Vocabulary activator

Exercise 9. Match the words given at the beginning with the definitions below

a nightmare, dreadful, a whale, to handle smth., paradise, to honeymoon, astounding, to relax, gorgeous, holiday pastime, to dive, to abandon, a long-haul flight, to take off (about a plane), to catch up

1. to go somewhere after you’ve got married

2. to stop having a particular idea or belief

3. to spend time finding out what has been happening while you have been away

4. so surprising that it is almost impossible to believe

5. a journey in a plane over a very long distance

6. a very large animal that lives in the sea and looks like a fish, but is actually a mammal

7. to rest

8. to rise into the air from the ground

9. not to become upset in a difficult situation

10. extremely pleasant and enjoyable

11. a very frightening dream, or a very unpleasant situation

12. enjoyable time when you rest from work

13. a place that is extremely pleasant, beautiful or enjoyable

14. to jump into deep water with your head and arms going first

15. extremely unpleasant, terrible

READING FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the dialogue and answer the questions in Exercise 10.

Arranging an Itinerary

Graham. Well, I guess we’d better plan an itinerary.

Angela. I guess so. We really need to impress him.

G. Okay. Well I guess we’d better start at breakfast. How about breakfast in Harvard Square?

A. Great. I love that place.

G. And that should take us what, half an hour or so… from say 8.30. to 11 we can take him sightseeing. In Cambridge?

A. Well, why don’t we start at 9? I think we should allow a little bit longer for breakfast. You know what it’s like.

G. Okay, a relaxed start to the day... and then we’ll rush through Cambridge. It’s just a bunch of universities, anyway. And then we can find ourselves up on Beacon Hill. Maybe have a little stroll around there?

A. Perfect. That sounds great.

G. Okay, excellent. Which should take us right through to my favourite plan of the day…

A. Lunch at the Union Oyster Bar!

G. The Union Oyster Bar!

A. Yes, let’s.

G. I’ve never been there.

A. Oh, it’s fantastic. You’ll love it.

G. Are you sure he likes oysters?

A. Oh, I’m sure he will. It really has a wonderful atmosphere.

G. Okay. Oysters at what, say, 1 o’clock?

A. Perfect!

G. Excellent. Okay, so what, we need another hour for lunch, then we can walk along Commonwealth Avenue.

A. Well, shall we have an hour and a half for lunch, and say start 2.30?

G. Well, I guess so. I don’t want him to think we’re lazy or anything, though.

A. Well, it’s just I hate pushing things and things always take longer than you imagine.

G. And you don’t want to go walking on a bellyful of oysters.

A. No, you don’t.

Exercise 10. Answer the following questions:

What did they decide to start their itinerary with? How much time would it take them to have breakfast? Why did they believe Cambridge was worth seeing? What was Graham’s favourite plan of the day?

Helpful phrases According to the text … As far as I can see … If I am not mistaken …

POINTS FOR DISCUSSION

Share your opinion with other fellow-students:

a. Do you think the youngsters worked out an interesting route?

b. Would you like an idea of going to the Union Oyster Bar?

c. What is so peculiar about Cambridge for tourists?

d. Why is it important to plan an itinerary?

e. Have you ever arranged an itinerary for your holidays?

READING FOR COMPREHENSION

Read through the text, there are four gaps in the text. Each one should contain a quotation. Choose a quotation from the list (A-D) bellow to fill each gap.

A “No, she was angry because the cows used to stop and look in at her as they went past the window.”

B “particularly for families with children”

C “they should try and sort it out with a holiday company representative there and then.”

D “The fact that their hotel is next to a road. How do they expect to get to their hotel if it’s not next to a road?

Dear travel agent, please stop the cows staring at me…

For the next few weeks, tour operators will be sorting through the annual deluge of complaints. Ron Wheal, head of customer relations for Britain’s biggest holiday company, which took more than a million abroad this summer, says, “Holidaymakers are complaining about petty, silly little things. Such as?

1

Perhaps one of the most common complaints is that the holiday fails to live up to the brochure promises. A family from Berkshire with two young children were attracted by a two-week package in a three-star hotel that was described as “friendly” and

2

It offered cots, baby minding, high chairs and early suppers”. When they arrived, the hotel was not up to three-star standard, the staff were rude and the promised facilities for children were practically non-existent.

An initial complaint which had been sent to the holiday company by the family was answered with an ex-gratia payment of £30. With the help of a consumer magazine, the family issued a summons claiming £500 – which the holiday company eventually met in full.

One of the big travel successes of recent years have been the “gite” holiday; a gite is self-catering accommodation in France, often on a farm. The director of the Gite de France’s London office recently received a telephone call from one client furious about the cows that passed in front of her gite. Was she complaining about the mess?

3

Britain’s biggest seller of long-distance holidays says that the majority of its complaints come from people who have chosen the wrong sort of holiday. People who fail to do their research could find themselves in the Caribbean during hurricane season.

Mr. Wheal says that if someone really wants action over a spoilt holiday.

4

Those who complain to the tour operator on their return and are unhappy with the response can take their case to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) which will provide conciliation facilities free of charge.

Now read the article again and mark the following statements as either true or false. Underline the word or phrase which gives you your answer.

1. Ron Wheal thinks that most of the complaints his company receives are reasonable.

2. The most frequent complaint is that a holiday is of a lower standard than expected.

3. The family from Berkshire expected that someone would be available to look after their young children.

4. The first thing they did was to write a letter of complaint to the company.

5. The company paid £500 as soon as they received the letter.

6. If you stay at a gite, you have to prepare your own meals.

7. The long-distance holiday company suggests that holidaymakers should find out about the area they intend to visit.

8. Mr. Wheal suggests that people with complaints should contact ABTA as soon as they return home.