Sports & Travel
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11 Aug 2026
Alamy
Tourists are Paying to Travel Like Grandmothers
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Warm Up Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) Young tourists cooking with grandmothers in Italy
b) Children building rocket ships in space
c) People racing fast sports cars in cities
Ask:
(1) Do you like visiting your grandparents?
(2) What is your favourite home-cooked meal?
VOCABULARY
grandmother /ɡræn.mʌð.ə/
(noun)
travel /træv.əl/
(verb)
traditional /trədɪʃ.ən.əl/
(adjective)
pasta /pæs.tə/
(noun)
cook /kʊk/
(verb)
village /vɪl.ɪdʒ/
(noun)
The mother of a person's father or mother.
Example: My grandmother cooks delicious soup for our family.
To make a journey from one place to another.
Example: We travel to Italy every summer holiday.
Following long-established ways or customs.
Example: Making bread by hand is a traditional activity.
An Italian food made from flour, water, and eggs.
Example: ate fresh tomato pasta for dinner.
To prepare food by heating it.
Example: I want to learn how to cook cakes.
A small town in the countryside.
Example: They live in a quiet mountain village.
Many young people love to travel to new countries. Today, a new holiday trend is becoming very popular around the world. It is called travelling like a grandmother. Young tourists are paying to spend time with local grandmothers in different countries.
In Italy, visitors go to small quiet villages. They visit friendly grandmothers in their homes. The grandmothers teach the tourists how to cook fresh pasta from scratch. They also share stories about their families and local life.
In Japan, some tourists hire grandmothers as their tour guides. The grandmothers show them quiet parks, old shops, and peaceful temples. This slow way of travelling helps young people relax. They put away their mobile phones and learn traditional skills.
It also helps older people share their wisdom and earn money. Both the young tourists and the grandmothers enjoy spending time together. They make happy memories and learn about different cultures. It is a wonderful experience for everyone. Many people hope this lovely trend continues for a long time.
"Nonnamaxxing," the art of taking inspiration from "nonna," Italian grandmothers, to stay young ©Getty - Judith Haeusler
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Would you like to learn how to cook pasta from an Italian grandmother?
2. What is your favourite thing to do with your grandparents or older relatives?
3. Why do you think some people prefer quiet villages over big cities for holidays?
4. What traditional skill would you like to learn, such as cooking or gardening?
5. Do you think it is important for young people and older people to spend time together?
FILL IN THE GAPS
FILL THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Word Bank: cook, grandmother, traditional, village
Many young people love to travel to new countries. Today, a new holiday trend is becoming very popular around the world. It is called travelling like a _______(1). Young tourists are paying to spend time with local grandmothers in different countries.
In Italy, visitors go to small quiet _______(2). They visit friendly grandmothers in their homes. The grandmothers teach the tourists how to _______(3) fresh pasta from scratch. They also share stories about their families and local life.
In Japan, some tourists hire grandmothers as their tour guides. The grandmothers show them quiet parks, old shops, and peaceful temples. This slow way of travelling helps young people relax. They put away their mobile phones and learn _______(4) skills.
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of this story?
a) Young tourists are travelling to learn traditional skills from grandmothers.
b) Grandmothers are moving to big cities to learn how to use smartphones.
c) Tourists only like to visit busy amusement parks on holiday.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
1. Tourists pay money to spend time with local grandmothers. T/F
2. Grandmothers in Italy teach tourists how to drive fast cars. T/F
3. In Japan, some grandmothers work as tour guides for visitors. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Put the events in the correct order (1-3):
a) Tourists learn to cook fresh pasta in quiet Italian villages.
b) Young people search for peaceful holiday experiences in new countries.
c) Tourists return home with happy memories and new traditional skills.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
1. Grandmother
2. Travel
3. Traditional
4. Pasta
5. Village
a) An Italian food made from flour and water
b) The mother of your parent
c) A small town in the countryside
d) Following old customs and habits
e) To go on a journey to another place
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
1. Learning to cook with a local grandmother sounds very _______ for tourists.
a) relaxing
b) angry
2. People like visiting small villages because they are _______ and beautiful.
a) noisy
b) peaceful
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
Unscramble the sentence:
1. A) learn B) Tourists C) to cook D) Italian pasta E) fresh
2. A) show B) Grandmothers C) tour guides D) as E) quiet parks
ANSWER KEY
Section: Warm Up
Think Ahead Answer: a) Young tourists cooking with grandmothers in Italy
Section 1 Answers
grandmother
village
cook
traditional
Section 2 Answer
a) Young tourists are travelling to learn traditional skills from grandmothers.
Section 3 Answers
True
False
True
Section 4 Answers
b
a
c
Section 5 Answers
1 - b
2 - e
3 - d
4 - a
5 - c
Section 6 Answers
a) relaxing
b) peaceful
Section 7 Answers
B - A - C - E - D (Tourists learn to cook fresh Italian pasta)
B - D - C - A - E (Grandmothers as tour guides show quiet parks)
Section 8 Answers
Student's own answers based on discussion.
Thank you for your feedback!