My Trip to the Land Down Under (blog entries)

Master travel English! Learn vocabulary, practice airport steps & read about Australia.

1. Put the stages of travelling by plane in the correct order. 1 Arrive at the airport. 2 Go to the checking-in desk. 3 Go through security. 4 Wait at the boarding gate. 5 Board the plane. 6 The plane takes off. 2. Match the words with their definitions. There is one extra word. 1 from other countries - overseas2 easily and without difficulty - smoothly3 two people who are married or in a romantic relationship - couple4 an insect, animal, or plant that is harmful or causes problems - pest5 to happen - occur6 a doctor who is specially trained to perform medical operations - surgeon7 the place at a port, airport, or border where travellers' bags are examined - customs8 to move into a new home and start to feel comfortable there - settle into9 extremely tired - exhausted10 an amount of money that has to be paid as a punishment - fineextra - strict 3. Finish the sentences. 1 Robert's first blog entry was written when he was waiting for the flight to Sydney.2 He wanted to keep his family and friends up to date with his adventures in Australia.3 On the flight from London to Singapore, Robert chatted with a couple from Germany.4 The apprentice mechanic worked for Mercedes-Benz.5 The medical student was studying to become a surgeon.6 When Robert arrived at Sydney Airport, he had travelled for 23 hours straight.7 Australian customs officers are strict.8 Tourists are not allowed to bring fruit from overseas into Australia.9 Robert caught a double-decker train into the city centre.10 His hostel staff were really helpful and friendly.11 He wasn't glad though, when he discovered that his ex-girlfriend was staying in the same hostel. 4. Answer the questions. 1 Which places did Robert explore first of all in Sydney?First of all, he explored the city centre and the harbour.2 What is Robert planning to do on 15 July?He's planning to do a full tour of the Sydney Opera House.3 Who is Angela and and what is she doing in Sydney?Angela is Robert's cousin. She is studying history and journalism in Sydney.4 What kind of musical instrument does Robert play?He plays the cello. 5. Search the Internet for some more information on Australia. Answer the questions. 1 What's the capital city of Australia?Canberra.2 What are the other big cities?Sydney is the largest city. Other major cities are Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide.3 Between which oceans does Australia lie?Between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.4 Why is Australia called the Land Down Under?Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, "below" many other countries.5 What season is it in Australia now?Autumn. 6. Complete the sentences. 1 They were about to head out of the room when she called them back.2 People who brought food that was not allowed into the country had to pay a heavy fine.3 Peter, are you going to ask Emma out on a date?4 It took us a couple of minutes to figure out where he was hiding.5 You'll need a fair bit of money to enjoy life in New York City.6 I showed my boarding pass and entered the aircraft.7 Passengers are required to remove metal accessories when going through airport security.8 On my first flight, Dad had an aisle seat while I preffered to sit by the window.9 You can't go down this road - there's a "No entry" sign.10 This dictionary has more than 100,000 entries.11 Edinburgh is a popular tourist destination. 7. Read the dialogues SB p 124-125 ex 2 and put them in the correct order. 1 C 2 E 3 A 4 B 5 D