VI. Test. Translate into English:

Скоро начнётся инструктаж перед вылетом, пассажирам покажут, как пользоваться кислородной маской. Пассажиры интересуются, может ли отказать система герметизации? Только пассажиры первого класса получают всё бесплатно. Вы когда-нибудь летали в болтанку? Когда включают табло “Пристегнуть ремни”? Пассажиров просят пристегнуть ремни и привести спинки кресел в вертикальное положение. Как выполняется инструктаж? Пассажирам объяснят, как надеть спасательный жилет и кислородную маску. Спасательные жилеты находятся под пассажирскими креслами. Когда подадут освежительные напитки пассажирам? Вы знаете, что имеются ограничения относительно торговли на определённых маршрутах? Кем назначаются цены на вино, пиво и другие напитки? Все авиакомпании обеспечивают своих пассажиров сувенирами? В каком положении должны быть спинки кресел при взлёте? Что обычно продают на борту самолёта? Я никогда раньше не летал, напитки бесплатные? Я хотел бы знать, почему пассажиры первого класса получают всё бесплатно на борту самолёта. Кто проводит инструктаж? Когда проводится инструктаж? Вас проинформируют, инструктаж будет проведён на борту. Система герметизации надёжна? Все пассажиры получают всё бесплатно в полёте? Что пассажирам обеспечивается бесплатно на борту самолёта? Летать в болтанку опасно? Ремни должны быть пристёгнуты. Вас просят привести спинки кресел в вертикальное положение. Позвольте мне помочь вам привести спинку кресла в вертикальное положение. Освежительные напитки предоставляют бесплатно. Какие сувениры вас интересуют? Могут ли пассажиры купить сувениры на борту самолёта? Разрешается ли пассажирам курить в полёте? Пассажирам объяснят, как пользоваться спасательными жилетами? Где находятся кислородные маски? Сколько на борту спасательных жилетов и кислородных масок? Кислородных масок достаточно для каждого пассажира? Существуют ли какие-либо ограничения относительно торговли на борту самолёта? Могут ли пассажиры заказывать напитки в полёте? Какие напитки бывают и что еще предоставляют пассажирам на самолёте? Вы никогда не летали раньше, не так ли? Вы заплатили в два раза дороже за билет? Есть ли возможность купить какие-либо сувениры в аэропорту или на борту самолёта? Вы уже сделали покупки? Какие сувениры вы купили?

Unit 8

SPECIAL DIETS

Dialogue

Having served drinks to the passengers, the cabin crew are now about to serve lunch. Mr. Marshall, sitting comfortably in his window seat, is approached by an air hostess. She knows that a special vegetarian diet has been requested for him.

Mr. Marshall: Feeling hungry?

Passenger: Starving. I didn’t have time for breakfast. I had a bit of a scramble to catch the flight.

Mr. Marshall: Well, it doesn’t look as if we’ll have long to wait. They seem to be busy in the galley back there.

Passenger: Yes, and I swear that I smell steak.

Mr. Marshall: There’s a menu in the pocket of the seat-back in front of you. Have a look.

Passenger: Yes, I was right. Look at this. Smoked Scotch salmon to start with, followed by steak with button mushrooms, garden peas and croquette potatoes. Then there’s Napoleon gateau. That’s fabulous. And look. There’s English cheese, cream crackers and coffee. There’s even de-caffeinated coffee, too.

Mr. Marshall: That should take care of your appetite. Sure you’ll be able to eat it all?

Passenger: I’ll finish it, don’t worry. You hungry?

Mr. Marshall: Fairly. I hope they remembered my diet.

Passenger: Diet?

Mr. Marshall: Yes, I don’t eat meat.

Passenger: How can you have something that’s not on the menu? After all, this is an aircraft, not a fully equipped restaurant.

Mr. Marshall: It’s easy. You just tell the airline when you book your seat. They’ll fix you up with virtually anything you want.

Passenger: Really? Then I’ll be interested to see what they give you.

Mr. Marshall: Ah, here comes the hostess.

Air hostess: We’re about to serve lunch, sir. We do have a special meal for you and you can have a choice.

Mr. Marshall: Will it be a strict vegetarian meal?

Air hostess: Of course, sir. We have a varied selection of dishes. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your meal.

Mr. Marshall: Do you get many vegetarians travelling with you?

Air hostess: Yes, quite a few. It’s easy if they have the foresight to alert us as you did when you booked your flight. But we’re never caught out. We always carry tins of vegetarian food, like rice pulao and laganshula, for anyone who has forgotten to warn us.

Mr. Marshall: Will I have a hot main course?

Air hostess: Yes, we can supply hot or cold main courses. Would you like spiced vegetable stew with rice pulao?

Mr. Marshall: That will be excellent. What else can I have?

Air hostess: Vegetable hors d’ceuvre or vegetable soup, fruit or a sweet.

Mr. Marshall: The horse d’ceuvre and fruit, please. By the way, do you do many different meals? I was thinking about Hindus and Moslems.

Air hostess: We cater for everyone. As I said, it does help if we are warned of a passenger’s requirements, but we always carry a supply of special meals just in case.

Mr. Marshall: What sort of special meals?

Air hostess: We have kosher and kedassia meals, dishes for Orthodox Moslems, and vegetarians like yourself. We can also produce any individual diet that a diabetic might ask for.

Mr. Marshall: That’s incredible. Even a good hotel would be hard put to do all that-and here we are flying at 35,000 ft.

Air hostess: It’s all part of the service. We like to think that our food is as good as you’ll get in a five-star hotel. Now I’ll fetch your meal.

Passenger: I see what you were trying to tell me. It’s quite incredible.

Air hostess: Let me pull down the seat tables for you. Here’s your meal tray. Another air hostess will bring your special meal in a few minutes, Mr. Marshall.

Passenger: This looks great. Do you mind if I start?

Mr. Marshall: No, of course not. Anyway, here’s mine already.

Air hostess: Would you like some wine with your meal?

Mr. Marshall: A burgundy would be nice.

Passenger: Yes, one of those bottles of red wine will do me. Small, though, aren’t they?

Mr. Marshall: Just the right size for anyone travelling alone. Your good health.

Passenger: That steak was beautiful, really tender. How was your meal? I must say I never realized a vegetarian meal could look so good.

Mr. Marshall: It was good. I wish I could always get the same service on the ground.

Air hostess: Coffee, sir?

Mr. Marshall: Black, please. And could I have a brandy?

Passenger: Say, that’s a great idea. Same for me, too, please.

Mr. Marshall: You really are enjoying your flight, aren’t you?

Passenger: You can say that again. This may be my first flight, but it certainly won’t be my last.

Reading and Comprehension

Airlines compete vigorously with each other to give good service. One of the ways they can fulfill their promise to do so is by providing the special meals required by passengers of various nationalities and religions. Sometimes a passenger needs a particular food for medical reasons. On other occasions a traveler’s religion may forbid him to eat certain food or meals that have not been prepared in a certain way. From their earliest training days, airline stewards and hostesses are told about the food requirements of particular passengers. They are taught about the contents of the diets and the reasons that make such diets necessary. They learn that to offer particular foods to members of certain religions can be regarded as almost an insult, and certain to cause offence. In the same way, airline reservations staff are experienced in finding out the special dietary requirements of any passenger who cannot eat the meals that would normally be provided during the flight.