NMT 2

Read the texts below. Match the choices. There are three choices you do not need to use.

What are the advertisements about?

Read the magazine article about travelling by InterRail around Europe and answer the questions. Choose the best answer.

InterRailing around Europe

Imagine you were told to pack a rucksack with all you need for a month of travelling, what would you take with you? Well, this is the problem which thousands of young people have when they decide to go ‘InterRailing’. Never heard of it? Well, InterRail has become a common part of our language. The idea is you buy one train ticket which covers the whole or part of Europe; you pack your bag, jump on a train and go! From Austria to Turkey, from Finland to Spain, InterRail is the ideal way for young people to travel around Europe on a small budget.

The InterRail Pass was first introduced in 1972 and was a rail ticket which offered under 21-year-olds unlimited travel through twenty-one European countries. The ticket quickly became very popular indeed, allowing young people to travel throughout Europe very cheaply. Over the years, the age limit for the ticket has been raised a number of times and the area covered by the ticket of the borders to the East and the growth of the European Union. Today, there is a wide range of tickets available, for young and old alike, for a whole month or just a few days, for all of the countries or for just one particular ‘zone’.

The ticket has been an amazing success. Since its introduction, nearly 7 million young people have travelled using this form of rail ticket. Apart from the fact that the ticket offers young people a cheap form of travel, the InterRail Pass is also simple to use. It is accepted as a means of travel without any further complicated paperwork. It also offers discounts on many ship and ferry connections and lower entrance prices to many museums and galleries.

But it is the freedom which it offers that has captured the hearts of young people. There is nothing quite like sitting on a train with nothing else except the things you have with you in your rucksack. The freedom to be able to decide yourself when and where to travel without having to stick to any other timetable other than the one you decide upon yourself is thrilling. InterRail offers an element of adventure while providing an element of security at the same time. You know you have your ticket, as it has already been paid for, you know where it is valid and for how long.

Despite the occasional language problem, Europe is perfect for InterRail. It offers travellers an enormous amount of diversity, with each country offering something unique. France is one of the most popular countries, in particular Paris. Germany is also a top destination for its history and festivals; Italy is home to art and pizza; Greece has a ‘sun, sand and sea’ image.

Of course, anyone considering going InterRailing for a month really has to do some careful planning with maps, timetables and one of the many InterRail guides available. For certain trains, in particular the high speed ones, you have to pay extra. You also have to pay a supplement to use the sleeping wagons. Travel safety is a subject many young people have to become familiar with, as well. While it is usually pretty safe on most trains in Europe, there are, of course, areas and times which are more risky than others. Travelling by train during the day is advised for young people, and doing the journey with someone else is also much safer than travelling on your own.

A month of travelling through Europe gives you the chance to see many new places and meet young people from all over the world. It is both educational and culturally rewarding. You are advised to plan well in advance to try and get the most out of your journey. However, in my experience of InterRail, it was all the unexpected things which happened that made the journey so interesting, but above all, fun!

The InterRail ticket

Read the magazine article about travelling by InterRail around Europe and answer the questions. Choose the best answer.

InterRailing around Europe

Imagine you were told to pack a rucksack with all you need for a month of travelling, what would you take with you? Well, this is the problem which thousands of young people have when they decide to go ‘InterRailing’. Never heard of it? Well, InterRail has become a common part of our language. The idea is you buy one train ticket which covers the whole or part of Europe; you pack your bag, jump on a train and go! From Austria to Turkey, from Finland to Spain, InterRail is the ideal way for young people to travel around Europe on a small budget.

The InterRail Pass was first introduced in 1972 and was a rail ticket which offered under 21-year-olds unlimited travel through twenty-one European countries. The ticket quickly became very popular indeed, allowing young people to travel throughout Europe very cheaply. Over the years, the age limit for the ticket has been raised a number of times and the area covered by the ticket of the borders to the East and the growth of the European Union. Today, there is a wide range of tickets available, for young and old alike, for a whole month or just a few days, for all of the countries or for just one particular ‘zone’.

The ticket has been an amazing success. Since its introduction, nearly 7 million young people have travelled using this form of rail ticket. Apart from the fact that the ticket offers young people a cheap form of travel, the InterRail Pass is also simple to use. It is accepted as a means of travel without any further complicated paperwork. It also offers discounts on many ship and ferry connections and lower entrance prices to many museums and galleries.

But it is the freedom which it offers that has captured the hearts of young people. There is nothing quite like sitting on a train with nothing else except the things you have with you in your rucksack. The freedom to be able to decide yourself when and where to travel without having to stick to any other timetable other than the one you decide upon yourself is thrilling. InterRail offers an element of adventure while providing an element of security at the same time. You know you have your ticket, as it has already been paid for, you know where it is valid and for how long.

Despite the occasional language problem, Europe is perfect for InterRail. It offers travellers an enormous amount of diversity, with each country offering something unique. France is one of the most popular countries, in particular Paris. Germany is also a top destination for its history and festivals; Italy is home to art and pizza; Greece has a ‘sun, sand and sea’ image.

Of course, anyone considering going InterRailing for a month really has to do some careful planning with maps, timetables and one of the many InterRail guides available. For certain trains, in particular the high speed ones, you have to pay extra. You also have to pay a supplement to use the sleeping wagons. Travel safety is a subject many young people have to become familiar with, as well. While it is usually pretty safe on most trains in Europe, there are, of course, areas and times which are more risky than others. Travelling by train during the day is advised for young people, and doing the journey with someone else is also much safer than travelling on your own.

A month of travelling through Europe gives you the chance to see many new places and meet young people from all over the world. It is both educational and culturally rewarding. You are advised to plan well in advance to try and get the most out of your journey. However, in my experience of InterRail, it was all the unexpected things which happened that made the journey so interesting, but above all, fun!

The InterRail ticket has been used by