Review: vocabulary and speaking
Practice note: Grammar examples and role-play details may be hypothetical. Questions explicitly about the article use the reported facts. This is a historical report, not current travel advice.
A These 8 words are the main words of the story. Learn them first. Use them to talk about the storm and the flights.
| Form / word | Example / meaning |
| storm | A big storm is hitting the northeast U.S. |
| flight | Many flights are canceled today. |
| cancelation | There were 253 cancelations on Saturday. |
| delay | The airport also had 36 delays. |
| airport | Logan airport is in Boston. |
| passenger | Passengers can change their flights. |
| weather | The weather is very bad now. |
| waiver | Delta gives passengers a travel waiver. |
A big storm is hitting Boston.
The weather is bad today.
Это 8 ключевых слов темы. Их нужно знать твёрдо — без них нельзя рассказать историю.
B These verbs and verb phrases tell us what happened. We use Past Simple for Saturday (it is finished) and Present Continuous for now (it is happening today).
| Form / word | Example / meaning |
| hit | The storm hit the northeast U.S. |
| cancel | Cape Air canceled 115 flights. |
| schedule | Airlines are changing the schedule. |
| update a schedule | Delta is updating a schedule every hour. |
| change a plan | The storm made airlines change a plan. |
| change a flight | Passengers can change a flight without a change fee. |
| have a problem | Boston airport has a problem with the storm. |
| pay extra | Passengers do not pay extra for a new flight. |
| let | The waiver lets passengers change flights. |
| information comes from | This information comes from FlightAware. |
The storm hit Boston on Saturday.
Delta is updating a schedule right now.
Прошлое (суббота) — Past Simple: hit, canceled. Сейчас — Present Continuous: is updating, are changing.
C These words describe the storm, the airports and the problem. The most is the superlative form of 'much/many' — it means the biggest number.
| Form / word | Example / meaning |
| strong | A strong storm hit Boston. |
| heavy | There was heavy rain on Saturday. |
| still | The storm is still here on Sunday. |
| clear | Sunday's weather is not clear yet. |
| number | The number of cancelations is high. |
| extra fee | There is no extra fee for a new flight. |
| extra money | Passengers do not pay extra money. |
| small | Nantucket is a small airport. |
| big | Boston Logan is a big airport. |
| important | MVY airport is important for Cape Air. |
| the most | Cape Air has the most cancelations at Logan. |
| forecast | The forecast says more rain on Sunday. |
A strong storm brought heavy rain.
Cape Air has the most cancelations.
Это слова-описания: сильный/тихий, большой/маленький, ещё/ясно. 'The most' = больше всего (превосходная степень).
D We use because + subject + verb for a clause, and because of + noun for a thing. 'Reason' is a noun — 'the reason is...'.
| Form / word | Example / meaning |
| because | Flights cancel because the storm is strong. |
| because of | Flights cancel because of the storm. |
| reason | The storm is the reason for the delays. |
Flights cancel because the weather is bad.
Flights cancel because of the weather.
Because + подлежащее + глагол; because of + существительное. Reason = причина (существительное).
Exercises
Write your answers below, then open Answers. There is no automatic checking. Entries are not saved when you leave this page.
7.1 Write the Russian meaning of each English word.
Example: storm → шторм, буря
- delay
- waiver
- passenger
- forecast
- reason
- cancel
- extra fee
- airport
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- задержка
- разрешение изменить рейс без штрафа
- пассажир
- прогноз
- причина
- отменить
- дополнительная плата
- аэропорт
7.2 Complete the summary of the text with words from the lesson.
Example: A ______ storm is hitting the northeast U.S. (strong/small) → strong
- Boston airport has many .
- The weather is the for these problems.
- Delta gives passengers a to change flights without a change fee.
- Cape Air and Delta have the cancelations.
- Small airports like Nantucket also have .
- Airlines are their schedules every day.
- The for Sunday is still not clear.
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- cancelations
- reason
- waiver
- most
- problems
- updating
- forecast
7.3 Choose the right word: because or because of.
Example: Flights are late ______ the storm. (because / because of) → because of
- Flights are late the storm is strong.
- Cape Air canceled flights heavy rain.
- Delta helps passengers the weather is bad.
- The airport has problems the storm.
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- because
- because of
- because
- because of
7.4 Complete the sentences with the correct verb phrase: pay extra, let, have a problem, update a schedule, change a plan.
Example: Boston airport ______ with the storm today. → has a problem
- Passengers do not for a new flight.
- The waiver s passengers change their flights.
- Airlines every hour because the weather changes.
- The storm made Cape Air .
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- pay extra
- let
- update a schedule
- change a plan
7.5 Speaking. Use the lesson vocabulary to complete these tasks.
Example: In one sentence, say why Boston flights are canceled. → Flights are canceled because of a strong storm and heavy rain.
- Retell the news story in 5–6 sentences. Use this plan: storm → airport problems → reason → waiver → small airports.
- Role-play: You are a passenger. Your flight is canceled because of the storm. Ask the agent for a new flight without a change fee.
- Role-play: You are an airline agent. Tell the passenger about the waiver and the new schedule.
- Compare two airports from the text: a big one and a small one. Use 'big', 'small' and 'the most'.
Answers
For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.
- A strong storm hit Boston. Logan airport had many cancelations and delays. The weather is the reason. Delta gives passengers a waiver to change flights. Small airports like Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard also have problems.
- Passenger: My flight is canceled because of the storm. Can I change my flight? Agent: Yes, you have a waiver. You do not pay extra.
- Agent: Your flight is canceled because of the weather. You can change your flight without a change fee. We are updating the schedule now.
- Boston Logan is a big airport with many cancelations. Nantucket is a small airport, but it is important too. Of the two airlines in the report, Cape Air has the most cancelations.