Ex. 4. Match the two parts of the sentences.

1. There are 5 minutes left …	a) where I had boarded the train.
2. Various services are proposed for passengers in high-class trains …	b) on the luggage racks at the end of the coach.
3. As it was very stuffy in the compartment …	c) to the roof of the house.
4. On the Eurostar train, passengers put large bags …	d) it added 2,000 employees in 2007.
5. The ticketinspector asked me …	e) a change of train in Paris.
6. Train journeys from the UK into Europe often involve …	f) my traveling companion tried to open the window but it was locked.
7. The company had 650 employees but …	g) they had grown to forty-two rail systems.
8. The workmen fixed the antenna …	h) 20 minutes late.
9. The train arrived at the station …	i) before the train departure.
10. The first railways appeared in India in 1853, and by the time of India's independence in 1947, …	j) such as interurban telephone calls, branch press, first-aid kits, food and security.

 

Ex. 5. Guess the meaning of the italicized words, using their dictionary definitions.

· aboard → on or onto a train; in a carriage

· berth → a place for someone to sleep in a ship or on a train

· booking office → a place where you can buy train or bus tickets

· companion → a person you spend a lot of time with, especially a friend

· conductor → someone who checks passengers’ tickets on the train

· crowd → a large group of people

· fare → the price you pay to travel somewhere by bus, train, or plane

· porter → someone whose job is to carry people's bags at railway stations,

airports etc.

· suitcase → a large case with a handle, used for carrying clothes and

possessions when you travel

· tip → a small amount of additional money that you give to someone such

as a waiter or a taxi driver

· traveling companion → a person that travels with you

 

Ex. 6. Read the sentences, replacing Russian words by their English equivalents.

1. The увеличение in train платы за проезд has aroused public indignation (возмущение).

2. The проводник punched our tickets and showed us our seats.

3. In the US, if you take a носильщика to carry your чемоданы в вагон, it is necessary to give him a чаевые.

4. Eddy is a great попутчик – funny and sensible at the same time.

5. I don’t go to football games because I don’t like big толпы.

6. Children under 14 travel by train half- плата за проезд.

7. I asked in the кассе whether they could поменять my ticket.

8. The boy carried my bags up to my room and then stood waiting for a чаевые.

9. Police Superintendent Tony Thompson said 144 passengers had bought tickets, but there could have been more or fewer в поезде.

10. In the купе, passengers put their чемоданы into a special box under the lower полкой.

11. The плата за проезд on the London Underground depends on the distance you travel.

12. If you want to become a train проводником, you can complete the course in 23 weeks. This course включает both classroom instruction and on-the-job training.

13. In Britain, railway stations usually have билетные кассы, ticket machines, or both, although on some lines tickets are sold в поезде.

14. He and his bride зашли в поезд, and the проводник announced: "All aboard!"

 

Ex. 7. Read the text, filling the gaps with the required words from the list.

Every Friday, I drive to the station and to ^1___ to London to meet my boyfriend. I ^2___ the flat at 6 o'clock. The ^3___ is terrible at that time and the journey takes 20 minutes. I get on a train to Cambridge first and then ^4___. I listen to the announcement (объявление) about which ^5___ to go to and then I ^6___ to find a seat. If I haven't bought the ^7___ in advance I sometimes have to (приходится) stand ^8___. In London, there are usually ^9___ of tourists with large ^10___ waiting for tickets in front of the ^11___. I squeeze (пробираться, протискиваться) past them and join the queue at the ^12___ and wait for a taxi. If I'm at the back of the ^13___, I feel impatient and nervous. I really hate ^14___. My boyfriend always says: 'Why don't you ^15___?' but that takes even longer. The taxi ^16___ from the station is £4.50. Altogether, the ^17___ costs me about £30. Should I ^18___ my job and work in London or should I get a new boyfriend?

a) all the way b) booking office c) catch the bus d) change e) change trains f) crowds g) fare h) get on the train i) leave j) platform k) queue l) round trip m) suitcases n) taxi rank o) ticket p) traffic q) try r) waiting

 

Ex. 8. Match the verbs in column A with their Russian equivalents in column B. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

A	B
1. to bother	a) узнавать, признавать
2. to burn	b) выворачивать наизнанку
3. to continue	c) показывать, указывать
4. to disappear	d) следовать
5. to interrupt	e) поворачиваться, отворачиваться
6. to feel hurt	f) угождать
7. to follow	g) говорить шёпотом, шептать
8. to hand	h) исчезать
9. to please	i) гореть
10. to point	j) (при)касаться, дотрагиваться
11. to realize	k) давать, вручать
12. to recognize	l) прерывать
13. to touch	m) надоедать, беспокоить
14. to turn one's back	n) продолжать
15. to turn inside out	o) понимать, осознавать
16. to whisper	p) обижаться

 

Ex. 9. Complete the sentences with the required verbs from Ex. 7. Four verbs should be used twice. Mind your grammar.

1. I ___ that you are very busy, but could I talk to you for a few minutes?

2. You don’t have to ___, no one can hear us.

3. In English the letter Q is always ___ by a U.

4. The plane came down so low that it's wings ___ the trees.

5. She watched the boat sail out to sea until it ___ over the horizon.

6. That security guy never ___ me. I always have to show him my ID.

7. The teacher ___ at Marcus and told him to come to the front of the class.

8. An average household candle will ___ for about six hours.

9. Alice ___ deeply ___ that he hadn't called back.

10. Sorry to ___ you, but could you help me one more time with the copier?

11. You should ___ the jeans ___ before you wash it.

12. The project's organizers hope the government will ___ funding it next year.

13. She's hard to ___. Everything has to be perfect.

14. We hadn't seen each other in thirty years, but I ___ her right away.

15. The compass arrow always ___ north.

16. Train service was ___ for about ten minutes.

17. The patrol car ___ the BMW for a few miles and then lost it.

18. The letter had mysteriously ___ from the file overnight.

19. As the delegates entered the room they were each ___ a name-badge.

20. When on stage, try not to ___ on the audience.

 

Ex. 10. (A) Practice the following expressions and memorize their meanings.

v (We have) nothing left – (У нас) ничего не осталось.

v to be in (good, bad) mood – быть в (хорошем, плохом) настроении

v to be at smb.'s disposal – быть в чьём-либо распоряжении

v to be of service to smb. – оказывать услугу кому-либо

v to make smb. comfortable – помочь кому-либо устроиться

v to make oneself comfortable – устроиться (удобно)

 

(B) Read the sentences and translate them.

1. I’ve only got a few dollars left.

2. There were a couple of vacant seats left at the back of the bus.

3. Hurry up! We don’t have much time left.

4. Nothing was left of the house.

5. Suddenly, for the first time in months, I found myself in a very good mood.

6. The good weather put him in an excellent mood.

7. The boss is in a bad mood, you’d better come some other time.

8. He is in a much better mood than usual.

9. Tanner had a lot of cash at his disposal.

10. The company's car was at my disposal.

11. Please allow me to be of service to you.

12. We try to make ourselves comfortable on the hard bench, but there is no back to lean against.

13. Look, why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable?

14. Come in and make yourself comfortable.

 

Ex. 11. (A) Pay attention to the phrase:

(I) asked … if (I) could ….

(Я) спросил (поинтересовался), могу ли (я) ….

 

1. I asked the clerk in the booking office if I could change my ticket.

2. I asked my traveling companion if he could help me to put my suitcase on the luggage rack.

3. The conductor asked me if I could take the upper berth.

4. The old lady asked the porter if he could carry her luggage to the taxi stop.

5. The passenger asked the official in the information bureau if he could tell why the train was being late.

 

(B) Make your own sentences, using the phrase given above.

 

Ex. 12. Make sure you know the following words. If not, consult a dictionary.

angrily, attitude, below, bow, couple, except, expression, grateful, politeness, same, speech, suddenly.

 

Ex. 13. Read the story by Mark Twain part by part; translate it and be ready to do exercises 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

 

Mistaken Identity

 

(I) Several years ago I arrived in New York, where I was to change trains and take a sleeper1. There were crowds of people on the platform; they were all trying to get on the long sleeper train, which was already crowded. I asked the young man in the booking office if I could have a sleeping-berth. The answer was: “No”. I went off and asked another local official2 if I could have some poor little corner somewhere in a sleeping car. The man interrupted me angrily saying: “No, you can’t, every corner is full. Do not bother me any more”. He turned his back and walked off. I felt so hurt that I said to my companion: “If these people knew who I was, they….” But my companion stopped me there: “Don’t talk such nonsense. If they knew who you were, do you think it would help you to get a vacant seat in a train which has no vacant seats in it?”

My friend’s words did not improve my mood, but then I noticed that the porter of a sleeping car was looking at me. I saw the expression of his face suddenly change. Pointing at me, the porter whispered something to the conductor. I realized that I was being talked about.

(II) The conductor came forward, his face all politeness.

“Can I be of any service to you?” he asked. “Do you want a place in a sleeping car?”

“Yes,” I said. “I will be very grateful to you if you can give me a place, anything will do.”

“We have nothing left except the big family compartment,” the conductor continued, “with two berths and a couple of arm-chairs in it. It is entirely at your disposal3. Here, Tom, take these suitcases aboard!” Then he touched his hat and went off.

(III) The porter made us comfortable in the compartment and then he said, with many bows and smiles:

“Is there anything you want, sir? Because you can have anything you want.”

“Can I have some hot water?” I asked.

“Yes, sir, I’ll get it myself.”

“Good! Well…, this lamp is too high above the berth. Can I have a better lamp fixed at the head of my bed below the luggage rack, so that I can read comfortably?”

“Yes, sir. The lamp you want is being fixed in the next compartment. I will get it from there and fix it here. It will burn all night long. Sir, you can ask for anything you want – the whole railroad will be turned inside out to please you.” After that he disappeared.

(IV) I smiled at my companion and said:

“Well, what do you say now? Didn’t their attitude change the moment they understood I was Mark Twain?” My companion did not answer. So I added:

“Don’t you like the way you are being served? And all for the same fare.”

As I was saying this, the porter’s smiling face appeared in the doorway and this speech followed:

“Oh, sir, I recognized you the minute I set my eyes on you.”

“Is that so, my boy?” I said, handing him a good tip. “And who am I?”

“Mr. McClellan, Mayor of New York,” was the answer, and the porter disappeared again.

 

Notes: ¹sleeper (train) = overnight train – ночной поезд

²official – служащий

³at your disposal –к вашим услугам