Hello, love.
I'm Maria.
And my name is Rory.
And we're the hosts of the IELTS Speaking for Success podcast, the podcast that aims to help you improve your speaking skills, as well as your listening skills along the way.
We've started this podcast, you know why?
Just to bring joy and a smile onto your face, together with some good vocabulary and grammar for your IELTS and also for your English life.
If you want more from us more I mean IELTS Speaking Part 2 and IELTS Speaking Part 3 we have our premium podcast where we talk about IELTS Speaking Part 2 and 3 parts.
This week, we're going to be talking about a person who you think wears unusual clothes.
I know, this is for speaking part two.
And for speaking part three, we're going to talk about clothes in general.
The link is in the description.
Do check it out.
So, Rory, how is life in Scotland?
How's the weather like?
What do you do?
What do you have for breakfast?
Oh my god, too many questions.
My life isn't your private amusement park, you know.
Oh, private amusement park.
Shall we talk about amusement parks, Rory?
I suppose we should.
It's my private life.
What a coincidence.
Again, on this podcast, yeah, we're going to be talking about amusement parks.
RR, do you like amusement parks?
Not really.
I remember going to Disneyland as a preteen and absolutely loathing it, partially because I was a bit of a bookworm.
But more so, I found it really artificial and claustrophobic with all the crowds and everything.
So it's not really my thing at all.
How often do you go to amusement parks?
Well, these days, almost never.
In fact, I don't think I've been anywhere near one since the time I described to you there.
I'd need to think about it in more depth, probably.
When was the last time you went there, and what did you do?
Well, now that I think about it, after that experience in Disneyland, I wasn't overly keen to have another outing to an amusement park.
But I think there was one since then.
I think the last time I was even close to somewhere remotely like it was when I went to this place in Spain with a bunch of roller coasters and the usual amusement park fare.
I wasn't very taken with it then either to be honest.
What do you usually do at an amusement park?
Moan about it and want to leave.
If you mean what people do generally though, they go on the rides and live vicariously through others.
If you're an adult watching your kids or they try and dodge the crowds.
It's a shame I find it such a downer actually, because there's more to fairgrounds than just roller coasters and crowds.
The VR simulators look good, as do the lighter rides.
It's maybe just the overstimulation that does me in, to be honest.
Are there many amusement parks where you live?
I think there are a few travelling fairs and circuses, but nothing sort of on the scale of Disneyland.
I think the closest thing might be the Big Wheel in the middle of Edinburgh.
And I think that would be maybe stretching the definition of amusement park from where I stand.
Do you think you'll go to an amusement park soon?
Uh, that is highly unlikely.
Like I said, I'm not a great fan of them.
Thank you, Rory, for your jolly answers.
Sorry, I'm a bit of a downer with this subject.
Now we know that Rory doesn't like raisins, he doesn't like bananas and also he doesn't like amusement parks.
Yeah, but first of all, dear listener, let's talk about what is an amusement park.
Can I call it a theme park?
Rory, could you tell us what's going on?
Well, I think an amusement park is just about the rides whereas, Or the things that are there, which is On a theme park.
There's actually like Well, there's a theme.
So, for example...
I'm trying to think of a distinction.
If you go to a place... So Disneyland.
Disneyland is both to be honest, because the theme is Disney, but there are lots of amusements there that people go on.
People probably would say it's a theme park more than an amusement park.
Maybe a better example is there's a place in Spain called Puerto Ventura which is it's got a lot of rides.
There's not really an overarching theme to anything.
It's just different rides like roller coasters and stuff.
Yeah.
Whereas Disneyland is a theme park because the theme, the main topic, everything is based around Disney.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So a theme park, T-H-E-M-E, like a topic park, but we don't say a topic park.
We say a theme park.
It's all about one topic, right?
And an amusement park is all about rides and roller coasters, right?
So, all these, you know, crazy roller coasters.
What's the verb that I use with roller coasters?
I go on a roller coaster.
I do the roller coaster.
Okay.
I go on a roller coaster.
Yeah.
Or ride a roller coaster.
Or you just say people go on the rides.
Yeah, ride.
Yeah, yeah.
Ride a roller coaster.
Or you go on the rides.
Right.
So you just say people go on the rides or I enjoy going on different rides.
What do you call this crazy roller coaster with this a dead loop?
Do you call it a dead loop when you are hanging upside down over there?
I have absolutely no idea what that is.
In Russia, we would say like a dead loop, I think.
Loop is like womb.
Okay.
It's womb, you know.
But do you know what I'm talking about?
This is like the circle.
That you go on this little train and then the train goes like, whoa.
I think that's just a roller coaster.
Roller coaster, okay.
Sorry, I'm not really a big fan of amusement parks, so I can only describe different ways of describing how much I don't like them, rather than what's actually in them.
Yeah.
Oh, Rory, what do you usually do at an amusement park?
I moan and I cry and I complain and I want to go home.
Yeah, so like moan and want to go home.
It's like just none of her saying like, I complain.
That's what I do.
That's my fun at the amusement park.
We can talk about different fun fairs, carnivals or just fairs, right?
At an amusement park or in an amusement park or both.
Both, really.
If you say that you're at the amusement park, that's just a way of describing the general area.
And then in the amusement park is actually being inside it.
But the distinction is a very fine one.
I think people just say them interchangeably.
Yeah, you can also talk about different fairs, gardens, picnic areas that you can go to.
And you mentioned VR simulators that we can enjoy at a park.
And at the beginning of our talk, you said that you loathed it.
Loathed.
Hmm.
Yes, I didn't like it much, did I?
So, I remember going to Disneyland and I loathed it.
So, loathe is a strong word which means hate.
I really hated it.
So, if you really hate it, you can say I loathe it.
Where else can I use it?
Well, to talk about things you don't like, like I absolutely loathe bananas or raisins, for example.
You can also say that amusement parks are artificial and claustrophobic.
Okay, so if we talk about artificial, it's just like, it's fake.
Or it feels fake.
Everything feels very manufactured there.
Which is to say that it doesn't feel real.
And if we talk about claustrophobic, it's just because there's lots of people there and you feel like quite closed off.
I imagine it's different these days, but I'm not going to waste my time going because I know that I don't like it and I have other things to do.
And then you said, like amusement parks are not my thing at all.
Yeah.
So it's not really my thing.
Can I say it's not my cup of tea?
I think many people use this expression like, oh, it's not my cup of tea.
Would it be natural or not really?
Um...
I was on the cusp of saying it's not my cup of tea.
It's quite cliche, isn't it?
But then you know it doesn't matter, it's the thing.
People can say it.
I think it's important to point out that you don't stress the individual parts because people say it's not my cup of tea.
And then look at you and be like, haha, I used the advanced phrase.
Look at me.
You're like, okay, yes, but you do understand it's not really stressed.
It's just like, it's not my cup of tea.
Sorry.
That's not my thing at all.
But if our listener does enjoy amusement parks Rory, what words can we say that It is my cup of tea?
I really love it.
I'm joking, I'm joking.
Oh, no, come on.
Oh, I adore amusement parks.
The amusement parks are fabulous.
I'm really into amusement parks.
Yeah, I'm into amusement parks.
I really enjoy it.
I can't get enough.
And then you say how much you adore being on all the crazy rides.
And you go there and you scream the hell out of yourself.
So your voice is hoarse, right?
Yes.
Horse voice?
You lose your voice.
You lose your voice, yeah.
Okay, then, you said that I wasn't overly keen to have another outing.
Outing meant visit, right?
Um, yes, basically.
It's like an outing is just to go out somewhere.
Like you have an outing to an amusement park or you have an outing to a park, the normal park.
How can we use it in a positive context?
Yeah, just say like, I'm planning an outing to an amusement park.
Done.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, we should talk about the crowds.
Because you can get a little bit claustrophobic because of the crowds.
And also you will try and dodge the crowds.
Yes.
No, if you dodge the crowds it's just another way of saying avoid.
But everybody here is like avoid the crowds, so dodge the crowds is the same thing.
Hmm, dodge the crowds.
Yep, yep.
Probably important to point out that we talk about a fair ground, but we can also say standard amusement park fair F-A-Y-R-E, which is just another way of saying things in the amusement park.
But you can use it to describe other things that are pretty much like standard.
Like standard fare at McDonald's is like a Big Mac probably.
McDonald's give us free stuff.
There are other rides to talk about as well, though, like VR simulators, virtual reality simulators.
If you've been on them, they're like the pods that move up and down and everything.
And they look ridiculous from the outside, but then you're inside and actually look quite cool.
You said something like do the lighter rides.
Yes, I was going to say that.
Lighter rides like roller coasters are very heavy rides because they're just huge and a very emotional experience.
But light rides can be something like carousels, things like that.
Oh, yeah.
So I can say like, I'm into lighter rides.
I've done some heavy rides before, but I don't really enjoy it.
It's not my thing.
I prefer doing the lighter rides.
Yeah.
Would it be okay?
Yeah.
Oh, nice.
Okay.
Interesting.
I think I quite enjoy amusement parks.
I don't usually go there, but if I go, I quite like it.
Yeah, I think it's more your thing.
It's not my thing at all.
Yeah, but the heavy rides, oh my gosh.
I had to force myself onto this heavy ride that we took, I think, a year ago in Sochi in this amusement park.
Close to the Olympic Village.
Oh, my God.
I was so scared, Rory.
You have no idea.
I was trembling all over before and even more after.
But I closed my eyes.
I didn't see anything.
But the ride was crazy.
It was like, I think, what, five seconds?
But it was crazy.
But I think it's like a good, like you have some adrenaline, not some, but a lot of adrenaline in this short period of time.
And it might help you to release certain emotions.
Yeah, but some people don't like that.
And by some people, I mean me.
Yeah.
So you've never done that?
You've never been on this heavy ride, if you know what I mean.
The rollercoaster ride.
Yeah, I don't think I have.
Going all...
Rory's life is a roller coaster.
I've done it, but I didn't enjoy it.
I can't say I enjoyed it.
I didn't enjoy it.
Really?
But, Rory, you did the jumping thing, the bungee jumping.
Yeah, I did that.
I suppose part of the reason for that is it's a more personal experience, because it's just you and roller coasters.
You're crammed in with everyone else, aren't you?
So it's not just like the ride itself, it's the atmosphere around it.
Oh, interesting.
Yeah, dear listeners, you can say, well, I don't enjoy crowds.
I don't like being crammed with everybody else into this small wagon of a train.
So I'm more of a bookworm.
I'm a bit of a bookworm.
Well, I was.
Rory was a bookworm.
But again, is it positive or negative to say that I'm a bit of a bookworm?
Well, I think it's positive.
Being a bookworm, like being into books and reading is good.
So, I don't really enjoy amusement parks.
I'm a bit of a bookworm.
I enjoy listening to IELTS Speaking for Success podcast, where Rory and Maria go off on a large tangent about their own experiences.
Well, we've had to talk about experiences.
There you go.
Oh, gosh.
Yeah.
So, Disneyland and also, which one did you talk about?
Porta Ventura?
Yeah, Porta Ventura.
It's a big amusement park in Spain.
It's very popular among holidaymakers.
Yeah, but also, dear listener, you can talk about your local amusement park, yeah?
Different activities.
What's the typical food that they usually have at this amusement park?
Oh, God.
Candy floss.
Popcorn, I think.
Candy floss.
Yeah, there we go.
Candy floss.
Hot dogs, candy floss, Coca-Cola everywhere.
Waterfalls of Coca-Cola and candy floss inside you.
Oh, yum, yum, yum.
Anyway, on such a bright note.
Thank you for coming into our amusement park of grammar and vocabulary.
Bye.
Roro, do you like amusement parks?
If I'm honest, not really.
I remember going to Disneyland as a preteen and absolutely loathing it, partially because I was a bit of a bookworm.
But more so, I found it really artificial and claustrophobic with all the crowds and everything.
So it's not really my thing at all.
How often do you go to amusement parks?
Well, these days, almost never.
In fact, I don't think I've been anywhere near one since the time I described to you there.
I'd need to think about it in more depth, probably.
When was the last time you went there, and what did you do?
Well, now that I think about it, after that experience in Disneyland, I wasn't overly keen to have another outing to an amusement park.
But I think there was one since then.
I think the last time I was even close to somewhere remotely like it was when I went to this place in Spain with a bunch of roller coasters and the usual amusement park fare.
I wasn't very taken with it then either to be honest.
What do you usually do at an amusement park? moan about it and want to leave.
If you mean what people do generally though, they go on the rides and live vicariously through others.
If you're an adult watching your kids, or they try and dodge the crowds.
It's a shame I find it such a downer actually, because there's more to fairgrounds than just roller coasters and crowds.
The VR simulators look good, as do the lighter rides.
It's maybe just the overstimulation that does me in, to be honest.
Are there many amusement parks where you live?
I think there are a few traveling fairs and circuses, but nothing sort of on the scale of Disneyland.
I think the closest thing might be the Big Wheel in the middle of Edinburgh.
And I think that would be maybe stretching the definition of amusement park from where I stand.
Do you think you'll go to an amusement park soon?
That is highly unlikely.
Like I said, I'm not a great fan of them.
