TRAVELLING
A) Means of transport /comparison, advantages and disadvantages/
B) Importance of travelling, its purposes, business trip, holiday trip
C) Getting ready for a journey
D) Travel industry and its consequences
E) Travelling in the past, nowadays and in the future
1. Where do you usually travel?
2. What is the best (worst) experience you have had while travelling?
3. What plans do you have for travelling this year?
For most people travelling is great hobby. Every summer you can see thousands of people waiting at bus or railway
stations or at airports or seaports for the means of transport 1 that will take them to the place of their summer holiday. People
travel to work, on holiday, on business or for pleasure for short or long distances. If you plan travelling you should decide
how to get to your destination. You may travel by land, by air or by sea. If you travel by land, you should consider 2 one of
these: going on foot/ walking/, hitch-hiking3, riding a bike or motorbike, travelling by bus, by car or by coach4. They all have
advantages and disadvantages5. Some of them are cheap, fast, comfortable, safe, exciting, interesting others are slow,
expensive, uncomfortable, not too safe and boring. If you have no time to arrange6 your journey, there are a lot of travel
agencies that assign7 everything. If you want to travel by plane, ship or ferry you should book your ticket 8 and a seat or
cabin long before your departure9.
Walking or going on foot is definitely the cheapest and healthiest way but it is convenient10 only if you travel short
distances. If your destination is far away, you will probably choose a bus /coach/, a train or a car. Buses are quite fast and
comfortable, especially coaches which travel agencies use to transport holidaymakers to the seaside or to the mountains.
The fares11 are reasonable12, you can usually get a drink on the coach and many of them are equipped by13 video to watch
during the journey.
Travelling by train was quite common in the past It is not very fast /in our country/ and if you travel by slow train it
often stops at many stations, you have to change very often and they are dirty and uncomfortable. Fast trains or expresses
become more comfortable, faster, and cleaner. You can have a meal in dining-car, you can sleep in the sleeper if you travel
at night and the best of all is a fact that you can walk when you are tired of never-ending sitting. Travelling by train is very
exciting experience especially for children. Railway stations are usually very big, noisy, overcrowded14 places where you
find several ticket offices, large departure and arrival boards 15, waiting rooms, telephone boxes, left luggage or lockers16,
restaurant or snack bars, toilets, newspapers and magazines at a bookstall/newsagent’s/news-stand/.
Travelling by plane is considered to be17 the fastest, the most expensive, and even the safest way to travel
according to18 statistics. It is convenient, especially over long distances. Airports are large and well-organized places. On
the day of your departure you have to check-in, go trough passport and security check and customs19 if we have something
means of transport – dopravné prostriedky
to consider - zvážiť
3
hitch-hiking - stopovanie
4
a coach – diaľkový autobus
5
advantage – výhoda, disadvantage - nevýhoda
6
to arrange a journey – pripraviť výlet, cestu
7
to assign - zabezpečiť
8
To book the ticket – objenať si lístok, zaistiť si vopred
9
departure - odchod
10
convenient - pohldný
11
a fare - cestovné
12
reasonable – primeraný, pochopiteľný
13
to be equipped by – byť vybavený niečím
14
overcrowded – preplnený ľudmi
15
departure and arrival board – tabuľa s odchodmi a príchodmi
16
a locker – uzamykateľná skrinka
17
it is considered to be – je považované za
18
according to - podľa
19
customs - colnica
1
2
to declare20. Than you wait to board your plane21 at the departure gate. You are offered some refreshment22 when you travel
by plane. Price of flight-ticket and services depend on23 class you travel by. You can travel by economy or business class.
The most common way24 of travelling today is going by car. It gives you independence; you may travel any time of
the day at any speed. Motorways /highways/, roads with car parks to have a rest, modern petrol stations are everywhere.
Traveling by boats, ferries, and ocean liners25 takes a lot of time, but it is great experience. If you live in a big city rush hours
and traffic jams are everyday part of your life. It is better to use public transportation such as: underground, bus, tram or
taxi. Travelling is very important not just for transportation. It is way how to know lifestyle of different nations, cultures and
language.
Answer these questions:
1. Why do people travel?
2. What is the most suitable26 way of travelling for long distances?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of travelling by train?
4. Why is it easier for Slovaks to travel since Slovakia joined the EU?
5. What arrangements do you have to make before travelling abroad?
6. Do you prefer travelling with a travel agency or do you organize holidays yourself?
7. Describe your dream hotel.
8. Have you ever hitch-hiked to get somewhere?
9. You would like to go for a trip with your friends. Look at the following list and decide which five things are the most
important for you to take and explain why.
Map
sleeping bag
penknife
currency
watch tent
food
aspirin
10. role play
Student:
You have just returned from your holiday which you had expected to be much more comfortable than it was. You
are in a travel agency. You complain about the accommodation, food and services which were horrible. Try to get
some financial compensation.
Interlocutor: One of your customers has just returned from his/her journey and has to complain. It seems that the
customer was not satisfied with anything. You partly understand but you feel sorry because you cannot promise any
financial compensation. Your boss is strict and the customer was informed about possible problems beforehand.
11. describe these pictures:
to declare – prihlásiť na preclenie
to borad the plane – nastúpiť, vstúpiť na palubu
22
refreshment - občerstvenie
23
depend on – závisieť na
24
the most common way – najbežnejší spôsob
25
ocean liner - parník
26
suitable - vhodný
20
21