BY CAR ACROSS EUROPE

SUMMARY:

            The English people are very fond of adventures. Every year a large number of them spend their summer holidays on the continent of Europe. Young people students mostly travel on foot or by bicycle, hitch hicking when possible and staying in Youth Hostels. Older people with less energy and much money, travel by bus or by train and stay at hostels. Some people go out in their cars and travel far and wide in search of enjoyment and novelty.

            Young English married couple, Roger and Sheila Forester, set on a journey from London to Maples. They had spent their honeymoon on the Isle of Capri, and five years later they made their mind to make a sentimental pilgrimage. Roger obtained a passport, traveller’s cheques and the necessary document for his car and set off from London for Dover. It took them three hours to reach the coast.  They reached there in time to get seats in the ferryboat, and after paying custom duties Roger drove on to the car ferry.

            The sea was calm and Roger and Sheila were very happy. They had their lunch in the boat. Then they began to talk about the route they intended to follow across Europe. By the time their ship docked at Dunkirk, they had decided nothing except way and reach Brussels that night. From Dunkirk they drove off the ferry into France and were soon on their way to Belgium. It was getting dark when they reached Brussels. From Brussels they turned southwards and drove through the rolling hills of Ardennes. The locality was the scene of one of the last great battles of the Second World War. Then they reached Luxemburg. From there they went to valley of Moseile which is situated on the left bank of the Rhime. Now they were in Germany. Then they reached the town of Basle on the Swiss frontier.

            They were quite tired they got there, so they decided to have a day’s rest in Switzerland, and not to do any driving at all. All her life Sheila had wanted to visit Venice. So they went to Venice, they were happy. Sheila was very delighted to see Venice, which, with its canals in place of roads, is a unique city of the world. They completed the rest of the journey as they had planned it. From Venice they went to Capri and returned to London after twelve day’s journey.

Q.1 Why is it easy to reach the continent of Europe from England?

Ans. It is easy to reach the continent of Europe from England because English is a part of West Europe and it is no expensive to cross the English channel either by sea or by air.

Q.2 How do students often travel abroad?

Ans. Students mostly travel by bicycles or on foot. Sometimes asking the motorists to give them a free lift. They stay in Youth Hostels.

Q.3 How do older people often travel abroad?

Ans. The older people often travel by bus or train and stay at hostels.

Q.4 What are the advantages of taking private cars?

Ans. If one travels by a private car, one does not have to worry about catching trains or buses, or finding porters to carry one’s luggage. Moreover, one can go farther and see more with less inconvenience.

Q.5 Why were Roger and Sheila going to Capri?

Ans. Roger and Sheila were going to the Isle of Capri on ‘sentimental pilgrimage’. Five years ago, they had spent their honeymoon there and now they wanted to see the place again.

Q.6 What preparations did Roger make?

Ans. Before setting out on their journey, Roger obtained a passport, traveller’s cheques and necessary documents for his car.

Q.7 How did they cross the English Channel?

Ans. They crossed the English Channel by means of car ferry.

Q.8 What happened on board the ship?

Ans. They had their lunch there, Roger brought some tax free cigarettes and talked with the passengers about the route they intended to follow.

Q.9 What did they do when they left Dunkirk?

Ans. When they left Dunkirk they drove off the ferry into France and were very soon on their way to Belgium.

Q.10 Where did they go after Brussels?

Ans. From Brussels they turned towards the south and drove through the rolling hills of the Ardennes, which was the scene of one of the last great battles of the Second World War to Luxemburg.

Q.11 Which route did they take through Germany?

Ans. From Trier, a famous village of Germany, they reached Koblenz. From there they once more turned towards the south along the River Rhine all the way through the Black Forest to the town of Basle on the Swiss-German frontier.

Q.12 Why did Roger want to drive across Switzerland?

Ans. He wanted to drive across Switzerland because he wanted to enter Italy by the Simplon Pass on the way to Melan.

Q.13 Why is Venice unique?

Ans. Venice is unique in the world because it has canals in place of streets and roads.

Q.14 What was their route from Venice to Naples?

Ans. From Venice they went to Naples by way of Florence and Rome.