Family, Travel, and Checking In at the Airport

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Warm-Up Conversation

• Family support:
  
  • The student shared that her mother helps take care of the children.
    
  • Teacher mentioned his wife’s mother stayed with their family for years — common for grandparents to help.
    
• Location:
  
  • Student lives in Jinan, in northern China (Shandong province).
    
  • Teacher shared interest in visiting China for at least two months — not just to see the Great Wall and Beijing, but to explore more.
    
• Weather:
  
  • Student said it is warm in her city.
    

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Work and Leisure

• Job:
  
  • Student works at a medical equipment company, specializing in radiation therapy for cancer.
    
  • Teacher noted that this is an important and successful industry.
    
• Free Time:
  
  • Student enjoys watching movies, including science fiction and animated films like Kung Fu Panda.
    

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Travel for Work

• Student often travels for work.
  
  • Uses high-speed trains for short distances.
    
  • Takes flights for longer trips.
    
• Teacher shared:
  
  • In the U.S., trains are not very efficient, unlike in China or Europe.
    
  • When he used to travel for work, he sometimes brought his family.
    

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Visiting Cities in China

• Student is currently in Shanghai and will return home by high-speed train (approx. 3 hours).
  
• Discussion about how Shanghai is large and fast-paced, similar to New York City.
  
• Teacher mentioned a desire to see not just Beijing and the Great Wall, but many regions of China.
  

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Airport Vocabulary & Practice

Activity: Checking In for a Flight

• Where is she?
  
  • In the airport — possibly checking in.
    
• Types of check-in:
  
  • Self-service kiosk: A machine that prints your boarding pass.
    
  • Ticket counter: You talk to a person, especially if you have checked bags.
    
  • Curbside check-in: Available at some airports, right at the entrance.
    

Key Vocabulary:

1. Escalator – Moving stairs.
   
2. Baggage claim – Where you pick up your checked luggage.
   
3. Boarding pass – Your ticket for getting on the plane.
   
4. Gate – Where you board your flight (e.g., Gate C21).
   
5. Terminal – The section of the airport for arrivals and departures.
   
6. Carry-on – A small bag you can take onto the plane.
   
7. Check (a bag) – To hand over your bag to be placed in the cargo area.
   
8. Information board – Lists flight times, delays, and gate numbers.
   
9. Delayed – When the flight will leave later than scheduled.
   
10. Security check – Where you and your bags are scanned.
    

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Pronunciation Focus: V vs. W

• Practice:
  
  • “Very well”
    
  • Focus on separating the V (with teeth and lip) and the W (rounded lips).
    

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Airport Dialogue Practice

Example Phrases:

• “Here you are.” – Said when handing something to someone.
  
• “That’s Gate 12, right?” – Confirming a detail.
  
• “How long is the delay?” – Asking about flight delay time.
  
• “I’d like a window seat, please.” – Making a seating request.
  
• “Have you left your bags unattended?” – Security question.
  Correct answer: “No, I’ve had them with me the whole time.”
  

Seating Preferences:

• Window seat – Beside the window.
  
• Aisle seat – Beside the walkway.
  
• Middle seat – Between two people (less preferred).
  
• Some airlines charge extra for preferred seats with more legroom.
  

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Boarding Pass Review

• Example Info from a Boarding Pass:
  
  • Airline: Economy Airlines
    
  • Flight number: EF9152
    
  • Gate: C21
    
  • Boarding time: 6:15 PM
    
  • Seat: 17F
    
    • In some countries, F is a window seat, in others, a middle seat. Confirm based on airline layout.
      

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Questions & Answers from the Check-In Desk

• “Am I allowed 5 kg of carry-on luggage?”
  Yes, that’s common.
  
• “How many bags are you checking in?”
  “Just one, and one carry-on.”
  
• “Have you left your bags unattended?”
  “No, I’ve had them with me the whole time.”
  
• “What time is boarding?”
  Usually 20–30 minutes before departure.
  

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Flight Delay Responses

• “How long is the delay?”
  Common answer: “10 minutes” (Not too bad) or “3 hours” (Oh no!)
  

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Dialogue Roleplay Recap

Checking in at the counter:

1. Agent: “Good afternoon. May I see your ticket and passport?”
   You: “Sure. Here you are.”
   
2. Agent: “How many bags are you checking in?”
   You: “Just one and a carry-on.”
   
3. Agent: “Unfortunately, your flight has been delayed.”
   You: “I see. What time does it leave now?”
   
4. Agent: “Your new departure time is 9:00 PM.”
   

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Final Reminders

• Your reading is excellent!
  
• Great job practicing natural dialogue and airport vocabulary.
  
• Pronunciation of V and W is improving — keep practicing:
  
  • “Very well”
    
  • “Window seat”
    
• Listening and repeating is key to improving fluency.
  

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Advanced Vocabulary for Practice

1. Unattended – Left alone without supervision.
   
2. Curbside – Outside the airport, where cars drop off passengers.
   
3. Legroom – Space for your legs on a plane.
   
4. Terminal – Airport building for flight operations.
   
5. Carry-on – A small bag you take onto the plane.
   
6. Check-in – The process of confirming your flight and handing off bags.
   
7. Delay – A flight that will depart later than expected.
   
8. Boarding – Getting on the airplane.
   
9. Aisle – The walkway between seats.
   
10. Security – Area for screening bags and people before flights.