Discuss the following questions with your partner.
Which is more popular,travelling by air or bu train? Why?
Have you ever travelled by train? How did you find it?
read Jim's train ride
Jim Green has been in China for more than two years.
He has been to many interesting places in Beijing,
but he has not yet been to many other parts of China.
Last week he went to Mount Emei in Sichuan Province with his family.
Many people like to travel by air,
but Jim's family think that travelling by train is the best.
It is much cheaper and far more enjoyable than a rushed trip by air.
They had a wonderful train ride to Chengdu
before they went on to Mount Emei by bus.
Early one morning,they took a taxi to Beijing West Railway Station.
The station was very lively.
There were bookshops,food shops and stores selling all kinds of things.
Mrs Green bought some fruit,food and bottles of water to take on the train.
She said that is was better to get some food before they got on the train
because food on the train was usually too expensive.
The train was quite comfortable,
and there wern't too many people in their sleeping car.
The Greens could stand upand walk around.
It was a long journcy,but none of them felt tired.
They kept watching the beautiful scenery out of the window.
They talked,laughed and played cards.
The conductor kept coming to offer them hot water and selling them magazines.
People nearby talked with each other.
A young man practised speaking English with Mr Green.
Jim thought the train was like a big moving party.
He went to sleep quite late.
He listened to the click of the rails and then fell fast asleep.
When Jim woke up the next morning,the train was already near Chengdu.
His train ride seemed really short,
but his memory of the pleasant trip will last long