Exercise 4. First read then report what the flight attendant told the passengers before takeoff.

Speaking task

Work in groups. One group is going to speak about travelling by plane and ship another by car and train. Your task is to prove that your chosen means of travelling are the best and provide your proofs and facts. Rely on your travelling experience, name advantages and disadvantages. And how the last ones may be omitted. Later present your team work to your opponent group. (Annexes A, B may be a little bit of help. “Travelling” text may give you some hints to your presentation). You may use clues in the box.

Annex A

Travelling

When travelling over land there are three main ways of doing so, a flight, a train ride, or driving yourself. I guess you could walk or run but, I’m talking about cross country travel. There are expensive and inexpensive ways of travel, some fast, some slow, most fun, others boring. Out of these three ways you must decide how you want to go based on your budget, time, and the quality of travel you prefer.

The fastest way of travel would be by plane. If time is a major issue, a flight would be the best mode of transportation for you. A flight can also be easier to schedule, there are hundreds of flights leaving every half-hour, in every direction from and to almost every airport in the world. Besides being fast and convenient, studies have shown it’s also safer. Statistics show that air travelling is one of the safest ways to travel, based on its passenger to crash ratio. A flight from California to New York (round trip) could cost anywhere from $500.00 to $2,500.00+, depending on which class (or section) you purchase your ticket for. On most commercial planes there are three sections of seating, where you sit depends on your willingness to pay. There’s first class; which is very luxurious. This is the most expensive section to sit in. It has more leg room, larger and softer chairs, better service, and hand prepared meals instead of the processed food the rest of the plane gets. Next is coach or business class; which is the middle section, it’s somewhat luxurious. You get some leg room, descent service but, you still get processed food. For anyone who wants real food better spend a little extra money and fly first class. At the back of the plane you'll find the economy class; which is one of the cheaper ways to fly. The service isn’t great, the leg room is non-existent, and you’re one of the last people to get off of the plane when it lands. So, you’re one of the last ones to get to the baggage claim, by the time you get there either your bags have passed by, or you’re stuck behind thirty people who have no clue of what to do, so it takes you that much longer to retrieve your bags.

Another way to travel is by train. On a cross country trip you would have sleeping quarters; which would have a bed and bathrooms for yourself. During the ride you could stay in your room or roam around to the different cars; which have various uses. Traveling by train can be very relaxing you can sit by a window while having a meal or snack and enjoy the view of the countryside, or engage in conversation with another passenger at the bar while having a drink. The only thing is time; it would take a couple of days to go cross country by train. Another thing is you can only stop where the train is schedule to. The good thing is that you can sleep, eat, take a shower, kick back and relax as the conductor controls the train. You don’t have to worry about the controls; it’s not like your driving.

Annex B

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 2165