📙 Part 2: Describe a time when you saw a child behaving badly in public
What happens when a screaming child pushes Rory to his absolute limit in a crowded airport? Our expert shares a vivid travel story where he had to take matters into his own hands. You won't believe how it ends!
This episode's vocabulary
Transfer (verb) - to switch flight/plane airline.
For the life of me - however hard you try.
Vividly (adj.) - in a way that is very clear, powerful, and detailed in your mind.
Scream your head off (idiom)- to scream very loudly.
Irritating (adj.) - making you feel annoyed:
High-pitched (adj.) - a voice that is high-pitched is higher than usual.
Ear-piercing (adj.)- shrill and irritating to the ear.
Glance (noun) - a quick short look.
Avoid (verb) - to stay away from someone or something.
Firmly (adverb) - forcefully.
Gesture (noun) - a movement of the hands, arms, or head, etc. to express an idea or feeling.
Characteristically (adj.) - in a way that is typical of a person or thing.
Bat an eye (idiom)- to show no sign of surprise or worry when something unexpected happens.
Interfere (verb) - to involve yourself in a situation when your involvement is not wanted or is not helpful.
Out of line (idiom)- beyond what is considered acceptable behavior.
Irk (verb) - to annoy someone.
-
Questions and Answers
Maria: Rory will describe a time when he saw a child behaving badly in public. He'll say where it happened, what the child was doing, how other people reacted to it and how he felt about it. Could you start speaking now, please?
Rory: Well, one time I was travelling to Haiti on holiday and I had to transfer through the main airport in Turkey. I cannot remember the name for the life of me, but and I think it's changed since. But anyway, I know it was the main airport in Turkey. I remember that quite vividly. And I remember in addition to remembering that vividly, I remember that there was this child screaming his head off as he was standing next to his mother, who was doing sweet "Fanny Adams" to stop him. He wasn't screaming because he was injured or anything like this. It was all just for attention. And it was the most irritating sound I have heard in my life. And I deal with children almost on the daily. So it's not because I don't like children. It's the sound that was annoying me. It's the sort of high pitched, ear piercing scream. It was awful. A lot of... Most people were just moving around the problem because they were going about their business and heading elsewhere. But there were a lot of sideways glances and I would have done this, too. But the unfortunate thing is I was in the queue behind this pair. Well, we were waiting to exchange some money at the Bureau Deshong. So it wasn't something I could really avoid. And to be honest, while I'm usually quite a patient person, or at least I tried to be, I just could not put up with it for as long as I needed to. So I just looked at the kids and then said quite quietly but firmly, Hey, shush, and put my finger to my lips, like with the gesture for telling people to be quiet. And almost immediately he stopped screaming. The mother, characteristically, characteristically for her, it seems, didn't even bat an eye. But I caught a few looks from passers by, and I think most of them were quite positive. And despite everything, I don't really like interfering in a way like this. But the child was being way out of line. So I'm really glad I did it. And I hope it's the only time I have to do something like that ever again.
Maria: What do you think other people were feeling?
Rory: I think other people were feeling quite irked but grateful that they could escape.
-
Make sure to subscribe to our social media to see some of the “behind the scenes” stuff:
Our Instagram: bit.ly/instagramswi
Our Telegram: bit.ly/telegramswi