Listening to BBC. Учебное пособие по аудированию для студентов неязыковых факультетов

Hitchhiking in Europe

3.How long did he spend in Amsterdam?

4.Did he enjoy travelling alone? Why?

5.How did he spend time in Germany?

6.What did he think of Germany while he was there?

5. What do you think?

y Have you ever tried hitchhiking? How did you find it? Why do people hitchhike in your opinion? Here are the most common reasons that people give. Discuss them with your partner and add some of your own if you can.

1.The most obvious reason — it’s free.

2.It saves a lot of stress, hassle and time.

3.You can travel to places only locals know about.

4.You can get to know local people.

5.Hitch-hiking is the ultimate adventure.

6.Hitch-hiking restores your faith in people.

y You can meet a lot of people and make lots of friends while hitchhiking. But it is also possible that at some point you might become very frustrated, or encounter danger on the way. Here are some tips and things to keep in mind that will help you avoid problems while you are hitch-hiking and have a safe and enjoyable experience. Discuss them with your partner. What advice would you give to anyone who is going to hitchhike in your country?

1.Try to make a conversation with drivers. Learn the basic questions, the name of your nationality, and that of the countries you have visited or are planning to visit. Learn some useful phrases for each country.

2.Always smile, be open and approachable. If you don’t understand what they are saying, smile and indicate that you don’t understand with a smile and shrug point to your ear and shake your head. It’s a shame but it’s not the end of the world.

3.Some hitch-hikers like to travel with a small gift that they can give to people who help them. Postcards, small items that represent your own country are always a nice touch.

4.Try and learn the word for beautiful so you can both appreciate the stunning scenery as two people with a common understanding. If you stop for food, you can offer to pay for it, it is unlikely to cost a great amount.

5.If something goes wrong, draw attention to yourself. Beep the horn! If you think you are getting driven in the wrong direction, complain, if you don’t feel comfortable, get out of the car, at the earliest opportunity. If possible keep your luggage within touching distance.

21

Part I. Different people. Different places

6.Always carry the majority of your money and any bank or credit cards in a money belt strapped to your body under your clothes and a small amount of money in your wallet. Keep your passport in a separate bag in your luggage or in the money belt. Also try to keep a small amount of money kept separately apart for emergencies.

7.If you feel it is worth reporting the crime, then report it. If you feel it is insignificant enough that the authorities will pay no attention, then write it off as a bad cause. Again do some research about the state of the justice system of the country you are in. It might not be worth the effort in some parts of the world. The police are the police and you are a tourist who doesn’t speak the language.

6. Read the story about one day in the life of a hitch-hiker. With a partner, roleplay the conversation between a hitch-hiker and a friend.

The day begins at 10 am. We’ve overslept again. After the essentials: coffee, shower, breakfast and internet we were at last prepared to go. After a month and 2573 km we were finally ready to leave Spain and hitch our way around Portugal. We reached what seemed like a perfect spot to begin our hitch-hike. We stuck our thumbs out on this one kilometre sliproad to the motorway and not long after, a lorry slowed down and after a quick-fire exchange of sentences in we jumped.

Toni, a 41 year old, well-built, Portuguese, ex-cod fisherman and marine, spoke enough English to make long-lasting conversations about his past and life in general. We learnt that he had been a truck driver for twelve years, having previously served in the navy travelling around the world.

Our paths parted at a service station along the A25 motorway going to Guarda just inside the Portuguese border. He invited us for beers, even though he was planning to continue driving. We drank our beer and he was off to hit the road on his own again. We decided to rest in the cafe a bit longer before the next tiring stretch of our journey.

Our next lift was another Portuguese truck driver called Paul. He was travelling with his seventeen year old daughter, spoke a bit of English and invited us to his house near Fatima. He dropped us off at the motorway exit that would lead us to Serra de Estrela, the mountains that were our destination. We found ourselves on a deserted road, just 50km short of Manteigas, where we were planning to spend the night.

Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours and still there were no cars. A white Volkswagen appeared on the horizon. It slowed down and the female driver opened the door and asked what we thought meant: ‘Where are you going?’

22

Trip to Washington

We pulled out the map.‘Manteigas’. She shook her head and off she drove, down the road to Manteigas. ‘Why bother?’ We thought. A moment’s pause, a shrug, and back to positions we went.

The next car to stop was a young Portuguese man. We couldn’t understand a word he said. But still, he managed to convey that our destination, Manteigas, was a bad choice as there were no campsites and the prices were generally higher. We followed his advice and agreed to be driven to his own village, Valhelhas. There, after a long hard day, we pitched our tent, on the hard dusty ground.

Trip to Washington1

You are going to listen to a conversation between Eric, who has just returned from his trip to Washington and his friend, Joe. Before you listen, check you understand the following words and word combinations.

Vocabulary

over the top — very good

it is on my list of things to do — something that I definitely want to do to be fed up with something — to be very upset, very tired of something:

angry about something that has continued for a long time

if it is not one thing, it is another — more than one bad thing has happened to be delayed — to be late

out of hand — out of control

at least — used to say that something (such as a bad situation) could be or have been worse

to rain on somebody’s parade — to make somebody have a bad time, to spoil something

to have a blast (coll.) — to really enjoy; have a great time jumpy — uneasy

to have the butterflies in one’s stomach — to be nervous time of one’s life — a really good time

to get the hang of something — to get the knowledge of doing something correctly; to become better at something

innate — something you do not need to learn, you are born with it to chill out — to relax

lowkey — relaxing, quiet, not very forceful or emotional

1 See Appendix Transcript 1.6 A trip to Washington. P. 119. URL: https://reallanguage. club/dialogi-na-anglijskom-urovnya-vyshe-srednego-s-audio/trip-to-washington.

23

Part I. Different people. Different places

tickled pink — very happy, very much pleased to hang out — to casually pass time

amazing — unbelievable

to take advantage of something — to be fortunate to be able to do something all of a sudden — right away

to make one’s best effort — to do one’s best, try hard available — possible to get or use

Time has kind of escaped me — I did not realize how late it had become Time flies — used to say that time passes quickly

1.Recall the situations in which the words and word combinations from the list are used in the conversation. Use them in sentences of your own.

2.Paraphrase the following using words and word combinations from the list above.

1.My weekends are usually very quiet because I start work very early on Monday morning.

2.I have always wanted to learn to speak German.

3.My sister was really pleased with the birthday present I gave her.

4.He is so naughty. His behaviour makes me very angry.

5.I wish she had not joined us at all. She spoiled everything.

6.Some people are afraid to fly, when the plane takes off they feel uneasy.

7.Is it possible to get this dress in larger sizes?

8.John had a really good time at the party, he smiled all the time.

9.I like going to the beach and relaxing.

10.He usually spends his weekends with his friends in bars and cafes.

11.The party was very good. I really enjoyed it.

12.Price on plane tickets has got out of control.

13.The prices went up right away, nobody expected it.

14.I do my best to visit my parents at least once a year.

15.She is always very nervous before exams.

3. Listen to the conversation again and decide if the following statements are true or false.

1.Eric liked everything about the trip.

2.Eric went to Washington alone.

3.Eric’s son had a great time swimming and playing with other kids.

4.It was a lowkey, restful trip.

5.Joe made up his mind to go to New York and visit all his friends there.

6.Joe is in a hurry because he is supposed to meet his friend for dinner.

24

Quieter London

4. Answer the following questions.

1. Did Eric enjoy his trip to Washington? Did everything go as he had expected?

2. Who did he visit in Washington? How long did he stay there? 3. What did he and his family do while they were there?

4. How did Eric’s kid handle the water?

5. When is Joe planning to visit his friends?

5. Act out the conversation between Eric and Joe.

Quieter London1

There are many pros and cons of living in a big city like London. Noise pollution is one of the problems which city dwellers face today. Some experts in London have come up with a few ways of reducing that. Listen to the programme to find out what they are. Before you listen, check you understand the following words and word combinations.

Vocabulary

noise pollution — excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-cre- ated environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life

pros and cons — advantages and disadvantages, the arguments for and against something

to get exposed to something — to cause somebody to experience something or to be influenced by something

incredible — 1. difficult or impossible to believe 2. extremely good, great, large

to commute — to travel regularly to and from a place, esp. between where you live and where you work

unsettled weather — likely to change, not calm or stable city dweller — a person who lives in a city

to dwell upon something — to think or talk about something for a long time to reduce something — to decrease; to make smaller in size

to screen from something — to hide, protect, cover somebody / something with a screen

1 See Appendix Transcript 1.7 Quieter London. P. 123. URL: http://www.bbc. co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2009/10/091022_6min_quiet_ london.shtm.

25

Part I. Different people. Different places

to screen from the noise — to build special shields, or screens, that will stop the unwanted sounds reaching you directly and so protect you from being affected by too much noise

to green up — to plant more trees, flowers and other types of vegetation traffic calming — consists of engineering and other measures, intended to

slow down or reduce motor-vehicle traffic to repose — to rest somewhere

to come in handy — to be useful, helpful to bring in (a new law, rule) — to introduce

1.Recall the situations in which the words and word combinations from the list are used in the programme. Use them in sentences of your own.

2.Complete the following sentences using words and word combinations from the programme.

1.If you plant more trees, flowers and other types of vegetation in an area, you __________.

2.The government is going to __________ a law which will punish people who drink and drive more severely.

3.They live near the airport. It’s a lovely house but __________ is terrible.

4.When I came home, I found her _________ on the sofa.

5.We must try to ____________ our children from the violence on TV.

6.There is no need to __________on the past. We must think about the future.

7.She __________ to work every day by train.

8.He is a person of ___________ talent.

9.His prison sentence ___________ from 10 years to 5 years.

10.If you can’t make a decision, think about the ____________, compare them and then decide what to do.

3.Listen to the programme again and answer the following questions.

1.What pros and cons of living in a big city are given in the programme?

2.What is one of the main causes of stress suffered by city dwellers?

3.What measures do the experts propose in order to bring more quiet to the area around the Monument?

4.What other ways of keeping London quieter does London’s Mayor mention?

4. What do you think?

y In recent years, noise pollution has been a hot topic of discussion among researchers. Excessive noise is considered to be one of the most annoying things in the world, but recent studies have revealed that it is not just

26

Ethical travel

annoying, but also hazardous for our health. Discuss the following questions with your partner.

1.What are the main causes/sources of noise pollution?

2.How can noise pollution affect people?

y Compared to other pollutions, reduction and control of noise pollution is considered subjective and difficult to monitor. But it is still an achievable target. The following is a list of various ways that can help the community combat this form of pollution. Discuss them with your partner to find out how effective/ineffective they are.

1.Analysis of Domestic Sound Levels

2.Automobile Servicing

3.Machine-Quality Maintenance

4.Soundproofing Buildings and Houses

5.Tree Plantation

6.Prohibition of Loudspeakers

7.Factory Location

5. Work in a small group. Come up with a Noise Reduction Project for your city. Discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages of each project.

Ethical travel1

“We travel alone — but together we’re an army.”

Walter Kirn “Up In the Air”

We all love to travel and see more of the world. Most people today are becoming more careful about the choices they make, and the impact their travels have on the countries and communities they visit. That is what ethical travel is all about: respecting, preserving and encouraging the culture and environment you’re visiting, and trying to minimise the impact that your travel plans have on the people living in the places you choose to visit. Listen to the programme to find out more details about this concept. Before you listen, check you understand the following words and word combinations.

1 See Appendix Transcript 1.8 Ethical Travel. P. 126. URL: http://downloads.bbc. co.uk/rmhttp/worldservice/learningenglish/weekender/scripts/weekender_060811_ethicaltravel.pdf.

27

Part I. Different people. Different places

Vocabulary

ethical — something that is ‘ethical’ is influenced by a set of moral beliefs about what is right and what is wrong

poverty — the state of being poor

luxury — usually very expensive and enjoyable things which are not necessary to cause damage — to do physical harm

a package holiday — a holiday where everything has been arranged for you before you leave home, usually flights and accommodation

an all-inclusive holiday — a holiday with a set price that you pay for before you leave home and everything in the hotel complex is also included in the price, e. g. food, drinks and entertainment

picturesque — a scene that is very attractive and almost perfect

to encourage something/ somebody — 1. to make (someone) more determined, hopeful, or confident. 2 a: to make (something) more appealing or more likely to happen. b: to make (someone) more likely to do something

income — money that is earned from work, investments, business

to pay off one’s debts — to give all of the money that you owe for something that you pay for over a period of time

1.Recall the situations in which the words and word combinations from the list are used in the programme. Use them in sentences of your own.

2.Complete the following sentences using words and word combinations from the programme.

1.The view of the mountains was very ________. It took my breath away.

2.Teachers must try to ________students to read more.

3.He earns a good ________ as a consultant.

4.If I won the money, I would use it to ________ all me credit cards.

5.There are a lot of families living in _______ in Africa today.

6.The disease can ________ serious liver _________.

3. Listen to the conversation again and decide if the following statements are true or false.

1.About 60 million people in Britain take a holiday abroad each year.

2.The governments of developing countries pay back their debt, bring tourists in as much as they possibly can and feed all their money agriculture.

3.In 24 hours, the average tourist uses the same amount of water that a local person might use in 30 days.

28

Ethical travel

4. Answer the following questions.

1.What does Trisha Barnett mean when she says that a new hotel built in the area was like a spaceship in the Pacific?

2.Was the community living in the area where the hotel was built,

3.‘consulted’ before the work began?

4.Which four examples of ‘infrastructure’ are mentioned?

5.How do the governments of developing countries use the money they earn from tourism?

6.What does ethical travel encourage tourists to do, according to Trisha Barnett?

5. What do you think?

y Discuss the following questions with your partner.

1.How often do you travel?

2.How has travel enriched your life?

3.What destinations do you choose? What factors do you usually take into account when you make up your mind about where to go?

4.Are you aware of the cultural differences between your country and the countries that you visit?

5.Have you ever visited a beautiful place or a country but felt sad about how rich the tourists are compared to the locals?

6.Do you think about the impact your travels have on the countries and communities you visit?

7.Are you a responsible, ethical traveller?

8.Is there anything that tourists could do to help in your own country?

yHow can you comment on the quotation “We travel alone — but together we’re an army” with respect to the problem of ethical tourism?

yThe following is the list of the do’s and don’ts of ethical travel. Discuss them with your partner and add some of your own if you can.

1.Be culturally sensitive and learn as much as you can about your destination’s cultural etiquette before you go. Try to blend in with the culture around you. Don’t be offensive, however much you value your ‘rights’ as an individual.

2.Make sure your tourist dollars aren’t just making multinationals rich. Engage in pro-poor-tourism and help make sure money stays in the local community, helping fight poverty.

3.Be destination-wise. Some destinations are more mindful than others.

4.Learn to communicate in your host country’s language.

29

Part I. Different people. Different places

5.Buy locally. The closer to the producer you buy, the more likely local people will benefit.

6.Be sensitive when you spend. Don’t bargain as though your life depends on it. It may be a few pennies to you, but a day’s food to someone else.

7.Be environmentally aware. Don’t waste water or food. Don’t litter or leave waste behind. Get rid of excessive packaging. If you’re considering climate change travel, make sure you’re not part of the problem.

8.Don’t give money to street beggars, especially children. They are often exploited by gangs and in the case of children, begging keeps them out of school.

9.Be open-minded. You can carry your opinions with you, but share them sensitively. You are not always right — not even close.

10.Think twice about travel to countries with dictatorships or regimes that flout human rights.

11.Understand that working conditions in the tourism industry are among the worst in the world.

y You are planning a holiday abroad. You would like it to be both selfrewarding and supportive of the people and the environment you are going to visit. Choose an appropriate destination and discuss all the details of your journey with your partner.

Feeling good about your country1

You are going to listen to a programme about national pride, a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that you get because you or people or places connected with you have done something good. Before you listen, check you understand the following words and word combinations.

Vocabulary

to be proud of something/somebody — very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know

to take pride in something — to be proud of something to be delighted with something — very happy, pleased

to fly the flag — to display the flag of your country as a sign of patriotism to be involved in something — to participate in something

honour — a special opportunity to do something that makes you proud

1 See Appendix Transcript 1.9 Feeling good about your country. P. 129. URL: http:// www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2013/05/130530_6min_ national_pride.shtml.

30