For the next few weeks, tour operators will be sorting through the annual deluge of complaints. Ron Wheal, head of customer relations for Britain’s biggest ________, which took more than a million abroad this summer, says, “Holidaymakers are _______ about petty, silly little things.” Such as? “The fact that their hotel is next to a road”. Perhaps one of the most ________ complaints is that the holiday fails to ________ to the brochure promises.
Britain’s biggest seller of long-distance holidays says that the majority of its complaints ________ from people who have chosen the wrong sort of holiday. People who ________ to do their research could find themselves in the Caribbean during the hurricane season.
How does this passage relate to the story by S. Leacock?
WRITING
Write a letter to a friend about a trip you are going to make. First, read the letter given below.
Jakarta,
7 March 1997
Dear Charles,
I’m writing to tell you about our plans for our journey to the United States. We leave Jakarta the day after tomorrow, but we are not flying direct. Susan said it would be boring just to sit in a Jumbo above the Pacific. We are therefore going to Calcutta by sea and crossing India by train, so that we can see the Himalayas and the Taj Mahal. When we reach Bombay we shall look for a cargo-ship to Dar-es-Salam. We shall be arriving in Nairobi sometime in May. John said at first that he wanted to cross the Sahara on a camel, but he agrees now that this is not very practical. We shall fly to Khartoum and go down the Nile by river-boat to Cairo. Susan’s birthday is on 10 June, and she says she is going to celebrate it in London – but as soon as it is over we shall catch the next plane to New York. We shall be seeing you about 12 June – but you will be getting a few postcards before then.
Best wishes,
Pauline
LISTENING
An Interview with a Famous Traveller
1. You are going to listen to an interview with a famous traveller. As the host of the talk-show says, “He has been everywhere and seen everything.”
· Where has he been, do you think?
· What has he done to become so famous?
· Write down your ideas.
Now listen to the beginning of the interview to see whether you have guessed correctly.
2. Richard Mills recalls the story of his rescue in the Sahara.
· Try to guess what happened in the Sahara and how Richard was rescued.
· In the story Richard uses several phrasal verbs. Listen to the story again and write them down. What do they mean? Now, tell the story of Richard’s Sahara rescue using the verbs.
3. In the second half of the interview Richard talks about his next expedition. What is it going to be, do you think?
Listen to the second half of the interview and take notes to make up its outline.
Outline
1) where?
2) preparations/ training
3) anticipated problems
4) equipment
5) how long will it take? pace?
6) food
7) photographs
8) book
Imagine that you are writing a short article about R. Mills’ polar expedition after he has returned. (Sum up everything you have learned about Richard’s next expedition. Why is it his most ambitious project so far?)
4. Recall what questions the host of the talk-show asked the traveller. Now, interview Richard Mills after he has returned from his polar expedition.
5. What sort of man is Richard Mills, do you think? What are famous travellers usually like? What makes them climb up Everest, cross the Sahara on foot or sail across the Atlantic in a rowing boat risking their lives and overcoming countless hardships?
HAVE YOUR SAY
1. S. Leacock writes that a traveller is going to find all through the trip the most striking difference between travel as it is pictured in the Guide Book and travel as it is in fact. Do you agree? Why is that so? Perhaps, one shouldn’t read guide-books at all if one doesn’t want to face disillusionment, then?
2. How can one enjoy their travels in full? What should you do and what shouldn’t you do? Make up a list of DO s and DON’T s.
