English is my cup of tea. Part 5. Учебное пособие

Transport

Word Bank

border the part of a country next to another country ill-lit badly lit, with very few lights

rural in the countryside

deserted very quiet, with no-one around in situ (Latin) in a place, there

alarmed very anxious

rucksack a large canvas bag carried on the back by travellers to hustle to move (someone) roughly

heavily laden carrying a lot of things

peasants poor farmers or people from the countryside to scrutinise to look at very carefully

discarded thrown away magnitude (large) size

to reverse (something) to change it back to the way it was shrug a movement of the shoulders which indicates 'I don't care' to gesture to make a movement with the arm and hand dismissively not taking something seriously, not caring dormant sleeping

to tremble to shake (because you are nervous or upset)

macabre unpleasant in a sinister way, often connected with death masochism (here) enjoyment at being in a difficult or challenging situation

II.Now listen and find the following information:

1.Apart from the author, how many people are referred to in this extract?

2.What happened while she was off the train?

3.Was she able to get help from any other passengers?

4.Why do you think the author was ordered to leave the train to get her passport checked?

5.What is your impression of the welcome she received in Romania?

III.Listen again and describe the following in your own words:

1.The border crossing railway station.

2.The way the police officer removed the author from her carriage.

3.Her reaction when she returned to her carriage.

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4.The reaction of the police officers when she told them she had been

robbed.

5.Her thoughts when she realised that she had no possessions.

VIDEO

Watch the video 10 Most Amazing Vehicles and answer the following questions.

1.Can these vehicles be used indoors?

2.What is the difference between a conventional skate and a doubleround skate?

3.How does a hoverboard operate?

4.What is the maximum speed of a one-wheel skate?

5.What is Aeyo?

6.Why does a half bicycle respond better to your body movements?

7.How much does Aero-X cost?

8.Which is heavier a Suitcase Scooter or a one wheel scooter?

9.How far can a Segvey travel without recharging a battery?

10.Which company sell jetpacks?

DISCUSSION

1.Has anyone in the group had a difficult or dangerous travelling experience?

2.Discuss your travel ambitions.

3.If you were a journalist, would you enjoy travelling to dangerous places? What help would you expect your newspaper to provide?

ON THE ROAD

An accident

Read the text and use the context and the diagram to help you with the key words.

There was a serious accident on one of the main roads into Stuttgart this morning. An old lorry (AmEng = truck) broke down in the middle of the road,

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On the Road

and the driver couldn't move it. It was eight o'clock, the middle of the rush hour, so it soon created a terrible traffic jam. Drivers got very angry and a man in a Mercedes tried to go round the lorry. Unfortunately another car was coming in the opposite direction. The driver braked hard and tried to stop, but he couldn't prevent the accident - the Mercedes crashed into the front of his car. The driver of the Mercedes was OK, but the other driver was badly injured and both cars were very badly damaged.

Giving directions

Go along here, turn right into the main road, then take the first turning on your left. Keep going, and then turn left again when you get to the bank.

VOCABULARY EXERCISES

I.Complete each of these idioms.

1.Airlines ……………………… me round the …………………………!

You can never get simple information from them when you phone them up.

2. I don't have any extreme views about anything. I'm quite ………..…- …..…………-the- …………………………………………… .

3.I didn't like her at all, and I hope our …………………………………

never ………………………… again, to be honest.

4.It's a good idea to change your job every few years. It's very easy to get stuck …………………………… a ……………………… if you're not careful.

5.This video's ………………………… up your ………………………

It's all about how violins are made.

II.Put each of the following verbs, in the past tense, in its correct place in the passage below.

Another hundred miles to go. Dark night. Heavy traffic. He glanced at the

(2) ……………………. and (3) ……………………. two cars in front. It began

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to rain. He (4) ………………………. the windscreen wipers and settled back comfortably into the leather upholstery. For a moment he was mesmerised by the rhythmic movement of the wipers. He looked at the road ahead. An oncoming car! He (5) ………………………. his head-lights but was dazzled by the other driver's. He (6) …………………. his horn. The other car seemed to be coming straight towards him! He (7) ………………. to avoid it. He was confused. He

(8) ………………………. his brakes, but (9) ………………. on the wet surface. He went off the road and collided with a tree. Slowly he (10) ……………….

onto the road again, drove ten metres forward and (11) ……………….. He got out and inspected the car for damage. Some scratches on the bodywork. Dented bumper. He lifted the bonnet and (12) ………………. the engine. It appeared to be OK. He got into the car again, (13) …………………….. his seat-belt, (14) …………………. the mirror and (15) ……………………. the engine nervously. It purred sweetly. Good. He (16) ……………………. the hand-brake. The car moved forward. Another hundred miles to go.

LISTENING

Listen to the radio program about road rage and choose the best answer for each question.

1.What does Neil say about the American Road accident figures?

a)They have improved recently.

b)A minority of accidents are caused by aggressive driving.

c)Some form of Road rage causes about one third of these casualties.

2.Why does Neil believe cars are being used more often as weapons?

a)People preferred this to one-to-one physical confrontation.

b)Cars are getting faster and more powerful.

c)People are afraid of carjacking.

3.Why does Beth mention her father and how driving was in his day?

a)To demonstrate that Road rage existed in the past but on a smaller scale.

b)To demonstrate that people drove very well in the past.

c)To demonstrate that people's reactions to bad driving have changed remarkably.

4.Which of these does Neil not mention as a contributing factor towards an increase in road rage?

a) New Road construction has not kept up with increase in traffic quantity.

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On the Road

b)A lack of proper education of young drivers to prepare them for modern

driving.

c)High traffic periods being concentrated in the mornings and evenings.

d)People being increasingly in a rush and not leaving enough time for journeys.

5.What does the expression "unforeseen circumstances" mean in the

context of this radio program?

a)People are surprised at the destructive force of a car.

b)People are surprised by the aggressiveness of other drivers.

c)People don't expect such heavy sentences for traffic offences.

6.What basic advice does Neil give at the end of his talk with Beth?

a)Drive slower.

b)Get to work earlier.

c)Leave home earlier.

VIDEO

Watch the comic video How To Channel Your Road Rage Into Cold, Calculating Road Revenge and fill in the gaps with the appropriate words.

1.Danny Preston is a defensive driving instructor who teaches people how to control their ______ behind the wheel.

2.Take a deep breath, count to ten, then follow the other driver ______.

3.Anger just one letter away from_______.

4.Last week I was waiting for a _______ to change when some angry driver behind me was leaning on the horn.

5.I remembered he's human just like me he has a family that loves him and that's an exploitable ______.

6.I started sending him videotapes… hours-long videotapes _______

outside his parents’ home.

7.Now he is frantic and confused but I always say you can't give angry drivers the _______ of knowing why their parents are being filmed.

8.Which is why I call him every night from a pay phone and just recite a series of ________ numbers that don't mean anything.

9.Of course, it's hard to keep a cool _______ in that situation.

10.I decided to become a defensive driving instructor developing the skills I needed to ________ be invited on his show as an expert.

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DISCUSSION

1.Russian people buy a lot of second-hand foreign cars that is the cause of such problems as higher concentration of exhaust fumes in the air and traffic jams as the roads are in poor condition. What are the possible steps in solving these problems?

2.Imagine you are a member of the council for your local city. The traffic problem there has become almost unbearable. The roads are carrying about 20% more traffic than they were designed for. It is your job to come up with a solution to the traffic congestion and present it to the public. There are pros and cons with each solution, so you need to consider the problem carefully.

Build more cycle routes. [This would mean a cleaner less congested environment. However, there would be less space for cars and parking. The cycling lobby and environmental groups support this.]

Tax cars locally. [This would discourage people from buying cars and free revenue to spend on other projects. However, the business community has objected and threatened to leave the city should this happen, politically very unpopular.]

Subsidise local transport. [Increase bus and train routes, consider reintroducing trams. This would make public transport cheaper and easier. However, higher taxes to pay for it may prove politically unpopular.]

Build more roads. [This is what business leaders are asking for. It won't solve the problem long term, and will only encourage more cars, increase pollution and destroy the countryside. Unpopular with environmentalists.]

Note: You are up for election in six months time. Does that affect your decision?

What will your solution be? Choose possible solutions and try to think of alternatives.

AIR TRAVEL

Departures

This is the usual sequence of activities when you get to the airport.

First you go to the check-in desk where they weigh your luggage. Usually you are permitted 20 kilos, but if your bags weigh more, you may have

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Air Travel

to pay excess baggage (= you pay extra). The airline representative checks your ticket and gives you a boarding card for the plane with your sear number on it. Then you go through passport control where an official checks your passport, and into the departure lounge. Here, you can also buy things in the duty-free, e.g. perfume, alcohol and cigarettes. About half an hour or forty minutes before take-off, you are told to go to a gate number, e.g. gate 14, where you wait before you get on the plane. When you board (= get on) the plane, you find your seat. If you have hand luggage, you can put it under your seat or in the overhead locker above your seat.

The flight

Please fasten your seat belt and put your seat in the upright position. We are now cruising (= flying comfortably) at an altitude (= height) of

10,000 metres.

May we remind passengers (= ask passengers to remember) that there is no smoking until you are inside the terminal building (= where passengers arrive and depart).The cabin crew (= air stewards) are now coming round with landing cards. (These are cards you sometimes have to fill in when you enter certain countries.)

Arrival

When the plane lands (= arrives on the ground), you have to wait for it to stop / come to a halt. When the doors are open, you get off the plane and walk through the terminal building and go to the baggage reclaim where you collect your luggage. You then pass through customs (green - nothing to declare; red = goods to declare; blue = European Union citizens

VOCABULARY EXERCISES

I. Answer the clues. The number of letters is given.

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the air (7)

8.the science or practice of flying (8)

9.all the people working on an aeroplane (4)

10.a plane without an engine (6)

II.Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place in the passage below.

headphones cabin crew seat belts turbulence aisle land airliner

Flying is fun. I like being in a big (1) …………………………. with the

(2) ………………………. (stewards and stewardesses) looking after me. They walk up and down the (3) ……………………………. bringing meals and drinks; and if the flight is going through some (4) …………………. they warn everybody that it might be bit bumpy and ask us to fasten our

(5)………..……… . On a long flight I like listening to music through the

(6)…………………………. available to all passengers and sometimes I have a sleep. I enjoy it all so much that I never want the plane to (7) …………………. .

LISTENING

Listen to the radio programme about air travel and answer the questions.

1.What is a carbon footprint?

2.Is flying a luxury now?

3.Why is Heathrow expansion upsetting people living nearby?

4.What does “impact on quality of lives” mean?

5.Why can Heathrow expansion be a good idea?

6.Why can an economic argument be considered seriously?

7.Who is responsible for Heathrow expansion?

8.What is an airport capacity?

9.Will the number of people travelling by air increase or decrease?

10.How many passengers travel through Heathrow airport annually?

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VIDEO

Watch the video The future of air travel and answer the questions.

1.How will the cabin of the plane change?

2.What changes will happen with seats?

3.What vie will passengers get?

4.How will the opportunities for socializing change?

5.What is the concept of a new Airbus?

6.How realistic is the idea of zones?

7.Will the shape of a plane change?

8.What will a flight from London to New York be like in 2050?

9.What conditions will passengers with hypertension get?

10.Will a plane be packed with seats in 2050?

DISCUSSION

Think about the whole experience of flying (from check-in to the time you leave the airport at your destination) and answer these questions. If possible, discuss your answers with someone else.

1.What is the most interesting part, and what is the most boring part?

2.Where do you often have delays, and why?

3.Is there any part that frightens or worries you?

4.What do you usually do during most flights?

5.Do you always eat the food they give you?

6.Is there one thing which would improve flying and make the experience more interesting?

BOATS AND SAILING

Boats

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