to get a feel for (something)

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 461: Using a Guidebook.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 461. I’m your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in the beautiful City of Los Angeles, in the golden State of California.

We invite you to visit our website at eslpod.com and download a Learning Guide for this episode, an 8- to 10-page guide that will help you improve your English even faster.

This episode is about using a “guidebook,” which is a special book for “tourists,” people visiting another city or another country, that tells him about that country: where they should eat, where they can sleep, where they can stay, and so forth. Let’s get started.

Nicki: Wow, did you buy out the bookstore?!

Tony: Very funny. I just got a few guidebooks for our trip to Vancouver. I want to study up on what the must-see sights are, and then decide whether we can do some self-guided tours or need to book guided tours.

Nicki: That’s very conscientious of you. The trip isn’t for three months.

Tony: I know, but I want to start sketching out an