As for me there is nothing better than to travel by car — a good, fast car I mean. When you are in an aeroplane, you have to be driven by someone else; travel by car is a more personal experience, for there you can drive yourself. You just sit down at the wheel, switch on the motor, step on the pedal with your foot and off the car goes.
You can go as slowly or as fast as you wish, stop when and where you choose; you park the car on the side of the road (street), get out and go where you like.
It is quite true that driving a car has some disadvantages. In town it is rather a nuisance with all these traffic “jams” or “hold-ups”, roundabouts, detours and so on. It is not altogether pleasant when you ride on a bumpy road or get a flat tyre, or still worse, when you get stuck in the mud.
But what can be better than a spin in a car on a week-end with your friend? As soon as you get out of the crowded town and see the long wide road opening up before you, what a thrill it is to feel the car rush forward at a touch of your foot, to feel the wind in your face, to see houses, trees and people flash past, to feel the real joy of speed.
Then, of course, you see much more of the country than you do in a plane. Suppose you are on vacation and have decided to take a 700—800 miles’ trip down South in a car. What magnificent views you behold on your way — the cheerful fields, the road winding its way up the mountain with steep, grey cliffs on one side and a deep precipice on the other, the shining expanse of the sea wrapped in a blue noonday haze, the woods, the rows of acacia that stretch along the streets of the towns that you pass through.
Indeed your impressions are unforgettable.
10. A JOY-RIDE
GEORGE. Hello you, Tom!
TOM. George N.! My Lord! It’s you, isn’t it?
GEORGE. My very self. How do you do, Tom?
TOM. Pretty well. And how goes the world with you?
GEORGE. Getting along all right. I say, Tom, let’s go for a spin in the car.
TOM. In the car? What car?
GEORGE. We have bought a car.
TOM. You don’t say so!?
GEORGE. Really. Well? What about Saturday at, let’s say, 4 o’clock?
TOM. Why, that would be fine! And couldn’t we pick up Fred and Ann?
GEORGE. Why, yes! You’ll let them know, won’t you? I’ll bring, the car over to your place at about four then.
TOM. All right.
GEORGE. Well, here we are. Hello, everybody.
ALL. Hello, George.
GEORGE. Well, come on. Get into the car, all of you, ANN. I say, George, may I take the front seat?
GEORGE. Certainly! Well? All in?
TOM. Yes. Step on it1, George.
GEORGE. Where do you want me to take you to?
TOM. Get out of town on to the highway first.
FRED. Well, it’s fine, Tom, isn’t it? I say, George, what does the speedometer show?
GEORGE. Sixty.
FRED. Sixty miles an hour. That’s great!
TOM. What about taking to the right, George?
GEORGE. No. The road’s bumpy there. Last Sunday we got stuck somewhere near here.
TOM. An right. Go straight —. What’s that?
GEORGE. People call it a puncture.
ANN. A puncture? What are we going to do now? Shall we have to walk back all this way?
GEORGE. Don’t fret, Ann. Everything will be all right in two jiffies. Well, lads, we’ll have to be snappy. You, Tom, get the jack. Do you know what to do with it?
TOM. Yes. To lift the car, I suppose.
GEORGE. That’s right. You, Fred, get out the spare wheel. And you, Ann, go and pick flowers. In ten minutes we’ll be on the move2 again.
TOM (after some time). Well, George? Everything’s fixed up, isn’t it?
GEORGE. Yes. You go and call Ann. Put in the wheel, Fred, while I fill the radiator.
ANN. You were rather quick, lads. Which way are we going now?
GEORGE. Let’s go as far as N. and then go back.
ANN. Good.
GEORGE. Well? How did you enjoy the joy-ride? ALL. It was fine, George. Thanks very much.
GEORGE. Don’t mention it.
Vocabulary Notes
1 to step on it — давать газ
2 to be on the move — быть в движении
11. AT THE CUSTOM HOUSE
P. Will you examine my things?
O. Presently, sir, I will ask you to look through these lists in the meantime, please.
P. What lists?
O. The Prohibited Articles List1 and the Duty-free Quota List2. Here they are, please.
P. Thank you.
O. What have you to declare, sir?
P. I have nothing that’s listed in this first list.
O. What have you above the fixed quote?
P. Well, I didn’t get through the second list, you know. They are both rather long.
O. Will you, please, open your trunks, sir?
P. Yes, of course. Here you are.
O. What are these things?
P. They are for my personal use.
O. You have suits above the fixed quote, sir.
P. But they are not new.
O. All the same. You will have to pay duty on this extra one.
P. Well, all right.
O. Now, I see you have books.
P. Yes. Are they prohibited?
O. They’ll have to be looked through, sir. I’d ask you to put them aside, please.
P. What! Are you going to read them all?
O. No, our interpreter will just skip through them, that’s all. Now, what are these things?
P. Oh, only a few trifles for my family. Are they liable to duty, too?
O. No, these are not. Well. The examination is over, sir. You may pay the duty for the suit over there, please.
P. Yes. Thank you.
O. When you bring the receipt, I’ll stamp your luggage, sir.
Vocabulary Notes
Prohibited Articles List — список 2 Duty-free Quota List — спи- товаров, ввоз и вывоз которых сок предметов, разрешенных к запрещен беспошлинному ввозу
12. AT THE HOTEL
(Two fellow-travellers have just embarked from the train.)
A. Where do you intend to put up, Mr. B?
B. No idea. And you?
A. The last time I was here I stayed at (the) “Europe.” Let’s try our luck there. It’s a pity I hadn’t time to book a room beforehand.
B. Do you think we’ll get anything there?
A. Well, I hope we shall. The touring season is over now.
B. Well, here is a taxi. Hotel “Europe,” please.
DRIVER. Yes, gentlemen.
B. Here we are.
DESK
CLERK. What can I do for you, gentlemen?
B. We should like rooms — two single rooms or one two- bedded room. (To Mr. A.) Do you mind being together, Mr. A.?
A. Not in the least.
D-C. I am sorry, gentlemen, but we are all booked up. We are expecting a delegation.
B. No chance at all?
D-C. Sorry. W. have nothing at the moment.
B. You couldn’t possibly direct us somewhere?
D-C. One moment, gentlemen. 1’11 ring up the “Astoria.” Perhaps they can put you up there.
B. Please do.
D-C. In whose name shall I book it in case you are lucky.
B. Mr. Black, please. (The D-C. talks over the phone.)
D-C. Yes, gentlemen, they have rooms. Do you happen to know where the hotel is?
B. Sorry, but I don’t.
D-C. It’s in N. Street. Not far from the General Post Office.
B. Thank you. (To Mr. A.) Well, let’s go, Mr. A.
13. FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF ENGLAND
On approaching the harbour of Dover, you perceive a white stripe on the horizon that, the nearer you get, appears to rise out of the ocean. Of a sudden, a flash of sunlight settles on it, making it glitter like diamonds; it is the white chalk cliffs of Dover.
Before setting foot on English soil, every traveller, be he British subject or not, must show the landing ticket, which he gets on the boat, and which entitles him to land. On the landing-stage you say “goodbye” to your mother tongue and nationality, and try to be as English as you can.
