the form of some of the words. Travel: the other side of the coin Most of us have, at some point in our lives, experienced the joys of travel. We go to the
1__________________________ to pick up our brochures. We book a two-week
2__________________________ with flights and accommodation included (or if we are
3__________________________ , we make our own way to the country and travel around from place to
place with a rucksack on our back). We make sure we have all the right currency, our passport and any
4__________________________ that are necessary to get us into the country. We go to the airport and
5__________________________ . We strap ourselves into our tiny 6__________________________ aircraft seats
and a few hours later we 7__________________________ from the aircraft, strange new sights, smells and
sounds greeting us. Nowadays, it seems, the whole world goes on holiday at once: the age of
8__________________________ is in full swing!
But for the great majority of people around the world, travel for them is done in the face of great
adversity and hardship. They never get to indulge in an 9__________________________ holiday in a luxury
hotel with all meals and drinks included. They never get to explore the lush Amazon rain forest or the
frozen wastes of the Arctic on an 10__________________________ holiday. For them, travel is a matter of
life and death. I refer, of course, to all the 11__________________________ escaping from their own
countries, or the 12__________________________ , moved from one part of their country to another by an
uncaring government, or 13__________________________ forced to find a job and seek a living wherever
they can.
Can you imagine anything worse than the misery these people must face? Let’s not confuse
them with those 14__________________________ , who choose to live in another country and often have
nice houses and high salaries. These people are simply desperate to survive. As well as losing their homes
because of war or famine or other natural disasters, they must come to terms with their new environment:
for many, the 15__________________________ can be too great. And while many countries with an open
policy on 16__________________________ will welcome them in with open arms, others will simply turn
them away. These people become 17__________________________ , unwanted and unwelcome. Even if
they manage to get into a country, they will often be 18__________________________ or repatriated. Their
future is uncertain.
Something to think about, perhaps, the next time you are 19__________________________ to your five-
star hotel by a palm-fringed beach or sitting in a coach on an 20__________________________ to a pretty
castle in the countryside.
For reference, see the
Easier English Dictionary for Students (978 0 7475 6624 3)