The Reading / Listening - Airplane Stowaway - Level 3

A woman was found hiding on an airplane from New York to Paris. She flew as a stowaway – a person who gets onto a plane without paying. She secretly got onto the plane without airport staff seeing her. The woman had a Russian passport and was around 60 years old. She boarded the Delta Air Lines aircraft at JFK International Airport in New York. She managed to get past many security checks to board the plane. She had no boarding pass. Police say she hid in the plane's toilets throughout the seven-hour flight. She was discovered when a flight attendant noticed the woman was making frequent, long trips to different toilets on the airplane.

The woman is now being held by police in Paris. Airline officials tried to fly her back to New York on Saturday. However, she caused a disturbance while the plane was on the runway waiting to take off. A man who sat near her on the plane as it waited to depart from Paris spoke to CNN. He said the woman looked very worried. He said she kept repeating: "I do not want to go back to the USA. Only a judge can make me go back." Investigators are currently looking into how she got on the plane in New York. A Delta spokesperson said: "Nothing is of greater importance than matters of safety and security." He said the airline would work hard to find out what happened.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Airplane Stowaway - Level 0,  Airplane Stowaway - Level 1   or  Airplane Stowaway - Level 2

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/30/us/delta-stowaway-passenger-return-flight/index.html
  • https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stowaway-who-flew-new-york-to-paris-creates-disturbance-return-flight-to-u-s/
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2024/11/28/delta-airlines-tsa-stowaway-nyc-paris-flight/76639097007/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. AIRPLANES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about airplanes. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       airplane / New York / Paris / airport / passport / security checks / flight attendant /
       flight / police / disturbance / runway / judge / safety / investigators / work hard
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SECURITY: Students A strongly believe governments should increase security at all airports and train stations; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. AIRPORTS: What are the problems with airports. How can we improve these things? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Problems

Improvements

Security

 

 

Check-in

 

 

The boarding gate

 

 

Shopping

 

 

Restaurants

 

 

Parking

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. FLIGHT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "flight". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. FLYING: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things about flying at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Airplane food
  • Duty free
  • The departure lounge
  • The excitement
  • The view
  • The movies
  • Landing
  • Taking off

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. hiding a. Staying in a place where no one can see you.
      2. fly b. In every part or during all of something.
      3. stowaway c. To move through the air, like a bird or a plane.
      4. boarded d. Tried hard and was able to do something.
      5. managed e. A person who hides on a ship or plane to travel without paying.
      6. throughout f. Got on a ship, train, or plane.
      7. frequent g. Happening many times.

    Paragraph 2

      8. officials h. To leave a place, especially by train, bus, or plane.
      9. disturbance i. When a plane leaves the ground and starts to fly.
      10. runway j. People with important jobs who work for the government or a company.
      11. take off k. A person who decides if someone is right or wrong in court.
      12. depart l. Something that makes noise or causes problems.
      13. judge m. Happening now or at the present time.
      14. currently n. The long road where planes take off or land.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. A stowaway was found on a flight to New York.     T / F
  2. The stowaway paid less than half price for her ticket.     T / F
  3. The stowaway did not have a boarding pass.     T / F
  4. The stowaway spent the whole flight in a toilet.     T / F
  5. The woman was put on a flight back to New York.     T / F
  6. The woman created a disturbance and was removed from the flight.     T / F
  7. The woman said only a judge could make her return to the USA.     T / F
  8. Delta said safety and security was the most important thing for them.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. secretly
  2. boarded
  3. checks
  4. throughout
  5. frequent
  6. officials
  7. disturbance
  8. depart
  9. looking into
  10. importance
  1. executives
  2. endless
  3. leave
  4. investigating
  5. got on
  6. for the whole of
  7. value
  8. under cover
  9. annoyance
  10. controls

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. a person who gets onto a plane
  2. She had no boarding
  3. throughout the
  4. flight
  5. the woman was making
  6. The woman is now being held
  7. while the plane was on the runway
  8. Only a judge can
  9. Investigators are currently looking
  10. the airline would work hard to
  1. into how
  2. find out what happened
  3. without paying
  4. waiting to take off
  5. pass
  6. attendant
  7. frequent, long trips
  8. by police in Paris
  9. make me go back
  10. seven-hour flight

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
boarded
paying
checks
flight
hiding
frequent
staff
pass

A woman was found (1) ______________________________________________ on an airplane from New York to Paris. She flew as a stowaway - a person who gets onto a plane without (2) ______________________________________________. She secretly got onto the plane without airport (3) ______________________________________________ seeing her. The woman had a Russian passport and was around 60 years old. She (4) ______________________________________________ the Delta Air Lines aircraft at JFK International Airport in New York. She managed to get past many security (5) ______________________________________________ to board the plane. She had no boarding (6) ______________________________________________. Police say she hid in the plane's toilets throughout the seven-hour (7) ______________________________________________. She was discovered when a flight attendant noticed the woman was making (8) ______________________________________________, long trips to different toilets on the airplane.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
looking
runway
held
judge
caused
greater
hard
depart

The woman is now being (9) ______________________________________________ by police in Paris. Airline officials tried to fly her back to New York on Saturday. However, she (10) ______________________________________________ a disturbance while the plane was on the (11) ______________________________________________ waiting to take off. A man who sat near her on the plane as it waited to (12) ______________________________________________ from Paris spoke to CNN. He said the woman looked very worried. He said she kept repeating: "I do not want to go back to the USA. Only a (13) ______________________________________________ can make me go back." Investigators are currently (14) ______________________________________________ into how she got on the plane in New York. A Delta spokesperson said: "Nothing is of (15) ______________________________________________ importance than matters of safety and security." He said the airline would work (16) ______________________________________________ to find out what happened.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) A woman was found hiding ______
     a.  on a airplane
     b.  on the airplane
     c.  on an airplane
     d.  inner airplane
2)  a person who gets onto a ______
     a.  plane without paying
     b.  plane without pain
     c.  plane without pay in
     d.  plane without payee
3)  She secretly got onto the plane without airport ______
     a.  stuff see in her
     b.  stuff seeing her
     c.  staff seen her
     d.  staff seeing her
4)  She managed to get past many security checks to ______
     a.  bored the plane
     b.  board the plane
     c.  aboard the plane
     d.  broad the plane
5)  Police say she hid in the plane's toilets throughout the ______
     a.  seven-hours flight
     b.  seven-hour flights
     c.  seven-hour fight
     d.  seven-hour flight

6)  However, she caused a disturbance while the plane was ______
     a.  on the runaway
     b.  on the runs away
     c.  on the run way
     d.  on the runway
7)  A man who sat near her on the plane as it ______
     a.  waited to impart
     b.  waited to the part
     c.  waited to dip part
     d.  waited to depart
8)  He said the woman ______
     a.  looks very worried
     b.  looked verily worried
     c.  looked very worried
     d.  looked very worry
9)  Only a judge can make ______
     a.  me gone back
     b.  me go back
     c.  me going back
     d.  me goes back
10)  Nothing is of greater importance than matters of ______
     a.  safely and security
     b.  safety and securely
     c.  safe tea and secure tea
     d.  safety and security

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A woman was (1) __________________________________________________ an airplane from New York to Paris. She flew as a stowaway - a person who gets onto a plane without paying. She (2) __________________________________________________ the plane without airport staff seeing her. The woman had a Russian passport and was around 60 years old. (3) __________________________________________________ Delta Air Lines aircraft at JFK International Airport in New York. She managed to get (4) __________________________________________________ checks to board the plane. She had no boarding pass. Police say she (5) __________________________________________________ plane's toilets throughout the seven-hour flight. She was discovered when a flight attendant noticed the woman (6) __________________________________________________, long trips to different toilets on the airplane.

The woman is now (7) __________________________________________________ police in Paris. Airline officials tried to fly her back to New York on Saturday. However, she caused a disturbance while the plane was on (8) __________________________________________________ to take off. A man who sat near her on the plane as it waited (9) __________________________________________________ Paris spoke to CNN. He said the woman looked very worried. He said she kept repeating: "I do not want to go back to the USA. Only (10) __________________________________________________ make me go back." Investigators are currently looking into how she got on the plane in New York. A Delta spokesperson said: "Nothing (11) __________________________________________________ importance than matters of safety and security." He said the airline would work hard to find (12) __________________________________________________.

Comprehension questions

  1. Where did the woman get on the airplane?
  2. What nationality is the woman?
  3. What did the woman manage to get past?
  4. How long did the plane take to get to Paris?
  5. Who noticed that the woman spent a long time in the toilets?
  6. Where is the stowaway now?
  7. What did the stowaway create on the airplane as it waited to take off?
  8. How did the woman look as she sat on the plane?
  9. To where did the stowaway not want to return?
  10. What did Delta say was the most important thing?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Where did the woman get on the airplane?   
a) Paris
b) London
c) Tokyo
d) New York
2) What nationality is the woman?
a) Swedish
b) Russian
c) Chilean
d) Australian
3) What did the woman manage to get past?
a) sniffer dogs
b) immigration
c) a fear of flying
d) security checks
4) How long did the plane take to get to Paris?
a) 8 hours
b) 6 hours
c) 7 hours
d) 9 hours
5) Who noticed that the woman spent a long time in the toilets?
a) the co-pilot
b) the pilot
c) a passenger
d) a flight attendant

6) Where is the stowaway now?
a) Tokyo
b) London
c) Paris
d) New York
7) What did the stowaway create on the airplane as it waited to take off?
a) a disturbance
b) a fight
c) a bad atmosphere
d) a mess
8) How did the woman look as she sat on the plane?
a) beautiful
b) bored
c) worried
d) afraid
9) To where did the stowaway not want to return?
a) Tokyo
b) New York
c) Paris
d) London
10) What did Delta say was the most important thing?
a) safety and security
b) customer feedback
c) passenger satisfaction
d) profits

Role play

Role  A – Airplane Food
You think airplane food is the best thing about flying. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): the view, the movies or taking off.

Role  B – The View
You think the view is the best thing about flying. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): airplane food, the movies or taking off.

Role  C – The Movies
You think the movies are the best things about flying. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): the view, airplane food or taking off.

Role  D – Taking Off
You think taking off is the best thing about flying. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): the view, the movies or airplane food.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'airplane'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'flight'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • found
    • seeing
    • past
    • pass
    • seven
    • long
    • held
    • caused
    • sat
    • worried
    • looking
    • hard

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Airplane Stowaway

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'airplane'?
    3. What do you think of airplanes?
    4. What do you think of stowaways?
    5. Have you ever not paid on a bus or train?
    6. What do you think of airports?
    7. Do you think airport security checks are good enough?
    8. Why do you think the woman stowed away?
    9. What should Delta do about this issue?
    10. What advice do you have for the stowaway?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'flight'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of flying?
    5. How can we improve airports?
    6. What should happen to the stowaway?
    7. Do you worry about safety and security?
    8. What do you think of your nation's airline?
    9. What should happen to Delta?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the airport security staff?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    A woman was found (1) ____ on an airplane from New York to Paris. She flew as a stowaway - a person who gets onto a plane without (2) ____. She secretly got onto the plane without airport staff seeing her. The woman had a Russian passport and was around 60 years old. She (3) ____ the Delta Air Lines aircraft at JFK International Airport in New York. She managed to get (4) ____ many security checks to board the plane. She had no boarding pass. Police say she hid in the plane's toilets (5) ____ the seven-hour flight. She was discovered when a flight attendant noticed the woman was making (6) ____, long trips to different toilets on the airplane.

    The woman is now being (7) ____ by police in Paris. Airline officials tried to fly her back to New York on Saturday. However, she caused a disturbance while the plane was on the (8) ____ waiting to take off. A man who sat near her on the plane as it waited to depart from Paris spoke to CNN. He said the woman looked very worried. He said she (9) ____ repeating: "I do not want to go back to the USA. Only a judge can make me (10) ____ back." Investigators are currently looking into how she got on the plane in New York. A Delta spokesperson said: "Nothing is of (11) ____ importance than matters of safety and security." He said the airline would work hard to find out (12) ____ happened.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     hides     (b)     hiding     (c)     hide     (d)     hideout    
    2. (a)     pay     (b)     paying     (c)     payee     (d)     paid    
    3. (a)     bored     (b)     boredom     (c)     boarding     (d)     boarded    
    4. (a)     post     (b)     past     (c)     paste     (d)     passed    
    5. (a)     thou     (b)     though     (c)     thorough     (d)     throughout    
    6. (a)     frequented     (b)     frequency     (c)     frequent     (d)     frequently    
    7. (a)     held     (b)     holding     (c)     hold     (d)     holds    
    8. (a)     runaway     (b)     run away     (c)     runway     (d)     catwalk    
    9. (a)     leapt     (b)     adept     (c)     wept     (d)     kept    
    10. (a)     go     (b)     went     (c)     going     (d)     goes    
    11. (a)     greater     (b)     greatly     (c)     great     (d)     greeter    
    12. (a)     what     (b)     that     (c)     if     (d)     so

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. She lfwe as a stowaway
    2. She ctlserye got onto the plane
    3. airport ffsat
    4. She oedarbd the Delta Air Lines aircraft
    5. get past many tsiyeruc checks
    6. feqneurt, long trips to different toilets

    Paragraph 2

    1. Airline oilfaicfs
    2. she caused a uisatncdber
    3. Only a egudj can make me go back
    4. erclytrnu looking into how
    5. Nothing is of greater cneaptomri
    6. matters of syaetf

    Put the text back together

    (...)  than matters of safety and security." He said the airline would work hard to find out what happened.
    (...)  woman looked very worried. He said she kept repeating: "I do not want to go back to the USA. Only a
    (...)  onto a plane without paying. She secretly got onto the plane without airport staff seeing
    (...)  throughout the seven-hour flight. She was discovered when a flight attendant noticed the woman was
    (...)  checks to board the plane. She had no boarding pass. Police say she hid in the plane's toilets
    (...)  off. A man who sat near her on the plane as it waited to depart from Paris spoke to CNN. He said the
    (...)  to New York on Saturday. However, she caused a disturbance while the plane was on the runway waiting to take
    (...)  aircraft at JFK International Airport in New York. She managed to get past many security
    (...)  on the plane in New York. A Delta spokesperson said: "Nothing is of greater importance
    (...)  making frequent, long trips to different toilets on the airplane.
    (...)  The woman is now being held by police in Paris. Airline officials tried to fly her back
    (...)  her. The woman had a Russian passport and was around 60 years old. She boarded the Delta Air Lines
    (...)  judge can make me go back." Investigators are currently looking into how she got
    (  1  )  A woman was found hiding on an airplane from New York to Paris. She flew as a stowaway - a person who gets

    Put the words in the right order

    1. hiding   airplane   .   woman   an   was   found   A   on
    2. gets   without   paying   .   who   Someone   plane   a   onto
    3. plane   seeing   .   airport   the   onto   Got   without   staff
    4. past   She   managed   many   checks   .   security   to   get
    5. different   Frequent   airplane   .   toilets   trips   the   on   to
    6. woman   is   The   held   now   police   .   by   being
    7. take   runway   the   to   on   The   waiting   off   .   plane
    8. can   go   back   .   me   judge   Only   a   make
    9. importance   Nothing   of   safety   .   is   than   greater
    10. to   would   work   airline   The   hard   out   .   find

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A woman was found / founded hiding on an airplane from New York to Paris. She flew as / was a stowaway - a person who gets onto a plane without paying / paid. She secretly got onto the plane without airport stuff / staff seeing her. The woman had a Russian passport and was around 60 years age / old. She bored / boarded the Delta Air Lines aircraft at JFK International Airport in New York. She managed to get passed / past many security checks to / for board the plane. She had no boarding pass. Police say she hid on / in the plane's toilets throughout the seven-hour flight. She was discovered when a flight attendant noticed the woman was making frequent, long trips to different / difference toilets on the airplane.

    The woman is now being / been held by police in Paris. Airline officials tried to fly her forward / back to New York on Saturday. However, she caused a disturb / disturbance while the plane was on the runaway / runway waiting to take off. A man who sat near her on the plane as it waited to / at depart from Paris spoke to / at CNN. He said the woman looked very worried. He said she kept repeating / repeated: "I do not want to go back to the USA. Only a judge can make me go back." Investigators are current / currently looking into how she got on the plane in New York. A Delta spokesperson said: "Nothing is of greater important / importance than matters of safety and security." He said the airline would work hard / hardly to find out what happened.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _  w_m_n  w_s  f__nd  h_d_ng  _n  _n  __rpl_n_  fr_m  N_w  Y_rk  t_  P_r_s.  Sh_  fl_w  _s  _  st_w_w_y  -  _  p_rs_n  wh_  g_ts  _nt_  _  pl_n_  w_th__t  p_y_ng.  Sh_  s_cr_tly  g_t  _nt_  th_  pl_n_  w_th__t  __rp_rt  st_ff  s___ng  h_r.  Th_  w_m_n  h_d  _  R_ss__n  p_ssp_rt  _nd  w_s  _r__nd  60  y__rs  _ld.  Sh_  b__rd_d  th_  D_lt_  __r  L_n_s  __rcr_ft  _t  JFK  _nt_rn_t__n_l  __rp_rt  _n  N_w  Y_rk.  Sh_  m_n_g_d  t_  g_t  p_st  m_ny  s_c_r_ty  ch_cks  t_  b__rd  th_  pl_n_.  Sh_  h_d  n_  b__rd_ng  p_ss.  P_l_c_  s_y  sh_  h_d  _n  th_  pl_n_'s  t__l_ts  thr__gh__t  th_  s_v_n-h__r  fl_ght.  Sh_  w_s  d_sc_v_r_d  wh_n  _  fl_ght  _tt_nd_nt  n_t_c_d  th_  w_m_n  w_s  m_k_ng  fr_q__nt,  l_ng  tr_ps  t_  d_ff_r_nt  t__l_ts  _n  th_  __rpl_n_.

    Th_  w_m_n  _s  n_w  b__ng  h_ld  by  p_l_c_  _n  P_r_s.  __rl_n_  _ff_c__ls  tr__d  t_  fly  h_r  b_ck  t_  N_w  Y_rk  _n  S_t_rd_y.  H_w_v_r,  sh_  c__s_d  _  d_st_rb_nc_  wh_l_  th_  pl_n_  w_s  _n  th_  r_nw_y  w__t_ng  t_  t_k_  _ff.  _  m_n  wh_  s_t  n__r  h_r  _n  th_  pl_n_  _s  _t  w__t_d  t_  d_p_rt  fr_m  P_r_s  sp_k_  t_  CNN.  H_  s__d  th_  w_m_n  l__k_d  v_ry  w_rr__d.  H_  s__d  sh_  k_pt  r_p__t_ng:  "_  d_  n_t  w_nt  t_  g_  b_ck  t_  th_  _S_.  _nly  _  j_dg_  c_n  m_k_  m_  g_  b_ck."  _nv_st_g_t_rs  _r_  c_rr_ntly  l__k_ng  _nt_  h_w  sh_  g_t  _n  th_  pl_n_  _n  N_w  Y_rk.  _  D_lt_  sp_k_sp_rs_n  s__d:  "N_th_ng  _s  _f  gr__t_r  _mp_rt_nc_  th_n  m_tt_rs  _f  s_f_ty  _nd  s_c_r_ty."  H_  s__d  th_  __rl_n_  w__ld  w_rk  h_rd  t_  f_nd  __t  wh_t  h_pp_n_d.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a woman was found hiding on an airplane from new york to paris she flew as a stowaway  a person who gets onto a plane without paying she secretly got onto the plane without airport staff seeing her the woman had a russian passport and was around 60 years old she boarded the delta air lines aircraft at jfk international airport in new york she managed to get past many security checks to board the plane she had no boarding pass police say she hid in the planes toilets throughout the sevenhour flight she was discovered when a flight attendant noticed the woman was making frequent long trips to different toilets on the airplane

    the woman is now being held by police in paris airline officials tried to fly her back to new york on saturday however she caused a disturbance while the plane was on the runway waiting to take off a man who sat near her on the plane as it waited to depart from paris spoke to cnn he said the woman looked very worried he said she kept repeating i do not want to go back to the usa only a judge can make me go back investigators are currently looking into how she got on the plane in new york a delta spokesperson said nothing is of greater importance than matters of safety and security he said the airline would work hard to find out what happened

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    AwomanwasfoundhidingonanairplanefromNewYorktoParis.Sheflew
    asastowaway-apersonwhogetsontoaplanewithoutpaying.Shesecr
    etlygotontotheplanewithoutairportstaffseeingher.ThewomanhadaR
    ussianpassportandwasaround60yearsold.SheboardedtheDeltaAirLi
    nesaircraftatJFKInternationalAirportinNewYork.Shemanagedtoget
    pastmanysecuritycheckstoboardtheplane.Shehadnoboardingpass.
    Policesayshehidintheplane'stoiletsthroughouttheseven-hourfligh
    t.Shewasdiscoveredwhenaflightattendantnoticedthewomanwasma
    kingfrequent,longtripstodifferenttoiletsontheairplane.Thewomanis
    nowbeingheldbypoliceinParis.AirlineofficialstriedtoflyherbacktoNew
    YorkonSaturday.However,shecausedadisturbancewhiletheplanewa
    sontherunwaywaitingtotakeoff.Amanwhosatnearherontheplaneasit
    waitedtodepartfromParisspoketoCNN.Hesaidthewomanlookedvery
    worried.Hesaidshekeptrepeating:"IdonotwanttogobacktotheUSA.O
    nlyajudgecanmakemegoback."Investigatorsarecurrentlylookingint
    ohowshegotontheplaneinNewYork.ADeltaspokespersonsaid:"Nothi
    ngisofgreaterimportancethanmattersofsafetyandsecurity."Hesaidt
    heairlinewouldworkhardtofindoutwhathappened.

    Free writing

    Write about stowaway for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Security at airports, and railway and bus stations should increase security. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. AIRPLANES: Make a poster about airplanes. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. SECURITY: Write a magazine article about increasing security at airports, train stations, bus stations and ferry ports. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on airplanes. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make airports better. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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