Travelling

Let’s talk on travelling.

I’m sure we will all agree that travelling is one of the most fascinating pastimes (activity that makes

time pass pleasantly). Seeing new places, probably new countries, meeting new people – what could

be more interesting?

Talking and answering the questions:

Do you like travelling? Why?

What means of travel (forms of transport) do you know?

Why are many people fond of travelling?

What is your favourite way of travelling?

What is your least favourite way of travelling?

Do you like public transport (convey from one place to another, busyness or system of transporting)?

Why do some people like travelling by train?

Do you like travelling by train?

What makes you like/dislike it?

What are the advantages of a sea-voyage?

What are the advantages of hitch-hiking?

What are the advantages or disadvantages of travelling by air?

Have you ever travelled by air? Do you like it? (The quickest means of travel is by plane.)

Do you think travel helps a person to become wiser (to get new information, to get accumulated

knowledge, to become more experienced)?

What is, in you opinion, the most enjoyable (you may take joy in, have the benefit of it, get experience)

means of travel?

Have you done much travelling?

What places of interest have you ever been to?

What are you plans for coming holidays?

How are you going to enjoy your holiday?

Where would you like to go on vacation (on holiday)? Vacation – a time when you leave your home and

stay in another place to rest and enjoy yourself.

Where and how would you like to travel? (by car)

Where are you going to go? Where will you go for your holiday? (to Italy)

Have you ever been there before?

How long are you going to spend there (to stay there)? (a week, a fortnight)

What are you going to do there? (Sightsee – to visit famous or interesting places as a tourist, swim and

lie on the beach, go water skiing, visit friends, go walking and climbing, travel round the country)

What are you going to buy there? (some shoes)

What would you like to see (while you are here)?

What other places are you going to visit?

Will your family go together with you? (I’m taking the children too.)

Where are you going to stay? (at a hotel, guest house, youth hostel, camping site – when you visit an

area and stay in a tent for a holiday, with friends and relatives)

Will you have to stay in a hotel?

How will you go there: by plane or by train?

The following words on the blackboard:

drive, fly, sail, walk, take a train.

So we can drive (drove, driven) – to travel in a car, fly (flew, flown) – to travel by plane, and sail – to

travel by any kind of boat or ship, of course we can walk – to go somewhere on foot and we may take a

train, bus, plane.

How can we call the person who is on a journey? (A traveller)

How can we call the person who is travelling in a car, boat, plane, train, but is not a driver or a

pilot? (a passenger)

Who is a tourist? (someone who travels around and visits places for pleasure)

Let’s discuss and argue on the pluses and minuses, advantages and disadvantages of these ways of

travelling. Answer and tell: What is cheaper/the cheapest? What is more expensive/the most expensive?

Which way is dangerous/the most dangerous? Which one is the safest? What kinds of travelling do you

know? Their pluses and minuses?

The following words on the blackboard

:

Different types (kinds, classes, sorts) of travelling

Travelling - путешествие.

To travel (verb) – to go from one place to another, through an area, or for a

specified distance. Travel (noun) – the act of travelling, going or journeying, a journey esp. to a distant

and unfamiliar place (tour, trip).

Let’s look at the blackboard. There are some new words: what is route?

1.

Route –a traveled way, a line or direction of travel. Маршрут, курс, путь, дорога.

2.

Journey – the act of going from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time. Поездка,

путешествие (обычно сухопутное) – synonyms: travel, tour, trip.

3.

Tour is a journey in which a short stay is made at a number of places (with the view of

sightseeing),

the

traveller

finally

returning

to

the

place

from

which

he

had

started.

Путешествие, поездка по определенному маршруту, предусматривающая остановку в

ряде мест и возвращение на место отправления.

4.

T r a v e l

– the

act

of

travelling. Путешествие,

поездка

(продолжительная

или

непродолжительная на далекое или близкое расстояние с любой целью и на любом виде

транспорта).

5.

Trip – a journey, an excursion, very brief, made by land or water. Непродолжительное

путешествие на любом виде транспорта, обычно на небольшое расстояние.

6.

Cruise – a sea voyage from port to port. Морское путешествие, плавание.

7.

Voyage is a rather long journey by water or air. Путешествие морское или воздушное –

synonym: cruise.

8.

You also may travel by getting free rides in passing automobiles and walking between rides.

Hitch-hiking is a comparatively new way of travelling which gives one a chance to see much

without spending (to pay out) money. Путешествие автостопом,

бесплатно на попутных

машинах.

9.

Flight – journey by air. Полет, перелет, рейс.

You can go almost anywhere on a cruise, whether you want a vacation in the sun or to visit historic sites.

We can get from one place to another by different means of communication. Answer: What does it

mean to communicate?

To communicate (сообщать, поддерживать связь) – to make known or share (information, thoughts, or

feelings), to convey knowledge or information of, to be connected (open into each other), to send

information back and forth, to put oneself into close connection or relationship with smb.

To commute (ездить из пригорода и обратно ежедневно) – to travel daily to and from work.

Commuter – person who commutes to and from work.

Answer: What is communication?

Communication – 1. communicating (общение, передача, сообщение). 2. thing communicated. 3. pl.-

means (methods) of travelling or sending messages.

Now let’s have a look at the following task:

Name the means of communication and say: 1) which is the slowest; 2) which is the fastest; 3)

which people can use only in towns; 4) which people can use only in the country; 5) which people

can use everywhere; 6) which you like best and why; 7) which you do not like and why; 8) which

you often use; 9) which you never use; 10) which you used last time. You have some minutes to

think it over.

Carriage (coach), horse (to mount a ~), on foot, ship (liner), tram, metro (the underground, subway),

bus,

aircraft (airplane, plane, air-liner, shuttle, spacecraft, spaceship), electric train,

car, lorry (truck),

boat (motor boat, submarine, ferry), tricycle (bicycle, cycle, bike, motor bike, motor cycle, motor sledge,

scooter).

Our next task is to read the text to know more about different Means of Communication and

translate it. Let’s make it one by one.

Read the text and answer the questions: 1) What do people use to get from one place to another? 2) Why did

people have to travel so long to get to the place they needed in the old days? 3) Why do many people like to

travel by air (by train, by car)?

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION

People use various means of communication to get from one place to another.

In the old days people had to travel several days, weeks and months to get to the place they needed. They

either went on foot, by coaches driven by horses or on horseback or by boats and ships. Then trains, trams, cars,

buses, airplanes, underground and other means appeared.

Many people like to travel by air as it is the fastest way of travelling. A lot of people like to travel by train

because they can look at passing villages, forests and fields through windows. Some people like to travel by car.

There they can go as slowly or as fast as they like. They can stop when and where they want.

People who live in big cities use various means of communication to get from one place to another.

Do you know what means of communication Londoners use? Londoners use the underground railway.

They call it “the tube” (metro, tunnel).

London's underground is the oldest in the world. It was opened in 1863. There was one route at that time,

four miles long. Now London's underground has 277 stations and it is 244 miles long.

Londoners use buses. The first bus route was opened in London in 1904. Today there are hundreds of

routes there. The interesting thing is that some of the routes are the same as many years ago. London's buses are

double-decked buses.

Londoners do not use trams, though London was the first city where trams appeared. And now it is one of

the biggest cities in the world where there are no trams. The last tram left the streets of London many years ago.

Londoners use cars. You can see a lot of cars in London streets.

When Londoners leave the town, they use trains, ships or airplanes.

Now we are going to read text about Different Means of Travel and I want you to tell me:

What’s the difference between these two notions: Means of Travel (Transportation) and Means of

Communication? (no difference between these 2 terms)

Let’s turn to the next exercise. Each paragraph is about a certain means of travel. Your task is to

fill the gaps. I want you to do it in pairs. The first desk should read the 1

st

paragraph, and so on.

You should guess if the description is positive or negative. And ask and answer in pairs if you like

this form of transport and what would you prefer. (The underlined words here in my copy are missed

in the students’.)

Different Means of Travel

There are various means of travel. We can travel by train, boat, airplane, car and finally we can

travel on foot. You have, all of you, done a certain amount of travelling, so let’s talk about the method of

travel you like best.



For me there is nothing like travel by air: it is more comfortable, more convenient and, of course,

far quicker than any other method. There is none of the dust and dirt of a railway or car journey. I

enjoy greatly the feeling of flying. As you leave the earth behind you, you seem to belong to

another world, a bigger, wider world than one you left. Looking down you gain a magnificent

view of a charming landscape. No, you will never make me believe that there is a better way of

travelling than by air.



I’d like to speak in support of the train. With it you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined.

What place is more interesting than a big railway station? There is movement, the excitement, a

lot of people going away and sorrow of those who are seeing others off. And there is always the

romance of the train. I love best to travel by train.



For me there is no travel so fine as by boat. There are many interesting things that make travel by

sea a fascinating thing for me. I love the sight of a ship with its many decks, cabins and state-

rooms. It looks like a huge white floating city. I like to feel the fresh sea wind blowing in my face.

It’s delightful to be out at sea, promenade the deck or sit in a deckchair and take the sun.



As for me there is nothing better than to travel by car – a good, fast car I mean. When you are in

the airplane, you have to be driven by someone else; travel by car is a more personal experience,

for there you can drive yourself. You can go as fast as you wish, stop when and where you want

choose. Of course, you see much more of the country than you do in a plane.



Well, you may say what you like about flights, sea voyages, railway journeys or tours by car, but

give me a walking tour any time. I can see the real country, the wild flowers, and the birds. And

besides, you are saving your money travelling on foot. It is the cheapest method of travelling. You

also may travel by getting free rides in passing automobiles and walking between rides.

Let’s talk about the method of travel you like least:



I objected to the sea trip strongly. A sea trip does you good when you are going to have a couple

of months of it.



Travelling on foot is exhausting (tiring, tiresome, boring) and gets you nowhere.



To travel by car



To travel by air



To travel by train

To see off (smb) – to be present at the departure of smb.

Your task now is to think over the disadvantages of the rest of means of travel. Do the rest of the

exercise as your homework for the next lesson. Do it in writing.

Look at the blackboard.

Write down (copy) the chart and complete it at home too:

means of travelling

advantages

disadvantages

by car

You may stop when and where

you want

The air is unpleasant because

of exhausts (fumes)

by train

by ship

To be seasick all the time

by plane

comfortable, much quicker

expensive

on foot

cheap

Now we’re going to listen to these people about their holiday plans to some friends. Fill in the

details. You needn’t worry if you can’t pick up all the words.

Make notes about:



where they are going to go,



how they are going to go,



how long they are going to stay,



where they are going to stay,



and what they are going to do on holiday. You should listen to it first without writing, then

organize the information when you listen a second time.

Answer the following questions:

How long is Jane going to spend there? (a week)

What is she going to do there? (to sightsee). Let’s listen to it again.

Jane

Elizabeth

Country/Place

France, Paris

Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Transport

By the sleeper (train) to King’s

Cross, across London to Victoria

down to Folkestone, on the steamer

across the channel, by train to Paris

So: train and steamer

By car to the airport, then fly Air

Canada to Winnipeg, then a 500 mile

drive across to Banff in the Rockies

So: car, plane

Length of stay

A week

3 weeks (from the 15

th

of December

to the 2

nd

of January)

Accommodation

At a hotel (not far from the Moulin

Rouge) where we have bed and

breakfast

To stay with a family – friends that

stayed with us in the summer in this

country

Activities

To sightsee (to go to Versailles), to

take a trip (to go on trip) on the

Bateau Mouche and to go to Notre

Dame, Sacre Coeur, Tuileries

In Winnipeg – to visit friends and

relatives, in Banff – to ski, to swim

(some hot water springs), to go

across to America as well as a week

Steamer = boat, to book = to reserve (a place, a ticket) in advance.

Let’s look at the list below and discuss what we should do before the departure (leaving). What do

we do when going to travel?

Preparations for travelling



To make preparations (arrangements) for a journey: to answer the question: What do we take

with us when we travel? To pack the necessary things (one’s bags). (We take only things of prime

necessity, I like to travel light. It may be the suit-case, a book, some clothes…). It’s called luggage.



To determine the price (amount of money you can spend), define how long it takes you to travel.

To travel economy class, first (second) class.

Fare – the amount of money you pay to travel on a bus, train, plane.

Ticket – a piece of paper or card which shows that you have paid to travel on a bus, train, plane…

(One-way ticket or single ticket, round-trip ticket or return ticket and season ticket – a ticket that

you can use every day for a period of time)



To choose the route (the best route), to buy (book) a ticket for the train (boat, plane):

Let’s go to the tourist (travel) agency (bureau).

Travel agency - an office engaged in selling,

arranging or furnishing (providing) information about personal transportation or travel.

Which is the best route to France?



To choose the accommodation (a room or other place to stay when you are away from home)

where you are going to stay:

Where do you intend to stay (put up)? (At the hotel, five-star hotels are the very best hotels: four-star

hotel with two restaurants and a swimming pool)

Resort – a town where a lot of people often go for holidays.

To reserve a room (single, double) by telephone.



To ask somebody to look after your pets.



To lock doors/windows, to turn off electricity, gas, heating.



To buy some fruit, sweets, magazines.

You task is to continue this list of the things to do before you leave. Do it in the written form at

home.

Read the joke and answer my questions:

Two Americans were travelling in Spain. Once they came into a little restaurant for lunch. They

didn’t know Spanish and the waiter didn’t know English. In order to make him understand they wanted

some milk and sandwiches they drew a cow. The waiter looked at it and ran out of the restaurant. Soon he

was back and put down in front of the two men two tickets for a bull-fight (corrida).

Draw = sketch a figure with a pencil or pen.

Have you ever put your foot into such case (in a case like that) or got into a mess?

Have you ever felt awkward about anything?

Have you ever found yourself (been) in an awkward situation? (to put one’s foot into it = to feel

awkward – shy (not at ease), embarrassed (ashamed) - about something)

Will knowledge of English do you any good? I want you to think it over at home.

So you’ve got your homework for the next time, thank you very much, the lesson is over, you may

be free. Good bye.