Topical Vocabulary

means of travelling

travel first class

travel economy class

go through passport control

customs

customs inspector (official) customs regulations ^j^-^ go through the Custom! arrive in a country, a city arrive at an airport, a place departure gate departure lounge flight

domestic flight *-«>•• ■ ■<••<•<

international flight

be through with the formalities

register ^JLx^.txy^.b>^^\.^

weigHK(in) <<^

hand luggage

luggage tag

examination of one's luggage article

free of charge

excess luggage charge - ■ ^- < boarding pass

personal effects (things, belongings) declare

be duty-free but ■■■■■■x,., _v bring something in duty-free be liabfe to duty <*-- -"««^^^ smuggling

Here is my Customs Declaration I have nothing to declare Do I have to pay duty on this? These are gifts

This is for my personal use

a single (one way) ticket

a return (round trip) ticket

Is there still some place on flight..

Arrivals

Baggage Check-in Baggage Claim ^ ₀ i Cart Rental End ¹ Cashier

Check-in it*«дЛ^т..*.

Departures "

First Class Only

Flight Information

Gates Open One Hour Prior to

Departure

Gates 1-10

Group Cheek-In ^

Ticked Passengers Only Beyond

This Pojnt -\

(want to make) to cancel a

reservation '-<-< • "*

Where is the next flight to...

Will food be served?

Is the flight direct / nonstop?

May I carry this on board?^ _v.^,,,

Give me a seat on the aisle, by a

window, by an emergency exit

When do we iand?

My ears hurt

A-window

B-aisle ₀,_{г w},.,_,,

extinguisher t TV si \ ^ ^ \$ з 1

Fasten your seat belts

oxygen ус«.с,*.оr_N

Soft articles only. ^c

TRAVELLING BY AIR (TEXT I)

Nowadays people who go on business mostly travel by air, as it is the fastest means of travelling

Here are some hints on air travel that may be helpful.

Passengers are requested to arrive at the airport two hours before de­parture time on international flights and an hour before on domestic flights as there must be enough time to complete the necessary airport formalities.

Passengers must register their tickets, weigh in and register the luggage. Most airlines have at least two classes of travel, first class and economy class, which is cheaper. Each passenger of more than two years of age has free luggage allowance. Generally this limit is 20 kg for economy class pas­sengers and 30 kg for first class passengers. Excess luggage must be paid for except for some articles that can be carried free of charge.

Each passenger is given a bparcjing pass to be shown at the depar­ture gate and again to the stev^arj|ess^cwhen boarding the plane.

Watch the electric sign flashes when you are on board. When the «Fasten Seat Belts» sign goes on, do it promptly, and also obey the «No Smoking» signal. _e . ^M!'".'

Do not forget your personal affects when leaving the plane.

When landing formalities have been completed, the passenger goes to Customs for an examination of his luggage.

As a rule, personal belongings may be brought in duty free. If the trav­eller has nothing to declare he may just go through the «green» section of the Customs.

In some cases the Customs inspector may ask you to open your bags for inspection. It sometimes happens that a passenger's luggage is care­fully gone through to prevent smuggling.

I. Answer the Questions

1. Why do people prefer to travel by air nowadays?

2. What time are the passengers requested to arrive at the airport on in­ternational and domestic flights?

3. Do people have to pay for excess luggage?

4. What must passengers do when they arrive at the airport?

5. Where is a boarding pass to be shown?

6. What are you reminded of when leaving the plane?

7. Why is a passenger's luggage carefully gone through?

II. Complete the following sentences

1. People who go on business mostly travel by air, as ...

2. Most airlines have at least two classes of travel...

3. Each passenger is given ...

4. When the «Fasten Seat Belts» sign does on ...

5. Do not forget... \J

6. As a rule personal belongings may be brought in ...

7. In some cases the Customs inspector may ask you ...

TRAVELLING BY AIR (TEXT II)

The rules for passengers who are going abroad are similar in most counties but sometimes there might be a slight difference in formalities.

If, for instance, you are supposed to begin with going through the Cus­toms, you'd better fill in the Customs declaration before you talk to the Customs officer. An experienced customs officer usually smells a smug­gler, but he may ask any passenger rout'ifje questions, for instance, «Have you got anything to declare?» or «Any spirits,'tobacco, presents?» The usual answers would be, «Yes, I've got some valuables, but I've put them all down in the declaration, or «l've got two blocks of cigarettes for my own use» or something of that kind.

Then you go to the check-in counter where your ticket is looked at, your thjngsare weighed and labelled, a claim-check for each piece of lug­gage isTnsertecf in the ticket and you are given a boarding pass, which has a seat number on it. Of course, if your luggage weighs more than twenty kilos, you have to pay extra. The next formality is filling in the immigration^ form^nd going through passport control. The form has to be filied in block letters. You write your name, nationality, permanent address and the pur­pose of your trip. In most countries there is also a^security^check when your carry-luggage is inspected. This is an anti-hijacicinf measure, and anything that might be dan^erousjDr^disturbing to other passengers must be handed to one of the crew ancT only returned to the owner after the plane has reached its destination.

After fulfilling all these formalities you go to the departure lounge where you can have a snack, read a paper, buy something in the duty-free shop and wait for the announcement to board the plane.

Some of these formalities are repeated when you arrive at your desti­nation. The customs declaration and the immigration form are often filled in on board the plane. At the airport you may be met by a specially trained dog who will make sure that you are not carrying drugs, and the immigra­tion officer might want to know at whose invitation you are coming and whether you have a return ticket.

There is another inconvenience you have to be prepared for when travel­ling long-distances by plane. It's the jet-lag, a difference between the time you are a'ccus'tomed to and the new time. At first you won't be feeling very well because of it, but don't worry - it won't take you long to get used to it.

I. Use the following expressions in sentences from the text:

to go abroad, to fill in the Customs declaration, routine questions, to go to the check-in area, a claim-check is inserted, to pay extra, a security check, anti-hijacking measures, the departure lounge, a return ticket.

II. Fill in the gaps with prepositions where necessary:

1. There might be a slight difference ... formalities.

2. You are supposed to begin ... going through the Customs.

3. I've got two blocks of cigarettes ... my own use.

4. Then you go ... the check-in counter where your ticket is looked ....

5. The next formality is filling ... the immigration form.

6. In the lounge you can buy something ... the duty-free shop and wait... the announcement to board the plane.

7. The immigration officer might want to know ... whose invitation you are coming.

8. You have to be prepared ... another inconvenience when travelling by plane.

III. Answer the Questions:

1. Do you like travelling by air?

2. How often do you travel by plane?

3. What do you think is the flying time from Minsk to London?

4. At what Moscow airport do planes from London land?

5. How long does it usually take us to get to an airport from the centre of the town?

6. What are the duties of the stewardess?

7. Are meals served on board the plane?

8. When are passengers requested to fasten their seat belts?

9. What do passengers talk about on the plane?

10. What is the first thing you do before starting on a trip?

11. Do you get airsick when on a plane?

12. Is it easy or difficult to go through the customs?

IV. Complete the following sentences

1. Your luggage is overweight, you'll have to ...

2. The announcer has called our flight, let's ...

3. Flight 242 to Odessa is put back, because ...

4. The airport doesn't take planes, because ...

5. Fasten your belts, the plane ...

6. Passengers must have their luggage ...

7. No, you won't have to pay extra, your luggage ...

8. The flight was ...

9. We are flying at...

10. I'd rather sit...

11. If your ears are aching, you'd better...

12. Modern airplanes fly ... 13.1 fastened my belt when ...

14. Travelling by air saves us ...

15. A thunderstorm was promised so ...

V. Ask Questions so that the sentences given below were the answers

1. The airport doesn't take planes because of the weather/

2. The flight is put back because the plane from Odessa hasn't arrived

yet.

3. You have to pay 7000 roubles extra for your luggage/

4. No, you can't have this bag with you, you must have it registered.

5. Our plane is on the runway already.

6. The announcer has called flight 451.

7. We are flying at a speed of 800 kilometres.

8. The flight was very smooth.

9. No, I wasn't airsick, though, the flight was rather rough. 10. Smoking wasn't allowed.

VI. You are checking in for a flight. What questions might you ask the booking clerk, what questions might he (she) ask you?

7. You are a security officer at the airport. What questions might vou ask a passenger and what questions might he ask vou?

8. Retell the text using the following sentences.

1. Passengers are requested to arrive at the airport (air terminal) one hour before departure time on international flights and half an hour on domestic flights.

2. Passengers are permitted to take only some personal belongings with them into the cabin. These items include hand bags, brief-cases or attache cases, umbrellas, coats and souvenirs bought at the tax-free shops at the airport.

3. Passengers must register their tickets, weigh in and register the lug­gage (baggage). The economy class limitation is 20 kg. First-class passengers are allowed 30 kg. Excess luggage must be paid for.

4. Each passenger is given a boarding pass to be shown at the depar­ture gate and again to the stewardess when boarding the plane.

5. Watch the electric sign flashes in the plane. When the «Fasten Seat Belts» sigh goes on, do it promptly, and also obey the «No Smoking» signal.

6. Listen to the announcements on the public address system. The cap­tain will welcome you on board, tell you all about the flight and the in­teresting places you are flying over.

7. Do not forget your personal belonging when leaving the plane.

IX. Listening comprehension.

Make similar announcements. Use the given material.

Man: Excuse me, do you mind if I sit by the window?

Woman: Well, I'd rather you didn't.

Woman: Excuse me, do you mind if I turn the light on? Man: Not at all - go ahead.

Man: Excuse me, do you mind if I smoke?

Stewardess: I'm sorry, it's not allowed.

1. You may now smoke if you wish, except in the toilets and in the no-smoking section. For your safety and comfort during the flight we recommend that you keep your seat belts fastened while you are seated.

2. In a few minutes we shall be landing at Athens, where the temperature is twenty-eight degrees centigrade. Please fasten your seat belts, put the back of your seats in the upright position, and make sure that your tables are folded back. Kindly extinguish your cigarettes and refrain from smoking until you are in the airport building.

3. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Athens. You are kindly requested to remain seated with your seatbelts fastened until the plane has com­pletely stopped, the engines turned off and the doors have been opened. Please be sure to take with you all your hand baggage and personal belongings, and do not forget to tell our ground staff if you are making a connection with another flight. We hope you have enjoyed your flight and look forward to seeing you again on board.

4. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Captain Davies and all of us welcome you on board our flight BA 562 to Athens. Please fasten your seatbelts, do not smoke and make sure that your seats are in the up­right position and your tables are folded back. We will be taking off in about five minutes. Thank you.

X. Make up statements using the situations below

1. The plane you are flying on lands at Amsterdam instead of London. You ask the stewardess why. She says ...

2. The first thing you did when the plane landed was to phone your mother. You said ...

3. Miss Brown has just entered the hall of the airport. Her plane landed ten minutes ago. She is looking for somebody. She is disappointed. You think ...

4. Kotov has a ticket in his pocket for this evening's plane to Moscow. He says ...

5. Sidorov is in the waiting room of the airport. His plane cannot take off because of the foggy weather. At last his flight is announced. This is what he did ...

6. «Any perfume, cameras, cigarettes, brandy to declare?» says the cus­toms officer. You have a camera and a watch. You say ...

7. The plane has just taken off. I look through the window. The people and houses and cars on the road seem very small. I say ...

Dialogues