1 Where do most tourists to your country come from? What kind of things do they like doing? Discuss in pairs.
Students’ own answers.
2 Match the places from the box with the descriptions.
| Left Luggage taxi rank tourist office tube station waiting room |
A place where you can …
a sit and wait for a bus/train waiting room
b get a taxi rank
c catch an underground train tube station
d leave heavy bags for a few hours Left Luggage
e find out travel information, book hotels, get maps/leaflets tourist office
3 Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.
1 Where do the tourists want to go?
to Glasgow
2 What information do they want?
the time of the train, the platform it leaves from, the nearest salad bar restaurant, how far it is to the Brunswick Centre, the nearest taxi rank
3 What problem do they have?
They can’t understand English accents.
4 Why are they surprised at the end?
The person they understand perfectly is not English – she’s Portuguese.
4 Study the Speaking box. Listen again and tick the expressions you hear.
| SPEAKING | Asking for information ü Excuse me, what time is the next train …? ü Which platform does the train leave from? م ü Where‘s the nearest tube station/bus stop/ taxi rank? ü Is there a bus/tram we can catch to …? Is there a restaurant/bank/travel centre near here? ü How far is it to …? Pardon me, I didn't hear that. ü I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. |
5 Complete the conversations with one word in each gap. Listen and check. Then in pairs, practise the conversations.
Faisal Excuse me. What time is the next train to Glasgow?
Travel
agent Five fifty–nine.
Faisal I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. Can you say it again, please?
Salah Which platform does the train leave from?
Faisal 8B
Salah How far is it to the Brunswick Centre?
Talal It’s not far. It’s about …
Faisal Is there a bus we can catch to get there?
Salah Or maybe we can take a cab. Where’s the nearest taxi rank?
Talal The taxi rank is over there. But you can walk. It’s only five minutes.
Salah Where is the Left Luggage?
Talal Next to Platform 16.
|
WATCH OUT! British English American English tube/underground subway |
6 PRONUNCIATION Listen to questions 1–4 and repeat. Pay attention to the underlined words.
1 How far is it to the bus station?
2 Is there a map of the underground?
3 What time is the next coach to Leeds?
4 Is there a tram we can catch to the Old Town?
Suggested Answers
You should allow plenty of time to get to the train station.
7 Listen and write down the answers to the questions in Exercise 6
1 About ten minutes on foot.
2 Yes, there is.
3 Half past four.
4 Yes, you can get the sixteen.
Workbook
1 Listen and repeat the phrases. How do you say them in your language?
There’s some: fruit, honey, jam, sugar
There are some: beans, eggs, grapes, olives, rolls
|
SPEAKING | Asking for information |
|
Excuse me, what time is the next train to Glasgow? Which platform does the train leave from? Where‘s the nearest tube station/bus stop/ taxi rank? Is there a bus/tram we can catch to the Brunswick Centre? Is there a restaurant/bank/travel centre near here? How far is it to the bus station? Pardon me, I didn’t hear that. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. |
2 Put the words in order to make sentences.
1 tube station / nearest / the / where’s / ?
Where's the nearest tube station?
2 me / catch / didn’t / that / pardon / I
Pardon me, I didn’t catch that.
3 the restaurant / time / open / does / what / ?
What time does the restaurant open?
4 far / how / the railway station / to / it / is / ?
How far is it to the railway station?
5 does / from / platform / leave / the Paris train / which / ?
Which platform does the Paris train leave from?
6 here / there / near / is / a travel centre / ?
Is there a travel centre near here?
7 Hereford / time / is / to / what / the next train / ?
What time is the next train to Hereford?
8 into the village / there / I / a bus / catch / is / can / ?
Is there a bus I can catch into the village?
3 Complete the questions with one word in each gap.
1 Is there a map of the city centre?
2 Which platform does the Glasgow train leave from?
3 What time is the next coach to Birmingham?
4 Is there a bus stop near here?
4 Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.
1 Where’s the nearest bus rank / park / stop?
2 There is / Is there / What is a bus I can catch to the airport?
3 Sorry, I didn’t catch / find / keep that.
4 What stop / line / platform do Blue Line trains leave from?
5 Is there a taxi centre / rank / stop near here?
6 Excuse me. Where / How / What far is it to Park View Hotel?
5 Put the sentences in order to make conversations.
1
a It’s about 200 metres from here, outside the railway station. 4
b Where’s the nearest bus stop? 3
c No, 200. Outside the railway station. 6
2
a What platform do Blue Line trains leave from? 5
b Oh, that’s a long way. Is there a taxi rank near here? 4
c They don’t have a number. Just look for the Blue Line and get off at the second stop. 6
d It’s about two kilometres from here. 3
e No, but there’s an underground station here. You need a Blue Line train to Mark’s Square. 5
f Excuse me. How far is it to Park View Hotel? 1