Translate the words and phrases, practise their pronunciation.

public transport	taximeter	pedestrian
vehicle	yellow cabs	policeman
taxi	route	district
cab	sidewalk	driving license
to hire a taxi	driver	carriage
to hail a taxi	officer	speed limit
to order a taxi	passenger	accident

Reading

I. Skim the text to grasp the general idea. Think of the most suitable heading.

When traveling in a foreign country, it is important to know the dos and don'ts of finding a taxi. Doing things safely and securely is the best way to ensure getting to where you are going at the right time, paying the correct price, and not getting into any dangerous or unpleasant situations. So check out these handy tips for the next time you're in a foreign country, looking for a taxi or cab.

To find a cab quickly and easily, it pays to know where to look. Searching side streets or local neighborhoods may be a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, but it is much harder to find available cabs in rural areas. Instead, try and get to a main road, a large street or avenue with lots of traffic. Often high-traffic areas will have taxi locations marked out with a small sign or place to wait, where cabs will stop for waiting passengers. Do not expect that simply waiting will get a cab to stop, you should still step up and hail passing cabs, to let them know you are looking for a ride.

Knowing where to look also includes knowing where not to look. In addition to the many registered and official cabs in a city, there are often many illegal or unregistered cabs. These unregistered cabs have no regulation or authority, and thus do not always follow the rules. They may overcharge or try to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists, and they should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. When arriving in a foreign city or country, you may be greeted at the airport or train station by men asking you if you need a taxi. Although they may seem friendly, it is usually not a good idea to take a cab ride from someone who approaches you, as they will most likely be unregistered. Instead, walk out front of the station or airport where there should be a line of taxi cabs or a stop where they pass by. This way you will ensure that you get a registered and official cab, and the official rate of passage.

In telephone kiosks in the airport, information desks at train stations, or even simply by looking in the phone book, try and get the phone number of a taxi agency when you are in at foreign city. If you have a phone card, or enough loose change, you will always be able to call a cab from any public phone. Be careful though, many countries no longer have public phones that accept loose change, so you may need to invest in a calling card or use someone's telephone. Taxi cab phone operators generally speak English, and will be able to help you get a cab whenever you need it.

In many countries, taxi cabs do not run on a meter. Instead, the price of a voyage is either common knowledge (for locals at least) or is agreed upon ahead of time. Do not get stuck in a situation where you can get taken advantage of, ask the price of your trip before getting in a cab and make sure you hold the driver to the agreed fee. Although the price you pay may be higher than a local would, at least you will avoid the most

Sometimes you leave a club or bar and ask yourself, “Where are all the cabs when you need them?” If you've gone out at night and need a cab ride to get home, it is often difficult to find a taxi, especially late at night. In some cities, it may not be the best idea to wander the streets looking for one either. If possible, try calling for a cab from a hotel or pay phone, then wait for the cab to arrive. If you need to go looking for a taxi, do it in a busy area or larger street. It will not only be easier, but will be safer as well.

Find a busy street near your location, even if it means a short walk. You may spend much more time on a quiet side street, waiting for a cab to come by, than you would if you simply walked in the direction of a main avenue or artery and caught a passing taxi. If you do not know where you are in the city, try asking someone in the bar or club, instead of wandering off and getting lost.

Most restaurants and bars will gladly call you a cab if you need one. This is often the best option as it ensures you have a ride ready and waiting for you outside, and you can be fairly certain that it will be an official cab. Simply ask the bartender, waiter, or hotel front desk to call a cab and alert you when it arrives. This is usually the easiest and safest option.

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

Reading comprehension

I. Read the text once again and find in the text the English equivalents to the following Russian words and word combinations:

местные жители, оживленная улица, главная дорога, выходить вперед, поймать такси, общественный телефон, телефонная карта, увлечься делом, гонорар, плата, бродить по улицам, главная магистраль, предупредить об опасности.

II. Explain the following words in English. Use English–English dictionary if necessary:

Safely, cab, traffic, to hail, illegal, to avoid, loose change, meter, direction, option.

III. Complete the table. Dos and Don’ts while finding a taxi

Dos	Don’ts
1.	1.
2.	2.
3.	3.
4.	4.
5.	5.

Listening

I. Listen to two conversations about a taxi journey and answer the questions below.

1. What is the address of the person ordering the taxi?

2. Where does the person want to go to?

3. Does the taxi driver know how to get to the destination?

II. Complete the spaces with the words used by the client.

1. Hello……………………………………………………please.

2. It’ll be about twenty minutes…………………….., I’m afraid.

3. Driver: Mr. Hansen?

Mr. Hansen: Yes, that’s right………………the Oasis Restaurant.

4. Right. You can………………………………………if you like.

5. Could I………………………………………………….please?

6. Oh and keep……………………………………………………

Lexical exercises

I. Choose the most appropriate variant.

1.Hey, don't drive so fast, or you'll get in an _________.

a) accident

b) incident

2.The driver in front of me keeps changing __________.

a) lines

b) lanes

3.There is always a lot of ______________ on this road.

a) traffic

b) travel

4.The police officer gave me a _______ for not signaling.

a) fare

b) ticket

5.I'm running low on gas, we have to ________ (get a full tank of gas).

a) fill up

b) fill in

6.Most people know that wearing a _____ is a good idea.

a) car belt

b) seat belt

7.This road is under construction so we have to make a ___________.

a) go around

b) detour

8.Slow down! You're going 40 miles above the _________________!

a) speed limit

b) speed zone

9.When you're driving in big cities, you should always look out for ________.

a) pedestrians

b) cows

Speaking

1. Choose a place in your town you are familiar with. Phone for a taxi (your partner) to get you there for a meeting in a half an hour.

2. The taxi arrives. Tell the driver where you want to go. Remember to get a receipt.

3. Now choose a second destination. The taxi has no meter, so you will need to check the price before getting in.

Writing

I. A. You took two taxis yesterday with City Cabs. You left your umbrella in one of the taxis, but cannot remember which. You have phoned the taxi company, who has asked you to send them an email describing the trips you made to help them find the umbrella.

B. A client is arriving from abroad and will need to get to your offices. Write an email to explain the best route for them in terms of price, time, and comfort, as well as the best form of transport.

II. Choose one of the problems and write an essay based on it:

1. What country would you like to go to on a business trip? Why?

2. What would you advise to a foreigner who is going to work in this country?

3. Why do people still travel on business though there are lots of technical means of communication?

Unit V. EATING OUT

Learn how to ask for and give help with a menu, methods of cooking, describing taste of food, rules of dining etiquette.

Lesson 1. Meals

Warm up

· Are you fond of going to the restaurants? What is your favourite restaurant or café?

· Are there any foreign restaurants in your area?

· Which restaurants do you choose to go to in your country when you are with visitors?

· When you are abroad, how do you decide where to eat?

· Do you often invite guests to dinner?

· Do you enjoy eating Indian (Russian, French, German…) food?

· Can you cook well?

· What are your favourite dishes?

· What sort of take-away food do you usually eat?

Active Vocabulary