Text a. Your visit to england

One of these days you may find it possible to visit England. From the moment you go on board the ship or the airliner you will see signs and notices that will give you useful information and warnings.

Here are some examples and explanations that will help you.

If you come by air, you will see, when you take your seat in the plane, a notice that says: no smoking; fasten seat-belts. Smoking is forbidden while the plane is on the ground, while it is taking off, and until it has risen to a good height.

When the plane is well up in the air, the light behind this notice is switched off. You are then allowed to smoke and may unfasten your seat-belt. The notice will appear again when the plane is about to touch down.

If you come by steamer, you will see numerous notices. There will perhaps be arrows () to show you which parts of the ship are for first-class passengers and which parts are for tourist-class passengers. Large rooms in a ship are called saloons, so when you see dining-saloon you know where to go when it is time for lunch.

You may see a notice to the boat deck. This is the deck where you will find the boats that can be lowered to the water if there is any danger of the ship sinking. On the boat deck you may see some steps going up to the bridge, where the ship's officers are on duty. Here there will probably be a notice: passengers not allowed on the bridge.

When your steamer gets into harbour at Dover, or Harwich, or Southampton, or any of the other ports to which steamers sail, you will see more notices.

When you land, you will see a notice: to the customs. When you enter the Customs shed the officer there will give you a printed notice. This will warn you that you must declare to the Customs officer the quantities of tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and alcoholic drinks that you have with you. He will chalk your suitcases and bags, and you will pass on. There will be a notice telling you

where your passport will be examined. Then you can follow the arrow that says,

to the trains, and you will soon be in the railway station where the train is waiting to take you to London.

There are many notices in a large railway station. You may see entrance and exit, or perhaps way in and way out. In a large station there will be a waiting room where you may rest until it is time to board your train. If you want something to eat or drink while you are waiting, you will go to the refreshment room.

If you do not know the number of the platform from which your train will leave, look for the notices of arrivals and departures. These will tell you the number of the platform. In some stations it may be necessary to cross the line. You will probably see a notice, cross the line by the bridge. Perhaps you will see platforms 5, 6, 7 and 8 over the bridge.

On arrival in a large town you may want to leave your heavy luggage in the station until you have found a hotel or other place to stay in. In this case you will look for the cloak-room or left luggage office.

You will also see the notice, booking office. This is where you buy your tickets. In a large station there will be windows marked first class and third class. The windows may be marked with letters, for example a-k, l-r, and s-z. If you want a ticket to Edinburgh, you will go to the window under a-k, if to Manchester, the window under l-r.

If you go to a theatre, however, you will buy your tickets not at the Booking Office but at the box office.