16.6. Scanning practice
16.6.1. Read the questions. Be sure you've got them well in mind.
1. How did the criminals manage to hijack the helicopter?
2. Who were the hijackers?
3. How did the prisoners escape?
16.6.2. Start scanning the text. Don't fail to note your time.
Helicopter plucks two from jail
Rome. Two gunmen yesterday hijacked a Red Cross helicopter, lifted two inmates from a Rome prison courtyard and flew off in a hail of automatic gunfire. A third prisoner ran to the helicopter, but slipped in the rain.
After taking off from the prison, the helicopter landed in a Rome football field where a match was underway, and the hijackers and escapees fled by car.
Officials said the two hijackers spoke French and that one of the escapees, a Tunisian-born Frenchman, was sought by French authorities for a Paris bank robbery and murder. The other one was suspected of supplying arms to Italian terrorists.
Police said the hijackers walked into San Camilo Hospital in Western Rome and cornered the helicopter pilot, Mr. Mauro Pompa, aged 42. They handcuffed the pilot's 10-year-old son to a radiator and forced Mr. Pompa at gunpoint to take them to the helicopter, parked across the street.
The white helicopter with red crosses painted on each side then flew across the city to Rebibbia prison in eastern Rome. There, it hovered a yard above the courtyards where about 50 inmates were exercising, deputy warden, Mr. Giancarlo Baldassini, said. As the hijackers fired automatic weapons for cover and lowered a rope ladder, two inmates dashed to the helicopter and jumped in. A guard at Rebibbia prison was slightly injured by flying glass during the gun battle.
Two shots fired by a guard hit the helicopter.
(340 words) (from«The Guardian»)
16.6.3. Answer the questions in 16.6.1. (Books closed.)
16.7. Listening practice
16.7.1. Look at the following questions. You'll have to answer them after listening to the text.
1. Why does he have to get up at 7 o'clock?
2. When is he happy?
3. Where did his grandfather work?
4. How much did he work?
5. What did he have to do at war?
6. Why did he have to go to the hospital?
7. Why isn't he happy now?
16.7.2. Listen to the dialogue.
16.7.3. Answer the questions in 16.7.1.
16.7.4. Look through the list of words. They will help you to understand, the text.
ancestor — предок
frustrating — (зд.) неприятный
retire — уйти на пенсию
16.7.5. Listen to the story. Be ready to give the contents of it.
16.7.6. Tell the contents of the story as close to the text as possible.
16.8. Time for fun
16.8.1. Read and translate the following jokes:
1. PRISONER: Judge, I don't know what to do.
JUDGE: Why, how's that?
PRISONER: I swore to tell the truth, but every time I try some lawyer objects.
2. «You are lying so clumsily», said the judge to the defendant, «that I would advise you to get a lawyer».
3. The defence lawyer was cross-examining a witness. He asked, «And you say you called on Mrs. Jones, May second. Now will you tell the jury what she said?» «I object to the question», interrupted the prosecutor. There was nearly an hour's argument between the counsels and finally the judge allowed the question. «And as I was saying», the defence lawyer began again, «on May second you called on Mrs. Jones. Now what did she say?» «Nothing», replied the witness. «She was not at home».
!!! 16.8.2. Can you complete the following sentences with the correct question tag? The first six are simple, the second six more difficult.
1. Acorns grow on oak trees, ...?
2. You don't mind if I watch television, ...?
3. Dylan Thomas was a Welsh poet, ...?
4. You will be home early to-night,...?
5. I haven't much time to catch the train, ...?
6. I always meet you in the park, ...?
7. Let's all go to the zoo after lunch, ...?
8. You'd like cream in your coffee, ...?
9. Pass me the butter and the marmalade, ...?
10. I'm more relaxed since I took up yoga, ...?
11. You'd better be careful with that sharp knife, ...?
12. You and I both enjoy ballet, ...?
!!! * 16.8.3. Crossword puzzles are popular in Britain and are found in nearly all newspapers. The main theme of this one is animals. Some of the clues are not straight forward (they are marked), so think twice about them.
CLUES ACROSS:
1. Keen-eyed bird of prey (5). 3. This kind is human (3)* 5. Queen of beasts? (7)*. 7. Kittens grow into these (4). 8. Built in spring to hold eggs (4). 10. Dogs wag their tails when they are this (7) 12. A silly person or a long-eared member of the horse family (3) 13. The plural of this is mice (5).
DOWN:
1. Fish that is proverbially slippery (3)*
2. Nothing lives for this (4)*. 3. Shellfish that sound like parts of our bodies that give us strength (7)*. 4. The time for nocturnal animals (5). 6. This sea creature is all arms (7). 7. You might not consider him charming, but this snake is often charmed (5). 9. A microscopic trouble-maker (4)* 11. Female deer or rabbit (3).