Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- stowaway / ˈstoʊ əˌweɪ / (n.) – a person who secretly hides on a vehicle, such as a ship or airplane, to avoid paying
Example:The thief became a stowaway to avoid being caught by the police.
- verdict / ˈvɜr dɪkt / (n.) – an official decision by a court, usually about whether someone is guilty or not
Example:The court will give its final verdict after it finishes looking at the evidence.
- glom onto (someone/something) / glɒm ˈɒn tu / (phrasal v.) – to become attached, stuck, or associated with someone/something
Example:A fan tried to get close to the artist by glomming onto the artist’s staff.
- bound / baʊnd / (adj.) – going or traveling toward a particular place
Example:The bus bound for the city left the station this morning.
- mask / mæsk / (v.) – to cover or hide someone/something so it is not seen clearly
Example:Masked by her large coat and scarf, no one noticed the celebrity in the café.
Article
Read the text below.
A jury convicted a woman who sneaked onto a flight from New York to Paris without a boarding pass by slipping past security and airline gate agents at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport last year.
The short trial of Svetlana Dali concluded with a guilty finding on a stowaway charge by jurors in federal court in Brooklyn. Jury selection and opening statements were both held on May 20, and Dali took the stand on May 21.
The judge did not immediately set a sentencing date. Dali faces up to six months in prison, according to her sentencing guidelines. To date, she has been in custody for more than six months.
Dali’s lawyer, Michael Schneider, declined to comment to The Associated Press following the verdict.
Surveillance video shows Dali, a 57-year-old Russian citizen with U.S. residency, glomming onto a group of ticketed passengers as they pass two Delta Air Lines staffers who were checking tickets and didn’t appear to notice Dali. She then strolls with the group onto an air bridge to a plane bound for Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.
In court, Dali said she walked onto the plane without being asked for a boarding pass, though she acknowledged she did not have one.
Prosecutors said Dali had initially been turned away from a security checkpoint at JFK by a Transportation Security Administration official after she was unable to show a boarding pass. But she was able to join a special security lane for airline employees and, masked by a large Air Europa flight crew, made it to an area where she was screened and patted down. Then she went to the Delta gate.
On the plane, prosecutors said she hid in a bathroom for several hours and wasn’t discovered by Delta crew members until the plane was nearing Paris. Dali told the court she went in there because she was feeling sick.
Crew members notified French authorities, who detained her before she entered customs at the Paris airport, according to court documents.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- A woman sneaked onto a flight from New York to Paris without a ticket or boarding pass. If someone can get on a plane without a boarding pass, what does that say about airport security? Do you think the airport staff should be punished for not noticing her? Why or why not? Discuss.
- How do you feel about flying after reading about a stowaway on a flight? Do you worry about safety? What could airports do to help travelers feel safe after an incident like this? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Dali was found guilty of being a stowaway and may spend up to six months in prison. Do you think going to prison is a fair punishment in this case? Why or why not? What other punishments could work in a situation like this? Discuss.
- Dali hid in the plane’s bathroom because she was feeling sick. How should airport administration balance security with kindness or understanding? Is it possible to do both? Why or why not? Discuss.
