GHERIANY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

British School
Academic year2025-2026

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 GHERIANY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
British School
Academic year2025-2026

The Best Vacation Ever

Winter break was fast approaching, and all Scott wanted to do was go
snowboarding. Unfortunately, Scott’s parents had different plans. They
had booked a weeklong tropical cruise. Scott hated warm weather and
asked if he could just stay at his best friend’s house so he could
snowboard every day with his buddies at the local mountain. His parents
didn’t want to hear anything of it. He kept debating them about the
topic, but they would not change their minds. Family time was important
to them, and it was tradition that they spend winter break together.

The week of the cruise arrived, and Scott continued to mumble his
complaints as he and his family left their house to head south. Scott’s dad
told him that he would only make the vacation worse for himself if he
didn’t change his attitude and open his mind to a new experience. Scott
still couldn’t stop thinking about all of the snow he was leaving behind.

When they arrived at the port to board the ship, Scott had a hard time
admitting that he was actually impressed with the size of the ship. He had seen
the brochures but seeing the ship in person was a whole different animal.
Then he remembered that the brochure said something about a surfing pool.
Maybe surfing would be somewhat like snowboarding. After all, it involved
riding a board.

Scott climbed aboard the ship with his parents, and then they walked
around to check everything out. He couldn’t believe how extravagant the
accommodations were. The dining room looked like a royal hall; the
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 GHERIANY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
British School
Academic year2025-2026

game room had all of his favorite games and then some; the ship’s deck
had several different swimming pools for different purposes. Then Scott
saw the surfing pool. It was incredible. It wasn’t a big pool, but it had big
waves, and the girl who was demonstrating how to ride the waves made
it look like a ton of fun.

Scott asked his parents if he could go put his swim shorts on so that he
could try surfing. They said, “Of course.” They wanted to put their swim
suits on as well, and, much to Scott’s surprise, they wanted to try surfing
too.

When Scott and his parents had their swim suits on, they headed back to
the surfing pool. There was a line, but it wasn’t too long. Scott’s dad went
first and only lasted about five seconds before he wiped out. Then it was
his mom’s turn. She actually made it longer than his dad did. When it was
Scott’s turn, he was excited and nervous. He hopped on the board and
took a stance similar to his snowboarding stance. Then the waves started.
It felt similar to snowboarding but different at the same time. On his first
ride, Scott rode for almost 30 seconds before wiping out. He was hooked
though.

A lot of the passengers tried surfing the first day of the cruise, but only
eight people or so really took to it, so for the remainder of the cruise the
lines weren’t very long, and Scott got to know the regulars quite well.

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 GHERIANY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
British School
Academic year2025-2026

By the time the weeklong cruise was over, Scott had new friends he planned to
keep in touch with, a new hobby, and great memories. He apologized to his
parents for initial moaning and groaning, and told them it was his best
vacation ever.
Questions:
1. Based on the context, what type of climate is considered tropical?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
________________________
2. What do you think the word “tradition” means?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
________________________
3. The phrase “a whole different animal” is an informal way of saying
what?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
________________________
4. Why do you think Scott was surprised that his parents wanted to try
surfing?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
________________________
5. Based on the context, what do you think the word “extravagant”
means?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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 GHERIANY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
British School
Academic year2025-2026

6. Why would Scott have wanted to apologize to his parents?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
________________________
Parts of Speech
1. In the sentence “Scott hated warm weather,” what part of speech is
hated?
………………………………………………………………………….
2. Identify the adjective in this sentence: “They had booked a weeklong
tropical cruise.”
………………………………………………………………………….
3. What is the noun in this phrase: “the local mountain”?
………………………………………………………………………….
4. In “He quickly asked his parents,” what part of speech is quickly?
………………………………………………………………………….
5. Find the pronoun in this sentence: “They didn’t want to hear anything of
it.”
………………………………………………………………………….
Connectives (Conjunctions & Linking Words)
6. Which connective is used in this sentence: “Scott hated warm weather
and asked if he could stay home”? And what is its type?
………………………………………………………………………….
7. Choose the best connective to complete:
Scott wanted to snowboard, ______ his parents planned a cruise.
8. Find a connective in this sentence: “When they arrived at the port, Scott
was impressed.”
………………………………………………………………………….
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 GHERIANY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
British School
Academic year2025-2026

9. Why is the connective “because” used? What does it show?

………………………………………………………………………….
[Link] this sentence using a different connective:
Scott was nervous, but he tried surfing.
………………………………………………………………………….

Sentence Structure
[Link] this sentence simple, compound, or complex?
“Scott hated warm weather and wanted to stay home.”
………………………………………………………………………….
[Link] the subject in this sentence: “Scott climbed aboard the ship.”
………………………………………………………………………….
[Link] the verb in this sentence: “The ship had several swimming
pools.”
………………………………………………………………………….
[Link] this as a compound sentence:
Scott was excited. He was nervous.
………………………………………………………………………….
[Link] punctuation:
scott asked his parents if he could try surfing
………………………………………………………………………….
Figurative Language
[Link] type of figurative language is used in:
“a whole different animal”? (simile / metaphor / personification)
………………………………………………………………………….

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 GHERIANY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
British School
Academic year2025-2026

[Link] what “a whole different animal” means in the story.

………………………………………………………………………….
[Link] an example of descriptive (figurative) language in the text and
explain it.
………………………………………………………………………….
Imperatives
[Link] this sentence into an imperative (command):
Scott should change his attitude.
………………………………………………………………………….
Comparative & Superlative Adjectives
[Link] in the blanks with the correct form:
• Scott’s ride was ______ (good) than his dad’s.
• What type of adjective is in the sentence above?
………………………………………………………………………….
• This was the ______ (best) vacation ever.
• What type of adjective is in the sentence above?
………………………………………………………………………….