Breaking News English

Airports ban liquids on planes

New emergency measures have been incorporated into security checks at airports worldwide. Five years after the 911 terrorist attacks, would-be mass murderers are still coming up with ways to breach the tightest of safety checks, as witnessed by the foiled bombings planned on transatlantic planes last week. The perpetrators intended to use liquids to make bombs on board airliners. Authorities have banned all liquids from carry-on luggage. Depending on the destination, all non-essential items must be checked in and stored in the airline’s hold. This includes laptop computers and other electrical items, car keys with a remote control fob and liquid medication that is not on airports’ lists of acceptable substances. In some cases, mothers have to drink the baby milk they carry to satisfy check-in staff of its authenticity.

The stringent new actions are creating havoc at major airports. London’s Heathrow is canceling one third of its daily flights to ensure the safety of passengers. Airlines are up in arms at the cancellations, which they deem as a short-term fix and unsustainable for the longer term. Passengers too are facing greater inconveniences and anxiety. Business travelers may switch to private charter jets to avoid having to stow away their computers and peripherals out of reach. Many executives may view the small additional cost they would incur would outweigh the hassles of having no hand baggage. Economy class passengers will inevitably worry about whether their valuables will be lost, pilfered or broken after check-in. Many fear baggage handlers might rifle through suitcases, which may have to be checked-in unlocked. Most airlines do not recompense for damage to or loss of fragile items.

WARM-UPS

1. FOILED BOMBINGS: Walk around the class and find out as much information you can about the foiled bombings of the transatlantic airplanes. When you have finished, find a new partner and share what you found out.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

Emergencies / security/ airports / 911 terrorist attacks / liquids / luggage / laptops / havoc / passengers / inconvenience / anxiety / private jets / hassles / valuables

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

3. TRAVEL HABITS: With your partner(s), talk about how your life would change if using the following modes of transport became too dangerous. Change partner(s) and share what you talked about.

Airplanes Trains Subways Buses

Boats Bicycles Taxis Other ______________

4. QUICK DEBATE: Students A believe airline passengers should not be allowed to have any hand luggage at all. Students B believe hand luggage is OK provided check-in inspections are improved. Debate this with your partners. Change partners often.

5. SENTENCE STARTERS: With your partner(s), finish these sentence starters. Change partner(s) and talk about the sentences you made.

1. Flying should ____________________________________________________
2. Terrorism can ___________________________________________________
3. Airline safety is not _______________________________________________
4. Liquids are ______________________________________________________
5. The safest way to travel is __________________________________________
6. The war on terror _________________________________________________
7. Terrorists should __________________________________________________
8. Airline passengers need _____________________________________________

6. TERRORISM: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with terrorism. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Emergencies are being measured at airports worldwide.	T / F
b.	Bombings of transatlantic flights were foiled.	T / F
c.	Authorities have banned liquids from cabin and hold luggage.	T / F
d.	Mothers are being asked to drink baby milk to prove it is safe.	T / F
e.	The measures have caused very little disruption at Heathrow Airport.	T / F
f.	Airlines say the measures cannot be sustained for a long time.	T / F
g.	Many business travelers may switch to private charter jets.	T / F
h.	Baggage handlers are worried about rifles in unlocked suitcases.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	incorporated	stolen
b.	would-be	evil doers
c.	breach	genuineness
d.	perpetrators	furious
e.	authenticity	potential
f.	stringent	deposit
g.	up in arms	plunder
h.	stow	built in
i.	pilfered	rigorous
j.	rifle	break through

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	would-be	bombings
b.	ways to breach	for damage to or loss of fragile items
c.	the foiled	actions
d.	stored in the airline’s	the tightest of safety checks
e.	car keys with a remote control	computers and peripherals out of reach
f.	stringent new	having no hand baggage
g.	unsustainable	mass murderers
h.	avoid having to stow away their	fob
i.	outweigh the hassles of	hold
j.	airlines do not recompense	for the longer term

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text.

Airports ban liquids on planes

New emergency measures have been ________ into security checks at airports worldwide. Five years after the 911 terrorist attacks, ________ mass murderers are still coming up with ways to breach the tightest of safety checks, as ________ by the foiled bombings planned on transatlantic planes last week. The ________ intended to use liquids to make bombs on board airliners. Authorities have banned all liquids from carry-on luggage. Depending on the destination, all non-________ items must be checked in and stored in the airline’s ________. This includes laptop computers and other electrical items, car keys with a remote control fob and liquid medication that is not on airports’ lists of acceptable substances. In some ________, mothers have to drink the baby milk they carry to satisfy check-in staff of its ________.		essential authenticity witnessed hold incorporated cases perpetrators would-be
The ________ new actions are creating havoc at major airports. London’s Heathrow is canceling one third of its daily flights to ensure the safety of passengers. Airlines are up in ________ at the cancellations, which they ________ as a short-term fix and unsustainable for the longer term. Passengers too are facing greater inconveniences and anxiety. Business travelers may ________ to private charter jets to avoid having to stow away their computers and ________ out of reach. Many executives may view the small additional cost they would incur would outweigh the ________ of having no hand baggage. Economy class passengers will inevitably worry about whether their valuables will be lost, ________ or broken after check-in. Many fear baggage handlers might rifle through suitcases, which may have to be checked-in unlocked. Most airlines do not ________ for damage to or loss of fragile items.		pilfered peripherals arms recompense stringent switch hassles deem

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Airports ban liquids on planes

New emergency measures have been ________________ security checks at airports worldwide. Five years after the 911 terrorist attacks, ________________ murderers are still coming up with ways to breach the tightest of safety checks, as witnessed by the foiled bombings planned on transatlantic planes last week. The ________________ to use liquids to make bombs on board airliners. Authorities have banned all liquids from carry-on luggage. Depending on the destination, all non-essential items must be checked in and stored in ________________. This includes laptop computers and other electrical items, car keys with a remote control fob and liquid medication that is not on airports’ lists of acceptable substances. In some cases, mothers have to drink the baby milk they carry to satisfy check-in staff ________________.

The stringent new actions are ________________ major airports. London’s Heathrow is canceling one third of its daily flights to ensure the safety of passengers. Airlines are ________________ the cancellations, which they deem as a short-term fix and unsustainable for the longer term. Passengers too are facing greater inconveniences and anxiety. Business travelers may switch to private charter jets to avoid ________________ away their computers and peripherals out of reach. Many executives may view the small additional cost they would incur would ________________ of having no hand baggage. Economy class passengers will inevitably worry about whether their valuables will be lost, pilfered or broken after check-in. Many fear baggage handlers might ________________ suitcases, which may have to be checked-in unlocked. Most airlines do not ________________ damage to or loss of fragile items.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘emergency’ and ‘measure’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT “FLIGHT SAFETY” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about flight safety and how to prevent terrorists from bombing airplanes.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

measures foiled perpetrators hold fob satisfy

havoc arms switch outweigh rifle fragile

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2. Do you like flying?
3. Has this news made you more worried about flying?
4. Do you think airline authorities can ever guarantee the safety of flights?
5. What sentence should the perpetrators in this news receive?
6. Would the new carry-on luggage rules cause you hassles in any way?
7. What do you think are the best ways to ensure the safety of airplanes?
8. Have you ever experienced major havoc while traveling?
9. How would you feel about your flight suddenly being canceled?
10. When was the last time you were up in arms about something?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. Do you think carry-on luggage will become a thing of the past?
4. What are the greatest inconveniences about traveling for you – especially by air?
5. When do you think terrorists will stop trying to blow up airplanes?
6. Should people be allowed to carry laptop computers onto airplanes?
7. Do you think airlines should be responsible and pay compensation for anything that is lost, stolen or broken in suitcases?
8. Do you think first class travelers should have to stick to the same rules as economy class travelers?
9. Would you be willing to pay a lot more money for an air ticket to cover extra security at airports?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about the latest news on the attempted airplane bombings. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. SECURITY MEASURES: Make an outline of how you would guarantee the safety of passengers on board airplanes. What security measures would you incorporate at airports and on airplanes? Show your outline to your classmates in the next lesson. Talk about which ones you liked best and why.

4. DIARY: You are at the airport. Your flight home has been canceled. You have been told you can get on a flight three days from now. Write your diary/journal entry for your first day at the airport. Read your entry to your classmates in the next lesson. Which entry did you like best and why?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. T

c. F

d. T

e. F

f. T

g. T

h. F

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	incorporated	built in
b.	would-be	potential
c.	breach	break through
d.	perpetrators	evil doers
e.	authenticity	genuineness
f.	stringent	rigorous
g.	up in arms	furious
h.	stow	deposit
i.	pilfered	stolen
j.	rifle	plunder

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	would-be	mass murderers
b.	ways to breach	the tightest of safety checks
c.	the foiled	bombings
d.	stored in the airline’s	hold
e.	car keys with a remote control	fob
f.	stringent new	actions
g.	unsustainable	for the longer term
h.	avoid having to stow away their	computers and peripherals out of reach
i.	outweigh the hassles of	having no hand baggage
j.	airlines do not recompense	for damage to or loss of fragile items

GAP FILL:

Airports ban liquids on planes

New emergency measures have been incorporated into security checks at airports worldwide. Five years after the 911 terrorist attacks, would-be mass murderers are still coming up with ways to breach the tightest of safety checks, as witnessed by the foiled bombings planned on transatlantic planes last week. The perpetrators intended to use liquids to make bombs on board airliners. Authorities have banned all liquids from carry-on luggage. Depending on the destination, all non-essential items must be checked in and stored in the airline’s hold. This includes laptop computers and other electrical items, car keys with a remote control fob and liquid medication that is not on airports’ lists of acceptable substances. In some cases, mothers have to drink the baby milk they carry to satisfy check-in staff of its authenticity.

The stringent new actions are creating havoc at major airports. London’s Heathrow is canceling one third of its daily flights to ensure the safety of passengers. Airlines are up in arms at the cancellations, which they deem as a short-term fix and unsustainable for the longer term. Passengers too are facing greater inconveniences and anxiety. Business travelers may switch to private charter jets to avoid having to stow away their computers and peripherals out of reach. Many executives may view the small additional cost they would incur would outweigh the hassles of having no hand baggage. Economy class passengers will inevitably worry about whether their valuables will be lost, pilfered or broken after check-in. Many fear baggage handlers might rifle through suitcases, which may have to be checked-in unlocked. Most airlines do not recompense for damage to or loss of fragile items.

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