Travelling by Air

John decided to spend his winter vacations in Japan. He knew that it would be difficult to get a ticket as he hadn't booked a seat beforehand. He hoped he would get a ticket at the airport, so he took a taxi and went there.

He was in luck! There was nobody at the booking office and soon he booked a seat on the tomorrow flight to Tokyo. The clerk warned John that he should arrive at the airport two hours earlier and that he could take a special express coach that left the agency every 20 minutes.

Next morning John arrived at the airport terminal to catch his plane to Tokyo. At the check-in counter a ticket agent looked at his ticket and his luggage was weighed and labeled and a claim-check was inserted in the ticket. Next John was given a boarding pass, a ticket that allowed him to get on the plane with a seat number on it. John’s suitcase weighed more than 20kgs, so he had to pay extra. The next formality was filling in the immigration form and going through passport control. The form had to be filled in block letters. John wrote his name, nationality, permanent address and the purpose of his trip. There was also a security check. John’s carry on luggage was inspected. This was an anti-hijacking measure.

After fulfilling all the formalities John went to the departure lounge where he had a snack, then in the duty-free shop he bought a small present for his friend and while waiting for the announcement to board the plane he began to read a fresh newspaper. After a few minutes he heard the announcement: «Flight 156 to Tokyo now boarding at Gate Three.» He went to get on his plane.

Travelling by plane

air terminal – аеровокзал

check-in – реєстрація пасажирів

weigh – зважувати

insert – вставляти

claim-check – квитанція

immigration form – імміграційний бланк

hijack (highjack) – викрадення літака

departure lounge – зал очікування

carry-on luggage – ручний багаж

announcement – оголошення

cockpit – місце в кабіні льотчика

excess luggage – зайва вага

to take off – злітати

altitude – висота

aisle seat – місце біля проходу

boarding – посадка (у літак)

landing – приземлення

boarding pass –посадковий талон

check-in desk (counter) – стійка реєстрації

direct flight – прямий рейс

shuttle flight – човниковий рейс (з пересадкою)

seat belt – ремінь безпеки

to fasten the seat belt – застебнути ремінь безпеки

air sickness – повітряна хвороба

scheduled flight – рейс за розкладом

delayed flight – рейс із запізненням

hand luggage – ручний багаж

left-luggage office – камера схову

to deposit one’s luggage – здати на зберігання багаж

to collect one’s luggage – взяти багаж з камери схову

to have one’s luggage labelled – прикріпити бірку

luggage rack – сітка для багажу

lost and Found – бюро знахідок

luggage claim check – багажна бірка

Speech patterns

• I want to bring up the following…

• By the same token, …

• I’m very anxious.

• I’m falling apart at the seams.

• I’m on pins and needles.

• I’m freaking out. I’ve got butterflies in my stomach.

• This is more than I can possibly take (stand, bear).

• That’s the last straw.

• I’m fed up with this.

Exercise 1. Translate the following sentences. Using given speech patterns create the new ones.

1. I want to introduce and discuss the meaning of travelling. I want to bring up different means of transport. 2. Travelling by car and by the same token by train is much cheaper than by plane. 3. My flight is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I’m very anxious. 4. I’m afraid of height. I’m falling apart at the seams, when I know that I’ll travel by plane. 5. He was on pins and needles, while he was standing there at the airport waiting for her. 6. I’m freaking out with the idea of the plane crash. I’ve got butterflies in my stomach with these thoughts. 7. I’ve had enough of your whining. This is more than I can stand.

Exercise 2. Fill in the gaps from the active speech patterns.

1. Speaking about travelling, I want ___________ following that many people consider it as part of routine life. 2. I’m worried ___________, ___________, with a thought there might be the car or plane crash and people will suffer. 3. I haven’t seen Carrie for about 2 years, I’m on ________, when I think that she’s changed and I won’t recognize her. 4. Planes make me nervous. I’ve got ____________even when I look at the aircraft. 5. I lost my patience in that queue to check-in. My ___________was when the lady came and without even asking permission stood in front of me!

Exercise 3. Translate into English.

1. Безпечніше подорожувати на власному авто, до того ж це набагато зручніше і ти ні від кого не залежиш. 2. Знаючи, що я працювала на цю поїздку цілий рік, я лякаюсь від думки, що мені можуть відмовити у візі. 3. Я хочу повідомити наступне, для студентської подорожі до Берліну Вам потрібно зібрати наступні документи: ксерокопію паспорта, довідку про те, що Ви студент вуза, 2 фотокартки, віза, вартість якої 35€. 4. На співбесіді в посольстві в мене мурашки були по тілу, жахливо нервувала, здавалося, що тріщу по швам. 5. Я страх як боюся перельотів і завжди як на голках, коли доводиться літати. 6. Оці довгі черги в аеропорту, паперова волокіта. Все! Мені це набридло! Буду подорожувати на авто!

Exercise 4. Read the text below and choose the word which best fits each space. There is the example at the beginning (0).

Passengers (0) travelling (travelling/ going/ waiting/ wanting) on a flight from Washington to London were in 1) _________ (for/ at/ on/ with) a very long wait. They had 2) _________ (still/ already/ however/ yet) been waiting eight uncomfortable hours for take off, only to be 3) _______ (said/ told/ mentioned/ announced) that the flight was 4) ________ (late/ retarded/ dalayed/ behind) even further. The cabin crew advised passengers to take pillows and blankets from the overhead lockers in 5) _______ (case/ order/ time/ turn) to sleep inside the airport terminal. Many passengers 6) _______ (mislaid/ wasted/ missed/ lost) their tempers and flights broke 7) _______ (up/ off/ out/ down). People shouted and and 8) ______ (asked/ applied/ demanded/ took). A member of the staff panicked and called the airport security guards. A 9) _______ ( few/ number/ couple/ little) lucky passengers were put on alternative flights, 10) _________ (although/ even/ in spite/ despite) about 100 others spent the next day in the airport. Many people missed connecting flights and 11) ________ (should/ would/ could/ had) be delayed for several days. First class passengers were 12) _______ (still/ many/ more/ much) fortunate. They were put 13) _______ (up/ off/ out/ about) in luxury hotels and provided with food and drink. Other passengers had to be content with vouchers for a meal, as the airline staff were not able to find hotels with 14) ______ (much/ enough/ too/ a lot) free rooms to accommodate them. One woman carried a silver horseshoe for a 15) ______ (fortune/ chance/luck/ probability). As she said, “it didn’t work this time!”

Exersice 5. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.