For some kids, the playground isn’t enough – extreme sports like snowboarding or motocross are the best ways to have fun. But are they safe?
Who ...?
A - enjoys being around people
B - enjoys the feeling of being scared
C - has been doing the sport just in the last year
D - is fully aware of the danger the sport poses
E - started doing the sport when he/she was a toddler
F - thinks the sport has an influence on personality
G – would be wasting his/her time is they weren’t doing this sport
My name is Luke Ruben Acuna, I'm 12 years old. I've been chair skating for about a year now. For all those that think that chair skating is really dangerous, it, it is. That is true, but there are certain things that us chair skaters do to not let ourselves get hurt. It's only dangerous if we let it to be dangerous.
My name John Givoni Connolly. I'm nine years old, and I, I started snowboarding when I was two. To overcome fear trying something new, I just do it.
I am Tessa Milan. I am 11 years old, and I am from Carlsbad, California. I like being scared, and sometimes when I'm like, airing on a half pipe, it makes me feel scared, so I like that feeling.
I am Charlie Gray. I am 11 years old, and I'm from Mammoth Lakes, California. Snowboarding is awesome because you're outdoors, get to be around people that you like. It's, like, the best sport ever.
My name is Verastess, and I live in Petaluma, California. Started skateboarding when I was about, like, almost one in diapers. If I didn't have skateboarding, I'll probably just lay around on the couch all day and watch TV. When I'm really scared to try something, I just think to myself, if you wanna do it really bad, you can do it.
I'm Brian Cullen. My kids are Michael. He's 8 years old. And Kylie, she's 10. Climbing for us has really brought the family together, and I love to see that. It's just really exciting to see what it's, you know, what it's done for them physically and mentally. I mean climbing is, is problem solving.
My name is Eric Ferdell. I am 11 years old. I'm from Courts Hill, and started riding about three years ago. Definitely, this sport is very dangerous. Every time you go out there, you keep it in the back of your head saying, oh, yeah well, I coud break an arm, or I could die doing this. But really, it's how much will you put into it? What I enjoy most is just the feeling you have when you're going, you know, 70 miles an hour, up to a jump, and then launch about 60 feet in the air. And, anything you can think of on a dirt bike, you can do it.
Key:
A Charlie Gray (snowboarding)
B Tessa Milan (snowboarding)
C Luke Ruben Acuna (chair skating)
D Eric Ferdell (motocross)
E John Givoni Connolly (snowboarding)
F Brian Cullen (climbing)
G Verastess (skateboarding)
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martes, 20 de septiembre de 2016
miércoles, 20 de julio de 2016
Talking point: Survival
This week's talking point is survival. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas come to mind more easily the day you get together with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.
When was the last time you went to some kind of natural environment?
What did you do there?
How did you prepare for your trip?
What advice would you give to people that are planning to do these activities?
A visitor is coming to stay in your country or region. What would you tell them about the following?
- endangered species and where you can find them
- dangerous animals or other creatures (e.g. birds, fish, insects)
- other possible risks or dangers (e.g. diseases, dangerous places, travel, weather)
ANECDOTE
Think of a dangerous situation that you or someone you know was in, or it could be something you know about from a book, a film or the news. Make notes about the following questions:
Where and when did it take place?
Who was involved?
What was the scene or background to the story?
What were the main events?
How did you / the person feel?
What was the outcome?
To illustrate the topic you can watch the video planning for backpacking around the world.
When was the last time you went to some kind of natural environment?
What did you do there?
How did you prepare for your trip?
What advice would you give to people that are planning to do these activities?
Camping in a forest
Backpacking in a foreign country
Swimming in the sea
Hiking in the mountain
A visitor is coming to stay in your country or region. What would you tell them about the following?
- endangered species and where you can find them
- dangerous animals or other creatures (e.g. birds, fish, insects)
- other possible risks or dangers (e.g. diseases, dangerous places, travel, weather)
ANECDOTE
Think of a dangerous situation that you or someone you know was in, or it could be something you know about from a book, a film or the news. Make notes about the following questions:
Where and when did it take place?
Who was involved?
What was the scene or background to the story?
What were the main events?
How did you / the person feel?
What was the outcome?
To illustrate the topic you can watch the video planning for backpacking around the world.
miércoles, 9 de diciembre de 2015
Talking point: Risk
This week's talking point is risk. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas flow more easily when you meet up with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.
What different types of risks do you think people in each of these professions take?
Which do you think are the most/least risky?
What risks, if any, do you take regularly?
What makes you stressed?
How good are you at coping with stress?
What strategies do you use to deal with stress?
When was the last time you dared to take a chance and do something new?
Were you afraid of failure?
How important is security to you?
Do children today have less freedom than in the past?
Are they exposed to less danger?
Have a look at the situations below and try to agree on the two which are the most risky/stressful and the two which are the least risky/stressful.
To illustrate the point you can watch the New York Times video on Brent Weingard, who has battled dirt and grime high above New York City for as far as he can remember.
You know, I get up in the morning sometimes, and I get out there on the ledge. I just have to say, God! I love the smell of ammonia in the morning.
We are window cleaners. You know, some people will refer to us as window washers and I know they are either not that knowledgeable of this business or they are trying to put us down.
I’ve been working for thirty-five years, primarily here in New York City. I think heights… we never want to take our equipment for granted or our ability to work safely at great heights, so a certain amount of respect for the height and fear can… is healthy.
We take advantage of this door frame, and it’s a very, very good anchor. So if I were to lose my balance, free fall, one foot, this would certainly stop me, out of luck.
In pre-war buildings and buildings that have been properly renovated they have anchors outside of the windows that we can clip on with our window cleaning belt. First time I used the window cleaning belt I remember going out and just hugging the window as much as I would not lean back on that and trust those anchors enough.
For washing, the universal solvent is water. Added to the water we prefer mostly ammonia and just a squirt of Joy for lubrication. I was visiting my grandmother and I was about ready to clean her windows and she said ‘before you put anything in the water I’ve got the best thing for you’ and she pulled out a bottle of Joy dishwashing liquid and I said, ‘grandmother, that’s what the professionals in New York use’ and she says, ‘that’s right, it’s the best stuff’.
I can think of five occasions, were things we dropped, either a pole or squeegee and it is one of my biggest fears, our care not to drop equipment. We sometimes hold that equipment very tightly, tighter than necessary, kind of a dead grip.
I remember when one of my earliest realizations was my hands cramping at night, feeling very sore but I would say the more wear-and-tear for a window cleaner is in the knees. I’ll be ready for knee replacement.
When I was younger, guys, used to say to me or the super ‘you missed a spot’. I guess that’s the oldest joke in the window cleaning industry, but I always took them very seriously and I would always try to find that spot and fix it.
Voila! Looks good, eh?
Yeah!
Good.
What different types of risks do you think people in each of these professions take?
Which do you think are the most/least risky?
firefighter - actor - politician - stock trader - small business owener
How much of a risk taker are you?What risks, if any, do you take regularly?
What makes you stressed?
How good are you at coping with stress?
What strategies do you use to deal with stress?
When was the last time you dared to take a chance and do something new?
Were you afraid of failure?
How important is security to you?
Do children today have less freedom than in the past?
Are they exposed to less danger?
Have a look at the situations below and try to agree on the two which are the most risky/stressful and the two which are the least risky/stressful.
speak in front of a large audience
speak to a stranger
do a test at college
make a long journey on your own
manage with little money for a while
find a new place to live
take care of little children for a day
complain about bad service in a restaurant
To illustrate the point you can watch the New York Times video on Brent Weingard, who has battled dirt and grime high above New York City for as far as he can remember.
You know, I get up in the morning sometimes, and I get out there on the ledge. I just have to say, God! I love the smell of ammonia in the morning.
We are window cleaners. You know, some people will refer to us as window washers and I know they are either not that knowledgeable of this business or they are trying to put us down.
I’ve been working for thirty-five years, primarily here in New York City. I think heights… we never want to take our equipment for granted or our ability to work safely at great heights, so a certain amount of respect for the height and fear can… is healthy.
We take advantage of this door frame, and it’s a very, very good anchor. So if I were to lose my balance, free fall, one foot, this would certainly stop me, out of luck.
In pre-war buildings and buildings that have been properly renovated they have anchors outside of the windows that we can clip on with our window cleaning belt. First time I used the window cleaning belt I remember going out and just hugging the window as much as I would not lean back on that and trust those anchors enough.
For washing, the universal solvent is water. Added to the water we prefer mostly ammonia and just a squirt of Joy for lubrication. I was visiting my grandmother and I was about ready to clean her windows and she said ‘before you put anything in the water I’ve got the best thing for you’ and she pulled out a bottle of Joy dishwashing liquid and I said, ‘grandmother, that’s what the professionals in New York use’ and she says, ‘that’s right, it’s the best stuff’.
I can think of five occasions, were things we dropped, either a pole or squeegee and it is one of my biggest fears, our care not to drop equipment. We sometimes hold that equipment very tightly, tighter than necessary, kind of a dead grip.
I remember when one of my earliest realizations was my hands cramping at night, feeling very sore but I would say the more wear-and-tear for a window cleaner is in the knees. I’ll be ready for knee replacement.
When I was younger, guys, used to say to me or the super ‘you missed a spot’. I guess that’s the oldest joke in the window cleaning industry, but I always took them very seriously and I would always try to find that spot and fix it.
Voila! Looks good, eh?
Yeah!
Good.
lunes, 26 de octubre de 2015
Listening test: Danger
Listen to Sybil talking about a dangerous situation she once went through and complete the gaps in the sentences below with up to two words. 0 is an example.
0 Example:
Sybil was in Costa Rica when she went through a dangerous situation.
1 She didn’t check how …………………………. was running before getting into the ocean.
2 As well as a swimmer and a boarder Sybil is a …………………………. .
3 When she got into the water, Sybil just …………………………. and the water quickly carried her out.
4 Sybil couldn't surf because of the …………………………. .
5 Traditionally it is advised to move …………………………. if you want to get out of a situation like this.
6 Because the sea was so rough, Sybil ended up drinking a lot of …………………. .
Well Katie, here’s one. It really was, a very dangerous situation. I was in Costa Rica and I was at the beach...and I had not checked before, to find out...how the current was running in the ocean that day. I am a very experienced swimmer, and er...a boarder and body surfer and I should have known better, Katie, but I...I think I got a little ahead of myself...and I got my foot in the water, and it was, absolutely lovely...and I saw that there were big waves out a little bit farther...but, I sort of just lay down in the water, and very very quickly, the water carried me out, into the current. And I found that I could not easily get back, into shore. And er, the waves were very...irregular, which means that I couldn’t body surf on them. So that meant, that I had to decide which way, I was going to try to make it back to shore. And the traditional wisdom, is to go diagonal ...out of the current. And er, I did that, a little bit, but it was a big...fight, and the waves were so big and so strong, and so...irregular, that I couldn’t predict them and it was very difficult to not...drink a lot of salt water which is really bad to do... So it took me a very long time to get out of it, I’m very lucky that I was er...a good swimmer and...I managed to get out if it, but that was a dangerous situation.
KEY:
0 Costa Rica
1 the current
2 body surfer
3 lay down
4 irregular waves
5 diagonally
6 salt water
0 Example:
Sybil was in Costa Rica when she went through a dangerous situation.
1 She didn’t check how …………………………. was running before getting into the ocean.
2 As well as a swimmer and a boarder Sybil is a …………………………. .
3 When she got into the water, Sybil just …………………………. and the water quickly carried her out.
4 Sybil couldn't surf because of the …………………………. .
5 Traditionally it is advised to move …………………………. if you want to get out of a situation like this.
6 Because the sea was so rough, Sybil ended up drinking a lot of …………………. .
Well Katie, here’s one. It really was, a very dangerous situation. I was in Costa Rica and I was at the beach...and I had not checked before, to find out...how the current was running in the ocean that day. I am a very experienced swimmer, and er...a boarder and body surfer and I should have known better, Katie, but I...I think I got a little ahead of myself...and I got my foot in the water, and it was, absolutely lovely...and I saw that there were big waves out a little bit farther...but, I sort of just lay down in the water, and very very quickly, the water carried me out, into the current. And I found that I could not easily get back, into shore. And er, the waves were very...irregular, which means that I couldn’t body surf on them. So that meant, that I had to decide which way, I was going to try to make it back to shore. And the traditional wisdom, is to go diagonal ...out of the current. And er, I did that, a little bit, but it was a big...fight, and the waves were so big and so strong, and so...irregular, that I couldn’t predict them and it was very difficult to not...drink a lot of salt water which is really bad to do... So it took me a very long time to get out of it, I’m very lucky that I was er...a good swimmer and...I managed to get out if it, but that was a dangerous situation.
KEY:
0 Costa Rica
1 the current
2 body surfer
3 lay down
4 irregular waves
5 diagonally
6 salt water
miércoles, 11 de junio de 2014
Talking point: A time when you were in a dangerous situation
This week's talking point deals with personal stories. To be more precise, you will be talking about a time in your life in which you were in a dangerous situation. It is based on the famous anecdote feature of Macmillan's Inside Out.
Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below, so that ideas flow more easily when you get together with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.
You're going to talk about when you were in a dangerous or exciting situation:
a) What happened to Laila?
b) Who was Laila with?
c) Why were they in the States?
d) Why did they go to New York from New Jersey that day?
e) Why did they take a taxi?
f) How much do taxis usually cost?
g) How much did they pay?
h) What problem did the taxi driver have when they got to New Jersey?
i) What did the taxi driver ask Elton to do?
j) What did the taxi driver do when Elton got out of the car?
k) How did Elton react?
l) What excuse did the taxi driver give?
m) What time was it?
n) What did Elton and Laila do?
Key
a) She was Nearly kidnapped by a taxi driver in New York b) A friend, Elton c) They went to another’s friend wedding d) To see Manhattan, have a laugh, go to some bars, and do some cabbing e) They missed their last train home. The last train was at half twelve f) $120 g) $70, because Elton haggled h) He didn’t know the way i) To ask for street directions at a petrol station j) He drove away with Laila in the car k) He ran after the taxi, and caught up with it because the taxi had to stop at a red traffic light l) He had driven away to ask somebody else for directions m) 4 am n) They paid the taxi driver and walked the rest of the way
Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below, so that ideas flow more easily when you get together with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.
You're going to talk about when you were in a dangerous or exciting situation:
- What was the situation?
- When did it happen?
- Where were you?
- Who were you with?
- What were you doing?
- What happened?
- What happened next?
- How did you feel?
- What were the consequences?
- What happened in the end?
a) What happened to Laila?
b) Who was Laila with?
c) Why were they in the States?
d) Why did they go to New York from New Jersey that day?
e) Why did they take a taxi?
f) How much do taxis usually cost?
g) How much did they pay?
h) What problem did the taxi driver have when they got to New Jersey?
i) What did the taxi driver ask Elton to do?
j) What did the taxi driver do when Elton got out of the car?
k) How did Elton react?
l) What excuse did the taxi driver give?
m) What time was it?
n) What did Elton and Laila do?
a) She was Nearly kidnapped by a taxi driver in New York b) A friend, Elton c) They went to another’s friend wedding d) To see Manhattan, have a laugh, go to some bars, and do some cabbing e) They missed their last train home. The last train was at half twelve f) $120 g) $70, because Elton haggled h) He didn’t know the way i) To ask for street directions at a petrol station j) He drove away with Laila in the car k) He ran after the taxi, and caught up with it because the taxi had to stop at a red traffic light l) He had driven away to ask somebody else for directions m) 4 am n) They paid the taxi driver and walked the rest of the way
miércoles, 29 de enero de 2014
Talking point: Extreme sports
This week's talking point is extreme sports. Before getting together with your friends, go over the questions below, so that ideas flow more easily when you meet up with the members of your conversation group and you can solve vocabulary problems beforehand.
Do you enjoy doing sport? Which ones?
What do you do to keep fit?
Do you enjoy watching sports? Which ones?
What extreme sports can you name?
What extreme sports can you do in your area?
What companies or associations or clubs do you have to contact to practise them?
Would you like to jump off a mountain with a parachute or go down a river in a kayak or climb up a mountain or mountain bike in the wild? Why or why not?
Why are there so many people into extreme sports?
Have you heard of accidents of people doing extreme sports?
To what extent is society (rescue services, the police) obliged to help and pay for the cost of rescuing extreme sportspeople?
Do you own any adventure clothing? If so, when do you wear it?
To illustrate the topic you can watch this Nikon film. The English is really hard, so don't feel any regrets about reading the accompanying transcript.
Nikon - WHY from Corey Rich on Vimeo.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
I think I learned how to kayak long before I’ve learned how to talk and walk, that’s for sure…
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
I’m not sure I agree with the quote that it’s all about the journey, because for me it’s all about the competitive aspect, I’m a racer and I love to win.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
“I wouldn’t say that I try to prove something to people. Or that I’m trying to prove something to myself really… But I’m sure there’s a little bit of both.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
When I was growing up and we lived in an R.V. and we were always parked by a river ‘cause we would just go, wherever my Dad wanted to kayak. I was born directly in the sport of kayaking.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
I specialize in long distance mountain biking. What it means is that I ride my bike for a really long time and a 10 hour race would be a short race for me. A race or event where I get to sleep in my own bed that night is a sprint…”
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
Basically, soloing is just rock climbing without a rope, without protection. It’s basically the most distilled type of climbing. I think the beauty of soloing is so simple, you just go by yourself, put your shoes in your track bag and you climb it.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
In my world the only constant thing is that there is no constant. When I’m at a rapid or water fall I may pick my line but it’s never the same, it’s always changing.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
I grew up with suffering skill, my nickname is ‘The queen of pain’. I cannot put my head down, turn the voices inside my head off. It takes hours and days, it kind of strip away all the exterior that kind of find out who you are.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
Yeah, there’s no real ritual, seriously for someone, I just put on my shoes, I chalk up and I rock climb.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
For me, the definition of ‘the zone’ is when you don’t feel the burning of your legs, you don’t hear your heart race, you’re basically just on autopilot, and everything seems easy.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
When all of the movement just feels so crisp and precise and perfect. You don’t feel pain in your fingers as much you could really like torque super hard. I mean, you just feel stronger a lot of time.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
Whenever I’m coming up the lip of a big waterfall, everything else just goes blank and I just focus on what I need to do.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
It’s a big question ask why I solo. Then part of it is the challenge like the fact that it’s hard, the fact that it demands a lot from you. And part of it it’s just the simplicity of soloing is really appealing too, it’s just you, and the route, and climbing. I don’t think there are that many things in life that require the 100% focus that you get out of soloing. You know, it’s kind of like the most pure form of climbing.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
One of the main reasons that I kayak is just the awe of finding new beautiful places. It’s a feeling of being somewhere new nobody else has ever been or you’ve never been, and just the beauty of what’s happening around you. I kayak because it allows me to do what I want to do. I’m always afraid at some point, without the fear it wouldn’t be the same. Overcoming the fear is what really makes kayaking amazing.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
If people ask me why I do this over and over again, the best thing I come up is because I have to, I don’t know how to live my life any other way. I do this because I love it and I’m inspired by the places that I go, I feel it’s the need to explore and to be somewhere new, see what’s around the next corner.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
Yeah, I guess every once in a while you have those moments when you say it’s really magical, this is awesome, you know.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
Without kayaking, I don’t know where my life would be, definitely it wouldn’t be the same, it just drives my life.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
Tapping in on who I am as a person is something I need to do on a regular basis because you never really get to that place on a normal life, and that’s the point when it’s perfect, it’s nirvana.
Do you enjoy doing sport? Which ones?
What do you do to keep fit?
Do you enjoy watching sports? Which ones?
What extreme sports can you name?
What extreme sports can you do in your area?
What companies or associations or clubs do you have to contact to practise them?
Would you like to jump off a mountain with a parachute or go down a river in a kayak or climb up a mountain or mountain bike in the wild? Why or why not?
Why are there so many people into extreme sports?
Have you heard of accidents of people doing extreme sports?
To what extent is society (rescue services, the police) obliged to help and pay for the cost of rescuing extreme sportspeople?
Do you own any adventure clothing? If so, when do you wear it?
To illustrate the topic you can watch this Nikon film. The English is really hard, so don't feel any regrets about reading the accompanying transcript.
Nikon - WHY from Corey Rich on Vimeo.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
I think I learned how to kayak long before I’ve learned how to talk and walk, that’s for sure…
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
I’m not sure I agree with the quote that it’s all about the journey, because for me it’s all about the competitive aspect, I’m a racer and I love to win.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
“I wouldn’t say that I try to prove something to people. Or that I’m trying to prove something to myself really… But I’m sure there’s a little bit of both.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
When I was growing up and we lived in an R.V. and we were always parked by a river ‘cause we would just go, wherever my Dad wanted to kayak. I was born directly in the sport of kayaking.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
I specialize in long distance mountain biking. What it means is that I ride my bike for a really long time and a 10 hour race would be a short race for me. A race or event where I get to sleep in my own bed that night is a sprint…”
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
Basically, soloing is just rock climbing without a rope, without protection. It’s basically the most distilled type of climbing. I think the beauty of soloing is so simple, you just go by yourself, put your shoes in your track bag and you climb it.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
In my world the only constant thing is that there is no constant. When I’m at a rapid or water fall I may pick my line but it’s never the same, it’s always changing.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
I grew up with suffering skill, my nickname is ‘The queen of pain’. I cannot put my head down, turn the voices inside my head off. It takes hours and days, it kind of strip away all the exterior that kind of find out who you are.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
Yeah, there’s no real ritual, seriously for someone, I just put on my shoes, I chalk up and I rock climb.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
For me, the definition of ‘the zone’ is when you don’t feel the burning of your legs, you don’t hear your heart race, you’re basically just on autopilot, and everything seems easy.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
When all of the movement just feels so crisp and precise and perfect. You don’t feel pain in your fingers as much you could really like torque super hard. I mean, you just feel stronger a lot of time.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
Whenever I’m coming up the lip of a big waterfall, everything else just goes blank and I just focus on what I need to do.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
It’s a big question ask why I solo. Then part of it is the challenge like the fact that it’s hard, the fact that it demands a lot from you. And part of it it’s just the simplicity of soloing is really appealing too, it’s just you, and the route, and climbing. I don’t think there are that many things in life that require the 100% focus that you get out of soloing. You know, it’s kind of like the most pure form of climbing.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
One of the main reasons that I kayak is just the awe of finding new beautiful places. It’s a feeling of being somewhere new nobody else has ever been or you’ve never been, and just the beauty of what’s happening around you. I kayak because it allows me to do what I want to do. I’m always afraid at some point, without the fear it wouldn’t be the same. Overcoming the fear is what really makes kayaking amazing.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
If people ask me why I do this over and over again, the best thing I come up is because I have to, I don’t know how to live my life any other way. I do this because I love it and I’m inspired by the places that I go, I feel it’s the need to explore and to be somewhere new, see what’s around the next corner.
Alex Honnold, solo climber:
Yeah, I guess every once in a while you have those moments when you say it’s really magical, this is awesome, you know.
Dane Jackson, kayaker:
Without kayaking, I don’t know where my life would be, definitely it wouldn’t be the same, it just drives my life.
Rebecca Rush, mountain biker:
Tapping in on who I am as a person is something I need to do on a regular basis because you never really get to that place on a normal life, and that’s the point when it’s perfect, it’s nirvana.
jueves, 14 de noviembre de 2013
Cleaning windows in high-rise buildings in New York
Brent Weingard has battled dirt and grime high above New York City for as far as he can remember. He tells us what his job really involves in this three-minute plus video.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below about it.
The activity is suitable for intermediate students.
1 What are the two titles to describe Brent's job?
2 What does '35' refer to?
3 What attitudes towards heights should anyone in this job show?
4 What New York buildings have anchors outside?
5 What three things do professionals use for washing?
6 What is one of Brent's biggest fears?
7 What part of the body suffers the most because of this job?
To check your answers, you can read the transcript below.
You know, I get up in the morning sometimes, and I get out there on the ledge. I just have to say, God! I love the smell of ammonia in the morning.
We are window cleaners. You know, some people will refer to us as window washers and I know they are either not that knowledgeable of this business or they are trying to put us down.
I’ve been working for thirty-five years, primarily here in New York City. I think heights… we never want to take our equipment for granted or our ability to work safely at great heights, so a certain amount of respect for the height and fear can… is healthy.
We take advantage of this door frame, and it’s a very, very good anchor. So if I were to lose my balance, free fall, one foot, this would certainly stop me, out of luck.
In pre-war buildings and buildings that have been properly renovated they have anchors outside of the windows that we can clip on with our window cleaning belt. First time I used the window cleaning belt I remember going out and just hugging the window as much as I would not lean back on that and trust those anchors enough.
For washing, the universal solvent is water. Added to the water we prefer mostly ammonia and just a squirt of Joy for lubrication. I was visiting my grandmother and I was about ready to clean her windows and she said ‘before you put anything in the water I’ve got the best thing for you’ and she pulled out a bottle of Joy dishwashing liquid and I said, ‘grandmother, that’s what the professionals in New York use’ and she says, ‘that’s right, it’s the best stuff’.
I can think of five occasions, were things we dropped, either a pole or squeegee and it is one of my biggest fears, our care not to drop equipment. We sometimes hold that equipment very tightly, tighter than necessary, kind of a dead grip.
I remember when one of my earliest realizations was my hands cramping at night, feeling very sore but I would say the more wear-and-tear for a window cleaner is in the knees. I’ll be ready for knee replacement.
When I was younger, guys, used to say to me or the super ‘you missed a spot’. I guess that’s the oldest joke in the window cleaning industry, but I always took them very seriously and I would always try to find that spot and fix it.
Voila! Looks good, eh?
Yeah!
Good.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below about it.
The activity is suitable for intermediate students.
1 What are the two titles to describe Brent's job?
2 What does '35' refer to?
3 What attitudes towards heights should anyone in this job show?
4 What New York buildings have anchors outside?
5 What three things do professionals use for washing?
6 What is one of Brent's biggest fears?
7 What part of the body suffers the most because of this job?
To check your answers, you can read the transcript below.
You know, I get up in the morning sometimes, and I get out there on the ledge. I just have to say, God! I love the smell of ammonia in the morning.
We are window cleaners. You know, some people will refer to us as window washers and I know they are either not that knowledgeable of this business or they are trying to put us down.
I’ve been working for thirty-five years, primarily here in New York City. I think heights… we never want to take our equipment for granted or our ability to work safely at great heights, so a certain amount of respect for the height and fear can… is healthy.
We take advantage of this door frame, and it’s a very, very good anchor. So if I were to lose my balance, free fall, one foot, this would certainly stop me, out of luck.
In pre-war buildings and buildings that have been properly renovated they have anchors outside of the windows that we can clip on with our window cleaning belt. First time I used the window cleaning belt I remember going out and just hugging the window as much as I would not lean back on that and trust those anchors enough.
For washing, the universal solvent is water. Added to the water we prefer mostly ammonia and just a squirt of Joy for lubrication. I was visiting my grandmother and I was about ready to clean her windows and she said ‘before you put anything in the water I’ve got the best thing for you’ and she pulled out a bottle of Joy dishwashing liquid and I said, ‘grandmother, that’s what the professionals in New York use’ and she says, ‘that’s right, it’s the best stuff’.
I can think of five occasions, were things we dropped, either a pole or squeegee and it is one of my biggest fears, our care not to drop equipment. We sometimes hold that equipment very tightly, tighter than necessary, kind of a dead grip.
I remember when one of my earliest realizations was my hands cramping at night, feeling very sore but I would say the more wear-and-tear for a window cleaner is in the knees. I’ll be ready for knee replacement.
When I was younger, guys, used to say to me or the super ‘you missed a spot’. I guess that’s the oldest joke in the window cleaning industry, but I always took them very seriously and I would always try to find that spot and fix it.
Voila! Looks good, eh?
Yeah!
Good.
jueves, 15 de noviembre de 2012
Bride who survived rape
ABC News has a weekly feature called Our Person of the Week, where they report about a famous or anonymous person who has hit the headlines during the week.
A few months ago Bridget Kelly was ABC's Our person of the Week.
Self-study activity:
Watch the clip and answer the questions below about it.
1 How long ago did the events in the story happen?
2 Where did the events happen?
3 Which two crimes was Bridget the victim of?
4 What do the figures "three", "two hundred" and "six" refer to?
5 How did Bridget meet Eric Strauss, her will-be husband?
6 Which three nouns does Bridget use to describe the way she felt right after the attack?
To check your answers, you can read the transcript below.
Our person of the week. Ten years ago she met someone under unusual and hard-breaking circumstance, beginning a remarkable and healing journey, one that’s inspired so many people along the way and does still today. It’s the walk down the aisle of which every bride and her father dreams. But this walk for this bride stepped in a journey from the depths of darkness. That’s because ten years ago the bride Bridget Kelly was nearly broken by violent tragedy. An attacker took her to an empty field. I got down on the ground and he raped me. Next he told me to get up and I did, and he sort of gestured, indicated where he wanted me to stand and, so I was standing with my back to him. He would shoot her three times, leaving her for dead. But Bridget rose. Somehow making the 200 long yards to a neighbour’s home. After six hours of surgery, her life was safe with her father constantly be her side. I heard her say she thought she had been lifted up by God. And I said “Where was God 10 minutes earlier?” so much bitterly. She said very calmly “He was there holding my hand.” My name’s Bridget… Her wounds would heal and again she rose, speaking out of what had happened to her, showing us that she was not ashamed, that a victim of rape need not be a victim at all, and need never live in fear. ABC News covered the courageous story, that’s when she met a young producer named Eric Strauss. One of the things I was first impressed with Bridget when I met her after working on her story was how she had been through so much, I think a lot of people would’ve just given up. A friendship began and then a relationship brewed. Love, life slowly eclipsing the horrors of the past. Early on I had a lot of fear and anxiety and sadness about what happened but I always looked forward knowing that happy times are ahead. And they were. A lot of people are like “It’s such a happy ending.” And I think Bridget want people to know it’s sort of like a happy beginning for us. A dance for a married couple. And then one for her father to a song chosen by his daughter. I knew that would be special for me and my Dad especially, because we’ve been through, you know, dark times together and this was just clearly such a happy, happy day.
A few months ago Bridget Kelly was ABC's Our person of the Week.
Self-study activity:
Watch the clip and answer the questions below about it.
1 How long ago did the events in the story happen?
2 Where did the events happen?
3 Which two crimes was Bridget the victim of?
4 What do the figures "three", "two hundred" and "six" refer to?
5 How did Bridget meet Eric Strauss, her will-be husband?
6 Which three nouns does Bridget use to describe the way she felt right after the attack?
To check your answers, you can read the transcript below.
Our person of the week. Ten years ago she met someone under unusual and hard-breaking circumstance, beginning a remarkable and healing journey, one that’s inspired so many people along the way and does still today. It’s the walk down the aisle of which every bride and her father dreams. But this walk for this bride stepped in a journey from the depths of darkness. That’s because ten years ago the bride Bridget Kelly was nearly broken by violent tragedy. An attacker took her to an empty field. I got down on the ground and he raped me. Next he told me to get up and I did, and he sort of gestured, indicated where he wanted me to stand and, so I was standing with my back to him. He would shoot her three times, leaving her for dead. But Bridget rose. Somehow making the 200 long yards to a neighbour’s home. After six hours of surgery, her life was safe with her father constantly be her side. I heard her say she thought she had been lifted up by God. And I said “Where was God 10 minutes earlier?” so much bitterly. She said very calmly “He was there holding my hand.” My name’s Bridget… Her wounds would heal and again she rose, speaking out of what had happened to her, showing us that she was not ashamed, that a victim of rape need not be a victim at all, and need never live in fear. ABC News covered the courageous story, that’s when she met a young producer named Eric Strauss. One of the things I was first impressed with Bridget when I met her after working on her story was how she had been through so much, I think a lot of people would’ve just given up. A friendship began and then a relationship brewed. Love, life slowly eclipsing the horrors of the past. Early on I had a lot of fear and anxiety and sadness about what happened but I always looked forward knowing that happy times are ahead. And they were. A lot of people are like “It’s such a happy ending.” And I think Bridget want people to know it’s sort of like a happy beginning for us. A dance for a married couple. And then one for her father to a song chosen by his daughter. I knew that would be special for me and my Dad especially, because we’ve been through, you know, dark times together and this was just clearly such a happy, happy day.
lunes, 27 de junio de 2011
Most dangerous job in the world?
While some people would find it unbearable to go anywhere near the edge of a cliff, these Chinese workers are building a 3ft-wide road made of wooden planks on the face of one that’s thousands of feet high. Once finished, it is hoped sightseers will flock to here to edge along and admire the views.
Find out all the details in this Mail Online article.
Find out all the details in this Mail Online article.
H/T to Larry Ferlazzo.
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