I’m not Keen on Flying

- So you are off to Murmansk, are you? How are you going?

- By plane. I’m not all that keen on flying though.

- Why not? It’s much quicker than any other way.

- Well, it always makes me nervous. I don’t think it’s natural to be all that way up in the air.

- I know what you mean, but there are very few accidents these days.

- Well, perhaps not many, but when there are there isn’t much you can do about it, is there? Of course I don’t believe that every other flight runs into some kind of trouble, but still...

- Well, I’m sure you’ll be all right.

- I suppose so, but I still don’t like it.

- But it’s all over pretty quickly and then you can forget all about it.

- Not really. I’ll keep thinking about the flight back.

VOCABULARY

Every other

1. all the rest

e.g. Every other boy in the class knows the answer.

2. alternate

e.g. Write only on every other line.

keen (on), a

(infml) enthusiastic about

e.g. keen on going abroad

run into sb, v

meet unexpectedly

run into sth, v

1. collide with

e.g. The bus ran into a wall.

2. reach (a condition)

e.g. run into debt/ danger/ difficulties

3. reach (a level or figure)

e.g. His income runs into five figures (= is now 10,000 pounds, dollars, etc. or more).

NOTES

accident, n

an unfortunate or undesirable happening which was unexpected and caused injury, loss, suffering or death

ðmeet with an accident

have an unexpected misfortune

ðby accident (= by chance)

▪Cf.: incident, n

happening of secondary importance

event, n

happening of greater importance both in history and personal life

2. Imagine that you are flying to Singapore. The passenger in the next seat is nervous and scared as she/ he has never flown before. Try to reassure him/ her.

III