节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-05-22
难易度:Medium
关键字:jump through hoops, suspicious, prevention, tolerate, metal detector,
terrorist
Welcome back, everybody.
Yes, it's inconvenient and it's time-consuming.
But we live in troubled times.
And so unfortunately, it looks as though airport security is here to stay.
I know it doesn't seem like it, but airport authorities are always trying to
improve the process.
So at least that's some good news.
OK. Let's wrap up Connor and Spencer's conversation about the pros and cons of
airport security down on line 22.
(Music).
Is Airport Security Really Necessary?
If authorities didn't X-ray everyone's carry-ons, then terrorists would start to
use people like that to harm planes and passengers.
I guess you're right.
Thorough security is the best prevention.
And the authorities need a method of checking the contents of people's bags.
If there wasn't one, people could take all kinds of dangerous things onto the
planes.
I know, I know.
But I still don't like strangers going through my stuff.
When you choose to travel by plane, you give up your right to privacy to keep
everyone safe.
I guess the world isn't a safe place anymore.
I can't change that.
So I'll have to tolerate security checks.
All right.
So Connor has been complaining why can't we just decide that maybe old people or
babies are not going to hurt people and just let them through security.
It'll go faster.
It will be much easier.
That's right.
They're not suspicious.
We don't think that they're doing something illegal or wrong.
Well, Spencer says: If authorities didn't X-ray everyone's carry-ons, then
terrorists could start to use people like that to harm planes and passengers.
OK, so he's talking about their luggage.
And he says their "carry-ons." Carry-on is just a luggage that you bring with
you, and you hold with you when you go onto the airplane.
And he says you need to X-ray those.
What does it mean if you X-ray something?
Well, an X-ray is a machine that looks into, looks through things, kind of like
the body scanner.
It can look into the luggage and check for illegal things.
OK. And he said If we don't do that, then terrorists can use elderly people,
babies or people who are not suspicious in order to harm other passengers.
What are terrorists?
Now a "terrorist" is someone who uses violent actions or threats of violence to
harm people intentionally for really no reason except that they're angry.
Yeah. Sometimes they do it for political reasons, or they do it to get what they
want.
These are not good people.
And Connor says: Well, I guess you're right. I guess they could do that.
That's right.
They could hide weapons in bags of people that don't look suspicious so they can
get what they want onto the airplane because you know,
usually a terrorist is someone you could... they would... be suspicious of.
Yeah, exactly.
Uh, he says, "Thorough security is actually the best prevention." And this is
Conner saying this.
So I think he's kind of changing his mind that thorough, or good, security
really is a good prevention.
Now "prevention" is when you stop something from happening, or stop someone from
doing something that they shouldn't be doing.
So you would prevent a child... you would use prevention to stop a child from
maybe burning their hand on the stove.
Yeah, by keeping them away from the stove, maybe.
That would be a good place to start, a good prevention.
OK. So that would be preventing a child.
That's a protective prevention.
Now a prevention at the airport is the security.
That is what keeps us safe.
Right. So it looks like Connor is starting to agree with Spencer. And Spencer
says:
And the authorities need a method of checking the contents of people's bags.
That's right. They need a method.
They need some way to check the content of bags.
Now what is... what does that mean?
Well, the contents of something is what is inside something else.
And so here they need to be able to see what is in our bags.
And it looks like, well, instead of just going through and opening them, they
can just use X-ray instead.
That... it really is much easier.
I would much rather them X-ray my bag really quickly than take out all my stuff.
And I'm standing there.
And they're taking all my bags apart, and everybody can see what I'm carrying.
Yeah.
I'd much rather them use this X-ray machine.
Did you know they actually do that at Disneyland?
When you go, if you have a bag, they will open it and look at all of your
things.
They don't use X-ray.
So, kind of at airports, it is a little bit easier.
It is. You just put it on the little belt, and it carries it away, carries it to
the machine.
You pick it up on the other side.
Yeah. Now Spencer says if there wasn't a method to check the contents of
people's bags,
then people could take all kinds of dangerous things onto the planes.
That's right, you could.
And there's all different kinds of dangerous things, things we don't even think
are dangerous that could be used.
Do you have any examples of something like that?
Uh... I do.
When I was a little bit younger, I was stopped at airport security because my
brother had scissors in his bag.
And not just one pair of scissors but three pairs of scissors, so they made us
go back again and again.
Why did he have three pairs of scissors?
He's my brother, I don't know.
Well, scissors are something that we think of just... maybe he was going to cut
a piece of paper or cut string.
They could be used as a weapon.
I know I was once stopped for carrying nail clippers.
You know, you trim your nails with them.
Those are so small.
They're so small; I didn't think they'd be a problem.
But you're not allowed to carry those onto an airplane.
Right. So Connor says: Yeah, people can use all kinds of things and... But I
still don't like strangers going through my stuff.
Nobody likes strangers going through your stuff.
But Spencer says when you choose to travel by plane,
you give up your right to keep... the right to privacy because you want to keep
everyone on the plane safe.
Yeah. And Conner says: I guess the world isn't a safe place anymore. I can't
change that.
So I'll just have to tolerate, or deal with, security checks.
That's right. "Tolerate" means you accept it and deal with it even if it's
something you don't like.
Well, let's visit the Chat Room.
Hey, Ken.
What are you doing with that suitcase?
Oh. Hi, Bryan. I'm planning to check out a lot of books.
So I need something to carry them around in.
Well, make sure you leave some books for others to check out.
I will. Don't worry.
I only have one luggage.
You mean you only have one "suitcase," not one luggage.
"Luggage" is uncountable.
Oh, is it?
Then I can't say I have a luggage or one luggage?
No.
And here to explain more about this for us is Doris.
Uncountable nouns, like luggage and baggage, can not take numbers.
If you want to make "luggage" countable, you have to use the word "piece." So
you might have a piece of luggage or 12 pieces of luggage.
Suitcase, on the other hand, is countable.
So you can have a suitcase or 12 suitcases.
Oh, OK. So I may have one piece of luggage or one suitcase.
Right. And then there is the carry-on.
That's the bag you take with you on the plane.
What if I don't carry a bag but a backpack?
Can I still take it on the plane?
Oh, what I said "bag," I didn't just mean a bag like a shopping bag.
The word "bag" actually refers to any type of luggage.
This is an informal usage.
It can refer to a bag; but it can also be any type of suitcase, backpack, etc.
So when someone asks me how many bags do you have, they have... they're asking
how many pieces of luggage I have.
Exactly.
OK. So is carry-on countable?
Yes. But some airlines only allow you bring one carry-on.
So make sure you don't bring more than one.
That's good information to know.
Well, I didn't want to carry around a lot of baggage today, which is why I
brought this suitcase.
That's smart.
But Ken, don't forget to check out the books before you go.
Oh, OK. I almost forgot.
(Chinese).
Hi, everyone. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And time really flies.
Keep up the good work, and I'll see you soon.
Bye-bye.
Thank you again, Michelle.
We appreciate those tips.
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