Read and translate the text paying attention to the words and word expressions in bold. Make up a summary of it.

 

Travelling by Air

 

When you get to the airport you go to the check-in desk where they weigh your luggage. Usually you are permitted 20 kilos, but if your bags weigh more, you may pay excess baggage (=you pay extra). The airline representative checks your ticket and gives you a boarding card for the plane with your seat number on it. Then you go through passport control where an official checks your passport, and go into the departure lounge. Here, you can also buy things in the duty-free, e.g. perfume, alcohol and cigarettes. About half an hour or forty minutes before take-off, you are told to go to a gate number, e.g. gate 14, where you wait before you get on the plane. When you board (=get on) the plane, you find your seat. If you have hand luggage, you can put it under your seat or in the overhead locker above your seat. The plane then taxis (=moves slowly) towards the runway, and when it has permission to take off, it accelerates along the runway and takes off.

You need to understand certain announcements; these come from the captain (=the pilot) or from an air steward or stewardess / cabin crew / flight attendants (=people who look after the passengers):

§ Please fasten your seat belt and put your seat in the upright position.

§ We are now cruising (=flying comfortably) at an altitude (=height) of 10,000 metres.

When the plane lands (=arrives on the ground), you have to wait for it to stop/come to a halt. When the doors are open, you get off the plane and walk through the terminal building and go to the baggage reclaim where you collect your luggage. You then pass through customs (green=nothing to declare; red=goods to declare; blue=European Union citizen). If you are lucky, you can then get a bus, taxi or train to the centre of town without waiting too long. You can also hire a car (=rent a car) at most airports.

Read the article and choose the correct words in bold, then replace them with synonyms from the list.

• In addition • Furthermore • To start with

• However • What is more • In conclusion

Trains are the best!

 

Why do thousands of people every day let the train take the strain? Because travelling by train is, in my opinion, the best way to travel.

1) Also/Firstly, travelling by train is safe, you don't have to worry about traffic jams or other problems that you find on the roads.

2) Furthermore/However, because there is no other traffic there is less chance of having an accident.

3) Secondly/In addition, travelling by train is far more pleasant than, for example, travelling by bus. Trains are faster, and what is more the seats are far more comfortable. You can also sit back and enjoy watching the countryside, instead of having to stare at other cars and buses on the motorway.

4) On the other hand/Furthermore, although trains are fast and comfortable, some people say that train fares are too expensive. Tickets cost a lot of money. As far as I'm concerned, though, you get what you pay for, and the extra speed, convenience, safety and comfort of a train is worth a little extra cost.

5) All in all/Despite, I think that although rail travel can be expensive it is worth it. There are no traffic jams to cope with and you can relax and enjoy the scenery in comfort and safety. So, next time you have to make a journey, why not try travelling by train and see what a difference it makes?

 

Read the microdialogues (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and match them with the different types of transport (A, B, C, D, E).

A – by air

B – by train

C – by underground

D – by bus

E – by taxi

 

Microdialogue 1

A: Picadilly, please. I have an appointment at 10.30.

B: We should be OK if the lights are with us.

A: You’ve still got five minutes to spare. 3 euros, please.

B: Many thanks. Here you are. It couldn’t be better.

 

Microdialogue 2

A: Am I OK for St. Paul’s Cathedral?

B: No you are going the wrong way. You want a 105 from the church.

A: Can you tell me where to get off?

B: It’s three stops after this one.

 

Microdialogue 3

A: Which line do I take for Marble Arch, please?

B: You want the Victoria to Oxford Circus and then change on the Central.

A: How do I get to the train?

B: Follow these signs. You can’t go wrong.

 

Microdialogue 4

A: Which train do I take for Victoria, please?

B: 9.25. Platform 3.

A: What time does it reach London?

B: It takes roughly two hours, so you’ll arrive just before 11.30.

A: Is it necessary to change?

B: No, it’s a through train.

Microdialogue 5

A: What flights are there from London to Paris on Sunday?

B: I’ll just see what there is.

A: I want to go economy, and I’d prefer the morning.

B: There’s one leaving at 9.25.

A: What time do I have to be there?

B: You’ll have to be at the Heathrow Terminal by 8.35 at the latest.