Grammar Snacks: Present perfect simple and continuous

British Council | LearnEnglish Teens

10 Aug 201702:33

Summary

TLDRIn this engaging script, a student seeks to interview an interesting person for a Chinese homework assignment, leading to a conversation about the student's mother who is currently in Dubai, exploring its architecture and writing about it. The student's brother, Oliver, is suggested as an alternative interviewee due to his culinary aspirations and travels. The script also touches on the modern marvels of Dubai, including the Burj Khalifa and the luxurious Burj al Arab, with a humorous mention of souvenir shopping.

Takeaways

🏠 The mother is not at home; she is in Dubai writing about architecture.
📝 The mother has been traveling extensively and has won a significant award for her blog this year.
🏆 She has won only one award, but it's a notable one.
🍰 Oliver, the brother, has made a cake and is learning to cook, with plans to become a Master Chef.
🌐 The script mentions an interview assignment for a Chinese class, which involves interviewing an interesting person and translating it into Chinese.
🗺️ The mother's blog includes her experiences from various places she has visited.
🏙️ Dubai is described as a new city with a constant mist of desert sand, despite its long history as a port.
🏢 The speaker has visited the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building, and the Burj al Arab, a luxurious hotel shaped like a yacht.
🌴 There is a mention of a planned visit to the Palm Tree Island in Dubai.
🛍️ The speaker has not yet bought any souvenirs but promises to bring something back, even if it's just sand.
📞 It is expected that the mother will call soon, and if not, the brother Oliver can be interviewed for the assignment.

Q & A

Is the person's mother currently at home?
-No, the person's mother is not at home; she is in Dubai.
What is the mother doing in Dubai?
-The mother is in Dubai writing about the architecture there.
How has the mother's travel impacted the family's knowledge of her whereabouts?
-The mother's frequent travel has made it difficult for the family to keep track of her current location.
What homework has the person's Chinese teacher assigned?
-The homework is to interview an interesting person and translate the interview into Chinese.
Why might the person consider interviewing their mother?
-The person's mother has been writing a blog for years, visited many places, and won an award, making her an interesting person for the assignment.
What award did the mother win?
-The mother won one big award earlier this year, although the specifics of the award are not mentioned in the script.
What has Oliver been doing recently?
-Oliver has been learning to cook and bake, with aspirations of becoming a Master Chef.
What is the significance of the Burj Khalifa mentioned in the script?
-The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and was visited by the mother in Dubai.
What is unique about the hotel the mother ate at, the Burg Al Arab?
-The Burg Al Arab is a luxurious hotel that is designed to look like a yacht.
What is the mother's plan for the following day?
-The mother plans to visit the Palm Tree Island the next day.
Has the mother bought any souvenirs from Dubai?
-The mother has not had time to buy souvenirs yet, but she intends to bring something back, even if it's just sand.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Traveler's Life and Blog Achievements

The script introduces a character who is discussing their mother's frequent travels and her blog, which has garnered her an award. The mother is currently in Dubai, writing about the architecture. The conversation suggests that she has visited numerous places and has won at least one significant award for her blog. The character is tasked with an assignment to interview an interesting person and translate it into Chinese, which prompts the idea of interviewing the mother upon her return.

🍰 Brother's Culinary Pursuits and Travels

The script shifts focus to the character's brother, Oliver, who is learning to become a master chef and has been practicing his baking skills. It is mentioned that Oliver has also traveled extensively. The speaker playfully suggests interviewing Oliver for the school assignment, highlighting his potential as an interesting subject due to his culinary journey and experiences.

🏙️ Impressions of Modern Dubai

The speaker provides a first-hand account of their experiences in Dubai, noting the city's relatively recent development and its transformation from a port to a modern city. They describe visiting iconic locations such as the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, and dining at the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel. The speaker also mentions plans to visit the Palm Tree Island and humorously comments on the possibility of bringing back sand as a souvenir.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Dubai

Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates known for its luxury shopping, modern architecture, and vibrant nightlife. In the script, it is mentioned as the current location of the mother, who is writing about the architecture there. The city's modernity and rapid development are central to the theme of the video, as it contrasts with traditional images of the Middle East.

💡Architecture

Architecture refers to the design and planning of buildings and structures. The script mentions the mother writing about the architecture in Dubai, indicating the city's unique and modern architectural designs, such as the Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest building in the world as referenced in the script.

💡Travel

Travel is the act of moving from one place to another, often for leisure or work. The mother in the script has been traveling a lot recently, which is a key part of the video's narrative as it sets the stage for the homework assignment to interview an interesting person.

💡Homework

Homework is work assigned to students to be completed outside of class. In the script, the character's Chinese teacher has given an assignment to interview an interesting person and translate the interview into Chinese, which is a central task that drives the conversation and the video's storyline.

💡Blog

A blog is a regularly updated website or web page, run by an individual or group, that is written in an informal or conversational style. The mother in the script has been writing her blog for years, which implies she has a significant online presence and has visited many places, adding to her interesting persona for the interview assignment.

💡Awards

Awards are honors or prizes given in recognition of an achievement or excellence. The script mentions that the mother has won a big award earlier in the year, which adds to her credibility and the interesting nature of her character for the interview.

💡Master Chef

Master Chef is a term often used to describe someone who is highly skilled in cooking. In the script, Oliver is referred to as potentially becoming a Master Chef, indicating his passion and skill in cooking, which adds a personal touch to the video's narrative.

💡Baking

Baking is a method of cooking that uses dry heat, typically in an oven. The script mentions that Oliver has been practicing his baking, which is part of his journey to become a Master Chef and shows his dedication to learning and improving his culinary skills.

💡Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world, located in Dubai. In the script, it is mentioned as a place the mother has visited, emphasizing the grandeur and modernity of Dubai's architecture, which is a key theme in the video.

💡Burj Al Arab

The Burj Al Arab is a luxury hotel in Dubai, known for its distinctive sail-like shape. The script mentions that the mother has eaten at this hotel, which highlights the luxurious experiences she has had while traveling, adding to the video's exploration of Dubai's opulence.

💡Palm Tree Island

The Palm Tree Island, or Palm Jumeirah, is an artificial archipelago in Dubai, known for its unique palm tree shape. The script mentions that the mother plans to visit this location, indicating further exploration of Dubai's modern and innovative landscape.

💡Souvenirs

Souvenirs are items kept as a reminder of a trip or event. In the script, the mother jokes about bringing back sand as a souvenir, which adds a humorous element to the video and reflects the cultural experience of visiting a desert city like Dubai.

Highlights

Mom is not home, currently in Dubai writing about architecture.

Mom has been traveling a lot recently, hard to keep track of her location.

Homework assignment to interview an interesting person and translate to Chinese.

Mom has been writing her blog for years, visited many places, won awards.

Mom won a big award earlier this year.

Oliver has made some cake and is learning to be a Master Chef.

Oliver has been practicing his baking and traveling as well.

Dubai has a constant mist of desert sand but is an interesting place.

Dubai was a port long before the modern city emerged a couple of decades ago.

Visited the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building featured in a Tom Cruise film.

Dined at the Burj al Arab, the luxurious hotel shaped like a yacht.

Planning to visit the Palm Tree Island the next day.

Has not had time to buy souvenirs yet, but will bring back something, even if just sand.

Joking about not buying a Ferrari as a souvenir.

The conversation includes a light-hearted musical interlude.

Suggestion to interview Oliver if mom doesn't call soon.

Oliver's potential as a future Master Chef and his passion for cooking.