Passive Voice in English Dialogue: Meeting Friends At The Airport

Jim and Betty have come to the airport to meet their friends, Nancy and Tom, who are returning from a holiday in Indonesia. The plane has just arrived.

Betty:	Oh, Jim, isn't it exciting!
Jim:	Yes, it is. Can you see Nancy and Tom?
Betty:	No, not yet.
Jim:	Look, Betty, the stairs are being pushed towards the plane!
Betty:	Yes, they're being put near the door of the plane. Oh, now the door is being opened. Oh, another door is being opened! What is that door for?
Jim:	The passengers' luggage is taken out of that door.
Betty:	I see. Oh, now the passengers are being allowed to come out of the plane! But I can't see Nancy and Tom yet.
Jim:	Never mind. Perhaps they've been sitting at the back of the plane. They're probably being delayed by all the other passengers in front of them.
Betty:	Look behind you, Jim! What a lot of people are waving handkerchiefs! They're recognising their friends.
Jim:	My handkerchief is ready. I'll wave it as soon as I see Nancy and Tom.
Betty:	Oh bother! Mine is in my bag. Jim, there's Nancy.
Jim:	And there's Tom!
Betty:	They haven't seen us yet.
Jim:	I suppose our handkerchiefs can't be seen among all these other ones.
Betty:	Oh, Jim, the passengers aren't being allowed to come and say "hello" to their friends. They're being taken into that room over there!
Jim:	Yes, Betty. That's the Customs room. Their luggage must be examined by the Customs officials before they're allowed to talk to their friends.
Betty:	Look, Nancy has seen us! She's waving to us.
Jim:	So is Tom.
Betty:	Hello, Nancy!
Jim:	Tom! Hello!
Betty:	Oh, we can't be heard - there's too much noise! How long before we'll be able to talk to them?
Jim:	Oh, people are never kept very long by the Customs officials. After their luggage is examined, they'll be able to talk to us.
Betty:	But while their luggage is being examined, we aren't allowed to go into the Customs room.
Jim:	No, nobody is allowed to go into the Customs room to speak to the passengers. Let's go and wait near the door.
Betty:	Oh yes! I can hardly wait to be told all about their holiday in Indonesia.

Answer the following questions.

1. Where does the conversation take place?
2. What are Jim and Betty doing there?
3. Where have Nancy and Tom been?
4. What will Jim do with his handkerchief?
5. Where's Betty's handkerchief?
6. Can the passengers come and say 'hello' to their friends after they come out of the plane?
7. Where are the passengers being taken?
8. When will Jim and Betty be able to talk to their friends?
9. Where will they wait for their friends?
10. Please copy all the sentences with "passive present continuous" and underline the verbs.

Dive Deeper into the Passive

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7/27/11, 11:34 PM, PV 2353