Experience: We’re the caretakers of an uninhabited Irish island
This is a list of key vocabulary and expressions from the article in order of how useful they are. The student must choose 6 items from the list to study in the lesson.
To be used to (doing) something
To replace (someone/ something)
To involve ((doing) something/ someone)
‘we’d seen an advertisement’
‘[We] had been teaching… for three years before we took a career break.’
‘the more Billy described it the more we wanted this once-in-a-lifetime experience’
‘We understood what it must have been like for them’
15 conversation-provoking questions related to the article.
1. What had Emma and Darren been doing before moving, and how did they get involved with the island?
2. What was the application process like, and what are their duties?
3. What do they do on the island?
4. What did they say about relationships, and what does their future hold?
5. Would you like to live on the island?
6. Have you ever applied for a job and thought that you wouldn’t get it?
7. Have you ever experienced extreme weather conditions like the couple did?
8. What aspects of the island would you enjoy?
9. What aspects of the island would you not like?
10. Are you keen to visit Ireland?
11. Are you surprised that this experience has been ‘brilliant’ for their relationship?
12. Which of the experiences that they had on the island would you like to have for yourself?
13. Do you think all young people should try unusual experiences like this?
14. Have you ever had any interesting experiences looking at wildlife?
15. Would you enjoy running a holiday cottage?