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Dialogue:______read aloud in pairs
A: Which is your favourite country apart from your own?
B: I suppose I've got a soft spot for Sweden.
A: Isn't it rather cold there?
B: Well yes, but if you visit it in June, it's extremely beautiful.
A: What do you like about it?
B: Above all, the feeling of space, the wonderful lakes and the thoughtful city
planning. You have the impression that people are well looked after, whether they're
young or elderly. They have good sports facilities, hospitals and schools. Prices are
rather expensive, but maybe that's a good thing.
A: How do you mean?
B: I mean that the country isn't inundated with tourists. It hasn't been ruined by
time-share developments or scores of ugly hotels, bars and discos. It's just itself.
A: Is there anything to do or see?
B: Yes, plenty. Stockholm's among the most attractive capitals in Europe. You
can visit an open-air museum and observe several different traditional crafts such as
spinning wool, candle-making and glass-blowing. It's perfect for short outings - boat
trips around the islands and visits to show-piece villages such as Sigtuna.
A: Where's that?
B: It's just a bus ride away from Stockholm. The high street in Sigtuna is simply
charming. It's full of small shops which seem to be from another era. There's a
delightful church and the view over the lake is magnificent.
A: And I gather it isn't a tourist village?
B: Well, yes and no. Sigtuna certainly attracts visitors, though you'll probably
meet as many Swedes there as foreigners.
A: Where can I go after Stockholm?
B: There are many choices. You can travel north to see the midnight sun and to
visit the polar bears. You can take the night train south west to Copenhagen, the home
of Carlsberg beer, or else head south towards Berlin. You can take the ferry east to
Finland, or take the seven hour train journey across the country to Gothenberg passing
many spectacular lakes on the way.