Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. set sail
    • ex. The cruise ship set sail yesterday.
  2. a voyage
    • ex. The huge ship left for a three-month voyage.
  3. island hopping
    • ex. In Cebu, island hopping is famous among tourists.
  4. innovate
    • ex. The company must innovate to grow and achieve success in the world market.
  5. a reality show
    • ex. The new reality show is about teenagers who are training to become idols.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Icon of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship with 20 decks. The company Royal Caribbean owns this ship. On January 27, it set sail on its first voyage from Miami, Florida. The trip includes island hopping across the Caribbean for seven days. According to President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean spent 50 years innovating the ship. The company did this to deliver its mission: provide the world’s best vacation experiences for families.

Royal Caribbean’s cruises gained popularity after it launched the “Ultimate World Cruise,” which sails around the world for nine months. Many people become curious about it as cruise ship passengers are sharing their experiences through live social media posts. And these social media posts are almost like a reality show for several viewers online.

The ship has six waterslides, seven swimming pools, and more than 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges for passengers to enjoy. It can accommodate 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members. When the Icon of the Seas was first shown in October 2022, Royal Caribbean received its largest booking day in the company’s history.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Cruise

  • Would you like to go on a cruise for nine months on the Icon of the Seas? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Royal Caribbean’s mission is to provide the world’s best vacation experiences for families. What more do you think the company should do to deliver its mission? Discuss.
  • Royal Caribbean spent 50 years innovating the Icon of the Seas. Why do you think it took such a long time? Discuss.

Reality Shows

  • Do you like watching reality shows? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What is a popular reality show in your country? Discuss.
  • Passengers of the “Ultimate World Cruise” are sharing their experiences through live social media posts, which are almost like a reality show online. Would you be interested in watching a reality show about cruise experiences? Why or why not? Discuss.