For more information turn to Grammar reference section.

UNIT 2.2 Modern Airport

Starting Up

Vocabulary – Airport

Exercise 1.Study the useful vocabulary to use in an airport.

AIRPORT

This is place you go to catch your plane. These days, airports are like little cities with thousands of people running around pretending to do things.

TERMINAL

Some airports are so big that they have different sections, otherwise known as terminal. This adds stress to your journey as you have to make sure you arrive at the correct terminal. And if you go to an airport like Heathrow, you really are in trouble if you go to the wrong one: it can take an hour to go from one terminal to another.

BAGGAGE (luggage)

This is a general word to refer to all the bags that you take with you. Sophisticated travellers use expensive and strong Louis Vuitton bags; and cheaper more economical travellers prefer the rucksack. However, in the end it doesn’t matter what you use: all baggage is taken to Brussels ... and left there.

HAND LUGGAGE (a carry-on bag)

This is a general word that refers to the little bag that you take with you on the plane. It is not supposed to exceed a certain size or weight. Carry-on bags are often full of useful travelling accessories such as ear plugs, Disc men, i-pods, DVD players, duty-free bags and all the newspapers and magazines you’ve brought along with you.

TROLLEY

This is the little “vehicle” with wheels that you use to carry your bag. All trolleys are pre-programmed to go in the opposite direction to the one in which you want to go.

PLANE CHECK

This is the piece of paper that gives you permission to fly on the plane. In the good old days, people got their tickets from travel agent’s; but these days, many people get their ticket on the internet. These are known as e-tickets, and basically consist of a printed page with a few numbers on them. How boring!

The check-in desk

This is the long table where you go to show the airline your ticket and to check in your bags. If you are ever lost, just look for the check-in desk with the longest queue – it’s got to be yours! All the others will be free.

SEAT

At the check-in desk they ask you what kind of seat you want: a window one, or an aisle one. The window one gives you a better view, but you are trapped; on the other hand, the aisle seat gives you the freedom to get up when you want, but you’ve got nothing to look at, apart from the person next to you. If you are flying into London Heathrow, ask for a right-hand side window and enjoy one of the best views money can buy (unless it’s cloudy).

A BOARDING CARD

This is special card that they give you that permits you to board the plane, and also buy cheap alcohol and cigarettes in Duty Free.

PASSPORT CONTROL

This is the area where you show your passport and try to prove that you are who you say you are…which is something that philosophers have been trying to answer for centuries.

SECURITY CONTROL

This is the area you pass through where they check you have no dangerous WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) on you. In the past, this consisted of passing through a metal detector, and letting your bag go through an X-ray machine. These days it’s much more complicated and involves biometric tests, dogs, etc.

DEPARTURE LOUNGE

This is the large area where you wait for your plane. It’s full of shops, restaurants and bored-looking passengers.

DUTY-FREE SHOP

This is the shop where you can buy presents for your friends and family at supposedly duty-free prices. However, many of these prices are still higher than the prices you pay in an ordinary shop outside the airport.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE

This is the type of bank where you can change your money into another currency. In the past, you were charged enormous amounts of commission to do this, but the introduction of the common currency has changed all that. Halleluiah!

THE FLIGHT GATE

This is the area where you wait immediately before boarding your plane. It’s the final part of your journey in the airport. Now, it’s time for you to get on that plane and fly away. Have a good flight!

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions:

1. When was the last time you went on a plane?

2. Did you have a good flight?

3. What signs at the airport do you remember?

4. What are the main premises at the airport?

5. What do passengers usually do at the Customs?

Exercise 3. Arrange the following in pairs of synonyms.

huge           safety

successful      method

control            scrupulous

security           airplane

techniques      check

careful             mechanism

protect            competent

device             massive

aircraft            confidence

efficient           wealthy

trust           defend

Word Study

Exercise 4.Give the Russian equivalents for:

dramatically, to occur, to reunite, to tighten, concourse, sterile, to discharge, to disembark, ramp, to restrict, to require, to engage, solely, proponent, threat, to verify, prone to.

Use the dictionary if necessary.

Exercise 5.Find in the text words for the definitions:

1. It’s a noun. It’s asset of buildings for the use of passengers joining or leaving a bus, ship, etc. at the beginning or end of the journey.

2. It’s an adjective. It means various, unlike.

3. It’s a verb. It means to show your tickets, and to give the airline your bags so they can put them on the plane.

4. It’s an adjective. It means something that’s not of regular or ordinary kind.

5. It’s a verb. It means to get pleasure from things and experiences.

6. It’s a noun. It means a bag you carry on your back.

7. It’s an adjective. It means being tired and uninterested.

8. It’s a verb. It means to choose one thing or action rather than another.  

9. It’s a noun. It means a person on a journey.

(Answers: 1 – terminal; 2 – different; 3 – to check-in; 4 – special; 5 – to enjoy; 6 – rucksack; 7 – bored-looking; 8 – to prefer; 9 – traveller).

Reading and Speaking

Exercise 6.Read Text 1 and answer the questions in pairs.

1. Why do you think modern airports are called “cathedrals” of our age?

2. Is passengers’ journey always safe and relaxing?

3. What does airport security system include?

4. Why has the security controls tightened?

5. What are the methods of detecting smugglers?

6. Why perimeter defences are effective?

7. How are passengers screened?

Text 1

Modern Airport

    Business travel by air is increasing, and air commuting for work has dramatically increased. “Airport terminals are the cathedrals of our age – a huge public space where people gather, wait, eat, sometimes sleep, and usually shop”.

    These are economically successful places where the main exchange of people occurs, where Customs and control barriers exist, and where passengers and baggage are separated and reunited (Brian Edwards, The Modern Terminal: New Approaches to Airport Architecture, Spon Press, 2005).

    As the airports are major gateways to continents and to countries their border and security controls has tightened especially since the tragic events of 11^th September, 2001: the Customs, passport, health and security checks have become more careful. Airport security refers to the techniques and methods used in protecting airports and aircraft from crime.

    Travellers are usually quickly screened by a metal detector. More advanced explosive detection machines are being used in screening such as X-ray machines. Explosive detection machines can also be used for both carry-on and checked baggage.

    Alternately, the passengers step fully shoed onto a device which scans in under 1.2 seconds for objects as small as a razor blade.

    Generally people are screened through airport security into the concourses. Sensitive areas in airports, including airport ramps and operational spaces, are restricted from the general public. These spaces require special qualifications to enter. This area is often called a secure or sterile area.             

    In some countries, specially trained officers may ask passengers questions to detect threats. Some tests are done by undercover agents.

    New to airport security systems are perimeter defences. These systems are designed to minimize unauthorized intrusions from personnel or vehicles originating from outside airport.

    Typical anti-personnel perimeter security systems include security fences and security camera systems.

    As a whole an airport is a multi-tasking multi-organization location, prone to frequent technological changes, and where all agencies have to perfectly be in-tandem with excellent communication among them.

Exercise 7.Read Text 1 again to find the English equivalents for: 

турникеты; воссоединяться; полагаться на; секретный агент (сотрудник в штатском); пункты досмотра пассажиров/пункты пропуска; современная система обнаружения следов взрывчатых веществ; преступление; пассажиры, представляющие потенциальную угрозу; периметр контролируемой зоны аэропорта; сканировать; ужесточать меры безопасности в аэропорту; ‘зона стерильности’; работать в тандеме; несанкционированное движение (вторжение); таможенный досмотр; транспортное средство; зал (накопитель) для пассажиров, прошедших таможенный контроль; средства защиты.

Exercise 8.Rewrite the sentences below translating the Russian parts into English:

1. As the airports are главные воздушные ворота to continents and to countries their border and контроль безопасности has tightened especially since the трагические события of 11^th September, 2001.

2. Travellers are usually quickly screened by a металлоискатель (металлодетектор).

3. The пассажиры step fully shoed onto a устройство which scans in under 1.2 seconds for предметы as small as a лезвие бритвы.

4. Зоны особого внимания in airports, including airport бетонированные площадки перед терминалом and operational spaces, are restricted from the обычная публика.

5. New to airport security systems are средства защиты по периметру контролируемой зоны аэропорта.

Exercise 9. Complete the sentences using the text above.

1. At the airport terminals people gather __________.

2. Airport security means __________.

3. Explosive detection machines (scanners) are used for __________.

4. Sensitive areas at the airport require ____________.

5. Specially trained officers may ask ____________.

Exercise 10. Agree or disagree with the following:

1. An airport as a multi-tasking organization isn’t prone to frequent technological changes.

2. Specially trained officers are more effective in detecting threats than sophisticated equipment.

3. The concourses are often called a secure or sterile area.

4. The perimeter systems are designed to minimize unauthorized intrusions to the airport.

5. Sensitive areas in airports are not restricted from the general public.

Exercise 11.Comment onthe following statements; give your own arguments:

1. Air travel is not only popular but part of the mass culture of our society.

2. There are significant changes as far as airport security systems are concerned.

3. Airport terminal buildings themselves have become targets for terrorist attack.

4. Passengers need a clear sense of direction at the airport, a path through chaos and complexity.

5. Airports become a collection of runways, terminals, hangars, control towers, and hotels – they are really new towns.

Exercise 12. In small groups, read the following texts (A – F) and complete the table.

Text A