Speech exercises

Ex. 35. Retell in narrative form.

I went to Grand Central Station to see off my uncle's family. There the train came in a little before twelve. I helped my uncle take the things into the compartment. It seemed as if only a few minutes had passed, but it was time for me to get off the train. I kissed my little cousins good-bye and gave them each a box of chocolates. "I'll miss you, Frankie," Irene, the older one, said. "I'll miss you too," I said. I turned to my uncle and held out my hand. We shook. "Good-bye, uncle. Good luck."

He smiled. "So long, Frankie. Be a good boy. It won't be long be­fore we are back again."

My aunt was next. She put her arms around me and kissed me. She was crying. "I wish you were coming with us, Frankie," she said.

"I do, too," I said. I could hardly keep from crying, I tried not to because I didn't want them to feel bad. "Thanks for everything."

I didn't know what to say. Just then the porter touched me on the shoulder. "You'd better be getting off, sir. We're going to start any minute."

I nodded to him. I stood up and looked at them. "Well," I said, "so long." I could feel the tears coming into my eyes in spite of all my efforts, so I turned and got off the train.

I heard their good-bye in my ears as I walked down the platform to where their window was and waved to them. The girls had their noses flat against the glass. My uncle was trying to say something, but I couldn't hear him through the closed window. The signal of departure was given and the train started.

Ex. 36. Answer the following questions using the active vocabulary of the text. Sum up your answers.

1. The Railway

1. How old is the railway? 2. When did the first railway lines appear in Europe? 3. What two cities did the first railway line connect in Rus­sia? 4. What are the main lines in our country now? 5. Why is it impor­tant that industrial centres should have more railway lines? 6. How are the tracks kept in order? Why is it necessary that they should be cleared of snow, etc? 7. What kinds of engines are used more often now: steam or diesel-oil-electric? 8. Why are lines electrified?

2. The Train

1. What does a modern train look like? 2. What kind of engines have: suburban, fast, goods trains^*? 3. How many carriages are there in a suburban, fast, goods train? 4. In what way does a carriage of a local train differ from that of a fast train? 5. Why are there no compart­ments on a local train? 6. Why are there sleeping and restaurant cars only on long-distance trains? 7. How many passengers does a local train carriage (a long-distance train compartment) hold? 8. What does a goods train carry? 9. What is the speed of a suburban train, a fast train, a goods train? 10. What kind of service do you get on the train?

3. Travelling by Train

1. When do you book tickets beforehand? 2. When do people go to liie station to see off their friends? 3. When do you take a porter? 4. What's your idea of a comfortable journey? 5. Would you rather have a lower or an upper berth? 6. Would you rather travel facing the engine or with your back to the engine? 7. What has a news-stand to offer a traveller? Why do you buy magazines or newspapers when going on a journey?