2009年ESL之旅行交通购物 10 Storing Luggage on an Airplane（打印版）

2009年ESL之旅行交通购物 10 Storing Luggage on an Airplane（在线收听）

10 Storing Luggage on an Airplane

GLOSSARY

roller bag – a suitcase that is on wheels with a long handle, so that it can bepulled instead of carried

* This suitcase is too heavy to carry! It would be much easier to travel with aroller bag.

aisle – a long, narrow space for walking between two shelves, rows of seats, orother things

* The grocery store keeps rice and noodles in aisle seven.

overhead bin – the area inside an airplane, above the seats, where people canput their bags inside and then close the door to keep them there during the flight

* Each passenger is allowed to put one item in the overhead bins.

to store – to keep something in a safe place for a period of time so that it can beused later

* If you don’t have a garage, where are you going to store your bicycle?

carry-on – a small bag that can be brought onto a plane with a traveler, withoutneeding to be put in the storage area below the passenger area of the plane

* It’s always a good idea to have a carry-on bag with medicine, a toothbrush, andan extra set of clothing.

cramped – crowded; without enough room or space to feel comfortable or moveone’s body freely

* They work in a very small office that always feels cramped.

legroom – space in front of a seat where one can put one’s legs, especially on aplane or in a car

* Sports cars don’t have very much legroom for passengers in the backseat.

emergency exit row – one of the larger rows of seats on an airplane, withadditional space between it and the row of seats in front of it, next to a door thatcan be opened only if there is a major problem and people need to get off theairplane immediately without using the regular door

* People who sit in the emergency exit row must be able to help other people offof an airplane in an emergency.

to recline – to lean backwards, especially while sitting in a chair where the backof the seat can move backward toward the floor

* This couch would be much more comfortable if it could recline.

bulkhead – a type of wall that separates the different parts of a plane or ship

* He spent most of the flight watching a movie on the TV that was hanging on thebulkhead.

to grumble – to complain quietly; to say something negative in a quiet voice

* She grumbles whenever her boss gives her extra assignments, but she alwaysdoes the work.

to get moving – to hurry and start to do something right away, without any delayor without waiting for something else to happen first

* We have a lot of work to do today, so let’s get moving.

to snag – to grab or get something quickly, especially before another person cando it

* Who snagged all of the cookies I just made?

to check (one’s) bag – to give a suitcase to an airline employee so that it can beplaced in the bottom of the plane where one won’t have access to it until theplane lands.

* This bag is too big to bring onto the airplane. You will need to check your bag.

unwind – relax; stop feeling stressed or anxious

* At the end of a long week, they like to unwind by sitting in their backyard andwatching the animals.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Where would you have the most legroom?

a) In an overhead bin.

b) In an emergency exit row.

c) In a carry-on.

2. What does Tatiana mean when she tells Yoshi to “stop grumbling”?

a) She wants him to stop walking.

b) She wants him to stop dragging his bag.

c) She wants him to stop complaining.

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WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

to store

The verb “to store,” in this podcast, means to keep something in a safe place fora period of time so that it can be used later: “Each spring, they store their winterclothes in the garage so they can have more space in their closet for summerclothes.” The phrase “to store away” has the same meaning: “Let’s store awaythose toys until he’s a little bit older.” The verb “to store” can also mean to saveinformation: “He stores copies of his files on CD-ROMs.” The phrase “in store for(someone)” means that something unexpected will happen to another person:

“We have a big surprise in store for you!” The phrase “to set store by(something)” means to think that something is important: “Why do people setgreat store by having a large home?”

to get moving

In this podcast, the phrase “to get moving” means to hurry and start to dosomething right away, without any delay or without waiting for something else tohappen first: “If we want to reach the top of the mountain by noon, we need to getmoving.” The phrase “move it” has a similar meaning, and is used to tellsomeone to hurry or to move now: “We’re late! Move it!” The phrase “to move(something) to/from (a day or time)” means to reschedule something: “Can wemove our meeting to 3:00?” The phrase “to move from (something)” means tochange topic: “The conversation moved from movies to the economy.” Finally,the phrase “to move heaven and earth” means to try very hard to do something:

“They would move heaven and earth to find a way to cure their daughter’sillness.”

CULTURE NOTE

When Americans travel, they can choose many different types of “luggage”

(bags; suitcases). Roller bags are a popular choice, but you can see manydifferent types of bags in airports and at train stations.

A “duffel bag” is a long bag made of soft, strong “cloth” (fabric). It has a circularend and it might be closed with a long zipper or by tying a string. A duffel bagcan hold many things, but they are “disorganized” (not easy to find) becausethere are no special “compartments” (sections) or pockets.

A “tote bag” is a large bag that is used for carrying many things, especially bywomen. It usually has a long zipper on the top and “handles” (long pieces offabric or leather) that are put over one’s shoulder. A tote bag usually has manysmall pockets and is larger than a “purse” (a small bag that women carry with theitems they need during the day).

In general, men are more likely to use a “laptop computer bag” (a special bagthat protects a small computer placed inside) or a “briefcase” (a bag with hardsides that is used to carry important papers) than a tote bag.

A “garment bag” is a special bag that is used to carry dresses or suits so theydon’t get “wrinkled” (having many small lines and folds). The clothing is put on ahanger and then the garment bag is zipped around the clothes. The hanger“sticks out of” (extends through an opening in) the top of the garment bag and isused as a handle for carrying the bag.

Some people like to travel with “convertible bags,” which can be “converted”

(changed) from a suitcase into a backpack or “vice versa” (the other way around,from a backpack to a suitcase).

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Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b; 2 – c

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 502: StoringLuggage on an Airplane.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 502. I’m your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California. How are you today? Well, good. Thank youfor asking; I’m fine, too.

Our website is eslpod.com. Go there to download a Learning Guide for thisepisode that contains all of the vocabulary, definitions, sample sentences,additional definitions, comprehension questions, cultural notes, and a completetranscript of everything we say on this episode.

On this episode, we’re going to be talking about taking “luggage,” which are yourbags where you put your clothing and so forth, on an airplane. It will be adialogue between Yoshi and Tatiana using a lot of common vocabulary we use todescribe luggage for traveling. Let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Yoshi: Can you hold my jacket while I try to get my roller bag down the aisle?

Tatiana: All right, but I have to roll my own bag down the aisle, you know.

Yoshi: Fine, give it back to me. All of these overhead bins are full. Where arewe supposed to store them?

Tatiana: Look, there are two spaces in the back of the plane. You put our bigbags in those bins, and I’ll put our carry-ons under the seats in front of us.

Yoshi: Fine, but these seats are already cramped, and now, I’ll have no legroomfor the entire flight. Great! That’s what we get for not getting seats in theemergency exit row.

Tatiana: If we had seats in the emergency exit row, you’d be complaining aboutnot being able to recline in your seat right now. At least we don’t have bulkheadseats. Stop grumbling and get moving before somebody else snags thoseoverhead bins and we have to check those bags.

Yoshi: Whose idea was it to go on vacation?

Tatiana: It was mine. We both need some time to get away and unwind.

Yoshi: Yeah, right, I can’t remember the last time I felt this relaxed!

[end of dialogue]

Our dialogue begins with Yoshi saying to Tatiana, “Can you hold my jacket (mycoat) while I try to get my roller bag down the aisle?” A “roller (roller) bag” is asuitcase that is on wheels. It has, typically, a long “handle,” something that youcan pull it so you don’t have to carry it. It has wheels so you can just pull it alongthe ground – along the floor. That’s why it’s called a roller bag, because it rolls.

Something that “rolls” is something like a wheel that goes around and around.

Yoshi is on the airplane, and in the center of the airplane, on a small airplane,there are seats on both sides, typically three seats on each side, and in themiddle where you walk up and down the airplane is called the “aisle” (aisle).

Notice that Yoshi says that he wants to get his bag down the aisle. We use“down the…” when we are talking about walking, usually on a flat surface suchas on the street or on the floor. You can walk down the street, that means youare walking on the sidewalk next to the street – we hope. So, “down” is justindicating that you are walking on or along a certain place. “Down” and “up” aresometimes used for directions as well: you can walk down the stairs, meaningyou are going from a higher place to a lower place. Or you could walk up thestairs, meaning you were going from a lower place to a higher place. But here,“down the aisle” simply means along this particular path.

Tatiana says, “All right, but I have to roll my own bag down the aisle, you know.”

Yoshi says, “Fine, give it back to me,” meaning his jacket. Tatiana is complainingthat she doesn’t have an extra hand – an extra arm, because she has to roll herbag down the aisle. Yoshi says, “All of these overhead bins are full.” On anairplane, inside the airplane, above the seats there are spaces where you canput your luggage – your bags. And then, after you put your bags in you close thedoor. Those things are called “overhead bins” (bins). A “bin” is simply acontainer – a large container. “Overhead” refers to the fact that they are overyour head; you are sitting in the chair and they are above you. So, “overhead”

means above.

Yoshi complains that the overhead bins are full, there’s no more room. He asks,“Where are we supposed to store them (to store our luggage)?” “To store,” as averb, means to keep something in a safe place for a period of time, somethingthat you are planning on using later. So, I may have lots of extra books that don’t fit on my bookshelf; I put them in a box and I store them in my garage. I keepthem there until I’m ready to use them again.

Tatiana says, “Look, there are two spaces in the back of the plane. You put ourbig bags in those bins, and I’ll put our carry-ons under the seat in front of us.”

So, Tatiana is telling Yoshi to take the two large bags and put them in an openspace – an open bin in the back of the plane. She will then take their two smallerbags, what we call “carry-on bags,” because you can carry them onto the plane –you can bring them onto the plane. She’s going to store the carry-on bagsunderneath the seat in front of them, because there’s a space in the airplane infront of the seat that you are sitting in, typically, where you can put a small bag,or your shoes, or purse, or a young child who is not behaving, who is makingnoise. You can put all those in the space in front of you. I’m just kidding aboutthe child, of course!

Yoshi says, “Fine, but these seats are already cramped, and now, I have nolegroom for the entire flight.” This Yoshi does nothing but complain, I’m tellingyou! Yoshi says these seats are cramped. “To be cramped” means to becrowded; there’s not enough room. He says that he has no legroom for the flight.

“Legroom” is space in front of you where you can, especially if you have longlegs, extend your legs. But if you have something in the seat – below the seat infront of you, well then, you don’t have any room to put your legs there.

Yoshi says, “Great! That’s what we get for not getting seats in the emergencyexit row.” Each line of seats is called a “row,” typically there’ll be anywherebetween 25 and maybe 55 or more rows in an airplane – in a big airplane. The“emergency exit” is the place where if the plane has a problem, if the plane hasto land or the plane goes down before you get to the airport (something that Idon’t recommend!) then you may have to escape, you may have to get out of theairplane through the emergency exits. They aren’t the exits that you normallytake to get out of the airplane, but in an emergency, especially if it’s in middle ofthe plane, those are the ones that you would use. The emergency exit rows arealways a little bit “roomier,” that is, there’s more space between the row of seatsand the row of seats in front it, so there’s more room for your legs. That’s whymany people try to get the emergency exit row seats.

Tatiana says, “If we had seats in the emergency exit row, you’d be complainingabout not being able to recline in your seat right now.” In the emergency exitrow, especially if there are two exit rows, typically one or both the rows will haveseats than do not lean back. Normally in an airplane when you sit down, you canpress a small button and you can put your seat back farther – the top part of yourseat, so you can rest or sleep. But in the emergency exit row, sometimes you can’t do that because they want to have nothing in the way in case of anemergency so people can get out the emergency exits. “To recline” means to putthe seat back. We have a noun, a “recliner,” that’s a big chair, usually in yourliving room, that you can push the back all the way so it is almost flat. That’swhat you can do in an airplane, or most airplanes, you can recline your seat,using “recline” as a verb here meaning to lean backwards.

Tatiana then says, “At least we don’t have bulkhead seats.” A “bulkhead”

(bulkhead) is a word that describes a type of wall that separates different parts ofthe plane; it can also separate different parts of a ship. Usually, if you have aseat in front of the bulkhead – in front of some wall on the airplane, you can’t putanything in front of you because there is no seat directly in front of you. Thatwould be a problem for Tatiana and Yoshi, since they don’t have enough roomfor their bags in the overhead bins.

Tatiana then says to Yoshi, “Stop grumbling and get moving.” “To grumble”

(grumble) means to complain, to say something negative but not in a loud voice,in a quiet voice. You may say, “Oh, people with those kids, they keep yelling,and that cat keeps screaming, and…” That would be to grumble; you saysomething negative, you complain, but you don’t say it very loudly. Well, Yoshi isgrumbling, so Tatiana tells him to stop grumbling and “get moving,” meaning startto walk forward; hurry up and begin what you are supposed to do, which in thiscase is to move forward to their seats. “Move” has many different meanings inEnglish; take a look at our Learning Guide for a further definition of that and theword “store” that we used earlier in the episode.

Tatiana says that Yoshi has to get moving before somebody else snags thoseoverhead bins. “To snag” (snag) means to grab or get something quickly,especially before someone else gets them. So when you walk into a movietheater, you may want to snag the best seats as soon as you walk in; you’regoing to find the best seats so that no one else sits there before you. Tatianawants Yoshi to snag the overhead bins – to go and put their bags in the overheadbins, because if they don’t fit in the overhead bins then they have to, typically,check their bags. “To check your bag” means to give your suitcase – yourluggage to the airline employee and they put it underneath the plane. Thismeans that you have to wait when you get to wherever you’re going in order toget your bag back, so many people don’t like to check their bags. But now, withnew security regulations, many people, probably most people who are stayingovernight check their bags.

Yoshi says, “Whose idea was it to go on vacation?” Tatiana says, “It was mine.

We both needed some time to get away and unwind.” “To unwind” (unwind) means to relax, to stop being anxious, to stop feeling stressed. Of course, Yoshiis not unwinding; he says, “Yeah, right, I can’t remember the last time I felt thisrelaxed!” He’s making a joke. “I can’t remember the last time I felt this relaxed”

means this is a very rare thing for me to be so relaxed. Of course, he isn’trelaxed; he’s very stressed and complaining and grumbling all the time, eventhough he is on his vacation.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.