[ti:Reservations and Rentals]
[al:Everyday Grammar]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2024-06-21]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]This week on Everyday Grammar, we learn some of the grammar you need to talk about getting the things you need while on vacation.
[00:10.92]A common summer vacation might involve a trip to a beach or a lake.
[00:16.26]Let's say we are going to Big Bear Lake in California for a week.
[00:21.51]Because I am describing my plans like a story, I will use only the present tense. 
[00:27.51]Here is how I would plan our trip:
[00:30.63]The first thing we should do is find out where we can stay. 
[00:35.02]My family loves camping, so I looked for a campground. 
[00:40.10]On the Big Bear Lake website, it says Pine Knot Campground is good for families.
[00:46.62]Hiking and mountain biking trails are nearby. 
[00:50.66]So, I call and make a reservation for a campsite, a place to put up our tent. 
[00:57.44]Here is how the call begins:
[01:00.37]"I'd like to reserve a campsite at Pine Knot Campground for the last week of July."
[01:07.64]The verb "reserve" means to arrange to use something at a later date. 
[01:12.98]It is a transitive verb, so you need an object. 
[01:16.70]In this case, the object is "a campsite." 
[01:20.78]The reservation manager asks me some questions:
[01:25.02]"Do you want a tent or RV space?
[01:29.90]How many people are in your party?"
[01:33.71]The expression, "in your party" means the number in your group. 
[01:37.93]An "RV" or recreational vehicle is a camping vehicle, often with a bed and kitchen. I answer:
[01:47.43]"I want a tent space for five people."
[01:50.36]I learn that the cost will be $42 a night. 
[01:55.69]You might hear "per night" or "a night" when you make a reservation to sleep in a place.
[02:01.85]I give my credit card number to the manager to make the reservation and she says I will get an email "confirmation."
[02:10.66]Usually, a confirmation is a number or a printed code that shows you have made a reservation.
Price difference
[02:19.51]With the campsite reserved, the next thing I need to do is to find mountain bike rentals. 
[02:26.31]My family likes to ride bicycles in the woods, but we cannot bring our bicycles to the lake.
[02:33.94]I find a few sports shops on Big Bear Boulevard near the park.
[02:38.73]I call to see if I can rent bikes from them:
[02:42.61]"I'd like to rent five mountain bikes for the last week of August."
[02:47.09]Note that I do not ask to borrow the bikes because I am paying to use the bikes, so I am renting them. 
[02:55.20]The clerk at the shop asks:
[02:58.96]"Kids or adults? And do you want pedal or electric ones? There are a lot of hills around here."
[03:08.22]I had not thought about using an electric bike. It would make biking in the mountains easier. But I need more information, so I ask:
[03:21.63]"I need three kid's bikes and two adult bikes. What is the price difference between pedal and electric?"
[03:30.05]The clerk answers:
[03:32.50]"Pedal is $48 a day, and electric is $120 a day. We only have electric in the adult size, though."
[03:45.25]The price helps me to decide. Because $120 a day is a very high daily rate. We will pedal!
[03:54.67]After I finish renting the bikes, there is just one more thing to plan - what will we do on the lake?
[04:02.19]I heard there are lots of water sports at Big Bear.
[04:05.42]I find a web page for the marina, the place where boats are kept. 
[04:10.42]It says they have many different kinds of boats available for rent.
[04:15.40]A quiet day fishing on the lake is my family's idea of a good time.
[04:20.55]So, I call to find out about renting a fishing boat:
[04:24.54]"Do you rent boats and fishing gear together?"
[04:28.65]The marina staff member answers:
[04:32.64]"We have an all-included fishing package - that is, the boat, gear, bait and even lunch. How many people?"
[04:44.42]This sounds like a good "package."
[04:47.23]Businesses offer a "package" deal when one price covers a number of things that would normally be sold separately.
[04:55.20]"Gear" is a general word for everything you might need for an activity.
[05:00.83]For fishing, it means a pole, hooks and line, and a life jacket. I answer:
[05:08.89]"Five. How much is it for the whole day?"
[05:12.48]I learn it is $200 for the boat and $25 for the gear.
[05:18.28]I arrange to rent the boat and make a note to be sure to bring sunscreen and sun hats for everyone.
[05:25.44]In this lesson, we use some common expressions that you will hear when making reservations and renting things.
[05:32.77]They are: to reserve, to make a reservation, confirmation, a night or per night, a day, price difference, package, and gear.
[05:48.73]Put these into use and you can plan your own vacation trip.
[05:52.63]Learning about all of these rental and reservation costs a month or two before our vacation makes me think - planning ahead for a vacation is a good idea. 
[06:03.76]Now, I will not be surprised by extra costs, and I will enjoy the time with my family. 
[06:11.57]I hope you enjoy your vacation, too.
[06:14.62]And that's Everyday Grammar!
[06:16.71]I'm Jill Robbins.