英会話上達研究会オンライン

• This guy from our Japan branch came here the other day, and he told me that his boss went to that important meeting in Singapore.
• Boy, business trips abroad... we are so jealous!
• Then, he was scheduled to get on a plane at 5:00, but his secretary got a phone call from him at 5:30! He was still at Narita airport.
• What happened? The flight was cancelled?
• Whenever you go abroad, they check your passport at the counter before the flight, right? Well, looking at the picture on the passport he gave her, the lady at the counter asked him to show her ‘‘his’’ passport.
• What? He did show his passport, didn't he?
• He thought he did, but he made a mistake...so he wasn't able to get on the plane.
• Made a mistake on his passport? You mean he forgot his passport, don't you?
• Not quite. It had been a long time since he had gone abroad, and when he was getting ready the day before, he found two passports-one blue and one red-so he just picked up the blue one without looking inside.
• What do you mean?
• He thought the red one was for ladies and the blue one for men. In Japan, red means the passport is valid for 10 years and blue means it's valid for 5 years.
• Hehe. Did they let him on the plane?
• Of course not! That's why he called to his secretary at 5:30: to ask her to reserve a seat on a next plane. Incidentally, the passport he picked up was his daughter's.

Grammar Check

【1】

whenever ～

Let's leave whenever you're ready.

【2】

looking at the picture..., the lady at the counter asked him...

= when she looked at the picture..., the lady at the counter asked him...

【3】

valid

This ticket is valid at these five stores.

My driver's license is valid for two more years.

【4】

reserve

✕ reserve a hotel → reserve a (single, twin, double-bedded) room

make a reservation for ～