HOLIDAYS

1. Ответьте на вопросы:

1) Do you prefer a summer or winter holiday?

2) What interesting places have you visited on holiday?

3) Where do you prefer spending your holidays: in your country or abroad? Why?

4) What makes a perfect holiday?

5) How active do you like to be on holiday?

2. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

Probably nobody can imagine modern life without travelling. Now the words "travelling", "tourism" and "holidays" have the same associations. Some years ago travelling abroad was very rare and only few people could afford it, but now thanks to the travel revolution, longer holidays, bigger salaries and the change of the policy of the country more and more people visit other countries.

More and more people are fond of travelling. Millions of people travel around the globe to see other countries and continents, modern cities and ruined ancient towns. Many people think that holidays are a wonderful chance to relax, have fun and explore new places, to enjoy picturesque places or just have a change of scene.

Some people travel on business, others for pleasure to spend their holidays in a warm country. Many people enjoy visiting foreign cities, museums and galleries. Travelling is an excellent way of gaining knowledge of other countries' history and there­fore tourism plays an important role in breaking down negative national stereotypes. The best way to study geography is to travel and the best way to get to know and understand the people is to meet them in their own homes.

In my opinion, going sightseeing is a very good way of spending a holiday. Every city or country has something special such as archeological sites or famous landmarks. It's wonderful to see those places for yourself, not just in books or on TV. If I had a chance, I'd go to London. I have learnt a lot of interesting things about this marvellous city and, of course, I'd like to see everything with my own eyes: St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Tower, famous bridges and Trafalgar Square with its Nelson's Column. I'd like to take a tour around the city sitting in a red double-decker bus or just wander around the streets enjoying the historical buildings, modern grand hotels, theatres, shops or just people. Of course, I'd like to have a rest in one of the famous London parks breathing fresh air, feeding the birds and animals. On such a trip I'd take a camera, a pair of comfortable shoes, a couple of guide-books and a map.

There are a lot of types of holidays. Some people prefer skiing holiday or mountaineering holiday. Others like seaside holiday or scuba diving. For others it'd be something extreme. For example, going on a safari to discover Africa by Land Rover seems a rather attractive idea. Teenagers enjoy camping holiday.

If I went to the seaside, I'd take a swimming costume, suntan lotion, sunglasses, a cap, light clothes, a camera and a first-aid kit. I think such holidays should last for a fortnight (two weeks). But if you decided to go to the mountain skiing resort, you should take warm clothes, a skiing costume, skis, goggles, a camera and first-aid kit. You can enjoy your stay in beautiful chalets with real wood fires to keep you warm even in the worst snowstorms.

There are different forms of travelling. You can choose every­thing depending on your preferences, mood and wishes. Probably the most comfortable are package holidays. These are holidays organized by a travel company where the basic price includes flight, accommodation and food. Going on such holidays you can settle everything beforehand and fully relax during the holidays. Unfortunately such holidays are expensive.

Not all people prefer relaxation during the holidays, some people prefer active holidays. They are fun, practical and a great way to make new friends who share your interests. These interests can include foreign languages, cycling, cookery, sailing and others.

If you haven't got enough money, you can go on working holidays. You can work on a farm picking fruit in France or Israel, or if you want to go to the USA, you can work in a sum­mer camp for kids. There are hundreds of them all over the US every summer and many of them employ foreign students to help organize games and events. It is a hard work, but you are paid and get free time at the end to travel around America. More and more people want to experience real life when they are abroad, that is why they prefer Home stay holidays. Instead of staying in hotels, you live with a family in their own house. It is cheaper than package holidays and much more interesting.

People can travel on foot, by car, by bus, by train, by bike, by air, by sea and hitchhiking. But when you are going to visit some place, you must not only think where to go and what to do but also choose a method of travelling, too. While thinking about a means of transport you should take into consideration such factors of travelling as speed, comfort, safety and reli­ability. Travelling by air is more comfortable, convenient and quicker than any other method. But it's rather expensive. It can be unreliable, too because there might be delays. It'll also take you some time to get to the airport and go through the Customs. Travelling by car is very convenient. You can stop whenever you want and choose the speed. You don't have to share your car with the others. You don't depend on the tickets. But you have to drive in heavy traffic and breathe in car fume. Travelling by ship is very nice. You can enjoy a leisurely voyage. It's very slow. It can be very expensive, too. I prefer travelling by train. Trains are much safer than planes. They are cheaper and tend to be comfortable. You can walk around in a train and open the window. You can do everything you like: read, sleep, listen to the music... Trains are slower than plains, but speed isn't everything.

Sometimes things may go wrong during the holidays, so you should be very careful and be ready for the problems. For example, the flight can be delayed, unsatisfied accommodation, bad food, poor hotel service, your passport or money can be lost or stolen, noisy neighbours, lots of mosquitoes, bad weather... But no matter how it can be, people should have a good rest, as many of us work hard during the year and holidays are worth the money you spend on them. You really feel better, healthier, more energetic and full of impressions. I believe that holidays should be a change. Most people like a change of place. If they live in the country, they like to go to a big town. If they live in a city, they like a quiet holiday. When on holiday most people don't like to do things; they have to do them all the year round.

I prefer summer holidays. They are long and the weather is rather nice and warm to enjoy your rest. I try to do everything I want: swim in the river, play active games, enjoy being outside all day long, ride my bike, wear light clothes and plenty of other interesting things I can't afford during the school year. When on holidays I try to be active.

We usually spend summer holidays together: my mum, dad and me. Sometimes our dad joins us later; it depends on the time of his holiday. First, we go to a small town situated on the river where my mother's parents live. We stay there for two weeks. I go fishing with my grandfather. We also visit some museums, go on an excursion to the famous Turkish fortress which was assaulted (conquered) by the Russian Army led by the famous general Suvorov. For at least 10 days we spend time at the seaside. We can go there by bus and stay at a hotel or rent a house. Then we go to the picturesque village where my grand-grandmother lives. We go there in search of a peaceful, relaxing holiday and I am certainly never disappointed. We usually get there by train. It takes us 16 hours to get to the place from Moscow. Of course, we book the return tickets in advance in the booking office at the railway station. It's not a long trip, so I don't feel bored much or tired. I'd like to describe the place. The village is surrounded by marvelous scenery, hills and pine woods. It is situated on the bank of the small clear river. The weather is usually fine during our stay, though we come here in July and sometimes there are periods of showers and thunderstorms. I enjoy swimming, sunbathing, breathing fresh air, walking in the forest, riding a bike, studying the surrounding neighbourhoods. Sometimes I help my grand-grandmother to look after her hens and a pig. I enjoy eating fresh fruit and vegetables, just baked bread and a glass of milk. But my favourite way of spending time here is fishing. I really feel proud of myself when I am able to catch enough fish to fry it for supper. We usually spend here two weeks, take photos and enjoy spending the time.

So, I think that travelling is the best way of spending your holiday. And if you have a chance, choose the way of travelling for yourself and have fun.

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