Разговорный английский

For me there is nothing like travel by air: it is more comfortable, more convenient and, of course, far quicker than any other method. There is none of the dust and dirt of a railway or car journey; none of the trouble of changing from train to steamer, pushing your way through crowds to get from the boat to the Customs (if you travel abroad) and then to another train. A taxi or bus of the Airline Service takes you to the airport. There on the runway you see a sleek and beautiful jet-propelled passenger liner ready to carry you to your place of destination. When the formalities of registering yourself and weighing your baggage are over, you get up the gangway and board the plane. If you are travelling for the first time, you may apply to the stewardess and she will see you to your seat and give you all the information you need as, how to strap your belt, how to adjust your seat and so on. If you feel hungry, you will be provided with an excellent lunch. Strange though it may seem, it actually comes out cheaper, considering what you save in hotel charges or sleeping accomodation on the train, meals and so on.

But it is not only on account of the convenience, comfort and speed that I like air travel. The whole experience is a spiritually

thrilling thing for me. I enjoy greatly the feeling of flying. As you leave the earth behind you, you seem to belong to another world, a bigger, wider, freer world than the one you left. What loveliness there is on earth when you see it from above; the rapid changing scenes below are of underscribable beauty.

What can compare in beauty with the view one beholds when flying, for instance, from Moscow to Sverdlovsk? Just as the early tinges of dawn flush the eastern sky you take off from the Moscow airport leaving behind the huge city in deep slumber; the sun has not risen, but the bird-like machine is flying to greet it. Looking down you gain a magnificent view of a charming landscape — to the right are fields carefully cultivated, to the left — pasture-lands, ahead — a cheerful river winding its way through the lowland. On you fly past villages and cities, hills and valleyes, each following the other in quick succession. There in the far distance you perceive the outlines of a mountain range.

You scarcely have time to realize that the mountains ribbed with sharp steep ridges and clothed with vegetation on both sides are the Urals when you find them below you and in another minute or two far behind.

On and on you fly with the ever-changing scenes below till you safely land at the airport in Sverdlovsk.

No, you will never make me believe that there is a better way of travelling than by air.

4.      AT THE INQUIRY BUREAU

P. Could you possibly tell me how I could get to Ashkhabad?

C. Well, there are different ways. You may go by air, or by land, or by sea.

P. Not by air, thank you. I don’t take to flying. But what do you mean by sea? What has Ashkhabad to do with the sea?

C. Well, you just look at this map here. Can you see from there?

P. Yes, I can.

C. Now you see, here is Ashkhabad. From here, that is from Moscow, you may go by train via Tashkent. This is a roundabout way, see?

P. I do. And how do I go by sea?

C. Well, you may go by train as far as Baku. Here it is.

P. Now I understand. There I change the train for a boat, cross the Caspian sea, get the boat-train for Tashkent and here we are.

C. Quite right. And there’s another way still.

P. Another way? I don’t see any other way there.

C. Well now, suppose you want to go on a pleasure trip and have a squint at the world.

P. Well, let’s suppose that though I’m too busy to go about sight­seeing.

C. Then you go to Odessa —.

P. To Odessa? Why on earth should I have to go to Odessa?

C. Why, to do some sightseeing! — to skirt along the coast of the Black Sea, to call at differents ports and see big ships coming in from and going to distant lands, to — well, don’t you call that sightseeing?

P. I do. And it’s rather alluring, but — no time, you know. Which is the shortest, I mean, the quickest way to get there?

C. By air, of course. It’ll take you just a few hours to get there.

P. Well, I thank you for the pains you have taken in giving me such useful information. Goodbye.

5.      AT THE STATION

P. Oh, there you are! You have come early; it’s only a quarter to eight.

M. Well, I prefer to be ahead of time rather than behind.

P. Have you had breakfast?

M. Yes, half an hour ago. Have you packed?

P. No, not yet. I have still a few things to pack but there’s no more room in the suitcase.

M. Well, put them into your briefcase then. In the meantime I’ll go and call a taxi.

P. Right! And where’s your suitcase?

M. I’ve sent it to the station. My brother is taking care of it.

P. Where shall we meet him?

M. In the waiting room. Well, I’m off for the taxi. I hope you’ll be ready by the time I get back?

P. Sure.

M. Well, the taxi is at the door.