beach, the mountains, yeah so city center and nature, really close.

Todd: Sounds nice! How many people live in Christchurch?

Gabrielle: Oh, that's a good question. Gosh! Were certainly not up to a million! I guess about 600,000 people.

Todd: Wow, that's it! Just 6!

Gabrielle: That's it. Big city in New Zealand!

Todd: Wow! So there's three big cities in New Zealand!

Gabrielle: That's right! That's right! We're probably the second or third biggest city.

Todd: Uh, what's the transportation like?

Gabrielle: Well, I use my bike usually or a car. We certainly don't have the trains like Tokyo, but there's a bus system. It's not too bad, but most Kiwis have cars. Yeah, more convenient.

Todd: OK, now can I ask you about costs?

Gabrielle: Sure! Sure!

Todd: OK, and you can say Japanese yen prices.

Gabrielle: Yeah! Yeah!

Todd: How much is an apartment? A one bedroom apartment, downtown?

Gabrielle: Well, to be honest we don't have that style. We've got plenty of space so we usually rent a house which has three bedrooms and a garden, for example, and much cheaper, much, much cheaper. I'm just trying to convert.

Todd: Three bedrooms and a garden!

Gabrielle: Yeah! And often we go "flatting" which means we share the house with maybe a couple of friends, probably pay about, I was paying $80 a week for my room so, oh, sorry my conversion rate is not working too quickly at the moment.

Todd: That's really cheap though!

Gabrielle: It's incredibly cheap. Yeah, much, much cheaper! Much bigger!

Todd: Wow! sounds like a nice place! OK, how much is, New Zealand prices OK, how much is a loaf of bread?

Gabrielle: A loaf of bread! To get the good bread, probably about $2.50 a loaf, yeah, so, maybe about, oh sorry, my conversion's not working, I've been in Tokyo for too long!

Todd: How about a movie ticket?

Gabrielle: A movie ticket would be about $13, so it's much cheaper than here. Yeah, definitely!

Todd: And bus fare!

Gabrielle: Bus fare, a dollar fifty, two dollars for one way.

Todd: How about if you're going to buy your friend a sweater, a nice sweater, how much would that cost?

Gabrielle: Well, I like the good outdoor brand sweaters so I would probably say about $50 but an everyday sweater you could get about $15 New Zealand. Yeah.

Todd: OK, Wow! Sounds like a great place. Oh, and last one, the weather, when is the best time of year to visit?

Gabrielle: Oh, summer, definitely.

Todd: So that's December?

Gabrielle: Yeah, so we're going into summer now so December to February, but we have four seasons in one day, so you can count on all weather even within summer. Yeah! Yeah!

Todd: Do you have a really bad month to go, where the weather is not nice?

Gabrielle: Yeah, usually June, July, it probably rains the most, but we still get gorgeous sunny days in the winter so, yeah there's not really any bad time.

Todd: Oh, sounds nice! Thanks Gabrielle!

Gabrielle: No, problem!
No, problem!

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

transportation

What's the transportation like?

'Transportation' is the type of vehicle or system you use to get from one place to another. Buses, cars, trains and airplanes are all forms of transportation.

Notice the following:

What is the transportation in the city like?
I think we are going to have to use another form of transportation.

convenient

Most Kiwis have cars. Yeah, more convenient.

When something is 'convenient' it is easy or comfortable to use. Convenient things make life easier.

Notice the following:

The shop is just on the corner of my house so it is very convenient.
I live really close to work so it is very convenient for me to go in at the last minute.

flatting

Often we go "flatting" which means we share the house with maybe a couple of friends

When you go 'flatting' it means that you share an accommodation with other people. Doing this would be a good way to make accommodations cheaper for everyone.

Notice the following:

I have asked her to go flatting with me as it will save us both money.
I am sick of flatting, I want my own space.

loaf

How much is a loaf of bread?

A 'loaf' is the standard shape that bread is baked in. When we eat bread we cut pieces from the loaf, so the loaf is all the pieces of bread together in one object.

Notice the following:

I ate a whole loaf of bread today!
Do you want a white or brown loaf of bread?

an everyday sweater

I would probably say about $50, but an everyday sweater you could get about $15.

An 'everyday sweater' is a piece of clothing to be worn on the top part of your body, like a pullover, that you wear for casual occasions.

Notice the following:

I have too many everyday sweaters, I think I will give some to charity.
I want to buy a blue everyday sweater that I can wear with my jeans.

Vocabulary Quiz

transportation • convenient • flatting
loaf • everyday

It is to go to a fast food restaurant if you are in your car and in a hurry.
How many sandwiches can you make with one of bread?
Once you learn the system here you will see that it is really easy and cheap to get everywhere in the city.
I really need to go shopping for the party tonight. All I have are sweaters.
is the only way that I can afford to travel like I do.

Answer the following questions about the interview.

Christchurch

Vocabulary Quiz

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