Additional Exercises Travelling by train in Britain

One of the first things a foreigner notices about British railways is the platforms. They are higher than in most parts of the world. The platform is almost on a level with the floor of the carriages. You don't, therefore, have to climb up into a railway carriage in Britain. This makes it a little easier to get in and out of the carriage with your luggage.

The trains that go to and from London are very crowded at the hours when people are travelling to work every day. They are cheap after a certain time of the day, usually about 9.30 when everyone has gone to work. These are called cheap day return tickets. It is often nearly 50% (fifty per cent) cheaper to travel to London after than before this time.

On many fast trains to London there is a dining-car in which one can buy lunch, dinner or coffee. On others there is a buffet at which it is possible to buy snacks and drinks. Sometimes a waiter from dining-car brings round cups of coffee to the passengers.

There are only two classes in Britain - first and second. A first-class ticket costs 50% more than a second-class ticket. On a long journey there is a ticket inspector, who visits every passenger to see if he has the right ticket and is not travelling in the wrong class.

In England train passengers seldom converse with their fellow-travellers even on a long journey - this is more a national custom than a matter of etiquette.

When the passenger reaches the end of his journey and leaves the train, he has to give his ticket to the ticket collector at the exit before he can leave the station. If he has luggage and wants someone to carry it for him to a waiting car or taxi, he must ask a porter. The porter does not make a charge for this service, but he expects a tip.

1. Point out the phenomena which are peculiar to travelling by train in Britain (the platform, the trains, the classes, the passengers, the porters). How are the things with us? Do they differ greatly? Discuss it with a classmate (classmates).

To express уоur opinion use the following:

What do you think of/ about....? I believe

What about.....? I should say....

I don't think much of..., do you? To my mind, ...

Don't you think...? If you ask me.,..

In my opinion.... I reckon...

2. Imagine: you are on a study visit in Great Britain. Your host student wants to take you on a tour outside London by train. You find much difference between the railway in Russia and Great Britain. Your host student explains to you the peculiarities of travelling by train in Great Britain. Act out a conversation.

Night flight

It was a smooth and quiet flight. The hostesses had finished collecting the trays, and they were in the galley putting things away when the first buzzers sounded. One of the hostesses went along the aisle to check. When she came back she looked surprised. "It's amazing," she said. "Even on a smooth flight like this two people have been sick."

Twenty minutes later nearly half the passengers were ill - dramatically ill. Several were moaning and groaning, some were doubled up in pain, and two were unconscious. Fortunately, there was a doctor on board, and he was helping the hostesses. He came to the galley and said, "I'd better speak to the captain. This is a severe case of food poisoning. I think we'd better land as soon as possible." "What caused it?" asked one of the hostesses. "Well," replied the doctor, "I had the beef for dinner, and I'm fine. The passengers who chose the fish are ill." The hostess led him to the flight deck. She tried to open the door. "I think it's jammed," she said. The doctor helped her to push it open. The captain was lying behind the door. He was unconscious. The co-pilot was slumped across the controls, and the radio operator was trying to revive him.

The doctor quickly examined the two pilots. '"They just collapsed," said the radio operator. "I don't feel too good myself," "Can you land the plane?" said the doctor. "Me? No, I'm not a pilot. We've got to revive them!" he replied. "The plane's on automatic pilot. We're OK for a couple of hours.'" "I don't know, said the doctor." They could be out for a long time." "I'd better contact ground control." said the radio operator. The doctor turned to the hostess. "Perhaps you should make an announcement, try to find out if there's a pilot on board." "We can't do that!" she said, "It'll cause a general panic." "Well, how the hell are we going to get this thing down?" said the doctor.

Suddenly the hostess remembered something. "One of the passengers ... I overheard him saying that he'd been a pilot in the war. I'll get him." She found the man and asked him to come to the galley. "Didn't you say you used to be a pilot?" she asked." "Yes ... why? The pilot's all right, isn't he?" She led him to the flight deck. They explained the situation to him. "You mean, you want me to fly the plane?" he said. "You must be joking. I was a pilot, but I flew single-engined fighter planes, and that was fifteen years ago. This thing's got four engines!'

"Isn't there anybody else?" he asked. "I'm afraid not," said the hostess. The man sat down at the controls. His hands were shaking slightly. The radio operator connected him to Air Traffic Control. They told him to keep flying on automatic pilot towards Brisbane, and to wait for further instructions from an experienced pilot. An hour later the lights of Brisbane appeared on the horizon. He could see the lights of the runway shining brightly beyond the city. Air Traffic Control told him to keep circling until the fuel gauge registered almost empty. This gave him a chance to get used to handling the controls. In the cabin the hostesses and the doctor were busy attending to the sick. Several people were unconscious. The plane circled for over half an hour. The passengers had begun to realize that something was wrong. "What's going on? Why don't we land?" shouted a middle-aged man. "My wife's ill. We've got to get her to hospital!" A woman began sobbing quietly. At last the plane started its descent. Suddenly there was a bump which shook the plane. "We're all going to die!" screamed a man. Even the hostesses looked worried as panic began to spread through the plane. "It's all right!" someone said, "The pilot's just lowered the wheels, that's all." As the plane approached the runway 'they could see fire trucks and ambulances speeding along beside the runway with their lights flashing. There was a tremendous thump as the wheels hit the tarmac, bounced twice, raced along the runway and screeched to a halt. The first airport track was there in seconds. "That was nearly a perfect landing. Well done!" shouted the control tower. "Thanks," said the man. "Any chance of a job?"