Listening Practice
Listen to the audio and answer the questions below.
The Trip That Almost Didn't Happen
The Trip That Almost Didn't Happen
Last summer, my best friend Alex and I decided to go on a trip abroad together. We had been planning this journey for months. Our destination was a small resort town on the coast of Spain, not far from Barcelona. It looked perfect in the photos — a lovely harbour, sunny beaches, and plenty of opportunities for sightseeing. The town is famous for its seafood and beautiful views. We booked our accommodation online and found a cheap flight. Everything seemed to be on schedule.
The night before our departure, I packed my luggage and checked that I had everything — passport, tickets, some currency, and even a map of the town. I was so excited that I could hardly sleep. Our flight was at seven in the morning, so we agreed to meet at the airport at five. Alex said he would pick me up at four. At least, that was the plan.
At four o'clock, I was standing outside my apartment with my bags, waiting for Alex. Four fifteen came, then four thirty. No sign of him. I called him three times, but there was no answer. I started to panic. If we didn't set off soon, we would be late for the flight.
Finally, at a quarter to five, a taxi pulled up and Alex got out. "I'm so sorry!" he said. "My alarm didn't go off, and then I couldn't find my passport." I wanted to be angry, but there was no time. We threw our luggage into the taxi and asked the driver to take us to the airport as quickly as possible. Luckily, there was little traffic on the roads.
We reached the airport with just forty minutes to spare. We rushed to the check-in desk, but there was a long queue. The airport was crowded with tourists. A member of staff pointed out that we were late and said we might not be allowed on board. My heart sank. But then another desk opened, and we managed to check in our luggage just in time. We ran through security and got to the gate just in time to hear the final call. We were the last passengers to get on the plane.
As we found our seats, I looked at Alex and said, "Next time, I'm packing your bags and setting three alarms." The flight took off on time, and an hour later we were looking down at the beautiful Spanish coast. It was convenient to travel by air — the journey took only two hours. I can't imagine going there by bus or by car.
Despite the stressful start, the holiday was wonderful. We stayed at a comfortable hotel close to the beach. The staff provided us with everything we needed. We spent our days sightseeing, trying local food, and buying souvenirs for our families. I bought a small painting of the harbour as a memory of the trip. We also took a ferry to a nearby island and went on a short cruise around the bay. The view from the boat was absolutely stunning.
Looking back, that trip taught me something important. Travel doesn't always go on schedule. Flights get delayed, luggage gets lost, and friends oversleep. But sometimes the trips that start badly end up being the most memorable ones. You just need to be ready to set off, even when things don't go according to plan.
Comprehension Questions
1. Where did Alex and the author decide to go on holiday?
2. Why was the author almost late for the flight?
3. What did the member of staff at the airport tell them?
4. How did they manage to check in their luggage?
5. What did the author say to Alex when they got on the plane?
6. How long did the flight take?
7. What did they do during the holiday?
8. What lesson did the author learn from this trip?
Vocabulary
Learn new words, phrasal verbs and useful phrases.
Match the words and phrases with the pictures and listen to the pronunciation
Match the phrasal verbs with their definitions
Match the useful phrases with their definitions
Practice
Complete the exercises to practise the new vocabulary.
Complete the sentences with the correct phrasal verb
1. We were the last passengers to the plane.
2. When the bus arrived, we and found our seats.
3. The taxi stopped and Alex and ran towards me.
4. We early in the morning to avoid traffic.
5. The plane on time despite the bad weather.
6. Alex promised to at four in the morning.
7. The taxi driver right outside the terminal.
8. We went to the desk to for our flight.
9. We had an hour before the flight, so we the duty-free shops.
10. I the train at the wrong station and had to walk back.
Complete the sentences with the correct useful phrase
1. There were over two hundred passengers .
2. Everything went according to plan and the flight arrived .
3. The resort was right , with amazing sea views.
4. The journey was short because we travelled .
5. Our hotel was the beach — just a five-minute walk.
6. The town is its seafood and beautiful harbour.
7. The airport was quite the city centre — it took us an hour to get there.
8. We almost missed the flight because Alex was the taxi.
9. I stood outside my apartment, Alex to arrive.
10. The hotel staff everything we needed.
11. It's important to a trip carefully if you want everything to go smoothly.
12. I stopped to the view from the top of the hill.
13. The flight left exactly at seven — right .
14. We got to the gate just to hear the final call.
Complete the sentences with the correct word or phrase
1. Before the trip, I spent an hour trying to and fit everything in.
2. At the check-in desk, you need to to the airport staff.
3. My bag was so heavy that I had to ask Alex to help me .
4. We almost missed the plane and had to run to the gate to .
5. After ten hours of travel, we finally managed to .
6. The best way to relax is to on the Mediterranean coast.
7. For my birthday, my parents promised to around the Greek islands.
8. I wanted to for my mum, so I bought a small painting of the harbour.
9. I can't very well, so I always use my phone's GPS.
10. Instead of taking a taxi, we decided to to the city centre.
11. After a long flight, we were tired but happy to finally .
12. We sat on the balcony to of the ocean at sunset.
Final Test
Check your knowledge of travel vocabulary, phrasal verbs and useful phrases.