9 Let’s hit the

UNIT

road

• To talk about different

OBJECTIVES

travel experiences
A | Expand your horizons
• To thank and
apologise politely B | Off the beaten track

THAT’S ENGLISH!
B2
UNIT
9 Let’s hit the road

OBJECTIVES
• To talk about different travel experiences
• To thank and apologise politely

A Expand your horizons

BEFORE YOU WATCH 4 Answer the questions.

1 Write the type of transport you associate with 1 Why do they decide to take an alternative
each group of words. route?
2 What objections does Karen raise about the
1 buffet car, rails, locomotive new route?
2 departure lounge, take off, wing 3 How does Danny claim he helped Karen and
3 petrol station, seat belt, hand brake Anthony when they were changing the tyre?
4 ferry, seasickness, port 4 What makes Antony decide to give up and go
5 helmet, pedal, handlebar home?
5 How do they get home in the end?
WHILE YOU WATCH 5 Match the expressions (1-5) to their meaning
2 Answer the questions. (a-e).
1 miss out a hit someone with a car
2 set off b begin a journey
3 hit the road c return in the same direction
4 turn back d lose an opportunity
5 run over e start a trip

1 How does Anthony convince his housemates
to come with him?
2 Why does Anthony have to change his route?
AFTER YOU WATCH
3 Decide if the statements are true (✔) or false (✗).
Correct the false ones.
1 Anthony is rehearsing for a job interview.
2 Anthony invites Danny so that he can help him
to improve his presentation skills.
3 Danny is excited by the idea of luxury travel.
4 The expenses only cover the room.
5 There isn’t enough room in the boot for
Danny’s golf clubs.
6 Complete the sentences with the correct form
of the words given in activity 5.
Ada: Come everybody it’s time to go! Let’s 1... .
Mike: Wait a minute. I’m finishing my tea.
Ada: Well, drink it quickly, then. We were
supposed to 2... almost half an hour ago.
Liz: Hurry up Mike, if we arrive late, we’ll 3...
on the welcome glass of champagne and
that would be terrible!
Ada: The car’s over there, so be careful when
you cross the road. I don’t want anyone
to get 4... . Make sure you’ve got all your
luggage. We’re not 5... for anything once
we’re on the motorway.
NOW YOU!
7 Describe a disastrous journey you experienced.
My last trip from … was … . We’d decided to
come back by … , but …

92 THAT’S ENGLISH!
 STREET INTERVIEWS
8 The speakers below were asked the following question: Do you think travel broadens the
mind? Why or why not?
1 Predict two ways in which travel broadens the mind that the speakers will mention.
2 Watch the video and check your predictions.

Kristen Cheryl Robert Dena Nicole Chelsi Brandy Thierno

9 Choose the correct answer.

1 Kristen thinks that living in the USA is like living in a cocoon / cave so when people from the
States travel they are like a butterfly / bird expanding its wings.
2 Cheryl and Robert see travel as a chance to forget about / solve their problems and leave the
world aside / behind.
3 Cheryl and Thierno both say that travel helps people to expand their horizons / worlds.
4 Nicole thinks that travel helps people to see / understand themselves better.
5 For Brandy and Chelsi, the important thing about travel is the opportunity it gives them to
experience different cultures / people.

10 Complete the sentences with one word in each gap.

Dena: Travel opens your mind to 1… and 2… .

Nicole: Travel helps you get a 3… … of what’s going on.
Chelsi: Travel broadens the mind, because you get to see 4… of your normal 5… .
Thierno: I love travelling. I'm a 6… -trotter.

ACTIVATE YOUR ENGLISH! 12 Complete the sentences with a travel verb from
the box in the correct tense and form.
11 Do the sentences (a-b) have the same (S) or
different (D) meaning? board block fasten leave take off widen

1 a Travel broadens your horizons.
b Travel helps you expand your outlook.
2 a My parents have always travelled a lot,
but since their retirement they’ve become
armchair travellers.
b My parents have always been great
travellers; they’re retired now, but they’re
still globe-trotting as much as ever.
3 a We’re going to hit the road early tomorrow
morning.
b We’re setting off first thing tomorrow morning.
4 a Travel helps you to find out about what’s
going on in the world.
b Through travelling people can discover new
things about themselves.
5 a There are big traffic jams so they might be late.
b We expect them to be delayed due to long
tailbacks on the motorway.
1 It’s the driver’s responsibility to make sure all
the passengers … their seat belts.
2 The plane … over two hours late.
3 I enjoy … my horizons, so I travel as much as I can.
4 Don’t forget your suitcase. We travel to … our
problems behind, not our luggage!
5 Bridget is in the departure lounge about to …
her plane.
6 There’s a danger that all this snow may … the
road through the mountains.
NOW YOU!
13 Do you think travel broadens the mind? Why or
why not?
I think travel … because it takes … normal,
everyday environment and gives you new
experiences …

THAT’S ENGLISH! 93
Let’s hit the road
READING
1a Look at the holiday destinations. Which would
you like to visit? Why? Which would you never
visit? Why not?
1 3
2 4
1b Answer the questions.
1 Some people say that travel broadens the
mind. What do they mean? Do you agree?
2 What is your preferred means of transport
when travelling? Why?
2a Read the first paragraph of a text about a flight
attendant. Where do you think it’s from?
1 a biography
2 an article in a tabloid newspaper or gossip
magazine
3 a website with information about careers in
the airline industry
2b Now read the whole text. Are the statements
true (✔) or false (✗)? Correct the false ones.
1 Cabin crew need to be strong and fit.
2 Flying is good for your health.
3 Morley often flies to the other side of the
world.
4 Flight attendants don’t have much responsibility
after a plane has made an emergency landing.
5 Morley is less interested in people than he used
to be.
6 He has been attacked by passengers.
7 People quite often get angry when Morley asks
them to turn off their phones.
94
Blue skies
in Bangkok
‘People don’t realise that being a flight attendant
is a very physical job. You work long hours, you’re
on your feet all day and the food and beverage
trolleys you have to push around often weigh up
to 100 kilos. You work in a small crowded space
dealing with hot liquids, screaming babies, angry
passengers and, on top of all this, you are often
exhausted from jet lag. Flying is hard on the
human body and flight attendants can develop
health problems owing to the changes in air
pressure, the different time zones and a poor diet
of processed food from the on-board catering.
I’m lucky because I only work on long-haul
flights: I’m based in London and fly mostly to
South-East Asia. One of the best perks of the
job is the free flights, which I regularly take
advantage of: I try to get away for a short break
somewhere beautiful as often as I can.
Safety comes first in the airline industry, and there
are strict rules about the amount of rest long-haul
cabin crew must have between flights on account
of the essential role we play in passenger
safety. For example, if the plane had to make an
emergency landing, we would be responsible for
evacuating the 500 or more passengers from the
huge A380 aircraft and keeping them calm. So
it’s very important we rest properly, which is why
we always stop over for at least 48 hours and
when we arrive at our destination, we are always
picked up by an airline vehicle and safely dropped
off at the hotel. My airline always puts cabin crew
and pilots up in the same hotel for stopovers and
I think this helps to build a team spirit.
3a Complete the sentences with the appropriate
word(s) in bold from the text.
1 Your … is the place you are going.
2 Aircraft can experience … when flying through
bad weather.
3 … are long-distance flights.
4 Flight attendants serve passengers from … .
5 … are stops during a journey, particularly
when flying.
THAT’S ENGLISH!

Morley Schofield has worked as a flight attendant
for a prestigious British airline for almost 20 years
I love my job because I like working with people
– I find them endlessly interesting – but my worst
experiences have all been due to passengers
behaving badly. Because I’m a man and quite
big, my colleagues always call me when there
are problems. I was once bitten by a passenger
who got hysterical when the aircraft was going
through turbulence, and I was even punched in
the face by the mother of a Hollywood celebrity!
Only last week, we had an incident just as a flight
was to take off from Sydney airport. A passenger
opened the emergency doors because she
wanted some fresh air! Some passengers
routinely overreact when you ask them to turn
off their electronic devices during take-off and
landing, and you’d be surprised how many still
believe we won’t notice if they smoke in the toilets!
But even now, I still get excited as I walk across
the runway to board the plane. It’s cloudy and
it’s raining but I know there are going to be blue
skies in Bangkok later on. I think I’ve got the best
job in the world.’ TRACK 84
6 The … is the place where planes take off and
land.
7 … is the feeling of tiredness people experience
after flying through different time zones.
8 … an aircraft is when you make all the
passengers get off, for example, in an
emergency.
9 Airlines offer an … service, which provides
food and drink for passengers.
THAT’S ENGLISH!
UNIT 9
3b Complete the email with the correct form of the
words from activity 3a.
Hi Liz,
We had a bit of a difficult journey back from
Australia but we got here in the end! Our
flight out of Worramaloo was delayed due
to kangaroos on the 1… and so we missed
our 2… to London. The airline put us on
another international flight, 3... Paris! Then
we flew into an electric storm and there was
bad 4… and a flight attendant was injured
by a 5… . We had to make an emergency
landing in Malaysia and the plane was 6… .
After a 7… of about eight hours, we flew
back to Sydney, but this time we got put
in business class with fantastic 8… ! I have
terrible 9… after our three-day journey, but
I’m happy to be home.
Vanesa xx
3c Listen to Vanesa talking to Liz about her flight
back from Australia and check your answers.
85
4a Complete the sentences with the correct form
of the highlighted phrasal verbs from the text.
1 Can you … me … from the train station at
9:00 p.m. please?
2 Around 20 aircrafts … or land at the airport
every hour.
3 The flight will … in Singapore on its way to
Japan.
4 My dad’s going to … me … at your house
before he goes to work.
5 I’m so stressed; I really need to … somewhere
nice and relaxing.
6 Six of my son’s friends are coming for the
weekend; I don’t know if we’ve got enough
space to … them all … !
4b Answer the questions.
1 How often do you try to get away for a short
break? Where do you go?
I try to get away at least once a month …
2 Do you prefer to be picked up and/or dropped
off when going on holiday? Or would you
rather do it alone? Why?
3 Do you enjoy putting people up in your home
or would you rather they went to a hotel? Why?
95
Let’s hit the road
LANGUAGE STUDY
1a Read the paragraph and match the words in
bold (1-5) to the definitions (a-e).
My friend Paul works for an oil company and
has to 1travel a lot. The company sends him on
lots of 2trips to exotic places. He spends hours
on planes and trains – on long 3journeys he
always takes audio books. He says that 4travel
isn’t a problem for him as long as he has a
good book! But he sometimes has to make
long 5voyages by sea to visit oil rigs, which he
hates because he gets seasick!
a … is a verb to talk about going from one place
to another.
b … (uncountable) is a general term used to
describe going from one place to another.
c … is a noun which refers to the distance
travelled and in one direction only.
d … is a noun which refers to travel by sea or in
space.
e … is a noun which refers to travel for a short
duration, normally with a precise objective,
e.g. for business. It includes the notion of
there and back.
1b Choose the correct option.
1 The journey / trip by car from Madrid to
Barcelona takes about five hours.
2 We went on a great camping trip / journey in
the mountains last week.
3 I hate long journeys / travel by car – they make
me feel sick!
4 Travel / Trips in this part of Africa can be
challenging due to the poor roads.
5 The first or maiden voyage / trip of the ocean
liner The Titanic ended in disaster.
6 She invited me to come on a trip / journey to
Thailand next year.
96
2a Listen to Indian travel agent Lakshmi Patel
talking to a European tourist about rail travel
86 across India.
1 What three reasons does Lakshmi give for
choosing to travel by train in India?
2 How many types of ticket are there?
3 What type of ticket does she recommend?
2b Listen again and complete the fact sheet with
the words from the box.
86
carriage compartment peak times
platform seats berths fare bunk
Rail travel in India
Indian stations are crowded at 1… in big cities. You
may need help to find the right 2… to travel from.
Second class ticket: This is the lowest 3… . You are
in an open-plan 4… with wooden or plastic 5… . No air
conditioning and very crowded.
Sleeper class ticket: Sleeper trains are popular and have
three-tier 6… beds. Great views from the open windows.
2AC ticket (two-tier, air conditioning/AC): There are
two-tier sleeping 7… which convert into seats during the
day. They have curtains for privacy.
1AC ticket (first class, air conditioning): You are in a
8
… with two or four sleeping berths and a door that you
can lock.
2c Match the definitions to the words from the fact
sheet in activity 2b.
1 a train you can sleep on
2 the place you sleep in a train or ship
3 beds on top of one another
4 the price of a train journey
5 where you get on and off a train
6 the busiest and most popular travelling times
THAT’S ENGLISH!

3a Ruth is at the airport. Listen and match the
extracts (1-4) to the situations (a-d).
87
Extract 1 a boarding the aircraft
Extract 2 b checking in her luggage
Extract 3 c waiting in the departure lounge
Extract 4 d going through security
Now complete Ruth’s flight details.
Flight number: BA … Boarding time: …
Departure gate: … Seat number: …
3b Listen again and complete the questions the
airport staff ask Ruth. Write her reply (Yes/No).
87
1 Can I ask you some security questions? Yes
2 Did you … your … yourself?
3 Did anybody ask you to … anything on … for
them?
4 Have you … your … ... at any time?
5 Can you … that you are not carrying any sharp
… , guns, firearms or … devices?
6 Do you have any … luggage?
7 Are you … any … or gels?
3c Listen again to the first four questions from 3b.
Underline the stressed syllables and circle the
88 vowels that reduce to schwa (/ə/).
1 Can I ask you some security questions?
3d Listen again and repeat.
Pronunciation: schwa page 145
88
4a Match the beginnings of the sentences (1-7) to
the endings (a-g).
1 Due to increasing health problems,
2 The airline had to raise its prices
3 This flight was delayed
4 In view of how hard the mattresses are in these
berths,
5 After the heavy rain, the southbound
carriageway was closed
6 On account of his unusual size and weight,
7 The plane was delayed due to
a because of the bad weather.
b I doubt I shall get any sleep.
c due to a sick pilot.
d he was obliged to book two seats on the aircraft.
e encountering an electrical storm.
THAT’S ENGLISH!
UNIT 9
f she had to give up working on long-haul flights.
g owing to the increase in operating costs.
Cause and effect page 138
4b Write two possible logical endings for each
sentence.
1 On account of the alarming weather reports,
we had to cancel our travel plans. / we decided
not to go climbing.
2 In view of the passenger’s unreasonable
behaviour, …
3 Due to the lack of air conditioning in the train, …
4 Owing to an accident this morning, …
5 Because of the heavy traffic, …
5a Study the examples. Then complete the rule.
1 We’re about to land. / We were about to land.
2 We’re on the point of landing. / We were on
the point of landing.
3 We’re to land soon. / We were to land soon.
We use these structures to describe actions
that are/were about to happen in the immediate
future:
• be about to + 1…
• be on the point of + 2…
• be to + 3…
Be about to, be on the point of, be to page 138
5b Use the prompts to make sentences about
events that are / were about to happen.
1 The train / leave the station / all passengers /
be on board. (about to – past)
The train was about to leave the station and all
the passengers were on board.
2 The flight / take off at 10:30 / crew / be strapped
into their seats. (be to – past)
3 She / get into her sleeping berth / notice
someone steal her blankets. (about to – past)
4 He / ask the passengers to sit down / captain
make an announcement. (on the point of –
past)
5 The aircraft / make an emergency landing / we
have to evacuate passengers / immediately
afterwards. (be to – present)
6 The airport / declare / a state of emergency.
(on the point of – present)
97
Let’s hit the road

B Off the beaten track

a the south and west of the country
DOCUMENTARY b the small outer islands
1 What is your experience of travelling by c the south coast
motorbike? Do you enjoy it or would you like to
d the Civil War battlegrounds
try it? Why or why not?
e the countryside and smaller towns
f the city of Glasgow

THAT’S THE USA

5 Decide which sentences are connected with
theme parks.

2 Watch the documentary and decide if the

sentences are true (✔) or false (✗). Correct the
false ones.
1 The National British Motorcycle Federation
(BMF) has more than a million members.
2 Motorcyclists enjoy the sense of freedom and
also feeling part of the countryside they are
travelling through.
3 The first motorbikes appeared in the mid-19th
century and were steam powered. 1 I love going on rides, seeing shows and
4 Motorbike racing became popular as a sport attractions.
after the First World War. 2 Let’s go on the swings.
5 Motorbikes gradually came to be associated 3 It’s a 300 foot drop.
with gangs, fighting and violence. 4 What about feeding the ducks?
6 The British Motorcycle Federation was started 5 The roller coaster was totally awesome!
by former members of the Hell’s Angels gang. 6 I can’t stand waiting in lines.
7 The BMF aims to improve the public image of
motorcycling. 6 Watch the video and answer the questions
8 The Ace Café in London has recently become about Orlando’s theme parks.
a meeting place for motorcyclists.
1 What industry was Orlando built around?
2 What is the name of the second tallest roller
SAME LANGUAGE, DIFFERENT LIVES coaster of its kind in the world?
3 What are the three most beautiful or interesting 3 What does Miniland USA have replicas of?
places that you would recommend people visit 4 What does a Master Model Builder do?
in your country? Why? 5 Why do families enjoy going to Legoland?
6 How are the replicas built?
4 Watch the video. Match the speakers (1-6) to the
attractions they mention (a-f).
1 3 5
NOW YOU!
7 What is your opinion of theme parks? Do you
enjoy visiting them? Talk about your experience.

We took our children to Disneyland in Paris

2 4 6 and spent all our time standing in queues.
I hated it! I used to like theme parks when
I was younger, but now I find them a
nightmare.

98 THAT’S ENGLISH!
 UNIT 9
SKILLS WORK
1 Do you enjoy travelling for pleasure? Where do you like to go as a tourist?
I adore travelling for pleasure and I get away either with friends or on my own as often as
possible. My favourite getaways are …

2a Read the article about the development of modern tourism. Is the writer’s attitude towards
the modern tourist industry positive or negative?

Modern tourism:
great for whom?
In Europe, tourism began in the 18th century when
wealthy families used to send their sons, and very
occasionally, their daughters on the ‘Grand Tour’, a
trip across Europe to learn about culture. They visited
historical sites, took music and art lessons, and of course
tried to improve their foreign language skills, especially
French and Italian. Transport was an expensive luxury
in those days and only the rich had the means to pay
for it: it wasn’t until the expansion of the railways in
the 1840s that ordinary people had any opportunity to
abroad. Mass travel began to develop particularly in places
travel beyond their immediate environment. Then, in
with a sunny climate such as Spain and Greece. Tourism
the 1860s a Scottish man called Thomas Cook started
has become essential to the economy of many European
offering organised tours to the middle classes and the
countries in this century, but although it creates jobs and
concept of leisure travel began to develop.
economic opportunities, it can also cause environmental
During the 20th century, Europeans enjoyed increasing problems, and break up traditional communities. If 18th
amounts of leisure time. Employers became legally century tourists were in search of art and culture, sadly,
obliged to give workers paid holidays and ordinary many 21st century tourists only seem interested in a
people started going to the seaside for holidays and then suntan and cheaper prices than at home. TRACK 89

2b Read the article again and find the following information.

1 The reasons why rich people travelled in the 18th century.

2 Two events in the 19th century that gave ordinary people more travel opportunities.
3 The reason why ordinary people in the 20th century had more time and money for travel.
4 Two advantages and two disadvantages of modern tourism according to the author.

3a Tex Wallander, a journalist, is talking to Alba Johnson Pérez from the Spanish Tourist Board.
How does she answer the criticism that tourism has spoiled the coast?
90

3b Listen again and complete the information about the Spanish tourist industry according to Alba.

90 Tourism in Spain
Contribution to the economy 1
… euros
Number of visitors to Spain last May 2
…
Top four countries visitors come from 3
… 4… 5… 6…
Two strengths of the industry 7
… 8…
World leader in 9
… 10… and 11… initiatives

4 Talk about your preferences when travelling. Include the following: type of holiday,
accommodation, destination, group or individual, etc.

When I was younger, I preferred to travel on my own or with a small group of friends to
exotic places, but now that I’m older, I’m actually starting to like more organised holidays
because …

THAT’S ENGLISH! 99
Let’s hit the road

WRITING
1a Read two versions of an email of apology and underline the expressions used to apologise
and thank.

A Dear Mrs Smithson,

Thank you ever so much for allowing the youth group
to use your cottage last weekend, and I really must
apologise for the fact that the kitchen was not cleaned
properly. Some of the group were supposed to return
later to finish, but due to the fact that they overslept,
they were late. I understand that, because of this, you
had done a lot of the cleaning yourself by the time
they arrived: that was so kind of you and you really
needn’t have gone to so much trouble.
In view of the fact that I am leader of the youth group,
I take full responsibility and ask you to please accept
my apologies again on the group’s behalf. I do assure
you that this is not typical behaviour and it will not
happen again. If it is convenient, we can come back
next Saturday and thoroughly clean the whole cottage.
Yours truly
Kylie Jones
B Dear Mrs Smithson,
Thanks for lending the youth group your cottage
last weekend and sorry for leaving the kitchen in
a mess. Our goodbye party finished really late and
so I’d arranged for some of the group to go back
later to finish the cleaning, but apparently, they
overslept and you’d done most of the cleaning
yourself by the time they arrived.
Obviously this wasn’t my fault, but it’s really
embarrassing! I know I’m the leader, but it’s so
difficult to get young people to develop a sense
of responsibility, not to mention trying to make
them get up in the morning! Sorry again for the
inconvenience caused.
Yours truly
Kylie

1b Which version of the apology do you think is better? Why?

1c A well-written apology and thank you email follows the structure below (1-4). In which email
(A, B or both) does Kylie … ?
1 give a reason / explanation for what happened 3 reassure the other party that it won’t happen again
2 take responsibility 4 promise to take action

2a Listen to a communications expert talking about apologising and thanking in English. Choose
the correct answers.
91
1 Using appropriate expressions is important to show you are sincere / afraid.
2 In English you apologise only if it’s your fault / even when it’s the other person’s fault.
3 Not apologising a lot makes you sound impolite / polite in English.
4 You should use the same / a different register depending on the situation.

2b Listen again and complete the expressions in the table.

91 Formal Informal

I really must apologise for the I’m … sorry.

1
I’m sorry for …
fact that … I … apologise.
2
Sorry again
Apologising
I do assure you that … Please 3… my (thoughtlessness). for …
Please accept my apologies. Please 4… me for not realising that … I 5… for …
Thank you ever so much for … I really 7… your help.
Thanking / I’d … like to thank you for helping. I am most 8… for …
6
expressing Thanks for …
gratitude That’s so kind of you. How 9… !
You really needn’t have. Thank you, but you really 10… have!

Taking I take full responsibility. There really is no 12… for my It was my

responsibility I 11… … realised that … behaviour. fault.

100 THAT’S ENGLISH!

 UNIT 9

3a It’s important to use suitable intonation when verbally apologising or thanking. Listen and
decide which speakers are being polite and which are not. Tick the right column.
92
A B
polite not polite polite not polite
Speaker 1
Speaker 2
Speaker 3
Pronunciation: intonation page 147

3b Listen again and repeat using polite intonation.

92

Writing: a formal email of apology

4a Read the situations and the notes below. Match the notes to the situations and add two more
of your own.
1 You shouted at the woman at reception at your hotel because you believed she had made a
mistake about the dates of your reservation. You now realise that the mistake was yours.
2 You and some people you’d just met had a party in your hotel room. When one of the hotel
guests came to complain about the noise, the person (not you) who opened the door to
them was very rude.
didn’t know the person it was my birthday too many people
Shouting at receptionist who opened door

Noise in hotel room I overreacted room unavailable a long journey music too loud

4b Choose one of the situations and write a formal email of apology to the hotel manager (160-
200 words). Use your notes from activity 4a. Follow the structure in activity 1c and remember
to include the following:
• expressions for apologising and thanking • expressions to show cause and effect

Contact us
How can we help you?
Name Albert Duncan Email albertduncan@wohj.uk Phone (+44) 853328510
Message Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to apologise for my friend’s rude behaviour towards one of the hotel’s guests
last Saturday night. We had just met some people at a party and we decided to have a drink
in the hotel room. I’m afraid the noise got too loud and a guest knocked on the door. The
person who opened the door was very rude to the guest.
In view of the fact that it was my room, I take full responsibility and ask you to accept my
apologies on my behalf and on behalf of my friend. I assure you that this is not normal behaviour
and it will never happen again. I apologise again for any inconvenience we may have caused.
Yours truly,
Albert Duncan
Submit

Writing Reference page 144

THAT’S ENGLISH! 101

SELF TEST
1 Complete the dialogue with the words from the
box.
voyage travelling travel journey trip
Keira: How was your 1… to Spain?
Monica: Tiring! It was a long 2… . The ferry to
Santander took 12 hours.
Keira: Why didn’t you fly?
Monica: Well, Dan hates plane 3… ! So he said a
sea 4… would be a nice change.
Keira: And was it?
Monica: No, because I get seasick! Next time,
we are 5… by car!
2 Match the beginnings of the sentences (1-6) to
the endings (a-f).
1 The flight was to
2 The pilot is on the point of
3 The city is about to
4 The behaviour of the other passengers was so
bad that I was on the point of
5 Major roadworks are to
6 The cabin crew are about to
a making an in-flight announcement.
b start on the southbound carriageway.
c calling the flight attendant to complain.
d become a major tourist destination.
e arrive at 12:30 the next day.
f prepare for landing.
3 Complete the account of a flight with the words
from the box.
cabin crew on-board catering jet lag
destination turbulence stopovers
landing long-haul evacuate
I booked a 1… flight from Heathrow to
Wellington NZ last year. We had two 2… in
Dubai and Hong Kong and it took nearly 24
hours to reach our final 3… .The flight was bad.
There was a lot of 4 … : at one point I was very
scared. I thought the pilot was going to make
an emergency 5… and 6… the plane. But the
7
… were fantastic: they reassured everyone.
And I must say the food from the 8… service
was great! I had terrible 9… when I was there
though, and only recovered in time to fly back!
4 Write sentences using the expressions in brackets.
1 this morning / congestion on the M4 / accident
involving two lorries (due to)
2 a mistake on the part of the airline / had to
travel first class (owing to)
120
UNIT 9
3 flight delayed five hours / terrible weather (on
account of)
4 circumstances / I think / owe you / apology (in
view of)
5 terrible flying conditions / make emergency
landing / Hong Kong (because of)
5 Complete the dialogue with the words from the
box.
carriage compartments platform seat
berths fare sleeper
A: I’d like an overnight 1… ticket from Leeds to
London. What’s the cheapest 2… ?
B: A second-class ticket would be £105.
A: And that’s for a sleeping 3… , not a 4… ?
B: That’s right.
A: So for three of us that’s more than £300. Can
we all travel in the same 5… ?
B: The sleeping 6… are for four people.
A: And what time does the train leave?
B: At midnight from 7… 14.
6 Complete the text with the correct form of the
verbs from the box.
get away stop over pick up drop off
put up take off
The day I left for Australia, my whole family
1
… me … at the airport. 24 hours is a long
time to travel but we 2… in Dubai first. My
Aussie cousins had offered not only 3… me
… from the airport but also 4… me … in their
home. I put on my seatbelt ready for the
plane 5… . I was so excited and just couldn’t
wait 6… on my great adventure.
7 Match the expressions (1-5) to the situations
(a-e). Do they express gratitude or apology?
1 I’m terribly sorry he was so naughty.
2 Thank you so much. You really shouldn’t have!
I will remember you all.
3 How extremely kind! It looks absolutely
delicious. Thank you very much indeed.
4 Please forgive me for not remembering. Can I
take you out to lunch instead?
5 I take entire responsibility and apologise most
sincerely for the inconvenience.
a You forgot a close friend’s birthday.
b Your colleagues gave you a present.
c Your small child has behaved badly.
d Your colleague has made you a cake.
e You made a serious mistake at work.
THAT’S ENGLISH!
Grammar Reference Unit 9

1 EXPRESSING CAUSE AND EFFECT

because of
because
due to
as
in view of + noun + clause
since
on account of
due to the fact that
owing to

We chose the hotel because of its location.
The flight was cancelled due to severe weather.
In view of the growing demand for organic
products, we have expanded our range.
All the shops were closed on account of a local
holiday.
Owing to the new security checks, there are
now long queues at the airports.
Our Internet connection is currently slow
because so many customers are trying to use it.
As we couldn’t agree on where to spend the
weekend, we ended up staying at home.
We couldn’t communicate with them since they
didn’t speak English.
They treated us very well at the restaurant due
to the fact that we were friends with the owner.

! • Because of, due to, in view of, on account of and owing to are a more formal alternative to using
because + clause.
They had to call off the match because it was pouring with rain. ➞ Due to the heavy rain, the
match was cancelled.

• Because of, due to, in view of, on account of and owing to can be followed by -ing, often with
a possessive adjective or an object pronoun to mark a different subject. This alternative is much
more formal and less frequent.
On account of being late for boarding, they were asked to take the next plane.
Because of our / us insisting to see the manager, the hotel finally agreed to give us another room.

2 BE ABOUT TO, BE ON THE POINT OF, BE TO

• We can use be about to + infinitive and be on the point of + -ing to indicate that an action is
going to take place very soon.
We were about to leave the hotel when I remembered I’d left my camera in the room.
The number of tourists has dropped so dramatically that many restaurants in the area are
on the point of closing down.
She had to take a break because she was on the point of having a nervous breakdown.

• We can also use the expression be to + infinitive to refer to the future, usually for actions that
have been scheduled, or to give orders.
The plane was to arrive at ten.
The Government are to set up a committee to investigate the incident.
The Mayor is not to retire until November.
Children are not to leave the school unaccompanied.
You are to report to your superior by the end of the day.

138 THAT’S ENGLISH!

Writing Reference Unit 9

Writing a formal email of apology

In a formal email of apology you should explain what went wrong, take responsibility and
apologise. You should also explain how you plan to resolve the situation. Make sure you
sound sincere and polite.

Dear Mr Pendleton,

Please accept my most sincere apologies for my behaviour at

your daughter’s wedding last Saturday. Having been my boss
for the last fifteen years, you know that I never drink alcohol. Summarise what
However, when I arrived at the reception, I felt the happy happened and why.
occasion called for a proper toast with champagne. I only had Take full responsibility
one drink but, unfortunately, on an empty stomach. As a result, for the problem.
I soon started to feel dizzy, which explains why I tripped over
and landed on the table displaying some of the gifts the couple
had received. I am truly ashamed. I know there is absolutely no
excuse for my behaviour and I take full responsibility for what
happened.

Although I have sent your daughter and her husband a new Offer a solution or a
vase to replace the one I broke, I understand that this cannot way to amend things.
make up for the commotion I caused. I hope they, and you, will Ask the reader to
one day forgive me. accept your apology.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you ever so much for
inviting my wife and me to the wedding. It was a real pleasure
to be a part of your daughter and son-in-law’s celebration of the
beginning of their new life together.
End the email politely.
Yours sincerely,

John Hughes

Writing tips:
➜ Use the same format as you would in a formal letter. Check the beginning
and ending are in an appropriate style.

➜ Include polite expressions.

➜ Acknowledge the issue frankly. Describe the problem and apologise

sincerely.

144 THAT’S ENGLISH!

Pronunciation Guide
PHONEMIC CHART
DIPHTHONGS
i: ɪ ʊ u: ɪə eɪ
cheap chip put you here wait
VOWELS

e ə ɜ: ɔ: ʊə ɔɪ əʊ
bed teacher bird door tour boy show
æ ʌ ɑ: ɒ eə aɪ aʊ
cat up far on hair my cow
p t f θ tʃ s ʃ k
CONSONANTS

pea tea fly think cheese say shoe car

b d v ð dʒ z ʒ g
boat dog video this June zoo vision go
m n ŋ h l r w j
man now sing hat love red wet yellow
voiced sounds: vocal cords vibrate
unvoiced sounds: vocal cords don’t vibrate

THE SCHWA /ə/

• This is the most common sound in English. It occurs when a syllable is not stressed. Compare.
photographer /fəˈtɒɡrəfə(r)/, photography /fəˈtɒɡrəfɪ/, photograph /ˈfəʊtəɡrɑːf/

• In writing, the schwa can correspond to the letters a, e, o, u or a combination of letters.

appear /əˈpɪə(r)/, permanent /ˈpɜːmənənt/, economy /ɪˈkɒnəmɪ/, support /səˈpɔː(r)t/, famous
/ˈfeɪməs/.

• Many grammar words (i.e. auxiliary verbs, modal verbs, pronouns and prepositions) have a
weak form with /ə/ when they are not stressed.
does /dəz/, were /wə/, can /kən/, us /əs/, you /jə/, at /ət/, of /əv/, etc.

THE SILENT E
Very often a word ends in a silent -e to indicate that the stressed vowel in the word has a long
sound: /eɪ/, /i:/, /aɪ/, /əʊ/, /u:/.

/æ/ hat /hæt/, mad /mæd/, cat /kæt/

a
/eɪ/ hate /heɪt/, made /meɪd/, Kate /keɪt/

/e/ pet /pet/, let /let/

e
/i:/ Pete /pi:t/, compete / kəmˈpi:t/, delete /dɪˈli:t/

/ɪ/ hid /hɪd/, pin /pɪn/, sit /sɪt/

i
/aɪ/ hide /haɪd/, pine /paɪn/, site /saɪt/

/ɒ/ cod /kɒd/, hop /hɒp/, not /nɒt/

o
/əʊ/ code /kəʊd/, hope /həʊp/, note /nəʊt/

/ʌ/ tub /tʌb/, us /ʌs/, cut /kʌt/

u
/u:/ tube /tju:b/, use /ju:z/, cute /kju:t/

THAT’S ENGLISH! 145

Pronunciation Guide
PRONUNCIATION FOR EMPHASIS: THE
The definite article the is normally not stressed. However, we may want to stress it for added
emphasis. In this case, it is pronounced /ðiː/.
She overcame her disability in the most amazing way.
/ʃiː əʊvəˈkeɪm hə dɪsəˈbɪlətɪ ɪn ˈðiː ˈməʊst əˈmeɪzɪŋ ˈweɪ/

INTONATION
It is very complicated to describe intonation theoretically. The best approach for learning
intonation is to listen to as much natural authentic speech as possible.
Here are some general guidelines for the intonation of the functions described in this module.

Why did you have to do that?

Showing impatience

I’ve told you a hundred times!

How wonderful!
Exclamations
Start with on a high pitch

That’s absolutely incredible!

Could you give me a hand with this?

Requests
Would you mind turning down the volume, please?

Close the door, will you?

If you want to sound polite in English you need to stress

the important words in the sentence by making changes
in tone.
Sounding polite
I do apologize.

Thanks! I really appreciate your help!

Start with on
a low pitch

Persuading Come on! You want to buy a new car, don’t you?
Start with on
a midpitch

What clause + be What was important was arriving on time.

THAT’S ENGLISH! 147