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Text A. Different means of travel.
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Alex: Personally 1 hate seeing people off. I prefer being seen off myself. I'm extremely fond of travelling and feel terribly envious of any friend who is going anywhere. I can't help feeling I should so much like to be in his place.
Bert: But what method of travelling do you prefer?
A.: For me there is nothing like travel by air; it is more comfortable, more convenient and of course far quicker than any other method. There is none of the dust and dirt of a railway or car journey, none of the trouble of changing from train to steamer and then to another train. Besides, flying is a thrilling thing. Don't you agree?
В.: I think I should like to say a word or two for trains. With a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined. From the comfortable corner seat of a railway carriage you have a splendid view of the whole countryside. If you are hungry, you can have a meal in the dining-car; and if the journey is a long one you can have a wonderful bed in a sleeper. Besides, do you know any place that's more interesting than a big railway-station? There is the movement, the excitement, the gaiety of people going away or waiting to meet friends. There are the shouts of the porters as they pull luggage along the platforms to the waiting trains, the crowd at the booking-office getting tickets, the hungry and thirsty ones hurrying to the refreshment rooms before the train starts. No, really! Do you know a more exciting place than a big railway-station?
Сесil: I do.
A.: And that is?
C: A big sea port, For me there is no travel so fine as by boat. I love to feel the deck of the boat under my feet, to see the rise and fall of the waves, to feel the fresh sea wind blowing in my face and hear the cry of the sea-gulls. And what excitement, too, there is in coming into the harbour and seeing round us all the ships, steamers, cargo-ships, sailing ships, rowing boats.
A.: Well, I suppose that's all right for those that like it, but not for me. I'm always seasick, especially when the sea is a little bit rough.
В.: I've heard that a good cure for seasickness is a small piece of dry bread.
A.: Maybe; but I think a better cure is a large piece of dry land.
D a v i d: Well, you may say what you like about aeroplane flights, sea voyages, railway journeys or tours by car, but give me a walking tour any time. What does the motorist see of the country? But the walker leaves the dull broad highway and goes along little winding lanes where cars can't go. He takes mountain paths through the heather, he wanders by the side of quiet lakes and through the shade of woods. He sees the real country, the wild flowers, the young birds in their nests, the deer in the forest; he feels the quietness and calm of nature.
And besides, you are saving your railway fare travelling on foot No one can deny that walking is the cheapest method of travelling,
So I say: a walking tour for me.
(From "Essential English for Foreign Students" by С. E. Eckersley, Book 4, Lnd., 1955)
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TEXT В. АТ ТНЕ STATION
F.: Well, here we are at last! When I get into the boat-train,[71] I feel that holidays have already begun. Have you got the tickets, Jan?
J.: Yes, here they are. I booked seats for you and me; trains are usually crowded at this time. We have numbers A 26 and A 30; two corner-seats in a non-smoker, one seat facing the engine, one back to the engine. Is that all right?
F.: That's very good, Jan. I don't like going a long journey in a smoker. May I sit facing the engine?
J.: Of course! You can take whichever seat you like. As a matter of fact, I really prefer sitting with my back to the engine. Here's our carriage, A, and here's our compartment. You can get into the train now.
F.: Lucy, won't you come into the carriage with me? You will be wanner inside.
L: Thanks, I will.
J.: I'll go and see that our luggage has been put into the guard's van, and I'll book two seats in the restaurant car for lunch. I'll get some newspapers at the bookstall and some chocholate on my way back. (He goes away.)
L.: Jan is a good fellow for getting things done, isn't he?
F.: He is. I don't know anyone better. I'm very glad he is coming with me. I know that I shall have a very comfortable journey. Jan will see to everything — find the seats on the train, see that my luggage is all right, and get it through the customs. I shan't have to do anything at all except sit back and enjoy the journey.
(from "Essential English for Foreign Students" by С. Е. Eckersley, Book 2. Lnd., 1977)
TEXT С. A VOYAGE ROUND EUROPE
L.: Hello, Anne. Are you back from your holidays already? Ooo, you're lovely and brown! Where have you been?
A.: Oh, I've had a fantastic timeJ I've just been on a cruise round Europe with my Dad.
L.: Oh, you lucky thing! You must have seen so many interesting places. Where did you sail from?
A.: Well, we left from Odessa...
L.: Did you call at any European ports?
A.: Yes. Quite a lot. We went ashore at each one and went on some really interesting trips sightseeing.
L.: Did you go by train or did you hire a car?
A.: No, we went by coach.[72] Now I can say I've seen Rome, London, Paris and Athens.
L.: Ooo, I'm so envious. Were you ever seasick?
A.: Only a little, I was fine, until two days after Gibraltar, The sea suddenly became very rough, and I had to stay in my cabin.
L.: What a shame. But was your father all right?
A.: Yes, he was fine all the time. He's never seasick,
L.: Did you go ashore when you reached Spain?
A.: No, we only saw the coast-line from the deck. It didn't really look very inviting, a bit bare and monotonous, in fact.
L.: And did you go for a swim in the Mediterranean?
A.: Yes, and in the Atlantic Ocean too. There are some beautiful beaches on the west coast of France, It's so nice to have a swim there.
L: Well, I'm glad you've had such a lovely time!
Memory Work
From a Railway Carriage
Faster than fairies, faster than witches,
Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;
And charging along like troops in a battle,
All through the meadows, the horses and cattle;
All of the sights of the hill and the plain
Fly as thick as driving rain;
And ever again, in the wink of an eye,
Painted stations whistle by.
Here is a child who clambers and scrambles,
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All by himself and gathering brambles;
Here is a tramp who stands and gazes;
And there's the green for stringing the daisies!
Here is a cart run away in the road,
Lumping along with man and load;
And here is a mill and there's a river;
Each a glimpse and gone for ever! Robert L. Stevenson
NOTES ON SYNONYMS
The act of travelling can be described by a number of synonyms which differ by various implications (see Notes on Synonyms, p. 18). They all describe the act of going from one place to another (that is why they are synonyms), but differ by the length of time taken by that act, by its purpose, destination or by the method of travelling.
travel n: the act of travelling, esp. a long one in distant or foreign places, either for the purpose of discovering something new or in search of pleasure and adventure. (Freq. in the plural.); е.g. He is writing a book about his travels in Africa.
journey n: the act of going from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time; е.g. It's a three days' journey by train. You'll have to make the journey alone. Going on a journey is always exciting.
voyage n: a rather long journey, esp. by water or air; е.g. I'd love to go on a voyage, would you? The idea of an Atlantic voyage terrified her: she was sure to be seasick all the time.
trip n: a journey, an excursion, freq. a brief one, made by land or water; е.g. Did you enjoy your week-end trip to the seaside?
tour n: a journey in which a short stay is made at a number of places (usu. with the view of sightseeing), the traveller finally returning to the place from which he had started; е.g. On our Southern-England tour we visited Windsor, Oxford, Cambridge, Stratford-on-Avon and then came back to London.
cruise n [kni:z]: a sea voyage from port to port, esp. a pleasure trip; е.g. The Mediterranean cruise promised many interesting impressions.
hitch-hiking n: travelling by getting free rides in passing automobiles and walking between rides; е.g. Hitch-hiking is a comparatively new way of travelling which gives one a chance to see much without spending anything.
ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY (П)
Words
booking-office n journey n smoker
cabin n hitch-hiking n (smoking-car) n
cargo-ship n luggage n speed n
cruise n luggage-van n steamer n
deck n porter n tour n
dining-car n rough adj travel n
engine n sail υ trip n
fare n sea-gull n voyage n
flight n seasickness n walker n
guide n sleeper (sleeping-car) n wave n
Word Combinations
to go on a journey, trip, to travel second/standard
voyage, a package tour class
to travel by air (train, to call at a port
boat, cruiser, liner, etc.) to go ashore
to change from train to boat, bad (good) sailor
(cruiser, liner) to make a trip, journey
(But: to change for a boat. on deck
Also: Where do I change for on shore
Paris?) to look inviting
to be seasick, to be travelsick to be due at (a place)
(in any kind of transport) direct/through train
single ticket you can't beat the train
return ticket (return berth) a home lover/stay-at-home/
to travel/go first class a home-stay type
EXERCISES
I. Answer the questions. Be careful to argue your case well:
1. What means of travel do you know? 2. Why are many people fond of travelling? 3. Why do some people like travelling by train? 4. Do you like travelling by train? What makes you like/dislike it? 5. What are the advantages of a sea-voyage? 6. What are the advantages of hitch-hiking? 7. What kind of people usually object to travelling by sea? 8. What are the advantages and disadvantages of travelling by air? Have you ever travelled by air? How do you like it? 9. What do you think about walking tours? 10. What is, in your opinion, the most enjoyable means of travel? 11. What way of travelling affords most comfort for elderly people? (Give your reasons.) 12. Do you think travel helps a person to become wiser?
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