1. Introduction to the Lesson; découvrir le Canada; cours d'anglais pour enfants et adultes à Montréal
1.1. Purpose of the Lesson
Cette leçon, découvrir le Canada; cours d'anglais pour enfants et adultes à Montréal, conçue par des experts de Languistic, une école de langues à Montréal, aide les apprenants intermédiaires et avancés à améliorer leur anglais. Elle se concentre sur l'anglais nord-américain authentique (en particulier canadien), couvrant la grammaire, le vocabulaire et les dialogues.
This lesson, expertly designed by Languistic, a language school in Montreal, helps intermediate and advanced learners improve their English. It focuses on authentic North American (especially Canadian) English, covering grammar, vocabulary, and dialogues.
1.2. Who Can Benefit
Ce cours est idéal pour les apprenants qui souhaitent améliorer leurs compétences en anglais dans des situations quotidiennes et professionnelles sur le lieu de travail. Le cours offre une expérience d'apprentissage enrichissante, adaptée à tous les niveaux.
This lesson is ideal for learners who wish to enhance their English skills in both everyday situations and the workplace. The course offers an enriching learning experience, tailored to all levels.
2. Lesson Overview
2.1. Video Summary; découvrir le Canada; cours d'anglais pour enfants et adultes à Montréal
In this lesson, découvrir le Canada; cours d'anglais pour enfants et adultes à Montréal, you will be watching a video about Alex documenting a cross-Canada bicycle trip, recounts his journey's beginning.
2.2. Key Activities
Read the following summary and watch the amazing video carefully. Also, listen to the podcast where two podcasters discuss Alex’s trip. Afterward, answer the vocabulary and comprehension questions provided.
Here is a summary of the lesson:
This video summarizes the initial stages of Alex’s cross-Canada bicycle journey. Alex departures from Vancouver. He details assembling his bike in Vancouver, receiving support from loved ones, and experiencing early mechanical difficulties. The narrative highlights a chance encounter with a helpful bike shop owner who shares his family's history of French Canadian immigration. This initial leg of the trip, marked by rain and minor setbacks, sets the stage for a larger exploration of Canada. The video excerpt focuses on the journey's start and the unexpected assistance encountered along the way. Top of Form The journey promises to be one of personal discovery, both physically across Canada's diverse landscape, and emotionally through the connections he makes and insights he gains during this adventure.
Bottom of Form
Watch the video carefully. Pause and rewatch sections as needed to fully understand the content and reinforce your learning.
3. Vocabulary and Comprehension
3.1. Vocabulary Lesson
Here are some useful phrases and words:
To put something together: To assemble or build something.
Example: "The bicycle is going to be hard to put together."
Migraine: A severe headache.
Example: "I stayed up late, and the following morning I had a horrible migraine."
No clue: To have no idea or understanding.
Example: "I had no clue what to expect."
To dip: To immerse something briefly into a liquid.
Example: "I dipped the bicycle’s tire into the Pacific to mark the beginning of my journey."
To cherish: To hold something dear or value it deeply.
Example: "I cherished my girlfriend’s message to me."
To slip: To slide or lose balance.
Example: "My handlebar bag began to slip off my bicycle."
Complex: Complicated or intricate.
Example: "The handlebar bag is a complex device."
Contraption: A mechanical device, often unusual or complicated.
Example: "The contraption had to be strapped to my bicycle."
To homestead: To settle and build a farm in a rural area.
Example: "They decided to homestead in the prairies, building a farm from scratch."
3.2. Vocabulary Fill-in-the-Blank Quiz
Fill in the Blank Quiz:
The bicycle is going to be hard to __________.
1. Answer: put together
I stayed up late, and the following morning I had a horrible __________.
2. Answer: migraine
I had __________ what to expect.
3. Answer: no clue
I __________ the bicycle’s tire into the Pacific to mark the beginning of my journey.
4. Answer: dipped
I __________ my girlfriend’s message to me.
5. Answer: cherished
My handlebar bag began to __________ off my bicycle.
6. Answer: slip
The handlebar bag is a __________ device.
7. Answer: complex
The __________ had to be strapped to my bicycle.
8. Answer: contraption
They decided to __________ in the prairies, building a farm from scratch.
9. Answer: homestead
Answers:
1. Answer: put together2. Answer: migraine3. Answer: no clue4. Answer: dipped5. Answer: cherished6. Answer: slip7. Answer: complex8. Answer: contraption9. Answer: homestead
4. Podcast Discussion
4.1. Understanding the Journey
Listen to the podcast carefully and answer the following questions.
4.1.2 Quiz Questions
Quiz: Answer each question in 2-3 complete sentences.
Why did the narrator decide to bicycle across Canada?
What was the narrator's level of experience with cycling before starting this trip?
What significant challenge did the narrator face immediately upon arriving in Vancouver?
What gesture did the narrator's girlfriend provide him to support him along the journey?
How did the weather impact the narrator's initial days of cycling?
What mechanical issue did the narrator encounter early in his journey?
Where did the narrator receive assistance with the mechanical issue, and who helped him?
What is the historical significance of the helper's family in the context of Canada?
What route did the helper's family take, and how does that inform his own story?
What was the helper's final statement to the narrator?
Quiz Answer Key
The narrator decided to bicycle across Canada to connect with his heritage, specifically to reach Halifax where his grandparents arrived over half a century ago, and as a personal journey of self-discovery.
The narrator had very little cycling experience, having only trained for a few weeks on his new touring bike before starting the trip, indicating he was a novice cyclist at the outset.
Upon arriving in Vancouver, the narrator struggled to assemble his bike, a process that took him 3-4 hours due to his lack of knowledge about bicycles, which caused him a migraine.
The narrator's girlfriend provided him with notes to be read along the journey, which acted as a source of support, encouragement, and personal connection as he moved across the country.
The weather in British Columbia was consistently rainy, which made the initial cycling days challenging but didn't diminish his enjoyment and sense of adventure.
Early in his journey, the narrator's handlebar bag started slipping, rendering his bike unrideable and requiring him to seek immediate mechanical assistance.
The narrator received assistance at Independent Cycles in Mission, BC, where Rocky generously helped him fix his handlebar bag for approximately an hour and a half.
Rocky's family immigrated to New France in the 1700s, which is significant to the historical and cultural narrative of early Canadian development.
Rocky’s family journeyed from New France, homesteaded in Saskatchewan, then moved to Alberta, and now reside in the Vancouver area, showcasing a common pattern of internal migration in Canada.
The helper's final statement was that he was excited to see and watch the narrator's journey, indicating encouragement and solidarity in the narrator's adventure.
4.1.3 Answer the following questions related to Alex’s motivations, challenges, support, and experiences during his trip.
1. What motivated the individual to embark on this cross-Canada cycling journey?
How much prior experience did the cyclist have before starting this significant journey?
What role did support from others play in the beginning of the trip?
What was the significance of the notes from the traveler's girlfriend?
What were some of the initial challenges the traveler faced during the first few days?
How did the traveler’s experiences reflect the diverse histories and experiences within Canada?
What was the tone or feeling conveyed in the initial part of this trip?
How was the overall spirit of community and human connection reflected at the beginning of the journey?
Answers:
1. What motivated the individual to embark on this cross-Canada cycling journey? The primary motivations were a personal desire to explore Canada and a connection to the traveler's family history. The journey was a pilgrimage of sorts, seeking to reach Halifax, where the traveler's grandparents had immigrated to Canada over half a century prior. There's also the theme of a desire for personal discovery along the way as the journey is described as beginning with a "quest for happiness".
How much prior experience did the cyclist have before starting this significant journey? The individual had very little cycling experience, having only completed a few weeks of training on a touring bike prior to starting the trip. Moreover, the individual appeared to be a novice when it came to bicycle maintenance, as evidenced by the struggle assembling the bike at the Vancouver airport.
What role did support from others play in the beginning of the trip? Support from others was crucial at the start. The traveler received help from family and a girlfriend when packing for the journey. They also benefitted from a place to stay in Vancouver before beginning the trip. Importantly, a bike mechanic named Rocky in Mission, BC, provided significant help by fixing the bike after a malfunction on day two.
What was the significance of the notes from the traveler's girlfriend? The notes from the traveler's girlfriend were intended to provide encouragement and support throughout the journey. The traveler described the first note as being cherished and indicated that they knew the notes would be helpful during the trip, suggesting a meaningful personal connection and a source of strength.
What were some of the initial challenges the traveler faced during the first few days? The traveler faced a combination of physical and mechanical challenges. These included a migraine on the first day due to pre-trip packing and lack of sleep, difficulties assembling the bike in Vancouver, and mechanical problems like a slipping handlebar bag on day two, which nearly halted the journey.
How did the traveler’s experiences reflect the diverse histories and experiences within Canada? The trip encounters an individual who reflects the French-Canadian immigrant experience and how generations in one family adapted to the changing demographics of the land and different regions of Canada. Rocky's family immigrated to Canada (New France) in the 1700s and then moved across the country, settling ultimately in the Vancouver area, showcasing the complexities of Canadian identity and the diversity of immigrant experiences within Canada.
What was the tone or feeling conveyed in the initial part of this trip? The tone is one of excited anticipation and willingness to tackle adversity. Despite not having a lot of experience and initial challenges like the rain in BC and mechanical issues, the traveler conveys a sense of joy and excitement for the journey ahead, as reflected in the description of "loving it" even in the rain.
How was the overall spirit of community and human connection reflected at the beginning of the journey? The traveler's interactions highlight a sense of community and generosity. From family support during preparation to unexpected help from Rocky, a local bike mechanic, the start of the trip illustrates the importance of shared stories and kindness that can be found when traveling through Canada. This indicates a willingness of others to help and contribute to the success of the journey.
5. Homework
5.1. Essay Questions
Choose one of the following topics and write a well-organized essay of 5-7 paragraphs. Support your arguments with specific examples from the provided video.
Explore the theme of personal heritage in the video, focusing on how the narrator's family history and his desire to reach Halifax influenced his journey and sense of self.
Analyze the role of unexpected challenges and acts of kindness in the narrator's journey. How did these moments contribute to his experience of Canada and its people?
Discuss the significance of place in the video, particularly in relation to the narrator's departure from the Pacific coast and his eventual goal of reaching the Atlantic.
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