Vocabulary

afford – позволить себе

customers – зд. клиенты

in spite of – несмотря на

destination – место назначения

booking – зд. заказ билетов

accommodation – номер в гостинице

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. Can many people afford some sort of holidays now?

2. What do travel agents offer?

3. Do different travelers have different preferences?

4. Who was the first “travel agent” in history?

5. Is the travel business risky? Why?

7. Hatton hotels

Are you tired of noise and rush of city life? Do you feel like spending your free time close to nature? Stay at one of our Hatton Hotels, offering you fantastic weekends away all over the country.

Hatton Hotels’ tradition of good service and value for money means that at anyone of over 40 Hatton Hotels there is a warm welcome waiting for you. So, if you are looking for a relaxing break, you are sure to find a Hatton Hotel to suit your needs.

They are famous for a tradition of fine food, comfort and hospitality. At every Hatton Hotel there is a modern restaurant offering a range of classic steaks, salads, fish and vegetarian dishes. There is also a nice Cocktail Bar, which provides a wide selection of light meals and drinks. Both are wonderful places to relax in a friendly atmosphere.

All the bedrooms in the hotel are large, cozy and have all necessary facilities, including a private bathroom, cable television, direct line telephone and Internet access.

Almost all Hatton Hotels are perfectly situated for visiting local attractions like old churches, castles and other historic places of interest. For those who come at weekends, there is a special offer – a free four-hour tour of the surrounding area. And for those who want to remember their stay at the hotel a special souvenir is offered when they leave.

So, if you decided to stay at one of these hotels, you may find the address of our firm and telephone number in the brochure “Weekends Away”. The call is free.

Hatton Hotels – a great tradition and excellent value for money!

Vocabulary

hospitality – гостеприимство

cozy – уютный

castle – замок, крепость

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. How many Hatton Hotels are there all over the country?

2. What do they offer to the visitors?

3. What service is free?

4. Where can we find the telephone and address of the firm?

5. Who may be attracted by this kind of spending time at weekends?

8. North sea oil

As the summer comes to an end, the oil companies remain optimistic about the prospects of oil mining from the new rigs in their North Sea fields before their target dates next autumn. Assuming no unexpected obstacles arise, they will accomplish their aim. They have settled disputes and strikes among the workers and have overcome various technical, engineering and political problems.

However, recently, the unexpected circumstances have caused the worst hold-ups. Abnormally high seas, strong winds and storms have prevented engineers from lifting essential heavy equipment into proper position on the production platforms erected off the Scottish coast.

If this period of exceptionally bad weather continues throughout the autumn, it will be necessary to stop work until next spring. Actually the oilmen know from experience that major operations are impossible in the winter months because of the stormy seas. They are confident, however, that they will achieve their object, if the weather is nice at least for a few days during the next three weeks.

The British Government is also eager for the timely completion of these operations. Nowadays many people in Britain think that its economic position is getting worse rapidly. Only revenues from the oil fields may save British economy from continuing payments problems.