32. Business travel CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION

32. Business travel

Exercise 1: Choose the best word(s) or expression(s) to complete these sentences. In some cases, more than one option is possible. 1 (At the airport. A check-in assistant is talking to a passenger) I'm afraid your flight has been cancelled / delayed / crashed / double-booked. It won't be leaving for another two hours. 2 (At the airport. An angry passenger is talking to her colleague) I don't believe it. The airline has diverted / overbooked / rerouted / postponed our flight and have told me there are no more seats available for us. We'll have to wait for the next one. 3 (A business executive is explaining why he prefers to fly business class) Flying business class is much more expensive than flying tourist / coach / economy / club class, but it's much more comfortable and the food is better. 4 (An announcement is being made at a port) The ship will soon be ready for embarkation / boarding / disembarkation / climbing. Would passengers please ensure they have their tickets ready. 5 (At the airport, an announcement is being made to passengers arriving on a flight) Welcome to London Heathrow Airport. Could we remind transition / transitive / transitory / transit passengers to wait in the lounge until their next flight is ready. 6 (At the airport, an urgent announcement is being made over the PA system) Would the last remaining passenger for flight BZ112 to Thessalonica please proceed immediately to door / entrance / gate / pier 22, where their flight is about to depart. 7 (A travel agent is telling a traveller about his flight) Your flight to Istanbul is one way / indirect / direct / non-stop, so you won't be landing anywhere else en route. 8 (At the airport, an assistant is helping a passenger to find the right terminal for her flight from London to Belfast) Terminals 2 and 3 are the terminals for international flights. You need terminal 1 for domesticated / domestic / domesticity / domicile flights. 9 (At the station, an information desk assistant is explaining ticket prices to a passenger who wants to visit a town and return on the same day). A single / simple / one way / one direction ticket to Bradford costs £27.50. A return trip / round-trip / circle-trip / square-trip ticket will cost you £42. 10 (At the bank, a clerk is telling a customer why he can't take out any more money with his American Express card). I'm really sorry, sir, but you have already exceeded your profit margin / loyalty points / credit limit / commission rates. 11 (On an aircraft, the captain is talking to his passengers) If you need anything during the flight, please do not hesitate to ask one of our cabin staff / gang / team / crew members. 12 (A radio announcement is being made for people travelling to a city for their job) Bad news for expatriates / commuters / immigrants / migrants, I'm afraid. Traffic on the M25 is backed up for12 miles at junction 9. 13 (An article in a magazine is talking about air travel) In a recent survey, Albion International Air Ltd was voted the world's favourite carrier / airline / airliner / airways for its punctuality, comfort, quality of inflight catering and of course its standards of safety. 14 (A travel agent is explaining insurance policies to a customer) We advise you to take out our comprehensive / adhesive / apprehensive / defensive insurance policy which will cover you against all risks that are likely to happen. 15 (A car hire clerk is helping a customer choose a vehicle) The roads here are so bad and so full of holes that we very much recommend you hire a / an MPV / saloon / 4x4 / van. Exercise 2: Choose the best word or expression from each pair in bold to complete this text. In some cases, both words / expressions are possible. There are a few things that the well-prepared business traveller should sort out before they leave the country. First of all, they will need to prepare a / an (1) schedule / itinerary so that they know exactly where they will be and who they will seeing at various times on their (2) voyage / trip. Next, they should check their passport: have they got one, for a start, and is it still (3) validated / valid? Most countries will not let them in if their passport (4) runs out / expires within six months. Secondly, what about a (5) visa / visor? More and more countries require foreign visitors to have one, and this will cost money (and time and effort, too: in some cases, the traveller has to present himself or herself in person at the country's (6) emmbassy / embassy). Thirdly, they will need to get (7) traveller's cheques / traveling cheques and / or foreign (8) currancy / currency: if they choose the latter, they need to check the (9) exchange / changing rate to make sure they are getting a favourable (10) deal / bargain, and then in most cases they will need to pay (11) comission / commission / commision to the bank who supplies it. Finally, they should check that they have (12) insurence / insurance / insureance cover, that their (13) vaccinations / vaccinnations / vacinations are up to date, and that their mobile phone will work abroad (and if necessary, make arrangements with their (14) provider / provisor to ensure they can get connected to the (15) network / website when they arrive). Exercise 3: Now try this quiz. 1 In which places would you check in? 2 You are told that you need to pay an excess baggage charge. What does this mean? 3 At the airport you are told you have been bumped from your flight. What does this mean? 4 You want an upgrade on your flight. What exactly do you want? 5 The flight you have booked includes free transfers. What are these? 6 You are travelling from Greece to the UK. Are you allowed a duty free allowance? 7 What is the correct word in bold in this question: ‘How much is the business class fee / fare from Washington to Rome?’ 8 What is an e-ticket? 9 You are flying from Cape Town to London. Would you expect to suffer jet lag? 10 In a hotel, what is the difference between full-board, half-board and bed and breakfast accommodation? 11 In a hotel, what is the difference between a single room, a twin room, a double room and a suite? 12 The hotel you want to stay at insists on charging you the rack rate. What is this? 13 You are in your room in a large international hotel. Which department would you call if you wanted the following? (a) someone to clean your room, bring you some towels and wash your shirts (b) to make a general enquiry (c) to report an electrical or plumbing problem (d) to help you make a national or international phone call (e) to have some food brought to your room (f) to order a taxi or have your luggage taken from or to your room 14 Rearrange the letters in bold to make the names of things you might find in a hotel room (in addition to a bed, of course). rwoarbed feas niim rab nlboyac ari tincnoniogdi ate dan fceeof fteiliacis nteeIntr scesac nori snioleitev oemrte ontolcr 15 The room in your hotel was pokey, scruffy and draughty, the hotel staff were discourteous, officious and surly, and the hotel food was greasy, unappetising and repetitive. Would you stay at the hotel again? 16 In which situations would you expect to leave a tip?

ANSWER KEY