In England train passengers seldom converse with their fellow-travelers 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 a taxi, he must ask a porter. The porter does not make a charge for this service, but he expects a tip.

Text 4. Seeing off

Exercise 1. Read the text. Retell the text using the Reported Speech

Three men came to the station at about nine o’clock one evening. They came on to the platform and said to the porter: ”What time is the next train to Liverpool?”

The porter said: ”You have missed one. They run every hour, the next one is at ten o’clock”. “That’s all right”, they said, “We’ll go and have a drink”. So off they went to the refreshment room. A minute or two after ten o’clock they came running and said to the porter: “Has the train gone?” “Yes”, he said, “it went at ten o’clock as I told you. The next is at eleven o’clock”. ‘That’s all right”, they said, “we’ll go and have another drink”. So they went back to the refreshment room.

They missed the eleven o’clock train in the same way, and the porter said: “Now, the next train is the last one, if you miss that, you won’t get to Liverpool tonight”.

Twelve o’clock came, and the last train was just starting out, when the three of them came out of the refreshment room running as hard as they could do. Two of them got in a carriage just as the train was leaving, but the third one didn’t run fast enough and the train went out leaving him behind. He stood there looking at the train and laughing, as if to miss a train was the best joke in the world. The porter went up to him and said: “I told you that this was the last train. Why didn’t you come earlier?” The man couldn’t answer for laughing. He laughed until tears came into his eyes. Then he caught hold of the porter and said: “Did you see those two fellows get into the train and leave me here?” “Yes, I saw them”. “Well, I was the one who was going to Liverpool, they only came to see me off”.

Text 5. Travelling by Sea

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text.

As for me there is no journey so fine as by sea. There are many things that make trips by sea fascinating. Though I am not much of a sailor, I love the sight of a ship with its many decks, cabins and state-rooms. It looks like a huge white floating city.

I shall never forget my first trip on board the “Pobeda” from Odessa to Sochi. The season was at its height then and the passenger traffic on the Odessa-Batumi line was heavy, so we had to reserve berths at the agency beforehand.

The ship was to sail at 2.00 p.m. on a certain Saturday early in July. In the morning of that distinguished day I felt very excited. A little after noon we reached the pier. The pier was crowded with cars, trucks loaded with luggage, passengers arriving and hurrying on board, and well-wishers seeing them off. It was really thrilling going up the gangway. Up and up we went until we reached the main deck. There we were attended by a sailor who took us down below deck. Soon he brought us to our cabin. It was a small room with two berths in it, and against the wall, just below the round window (a porthole) stood a little table.

At last we heard the ship’s siren warning the passengers and their well-wishers to say good-bye to each other. After some 10-15 minutes the ship weighed anchor and slowly slipped out of the harbour.

The “Pobeda” had all modern conveniences and a wide choice of entertainment facilities. There were restaurants, a good library, a cinema hall, billiard rooms and what not.

In the evening we enjoyed the beautiful sunset at sea. It was marvelous. Our voyage lasted several days. On our way we called at several ports. The stays were quite sufficient to give us the opportunity of visiting some places of interest there, but the most wonderful city was Sochi, of course.

Exercise 2. Give the Russian equivalents for the following:

Travelling by sea; fascinating; I am not much of a sailor; many decks, cabins and state-rooms; the season was at its height; the passenger traffic; to reserve berths beforehand; a distinguished day; the pier; a porthole; the ship weighed anchor; a wide choice of entertainment facilities; sunset at sea; the stays.

Exercise 3. Translate the Russian phrases into English and read the sentences aloud.

1. (Что касается меня) there is no travel so fine as by sea.

2. The ship looks like (огромный белый плавучий город).

3. The pier was crowded with (машинами, тележками с багажом, спешащими пассажирами и провожающими).

4. Our cabin was a small room with (двумя койками и маленьким столиком под иллюминатором).

5. The sunset at sea was (великолепным).

6. (Наше морское путешествие) lasted several days.

7. On our way (мы заходили в несколько портов).

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What kind of travelling does the story-teller prefer and why?

2. Where did he travel to for the first time?

3. How did he get the ticket?

4. When did he arrive at the pier?

5. How did it look like?

6. How did the cabin look like?

7. What facilities could be found on board the ship?

8. What can you say about his voyage?

Exercise 5. 1) Describe your last trip on board the ship.

2) Describe the trip of your dream.