Tourism: the good and the not-so-good
Tourism is important for many countries. It gives jobs to local people, and visitors learn about new places and cultures. But tourism can also have problems. Planes and cars make pollution, too many visitors can hurt nature and old places, and litter spoils beautiful views. Eco-tourism tries to be kind to nature. Eco-tourists stay in small local places, learn about wildlife and take their litter home. Now look at questions in the past continuous: Was it raining? Were you swimming? We answer: Yes, it was. No, we weren’t. We make the negative with wasn’t and weren’t: You weren’t talking.
| Subject | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / he / she / it | was walking | wasn’t walking | Was it walking? |
| you / we / they | were swimming | weren’t swimming | Were they swimming? |
| Good | Not-so-good |
|---|---|
| It gives jobs to local people. | Planes and cars make pollution. |
| Visitors learn about new cultures. | Too many visitors can hurt nature. |
Were you swimming near the coral yesterday?
No, we weren’t. We were watching the fish from the boat.
Good. Coral is alive, and we must not touch it.
Was it windy on the boat?
No, it wasn’t. It was sunny and calm.
Many tourists visit the Red Sea each year. They stay in hotels, eat in restaurants and buy gifts from local shops, so many people have jobs. Some eco-tourists choose small camps and walk on the beach. They aren’t leaving litter. They are listening to guides who explain how to look after the coral.
Pros and cons cards. Write four good things and four problems of tourism on cards. The child sorts them into two piles and reads each one aloud. Then discuss: What can a visitor do to help nature?