JANUARY 25TH UP TO JANUARY 31 ST

BASIC

How old are you?
Twenty-five. I'm twenty-five years old.

When / Where were you born?
I was born in 1961 / Seattle.

Are you married? / What's your marital status?
I'm single.

What do you do? / What's your job?
I'm a librarian.

Where did you go?
I went to a friend's house.

What did you do?
We played video games.

Where were you?
I was in New York for the weekend.

Have you got a car / job / house / etc.?
Yes, I've got a good job.

Have you got any children / friends / books / etc.?
Yes, I've got three children - two boys and a daughter.

Can you play tennis / golf / football / etc.?
Yes, I can play golf.

Can you speak English / French / Japanese / etc.?
No, I can't speak Japanese.

Could you speak English / French / Japanese / etc.?
when you were five / two / fifteen / etc. years old?
Yes, I could speak English when I was five years old.

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Introducing Yourself / Saying Hello

How do you do?
How do you do. Pleased to meet you.

How are you?
Fine, thanks. And you?

Shopping

How can I help you? / May I help you?
Yes. I'm looking for a sweater.

Can I try it on?
Sure, the changing rooms are over there.

How much does it cost? / How much is it?
It's $45.

How would you like to pay?
By credit card.

Can I pay by credit card / check / debit card?
Certainly. We accept all major cards.

Have you got something bigger / smaller / lighter / etc.?
Certainly, we've got a smaller sizes as well.

Asking Something Specific

What's that?
It's a cat!

What time is it?
It's three o'clock.

Can / May I open the window?
Certainly. It's hot in here!

Is there a bank / supermarket / pharmacy / etc. near here?
Yes. There is a bank on the next corner next to the post office.

Where is the nearest bank / supermarket / pharmacy / etc.?
The nearest pharmacy is on 15th street.

Who wrote / invented / painted / etc. the ...?
Hemingway wrote "The Sun Also Rises".

Is there any water / sugar / rice / etc.?
Yes, there's a lot of sugar left.

Are there any apples / sandwiches / books / etc.?
No, there aren't any apples left.

Is this your / his / her / etc. book / ball / house / etc.?
No, I think it's his ball.

Whose is this / that?
It's Jack's.

Questions with 'Like'

What do you like?
I like playing tennis, reading and listening to music.

What does he look like?
He's tall and slim.

What would you like?
I'd like a steak and chips.

What is it like?
It's an interesting country.

What's the weather like?
It's raining at the moment.

Would you like some coffee / tea / food?
Yes, thank you. I'd like some coffee.

Would you like something to drink / eat?
Thank you. Could I have a cup of tea?

Asking for an Opinion

What's it about?
It's about a young boy who encounters adventures.

What do you think about your job / that book / Tim / etc.?
I thought the book was very interesting.

How big / far / difficult / easy is it?
The test was very difficult!

How big / far / difficult / easy are they?
The questions were very easy.

How was it?
It was very interesting.

What are you going to do tomorrow / this evening / next week / etc.?
I'm going to visit some friends next weekend.

Suggestions What shall we do this evening?
Let's go see a film.

Why don't we go out / play tennis / visit friends / etc. this evening?
Yes, that sounds like a good idea.

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PRE INTERMEDIATE


http://elllo.org/english/0701/T749-Tim-GoodJob.htm



 PRE INTERMEDIATE


http://elllo.org/video/1301/1350-Gisela-Job.htm


http://www.engvid.com/real-english-ordering-food-on-the-phone/



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 INTERMEDIATE

http://www.engvid.com/english-vocabulary-fear-2/



http://www.engvid.com/real-english-ordering-food-on-the-phone/



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BASIC 1

PART – II: Describe the person using the information given.

Name: Luana Snake

Age: 17

Country: India

Phone number: 00 334 379 561

Marital status: single

Occupation: actress

Languages: Hindi, French, English

Learn English: Job, Travel

Sports: Volley

Favourite food: Fruit, bread

Car: (no car – a bicycle)

Music: Classical music, New Age

Abilities: Sing, dance, juggle, cook

WRITE A STORY ABOUT  LUANA

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BASIC 2

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BASIC  1 AND 2

http://www.witchhazel.it/a_lovely_family.htm

This is a photo of my lovely family. That’s my Irish husband, Tim. Tim’s a doctor He’s short and not very handsome. He’s got fair skin and short black hair. He’s a very good doctor but he’s very lazy; he sleeps a lot. He’s 35. Tim loves watching TV in bed and he watches TV all the weekend. He hates going out because he doesn’t like places with a lot of people and also because he hates driving!!! We have got four children and a pet, a fat and black cat. Her name’s Miau. Miau is very lazy and she eats very much!!! Miau’s food is very expensive, a kilo of Miau’s cat food costs € 45.50 (forty five Euros and fifty cents). Every week, Miau eats 10 kilos of cat food!!!

Our children are Joshua, Joseph, John, and Joana. They were all born in Germany where we now live. Joshua’s the baby and he’s only 11 months old. He’s fat, and he hasn’t got any hair. He’s only got two teeth and he cries very much!!! Joseph and Joana are twins. They’ve got brown hair and dark eyes and they’re not fat. They are 6 years old and they study in a local public school. They love playing video games on the computer and eating chocolate but they don’t like studying very much… They are very lazy like their father. John is 9 years old and he’s got curly blonde hair like me. He’s active and he loves going to school and studying Maths and English. He hates playing video games and watching TV. He also hates eating chocolate but he loves eating vegetables and fruit.

Oh, my name is Silvia and I’m from Scotland, United Kingdom and I’m 32 years old. I’ve got curly blonde hair and dark eyes. I’m a housewife. I love gardening and cooking delicious food and sweets for my husband and children. I also love taking my children to play in the park every morning and afternoon on the weekend and when they are on holiday. I hate watching TV and staying in bed; I prefer going out to the lovely parks and shopping places in our city… I usually go out with the children and my husband stays home with Miau, in bed, watching TV!!!

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SONG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MH9qWemtPo


WAVE AFTER WAVE

My face above the water

My feet can't touch the ground

Touch the ground, and it feels like

I can see the sands on the horizon

Everytime you are not around

I'm slowly drifting away (drifting away)

Wave after wave, wave after wave

I'm slowly drifting (drifting away)

And it feels like I'm drowning

Pulling against the stream

Pulling against the stream

I wish I could make it easy

Easy to love me, love me

But still I reach, to find a way

I'm stuck here in between

I'm looking for the right words to say

I'm slowly drifting (drifting away)

Wave after wave, wave after wave

I'm slowly drifting (drifting away)

And it feels like I'm drowning

Pulling against the stream

Pulling against the stream

Link: http://www.vagalume.com.br/mr-probz/waves-traducao.html#ixzz3PrvMW2dq

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AU PAIR VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOO4N_9Y9jE

________________________________________________

english conversation basic 1 

from 0 to 1,34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlSVe2ehjls

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INTERMEDIATE AND UPPER INTERMEDIATE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We7k1DViRlI

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PRE INTERMEDIATE AND INTERMEDIATE

http://www.newsinlevels.com/products/merry-christmas-2014-level-1/

Christmas is coming. People celebrate Christmas on 25^th December, in some countries on 24^th December. People from many countries celebrate Christmas.

The traditions are different from country to country. Usually there are many presents, a lot of good food and Christmas songs. Children and adults get presents from Santa Claus or Father Christmas or in some countries from Baby Jesus.

We want to thank you for reading our news this year. We wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We will be on holiday for the next two weeks. The next news will be on 5^th January 2015.

You can see a nice Christmas video below.

Interesting words: celebrate (have fun and good time), adult (person who is not a child), merry (happy).

Read more: http://www.newsinlevels.com/products/merry-christmas-2014-level-1/

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UPPER INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED

This is probably the cutest thing you'll see today – the world's only surviving panda triplets have been reunited with their mother for the first time since birth.

The adorable moment was caught on camera at the China Chimelong Safari Park.

The rare panda triplets were born in July and so it's not surprise that mum was happy to see them,scooping up two of the baby pandas, while not waking the third.

Keepers at the park say the trio is in a good condition and strong enough now to meet their mother. They're also helping mum feed the triplets and stay with her babies, helping them to learn survivalskills.

Triplet births within pandas are very rare, given their low reproductivity.

Difficult words: triplets (three babies or animals which are born at the same time), reunited (to come together again), adorable (something which is adorable fills you with love), scoop (to pick something up), condition (health), reproductivity (when a person or animal does not have many children), survival (staying alive).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com

http://www.newsinlevels.com/products/little-pandas-meet-their-mother-level-3/

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ADVANCED

http://www.engvid.com/4-listening-comprehension-tips/

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PRE BASIC

http://mrnussbaum.com/prek/

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PRE INTERMEDIATE

Hummingbirds are amazing little birds. They are the smallest of all birds and weigh less than even a penny. The Bee Hummingbird, at barely more than two inches long, is the smallest bird in the world!

Unlike most birds, hummingbirds have iridescent feathers. Iridescent feathers glitter and shine in the sun. Hummingbirds are often dazzling combinations of greens and reds or greens and blues. Others are violet, orange, golden, silver or other combinations only Mother Nature could dream up. All hummingbirds have long bills to insert into flowers. Some hummingbirds have special bills to fit in specific flowers. Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards.

Hummingbirds are also unique among bird species in that they drink nectar from flowers. You can attract hummingbirds to your yard with special feeders that are filled with sugar water. These feeders are usually bright red in color because hummingbirds are attracted to red.

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PRE INTERMEDIATE AND INTERMEDIATE

PUT THE STORY IN ORDER

Amy never stops talking about her bad luck with boys, and everyday she dreams about being popular like Jana.Amy decides to do everything that Jana does in order to be successful with boys. One day Jana curls her hair in a crazy way.Amy takes the advice of her friend and within three days, she has many admirers who want to take her out on a date./There is a girl who is very beautiful. Her name is Jana. Jana smells like a flower because she bathes every day.

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ITEP AUDIO

http://www.itepexam.com/prepare-for-the-itep-test


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The social girl. 

There is a girl who is very beautiful. Her name is Jana.
Jana smells like a flower because she bathes every day. She also smiles a lot because she has a lot of admirers.
There is another girls whose name is Amy. Amy doesn�t smile, because no one admires her.
The problem is that Amy stinks and all of the kids run away from her.
Amy approaches Jana and explains the problem to her. Jana knows how to take care of the problem but is embarrassed to explain it to Amy.
Amy never stops talking about her bad luck with boys, and everyday she dreams about being popular like Jana.
Amy decides to do everything that Jana does in order to be successful with boys. One day Jana curls her hair in a crazy way. Amy tries to do the same.
Another day, Jana dresses like a cowboy; Amy dresses the same. And another day, Jana wears French perfume and Italian makeup. And of course, Amy does the same.
But Amy isn�t successful with boys because she still stinks.
She complains to Jana. Everyday she talks to Jana about her problems. Finally, Jana tells her: �Take a bath twice a day.�
Amy takes the advice of her friend and within three days, she has many admirers who want to take her out on a date. Amy can�t decide the person to go out with all of them and they have a great time.
But since Amy is out with all the boys, there is nobody anymore to take Jana out. .

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PRE INTERMEDIATE AND INTERMEDIATE



http://www.elllo.org/video/1301/1312-Mike-FavoriteSeason.htm

Hello, my name is Florencia and I'm from Argentina. The question is how is the weather today?

Well, today the weather is particularly hot, and it's cloudy. It's raining all day. We are in the middle of summer, so temperatures goes between 30, 35 grade Celsius, and but factors such as humidity - it is really humid here in Buenos Aires - make you feel more heat. It's a nice day. Well, it's nice weather to live close to the beach, but I'm far away._______

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BASIC 1

1. Ben lives in Sydney, Australia.

2. Ben is 26 years old.

3. Ben's normal job is cleaning windows.

4. Ben is single.

5. Ben doesn't have any children.

6. Ben's girlfriend works in the local theatre.

7. They go swimming in the river at the weekend.

8. Ben gets up at eight o'clock usually.

9. Ben plays tennis on Thursdays.

10. Ben gets up early on Thursdays.

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BASIC 1

On Sunday, Tom gets up at 10 o'clock. Then he reads his newspaper in the kitchen. He has breakfast at 11.30 and then he telephones his mother in Scotland.

In the afternoon, at 1.00, Tom plays tennis with his sister and after that, they eat dinner in a restaurant. At 6.00, Tom swims for one hour and then he goes by bike to his brother´s house. They talk and listen to music.

Tom watches television in the evening and drinks a glass of Jack Daniel's whiskey. He goes to bed at 11.30.

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AU PAIR

Family –

What do the parents do for a living?

Does the mother work?

Are they educators or professionals (medical, lawyer etc)?

How many siblings are there?

Are the siblings younger or older? Much younger or older?

History of divorce, family trauma?

Essay –

Does the essay talk a lot about travel and social activities or does it focus on family and caring for children?

Diet –

Does the applicant have dietary restrictions?

Any foods she will not prepare?

Religion?

Character

What values did you parents teach you as being most important in life?

What three adjectives would your friends use to describe you?

Do you have a boyfriend? How does he feel about your decision to become an AP? How do you think you’ll handle being away from him for a year?

What kind of roads do you typically drive on?

Do you have experience driving in heavy traffic?

Do you own your own car?

Do you drive often, how often?

How long have you driven?

Are you OK driving long distances to travel?

What kind of cars have you driven?

What is the furthest distance you have ever driven?

What kind of bad weather have you driven in?  (snow? heavy rain?)

Have you ever used a GPS?

When you need to figure out how to drive to somewhere, how do you get directions?

Have you ever gotten lost while driving? If so, what did you do?

Have you ever been on a road trip with a friend?

What is your best driving habit?

What is your worst driving habit?

How is driving at nighttime different from driving during the daytime?

Are you close with your siblings?

How did you hear about the program and who suggested that you become an aupair ?”

Do you have relatives in the US?

Is religion important to you?

Are you a morning person? Are you able to start your day early?

Do you have a housekeeper? Do you have duties at home? Please explain what your duties are

Have you had a job before? Tell us about your job & what you did. What where the challenges? What did you like? How long did you work there? Why did you quit?

How do you handle conflict with your parents?

How do you like to keep your room at home?

If the baby is crying & hurt, the 3 & 4 year old are fighting & the doorbell rings – how would you handle that situation?

What would you do if you were driving & the boys are fighting or takes off a seat belt?

What is your biggest strength/weakness?

What is your biggest concern or fear about becoming an au pair?

Why do you want to come to the USA and what are your plans when you go back to your home country?

Do you have a maid at home?

The child you are looking after is just learning to walk. She is walking on a concrete sidewalk and falls forward and hits her head. Her head is cut and bleeding heavily. She is crying hysterically and is very upset because she is in pain and is scared. How do you handle this?

Have you ever clipped a baby’s fingernails or toenails?

What are your expectations for the home that you will live in as an au pair? Will you be uncomfortable if the home is not perfectly clean at all times?

Have you had any prior lengthy illnesses?

What age children do you prefer to take care of?

How much sleep do you need to feel rested?

How do you plan to spend your time when you’re not working?

Do you know anyone in the US?

What is your best and worst memory of your family life?

What kind of role do you want to have with the children? A playmate? A teacher? A parent? How would you go about these roles?

Do you want to be like a roommate or do you want to be like a member of the host family? A roommate socializes outside of the home most nights and weekend with friends. A member of the family eats dinner at home each night and spends time at home on the weekends and watches movies with the host family in the evening.

How do you make friends?

Do you enjoy playing with dogs and are you comfortable with them?

How do you envision your day taking care of our daughter?

What do you think is most exciting thing about coming to the US as an au pair?

_______________________________________________________________

Your daily routine with your host family:

• What do they expect from you?
• What will your daily life be like in this family?
• What will your duties be?
• What are the family's habits and hobbies?
• What do they do on their weekends?
• Are you expected to prepare meals for the children?
• Ask the parents what you should know about their children: are there any particular hobbies, friends, special characters? What are their preferred meals and games? Is there anything else you need to bear in mind?
• Will you go on trips together?

Our tip:

• You should suggest to your host family to prepare a schedule for your stay which includes all important details, such as duties, dates and free time.

Basic conditions for your au pair stay:

• When will you usually be working?
• When will your host parents be working?
• Will you be expected to babysit in the evenings? If so, how often?
• On which days and evenings will you have some time off?
• How far is the nearest city from your host family's home?
• Can it easily be reached by public transport?
• Are you expected to be a good car driver?
• What and when do they typically eat?
• Does the family follow a special diet?
• Will they take you with them on their holidays? If so: what will be your tasks during that time?
• Will you have your own room?
• Will you need your own laptop in order to use the Internet?
• How much pocket money will you receive each month?
• Have they considered taking out an au pair insurance policy for you or will your own health insurance provide full coverage throughout your stay in your host country?
• When will be the best time for you to attend a language course?
• Will your host family be able to help you find the right language course?
• Who will pay for it?
• Are there more au pairs close to your host family's home?

Our tip:

• You should include all details you agree upon in your contract. This will help you prevent misunderstandings and pave the way for a successful au pair stay.

Experiences with au pairs:

• Why has the family decided to host an au pair?
• Are you the family's first au pair? If not, you can ask for the phone numbers or e-mail addresses of their former au pairs to find out more about their stay with this family.

Click here to find more
 How Tos.

Useful English Phrases
at the Airport

1) Buying a ticket 

·      I'd like to reserve two seats to New York.

·      Will that be one way or round trip?

·      How much is a round trip ticket?

·      It's $819. Will you pay by check or by credit card?

·      Here's my Visa Card. Can we get an aisle seat please?

·      You can choose your seat when you check in.

2) Checking In

·      Can I see your ticket and passport, please?

·      Here they are. Can we get one seat near the aisle?

·      Yes, that's no problem. You're in seats 27B and 27C.

·      Thanks. Where do we go next?

·      Go to Gate A8, straight ahead then turn left. 

·       

3) On the Airplane

·      Would you like something to drink?

·      Could I have Coke with no ice?

·      Here you are. Please fill out this form before the plane lands.

·      What is this form for?

·      It's a Customs and Immigration form. You will use that in the airport before you can enter the country.

4) The Arrival

·      Thank you for flying East West Airlines!

·      I had a good trip. Thanks for your help.

·      It was our pleasure and we hope to see you again.

5) Getting through Customs

·      Do you have anything to declare?

·      I just have one bottle of wine. It's a gift for my friend.

·      How much wine is in the bottle?

·      It contains 750ml.

·      That's fine. Have a nice stay.

6) Getting your luggage

·      At which carrousel will our luggage be?

·      At number 5, over there.

·      Great! I'll get a cart right away.

·      Be sure you have your luggage ticket.

·      Yes, it's right here attached to my plane ticket.

7) Going through Immigration

·      What's in the small bag?

·      I have a laptop computer and some books.

·      Could you open it please and turn on your computer.

·      Sure. It will take a few moments to boot up.

·      Okay, everything seems okay. You can go.

8) Get out!

·      Excuse me, where can I get a taxi?

·      Go down to the end of the hall and the taxis are waiting just outside.

·      Thank you! 

 

Airport English

Airports are stressful even in your own native country. Practise these English phrases before you travel to English speaking destinations.

Tip: Print these and keep them as a “cheat sheet” in your carry-on luggage.

Questions you will hear at the check-in counter: 
Ticket please.
May I see your ticket?
Do you have an e-ticket?
Do you have some photo ID?
How many bags are you checking?
Did you pack these bags yourself?
Do you have a carry-on bag? (a bag or purse to take on the airplane)
Do you require special assistance? (example a “wheelchair”)
Have you paid your airport improvement fee/tax?
Would you like a window or an aisle seat? (aisle is pronounced “eye + l”)

Problems you may hear: 
Your baggage is overweight. (Remove some contents or pay a fine.)
Your carry-on luggage is too large.
Your flight is delayed. (It’s late.)
Your flight has been cancelled. (You must rebook a new flight)
Your connecting flight/connection has been cancelled/is delayed.
Your ticket is expired.
Your passport is expired.

Commands and questions at the Security Checkpoint: 
Boarding pass, please.
ID please. (show your photo ID)
Spread your arms out please. (Put your arms up and out to the sides of your body)
Take your shoes off.
Open your bag.
Take off/remove your belt.
Do you have any change in your pockets?
Do you have any metals?
Do you have any food/produce?
Do you have any liquids or medicine?
Walk through.
You must dump all food or beverages. (You can’t bring it through the gates.)

Questions YOU may need to ask: 
Is my flight on time?
When should I be at the gate?
Where is the boarding gate?
Where is the washroom?
Can I get a window seat?
Is there somewhere to eat?
Can I get a coffee at the gate?
Is my connection on time?
Where do I collect my baggage?
Where can I find a taxi?
Where is the departure gate?
Where is the arrival gate?
Where is the check-in desk for ….airlines?
Where is the domestics level?
Where is the international level?

More Airline Vocabulary
Practise Checking-in

Wordchecker: 
cheat sheet: a small piece of paper with answers or hints that you have with you
departures: flights that are leaving this airport
arrivals: flights that are landing at this airport
e-ticket: a ticket you purchased online and printed from your computer
aisle seat: a seat next to the long walking path on the plane
boarding pass: the ticket you give at the gates (has your seat number)
belt: clothing item that holds up pants (sets off metal detector)
metals: items such as jewellery, coins, belt buckles, knives, keys
liquids: beverages
expired: no longer useful (the date has passed)
check-in: show your ticket and ID and hand in your baggage
connection: the point where your plane lands and you must catch another plane
domestic: in the same country as the airport
international: in a different country than the airport

Are you ready to take a trip? We’re going to start a series of lessons on practical English for use while traveling. Today we’re going to go through the airport step by step, learning important vocabulary and useful phrases along the way.

Conversation #1 – At the Check-In Desk

Dan is flying from New York to Los Angeles. When he arrives at the airport, he goes to the check-in desk. Listen to the conversation he has with the agent:

Agent: Good afternoon! Where are you flying to today?

Dan: Los Angeles.

Agent: May I have your passport, please?

Dan: Here you go.

Agent: Are you checking any bags?

Dan: Just this one.

Agent: OK, please place your bag on the scale.

Dan: I have a stopover in Chicago – do I need to pick up my luggage there?

Agent: No, it’ll go straight through to Los Angeles. Here are your boarding passes – your flight leaves from gate 15A and it’ll begin boarding at 3:20. Your seat number is 26E.

Dan: Thanks.

Conversation Vocabulary and Phrases

·Instead of “Where are you flying today?” the agent may ask “What’s your final destination?” The answer will be the same!

·You can say “Here you go” anytime you give something to somebody

·To check your bags means to put them on the airplane inside the cargo compartment. The small bag you take with you on the airplane is called a carry-on. You need to put your carry-on bags through the X-ray machine at security.

·The scale is the equipment that tells you the weight of your luggage (45 kilograms, for example)

·A stopover or layover is when the airplane stops in a different city before continuing to the final destination

·If the agent says that your luggage will go straight through, it means it will go directly to the final destination (and you don’t need to pick it up during your stopover)

·Boarding passes are the tickets that permit you to enter the airplane

·When a plane begins boarding, it means that the passengers start to enter the plane. Usually boarding time is 30-60 minutes before takeoff (when the plane leaves)

Other Questions & Phrases for the Airport

“Excuse me, where is the American Airlines check-in desk?”

·“Where is terminal 4?”

·“Where is gate 36?”

·“How many bags can I check?”

·“Will my luggage go straight through, or do I need to pick it up in [Chicago]?”

·“How much is the fee?”
If your bag is heavier than the weight limits, or if your bag is larger than the size limits, you may need to pay extra. an oversized baggage fee or overweight baggage fee (this can be $75 to $300). Some airlines in the United States also charge a fee for ALL checked bags (usually $15 to $30).

·“Please mark this bag as ‘fragile.’”
Say this if you have fragile or sensitive items in your bag that might break

·“Is the flight on time?”
The agent will respond either “Yes” if the flight is on time, or “There’s a 20-minute delay” (for example) if the flight will leave later than expected.

Extra questions in the U.S.

On flights going to or inside the U.S., you will probably be asked some extra security questions before or during check-in. Here are some sample questions:

Answer YES to these questions:Did you pack your bags yourself?

·Has your luggage been in your possession at all times?

·Are you aware of the regulations regarding liquids in your carry-on?

·Answer NO to these questions:

Are you carrying any firearms or flammable materials?

·Have you left your luggage unattended at any time?

·Has anyone given you anything to carry on the flight?

Conversation #2 – Going through Security

There are two pieces of equipment in security: you put your bags through the X-ray machine, and you walk through the metal detector. The X-ray machine has a conveyor belt that moves your bags automatically through the machine. You can put small items like keys or money into plastic bins.

Agent: Please lay your bags flat on the conveyor belt, and use the bins for small objects.

Dan: Do I need to take my laptop out of the bag?

Agent: Yes, you do. Take off your hat and your shoes, too.

(he walks through the metal detector)

[BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP]

Agent: Please step back. Do you have anything in your pockets – keys, cell phone, loose change?

Dan: I don’t think so. Let me try taking off my belt.

Agent: Okay, come on through.

(he goes through the metal detector again)

Agent: You’re all set! Have a nice flight.

The phrase “you’re all set” is a common expression that means “you’re finished and everything is OK.”

Phrasal Verbs: SET OFF and GO OFF

When the alarm sounds, we say “the alarm went off.” To describe what caused the alarm to sound, we say “set off” – for example, “My keys set off the alarm” or “My keys set off the metal detector.”

Announcements at the Gate

Airports are divided into terminals (the major sections of the airport) and each terminal has many gates. The gate is the door you go through to enter the airplane. Here are a few announcements you might hear while you are at the gate, waiting for the plane to board.

·“There has been a gate change.”
(this means the flight will leave from a different gate)

·“United Airlines flight 880 to Miami is now boarding.”
(this means it’s time for passengers to enter the plane)

·“Please have your boarding pass and identification ready for boarding.”

·“We would like to invite our first- and business-class passengers to board.”

·“We are now inviting passengers with small children and any passengers requiring special assistance to begin boarding.”

·“We would now like to invite all passengers to board.”
(this means everyone can enter the plane)

·“This is the final boarding call for United Airlines flight 880 to Miami.”
(this means it is the FINAL OPPORTUNITY to enter the plane before they close the doors)

·“Passenger John Smith, please proceed to the United Airlines desk at gate 12.”

Conversation #3: On the plane

The people who work inside the airplane serving food and drinks are called flight attendants. Both men and women who have this job are called flight attendants. Listen to this conversation that Dan has with the flight attendant when dinner is served on the flight.

Flight attendant: Chicken or pasta?

Dan: Sorry?

Flight attendant: Would you like chicken or pasta?

Dan: I’ll have the chicken.

Flight attendant: Anything to drink?

Dan: What kind of soda do you have?

Flight attendant: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Orange, and Dr. Pepper.

Dan: A Diet Coke, no ice, please.

Flight attendant: Here you go.

Dan: Thanks.

Conversation Tips:

If you didn’t understand what the flight attendant said, you can say Sorry? or Pardon? to ask him or her to repeat it.

If you want to ask for something, you can use the phrase “Can I have…?” or “Could I have…?” Practice your pronunciation with these common requests:

“Can I have a pillow?”

·“Can I have a blanket?”

·“Can I have a pair of headphones?” / “Could I have a headset?”

·“Could I have some water/coffee/tea?”

·“Could I have some extra napkins?”

Finally, if you need to stand up, but there is a person sitting between you and the aisle, you can say Excuse me and make a motion to start standing up. The person sitting next to you will understand and stand up to let you get out of your seat.

You’ve finished Lesson 16! Now take the quiz to test how well you remember the phrases. In tomorrow’s lesson, you’ll learn English phrases for arriving at the destination airport, going through immigration, and dealing with common travel problems.