If you want to get some information about places to stay when travelling abroad, read this text:

                                      TEXT E

                                 At the hotel

  Plenty of hotels advertise at airports. Places to stay may be called hotels, motels, inns. They are all similar. Motels have plenty of parking place and are near a highway. Inns are like motels. When travelling, it is convenient to stay at a hotel. The best way is to reserve a room in advance by telegram or by phone. Those who travel much know that sometimes tourists experience certain difficulties with booking a room at a suitable hotel. At the height of the season a sign "No vacancies" can be often seen at the desk-clerk.

But if you are lucky with booking a room you will enjoy your rest. In this case you must first observe some formalities. The desk-clerk will hand you an arrival card which all guests are required to fill in. The following information is required:

The name (in full) - surname, (first) name, patronymic.

Place of permanent residence.

Passport No.

 

    After having filled in the arrival card you must pay for all accommodation. The price depends on the duration of your staying at the hotel and the number of rooms booked. When all the formalities are over the desk-clerk hands you the key and you may go upstairs to occupy the room. At the hotel you will find rooms with or without bath, single rooms, double rooms and complete suites consisting of two or more rooms.

  Once you decide to stay at the hotel you are referred to as a "guest". You will find notices everywhere reminding guests to leave their keys at the desk when going out. All the keys are hung on a special keyrack.

  In the lobby you will usually find a newspaper stall and stalls where cigarettes and souvenirs are sold. You can also find a special comer or room to write letters. Guests are given a telephone service as well: you may book a trunk-call or reserve railway and airline tickets from your room telephone.

    Most of hotels have snack bars and restaurants. Besides there is a coffee-bar and grill-bar downstairs.

  The desk-clerk will answer all your questions and give you any information you need. He can also order railway tickets for you or book a ticket for the next boat out.

All hotels run a special laundry service for their guests. You can have your laundry done and your clothes ironed. The maid does your room every morning so you needn't even make your bed. At the entrance of the hotel there stands a doorman whose duty is opening the door for those who enter or leave the hotel, hailing taxicabs, calling a porter and so on. Guests are required to notify the clerk in advance about leaving so that he could make up the bill for them in time.

 

Match the words and word combinations on the left with their Russian equivalents on the right:

 

bill	киоск	trunk-call	Помещение с удобствами
guest	требовать	suite	Дежурный администратор
doorman	гостиница	notify	Листок прибытия
stall	горничная	keyrack	Междугородний разговор
maid	счет	single room	Номер “люкс”
Inn	гость	accommodation	Двухместный номер
remind	носильщик	desk-clerk	Уведомлять, предупреждать
porter	напоминать	double room	Стенд для ключей
require	швейцар	arrival card	Одноместный номер

 

4. Translate the following word combinations into English:

Остановиться в отделе, заказать номер, оставить у администратора, предоставлять прачечные услуги, поймать такси, «мест нет», выдать ключ, место для проживания, заказать заранее, подготовить счет.

 

5. Match the questions with the answers a – l:

1. May I have a trunk-call from my hotel room?

2. Have you filled in your arrival card yet?

3. Which reminds me... Where are you staying?

4. Can you show me the room, please?

5. What's the price?

6. Why do you dislike the inn?

7. Can I have my laundry washed?

8. What kind of accommodation would you like to have?

9. Are you going to notify the desk-clerk you will have left by the noon tomorrow?

10. Should you mind my booking a double room instead

of two single rooms?

11. It is difficult to hail a taxicab at rush hours, isn't it?

12. Whose duty is it to hand a key to a quest?

a) A suite. I mean a luxury three – room suite.

b) $ 45 service included.

c) It isn’t mine.

d) I’m terribly sorry. Our washing equipment doesn’t work.

e) Yes, please. It’s not a problem. But it’s rather expensive.

f) Yes, you are quite right.

g) At the new Barbican.

h) Fair enough. It’s a very good idea.

i) It’s near the highway. It’s very noisy.

j) Yes, of course. Come this way.

k) Sure. I have already paid my bill.

l) Unfortunately, I haven’t had enough time.

 

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