Read the text and do the exercises that follow it. Study the following vocabulary before reading the text:

Study the following vocabulary before reading the text:

to undertake – предпринять

to book – заказать заранее

to board – cесть в поезд (трамвай, на корабль, самолет)

a booking-office – билетная касса

a berth – место (для лежания)

a trough train – прямой поезд

a return ticket – обратный билет

Oleg is fond of travelling. Last summer he undertook a trip to Minsk which he will remember forever.

Oleg was going to the football match which took part in Minsk. He had very little time. He had to book tickets and pack his things.

He phoned up the railway booking-office and inquired about the time-table and tickets. A clerk replied that there were tickets for the 6.40 train. It was a through express train. That suited Oleg all right.

Oleg went to the railway booking-office. There were not many people in there. So it didn’t take him long to get a ticket. He bought a return ticket too.

Oleg came to the station half an hour before the departure. There were a lot of people on the platform. They were waiting for the train to come. At last it arrived. Passengers started getting in. Oleg was among the first to get into the carriage. He quickly found his compartment, found his berth and could relax at last. As he had enough time before the departure he went out onto the platform to buy a newspaper. People were hurrying to get aboard the train. Porters were carrying luggage. Suddenly Oleg looked at the sign on the carriage. It was Gomel – Brest. What a big fool he is! He mixed up the platforms and boarded the wrong train to Minsk. Certainly he missed it. What an awful situation! All his plans went to pieces...