Урок "Let's Travel Together/"Давайте подорожувати разом"

LESSON

THEME: “LET’S TRAVEL TOGETHER”

Level – B1 (intermediate)

 

Objectives:

• to expand students’ basic vocabulary;
• to practice students in reading for gist and listening for special information.

Equipment: posters and pictures on travelling, handouts, proverbs, text for reading and discussion “Travelling by train in Britain”, and text for listening and discussion “The London Eye”. 

 

PROCEDURE

I. INTRODUCTION

      T.: We often get tired of the same surrounding and daily routine. Hence some relaxation is essential to restore our mental and physical resources. That is why the best place of relaxation, in my opinion, is the one where you have never been before. And it is by means of travelling that you get to that place.

       I’m sure that you’ll agree that travelling is one of the most fascinating pastimes. Seeing exotic places, faraway countries, meeting new people, getting acquainted with history, culture and traditions of different lands – what could be more interesting? That’s why travelling makes an essential part of a person’s education.

 

II. WARMING-UP

       T.: As you know every topic can be presented through proverbs. The subject of our lesson is “Travelling”. Here some proverbs.

1. Unscramble proverbs and quotations. Do it in pairs.

1. Mach/travels/he/far/knows/that/.

2. A/fool/travel/worse/man/a/makes/but/better/wise/.

3. The/is/companion/a/journey/wise/half/.

4. Flavour/every/its/journey/you/gives/own/.

5. Life/one/of/travelling/is/way/lengthening/.

6. A/good/is/as/change/as/rest/.

Keys:

1. He that travels far knows much.

2. Travel makes a wise man better but a fool worse.

3. A wise companion is half the journey.

4. Every journey gives you its own flavour.

5. Travelling is one way of lengthening life.

6. A change is as good as rest.

 

2. Discuss what thoughts are evoked by these proverbs and quotations.

 

III. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Fill in the blanks with the words: travel, travels or travelling.

1. … broadens the mind.

2. Is he back from his … yet?

3.  … at night can be dangerous.

4. He is writing a book about his … .

5. Air … is becoming very popular.

6. Have you read “The … of Marco Polo”?

7.  … was slow in old days.

8. They have been … across the country for a month.

9. “Gulliver’s  …” first came out in 1726.

Answers: 1. Travelling  2. travel  3. Travelling  4. travels  5. travelling  6. travels  7. Travelling

8. travelling  9. travels

 

2. Here are some lines from conversation on different kinds of transport. Where does each conversation take place: in a car, bus, taxi, underground, train, plane, ferry?

1. Do you think it’s a rough crossing?

2. Can you take us to eastern station, please?

3. That’s all right, you can keep the change.

4. Excuse me, are we landing on time?

5. Which line is for Oxford Circus?

Answers: 1 – ferry; 2 – bus; 3 – taxi; 4 – plane; 5 – underground.

 

3. Answer the following questions

1. What means of travel do you know?

2. When did you last travel by railway?

3. What are the advantages of travelling by train?

4. Which is the fastest kind of trains?

5. What is the difference between the local and suburban trains?

6. How many people can travel in a sleeping compartment?

7. Why do some people prefer to have a lower berth?

8. What should people have to get into carriage?

9. Which is better – arriving or leaving? Why?

 

4. Write down new words and expressions on the topic:

booking office;                          guard attendant;

booking office attendant;           porter;

reserved booking office;            the station master on duty;

left-luggage office;                     ticket collector;

inquiry office;                             an announcer;

to make a round trip – to travel around the country and return to the station point;

to go touring – to travel by car, coach or bus;

to travel light – not to have a lot of luggage about oneself;

to lay over (somewhere) – to pause someplace during one’s journey;

a globetrotter – a person who travels a lot through many countries of the world.

 

5. Where and under what circumstances might we use or hear the following?

1. I’m sorry but we’re all booked up for Monday.

2. Here is the luggage receipt.

3. Yours is the third compartment from the end. Once upper berth, one lower.

4. Would you be so kind as to tell me where three second platform is?

5. Could you, please, tell me at what time the train to Uzhgorod leaves and from what platform?

6. Am I right on my way to the train to Odesa?

 

IV. READING

      T.: No doubt most of you have traveled by train. Travelling by train in our country has much in common with that in other countries but not always.

 

Pre-reading task

      T.: Now you’ll read the text “Travelling by train in Britain”. What common things in travelling by train do you expect to find in the text?

 

While-reading task

      T.: Pick out 5 differences in travelling by train in Britain from that in Ukraine.

 

TRAVELLING BY TRAIN IN BRITAIN

      One of the first things a foreigner notices about British railways is the platforms. They are higher than in most parts of the world. The platform is almost on a level with the floor of the carriages. You do not, therefore, have to climb up into a railway carriage in Britain. This makes it a little easier to get in and out of the carriage with your luggage.

      The trains that go to and from London are very crowded at the times when people are travelling to work, since about a million people travel to London to work each day. There are cheap tickets after a certain time of the day, usually about 9.30 when everyone has gone to work. These are called cheap day return tickets. It is often nearly 50% cheaper to travel to London after 9.30 than before this time.

       On many fast trains to London there is a dining car in which you can buy lunch, dinner or coffee. On others there is a buffet at which it is possible to buy snacks and drinks. Sometimes a waiter from the dining car brings round cups of coffee to the passengers.

       There are only two classes on British trains – first and second. A first-class ticket costs 50% more than a second-class ticket. On long journeys, there is a ticket inspector, who visits every passenger to see if s/he has the right ticket and is not travelling in the wrong class.

      In England train passengers seldom converse with their fellow-travellers even on a long journey – this is more a national custom than a matter of etiquette. When the passenger reaches the end of her/his journey and leaves the train, s/he has to give their ticket to the ticket collector

at the exit before s/he can leave the station. If the passenger has a luggage and wants someone to carry it for her/him to a waiting car or taxi, s/he must ask a porter. The porter does not charge for this service, but he expects a trip.

 

Post-reading task

1. Complete the sentences

1. One of the first differences __________.

2. _______ than in most parts of the world.

3. The trains that go to and from London ________.

4. These are called __________.

5. On long journeys, there is _________.

6. _______ this is more a national custom than a matter of etiquette.

 

2. Take cards, unjumble the questions and put them to your classmates (while answering try not to use the book).

1. are higher/in Britain/ of the/ than in most/Platforms/parts/world.

2. tickets/There are/after/of the day/a certain time/cheap.

3. there is/a dining car/On many/to London/fast trains.

4. train passengers/converse/fellow-travellers/In England/with their/seldom.

Answers:

1. Are platforms in Britain higher than in most parts of the worlds?

2. Are their cheap tickets after a certain time of the day?

3. Is there a dining car on many fast trains to London?

4. Do train passengers seldom converse with their fellow-travellers in England?

 

 

Y. LISTENING

T.: Travelling is always exciting. We meet new people, new places, get a lot of impressions. We enjoy picturesque scenery of these places, explore them and go sightseeing. The text you are going to listen to deals with ‘the London eye’.

Pre-listening task

T.: What do you know about ‘the London eye’?

Can you guess the context of the text judging from the title?

Most big cities and towns have well-known vantage points (high places from which the city can be viewed). Are there any such places in our city? What landmarks can you see from their tops?

While-listening task

T.: Find the answers to the following questions:

1. Where is the London Eye situated?

2. What kind of construction is it?

3. How long did it take to complete the construction?

4. What purpose was it built for?

5. How many countries took part in its construction? What are they?

 

THE LONDON EYE

       Now, ladies and gentlemen, before we go on the Eye, first I’d like to give you a little information about London itself. The London Eye stands on the river Thames and many of the cities most famous landmarks are nearby. This is no coincidence. It is because of the river that London was founded here in the first place. 

      The Romans settled in Londinium, as it was called, at the beginning of the first millennium because the river was vital to trade and travel. The city grew but the river was always at its heart – importing and exporting goods for sale around the world and providing a safer alternative to travelling by road.

      But the river brought problems too. Flooding and freeing were frequent, and pollution was to be expected in such a busy waterway.

      However, conditions have greatly improved on the river, especially in the last twenty years or so, and the Thames Barrier is now London’s first defense against floods.

      The conditions of the Thames changed profoundly when the big container ships of the 20-th century could no longer navigate the river and went elsewhere. Since then, the Thames has become a source of pleasure to Londoners with its riverbank developments.

      As for the Eye itself… it took seven years to complete. It was built to celebrate the New Millennium and the interesting thing is that it was constructed piece by piece throughout Europe.

As it was the biggest observation wheel ever designed, there was no single place where it could be built. The main structure was built in Holland, the central part was built in the Czech Republic, the cables were made in Italy and the capsules in France. So it is a truly European project! Now, if you would just like to follow me, and please keep close together as I have all the tickets and it’s impossible to get on the Eye without the ticket.

 

Glossary:

container ship -  a ship designed to carry large metal boxes for transporting goods;

navigate – to sail according to a particular route;

landmark – a sight which attracts us at a glance;

cable – a very thick, firm metal string;

capsule – a small cabin for tourists;

barrier – a seawall

 

Post-listening task

Complete the sentences using the suggested variants:

1. The London Eye is situated _______.

a) in the East End

b) on the river Thames

c) near the Hyde Park

2. The London Eye is _______.

a) a gigantic observation wheel

b) a museum

c) the National preserve

3. It took ___ years to complete it.

a) five

b) six

c) seven

4. It was built to celebrate _____.

a) the New Millennium

b) the Queen’s birthday

c) the achievements of the past century

5. _______ countries took part in its construction.

a) Five

b) Four

c) Six

 

YI. ROLE-PLAY ‘BOOKING TICKETS’

T.: Act out short dialogues following the instructions:

A.: Asking for some tickets or information;

B.: Inquiring about the time;

A.: Saying when;

B.: Apologizing and explaining why there is a problem; offering an alternative;

A.: Accepting the alternative, asking about payment;

B.: Answering the questions about payment;

A.: Expressing gratitude.

 

YII. GAME

T.: Split in groups of 3. Think of as many items as possible which you will need on a journey (map, guidebook, camera, video camera, conversation book etc). Which group will be the first to complete the task?

 

YIII. HOME ASSIGNMENT

T.: Prepare a tourist advertisement about famous landmarks of your country or your home town for English-speaking tourists.