BADAC Task 2
A fire started on some grassland near a farm in Alberta, Canada. The fire department from the nearby town was called to put the fire out. The fire proved to be more than the small town fire department could handle, so someone suggested that a rural volunteer fire company be called. Since the company was composed entirely of men over 65, there was doubt that they would be of any assistance. But with no other help available, the farmer called the fire company anyway.
The volunteer fire company's men arrived in a dilapidated old fire truck. The truck drove straight toward the fire and, instead of stopping in front of the fire, drove right into the middle of the flames. The volunteer firemen jumped off the truck and started spraying water in all directions.
Soon they had put out the center of the fire, breaking the blaze into two
easily controllable parts. After an hour of intense fighting, they had extinguished the fire.
The farmer was impressed by the brave volunteer firemen and their work. He was so grateful that his farm had been spared that he presented the volunteer fire company with a check for $10,000.
A local news reporter asked the volunteer fire captain what the company planned to do with the funds. The fireman looked him right in the eye and said, \get the brakes fixed on that stupid fire truck.\
1. Since the company was composed entirely of men over 65, there was doubt that they would be of any assistance.
But the farmer called the company anyway because the fire proved to be more than the small town fire department could handle, and there was no other help available.
2. The truck drove straight toward the fire and, instead of stopping in front of the fire, drove right into the middle of the flames.
3. After an hour of intense fighting, they had extinguished the fire. 4. He presented the volunteer fire company with a check for $10,000. 5. The captain said, \first thing we're going to do is to get the brakes fixed on that stupid fire truck.\That suggests that they drove right into the middle of the flames because of useless brakes rather than bravery.
Task 3
A blizzard is a severe weather condition characterized by low temperatures and strong winds, greater than 35 miles per hour, bearing a great amount of snow.
Because the factors for classifying winter storms are complex, there are many different definitions of what a blizzard truly is. But it is generally agreed that in order to be classified as a blizzard, as opposed to merely a winter storm, the weather must meet several conditions. The storm must decrease visibility to a quarter of a mile for three hours running, include snow or ice as precipitation, and have wind speeds of at least 32 miles per hour, which means force seven or more on the wind scale.
Another standard, according to Environment Canada, is that the winter storm must have winds of 40 kilometers per hour or more, plenty of snow, visibility less than one kilometer, a temperature of less than minus 25 degrees Celsius, and all of these conditions must last for four hours or more, before the storm can properly be called a blizzard.
When all of these conditions continue after snow has stopped falling, the storm is referred to as a ground blizzard.
An extreme form of blizzard is a whiteout, when the downdrafts, together with snowfall, become so severe that it is impossible to distinguish the ground from the air. People caught in a whiteout can quickly become disoriented, losing their sense of up and down as well as their sense of direction. Severe blizzards can also occur along with arctic cyclones.
ABCDC
Viewing and speaking > Task 1
Voice-over:
Trapped indoors by raging floodwaters for more than 24 hours, a 91-year-old woman is rescued by firemen and carried to safety. It's the worst flooding in Coggeshall and the surrounding villages in Essex in more than 50 years, and it's taken residents here by surprise.
I came from home, because my place was flooded with burst pipes, so
Elderly
woman:
I came down to my son's to be safe and got this. So, I just wonder what I've done wrong to get all this!
Emergency crews have been evacuating people like this woman and her baby since the banks of the River Blackwater burst this weekend. Parts of eastern England were hit yesterday after a month's worth of rain fell here in a day. People told me there was no time to save their belongings.
By the time the high tide had come up at quarter to four in the morning, the water was up to the piano keys. It'd come right up here, and I mean you can just see on the, on the, on the furniture where the water had come up to.
There was flooding in Cambridgeshire too. Staff were mopping up water at this doctor's surgery in Borne, trying to get the facilities back to normal.
It's wrecked all the computer system. It's managed unfortunately to get to a few of the old notes. It's also affected all our drugs that are here, including the flu jabs we were hoping to run our flu jabs sessions.
A few roads in Essex in Cambridgeshire remain virtually impassable, but water levels are dropping. The question for residents here now is what will happen if they get even more heavy rain in the next few days.
Voice-over:
Woman:
Voice-over:
Doctor:
Voice-over:
rescued worst flooding surprise flooded my son's crews burst hit
save high tide furniture normal computer system drugs heavy
Unit 4 Is work just another four-letter word? Lead in c d a e h f i g b Basic listening
(1)M: Do you see yourself as a leader or more of a team player? W:
Well, it depends on the circumstances. I usually enjoy working as part of a team and helping everyone work together. But if the leadership is weak, I'm not afraid to take over in order to achieve the goal at hand. What does the woman want to be?
Q:
(2)W: Good morning, I have an appointment with Mr. Davies at 11 o'clock. M:
Yes, he left a message for you saying he's terribly sorry but he's stuck in traffic and is running 15 minutes late. Please take a seat and he'll be here as soon as possible. Would you like tea or coffee? Where is the conversation probably taking place?
Q:
You don't look happy. Didn't you get that promotion? (3)W:
M: Q:
No, they brought in some new guy. I'm not going to hang around for much longer, I can assure you.
Why is the man unhappy?
(4)W: Mr. Jones is a self-made millionaire, and I'm honored to have worked for
him for the past 30 years as his accountant.
M: Q:
He must be pleased to have a loyal and faithful employee like you. What is true of the woman?
(5)MJane, we're considering you for the new office manager position. We've been very : pleased with your work. W:
Thank you very much. I've always enjoyed working here, and I would welcome an
opportunity for more responsibility. Which of the following is true?
Q:
CBABD Listening in Task l
Joan: Come in, come in. Have a seat. Ah... uh... I want you to know this is going
to hurt me more than it will hurt you. Carl: Yes, ma'am. But I'm not quite sure what you're talking about. Joan: You're fired. That's what I'm talking about.
Carl: I find that surprising, Miss Jackson. After all, I sold 25 percent more of
our products than any other salesperson. Joan: Look, I'm not here to argue. You're fired. Understand?
Carl: Well, I just wonder what's going to happen to the contract I've been
arranging. It would be a shame to lose it; it could mean a lot to our company. And I'm the only one who knows the details. Joan: No one is indispensable. Just clear out your desk and that's the end of it.
Do I make myself clear, Mr. Westlake? Carl: Crystal clear, apart from one small detail. Joan: And what is that detail?
Carl: I'm not Mr. Westlake. I'm Carl Smith.
Joan: Well then, that's a different kettle of fish, Mr. Smith. I know you've been
working late almost every night and coming in on Saturdays to get work done. The company is very happy with your progress. Carl: That's good to know. I was beginning to think that I wasn't appreciated. Joan: You're doing well. We have approved your first salary increase.