Reserving an Аirline Ticket
| Travel agent | Good morning. Can I help you? |
| Nancy Lee | Yes, I’d like to reserve a seat for a flight to Hong Kong. |
| Travel agent | Hong Kong?Would that be a round trip ticket or one way? |
| Nancy Lee | Round-trip, please. |
| Travel agent | And for what date? |
| Nancy Lee | The eighteenth, if possible. |
| Travel agent | Friday, the eighteenth?Yes. That’s fine. Do you have a fixed date in mind, or do you want an open ticket? |
| Nancy Lee | An open ticket. |
| Travel agent | OK. Do you want a morning flight or an afternoon flight? |
| Nancy Lee | What’s available? |
| Travel agent | Well, there is a Cathay Pacific flight at 10.30 and a US Air one at 12.30. |
| Nancy Lee | I’ll take the Cathay Pacific one. |
| Travel agent | OK. If you‘ll just wait a minute, I’ll check to see if there’s room. Yes, that’s fine. |
| Nancy Lee | Oh, good. How much is it? |
| Travel agent | One thousand, eight hundred and seventy dollars. |
| Nancy Lee | Ok. Thanks. |
| Travel agent | Now, can I have your details, please? |
1.3. Oral Comprehension. Listen to the text “Buying a Ticket” twice and fill in the blanks with the missing words and word expressions.
- Good morning. What (1)_______ for you?
- I want (2)______ to London. Are there any (3)_______ available on Wednesday, next (4)__________?
- Are you flying alone, sir?
- Yes.
- What class?
- (5)___________.
- Just a moment, sir. I’ll (6)______ … yeah … there are a few seats (7)_______.
- Fine.
- What is your name, sir?
- Victor Klimenko.
- As a rule, we sell (8)_________ citizens (9)________ tickets. You can buy an (10)_________ return.
- O.K. How much is it?
- It’s one (11) _______ one hundred and (12)_________ grivnas, including airport (13)______.
- May I pay (14) _________?
- Certainly, sir. Here you are. Flight PS 501.
- What time is the flight due (15) __________?
- It leaves at (16) _______ a.m., but you must (17) _______ one hour prior to (18) _________, sir.
- And what time does it arrive (19) ___ London?
- 10.30 (20) _________ time. There is two hours (21) _______, you know.
- Thank you very much.
1.4. Review the vocabulary on the topic “Telephoning” and make up Dialogue 5 “Booking procedure over the phone: speaking about the hotel room and booking a train/airline ticket”.
Unit IV
Arriving to the Country
Read and translate the text. Before reading study the topical vocabulary on the text.
Vocabulary
Frontier - граница
Currency – валюта
Legislation – законодательство
To go abroad / overseas – ехать за границу
To be on safe side – обезопасить себя
To be prohibited – быть запрещённым
To be available – разрешаться
Smuggling – контрабанда
In accordance with – в соответствии с...
Cancelled securities – просроченные ценные бумаги
Commodities – платёжные средства
To conceal - утаивать
To prolong – продлить
To expire – истекать
At the Customs
Every day many people travel throughout the world either on business, or for pleasure. Those who cross the frontier of the state have to go through customs.
The customs service is designed for carrying out customs control to regulate import and export of goods and currency. The place where customs or duties are paid is called a customs house.
Every country has its own customs legislation, and if you are going abroad you are supposed to learn the rules of leaving and entering the foreign state. To be on the safe side, you should know what is allowed or prohibited to be brought in or taken out. Before packing your luggage consult the prohibited articles list which is available at the customs.
Among the articles that are prohibited for taking out of the country in accordance with customs legislation of all the states you will find works of art: different types of prints, manuscripts, valuable musical instruments, cancelled securities, numismatics, stamps and other articles of artistic, historical and cultural value.
Though strict prohibition applies to antiques, you may be allowed to take some original painting provided you got a special license for it and paid duties. The list of prohibited commodities both for bringing in and taking out also includes arms, explosives, military equipment and narcotics.
It‘s necessary to know that there can be articles liable to duty andduty free. As a rule, personal belongings, gifts and souvenirs (the cost of the latter must not exceed a certain limit stipulated by the customs regulation) are duty free. Money not declared and therefore concealed from the customs control is liable to confiscation as smuggling. Prohibited or restricted articles though declared are usually detained, and the traveller can collect them on his way back.
When the passenger enters or leaves the country, he must fill in an entry or exit declaration which is to be produced to the customs office. The passenger is to fill in his name, citizenship, country of residence, permanent address, purpose and duration of his visit in block letters. He must also declare all dutiable articles.
To make a trip to most countries every traveller must have a visa, single, multiple or transit, which is issued by the foreign Embassy or Consulate. The visa may be prolonged in case of necessity, but the time for which it is valid must not expire, otherwise the traveller will not be allowed to leave the country. The overseas passport is also necessary. All the documents are carefully studied by the customs officer.
To go through customs means to have your luggage inspected by customs men. The traveller puts his bags and suitcases on the moving conveyer belt for checking. To prevent smuggling, modern methods and techniques have been developed which help customs officers examine the inside of the luggage. TV-cameras and monitors are installed everywhere at the customs house. When the passenger puts his hand luggage on the conveyer belt, special monitors are scanning the enclosure. They are able to detect every thing, even if it has been concealed in the very secret corner. Customs men know from experience the exact places of concealment of goods. It may be a double bottom or cover of the suitcase, a hollowed book, an inside pocket, a tooth-paste tube, a stick; even toys and dolls can be used for that. Customs officers are trained to recognize travellers who are carrying something illegally.
Answer the questions.
1. What should a traveller do to cross the frontier of a foreign state?
2. What is the customs service designed for?
3. What is called as a customs house?
4. Enumerate the list of articles to be prohibited to bring in and take out of a foreign country.
5. What is the list of articles liable to duty and duty free?
6. What kind of information should be noted in an entry and exit declaration?
7. What kinds of necessary documents are studied by a customs officer?
8. What kinds of modern methods and techniques help customs men to examine the luggage of the travelers?
2.1. Read and translate the dialogue “At the Customs”.
At the Customs
Inspector :Put your bags on the table, please and give me your Customs form. Mm…How long are you planning to stay in the country?
Passenger :Three weeks.
Inspector:Do you have anything to declare?
Passenger : Sorry?
Inspector : Cigarettes, alcohol?
Passenger : No.
Inspector : Any plants, fresh fruit and meat?
Passenger: Oh, no.
Inspector: Will you open your bag, please? Are you bringing any gifts into the country?
Passenger : No.
Inspector: What’s in the bottle?
Passenger: It’s medicine.
Inspector: O.K. here’s your Customs form.
Passenger : What should I do with it?
Inspector: Do you see that inspector over there? Give it to him.
Passenger :I see. Thank you very much.