Language Note

• An  outdoor  activity simply refers to something someone does outdoors. While it could  be an adventurous or sporty activity like skiing, trekking, or rock climbing,  it can also be something as simple as going for a walk, having a picnic,  taking a leisurely bike ride, or watching the stars. The only requirement for  an outdoor  activity is that it's done outdoors!

• A  bucket list  is a list of things that a person wants to do during their life. A  bucket list often includes places that a person hopes to travel to or  see. The phrase kick the bucket is slang meaning "to die," which is  why this list of things you want to do before you die is called a  bucket list. A 2007 movie called The  Bucket List, about two older men who go on a trip seeking adventures,  helped make the term more popular and mainstream.

Sample

A: What’s on your adventure bucket  list?                                                   

B: I’d like to go to Serengeti National Park.

A: Why is it on your list?

B: I’ve seen a short film “God: Serengeti”  before, and it’s about How God and his butler watch over and amuse early  human on the Serengeti, just like playing board games. That sounds crazy？

A: Yeah-, It's a bit of a stretch. What can you do when you’re really on the Serengeti?

B: You can see lots of wild animals. Imagine  seeing millions of wild animals of different kinds-lions, elephants,  monkeys-in their natural environment.

A: That sounds fun. What else can you do there?

B: You can go camping. Then you can see the  animals up close. I hope I can do those someday.

A: Wow, fantastic!

Language Note

When we talk about doing outdoor activities,  “go +gerund” is often used: go swimming, go hiking, go on a picnic, go  bird watching, go cycling, go hot air ballooning, go scuba diving, go  dancing, etc.

Supplemental Information:

An environmentalist will typically make efforts that contribute  toward environmental goals or work for businesses and organizations that  further environmental efforts toward conservation of natural resources.  Within the context of promoting environmental goals, there are a wide array  of potential jobs and efforts that someone can have or put forth. An environmentalist  working at a large corporation might make efforts to promote environmental  efforts that also save the company money, ensuring greater likelihood of  acceptance of such ideas, while someone working with an environmental  organization might distribute informative fliers or protest the destruction  of a natural park or body of water.

Supplemental Information:

The organization Juan Martinez works with now, Natural Leaders, aims  partly to tackle a problem called Nature Deficit Disorder. Nature Deficit  Disorder refers to a theory that children have more behavioral or mental  issues in modern times because they spend less time outdoors. This theory was  introduced in the book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv.

Reference:

• Compare  two items with the sentences of “more…than…” or “not as…as…” to demonstrate their respective advantages and  disadvantages

Talking  about pros

Talking  about cons

Living  in the country

There are more  trees and animals.

You can be healthier.

There aren’t as many things  to do.

The country isn’t  as interesting as the city.

Living  in the city

You can be more easily exposed to new things.

You can’t breathe air as  fresh as in the country.