Italy. Observations & Suggestions.
Whilst the Venice Simplon Orient Express offers clients the luxury travel alternative between Rome and Venice, you can also choose to fly or drive between resorts or cities. Not to be overlooked is the convenient Italian State Railway where the top of the range ETR 450 ‘Pedolino’, an exclusively first-class intercity service, has tickets that include seat reservations, newspapers and a meal – further details and prices on request.
Whilst hiring a car always enhances any holiday (don’t forget to carry some local currency for the autostrada tolls), please beware of the erratic driving and appalling traffic congestion of the Italian cities. They do say that if you can drive in Naples, you can drive anywhere and even pedestrians should take additional care when crossing the roads!
In Italy, we do not employ local agents. Our featured hotels employ concierges who, in our opinion, rank amongst the most helpful, professional and courteous hotel staff anywhere in the world. They are best placed to provide you with local information, book excursions and reconfirm airport transfers or flights and will be only too pleased to assist with any special requests you may have.
EXERCISES:
1. Translate and match the two halves of the word combinations correctly.
s
eat
tolls
local reservations
autostrada driving
erratic currency
Italian agents
additional requests
local cities
featured information
local transfers
airport hotels
special care
2. Translate and match the three words given below correctly.
a
ppalling
travel
congestion
luxury traffic alternative
3. Translate and match the four words given below correctly.
V
enice
Simplon
intercity staff
c
onvenient
first-class State
Express
exclusively professional & courteous Orient Railways
helpful Italian hotel service
4. Insert the missed words in the sentences:
1) Whilst the Venice Simplon Orient Express offers ______ the ______ ______ ______ between Rome and Venice, you can also choose to fly or drive between ______ or ______.
2) Not to be overlooked is the ______ ______ ______ ______ where the ______ of the range ETR 450 ‘Pedolino’, an ______ ______-______ ______ ______, has ______ that include ______ ______, ______ and a ______ – further details and ______ on request.
3) Whilst hiring a ______ always enhances any ______ (don’t forget to carry some ______ ______ for the autostrada tolls), please beware of the ______ ______ and ______ ______ ______ of the ______ ______.
4) They do say that if you can drive in ______, you can drive anywhere and even ______ should take ______ ______ when crossing the ______!
5) In Italy, we do not employ ______ ______.
6) Our ______ ______ employ ______ who, in our opinion, rank amongst the most ______, ______ and ______ ______ anywhere in the world.
7) They are best placed to provide you with ______ ______, book ______ and reconfirm ______ ______ or ______ and will be only too pleased to assist with any ______ ______ you may have.
5. Tourist information.
Guess what are the questions, according to the answers?
…………………………………..?
You can get there by bus or by taxi.
………………………………………?
The bus is $5, and a taxi is about $25.
……………………………………?
The best way is by underground.
………………………………………..?
About 15 minutes. It isn’t very far.
What other questions could the tourists ask?
Imagine tourists coming to your area. Make a list of some places to visit.
UNIT 4.
Key words: tiny Positano – fashionable beach resort – southern Italy’s Amalfi coastline – to lie – hour’s drive – Naples – unpretentious appearance – winding streets – lively alfresco restaurants – shuttered houses – to rise (up) – steeply – blue waters – bay – to belie – fact – to boast – privately-owned hotels – world – beautiful Portofino – 40 minutes away – Genoa – Nothern Italy – exclusive holiday resorts – Italy – sleek yachts – to moor – alongside – fishing boats – charming harbour – expensive outdoor restaurants – ideal venues – to watch – beautiful people – to stroll (by) – to offer – bay views – surely – to rank – memorable
TEXT 4. Read and translate the text.