Вправа 2.5 Give a summary of the information

Travelling by train

Should you ask me what kind of transport I like best I’d speak in support of the train. With a train you have speed, comfort, and pleasure combined.

What place is more interesting than a big station ! There is the movement, the excitement, the gaiety of the people going away and sorrow of those who are setting others off. There are crowds of the porters as they pull luggage along the platform to the waiting train, the crowd at the booking-office getting tickets, the children tightly holding on to the skirts of their mothers, and passengers hurrying to board the train.

At last you manage to make your way through the crowd, closely following the porter, who has taken care of you luggage, and get out on the platform. There are many tracks and trains there. No need for you to look round and read the signs that tell which train you must take. You follow your porter, and here you are – Car number 12, Train – 64.

You show your ticket to the grand and in you go into a most wonderful carriage. All is bustle and confusion, with people filling in, bumping into each other, and what not. At last you manage to stow away your luggage and get out on to the platform for fresh air and bid farewell to the well-wishers who have come to see you off.

But you have scarcely time to kiss and hug your friends when the station-master on duty, in a red cap, signals the train. You hear no shrill whistle of the engine – the train pulls out of the station noiselessly and without a jerk.

You are on your way. You start up a conversation with your fellow-passengers (people take to each other quickly when travelling) and soon you get to know who is who and what. Now, that the excitement of the day is over you begin to feel hungry.

The dining-car steward happens to come along and you take bookings for lunch or dinner, whichever it might be. As you go for the second sitting you have time to wash. By that time the guard has made your bed. You take your towel and go to the toilet.

You fell tired now, after a healthy meal, so you decide to turn in. You get into your upper berth and begin to absorb the beauty of the changing scenes that fly past you – the cheerful fields of wheat and corn, the meadows under a mantle of flowers, grass and green moss, the rivers that run through woodland countries, the forests with their delicious sense of peace, and the mountains ribbed with sharp steep ridges.

But drowsiness creeps over you. You close your eyes and soon drift into that vast mysterious world which men call sleep.

Вправа 1.2 Comprehension questions:

  1. What have you combined with a train ?
  2. Why is a big station interesting ?
  3. What do the porters do ?
  4. What is there on the platform ?
  5. Whom do you show your ticket to ?
  6. What do you manage to do at last ?
  7. Who are the well-wishers ?
  8. Who wears a red cap ?
  9. Do people take to each other quickly when tarvelling ?
  10. What does the dining-car steward do ?
  11. When do you decide to turn in ?
  12. How do men can sleep ?

Вправа 1.3 Phonetic Drill. Transcribe and pronounce correctly:

Guard, carriage, bustle, farewell, scarcely, engine, steward, to absorb, delicious, mysterious.

 

Вправа 1.4 Give synonyms to the following words:

Sign, cheerful, delicious, sharp, steep.

 

Вправа 1.5 Give English equivalents from the text and use them in sentences of your own:

1) Тягнути багаж платформою;

2) Каса;

3) Сісти у потяг;

4) Протиснутися крізь натовп;

5) Залізничний шлях;

6) Потурбуватися про багаж;

7) Проводник;

8) Замовити обід зазадлегідь;

9) Лягати спати.

 

Вправа 2.1 Read the following text and translate it:

Travelling by train in Britain (Part 1)

British Rail offers high standard of fast, comfortable and easy travel. The InterCity network services operate frequently (hourly or better on many routes).

New InterCity 225 services link London with Yorkshire, the North East and the east coast of Scotland in record time. It is now possible to travel from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh in as little as 4 hours 05 minutes.

On most long-distance trains seats can be reserved in advance, but it is rarely necessary except during holiday periods. Reserve when you get to Britain.

Most long-distance trains have both first and standard (economy) class carriages and InterCity trains usually have a restaurant and / or buffet car, serving hot meals, light snacks and drinks. Pullman trains offer luxury travel to the main business centers in Britain, with meal service at your seat available to first class ticket holders. Hundreds of stations also have cafes.

Overnight sleeping car-trains across the country are an ideal way to gain a day and save on hotel charges, with a supplementary charge of $25 per journey, per berth for standard class, and $30 for a single compartment, first class. Reservations should be made well in advance.

If you only want to make a few journeys, single or return (round trip) tickets can be bought in Britain at any station, British Rail Travel Venter or rail appointed travel agents. First class tickets cost about 50 per cent more than standard class. For many journeys, reduced price tickets (with limitations on times and day of travel) are often available at a considerable saving on ordinary fares. If you plan a lot of travelling, a bargain-buy is the BritRail Pass. This pass (which must be purchased from travel agents in your own country – it cannot be bought in Britain) will give you unlimited travel on all scheduled British Rail services throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

If you are touring Europe and travelling between France and Britain, why not try the Channel Tunnel. Travelling by car on ‘Le Shuttle’ between Calais and Folkestone, it takes only 35 minutes; or by train on the high speed ‘Eorostar’ you will reach London’s Waterloo Station in as little as 3 hours, from either Paris or Brussels.

Вправа 2.2 Comprehension questions:

  1. What does British Rail offer ?
  2. Is it possible to travel from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh in as little as 4 hours 05 minutes ?
  3. What kind of seats can be reserved in advance ?
  4. What kind of carriages have long-distance trains got ?
  5. What does a buffet car serve ?
  6. What is an ideal way to gain a day when travelling ?
  7. How can a traveler save on hotel charges ?
  8. How much does a berth for standard class cost ?
  9. What is the price of a single berth compartment, first class ?
  10. What is a bargain-buy if you plan a lot of travelling ?

 

Вправа 2.3 Give Ukrainian equivalents to the following:

1) to offer high standards;

2) in record time;

3) to link London with Yorkshire;

4) luxury travel;

5) a ticket holder;

6) sleeping-car-trains;

7) to gain a day;

8) to save on hotel charges;

9) a reduced price ticket;

10) limitations on times;

11) a bargain-buy;

12) a schedule.

Вправа 2.4 Form antonyms to the following words with the help of prefixes:

1) comfortable; 2) easy; 3) frequent; 4) necessary; 5) available; 6) pleasant.

Вправа 2.5 Give a summary of the information.