Step 2 - Reading

A beach
John Russell has written a little story about his favourite place to go on holiday.
Before you read the story, discuss the following questions with a partner.

  1. Do you go on holiday to the same place every year?
  2. What kind of holiday do you prefer? Silent, noisy, beach, river, forest etc.
  3. Have you got different preferences for your holidays now than when you were younger?

Now read the story.

A Beach
Imagine a beach; a quiet place, with only the noise of the sea and the gulls in the background. There are boats floating near the shore and a few people swimming in the water next to them. It’s a hot day, and there are some people lying on the sand enjoying the sunshine and slowly going brown. There are no shops, no people making noises, no loud music, everything is peaceful. There is just the sea, the sun, and the beach; a little paradise.

Where is it?
The beach is on the south coast of Scotland, near a little town called Gatehouse of Fleet in the county of Dumfries and Galloway. Twenty-two years ago my family and I found this place for the first time and we have never really left it. Every year in the summer while other people go on holiday to foreign countries and exotic places, we go to our private paradise and relax. There is a little campsite with tents and caravans next to the beach, and this becomes our home for one month every year.

Growing up
For a child a beach is a wonderful place. Here I found lots of space to run and play on the sand or to swim in the water. Because there was a campsite, there were always lots of other families with children to play with. Another favourite activity of mine was climbing on the rocks and cliffs around the beach. Rock pools were very educational places where I used to study the little fish and sea animals. Silence was also important; at school I was always surrounded by people and noise but the beach gave me the chance to be on my own and think, or read, away from anyone else.

By John Russell


Answer the three questions above and discuss your answers with a partner.
Read the story again and do the following exercise.

Look up words you find difficult or words you do not know in a dictionary and write them down in your notebook!

Discuss with a partner:
Would you like your holidays to be like John’s? Why (not)?