Hey, here’s a story about a prince who is traveling the desert. He, his people and his animals are all moving in a caravan.
Play the video below to see what a caravan looks like. It consists of people and animals traveling together on a long journey, usually through the desert.
Anyway, the prince doesn’t like the journey very much. Here’s the story.
The caravan is relentlessly traversing the desert. It’s the prince with his 7-strong entourage.
prince: What a drag! I’ve had my fill of this! Only sand, sand, sand, everywhere, and us baking under the hot desert sun. Just look around at this humdrum parched landscape. And we are parched too.
If something is parched, it means it’s very dry, especially because of hot weather and no rain.
Kali: This is an awe-inspiring sight, Your Highness.
prince: I know that travel broadens the mind, but why do we have to travel all the byways of this country? The hot sun scorched everything. There are no plants, there’s no water. Are we going to die?
Byways… These are roads that are not used very much.
Daha: Probably yes. But not the camels, they are persistent animals.
prince: That’s great news. I’m relieved.
Vocabulary
| caravan | a group of people or animals traveling together on a long journey especially through the desert |
| relentless | continuing without becoming weaker, less severe |
| traverse | to move across |
| strong | – used to indicate the number of people in a large group |
| entourage /ˌɑːntʊˈrɑːʒ/ | a group of people who go with and assist an important person |
| drag | sb or sth that is boring, annoying, or disappointing |
| have had one’s fill of sth | not to want to do or have any more of sth |
| bake | to be or become very hot |
| humdrum | not interesting, dull, boring, and ordinary |
| parched | 1) very dry especially because of hot weather and no rain 2) very thirsty |
| awe-inspiring | producing a strong feeling of fear or respect and also wonder |
| broaden | to make sth wider or more general |
| byway | a road that is not used very much |
| scorch | to damage sth by making it extremely dry |
| persistent | continuing to do sth or to try to do sth even though it is difficult or other people want you to stop |
| relieved | feeling relaxed and happy because sth difficult or unpleasant has been stopped, avoided, or made easier, feeling relief |