U n I t 5 t r a V e l I n g

Text A. Traveling by Railway

Although we all agree that the future belongs to air transport the railway today is still one of the most popular means of transportation and, besides, it is one of the cheapest.

Let’s have a look at the railway station. The trains come in and go out. We can see a train standing at one of the platforms ready to leave. It’s a long-distance train. It has got a lot of carriages; among them we can see a dining car and a luggage van.

Some of the passengers are looking out of the windows watching the late-comers who are hurrying along the platform to their carriages. Some people are standing on the platform near the train. They have come to see their friends and relatives off. We can hear them saying “Good-bye” to each other.

The porters are very busy carrying the passengers’ luggage to the train or pushing it on their trucks. They are taking trunks and suitcases to the luggage van.

On the other platform a train has just come in. The passengers are getting out. Some of them are met by their friends and relatives. This train has made a long journey. Those are sleeping carriages in front of the train. It’s a slow train, not an express; it stops at many stations.

That train on the third platform is not a long-distance train, it’s a local suburban train. There is no dining car in it. You can see many crowds of people with hand luggage on that platform.

The man standing near the bookstall is a station master. His office is next to the booking office.

People are hurrying in all directions. We see those who haven’t booked their tickets beforehand waiting in queues at the booking office.

Further along there are refreshment-rooms crowded with people, men and women, young and old. You can see them having a hasty meal. Those who have to wait for their train are sitting in the waiting hall. Some people are standing near the left-luggage office. They want to leave their luggage until certain time.

Exercise 1.

Memorize the following words and word combinations.

although хотя

to belong принадлежать

air transport воздушный транспорт

railway железная дорога

means of transportation транспортное средство

besides кроме того

railway station вокзал

train поезд

to come in прибывать

long-distance train поезд дальнего следования

carriage вагон

dining car вагон-ресторан

luggage van багажный вагон

late-comer опоздавший

to hurry спешить

to see off провожать

porter носильщик

to carry нести

to push толкать

truck тележка

trunk большой чемодан, баул

suitcase чемодан

to get out выходить

journey путешествие

slow train почтово-пассажирский поезд

local местный

suburban пригородный

station master начальник вокзала

booking office билетная касса

to book a ticket beforehand заказать билет заранее

refreshment-room буфет

hasty торопливый

waiting room зал ожидания

left-luggage office камера хранения

Exercise 2.

Answer the following questions.

1. Are you fond of travelling?

2. Have you travelled a lot?

3. What do you prefer to travel by?

4. Have you ever travelled abroad?

5. When did you last travel by train? Where was it? Was it an exciting journey?

6. Do you usually book tickets in advance?

7. Do you take a lot of luggage while travelling or do you prefer to travel light?

8. Do you like to travel alone, with your friends or with your relatives?

9. How many railway stations are there in Moscow?

10. Do you usually come to the railway station ahead of time?

11. How do you usually while away the time when waiting for the train?

12. Do your friends come to see you off?

13. What kinds of trains do you know?

14. What trains do you prefer?

15. Do you ask a porter to help you if you have a lot of luggage?

16. Do you go to the snack bar at the railway station if you are thirsty or hungry?

17. Do trains always leave on time?

18. Do you leave your luggage in the left-luggage office if you have a lot of time?

19. Have you ever had to change trains when travelling?

20. Do you prefer to go to the dining-car or have a cup of tea in the compartment?

21. Are you fond of getting acquainted with fellow-travellers on the train?

22. Is the railway still one of the most popular means of transportation today?

23. But is it one of the cheapest nowadays?

24. How can we tell a long-distance train from a suburban one?

25. What are the porters busy with?

26. Have you ever made a train journey?

27. What are the station master’s duties?

28. Why do people queue at the booking office?

29. What do they sell in refreshment-rooms?

30. Why are people sitting in the waiting hall?

31. Why do passengers want to leave their luggage until certain time?

32. Where do they prefer to do that?

Exercise 3.

Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and phrases.

железная дорога; поезд; платформа; прибывать; отправляться; отходить; вокзал; вагон; вагон-ресторан; спальный вагон; багажный вагон; провожать; встречать; багаж; носильщик; баул; чемодан; нести; тележка; пассажирский поезд; скорый поезд; билет; заказывать билеты; очередь; зал ожидания; камера хранения; буфет.