✈️ Passport Control
What do you call the bag you keep with you on a plane, rather than putting in the hold?
Hand luggage / carry-on bag
In French, "actuellement" means "currently." What does "actually" mean in English?
In fact / in reality — used to correct or add emphasis, not to mean "at this moment"
What is the capital city of Turkey?
Ankara (Not Istanbul!)
In which Shakespeare play does a character say "Parting is such sweet sorrow"?
Romeo and Juliet, said by Juliet to Romeo as they say goodnight
If someone says "hit the road," what do they mean?
To leave or set off on a journey, e.g. "Right, let's hit the road, we've got a long drive ahead"
What does "check in" mean at an airport?
To register your arrival at the airport, drop off your luggage, and collect your boarding pass
If a British person says the hotel was "quite nice," are they impressed?
Not really — in British English "quite nice" is faint praise, meaning just acceptable rather than genuinely good
How many countries are there in the world? (To the nearest 10)
Answer: 195 — 193 UN member states plus Vatican City and Palestine
"Cheerio," "ta-ta," and "toodle-oo" are all informal British ways of saying what?
Goodbye!
What does it mean to "burn your bridges"?
To do something that makes it impossible to go back, to permanently damage a relationship or opportunity behind you
What do we call the fee airlines charge when your suitcase is too heavy?
Excess baggage charge.
What does it mean to be "jet-lagged" and can you use it in a sentence?
To be exhausted and disoriented after a long flight across time zones — e.g. "I'm completely jet-lagged, I woke up at 3am thinking it was noon"
Which country has the most native English speakers?
The United States
What famous last words did Marie Antoinette reportedly say after accidentally stepping on her executioner's foot on the way to the guillotine?
"Pardonnez-moi, monsieur" — "Forgive me, sir" — possibly the most polite exit in history!
If someone tells you to "go off the beaten track," what are they suggesting?
To explore somewhere unusual or less visited, away from the typical tourist routes, it can also mean to do something unconventional
What does it mean when a flight is described as "overbooked"?
More tickets have been sold than there are seats on the plane
What's the difference between "I'm bored" and "I'm boring"?
"I'm bored" means you feel bored; "I'm boring" means you are the cause of boredom in others — a classic adjective/verb confusion!
Which of these is NOT an official language of the United Nations: Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese?
Portuguese - the six official UN languages are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish
Which iconic British rock band played their last ever concert at Knebworth in 1986, with an audience of around 120,000 people?
Queen - it was Freddie Mercury's final live performance
What does "to jump ship" mean, and where does the expression come from?
To abandon something, a job, a project, a relationship - before it fails; it comes from sailors literally jumping off a sinking or troubled ship
What is a "layover" and how is it different from a "stopover"?
A layover is a short wait between connecting flights, usually under 24 hours; a stopover is longer and often involves leaving the airport
A British person watches their friend slip and fall over in the street. What does their friend say?
A) Clumsy idiot!
B) Enjoy your trip!
C) Attention!
B) Enjoy your trip!
What is the most widely spoken language in the world by total number of speakers, including non-native speakers?
English - with around 1.5 billion speakers worldwide, though Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers
What is the name of the final scene tradition in theatre where the cast comes together to bow and acknowledge the audience?
The curtain call, so named because originally the curtain would be raised again after the show to allow the cast to take their bow
What does it mean to "give someone the slip"?
To escape from someone or avoid them without being noticed, e.g. "The celebrity gave the photographers the slip by leaving through the back door"