14. Talking to a Seatmate

Exercise 1 Practice reading the following words and word combinations. Be sure in their pronunciation. Learn them by heart.

That rain is really coming down out there!	Этот дождь льет как из ведра!
I get kind of nervous	я немного нервничаю
for a while	некоторое время
to be scared of doing smth.	бояться делать что-то.
a flock of birds	стая птиц
beverage	напиток
enough altitude	достаточная высота
be headed for..	направляться к..
to take a nap	вздремнуть; подремать

Exercise 2 Learn the following dialogues

1

A: That rain is really coming down out there! B: Yes, it's kind of crazy weather outside. A: I get kind of nervous flying in this kind of weather. B: I don't think anyone feels all that comfortable flying in a storm. A: Do you think it will be this bad the whole trip? B: On the weather channel, this storm looked to be a big one. It will probably be with us for a while. A: I worry about too much ice on the wings. B: I have to believe that our pilot knows what he is doing and we'll be okay. A: When do you think the pilot will turn off the Fasten Your Seatbelt sign? B: He'll turn it off as soon as he knows that we are through the turbulence. A: Do you think that we are going to crash? B: Maybe. You just never know. 2

A: It sure is windy out there! B: It definitely is not the perfect day to fly, is it? A: I am scared of flying to begin with, but bad weather makes it a little worse. B: Anyone who actually enjoys flying in bad weather is out of their mind. A: Will the whole flight be this bad? B: I think that it will probably let up once we get out of here. Let's cross our fingers! A: What if we hit a flock of birds? B: Plane crashes are very rare. We'll be fine. A: Do you think that the pilot will ever turn off the Fasten Your Seatbelt sign? B: The pilot needs to make sure that there is no more turbulence before he lets us get up. A: Do you think that we are going to die? B: Can I buy you an alcoholic beverage? 3

A: I can't believe how bad the weather is today! B: Yes, according to the weather report, we will be flying through a pretty nasty storm. A: I don't really like flying in this kind of weather. B: It is normal to feel a little nervous about flying in bad weather. A: How long do you think this will last? B: Usually the pilot can get enough altitude to get above it. I hope that happens this time! A: What if one of the engines stops working? B: I trust that the airline wouldn't let us take off without feeling that all was okay. A: How much longer do you think that the pilot will leave the Fasten Your Seatbelt sign on? B: When we are past the turbulence, I am sure that the pilot will shut the light off. A: Do you think we are headed for an air disaster? B: Would you like a pillow and blanket so you can take a nap?

Exercise 3 Render the contents of the dialogue in indirect speech with the use of the highlighted words.

Exercise 4 Give all possible answers to the given phrases:

1) – It definitely is not the perfect day to fly, is it?

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2) – What if we hit a flock of birds?

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3) – How long do you think this will last?

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4) – Do you think that we are going to die?

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