9. Role-play the conversation. Change the words in blue. Use your partner's name and information from the Communication Activity.
10. Discuss the proverbs. Use them while speaking about customs and in other situations to make your speech more expressive. Honesty is the best policy. Gone for a penny, gone for a pound.
11. Speak about your own experience of going through the customs. Use the material of the unit.
Staying at a Hotel
As I'm the manager of our company I often go on business trips to visit our trade partner's manufacturing plants in London. When the plane lands at Heathrow airport I go through passport control and check my luggage at the Customs house. A representative of our Trade Delegation meets me at the airport and takes me to the Embassy Hotel. It's a comfortable Hotel in the centre of London near the Hyde Park. Prices for the rooms are reasonable and the hotel is usually full, so the rooms are reserved in advance.
It takes us about half an hour to get to the hotel. At the reception desk we address the receptionist and say that we have reserved accommodation for Mr. Petrov at the hotel. The receptionist checks the reservation and informs us that one single room with private bath is reserved for Mr. Petrov from this day. The room is on the third floor, number 301. We thank the receptionist and I fill in the following form:
Surname First name
Nationality Date of birth
Occupation Place of birth
Date of arrival in London _ Address
Length of stay
The receptionist thanks us and gives me the key to my room. He calls the porter and asks him to take me up to my room in the lift. The receptionist asks me not to miss breakfast served from 7.30 to 8.30. He also warns me that the hotel charges include breakfast and maid-service and I don't have to give any tips to the maids. The receptionist wishes me to enjoy my stay at the hotel.
TASKS
I. Read the words to the text. Pronounce them correctly and learn their Russian equivalents. Pay attention to the international words, their pronunciation and meaning:
reserve accommodation – заказать номер
reasonable – приемлимый
full – полный
receptionist – служащий регистрации
tip – чаевые
porter – портье, носильщик
charges – плата
include – включать
II. Give English equivalents to the following word combinations. Use the text for reference:
заказать номер заранее; комфортабельная гостиница; цены в гостинице умеренные; отель (гостиница) обычно переполнен; служащий отеля; номер с одной комнатой; коридорный (портье); с личной ванной; дать ключ от комнаты; сопроводить в номер; на лифте; не пропустить завтрак; плата за номер в отеле; включать завтрак и услуги горничной; давать чаевые.
III. Answer the following questions to discuss the details of the text. Use the text for reference.
Do businessmen often stay at hotels?
Why do businessmen have to stay at hotels?
Is it necessary to reserve accommodation in advance (to book a room at a hotel)? Why?
Who makes arrangements for a businessman's stay at a hotel?
Are prices at hotels always reasonable?
Who pays hotel charges for a businessman's stay at a hotel?
Do hotel charges include meals and maid-service?
Can you afford staying at a hotel at your own expense?
Is it necessary to give tips to the maids (a porter, a receptionist)?
Why are visitors asked to fill in the form?
What do visitors write in the form?
Have you ever stayed at a hotel?