Travelling

People on our planet can’t live without travelling now. Tourism has become a highly developed business. There are express trains, cars and jet-air liners all of that provide you with comfort and security.

What choice to make? It’s up to you to decide. There is a great variety of choice available for you.

Those who live in the country like going to a big city, visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City-dwellers usually like their long-awaited holiday by the sea or in the mountains.

Most travelers carry a camera with them and take pictures of everything that interests them — the sights of a city, old churches, castles, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, forests, trees, flowers and plants, animals and birds. Later they will be reminded by the photos of the happy time they have had.

If you travel for pleasure you would like all means to enjoy picturesque areas you are passing through, you would like to see the places of interest in the cities, towns and countries. Travelling gives us a good opportunity to see wonderful monuments, cultural and historical places, to learn a lot about the history of the country you visit, about the world around us, to meet people of different nationalities, to learn a lot about their traditions, customs, culture. In other words, you will broaden your mind.

Nowadays people travel not only for pleasure but also on business. You have to go to other countries to take part in different conferences, to sign contracts, to participate in different exhibitions, in order to push the goods produced by your firm or company. Travelling on business helps you to get more information about achievements of other companies which will make your own business more successful.

There are a lot of means of travelling: by sea, by plane, by car, on foot. Tastes differ. That is why it is up to you to decide which means of travelling you would prefer. All means of travelling have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans.

No wonder that one of the latest means of travelling is travelling by plane. It combines both comfort and speed and you will reach the place of destination very quickly.

Before boarding the plane you must check in at the airport. You are required to have your baggage weighed. Each passenger is allowed 20 kilograms of baggage free of charge. But if your baggage is heavier you must pay an extra charge.

Before the plane takes off the stewardess gives you all the information about the flight, the speed and altitude. She asks you to fasten the belts and not to smoke. She will take care of you during the flight and will help you to get comfortable in your seat. Inside the cabins the air is always fresh and warm. During the flight you can take a nap or have a chat, you can read and relax. In some planes you can watch video or listen to the music.

When the plane is landing or taking off you have an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful scenery and landscapes. While travelling by plane you fly past various villages and cities at the sight of which you realize how majestic and tremendous our planet is. No doubt, travelling by air is the most convenient and comfortable means of travelling.

But if you are airsick the flight may seem not so nice to you. Unfortunately, sometimes the flights are delayed because of unfavorable weather conditions, and one more inconvenience is jet-lag.

The railway is still one of the most popular means of communication and, besides, it is one of the cheapest. With a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined, you can enjoy the beauty of the changing scenes that fly past you.

Many people enjoy travelling by sea. They say it is the most pleasant means of travel which combines speed and comfort. You feel as if you are walking on good solid ground when you are on board the big ocean liner. You can enjoy fresh sea air, the sights of the sea and the sky. But some passengers may be unhappy when they feel sea-sick, and then travelling by sea becomes a real torture for them.

With a motor car one can travel quickly, cheaply and comfortably for long distances without getting too tired. You can go as slowly or as fast as you wish, stop when and where you choose. But it is not pleasant when you ride on a bumpy road or get a flat tire or still worse, when your car runs out of petrol.

Task 2. Speak individually or arrange a discussion on the following:

1. Why is the whole world open now?

2. Do people travel only for pleasure?

3. What attracts people in the idea of travelling?

4. How can we get to the place of our destination?

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of various means of travel?

6. What way of travel do you prefer?

7. Is the romantic aspect of travelling still alive in our time?

Task 3. Learn the dialogue by heart.

Booking air tickets (Dialogue I)

Traveller:	Good afternoon. I’d like to book two air tickets from Moscow to London please.
Travel agent:	Certainly. When are you travelling?
Traveller:	We want to take the flight next Saturday.
Travel agent:	Single or return?
Traveller:	Two return tickets. We are planning to come back in 3 weeks.
Travel agent:	On the 9-th of July and 30-th of July.
Traveller:	That’s right. Do we have to change?
Travel agent:	No, it’s a direct flight. First class or economy class?
Traveller:	Economy class.
Travel agent:	Two adults?
Traveller:	Yes.
Travel agent:	And your name is...?
Traveller:	Ivanov. I-V-A-N-O-V.
Travel agent:	Initials?
Traveller:	V.V.
Travel agent:	And the other passenger?
Traveller:	S.N. Ivanova.
Travel agent:	It will cost you 60000 rubles, total price.
Traveller:	Do you accept credit cards?
Travel agent:	Certainly. Thank you. Could you sign here, please. Here are your tickets. The code Y is for economy. The baggage allowance is 20 Kg. These are for the outward journey− Moscow to London by flight 189 at 9.45 on the 9-th of July. And these are for the return journey − London to Moscow by 190 at 13.30 on the 30-th of July. Don’t forget to be at the airport two hours before departure time.

Task 4. Learn the dialogue by heart.

Booking air tickets (Dialogue II)

Travel agent:	Good morning, sir. May I help you?
Traveller:	Good morning. I’d like an air ticket from London to Paris, from Paris to Madrid and from Madrid to London.
Travel agent:	When are you planning to travel?
Traveller:	On August, 1-st from London to Paris, on August, 10-th from Paris to Madrid. And on August, 15-th from Madrid to London.
Travel agent:	First class or economy?
Traveller:	Economy, please.
Travel agent:	It will cost you 400 €, total price.
Traveller:	That’s fine with me.
Travel agent:	Is the ticket in your name, sir?
Traveller:	Yes, please. My name is L.S. Smirnov.
Travel agent:	Here is your ticket, sir. There are three coupons for each leg of your journey. The carrier is British Airways.
Traveller:	Thanks.

Task 5. Make up similar dialogues and stage them with your fellow-students.

Дата добавления: 2014-11-29