Travelling by Train
Modern life is impossible without travelling. There are various means of travel. One can travel by train, boat, plane, car and finally we can travel on foot. Of course the fastest way of travelling is by plane. But many people make their choice on travelling by train as with a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined. Travelling by train is of course slower than by air but it also has its advantages.
I’d like to speak in support of train. With a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined. What place is more interesting than a big station? There are always a lot of people here hurrying to and fro to take a ticket in the booking-office, to board a train or to see somebody off. You show your ticket to the guard and in you go into a carriage. Soon the train starts. You begin a conversation with your fellow-passengers. People always take to each other quickly when travelling. Soon you get to know who is who and what and make friends with them. When the guard makes your bed you get into your favourite upper berth to watch the changing scenes which fly past: the fields, the meadows, the rivers, the forest and the mountains. So I prefer travelling by train although I agree the future lies with air-transport. The railway is quite safe and cheap in comparison with it. For me there is nothing like travelling by train.
If you are going to travel by train you'd better book seats beforehand because many people are fond of travelling by train. There are some reasons why people choose railroad. Train is the cheapest means of travelling. Modern trains have very comfortable seats in all passenger cars, and there are sleeping-cars and dining-cars which make even the longest journey enjoyable. You can buy first-class, second-class and third-class sleepers in a separate compartment. If you are early before the train starts you can leave your suit-cases in the compartment and walk up and down the platform.
There are express, slow and long-distance trains. If you want to go somewhere and get there as quickly as possible you'd better know that express trains only stop at the largest stations while slow trains stop at all stations. You can get to far countries only by a long-distance train. There are usually two lower and two upper berths in a third-class sleeper compartment. Some people like to occupy upper berths because it is more convenient and exciting to travel. During your way on the train you can read newspapers, books, look out of the window, drink tea, communicate with your neighbors or sleep. I prefer to look out of the window, because you can see the country you are passing through, and not only the clouds as when you are flying. You can have something to eat at the stations when the train makes stops. Though we all seem to agree that the future belongs to air transport, the railroads today still carry a lot of passengers and goods.
Answer the following questions
How can one travel? 2. What is the fastest means of traveling? 3. Why do many people choose traveling by train? 4. What do you get when travelling by train? 5. Who can you see at a big railway station? 6. What do these people do? 7. Who do you show your ticket to when boarding a train? 8. Who do you speak to on a train? 9. Who makes your bed? 10. What can you see lying on an upper berth? 11. What are advantages of travelling by train? 12. What should you do when you travel by train? 13. What kind of tickets can you buy on a train? 14. What kind of trains do you know? 15. Where do express trains stop? 16. Where do slow trains stop? 17. How many berths are there in a third-class sleeper compartment? 18. What can you do travelling by train?
Agree or disagree with the following statements
Train is the fastest means of travelling. 2. Train is the cheapest means of travelling. 3. When you travel by train you should buy tickets on the day of departure. 4. You can buy first-class and second class tickets on a train. 5. There are express, slow and long-distance trains. 6. Express trains stop only at small stations. 7. Slow trains stop at the largest stations. 8. There are two lower and two upper berths in a third-class sleeper compartment. 9. Travelling by train you can read books, look out of the window, communicate with you neighbours or sleep.