experience something that happens to you that affects how you feel

establish (v) to start a company or organization

spectacular extremely good, exciting, or surprising

(adj)

influence the power to affect how someone thinks or behaves, or how

something develops

native (adj) relating to the people who lived in a country first

attraction something that makes people come to a place or want to do a

particular thing

monument an old building or place that is important in history

destination the place where someone or something is going

campsite an area where people can stay in tents for a vacation

landscape what you see when you look across a large area of land
Getting Acquainted with the Original Americans Welcome to Learn English Now’s beautiful
home state of Arizona. Arizona became a state in 1912, but people have lived here for
thousands of years. In fact, Oraibi, a Hopi Indian village first built around 1150, is the oldest
town in the United States. Today, Arizona has one of the largest Native American populations in
the United States. Native Americans have had a great influence on Arizona’s art, architecture,
music, dance, food, and cultural traditions. Visitors come from all around the world to get
acquainted with Native cultures such as the Hopi, Tohono O’odham, Apache, and Pima people
of Arizona. Indeed, Arizona is home to the largest Native American reservation in the United
States: the Navajo Nation. Many visitors to the Navajo nation are especially interested in finding
out about how the Navajo people lived in the past. For example, the Navajo people once made
their houses, called hogans, from wooden poles, tree bark, and mud. The door of each hogan
opened to face the morning sun in the east. It is also interesting that the Navajo people ate a lot
of wild plants. Groups of women collected the wild plants from the mountains each year. While
the women were collecting these plants, the men were working in the garden. Navajo Nation At
71,000 square kilometers, the Navajo Nation is the largest and most famous Native American
reservation in the USA. It is about the same size as the state of West Virginia, and larger than 9
other states. It was established in 1868, and has its own government, laws, and national
language. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado. It has
some of the most spectacular natural wonders in the Americas, including the Canyon de Chelly
National Monument, Monument Valley, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, the Shiprock
monadnock, and the eastern portion of the Grand Canyon. The Navajo, or Diné, people are also
famous around the world for their arts and crafts, especially their beautiful blankets and rugs. In
the picture below, two Navajo women are wearing traditional jewelry and sitting on a Navajo
blanket. The older woman knows how to make traditional Navajo blankets and is teaching the
girl. Visitors to the Navajo Nation will have a great experience and learn a lot about American
culture.

Allison: I visited Walnut Canyon National Monument two years ago. I went there with two of my
friends. When I went, it was in October, so it was getting cold. My friends and I decided to take a
tour. We hired a tour guide, and he began the tour by telling us about the canyon. He gave us
some interesting facts about how big it is. The views were spectacular. Then, we hiked down to
bottom of the canyon. We explored the cliff dwellings and the guide told about their history. It
was very windy when we were at the cliff dwellings. In all, we were at the canyon for about five
or six hours and it was a fantastic experience.

Vincent: Hey there! You’ve been busy! Alissa: Yeah, you’ve done a lot of work, but we hope you
also enjoyed your tour of northern Arizona. Vincent: The Grand Canyon, Monument Valley,
Navajo Nation… there’s so much to see and learn about in Arizona. Alissa: And along the way,
you’ve learned some new vocabulary words and practiced writing and talking about present and
past events. Vincent: Great job. But that’s not all! Alissa: Now it’s time to take all the work you’ve
done so far and use it to make your Travelpost. Vincent: A Travelpost is a way for you to use
English to share more about your country and learn from other people in the course. Alissa: For
this week’s Travelpost, you will talk and write about a monument that is famous in your own
country, just like we talked about famous places in our home state of Arizona. Vincent: The good
news is that you’ve actually been working on this during our travels throughout Arizona. So now
we’ll show you how to make it even better for this week’s final activity. Alissa: Check out the
instructions below for information on how to complete your Travelpost. We look forward to
seeing what you create and learning more about the beautiful monuments around the world.
Vincent: And don’t forget to take the final quiz at the very end! It’s a great way to see how much
you’ve learned. Alissa & Vincent: See you soon!

gallery a room or building that is used for showing paintings

and other art to the public

culture the beliefs, customs, and art of a particular society

colorful (adj) full of color; interesting and unusual

exhibition an occasion when objects such as paintings are shown

to the public

modern (adj) using the newest ideas, design, technology, etc. and
not traditional
 architecture/architect the design and style of buildings/ person who designs
buildings

musician someone who plays a musical instrument, often as a

job

border the line that separates two countries or states

creative (adj) having the ability to create new things or think of new
ideas

event a planned occasion or activity

shape the physical form of something made by the line around

its outer edge
Created by Global Launch and Arizona State University. Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of
Regents. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication and Distribution Is Prohibited. Vincent:
Jessica and Allison saw so many interesting things while they were traveling around Miami.
Let’s watch their conversation one more time and study their language. Listen to the verb tenses
they use. When do they use the past simple, and when do they use the present perfect? Answer
the questions in the video.
____________________________________________________________________________
Jessica: Isn’t Miami great, Allison? [flipping through pictures on phone] We’ve seen so many
beautiful works of art here in Florida this week. Yesterday we visited the Miami Art Museum and
Miami Beach, and this morning we went to the Art Basel exhibition. We’ve been walking and
taking pictures all week. Allison: I’ve learned about Art Deco, Latin American art, modern art and
so much more. It’s been amazing. Jessica: What’s your favorite place you’ve seen this week,
Allison? Allison: The Art Deco district in Miami Beach was the coolest. I’ve never seen so many
beautiful hotels and museums. Do you know what Art Deco is? Jessica: I’m not really sure.
Allison: I wasn’t really sure either, but I’ve learned a lot about it! In Art Deco, the artist or
architect streamlines or gives the art a smooth shape. One famous example is the Chrysler
Building in New York. Let me show you on my phone. But there are many buildings in Miami of
the Art Deco style. I’ve taken pictures of some of the buildings here in Miami. Here, and here,
and here. Jessica: Awesome, I loved the Art Deco District too. What was your favorite building
there? Allison: My favorite Art Deco building was the Wolfsonian Museum of Propaganda Art.
The building was an old storage facility built in 1926, but Michael Wolfson bought the building
and opened the museum in 1995. The Wolfsonian Museum has collected and displayed more
than 180,000 works of art since it opened. Jessica: Cool! My favorite place was the Art Basel
exhibition in Miami Beach. It’s the biggest art show I’ve ever been to. Today’s artists have so
many creative ideas! They’ve really changed the way I look at art. Allison: Yeah, the exhibition
was amazing. And almost all the art is less than three years old! Art’s been changing a lot.
Jessica: It definitely has been changing, and so has Florida. I’ve been to Florida before, but only
to Walt Disney World in Orlando when I was a kid. Miami had a lot of crime and was quite
dangerous then, but it’s completely different now. Allison: Yeah, that’s true. Tourists used to
come to Florida just for the beach and the theme parks, but now they also come for the art and
culture. Created by Global Launch and Arizona State University. Copyright © 2020 Arizona
Board of Regents. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication and Distribution Is Prohibited.
Jessica: I really enjoyed all the public art in Miami too. The city has done a great job using art to
improve the quality of life for its people. Allison: Yeah, that’s true. Miami started the Art in Public
Places program in 1973. The artists in the program have been decorating the city’s parks,
streets, and beaches with beautiful art for more than 40 years. They’ve built more than 700
public works of art since the program started. It’s really made the city a better place to live.
Jessica: My favorite example was The Miami Line, the colorful lights on the monorail line they’ve
built around the city. How cool! Allison: Yeah, I liked that too. Miami is a city with a colorful past,
present, and future.
____________________________________________________________________________
Vincent: Welcome back, Jessica. It looks like you and Allison had a great time in Miami. Jessica:
Yeah, we really did. It’s a fantastic city. Vincent: We’ve just watched your conversation with
Allison in the cafe again. Let’s look at some of the verb tenses you used to talk about the visit.
Jessica: Alright, let’s do it. Vincent: Here, you said, “We’ve seen so many beautiful works of art
in Florida this week,” and used the present perfect have seen. Then you said “Yesterday we
went to the Miami Art Museum,” and used simple past went.” Why did you use present perfect in
the first sentence, and past simple in the second? Jessica: That’s a great question, Vincent. In
the first sentence, I was talking about what we have seen this week. This week is not finished -
it’s the present - so we use present perfect. In the second sentence, I was talking about where
we went yesterday. Yesterday is finished, it’s the past, so we use past simple. Vincent: That
makes a lot of sense. What about this next sentence? You were talking about the Art Basel
Exhibition, and you said “It’s the biggest art show I’ve ever been to.” Why did you use the
present perfect have been to? Jessica: Well, here I used the present perfect to talk about an
experience in my whole life. We use the present perfect to talk about experiences in our lives
when the time and details are not specific. For example, “I have been to Miami.” It means I have
been to Miami sometime in my life. I don’t say when I went there, or who I went there with, or
any other details. We also use present perfect when we say that something is a special
experience. For example, Art Basel is the biggest art exhibition I have ever been to in my whole
life. Vincent: It sounds like a really cool experience. Jessica: Yes, it was great. And notice, if I
give more details, for example “I went to Art Basel with my cousin Allison,” or “I went to Art
Basel on Tuesday,” I would use past simple. Created by Global Launch and Arizona State
University. Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized
Duplication and Distribution Is Prohibited. Vincent: Excellent. Finally, when you and Allison were
talking about Miami’s Art in Public Places Program, she said “They’ve built more than 700 public
works of art since the program started.” Why did she use present perfect “have built” and then
the past simple “started”? Jessica: Because my cousin Allison’s very smart and uses great
grammar. She said that the Art in Public Places Program started in 1973. It’s a finished action at
a specific time in the past, so we use past simple. Also, the City of Miami has built more than
700 artworks since 1973. Since means “from that time until now.” It’s an action that started in
1973, but continues now, in the present, so we use present perfect. It isn’t finished. Vincent: So
since means “from that time until now,” but Allison also said that the artists have been
decorating the city “for more than 40 years.” What’s the difference between saying “since 1973”
and “for more than 40 years”? Jessica: Actually, the meaning is exactly the same. We use for
and since with the present perfect to say how long we have done something. We use for to say
the amount of time, like “for more than 40 years” or “for a week.” We use since to say when
something started, like “since 1973,” or “since Tuesday.” Vincent: Ah, so you could say “I have
been in Miami for a week,” or “I have been in Miami since Tuesday.” Jessica: That’s right, the
meaning is the same. Vincent: Outstanding. And with that, we have finished our Language
Vista. Thanks for your great explanations, Jessica. Jessica: No problem at all, Vincent, I love
talking about grammar.

From Musician to Student I met Suzie Lopez while I was at a coffee shop. She was playing her
guitar and singing. After she finished, we began talking. I was very interested to learn about her
life as a musician and student. Suzie has been working as a musician in Miami for many years.
She plays guitar and piano and sings, too. Her love for music began at a very early age. She
began playing music when she was 5 years old. Her father is a musician, too, and he has been
working as a musician for over 50 years, performing in places around the city. When Suzie was
young, he brought her to his shows. Sometimes she would sing in these shows, and her love for
music was born. Suzie has been playing music in Miami since 2000 and sings and plays her
instruments at weddings, special events and coffee shops. It has been difficult for her to make a
lot of money, but she loves music and wants to continue to be a part of the music scene in the
city. A few years ago, she decided to return to university to study music and education. She
enrolled in the University of Miami and became a student at the age of 40. She has enjoyed
being a student again and thinks it is interesting to be in classes with younger students. She has
learned how to play another instrument: the violin, and she often plays the violin in a group with
other students. She wants to become a music teacher, and her goal is to work with young
people around the city after she finishes studying. Music has been an important Created by
Global Launch and Arizona State University. Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents. All
Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication and Distribution Is Prohibited. part of her life, and
she wants to share the happiness she receives from hearing and playing it.
exercise (v) to do physical activities to make your body strong
and healthy

produce (v) to make or grow something

diet the type of food that someone usually eats

take care of someone or to look after someone or something

something (v)

complain (v) to say that something is wrong or that you are

annoyed about something

organic (adj) not using artificial chemicals when keeping animals

or growing plants for food
 groceries goods bought to be used in the home such as food
and cleaning products

ingredient one of the different foods that a particular type of

food is made from

taste the flavor of a particular food in your mouth

local (adj) relating to an area near you

prevent (v) to stop something happening or to stop someone

doing something
The City of Bikes and Gardens
Beautiful Portland, Oregon, whose flower gardens give it the name “the City of Roses,” is also
famous for being one of the healthiest communities in the USA. This city of half a million people
in the USA’s Pacific Northwest has beautiful parks, farmers markets, and gardens. Local people,
who call themselves Portlanders, take care of their health by walking, cycling, or riding the city’s
public transit to work instead of driving. The city has created cycling trails, sports facilities, and
green spaces. This excellent system that the city has built keeps Portlanders active. Sportswear
producer Nike, whose world headquarters is in nearby Beaverton, also sponsors many local
sport and fitness education programs. Portlanders famously enjoy eating a healthy diet with
organic ingredients from the city’s many local farms. Portland, which started its Community
Gardens Project in 1975, was one of the first cities to support urban agriculture to build a
healthier community. As of 2014, Portland’s urban farmers had more than 22 acres (9 hectares)
of community gardens where they grow all types of food. The food that local urban farmers
produce is sold on food trucks and carts on almost every street corner in the city. Visitors who
want to experience the tastes of Oregon can also enjoy the city’s many excellent farm-to-table
restaurants, which serve some of the USA’s best and most creative dishes. Created by Global
Launch and Arizona State University. Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents. All Rights
Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication and Distribution Is Prohibited. It is no surprise that the
healthy lifestyle that Portlanders enjoy has made the City of Roses one of the USA’s fastest
growing and most popular cities.

Created by Global Launch and Arizona State University. Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of
Regents. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication and Distribution Is Prohibited. Vincent:
Hi, learners! I’m sure you’ve been busy! Alissa: You’ve done a lot this week, and we hope you
enjoyed your tour of Portland, Oregon, a city that really helps people stay healthy Vincent: Yep,
organic food, urban parks, farmer’s markets, urban farms… Portland’s a great place to be
healthy! Alissa: And along the way, you’ve learned some new vocabulary words and practiced
writing and talking about your city and different places there that help you stay healthy. Vincent:
Great job. But that’s not all! Alissa: Now it’s time to take all the work you’ve done so far and use
it to make your Travelpost. Vincent: Remember, a Travelpost is a way for you to use English to
share more about your country and learn from other people in the course. Alissa: For this
week’s Travelpost, you will talk and write more about your city and health. Vincent: The good
news is that you’ve actually been working on this during our travels throughout Portland. So now
we’ll show you how to make it even better for this week’s final activity. Alissa: Check out the
instructions below for information on how to complete your Travelpost. We look forward to
seeing what you create. Vincent: And don’t forget to take the final quiz at the very end! It’s a
great way to see how much you’ve learned. Alissa: See you soon!

can/can’t) afford (v) to have enough money to buy something or enough time to do
something

cash money in the form of coins or notes

imagine (v) to create an idea or picture of something in your mind

accommodation a place where you live or stay

arrangement plans for how something will happen

attraction something that makes people come to a place or want to do a

particular thing

experience (v) to do or see something or to have something happen to you

invest to give money to a bank, business, etc., or buy something,

because you hope to get a profit

perform (v) to entertain people by acting, singing, dancing, etc.

performance an activity that a person or group does to entertain an

audience

entertainment shows, films, television, or other performances or activities that

entertain people

relax (v) to become happy and comfortable because nothing is worrying

you, or to make someone do this

extraordinary (adj.) very special, unusual, or strange

The City That Never Closes
Imagine a place where can you see the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Canal of Venice, the Great
Pyramid of Giza, and the skyscrapers of New York, all on one street. On this same street, the
biggest stars in the world perform on the most beautiful stages, and the best restaurants serve
the most delicious food 24 hours a day. If you visit Las Vegas, Nevada, you will see all these
sights and much more. Las Vegas calls itself the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” More
than 40 million visitors come to the desert city from all over the world to experience its famous
casinos, restaurants, shows, theme parks, and many other attractions. If you find
accommodation at one of the spectacular hotels on the Las Vegas “Strip,” you will have endless
entertainment options outside your door. In fact, six of the ten largest hotels in the world are on
the Strip, such as the Venetian, MGM Grand, and the Bellagio, whose famous fountain performs
water shows every half hour. If you leave the Strip for Downtown Las Vegas, you will see more
amazing buildings such as the famous Stratosphere Hotel. If you can afford it, stars such as
Britney Spears and the Cirque d’Soleil perform every night in the hotels’ many theaters, and
some of the world’s greatest chefs serve world-class food in the city’s many restaurants.

magnificent (adj) very good or very beautiful

amazing (adj) very surprising

majestic (adj) very beautiful or powerful in a way that people admire

resort a place where many people go for a holiday

take a break/rest to stop working for a period

(v)

ski (v) to move over snow wearing skis

look forward to to feel happy and excited about something that is going to happen
(v)

avoid (v) to stay away from a person, place, situation, activity, etc.

attract (v) to make people come to a place or do a particular thing by being

interesting, enjoyable, etc.

mind (v) to be annoyed or worried by something

hang out (v) to spend a lot of time in a particular place or with a particular
group of people

recommend (v) to say that someone or something is good or suitable for a

particular purpose

recreation activities that you do for enjoyment when you are not working
Colorado, a Place to Enjoy
Colorado is famous for its majestic mountains and its many different recreational activities. In
the winter, Coloradans go skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing in the mountains. In fact,
Colorado is probably one of the most popular destinations for people who ski. Ski resorts, like
Aspen, Vail, and Winter Park, attract people from all over the world who look forward to skiing
down the beautiful mountain slopes. People from Colorado start dreaming about going skiing
when the first snow starts to fall in the month of November. Starting in this month, each
weekend most Coloradans pack their cars with all the things they will need for skiing, get their
children ready and drive up to the resorts. They are happy to leave the city and ready to start
skiing in the mountains. Colorado has over 300 days of sunshine, so people enjoy good
temperatures while skiing. But at night, it gets cold. After a full day of skiing, most people take a
break by drinking hot chocolate and sitting in front of a fire at the hotel. During the summer,
Colorado’s mountains are also a popular place for recreation. Hiking, running, mountain biking,
and camping are the most popular activities in the mountains. People go there to walk, run, or
ride their bikes along trails that go for many kilometers. Along the way, they might see many
small animals and birds. If they are lucky, they could see a deer! After a day of walking, running,
or riding, many people will camp at night and will be pleased to see the magnificent stars that
cover the night sky. Created by Global Launch and Arizona State University. Copyright © 2020
Arizona Board of Regents. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication and Distribution Is
Prohibited. Colorado is one of the best places in the United States for different recreational
activities in both the winter and the summer. That is why Allison and Jessica recommend visiting
this amazing state!

Vincent: Hi, learners! I’m sure you’ve been busy! Alissa: You’ve done a lot this week, and we
hope you enjoyed your travels through Colorado. Vincent: Along the way, you’ve learned some
new vocabulary words and practiced writing and talking about recreational activities that you
and people in your country enjoy. Alissa: Great job. But that’s not all! Vincent: Now it’s time to
take all the work you’ve done so far and use it to make your Travelpost. Alissa: Remember, a
Travelpost is a way for you to use English to share more about your country and learn from
other people in the course. Vincent: For this week’s Travelpost, you will talk and write more
about recreational activities, just like Sachen did. Alissa: The good news is that you’ve actually
been working on this during our travels throughout Colorado. So now we’ll show you how to
make it even better for this week’s final activity. Vincent: Check out the instructions below for
information on how to complete your Travelpost. We look forward to seeing what you create.
Alissa: And don’t forget to take the final quiz at the very end! It’s a great way to see how much
you’ve learned.

industry all the companies involved in a particular type of business

fortune a lot of money

realize (v) to notice or understand something that you did not notice or
understand before

though (conj) used to introduce a fact or opinion that makes the other part
of the sentence seem surprising
 celebrity a famous person

decorate (v) to make something look more attractive by putting things on it

or around it

autograph a famous person's name written by the famous person

discover (v) to find something

invent (v) to design or create something that has never existed before

invention something that has been designed or created for the first
time

be located in/near/on to be in a particular place

(v)
Golden State, Golden Dreams
Ever since gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, California has been the land of golden
dreams. In the great California Gold Rush of 1849, thousands of “forty-niners” moved to
California with dreams of getting rich by finding gold in California’s mountains. Not everyone
found gold, but many great fortunes have been made. For example, Levi Strauss invented
denim jeans, the cotton trousers worn by the forty-niners, in San Francisco in 1853. Levi’s Jeans
are now sold in 110 countries all over the world. Later, in the early 20th century, the US film
industry was started in Hollywood, a neighborhood in Los Angeles. With the success of the
Hollywood film industry, California became the most popular destination for all actors, singers,
and other entertainers who dream of having their name in lights and a star on the Walk of Fame.
The US film industry is now called “Hollywood,” though most movies are not made in Hollywood
itself. Finally, later in the 20th century, microprocessors, personal computers, the Internet, and
many other important technologies were developed in California’s Santa Clara Valley. For
example, high school friends Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built the first personal computer
there in 1976 and named their company Apple Computer. The area is now known as “Silicon
Valley” for the material that is used to make computer chips. Nowadays, technology developers
who dream of becoming the next Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs come to California searching
for the next big idea. Like Hollywood and the film industry, the US technology Created by Global
Launch and Arizona State University. Copyright © 2020 Arizona Board of Regents. All Rights
Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication and Distribution Is Prohibited. industry is now called
“Silicon Valley,” though not all technology companies are located there. Whether they have
dreams of finding gold, making movies, or inventing technology, dreamers from around the
world have always been attracted to the Golden State.