English Conversation about Airports and Airplanes with Quiz

Advance Listening Series 5 Lesson 10- Dialogue about Airports and Airplanes in English

In this lesson, you listen to an English conversation between two people’s conversation about airport and airplanes.

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English Listening Lesson Audio with Script

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Lesson Script

Hear why a man loves planes and airports.

Steph: You listed travel as one of your passions.

Tony: Yeah. But actually my passion is airport to airport, what happens between airports.

Steph: So you like the flying then, the journey?

Tony: Absolutely.

Steph: What about that do you like?

Tony: I love airplanes. Do I love airports? Not really. When I go to an airport I go to the window to look at the airplanes. Since the tender age of five I’ve always had this passion for airplanes, and my dream was to become an airline pilot.

Steph: Okay. Have you ever flown an airplane?

Tony: Have I ever flown in an airplane?

Steph: Not in an airplane. Have you ever flown an airplane?

Tony: I’ve never flown an airplane. I’ve been in the flight deck of a number of aircraft, but I’ve never flown one.

Steph: Okay. So walk us through a trip with Tony. What’s going through your mind along the journey from airport to airport?

Tony: Well, just like the other souls on board, I go on, I sit, I buckle my seatbelt. I obey the commands from the cabin crew. I hear the pilots talking over the Intercom. But I take it another step further. I actually listen to the details of what the pilots are saying. I’m thinking about what’s the weather going to be like, what’s the weather on the ground, what’s the surface winds on the runway? All these things that regular passengers don’t think about when they’re sitting in the seat and they’re just like.

Steph: Yeah. I certainly don’t think about that, no. I am probably just relaxing, and maybe once in a while looking out the window, if I’m privileged enough to get a window seat. And just seeing how pretty it is.

Tony: And if you’re looking out, and you say you have a seat just over the wing, you’re looking out and you’re like, oh, there’s the wing. It looks nice, long, okay.

Steph: I don’t even think that much at any rate.

Tony: Yeah. Yeah. But to me, I’m looking at the wing and I’m like, that’s the forward slats, those are the landing flaps, that’s the spoiler. Oh, look at the winglet at the end. Yeah.

Steph: Okay. No, I’m definitely not thinking that at all. So you actually don’t care about the cities that you’re traveling to, and seeing new places?

Tony: No, no, no. Don’t get me wrong. I actually do. I’ve had the fortune of visiting some really amazing places, like Glasgow, Scotland, which I do love. Meeting the people, meeting different people actually is something I look forward to. And the architecture and all the fun stuff, like art, artworks and crafts and all that stuff that when you travel you always try to secure before you return home. But yeah, I do, I do like the experiences outside of aviation when it comes to traveling. But for me, you may think it’s weird, but it’s still aviation for me. That’s the top. That’s definitely at the top of the list for me. When it comes to flight there are five critical phases. You have takeoff, climb out, cruise, descent and landing. Even at the end of a flight, coming to the end just before landing, the pilots are trying their best to keep the nose of the airplane training down the center line of the runway. After landing, when we’re deplaning, I would often stop at the flight deck door and I’ll be like, “What happened there just before touchdown?” And the pilots would laugh and be like, “Oh, just a little gust. Nothing really. But we’re on the ground, we’re safe.”

Steph: Oh my gosh. So basically you’re grading the pilot as you are taking a trip somewhere.

Tony: Weird. It’s so weird, right?

Steph: Absolutely. Absolutely weird.

Tony: That’s what aviation buffs do.

Steph: Crazy. Crazy.

English Listening Lesson Quizzes

Answer these questions about the conversation.

1) What does he like doing?

1. a) Flying in planes
2. b) Being in airports
3. c) Planning a vacation

2) What does he like to watch at airports?

1. a) Pilots
2. b) People
3. c) Airplanes

3) What did he start to like at the age of 5?

1. a) Planes
2. b) Airports
3. c) Traveling

4) Where has he been before?

1. a) 100 airports
2. b) In the air tower
3. c) In the flight deck

5) What does he do when the pilot speaks?

1. a) Say a prayer
2. b) Listen carefully
3. c) Read the pamphlet

6) Does the woman have similar or different views while flying?

1. a) Very similar
2. b) Very different
3. c) She has never flown.

7) What does he like to see out the window?

1. a) The sky
2. b) The wings
3. c) The ground

8) What place has he visited?

1. a) Spain
2. b) Sweden
3. c) Scotland

9) How many critical phases to a flight does he mention?

1. a) Two
2. b) Four
3. c) Five

10) Who does he like to talk with?

1. a) Pilots
2. b) Cabin crew
3. c) Passengers

Answers

• 1=a
• 2=c
• 3=a
• 4=c
• 5=b
• 6=b
• 7=b
• 8=c
• 9=c
• 10=a

English Grammar Tips

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English Listening Lesson Phrases

tender age

Since the tender age of five I’ve always had this passion for airplanes, and my dream was to become an airline pilot.

The phrase ‘tender age’ means a young age. Notice the following:

1. I learned to ride a horse at the tender age of six.
2. At the tender age of four, the boy had won five awards.

walk us through

So walk us through a trip with Tony.

The phrase ‘walk us through’ means to explain. Notice the following:

1. He had to walk me through the process.
2. The instructor will walk us through the safety guidelines.

going through your mind

What’s going through your mind along the journey from airport to airport?

The phrase ‘going through your mind’ is used to describe what someone is thinking. Notice the following:

1. What was going through your mind when you saw that alligator?
2. I can’t understand what was going through your mind.

at any rate

I don’t even think that much at any rate.

The phrase ‘at any rate’ means anyway or nevertheless. Notice the following:

1. At any rate, the boy was finally safe.
2. I’m not planning to visit that park again, at any rate.

top of the list

That’s definitely at the top of the list for me.

The phrase ‘top of the list’ means a high priority. Notice the following:

1. The girl was top of the list for the promotion.
2. Vacuuming the house was top of my list on Tuesday!

Quizzes for Lesson Phrases

• tender age
• walk
• at any rate
• going through
• top of my list

1. Visiting Oman is at the……….  for vacation .
2. I started working at the……….  of ten.
3. He has a lot……..  his mind.
4. But,……..  there is nothing we can do.
5. Can you………  us through what happened?

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