To devote time and effort to something
A person or an organisation which supports a church
- to be decorated with
- a vertical surface of the mountain
- an extremely good architectural construction
People with a restricted period of time
A religious and administrative centre
To move or drive in a specified direction
A place of non-christian public worship which maintained in its origin
To get a takeaway meal
A wonderful place where people feel happy
A large picture on a wall
Existing in large quantities
A not salty lake which is situated at a high point in relation to the sea-level
2. GETTING THERE
TASK 1.
Work in groups. Find information on the internet about the transport systems of five European cities - Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and London. Make a short presentation to the class about the main features of one of them. Pay special attention to describing Tourist Cards in each city and their benefits for visitors.
TASK 2.
Work in groups. Think about the transport system in St. Petersburg. What are its advantages and disadvantages? Think of some ideas how to improve the transport system in St. Petersburg, present them to the class and choose the best three.
TASK 3.
Do the quiz.
QUIZ ON TRANSPORT
1. Public transport is transport of passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public, typically managed on ..., operated on established ..., and that charge a posted ... for each trip.
2. … invented the first self propelled vehicle and the first programmable machine in history.
3. The earliest known wheels on carts date from around 3,500 BC; ships with ... appeared around the same time.
4. The … Motor Company sold its first car on July 23, 1903.
5. Sir Arthur Whitten Brown together with John Alcock in 1919 captained the first non-stop ... flight.
6. 40% of the world’s freight is transported via … and that number continues to grow/decrease each year.
7. Airports are extremely strict on regulations and safety. For this reason, most airlines oblige their pilots have different....
8. The most popular car color is …
9. The earliest known public ... service was introduced by the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal in 1662.
10. In 2001, to draw attention to the absurdity of a new system of “innovation patents”, an Australian lawyer patented a “circular transportation facilitation device”, which was actually ...
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(1. a schedule, routs, a fee, 2. Leonardo da Vinci, 3. oars, 4. Ford, 5. transatlantic, 6. trains, grow, 7. meals, 8. white, 9. bus, 10. a wheel)
3. ACCOMODATION
TASK 1.
There is a family of a mother, a father and two children going on vacation to Paris. They are travelling independently and organizing the trip on their own. The most important issue is to choose whether to stay in a hotel and book it via booking.com or to rent a flat via airbnb.com. Work in groups. One group should search for a hotel room via booking.com, another one - for a flat via airbnb.com. Just for fun find the most expensive accommodation on offer and the cheapest one and then choose some variants at a reasonable price, in a good location and comfortable for living with children. Next, present your options to the class and especially to the students who will play the roles of the family members. The family should choose the place to stay in.
TASK 2.
Do the quiz and and check the answers. How many correct answers did you have?
HOSPITALITY QUIZ
- Where is the tallest hotel situated?
- Which city has the highest average room rate? (New York, Paris, Geneva, Tokyo, Shanghai)
- What is the most popular tourist destination? (the USA, Spain, Italy, France, China)
- Where is the oldest hotel in the world situated? (the UK, France, Italy, Greece, Japan)
- What is the most popular cruise destination?
- What is the largest residential ship on the planet?
- Do people book more hotel rooms for travel or for business?
ANSWERS
- The Gevora Hotel is a new hotel which is situated in the heart of Dubai. The world’s tallest hotel having 75 storeys, is 356 meters high. It is ideal for guests to commute to Dubai’s main business districts and leisure attractions.
- Geneva has the highest average rate. A room costs around $300 per night. The Royal Penthouse suite of Hotel President Wilson in Geneva is the most expensive hotel room in the world - $84,000 per night.
- More than 80 million tourists visit France annually. It is the most visited country in the world. It is famous for the scenic Alps, French cuisine, lovely destinations, best wines, eloquent people and, of course, Paris.
- The oldest hotel Koshu Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is situated in Japan. It is considered to be the oldest hotel in the world and is recorded in the Guinness Book of world records. The hotel is over 1300 years old and the same family has owned it for over 50 generations.
- The Caribbean is the most popular cruise destination. 25 million tourists contribute 14% of the its total GDP.
- ‘The World’ is the largest cruise ship in the world. It is one of the most interesting cruise ship. The travellers are permanent residents. The ship has a fitness centre, a tennis court, a spa, swimming pools, a golf simulator, a library, a theatre, a cinema and several restaurants. The ship has been on a voyage since 2002.
- People book more rooms for the purpose of travelling and relaxing.
4. DESTINATIONS
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TASK 1.
Discuss these questions.
- Have you heard any stories about bad weather or natural disasters in the news recently? If so, where? What happened?
- Have you or your friends ever experienced very bad weather?
- Do you remember if the weather where you live was different when you were a child? If so, how has it changed?
TASK 2.
Read the texts about the most unusual destinations in the world (two texts for every student). While reading find photos of the places on the internet and get ready to tell about these places to your groupmates. Choose the most interesting places which you would definitely want to visit.
1. Spotted Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Spotted Lake has long been revered by the native Okanagan (Syilx) people and it’s easy to see why they think of it as sacred. In the summer the water of the lake evaporates and small mineral pools are left behind, each one different in colour to the next. The unique lake can be viewed on Highway 3, northwest of the small town of Osoyoos, although visitors are asked not to trespass on tribal land.
2. The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
Sixty million years ago a huge volcanic eruption spewed out a mass of molten basalt, which then solidified and contracted as it cooled, creating the cracks that can be seen today. There are an estimated 37,000 polygon columns at this World Heritage Site, so geometrically perfect that local legend has it they were created by a giant.
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3. Thor’s Well, Oregon, USA
In rough conditions at Thor’s Well, also known as Spouting Horn, the surf rushes into the gaping sinkhole and then shoots upwards with great force. It can be viewed by taking the Captain Cook Trail from the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area visitor centre – but for your own safety stay well back, especially at high tide or during winter storms.
4. Pamukkale, Turkey
A remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site in southwest Turkey, a visit to Pamukkale (Cotton Palace) also takes in the ancient ruins of Hierapolis, the once great city that was built around it. Water cascades from natural springs and down the white travertine terraces and forms stunning thermal pools perfect for a quick dip.
5. Lake Hillier, Western Australia
This remarkable lake was discovered in 1802 on the largest of the islands in Western Australia’s Recherche Archipelago. The lake keeps its deep pink colour year-round, which some scientists say is down to high salinity combined with the presence of a salt-loving algae species known as Dunaliella salina and pink bacteria known as halobacteria.
6. Badab-e-Surt, Iran
These beautiful travertine terraces in northern Iran are an incredible natural phenomenon that developed over thousands of years. Travertine is a type of limestone formed from the calcium deposit in flowing water, and in this case it's two hot springs with different mineral properties. The unusual reddish colour of the terraces is down to the high content of iron oxide in one of the springs.
7. The Tianzi mountains, China
Found in the northwest of Hunan Province in China, these staggering limestone pinnacles are covered in lush greenery and often shrouded in mist. A cable car goes as far as Huangshi village and from here there are plenty of trails to take in the breathtaking views of Tianzi ('son of heaven'); unsurprisingly the inspiration for the floating mountains in the blockbuster movie Avatar.
8. The Nasca Lines, Peru
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The animal figures and geometric shapes etched by the ancient Nasca into Peru’s barren Pampa de San José are one of South America’s great mysteries. Visible only from the air or from a metal viewing tower beside the highway, some of the unexplained shapes are up to 200m in length and each one is executed in a single continuous line.
9. The Bermuda Triangle, North Atlantic Ocean
Long shrouded in myth and mystery, the infamous 500,000 square miles also dubbed the Devil’s Triangle is roughly the area between Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico. Although the US Coastguard disputes any such area exists, conspiracy theories thrive on stories about unusual magnetic readings and ships, planes and people who have disappeared here without a trace.
10. Socotra Island, Yemen
Separated from mainland Africa more than six million years ago, this remote island looks like the set of a sci-fi film. Socotra’s incredible and unique biodiversity means that there are plants and trees here not found anywhere else in the world – particularly bizarre are the ancient and twisted dragon’s blood tree and the bulbous bottle tree.
11. The Hand in the Desert, Chile
Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal is responsible for this very weird work of art rising out of the sand in the middle of Chile’s Atacama desert, 46 miles south of the city of Antofagasta. Irarrázabal is known for his works associated with human suffering and this huge unnerving sculpture captures a feeling of loneliness, exacerbated by its desolate and secluded location.
12. Chocolate Hills of Bohol Island, the Philippines
Bohol’s 1700-odd conical hills dot the middle of the island; they range in height but are so regular in shape that they could be mistaken for being man-made. However, according to UNESCO they are the uplift of coral deposits and a result of rainwater erosion. The hills only earn their 'chocolate' nickname in the dry season when the foliage goes from lush green to brown.
13. Red Beach, Panjin, China
Very cool and very weird, this beach is covered in a type of seaweed called Sueda, which turns bright red in autumn. Thirty kilometres southwest of Panjin, these tidal wetlands are an important nature reserve for migrating birds. Only a small section of the beach is open to the public, but it can be explored via a wooden walkway that stretches out to sea.
14. Plain of Jars, Laos
Shrouded in myth, megalithic stone jars are scattered across Xieng Khouang Province in groups from one to one hundred. A working theory is that the huge cylindrical jars were used in ancient funeral ceremonies, though local legend has it that the jars were used to brew rice wine for giants. In the 1960s Northern Laos was subject to a massive aerial bombardment by the USA and it’s only been relatively recently that some areas have been cleared and declared safe for visitors.
15. Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA
No, this is not Mars but an uninhabited valley 216 miles southeast of Salt Lake City in Utah. Soft sandstone has, for many years, been eroded by wind and water to form strange pinnacles or hoodoos that some think resemble goblins. The eerie landscape is only about a mile across and two miles long and it’s well worth exploring the marked trails to get up close to the bizarre formations.
16. Whale Bone Alley, Siberia
A stretch of the northern shore on remote Yttygran Island, 82km off the coast of Alaska, has become a macabre tourist destination. Massive whale jawbones, ribs and vertebrae stand horizontal in the ground forming an eerie alleyway. It’s generally agreed that the site dates back to the fourteenth or fifteenth century, but whether it was a sacred spot for native tribes to meet or simply a gathering place for mass slaughter, no one knows.
17. Glass Beach, California, USA
This glittering sea glass beach in California is a remarkable side effect of years of rubbish being dumped on the beach; it wasn’t until the 1960s that this was stopped and by then the sea was full of everything from electrical appliances to bottles and cans. Over time, the waves broke everything down into colourful pebbles and the beach became a major tourist attraction – now ironically under threat because visitors are taking home the glass.
18. The Catacombs, Paris, France
The deeply creepy catacombs are a network of old quarry tunnels beneath Paris and the final resting place of around six million Parisians. Most are anonymous, skulls and bones taken from the city’s overcrowded graveyards during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; it wasn’t until the authorities realized its potential as a tourist attraction that the bones were arranged in the macabre displays seen today.
19. Fly Geyser, Nevada, USA
This otherworldly geyser is on private land on the edge of Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Created accidentally in 1964 after an energy company drilled down into geothermal waters, today a scalding fountain erupts up to five feet high and the resulting mineral build up means the cone is growing by several inches each year. The brilliant hues of red and green are down to thermophilic algae.
20. Cat Island, Japan
A short ferry ride from Japan’s east coast, Tashirojima has a population of one hundred humans who are vastly outnumbered by their furry friends. Originally the cats were encouraged as the island produced silk and mice are a natural predator of silkworms. Local fishermen regarded them as good luck and the island even has a cat shrine, along with newly built cat shaped cabins for tourists to stay in. It goes without saying that there are no dogs allowed.
5. THINGS TO DO
TASK 1.
Do the quiz.
QUIZ ON GEOGRAPHY
1. What country has a coastline on both the Red Sea and the Persian
Gulf?
2. What is the capital city of Serbia?
3. Which country in Europe has the most neighbours (nine)?
4. Which Asian country has a population of around two million people but it is bigger than France, Spain and Germany altogether?
5. Where is Europe’s largest port situated?
6. Which modern Italian city can be seen from Mount Vesuvius?
7. Of which country is Wellington the capital?
8. Which three countries are situated both in Europe and Asia?
9. What country does Greenland belong to?
10. What is the Portuguese island of eternal spring?
11. What is the capital of Libya?
12. Where is Casablanca located?
13. Which European capital city has 90 islands joined by about 400 bridges?
14. What are the beautiful islands in the Indian ocean northeast of Madagascar?
15. What is the highest mountain in France?
16. What is Cote d’Azur?
17. Which is the largest island in the Mediterranean?
18. Which are three capitals of the South African Republic?
19. Where is Transylvania situated?
20. What’s the world’s biggest port?
21. Which city is also known as ‘The Eternal City’?
22. Which country does the holiday island of Ibiza belong to?
23. In which mountain range is Mount Everest located?
24. Which ocean is colder? (The Indian, the Atlantic, the Pacific)
25. Which island to the south of India used to be called Ceylon?
ANSWERS
1. Saudi Arabia, 2. Belgrade, 3. Germany, 4. Mongolia, 5. The Netherlands, Rotterdam, 6. Naples, 7. New Zealand, 8. Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, 9. Denmark, 10. Madeira,11. Tripoli, 12. Morocco,13. Amsterdam, 14. The Seychelles, 15. Mont Blanc, 16. Azure Coast, 17. Sicily, 18. Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, 19. Romania, 20. Shanghai, 21. Rome, 22. Spain, 23. The Himalayas, 24. The Atlantic, 25. Sri Lanka.
TASK 2.
Read the text and make a list of the main competitive advantages of the festival.
Flow Festival's top line-up and green ethic make int'l impression (a)
Foreign reporters say Helsinki's sold-out Flow Festival is a winning combination (b) of top multi-genre music, light installations and tasty vegetarian food.
Over 80,000 ticketholders took over the steampunk Suvilahti district in Helsinki this weekend, as the music and arts extravaganza (c) Flow Festival was organized for the fourteenth time.
The brainchild (d) of co-owners Tuomas and Suvi Kallio and DJ Toni Rantanen, Flow Festival has grown in little over a decade from a small Finnish soul and jazz music event into an international music spectacle.
Top-name bands like Patti Smith, Lauryn Hill, Charlotte Gainsbourg and the Arctic Monkeys attracted sold-out crowds on Friday and Saturday, and Sunday's line-up is the climax of the weekend (e), with headlining Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar joining the likes of St. Vincent, Lykke Li and Brockhampton on the festival's many stages.
Included in the crowds this year is a record number of foreign reporters; some having travelled from Asia, South America and the tip of Africa to observe the festivities. The organizers of Flow have enlisted the help of PR firms in the UK, France, Germany and Russia to help get the word out (f).
Taking notice in the UK
A reporter for the UK news outlet The Sunday Times, Lisa Verrico, is a first-time attendee. She says the festival's reputation as a promoter of sustainable development (g) was one of the things that drew her to report on the successful Finnish music event. Verrico covers music festivals throughout Europe for the Times, and she says that UK music festivals are far behind Flow in that they are just starting to prioritize environmental considerations (h).
"I'm curious to see how Helsinki has organised this urban festival and what makes it special," she says. "Sustainable development principles have become a key agenda item in Europe. I think the festival industry in Britain has a lot to learn from festivals like Flow."
She says that Finland's Flow Festival is still not widely known in the UK, but that is changing quickly, as Helsinki is also considered a hot destination in the UK at present.
"If Flow has artists like Kendrick Lamar performing, it is sure to attract attention in Britain," Verrico says.
"Best festival near Moscow"
Sergey Yakovlev is the editor of Russia's Esquire magazine. He has already attended the festival many times, and plans to come back next year as well.
"When I came here the first time three years ago, I decided to write about this festival in Russia. I found Flow so interesting," he says.
Yakovlev says Flow is more than a music festival.
"It is a creative and friendly place for anyone at all who is interested in art, music or even architecture," he says.
He's also thrilled about the short one-and-a half-hour flight between Moscow and Helsinki
"Flow is the best international music event that is close by," he says.
Yakovlev says he will write about the new trends he observes at Flow for his publication in Russia.
"They are very important to us because we always want to become more European. I believe we can find a creative combination of different things here that we can use in Moscow," he says.
NME: "Great music, healthy food"
The British music website New Musical Express (NME) has also sent a reporter to Flow, Thomas Smith. He says he was treated to a Finnish sauna on Friday night, courtesy of the festival's arrangers, and late at night, he walked from the Suvilahti festival grounds to check out the Helsinki city centre, only returning to his hotel at two in the morning.
He says Flow's friendly people and good food have made a lasting impression.
"You can't take this for granted (i) at other festivals, where you are likely to run into brawling festival goers (j) and bad grub (k)," he says. "I think Flow is so popular because of its fantastic location and because people are taken care of here."
Smith says that competition between music festivals in Europe is tough, so things like top-notch artists (l) and healthy food make a difference (m).
"Festivals survive if they can put together a programme that is as diverse as possible – like Flow has."
A winning concept
A recent article in Finland's leading newspaper Helsingin Sanomat says Flow Festival's budget for this year came in at seven million euros, with about half of this amount going towards securing the performing artists. HS reports that the "family-owned business" has eight permanent employees and contracts over 1,000 temporary workers annually.
In 2016, Flow Festival recouped an astonishingly high result (n), taking in net sales equal to 870,000 euros per employee – more than ten times the industry average. Last year, however, the event recorded a loss of 29,000 euros after a storm hit the festival area on Saturday night.
Ticket prices to the event have steadily risen since the festival began. This year the scale was between 99 and 215 euros per person, when just three years ago the price of admission was between 89 and 169 euros.
TASK 3.
Match the words and phrases to their definitions.
- to let people know
- the best performers
- the highest point of the event
- a product of one's creative effort
- the highest point of the eventa lavish or spectacular show or event
- to cause people around the world to notice and admire something
- organizing principle for meeting human development goals while at the same time sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services upon which the economy and society depend
- successfully compensated
- to be important in some way
- loud visitors
- food of bad quality
- people or things that work, perform, etc., very well together
- to value too lightly
- to put green issues first
6. NICHE TOURISM
TASK 1.
Work in groups and using wikipedia prepare small presentations on table manners in different countries - Western Europe, North America, India, China, Korea. Tell the class and discuss what surprised you most.
TASK 2.
Do the quiz.
DINING ETIQUETTE ACROSS CULTURES
1. Being the guest of the English Queen in 1961, Yuri Gagarin was served tea with lemon (must have been a gesture of respect, as the Russians often have their tea with lemon, and not milk, like the British do). After he had his tea, Gagarin took the lemon out and ate it. What did the Queen do?
2. What is the name for any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in Western culture?
3. Where will the guest of honour be seated at a dinner in Hong Kong,
to the left of the host or opposite him?
4. A widespread belief says that in June 1889 the pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito, Pizzeria Brandi's chef, invented a dish called "Pizza Margherita"in honor of the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, and the Italian unification, since toppings are tomato (red), mozzarella (white) and basil(green), representing the same colors of the national flag of Italy. Do you think it is a true story?
5. Are Jews forbidden from eating Tuna or Lobster?
6. Who pays for a meal in France?
7. Should bananas be eaten with a knife and fork or with fingers in Bolivia?
8. Is it polite in India to offer someone food from your plate?
9. What is the most recommended doneness of steaks - rare, medium rare, medium, well done?
10. Is it considered bad luck to drop your chopsticks in China?
ANSWERS
1. The same 2. Cutlery 3. Opposite the host 4. False 5. Lobster 6. A host 7. A knife and fork 8. No 9. Medium rare 10. Yes
TASK 3.
Find menus of some Michlen restaurants, translate the names and the ingredients carefully and choose what dishes you would like to have for dinner. In groups tell other student about your choice.
TASK 4.
Read the text, find online the photos of the places described and think what other film locations tours you would like to go on.
GAME OF THRONES FILM LOCATIONS TOUR
You can now book your all inclusive premium Game of Thrones Filming Locations Tour with Irish Tour Tickets starting 1st March 2018.
We are the only company to now exclusively offer guaranteed crossing at The Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge! PLUS entrance into the Giant’s Causeway Visitor’s Centre.
This is fully guided, all day tour taking in the best of the Game of Thrones filming locations on the beautiful North Antrim coast. Although there are 7 designated stopping points, the tour also weaves past (a) and takes in other well-known parts of Westeros.
The Glens of Antrim, an area of outstanding natural beauty, are also included en route (b) to the Giants Causeway. The stunning scenery (c) and intriguing local history make this tour as interesting for the casual viewer as it is fascinating for the superfan.
This part of Ulster has so many direct links to the series! They are nothing short of incredible (d)! This tour will entwine (e) the history, religion, mythology, politics and mysticism of the area to relevant parts of the series itself, coincidence (f) or not, they are all covered on the tour.
All aboard for Westeros Experience! See first-hand the stunning scenery featured as the backdrop (g) in the HBO’s series when you join us for an unforgettable day visiting some of Northern Ireland's main Game of Thrones filming locations.
This tour operates every day. It is also available as a private tour for smaller groups. For further details and prices on private group tours simply give us a call on +44 (0)28 9031 0101 or email us at info@irishtourtickets.com
This is the 'real' Game of Thrones experience, don't miss out, book online now!
ITINERARY
Check in at 8:45am
Depart Belfast at 9:00am
Carnlough Village (Stay approx. 20mins)
Series six saw Carnlough harbour feature for the first time. This harbour although built in the nineteenth century during the famine years, still retains an old world charm, which meant that it didn't seem out of place when it first appeared in Game of Thrones. Few go swimming in the harbour today, but there was a time when "a girl just might"!
Cushendun Caves (Stay approx. 35mins | 25mins winter schedule)
This area has many strong links with the series! It is a stunning coastal location with incredibly rugged yet beautiful (h) geological features! What happened in these Cushendun caves took many committed fans by surprise. Melisandre's shadow baby was born here and for a while this area was very "dark and full of terrors".
Giants Causeway (Stay approx. 1hr 30mins | 1hr 15mins winter schedule)
The Giant’s Causeway is Northern Ireland's very own "Eighth wonder of the World." No eloquent description will ever do it justice (i)! Only seeing it is believing. The Giants and Fairies that inhabit this area in Irish mythology make their Game of Thrones equivalents look more like Darby O'Gill and the little people.
Dunluce Castle (Stay approx. 15mins | 10mins winter schedule)
This now-ruined medieval castle was the inspiration for many local fantasy writers! It's cruel past, the enmity between wealthy families (j) and the ruthless resolution of disputes (k) gives Dunluce castle more than a passing resemblance to "the Dreadfort" or "Harrenhal"! It is an ideal, if somewhat chilling location for a photo stop! This Ulster Dreadfort has endured turmoil (l) and murder every bit as horrific as any of the castles of Westeros...
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (Stay approx. 1hr 30mins | 1hr 15mins winter schedule)
This area is one of the most naturally stunning of all the sites used in Northern Ireland. The rope bridge plays a major part in a series characters storyline. Although not compulsory (m), for those who wish to cross the bridge there is one requirement; courage!
Larrybane (Shared stop with Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge)
Much has happened in this limestone quarry (n): Brienne of Tarth defeated Ser Loras of the Flowers, Littlefinger seeks out Catelyn Stark who arrived to negotiate with King Renly. Even Euron, Theon and Yara have made fleeting"appearances!
The Dark Hedges (The Kings Road) (stay approx. 25mins)
What a finale, the Dark Hedges! You may have escaped the scheming and duplicity (o) of the capital! However, escaping by way of the "Kings Road" has its own dangers. Beware the "Grey Lady," for in reality, Melisandre has nothing on her!
Return to Belfast at approx 6:30pm(5.45pm winter schedule)
- they are truly wonderful!
- on the way
- deceitfulness
- the impressive landscape
- a very uneven and rocked land but very attractive
- combines, puts together
- a feeling of hostility between rich families
- takes a route
- a setting or background for a scene
- a remarkable concurrence of events
- no well-expressed description will show full appreciation!
- a lasting disturbance
- a merciless settlement of some disagreements
- a place, typically a large, deep pit, from which stone or other materials are extracted
- non-obligatory
7. CULTURAL TOURISM
TASK 1.
Find on the internet information about the main attractions in St. Petersburg. Make a presentation about one of them to the class.
TASK 2.
Prepare a presentation about your favourite artist including his/her biography, description of the style of painting and some images of his/her works.
TASK 3.
Answer the questions of the quiz. Take your time, think carefully or discuss the question with your classmates. When you decide on some answer, check it. After every question search for some additional information online, look at the painting, listen to songs, watch videos and generally enjoy and share your new cultural experiences.
ARTS AND CULTURE QUIZ
1.What was the subject of the earliest known paintings?
2. What animal often symbolizes peace in art?
3. What did I.M. Pei design outside the Louvre, in Paris?
4. What is the name of the painting style Picasso and Braque invented after Picasso moved to Paris?
5. Which Norse god was called the Raven God?
6. What was the name of the place where ancient Norse heroes went after death?
7. Who founded the Ballets Russes?
8. How many foot positions are there in ballet?
9. What is the name for a traditional Argentinian music and dance?
10. The famous photograph titled Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville (1950) was taken by:
11. What is the first name of Renoir?
12. Who painted “The Son of Man”?
13. When did Mozart start composing music?
14. Who painted Guernica in 1937?
15. What book made Umberto Eco famous?
16. Who wrote the song “Imagine” in 1971?
17. Which famous writer lived from 1564-1616?
18. Who painted the Sistine Chapel?
19.Where were Mozart, Haydn and Johann Strauss born?
20. How many lines does a haiku have?
21. What is a genre of Brazilian music which was developed and popularized in the 1950s and 1960s and is today one of the best-known Brazilian music genres abroad?
22. What is the name of a British actress recognised as a film and fashion icon who said this: “If I’m honest I have to tell you I still read fairy-tales and I like them best of all.” ?
23. What world famous actress frequently collaborates with Pedro Almodovar?
24. What film with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman consistently ranks near the top of lists of the greatest films in history?
25. What is a name in English for a famous book character Pippi Långstrump?
ANSWERS
1. Animals, 2. Dove, 3. Pyramid, 4. Cubism, 5. Odin, 6. Valhalla, 7. Sergey Diaghilev, 8. Five, 9. Tango, 10. Robert Doisneau, 11. Pierre-August, 12. Rene Magritte, 13. When he was four years old, 14. Picasso, 15. The name of Rose, 16. John Lennon, 17. William Shakespeare, 18. Michelangelo, 19. Austria, 20. Three, 21. Bosa nova, 22. Audrey Hepburn, 23. Penelope Cruz, 24. Casablanca, 25. Pippi Longstocking.
8. RUNNING A HOTEL
TASK 1.
Read the text and describe the main ideas. Then try to calculate how many practical pieces of advice are mentioned in the article.
HOTELS RUNNING
This articles summarises some of the many practical aspects of running a successful hotel. Running a successful hotel the first time involves a series of organised routines and work practices. When taking over a hotel form a buyer, implementing practical changes (a) for the first few days of trading is essential. These include changing the business contact details on all stationery (b) and advertising materials, ensuring utility electricity and gas and telephone accounts continue (so guests can continue are enjoying basic in-room services promised). It will also be very important to ensure that you have adequate hotel insurance including public liability insurance to ensure that any accidents are covered from the second you take on ownership. You’ll need to notify your local tourist board to ensure that your registered as the new owner and make sure you also have legal ownership of the hotels established website (to reflect the fact that contact details may have changed). Your payment details also need to be logged with the local council (for business rates) and suppliers notified so the established supply chain of materials (such as linen and food and drinks) does not collapse.
Prior to your first day you will need to undertake a complete inventory (c) of all of the interior aspects of your new hotel. Most small hotels will have a combination of the owner’s personal items along with furniture and fittings (which are only intended for use by the guests). This stock inventory check will include all of the furniture and fittings, drink bottles and non-perishable food stock, cutlery and stationery and any other disposable items (which any normal hotel will ordinarily have for their guests). Failure to take on an adequate stock check may result in guests not receiving the service you want them to receive. For example, to run out of soap, shampoo or toilet rolls is simply not acceptable.
RUNNING A HOTEL-TIPS
You will need to establish a daily routine (d) centred around the reception area of the hotel. The front office reception is the focal point of your business and it will be the first point of call for guest queries, arrivals and check-out of guests. This will include planning out in detail from supply deliveries, preparing the breakfasts, payment of invoices, taking bookings over the telephone and logging queries, scheduling turning out the rooms, organising laundry collections, setting the table areas, cleaning the rooms and so on. The detailed daily checklist will depend on the size and the complexity of the hotel. A sensible process would be to divide up your daily routine by areas of the hotel, by hour, by person responsible for the action.
You will need a system to deal with enquiries by telephone, letter or e-mail and set process for replying to them accordingly. That system should include a method of accepting a booking in a reservation and potentially accepting a deposit from customer to secure that booking. Once the deposit has been received you will need a confirmation process by letter or e-mail in place. As this process will continue again and again with every guest, (hundreds and probably thousands of times over the years) clearly you need to be familiar with and computerised software or reservation process you put in place. This may include preparing standard letters, booking forms, receipts and invoices. You will also receive a large number of general enquiries by telephone and will need a process for sending out further information or redirecting them to your website (which will help save on your annual stationery and printing bills for brochures and leaflets).
The quality of your correspondence reflects the personality and character of the hotel. Inaccurate or poorly organised letters will reflect badly on the hotel and give the impression of disorganisation and poor man management. Conversely, attention to detail and a prompt response to enquiries are more likely to attract prospective guests who will be impressed by your good nature, professionalism and helpfulness. All inbound enquiries should be logged so that if there is more than one member of staff at different times manning the reservations desk, there is a clear communication between staff members to ensure double bookings are not occur. It is also probable that different staff members need to pick up actions left by the previous shift (such as replying to e-mails or letters of members of the public). Low-cost reservation software systems will provide an accurate way of ensuring guests receive what they expected. It’s important to clarify the exact requirements when they arrive (such as their dinner requirements, how much their deposit they have paid, the contact details and their reservation to and from dates). Tracking guest requirements will be an important aspect of your marketing process for guests who may come back and stay on a regular basis. Using your reservation system you may choose to send out a promotional offers in the future (such as during a seasonal period when you know that some guests are visiting the area of business or are attracted to certain location during the summer months will stop the example families visiting the seaside).
You also required by law to ensure you display your tariffs accurately in a reception area. This may also serve to reduce general enquiries from potential guests as well as avoid any confusion over disputed bills and sundry extras associated with the checkout. You’re required by law to register all guests over 16 years of age when they arrive at your hotel and this is accepted part of the greeting process on both sides. Under the Immigration Hotel Records Order of 1972 guests will need to provide their name, address, postcode and nationality. Foreign guests will need to provide their passport number and ultimate place of destination. These records must be kept for one year in case of any enquiry by the authorities.
Be prepared to provide additional information to new guests (who will not know their way around your hotel and may not know where they are exactly in the local area). Solve the latter problem in advance by preparing a simple one-page leaflet of the nearby point of interest (including maps and contact details). This will leave them with the impression that you are helpful, hospitable, organised and have already thought of their needs. Make clear any details which guests should be aware when they arrive (such as when dinner starts the checkout times for the following morning). Always smile and be as helpful as possible when pointing out the direction of their room and ask if they need any assistance carrying luggage or other items to their room.
For larger hotels the need to prepare the bills early in the morning is essential to avoid guests cueing while trying to check (causing frustration (e) and onward delays (f) to their journey). Therefore it is important to record any additional extras to their room bill as soon as possible prior to excepted check out time. This will allow you to prepare the final bill early in the morning in anticipation of the guest settling their account (g). Lastly don’t forget to place a guestbook in the reception area to allow your guests to make any comments about their stay with you. Sometimes guests with criticisms may prefer to write them in your guestbook (which is valuable feedback (h) as positive phrase).
For small hotels and bed and breakfasts the quality of the food is absolutely essential in delighting your guests and increasing the chances they will return in the future. Most people enjoy a good English breakfast, served fresh and warm and with a smile. Therefore the organisation within the kitchen is essential, so that food is served hot and efficiently. The breakfast menu is an important factor providing a number of choices for your guests which can be partially prepared in anticipation of guests arriving at breakfast time. By asking your guests what they would like to choose from the breakfast menu the night before, your breakfast routine in the kitchen suddenly comes completely straightforward and allows food to be cooked and served fresh. Therefore in your welcome process for guest registration, remember to ask them for their breakfast order and any requirements through morning newspaper.
Finding a really good qualified chef to run the kitchen is absolutely essential. Discuss with him the sensible dinner menu choices well in advance so that it meets the expectations of your guests. Many people are opting for organic and fresh vegetables these days and you should thoroughly research what your competitors are serving on their dinner menus. The more choices you offer the more cooking ability, raw ingredients and planning are required. To avoid frustrating guests with unnecessary waiting, always take the main meal order first (to provide the chef with maximum cooking time in advance). Make sure guests understand when dinner is served and when it finishes to avoid spreading out across an unnecessary time period. For hoteliers running smaller establishments (i) with no experience of cooking, it is essential you understand the basics of food hygiene, food safety needs must be learned through formal training and educational courses.
Focus on the food cost and price you charge guests. Visit all the local competing establishments to establish the advertised price of a main meal, starters and desserts. Many pubs are simply glorified restaurants these days targeting family orientated nights out. Hotels have an additional market to capture here. People want good sized portions, served fresh, hot and at a reasonable price. It’s likely that your food margin will be low but supplemented by drinks orders which will provide you with the additional margin you seek. When you plan your menu with your chef construct a detailed budget to check profitability and break even point.
Guests naturally expect to book a hotel room that has been thoroughly cleaned and prepared (following other guests staying in that room the previous night). Hygiene is at the top of guests priority in terms of choosing a hotel to book. Guests will not want to see any evidence that someone else is used at room before. Sheets must be freshly cleaned, a bathroom disinfected, the floor hovered, the rubbish removed and the room completely spotless. You only have one chance to make a first impression – so the routine for cleaning bedrooms must be diligent and thorough (j). You will need some type of trolley containing all the cleaning materials to move between room to room and it’s sensible to prepare detailed checklist to tick off after finishing each room to ensure that nothing is forgotten during the cleaning process. This will probably include removing any dirty cutlery, collecting rubbish, removing bed linen, turning off any lights, opening the windows to air the room, dusting everywhere, making the bed, hovering the room and disinfecting all areas of the bathroom. Attention must also be paid to dusting and hovering all the public areas of the hotel including always in corridors and especially the main entrance area of the hotel. It sensible to record sheet of a public notice board when that particular part of the hotel is being cleaned last so that guests can clearly see attention to hygiene and cleanliness.
You also have to pay close attention to the accounting issues faced by small hotels. These include opening up a bank account in order to take booking deposits, pay VAT, pay staff expenses, accept credit cards, manage petty cash and so on. Ask your accountant to devise systems for recording expenses, revenues, petty cash (k) and VAT.
TASK 2.
Match the underlined words and phrases to their definitions.
1. paying the bills
2. precious information or statements of opinion about something
3. to set a course of everyday procedure
4. to accept as a charge or responsibility of making a full check of the quantity of goods or materials on hand
5. making people dissatisfied and irritated
6. cash kept on hand for payment of minor items
7. starting something new
8. materials (such as paper, pens, and ink) for writing or typing
9. hard-working and careful about detail
10. coming holdbacks
11. managing businesses
TASK 3.
Find out which of the students have experience of working in a hotel. Those who have this experience tell the class about your responsibilities, challenges, successes and failures and give your advice to those students who haven’t started their career yet.
TASK 4.
Work in groups, find information on the internet about the most famous hotel in St. Petersburg and make short presentations to the class about one of them. Highlight the main features of every hotel which make it unique. Choose the best presentation and accordingly the best hotel which you would recommend in the future to your customers or friends.
9. CUSTOMER SERVICE
TASK 1.
Read the letter of complaint and the answer this letter. Using the useful phrases from these letters, vocabulary provided in your textbooks and additional vocabulary below, write your letter of complaint. Then, exchange your letters with your partner and write a response to it. After that, exchange your response letters and discuss if you are satisfied with them. In class discuss what complaints you had to deal with and choose the weirdest complaint.
From,
David Brown
47 Nevsky Prospect,
St-Petersburg
Russia
Date: 18th September 2018
To,
Manager
Hotel Astoria
27 Joes Road
Milan, Italy
Subject: Holiday Complaint
Dear sirs,
I am writing this letter to make a complaint against the helpless service I received at your hotel, Astoria in Milan on 25 June 2018.
I had booked a double room at your hotel between 25 June 2018 to 02 July 2018. I bought airline tickets after receiving confirmation of accommodation availability from your employees.
We were not given a double room as promised on arrival, instead, we were offered two single rooms. We were informed that the hotel was overbooked due to which the accommodation allotted was not vacant.
As it was not suitable for us, we had to stay in another hotel. Moreover, they couldn’t provide us with accommodation for the whole period and we had to buy airline tickets for another date. Thus, we had to bear unforeseen expenditure.
I am disappointed with your hotel mismanagement. I request to take immediate action and compensate me for the expenses and for the inconvenience caused.
You can call me on 4356712 or mail me at david@gmail.ru. for any further clarifications.
Regards,
David Brown
Reply
From:
Customer Service
Hotel Astoria
27 Joes Road
Milan, Italy
Date: 20th September 2018
To:
David Brown
47 Nevsky Prospect,
St-Petersburg
Russia
Dear Mr Brown
RE: Response to Complaint
This letter is in response to the complaint the company has received on your behalf. We refer to your letter of complaint dated 20 September 2018. We understand there was an issue with our service and unfortunately we were unable to deal with it shortly. Thank you for taking the time to write us about your dissatisfaction with our service.
Please, accept our apologies for the inconvenience.We understand you have experienced some discomfort because of the service failure caused by overbooking. Allow us to apologize that our service staff did not find an appropriate solution to resolve the situation . You are welcome to make another reservation in our hotel for the same period and absolutely free of charge as it is our policy to meet our customers’ expectations.
We hope that you will enjoy your stay in Astoria Hotel.
Yours sincerely,
Anna Marsh
Senior Manager
Customer service
Additional vocabulary
The letter of complaint:
- I must express my dissatisfaction with…
- In fact I have already talked/written about it but nothing has changed/happened to…
- There has been no reply to my previous letter.
- The price was expensive enough.
- It was a very unfortunate event because…
- In this way it ruined all my plans as…
- I hope I can expect
- Your…was a disaster/horrible.
- Despite your assurance that…
- Your employees turned out to be unable to…
- I had difficulty with… I was most annoyed that…
- I was let down by…
- The final point I want to make concerns…
- I kept telling my problems to the management, but no action was taken.
- I was forced to…
- This caused me considerable inconvenience.
- I am writing (as I would like/in order) to …
- I am writing to ask (for information) about …
- I am writing to complain about …
- I would like to be grateful if you could …
- Could you please send me …?
- I enclose …
- I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
- Thank you in advance.
Response to the letter of complaint:
- We must apologise for …
- We sincerely apologise for …
- Please accept our apologies for …
- I would like to apologise for the error made by our company in (verb+ing)
- I am writing in response to (your letter of 15 June) …
- Thank you for your letter of … regarding / concerning / in connection with …
- I refer to your letter of … about / relating to …
- We agree that the usual high standards of our products / services were not met in this instance.
- As a result of our investigation, we found that... (Not: After our investigation...)
- The error was caused by … / was due to …
- Apparently, the problem was the result of … / resulted from …
- The cause of / reason for the mistake was …
- As a result …
- This led to …
- Consequently …
- We assure you that this will not happen again.
10. BUSINESS TRAVEL
TASK 1.
Read the text and discuss if you find these tips useful for building your career.
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