X. Make the following sentences plural, pay attention to the forms of the verbs to be and to have

1. A compartment car has two or four comfortable berths.

2. A modern train has sleeping cars and a dining car.

3. A motel has air conditioners, TV and room service.

4. A room in a hotel has all modern conveniences.

5. An American usually has three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

6. An Englishman usually has four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner.

7. For a change an Englishman has a boiled egg, cold ham, or perhaps fish.

8. Sometimes he has a cup of tea or coffee with a toast or something similar.

9. The shop has a worldwide reputation for first-class service.

10. The supermarket has branches in all the towns of any size.

XI. Make up sentences from the words given below

1. always; different; food; interesting; is; it; musical; new; rhythms; to discover; to listen to; things; to try.

2. and; by; convenient; fastest; is; the; most; plane; the; travelling; way.

3. about; any; is; longer; luggage; need; no; there; to; worry; your.

4. airplane; are; armchairs; cosy; the; very.

5. advantages; but; by; has; is; it; its; by; plane; slower; than; train; travelling.

6. and; cars; dining cars; have; modern; sleeping; trains.

7. also; are; by; disadvantages; of; some; there; train; travelling.

8. better; cars; compartment; in; is; it; to; travel.

9. berths; cars; comfortable; compartment; four; have; or; two.

UNIT 2

AT THE HOTEL

BEFORE YOU READ

Answer these questions

1. Have you ever stayed at the hotel? When and where?

2. What kinds of hotels do you prefer? Why?

READING TASKS

A. Understanding main points

Read the text below about the hotel service and answer the questions, beginning your answers with the fol­lowing phrases: as a rule …; to tell the truth …; as far as I know …; the matter is that …; as far as I remember …; as far as I am concerned …; frankly/strictly speak­ing …; to make a long story short … .

1. Do you agree that nowadays hotel business is being developed all over the world? Why?

2. Is it advisable to book hotel accommoda­tion beforehand? Why?

3. Do all the hotels offer their guests the same accommodations? Why?

4. What modern conveniences do most hotels offer their guests?

5. What hotel atten­dants serve the hotel guests? What are their duties?

6. What can you say about the procedure of check-in and out at the hotels?

7. What services are the guests provided with at the hotels?

8. Why do you think bills at the hotels are usually paid at weekly intervals?

9. Is it customary to tip the atten­dants? What tips do a number of hotel staff rely on?

10. What can you say about the advantages and disadvantages of motels?

B. Understanding details

Mark the statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text. Give your reason using the fol­lowing phrases: as a matter of fact ...; I don't think so …; I'm of the same opinion …; in my opinion …; on the contrary …; strictly speaking ...; to my mind ... .

1. Nowadays not so many people travel as tourists.

2. There is no need for a tourist to book accommoda­tion beforehand even during the summer months.

3. Rooms in most hotels have all modern conveniences.

4. In the lobby of a hotel the desk clerk asks the guest to sign his or her name in a special registration book.

5. Hotel guests can get various services.

6. Hotel bills are usually paid on Mondays, as it is more conve­nient for the guests and management.

7. Whether the service is good or bad it is obligatory to tip the hotel staff.

8. If you travel by car, it is impossible for you to get accommodation in a hotel.

9. Staying at a motel does not have any advantages at all.

10. Staying at a motel is much more expensive than at a hotel.

HOTEL SERVICE

Nowadays people travel on business and as tourists more than in the past. No businessman can avoid being a paying guest every now and then. In big cities there are a lot of good hotels. Accommodations as well as rates vary from hotel to hotel. There are deluxe hotels, the most luxurious and the most expensive, resort hotels used for entertainment or recreation. Still, if you do not want to get disappointed, it is advisable to book accommoda­tion beforehand by fax or telephone, especially if you are visiting the town during the summer months. If you do not book accommodation beforehand, you may have to leave the hotel because it is fully booked up. That would be an unpleasant experience, especially if you arrived late at night.

Rooms in most hotels have all modern conveniences: central heating, air conditioning, bathroom, hairdryer, trouser press, telephone, satellite TV and others. Service is usually quite satisfactory. You can take a single room, a double room or a suite, charg­es varying accordingly. If you can't stand the noise of the street, do not take an outside room, ask for an inside one.

Service is supposed to begin at the door. When your taxi stops at the entrance to the hotel the doorman and the bellboy help you with the luggage. The doorman is very important during the reception procedure. He is stationed at the entrance to the hotel and assists the guests in and out of taxis and cars, calls for cabs. In the lobby of a hotel there is a registration or front desk where the guests check in and out, pick up and deposit keys and so on. The guest is given a registration card to fill out the name and permanent address. The desk clerk or receptionist enters the guest’s room number, the room rate, and the arrival and departure dates into the computer. Then he asks the guest to sign his or her name.

When the guests are through with the formalities, the bellboy takes them and their luggage up in the lift and shows them to their room. He shows them where the light switches are and explains the use of the room appliances, such as the television set, cooking facilities, if any, and the air conditioning. He can also run errands for you. Now that you have been settled in a hotel room and have been given the key of it, you become a regular hotel guest.

At the hotel you can get various services. If you want to have your suit pressed or dry cleaned, your shirt ironed, or your laundry done, you should ring for the maid and she will see to it that everything is done. You can also have your meals served in your room.

In the lobby of a hotel there are a lot of offices: a booking office, post and telegraph offices, an information desk supervised by the concierge. At the information desk you can enquire about the depar­tures and arrivals of trains and flights, about telephone numbers and addresses of offices and private individuals and about a lot of other things. Concierges are always ready to help the guests and provide them with all kinds of useful information. Besides, there is a newsstand, a bookstall, a kiosk selling picture postcards and souvenirs. Cosmetics and liquor are sold too, but with a sales tax. At the airport you can buy them tax-free. At the booking office they can book for you seats at the theatre or on the plane, or hotel accommodation in another town.

In the same building there are also restaurants, bars, cafete­rias, beauty parlours, saunas, steam rooms and massage rooms, along with fully equipped supervised gyms and swimming pools. There is also a laboratory where guests can have a film developed without going out. On every floor there is a comfortable lounge.

Bills are usually paid at weekly intervals, as it is more conve­nient for the management. Besides cash, credit cards are universally accepted. In fact, many hotels require their guests to produce a credit card when registering. Otherwise, a cash deposit is required. The quests may also pay with traveller’s checks when registering. The guests intending to leave the hotel should notify the management before noon on the day of their departure, but it is advisable to do so earlier, in fact the earlier the better. When you are ready to check out, you tell the desk clerk to get your bill ready.

When leaving the hotel, it is customary to tip the atten­dants. Tipping allows you to reward good service. On the other hand, if the service has been particularly bad no tip needs to be left. A number of hotel staff rely on tips to raise their wages. The bellboy expects up to $1 per bag for taking your luggage to your room. The doorman gets at least 50 cents if he summons a taxi. Chambermaids usually receive a few dollars if you stay at a hotel for several days. In restaurants you are expected to tip 15 to 20 percent of the bill before taxes are added. No tipping is required for elevator operators or hotel desk clerks. The tip is always given with a word of thanks.

There are also a lot of motels which grew with the development of highways. If you are travelling by car, you can get accommodation in one of them. Staying at a motel has a lot of advantages. You do not have to fight the city traffic to get a comfortable bed for the night. They provide accommodation with parking space near the guests’ rooms. You just drive up to the door of your room. You also avoid the garage fee, tips and other charges of a hotel stay, which is a great advantage for low income travellers.

Motels are well constructed and comfortably furnished. Most of them have air conditioners, TV and room service. There are such additional attractions as children's playgrounds, open-air picnic facilities and tennis courts, to say nothing of swimming pools.