On the train

A: Would you like to have a window seat, Tom?

B: No, I really don’t care.

A: Shall I put these on the rack?

B: Yes, but be careful, please.

A: How long does it take us to get to Brighton?

B: Exactly an hour. It’s non-stop.

A: Would you mind if I open the window?

B: Not at all. It’s so hot here.

4. Complete the following dialogue:

- Two second-class sleepers for the 10: 20 train to Brighton, please.

- …………………………………

- No, single, please.

- …………………………………

- Two lowers, please.

- ………………………………….

- Here you are.

- …………………………………..

- Thanks.

5. Match the railway station guide signs on the right with their descriptions on the left:

6. Fill in the missing words:

On Monday Tom went to the …………………to pick up a suitcase he had left there earlier in the day. Then he went to the ………….and asked for a second-class…………….to Brighton. A few minutes later he checked the………to see where his train was about to leave. It was …………12. When he reached the platform the …………….were almost full. He got into the first …………..and put his suitcase on a……………..He was lucky to find a …………….seat. It was also a …………….compartment since Tom was a non-smoker. Tom wanted to have a bite, but there was no ……..car on the train.

7. Make up dialogues around the following situations:

1. Looking at the time-table.

2. Buying a train ticket.

3. On the train.

1. Read the following story and suggest a title for it:

Mark Twain, the famous American writer, was travelling in France. Once he was going by train to Dijon. That afternoon he was very tired and wanted to sleep. He therefore asked the conductor to wake him up when they came to Dijon. But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. “I’ll probably protest loudly when you try to wake me up”, he said to the conductor.” But do not take any notice, just put me off the train anyway.”

Then Mark Twain went to sleep. Later, when he woke up, it was night time and the train was already in Paris. He realized at once that the conductor had forgotten to wake him up in Dijon. He was very angry. He ran up to the conductor and began to shout at him. “I have never been so angry in all my life, ” Mark Twain said. The conductor looked at him calmly. “You are not half so angry as the American whom I put off the train at Dijon, ” he said.

2. Learn the following proverbs:

1. He who stops at every stone never gets to his journey’s end.

2. Poor man’s luggage is always light.

3. A vise companion is half the journey.

4. Every departure has its arrival.

TRAVELLING BY AIR

1. Read and translate the text:

Modern life is impossible without travelling. Of course the fastest way of travelling is by plane. Many people prefer travelling by air as it is the most convenient, comfortable and quickest means of travelling. Travelling by plane has also its advantages and disadvantages.

If you are going to travel by air you’d better buy tickets beforehand because many people are fond of travelling by plane. There are some reasons why people choose that means of travelling. If it is summer outside it will be better to think of your trip before the vacation starts. To understand how true this is, you only have to go to an airport. There you will see hundreds of people hurrying to catch a plane. You’ll waste a lot of time standing near the booking office trying to buy a ticket.

Modern planes have very comfortable seats in all cabins, and there are first class, business and economy class cabins. Before the plane takes off the stewardess helps everyone get comfortable in the seats and wishes them a pleasant trip. She also gives all the information about the flight, the speed and the altitude. During the flight you can have something to drink and to eat. You can read newspapers and magazines or simply look out of the porthole. But you will sea nothing outside but the clouds. You must be in time for your flight because you must have time to pass customs, passport control and check in. Before boarding the plane the passenger must register at the airport. While registering he is required to have his luggage weighed. If the luggage weighs more than 20 kilograms you have to pay extra. Sometimes people forget the time and the number of the flight. They can always ask for that at the airport’s information bureau and also get information about next flights and their timetables.

Sometimes passengers don’t feel as if they are walking on good solid ground when on board the plane. They can get airsick and then travelling by air becomes a real torture for them.

Nowadays travelling by air is one of the dangerous means of travelling. There are a lot of air crashes and many people die in them. And I think people prefer safety to comfort on board a ship.

Though we all seem to agree that the future belongs to air transport, other means of travelling are still popular today.

Vocabulary: