ost airline passengers think it is laughable

M that a small yellow lifejacket with a whistle

will make any difference if the plane crashes into
3 M IN I G R A M M A R so / such...that
a Look at these tw o sentences from the Air Babylon extract.
the water. However, in some cases, like when a
hijacked Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 landed The passenger is usually so embarrassed that he disappears as
in the Indian Ocean in 1996, it did. Despite quickly a s he can.
instructions from the cabin crew not to pre-
inflate their lifejackets inside the plane, several When this happens, there is often such a strong smell of roasted bird
passengers did. They were unable to escape the that passengers on the plane think that chicken is being cooked.
rising water inside the plane. But others, who
followed the pilot’s instructions, survived. So We often use so / such...that to express a consequence.
it is probably a good idea to look up from your
• Use so + adjective
magazine when the flight attendant is giving the The flig h t was so bumpy (that) we all fe lt sick.
safety demonstration.
• Use so + adverb
The taxi driver drove so quickly (that) we g o t to the airport on time.
• Use so much / so many + noun
C ustoms officers are watching everywhere.
They are watching you from the moment
There was so much tra ffic th a t we almost missed our flight.
• Use such a + adjective + single countable noun
you walk off the plane, while you are standing
It was such a great hotel (that) we want to go back there next year.
in Baggage claim waiting for your bag, and
especially when you come out the other side of • Use such + adjective + uncountable noun
Customs, which is when people who are trying We had such terrible weather th a t we didn't really enjoy our vacation.
to smuggle something finally let their guard • Use such + adjective + plural noun
down and get caught. The large two-way mirror They were such uncomfortable seats (that) I couldn't sleep a t all.
in Customs, (behind which customs officers sit
and watch) is part of that process. As you walk b C om plete the sentences with so, so much / many, such, or such a.
past, it makes you look taller and thinner. So you
feel good about yourself and you relax and smile. 1 The flight w a s_______ long that I got really bored.
That’s when a customs officer suddenly appears 2 I had_______ noisy child sitting next to me that I couldn't sleep at all.
and asks you to open your suitcase... 3 My suitcase w as_______ heavy that I had to pay an excess baggage fee.
4 I slep t_______ badly on the flight from New York that the jet lag
was worse than usual.
irds are one of the major problems for any
B airport when planes are taking o ff and
landing. Any large bird can easily cause an
5 We were served_______ terrible food that I couldn’t eat a thing.
6 There w ere_______ people at check-in that we had to stand in
accident. It flies into the engine, totally destroying line forever.
itself and the machinery. Smaller birds are less
7 We h ad _______ luggage that we had to get another cart.
of a problem. In some cases they can do some
damage, but usually they are just roasted. When 8 The people we met on vacation w ere_______ nice people that we
this happens, there is often such a strong smell kept in touch with them.
of roasted bird that passengers on the plane
think that chicken is being cooked, and they are
often surprised when they’re given a choice of 4 SPEA K IN G
fish or beef at dinner!
In pairs, ask and answ er the questions.
1 How do you feel about flying?
heelchairs are a big problem for airline staff.
W Not only is there always a shortage of them
for the people who really need them, but what
2 How often do you fly? W hat for?
3 When w as the last flight you took? Where did you fly to?
is worse, some of the people who request them 4 Have you ever...
often don't need them at all. I've lost count of
• been very delayed at an airport? How long for?
the number of tim es I have pushed someone
through the airport, taken them through Customs • m issed a flight? Why?
and Passport Control, gotten a porter to pick up • been stopped in Custom s? Were you carrying anything that you
their luggage, and then seen the person jump up shouldn't have?
in Arrivals and move quickly toward their waiting
• had very bad turbulence on a flight? How did you feel?
relatives. One flight attendant I know gets so
annoyed when this happens that as soon as the Was anyone on the flight injured?
passenger gets out of the chair she shouts to • taken a long-haul flight? Did you get jet lag?
the other passengers, “ Ladies and gentlemen! • flown or been upgraded to business class? W hat w as it like?
Another miracle, courtesy of the airline industry!
• been on a flight where there was an emergency?
After years in a wheelchair, he walks again!" The
W hat happened?
passenger is usually so embarrassed that he
(and it’s usually a “ he") disappears as quickly as • sat next to a scream ing baby on a flight (or a child that kept
he can. kicking your seat)? What did you do?
From Air Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones Online Practice ■ 3A 25
 V O C A B U LA R Y BANK
Air travel
1 AT T H E AIRPO RT 3 TRAVEL, TRIP, OR JOURNEY?
a M a tc h th e w o rd s a n d d e fin itio n s . a C o m p l e t e t h e s e n t e n c e s w i t h travel ( v e r b o r n o u n ) , trip,
o r journey.
1 A a irp o rt term in al 6 d e p a rtu re s b oard
2 bag(gage) d ro p o ff 7 gate 1 W e 're g o in g o n a fiv e -d a y trip________ to th e
3 b aggage claim 8 runw ay m o u n ta in s .

4 check-in desk 9 secu rity 2 A H o w lo n g w a s y o u r ____________ a c ro s s C h in a ?

5 cu sto m s 10 V IP lounge B It w a s a b o u t tw o m o n t h s lo n g , a n d i t w a s a m a z in g .
3 D o y o u h a v e t o ____________m u c h f o r y o u r jo b ?
A A rriv als a n d
a b u i ld i n g a t a n a i r p o r t d iv id e d in to
4 H a v e a g o o d ____________ . S e e y o u w h e n y o u g e t b a c k .
D e p a rtu re s (dom estic a n d in tern atio n al fligh ts)
B a n e le c tr o n ic d is p la y s h o w in g flig h t tim es a n d i f th e b 2 5))) L i s te n a n d c h e c k .
f li g h t is on tim e, b oard in g, closed, o r delayed
c W h a t a re th e d iffe re n c e s b e tw e e n th e th r e e w o rd s ?
C w h e r e y o u h a n d i n a n y c h e c k e d b aggage ( b a g s ,
s u itc a s e s , e tc .) a n d a r e g iv e n a b o ard in g p a ss
D w h e r e y o u ta k e y o u r lu g g a g e to c h e c k it in i f y o u 4 PHRASAL VERBS RELATED TO AIR
a lr e a d y h a v e y o u r b o a r d i n g p a s s
TRAVEL
E w h e r e th e y c h e c k t h a t y o u a r e n o t t r y i n g t o ta k e
p r o h ib ite d ite m s (e.g., liq u id s o r sh arp objects) o n to a C o m p le te th e s e n te n c e s w ith a p h r a s a l v e rb fro m th e
t h e p la n e , b y scan n in g y o u r carry-on luggage a n d l i s t i n t h e p a s t te n s e .
m a k i n g y o u w a l k t h r o u g h a m e ta l d e te c to r
checkin d ro p o ff fill out get o ff get on pickup
F w h e r e p a s s e n g e r s w h o a r e tr a v e lin g b u sin e ss o r first
take o ff
c la ss c a n w a it f o r t h e i r f lig h t
G w h e r e y o u s h o w y o u r b o a r d i n g p a s s a n d ID a n d b oard 1 M y h u s b a n d dropped m e o ff a t th e a irp o rt
y o u r f lig h t t w o h o u r s b e f o r e th e flig h t.
H w h e r e p la n e s take o ff a n d land 2 I _______________________o n l in e t h e d a y b e f o r e I w a s
I w h e r e y o u collect y o u r lu g g a g e o n a r r iv a l, a n d t h e r e g o in g t o fly.
a r e u s u a lly c a rts f o r c a r r y in g h e a v y s u itc a s e s 3 A s s o o n a s I ______________________ t h e p la n e , I s a t
] w h e r e y o u r lu g g a g e m a y b e checked t o se e i f y o u a re d o w n in th e f i r s t e m p ty s e a t.
b r in g i n g illegal g o o d s i n to t h e c o u n tr y 4 T h e p l a n e ______________________ la te b e c a u s e o f th e
b a d w e a th e r .
b 2 3))) L i s t e n a n d c h e c k .
5 I _______________________t h e i m m i g r a t i o n f o r m f o r
t h e U S , w h ic h th e c a b in c r e w g a v e m e s h o r t l y b e fo r e
2 ONBOARD la n d in g .
6 W h e n I _______________________th e p la n e , I felt
a C o m p l e t e t h e t e x t w i t h t h e w o r d s i n t h e lis t. e x h a u s te d a f t e r t h e lo n g flig h t.

aisle a i l/ cabin crew /'ka eb an k r u / seat belts / 's it b e lts / 7 W h e n I ______________ ________ m y lu g g a g e a t b a g g a g e
connecting flig h t k a 'n c k t ig f l a i t / turbulence 'to rb y a la n s / c la im , I b u m p e d i n to a n o ld f r ie n d w h o h a d b e e n o n
direct flig h ts ditrcki flait s je t lag 'd.yct teg/ t h e s a m e flig h t!
long-haul flig h ts 1ɔŋ h o i f la i l s /
b 2 6))) L i s te n a n d c h e c k .
I o f te n fly t o C h i l e o n b u s in e s s . I a lw a y s c h o o s e a n 'aisle
s e a t, so t h a t I c a n g e t u p a n d w a lk a r o u n d m o r e easily . < p .2 4
S o m e tim e s t h e r e is 2____________ w h e n t h e p la n e f lie s o v e r
t h e A n d e s , w h ic h I d o n ’t e n jo y , a n d th e 3____________ te lls
t h e p a s s e n g e r s t o p u t t h e i r 4____________ o n .
T h e r e a r e n 't m a n y 3____________ t o C h ile f r o m P a r is , so
I u s u a lly h a v e t o g e t a 6____________ in A tla n ta . W h e n e v e r I
ta k e ____________ I a lw a y s s u ff e r f r o m 8_____________b e c a u se
o f th e tim e d if f e r e n c e , a n d I fe e l t ir e d f o r s e v e ra l d a y s.

b 2 4))) L i s t e n a n d c h e c k .

Online Practice