How to do this dictation
Play the audio and write down what you hear. You can listen as many times as you like. When you are ready, check the answer key to see the target sentences, and use the full transcript to read through the whole passage.
Before you listen — key vocabulary
clear air turbulence (n.) — sudden, violent bumping of an aircraft caused by air currents at high altitude; often occurs with no visible warning signs
descent (n.) — the phase of a flight when the aircraft is losing altitude to approach its destination
fasten seat belt sign (n. phrase) — a lit sign in the cabin telling passengers to buckle up immediately
cabin crew (n. phrase) — the flight attendants responsible for passenger safety and service in the cabin
sprained ankle (n. phrase) — an injury where the ankle ligaments are stretched by a sudden twist or fall
Your dictation task
Listen to the audio two or three times. Write down only the sentences that describe what happened to the people on board — how many were affected, what happened to them, and what injuries they received.
An Airbus A330 was on its descent to Cairo International Airport when it encountered a patch of clear air turbulence. The turbulence came without warning and lasted approximately 35 seconds. Five passengers who were not wearing their seat belts were thrown from their seats. Three cabin crew members who were working in the aisle were also knocked to the floor.
The flight deck immediately activated the fasten seat belt sign and the captain made an announcement asking all passengers to remain seated. The aircraft continued to Cairo and made a safe landing approximately 20 minutes later. After the aircraft arrived at the gate, two passengers and one cabin crew member were taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries, including bruises and a sprained ankle.
Write down only these three sentences from the audio:
- Five passengers who were not wearing their seat belts were thrown from their seats. (★ seat belts / thrown from their seats)
- Three cabin crew members who were working in the aisle were also knocked to the floor. (★ cabin crew members / knocked to the floor)
- After the aircraft arrived at the gate, two passengers and one cabin crew member were taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries, including bruises and a sprained ankle. (★ arrived at the gate / sprained ankle)
patch of turbulence (n. phrase) — a localised area of rough air in an otherwise smooth flight
activated (v.) — turned on or switched on, typically by a control in the cockpit
announcement (n.) — an official message made over the aircraft’s public address system
remain seated (v. phrase) — to stay sitting down; a standard instruction from the flight deck during turbulence
arrive at the gate (v. phrase) — to reach the boarding gate at the terminal after landing
bruise (n.) — a dark mark on the skin caused by an impact; does not break the skin
sprained ankle (n. phrase) — an injury where the ankle ligaments are stretched by a sudden twist or fall
Speaking follow-up
Imagine you are a passenger on this flight. You were not wearing your seat belt when the turbulence hit. Describe to another passenger what the experience was like and what happened to you.
Record yourself on a phone voice memo so you can play it back and self-review. There’s no single right answer — the goal is to produce a clear, structured response under time pressure.
Level: CEFR B1 / ICAO Level 4
Want to read about the real-world dangers of in-flight turbulence? See our news report on the Singapore Airlines turbulence that injured over 100 passengers.