Semester 1 Reading

Read the text. Choose the correct answer.

TRAVELLERS’ TALES

John

We oftentravel by planebut we don’t use budgetairlines, even thoughthey are cheaperand often fly to the places we want to go. I’d rather pay more for a bit morecomfort. Last Christmas, we wanted to spend the holidays with family and friends and we had a change offlight in Frankfurt,Germany. The time between flights was forty-five minutes and we soon realised that we weren’t going to make it. The airline was good to us and the other passengers and gave us food and a comfortable hotel to sleep in. We got a flight the next morningbut, unfortunately, it meant that we misseda big family party. I thought I’d been clever and found a quick way to get to Canadabut I was very wrong. Now I know that I need to leave at least two hours between flightsif I want to be safe.That’s much better than missing a flight or arriving withoutyour luggage.

• John doesn’t use budget airlines because                                      [they don’t fly where he wants to go., time between flights is too short., they are uncomfortable., they often lose people’s luggage.]

• John                                          [blames the airline for missing his fligh, was happy that food was provided., is happy he's found a fast way to get., books direct flights since missing fligh]

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TRAVELLERS’ TALES

Greta

We decidedto travel across Europe by train. Train travel always looks so romanticin films. I imagined leisurely meals in the diningcar, meeting exotic people,followed by a comfortable night’s sleep. Things started to go wrong before we had even left. The security and check-infor the train from London was just like at an airport except that the queues were longer.Then, when we got to Brussels, we found that our night train was three hourslate and there was nowhere to leave our bags. After a very long and not very good meal at the station,it was finally time to get on the night train. It was OK but the compartment was too hot and when we opened the window,it was too noisy to sleep. The beds were hard and there was nodining car so everyone went straight to their own compartments and didn’t socialiseat all. It wasn’t quite as I had imaginedit!

• When Greta travelled across Europe by train,                                          [experience didn’t meet her expectations., she was surprised that all had own room., everything was exactly how she imagined., she felt it was very romantic.]

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TRAVELLERS’ TALES

Elias

We wantedto go to England but weren’t sure how to travel. We live a long way from an airport and, anyway, none of us like flying.If we went by train,we would have to change three times. In the end, we went by coach. It left our home town at five o’clock in the afternoon, as planned, and arrived in London, exactlyon time, twenty-two hours later. I wasn’t expectingto sleep well and it wasn’t as comfortable as a bed but it was better than I had imagined.The bus stopped every four hours for a rest and we all got out. Everyonewas very friendlyand chatted and the atmosphere was almost like a party. Then, at about eleveno’clock, it all went quiet as people tried to sleep. When I gotout in London, half asleepbut happy, I felt as if I was saying goodbyeto old friends. I’m now planning on doing more travelling by coach.

• Elias                                         [enjoyed journey as he was with friends., was unhappy about changing coaches., slept extremely well on the coach., enjoyed socialising with new people.]