3. The present simple/the present continuous tenses

The present simple

We use the present simple with verbs describing states or situations that are always true or continue indefinitely

The earth goes round the sun

We use the present simple to talk about habits or regular events or actions.

He plays tennis on Saturdays.

We use the present simple to talk about future events that are part of some official arrangement such as a timetable or programme. A time expression is usually used with , the present simple for the future (...at 3.45) unless the time referred to is already clear from the context.

The train arrives at six tomorrow.

We use the present simple with states or situations (thoughts, feelings) that exist at the present moment.

Verbs generally used to talk about states include "'agree, appreciate, attract, * desire, * doubt, expect, hate, hope, like, love, "'prefer, * regret (to do with emotions, attitudes, and preferences)-, anticipate, assume, "'believe, consider, expect, feel, find, imagine, "'know, realise, think, understand (mental states)-, ache, hear, " notice, see, "''smell, sound, " taste (senses and perception)-, " belong to, ""consist of, "'constitute, ""contain, cost, ""differ from, have, look, "'mean, measure, "'own, "'possess, "'resemble, "'seem, weigh ('being', 'having', etc.).

The verbs marked “ are rarely used with continuous tenses (but can be if we mean actions rather than states).

I understand what you mean.

Срав.:

The soup tastes good. (stative verb)

She is tasting the soup now. (action verb)

The Present Simple is often used tin newspaper headlines to talk about events that have recently happened

Fire breaks out in the hotel room

Present continuous

We use the present continuous to talk about particular events or activities that have begun but have not ended at the time of speaking. The event or activity is in progress at the present time, but not necessarily at the moment of speaking.

Who are you phoning?' 'I'm trying to get through to Helen.'

He is writing a new novel now.

As a rule, verbs expressing mental or emotional state, mental or sense perception, possession, and other types of state or condition are not used in the Continuous tenses.

I can’t read this. You are always complaining about my handwriting.

CARD #8

2. Hotels and restaurants

Millions of people travel round the world to see different places of interest or just to have a rest. The best place to stay for tired tourist is a hotel. The hotel business is very developed nowadays, so there are many types of hotel.

Hotel operations vary in size, function, and cost.

Guest House.A guest house normally has at least 4 letting bedrooms, some with ensuite or private facilities. It is usually run as a commercial business. B&B.Accommodation offering bed and breakfast, usually in a private house. B&Bs normally accommodate no more than 6 guests, and may or may not serve an evening meal. Small Hotel.A small hotel normally has a minimum of 6 letting bedrooms and a maximum of 20. Most bedrooms have ensuite or private facilities. Hotel.A hotel normally has at least 20 letting bedrooms, of which most have ensuite or private facilities. They serve breakfast, dinner and, normally, lunch, and they usually have a drinks licence. International Resort Hotel.A hotel with a 5-star quality award that has a range of leisure and sporting facilities. These include an 18-hole golf course, swimming pool and leisure centre, and country pursuits. Self-catering.A house, cottage, apartment, chalet or similar accommodation, with self-catering facilities, which is let normally on a weekly basis to individuals, although shorter breaks may be available. Boutique Hotel.A boutique hotel is a 5 star establishment providing all the features and facilities of a normal hotel, in a unique and exclusive style.

Serviced Apartment.Essentially self-catering apartments where services such as cleaning are available. Meals and drinks may also be available, either to each apartment or in a restaurant and/or bar on site. Lodge.Overnight accommodation, usually purpose-built and situated close to a major road or city centre. Reception hours may be restricted and payment may be required on check-in. There may be associated restaurant facilities.

Moreover many hotels can be considered destinations in themselves, by tend of unusual features of the lodging and its immediate environment. They are treehouse hotels, cave hotels, capsule hotels, ice hotels, underwater hotels and so on.

Every hotel offers its own services and facilities: Basic accommodation of a room with only a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with en-suite bathrooms and, more commonly in the United States than elsewhere, climate control. Other features found may be a telephone, an alarm clock, a TV, and broadband Internet connectivity. Food and drink may be supplied by a mini-bar (which often includes a small refrigerator) containing snacks and drinks (to be paid for on departure), and tea and coffee making facilities (cups, spoons, an electric kettle and sachets containing instant coffee, tea bags, sugar, and creamer or milk). 

Staying in a hotel requires knowing hotel’s rules:

The hotel is assigned for the temporary stay of the guests during the period which is arranged with the administration of the hotel.

The payment of the hotel is made according to the price-list.

If you keep money and jewelry in your room it is you own responsibility.

At the request of the guest and with the administration’s approval visitors can stay in the guest’s room from 8 am to 11pm.

When leaving the room the guest must: not leave taps open, close the windows, put out the light, the radio and the TV set and give the key to the floor-keeper.

The guest must keep anything in order.

The coupons for the hotel should be delivered to the reception-desk

You are not permitted to have some strangers in your room while you absent.

The menu of the hotel’s restaurant takes into account tastes and wants of all visitors. But you also can eat in another place. There are a lot of different styles of restaurants which one can choose from. These are:

Steakhouses

These restaurants usually cater to the middle and upper class markets. These are also usually oriented towards families and have a very relaxed and homey atmosphere. The meals in steakhouses are usually deemed as good buys. There are also the high-end steakhouses which concentrate more on the quality of the meat which they serve.

Seafood Restaurants

There are different types of seafood restaurants. There are the quick-service ones, the ones which cater to the middle class and the higher-end ones which cater to the upper class. The quick service seafood restaurants are very much similar to fast-food restaurants. Generally, seafood restaurants offer a wide variety of seafood and they serve it in different fashions.

Casual Dining

This type of restaurant caters to almost all kinds of people. People go here to be able to have a lot of food choices and enjoy the relaxed kind of atmosphere. The prices in casual dining restaurants are usually not that high.

Pizzeria

There are basically two choices in creating a pizzeria. The first one is to construct a full-blown restaurant which doesn't only serve pizza but many different kinds of food as well. The other choice is to specialize in pizzas and a few other items such as beer.

Coffeehouse

More and more people are being enticed to go to coffeehouses. These coffeehouses offer the coziest atmospheres for small talk and coffee conversations.

Café: a term for a casual restaurant, sometimes interchangeable with the word bistro. A café typically serves both hot plates like pastas and pizzas and cold dishes like sandwiches and salads. In some countries, cafes have limited menus and are very similar, if not identical, to coffee houses.

Good basic table manners are important because they ensure that both guests and hosts are comfortable at the table. Table manners are mostly common sense. Following these will carry you through most common situations from Formal Dinners to a night of poker with the guys.

1. Sit up straight.

2. Don't speak with your mouth full of food.

4. Keep bites small.

5. Eat at a leisurely pace.

6. Don't wave utensils in the air, especially knives or if there is food on them.

7. Keep your elbows off the table.

8. Don't Reach.

9. Don't forget please and thank you.

10. Excuse yourself when leaving the table.

12. Wipe your mouth before drinking.

There are different types of hotels and restaurants. People travel round the world so they can choose that they want at each point on the globe.