Jessica: Ashley have you ever been horsebackriding?

Ashley: Yes, I've actually been horseback riding a numbr of times. My grandparents have horses and my uncle. Actually, there was this one time where I was in Idaho visiting for the summer and my uncle, my grandpa took me on a horseback ride, a whole day trip kind of thing, and you know I'm not so great at the horsebackriding thing, you know, I get a little scared. Horses are pretty big animals, and um, so we were, it was beautiful. We were in the mountains, and we were going up this hill, this trail and we got to the top. You know the weather was beautiful when we started out, of course, it always is. We get to the top of the mountain and it starts to rain. Well not only does it start to rain, it starts to pour, and we hear the Thunder in the distance, and the horses get a little scared and the one I was on got really scared, and I look around and my uncle is taking shelter under a tree, and I'm looking around and we're on the very, very top of this ridge of mountains, the top, like, the highest point, you know, and the lightning is coming and I see the only tree that hasn't been struck by lighting is the one that my uncle is under with his horse and I'm scared and the horse is going crazy and I'm holding on and I'm thinking, "Oh, my God! I'm going to die!" But we got under the tree and we got down to a lower ridge and we made it, but it wasscary.

Jessica: So how apt were you to go back on that horse after that?

Ashley: Oh, well, I went, we finished the ride, and it was fine, after that you know, mountain storms, they come and go so quickly. By the time we got down the mountain we were dry and hot from the sun. But you know, got back on the horse the next day.

学习内容：

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

a number of times

I've gone horseback riding a number of times.

If you have done something 'a number of times' you have done it more than a couple or a few. Thisphrase is very similar to 'many times.' You can use 'a number of' in front of any noun to mean many. Notice the following:

We have been to Florida a number of times and it's never been this cold.

I called you a number of times yesterday. Where were you?

start out

The weather was beautiful when we started out.

We use 'start out' to talk about beginning a journey or trip. Notice the following:

We need to start out around 6 AM tomorrow.

He started out for home a little late because he had to finish up some things at work.

in the distance

We could hear the thunder in the distance.

If something is far from you, but still close enough to see, hear or feel, then it is in the distance. Notice the following:

I think I can see a gas station in the distance.

The beach was so beautiful and you could see the mountains in the distance.

look around or take shelter

I looked around and saw my uncle taking shelter under a tree.

to 'look around' means to look for something by moving our heads or bodies to see different areas. When you hide under something to protect yourself you are 'taking shelter.' Notice the following:

I am going to look around for a present for your father.

We can take shelter in that old farm house if the rain gets really bad.

make it

We made it, but it was scary.

We use 'make it' like this to mean 'survive.' In a less severe sense it can mean to 'succeed' or 'escape.' Notice the following:

Our team made it to the championship game.

For a few days I wasn't sure my dog was going to make it.