In this Business English Pod lesson on business travel, we’ll be looking at how to deal with security checks.

In recent years getting through the security check at the airport has become a chore. In some cities, the whole process can take fifteen to twenty minutes or more. This includes standing in line, sending your bags through the X-ray machine, and walking through a metal detector, which “detects” or finds any metal you might have hidden on your body. Most security checks thus require passengers to take metal items out of their pockets and put them on a tray – or flat container – to send through the X-ray machine. Some countries – notably the United States – may even insist that passengers remove their coats and shoes.

And of course it’s not just airports that have high security – more and more tourist attractions are “beefing up” or increasing their security too. So negotiating security checks is a good skill to practice.

In this episode, Honesto and Alan are on their way home. They arrive at the airport late, so they are anxious about missing their flight. When the dialog begins, they have checked in to get their boarding passes. Now they need to go through security.

Listening Questions

1. At the beginning of the dialog, what does the security officer ask passengers to do?
2. What problem does security find with Alan’s baggage?
3. Alan has to leave an item behind at the security check. What is it?

Download: Podcast MP3

For many people, visiting a café or coffee shop is a normal part of business travel, if not everyday life. Not only are coffee shops a good place to get a cup of espresso, they are also a great location to have a quick meeting with a customer, take a short break, and – most importantly for the business traveler – get online to check your email. Many cafés are now equipped with WiFi, or wireless internet. So while you sip on your latte or your mocha, you can surf the web and keep connected.

But despite people’s attempts to make WiFi services user-friendly, or easy to use, they are sometimes difficult to connect to. So in this lesson, we’ll not only look at ordering coffee, we’ll also practice troubleshooting an internet connection.

For today’s lesson, we’ll be rejoining our friend Honesto as he stops by a coffee shop at the airport. We’ll hear to Honesto ordering a drink and attempting to connect to the café’s WiFi. As you listen, try to answer the following questions.

Listening Questions

1) What kind of drink does Honesto order?
2) What “deal” does the coffee shop offer Honesto?
3) Why can’t he get online?

Download: Podcast MP3

Business travelers can’t always get where they need to go by catching a plane or taking a taxi. Sometimes we need our own means of transport, and that usually means renting a car. So, in this ESL podcast we’ll cover language you can use when choosing a car, discussing features and clarifying insurance options.

In the last episode (BEP 124 – Checking our of a Hotel), we met Honesto Salvador and Alan Chan, who have just finished attending a training program sponsored by their company in Boston. They’ve just arrived now at Logan Airport, where they need to rent a car for their upcoming trip to New Haven.

As you listen, pay attention to the language they use to ask about vehicle types, standard features, extras and insurance options.

Listening Questions

1. What kind of car would Honesto prefer?
2. What features are standard on all Beevis cars?
3. Why does Honesto not need extra insurance?

Download: Podcast MP3