Travelling on Business
People started travelling in the ancient times. Travelling was really dangerous in those days but there were always brave people who went on discovering new lands, in search of wealth and fame.
Nowadays things have changed significantly. Hundreds of travel agencies are willing to help you if you are planning to go somewhere. Holidaymaking has become one of the most profitable industries and the budget of many countries.
Employees of different countries usually go on business trips. Business travel is the practice of people travelling for purposes related to their work. There are many reasons of going on business: to make a contract, to discuss different terms of delivery, payment or shipment, to have tests, to do consultancy, to improve one’s professional skills, to work, etc.
Business necessities may also include: trade fairs, participation in congresses or seminars, further education, excursions for research, scientific campaigns, study trips, school or exploratory trips etc.
Business today is really international. Usually itinerary of the trip is carefully planned by the head of the department or an executive. Once the employee knows where he is going, he can investigate the airport, rail and hotel amenities to determine which will provide him with the best business services including good Internet access.
Whether it is the first or thousandth business trip, the traveller should be conscious of conduct that is considered proper during the absence from the office. As a representative of the company, a businessman has to know how to behave appropriately on a business trip.
These are some recommended steps to follow:
· to pack all essential (важный, необходимый) items in a carry-on bag to avoid being ill-prepared for business if the airline loses the luggage.
· to dress professionally during the entire trip. The clothes should reflect the fact that the person is on a business trip, whether he is on a plane, on a golf course or in a conference room.
· to be prepared and be on time, it is not a good decision to be 10 minutes late for an important meeting.
· to use proper business language. Even though some business trips may include more casual (обыденный, повседневный) situations, such as lunch, dinner or even golf, it is better to keep in mind that you are still representing your company, and like the old saying goes, “Loose lips sink ships”.
· to brush up on table manners and the basics of business etiquette (деловой этикет). This may help avoid some embarrassing (неловкий, неудобный) situations while on the trip.
· to conduct oneself with grace (достоинство, такт, любезность) and decorum (приличие) at all times. If the person is uncertain about these terms (условия), it is advisable to consider buying a book on business etiquette for some light reading while on the plane.
Exercise 6.Test your Business Etiquette.
Social and business etiquette can be tricky (сложный), and making the right moves can make a big difference. Take this quiz (опрос, викторина) and see how you fare in the following business situations.
1. Your boss, Ms. Alpha, enters the room when you’re meeting with an important client, Mr. Beta. You rise and say “Ms. Alpha, I’d like you to meet Mr. Beta, our client from San Diego”. Is this introduction correct?
2. At a social function, you meet the CEO[2] of an important corporation. After a brief chat, you give him your business card (визитная карточка). Is this correct?
3. You answer the phone for a peer (сверстник) who’s available, and ask “Who’s calling, please?” Are you correct?
4. You’re hosting a dinner at a restaurant. You’ve pre-ordered for everyone and indicated where they should sit. Are you correct?
5. A toast has been proposed in your honour. You say “Thank you” and take a sip (маленький глоток) of your drink. Are you correct?
6. You’re invited to a reception and the invitation states “7:00 to 9:00 PM”. You should arrive:
a) at 7:00 PM
b) anytime between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM
c) between 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM
d) go early and leave early.
7. You’re talking with a group of four people. Do you make eye contact with:
a) just the person to whom you’re speaking at the moment?
b) each of the four, moving your eye contact from one to another?
c) no one particular person (not looking directly into anyone’s eyes)?
8. The waiter’s coming towards you to serve wine. You don’t want any. You turn your glass upside down. Are you correct?
9. When you greet a visitor in your office, do you:
a) say nothing and let her sit where she wishes?
b) tell her where to sit?
c) say “Just sit anywhere”?
10. You’ve forgotten a lunch with a business associate (коллега). You feel terrible and know he’s furious (разгневан). Do you:
a) write a letter of apology (извинение)?
b) send flowers?
c) keep quiet and hope he forgets about it?
d) call and set up another appointment (встреча)?
(Answers: 1) You should introduce the more important person first; 2) No; 3) No; 4) Yes; 5) No, if you do, then you’re toasting yourself; 6) a, b or c. It’s terribly impolite to arrive early.7) b; 8) No; 9) b; 10) d).
Exercise 7. Rearrange the words to build sentences.
1. Hello, have to ever country before? you come this
2. my it’s first journey No, England. to
3. Britain? in friends any Great relatives Have got you or
4. Just have friends. got I
5. here? to long you How intend stay do
6. couple weeks. of Around a
7. Where will stay? you
8. some London days. for I’ll at stay friend’s in my
9. tourists know not beyond months? to allowed 3 you stay are in the country Do that
10. come back in to today. have Anyway weeks I six from
Exercise 8.Read the text to match left and right. Be ready to speak on the routine airport procedures.
| 1) to register tickets and luggage | a) пройти к стойке регистрации |
| 2) to arrive two hours before departure time | b) открыть сумки для проверки, контроля |
| 3) to bring in personal belongings duty free | c) внести в билет отметку о квитанции на получение каждого места багажа |
| 4) to complete the airport formalities | d) зарегистрировать билеты и багаж |
| 5) to open the bags for inspection | e) прибывать (в аэропорт) за два часа до отправления |
| 6) to ask routine questions | f) выдать посадочный талон |
| 7) to smell a smuggler | g) выполнить формальности в аэропорту |
| 8) to go to the check-in counter | h) ввозить личные вещи беспошлинно |
| 9) to insert in the ticket a claim-check for each piece of luggage | i) предотвращать контрабанду |
| 10) to give a boarding pass | j) проверить ручную кладь |
| 11) to fill in the declaration form | k) являться противоугонной мерой |
| 12) to go through passport control | l) садиться в самолет |
| 13) to prevent smuggling | m) распознавать контрабандиста |
| 14) to inspect carry-on luggage | n) заполнять декларацию |
| 15) to be an anti-hijacking measure | o) задавать обычные вопросы |
| 16) to board the plane | p) проходить паспортный контроль |
Text 2
At the Airport
Travelling by air is the fastest means of travelling. Passengers are to arrive at the airport two hours before departure time on international flights and an hour before on domestic flights as there must be enough time to complete the necessary airport formalities. For this purpose the passenger must register their tickets and luggage.
As a rule personal belongings may be brought in duty-free. If the traveller has nothing to declare he may just go through the “green” section (channel) of the Customs. In some cases the Customs inspector may ask the passenger to open the bags for inspection. It sometimes happens that a luggage is carefully gone through to prevent smuggling.
The rules for passengers who are going abroad are similar in most countries but sometimes there might be a slight difference in formalities.
If, for instance, the traveller begins with going through the Customs, he’d better fill in the Customs declaration before talking to the Customs officer.
An experienced Customs officer usually smells a smuggler, but he may ask routine questions, for instance, “Have you got anything to declare?” or “Any spirits, tobacco, presents?” The usual answers would be, “Yes, I’ve got some valuables (ценные вещи, ценности), but I’ve put them all down in the declaration”, or “I’ve got two blocks of cigarettes for my own use” or something of that kind.
Then he goes to the check-in counter where his ticket is looked at, the things are weighed and labelled, a claim-check for each piece of luggage is inserted in the ticket and the passenger is given a boarding pass, which has a seat number on it. Of course, if the luggage weighs more than twenty kilos, extra (багаж сверх нормы) is to be paid.
The next formality is filling in the declaration form and going through passport control. The traveller writes his name, nationality, permanent address (адрес постоянного места жительства) and the purpose of the trip (цель поездки). In most countries there is also a security check (проверка безопасности) when the carry-on luggage is inspected. This is an anti-hijacking measure, and anything that might be dangerous or disturbing to other passengers must be handed to one of the crew and only returned to the owner after the plane has reached its destination.
After fulfiling all these formalities passengers go to the departure lounge where they can have a snack, read a paper, buy something in the duty-free shop and wait for the announcement (объявление о посадке) to board the plane.
At the airport passengers may be met by a specially trained dog (собака, натренированная на обнаружение наркотиков, взрывчатки) that will make sure that they are not carrying drugs.
There is another inconvenience (неудобство) the person has to be prepared for when travelling long distances by plane. It’s the jet lag[3], a difference between the time people are accustomed to and the new time. At first travellers won’t be feeling very well because of it, but it won’t take them long to get used to it.
Exercise 9. Agree or disagree with the following:
1. Passengers are to arrive at the airport two hours before departure.
2. Personal belongings may not be brought in duty-free.
3. The Customs inspector never asks the passenger to open his bags for inspection.
4. There are slight differences in Customs formalities of different countries.
5. The passenger weighs and labels his things himself.
6. Security check is carried out for anti-hijacking measures.
Exercise 10. Complete the table using the list of passengers’ rights and obligations during the travel.
| Passenger has the right | Passenger is obliged | It is forbidden for the passenger |
| To receive carriage services according to the fare | To keep the travel ticket until the end of the journey | To disturb the driver |
to travel on a coach under alcoholic intoxication; to be in dirty clothes; to smoke or disturb other passengers; to open or close windows or hatches without the driver’s permission; to ensure that his/her hand luggage or any other item does not endanger other passengers; in case of absence of a travel ticket to buy one from a coach driver; to keep the travel ticket until the end of the journey; to receive carriage services according to the fare; to carry luggage in accordance with existing order; passenger with sight impairment has the right to carry his/her guiding dog; to possess a travel ticket or another document proving his right to travel and present it to the driver when entering the coach; to present the travel ticket to any official having the right for inspection upon his request; to prevent the doors from opening or closing and to cover the driver’s view; to disturb the driver or hinder work of an official having the right for inspection; to break, to damage or stain the coach and its interior; to endanger himself or other passengers; to violate other requirements set by the Rules; to have free luggage allowance; to pay for the excess luggage; to have any prohibited or restricted goods; to cooperate with the Customs officer.
Exercise 11. Read the text and say what the term “air rage” stands for.
Text 3*
Air Rage
Air rage is the general term for disruptive and/or violent behaviour of passengers and crew of aircraft, typically during flight.
Unlike ground vehicles, airplanes enter altitudes where changes in air pressure can help trigger temporary psychological changes, such as enhancing the psychoactive effects of chemicals like alcohol which is typically served on board.
Once an Air Canada flight from Toronto to London was disrupted by a passenger who began shouting in an apparent case of “air rage”. During the apparent panic attack, a man identified as “Jay” indicated fears that he was about to be shot to death, in addition to uttering obscenities and racist comments. He was restrained by several members of the flight crew and the flight landed safely at Heathrow Airport. Authorities did not place the passenger under arrest in London, and Air Canada indicated there was no danger from this outburst.
Luckily Trans-Atlantic “air rage” incident ends safely.
Exercise 12. Read the story to correct the six grammar mistakes with the verbs (wrong tense or wrong form).
Read the story again and complete with a connecting word or phrase. Use the following:
| After, although, but (x2), because, in the end, so (x2), when |
Nightmare Journeys
A nightmare journey I remember was three years ago (1) _____ I was going to the airport with my friend. We were going to Mallorca on holiday and we had to be at Dresden airport two hours before the flight.
We leaved home with plenty of time, (2) _____ when we got to the motorway there was a huge traffic jam! The traffic wasn’t moving at all. We didn’t knew what to do. It was too late to go another way, (3) _____ we just sat in the car getting more and more stressed. (4) _____ ten minutes the traffic started moving slowly.
We decided to leave the motorway and try to found another way to the airport, (5) _____ I wasn’t sure of the way and we got completely lost. We was sure we were going to miss the flight. We finally arrived at the airport just thirty minutes before the plane was going to leave.
The woman at the check-in-desk said we couldn’t to check in our luggage (6) _____ it was too late (7) _____ we had to run with all our cases to the departure gate. (8) _____ my friend felt over and hurt her leg, we managed to get to the gate in time and (9) _____ we caught our flight.
Note:Majorca (Catalan and Spanish “Mallorca”) is the largest island of Spain. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea.
Exercise 13. Look at the list in the Useful language box below and say what possible travel problems you may have.
| Useful language box the flight was delayed there was a traffic jam you broke down you got a puncture you got lost you forgot your passport you missed your flight your flight was overbooked the flight was cancelled you felt badly you did not know the rules about excess luggage |
Talking Points
Exercise 14. In pairs, discuss the following statements:
1. The way one spends a holiday can tell us a lot about a person’s character.
2. People learn foreign languages visiting famous places abroad/ before going on a business trip.
3. Businessmen prefer travelling by air. Why?
4. The smugglers’ suitcases might make the Customs officer suspicious.
5. Travelling is the name of modern disease.
6. People travel more nowadays than in the 19th century.
Exercise 15.Discuss the following questions.
1. What rules must international travellers know to avoid problems being abroad?
2. What purposes might make people travel?
3. How to prepare for business travel well?
Focus on Grammar
Exercise 16. Rewrite these sentences using an adverb instead of an adjective.
Example: Peter is a bad tennis player. – Peter plays tennis badly.
1. He’s a dangerous driver.
2. She’s a fast swimmer.
3. Martin is a good cook.
4. I’m a slow writer.
5. She’s a wonderful dancer.
6. Sheila is a hard worker.
7. They aren’t quick learners.
Exercise 17. Complete the sentences using as ... as.
1. My salary is high but yours is higher. My salary isn’t _________.
2. You know a bit about cars but I know more. You don't ________.
3. It’s still cold but it was colder yesterday. It isn’t _______.
4. I still feel a bit tired but I felt a lot more tired yesterday. I don’t _______.
5. They’ve lived here for quite a long time but we’ve lived here longer. They haven’t ______.
6. I was a bit nervous before the interview but usually I'm a lot more nervous. I wasn’t ______.
Exercise 18. Complete the sentences using than... or as...
1. I can’t reach as high as you. You are taller ______ .
2. He doesn’t know much. I know more _______ .
3. I don’t work particularly hard. Most people work as hard _______ .
4. We were very surprised. Nobody was more surprised _______.
5. She’s not a very good player. I’m a better player _______
6. They’ve been very lucky. I wish we were as lucky ________.
Exercise 19.Open the brackets using the superlative (-est or most) or the comparative (-er or more) degrees of adjectives.
1. We stayed at (cheap) hotel in the town.
2. Our hotel was (cheap) than all the others in the town.
3. The United States is very large but Canada is (large).
4. What’s (long) river in the world?
5. He was a bit depressed yesterday but he looks (happy) today.
6. It was an awful day. It was (bad) day of my life.
7. We had a great holiday. It was one of (enjoyable) holidays we’ve ever had.
8. I prefer this chair to the other one. It’s (comfortable).
9. What’s (quick) way of getting from here to the station?
Exercise 20.Fill in the gaps with adverbials from the list:yet, already, just, ago, since, for, how long.
1. It is a year ____ we last had a holiday.
2. I’m afraid I haven’t finished my work ____.
3. Shakespeare was born over four hundred years ____.
4. Paul has ____ bought one car, but he is going to buy a new one.
5. Don’t eat that cake. I’ve ____ made it and it is very hot.
6. My sister has been at university ____ six months.
7. ____ have you known Simon?
8. She’s ____ cleaned the house and it is only 9 o’clock.
9. Haven’t you typed those letters ____?
10. I haven’t watched TV ____ I moved in.
Exercise 21.Fill in the gaps with the preposition: to, about, at, from, for, in, into, of, on, with.
1. I want to talk ___ the group ___ their exams.
2. If you don’t understand any of these words, you could refer ___ a dictionary.
3. The police are appealing ___ witnesses to come forward.
4. It wasn’t his car, in fact I don’t know who it belongs ___.
5. Keep enough money to pay ___ your ticket.
6. She listened ___me and then told me ___ her problems.
7. I agree ___ you that we should wait a bit longer ___her.
8. She never apologizes ___ arriving late.
9. I thought we should look ___someone else to do the job.
10. If you want to travel, that would be a good job to apply ___.
11. The land belongs ___ a rich man.
12. She then referred ___ the Minister’s report.
13. I congratulate her ___ her success in the exams.
14. The boss disagreed ___ me.
15. The match resulted ___ a draw.