Child direct air traffic at JFK
Adapted for BBC, Words in the News, 5 March, 2010
Reporter: James Gordon
US officials are investigating how a child was apparently allowed to direct planes at JFK airport. Pilots heard the voice of a surprisingly young boy instructin them from air traffic control.
JFK Airport in new York is one of the largest airports in the country, handling nearly a thousand take-offs and landings a day. But just after 8pm on the 16th of February, there was somebody else in the control tower directing air traffic and giving instructions to pilots.
Recording from air traffic control:
Boy: JetBlue 171 clear to take off.
Pilot: Clear for take off JetBlue 171.
The boy was speaking to an airbus A320 heading for Sacramento. The child’s father, who us a certified controller, brought his son to work and then put him to work as well.
Recording from air traffic control:
Boy: JetBlue 171 contact departure.
Pilot: Over to departure JetBlue 171. Awesome job.
The young boy continued directing pilots for several take-offs, pilots appearing to be more amused than worried.
The federal Aviation Administration, which regulates Americas’ airports, hasn’t released the names of the controllers involved, as well as his supervisor. Both have been relieved of their duties.
Some are saying the incident is being blown out of proportion since the youngster was repeating standard, routine directions to pilots with the adults, presumably, alongside him. It’s been revealed the controller in question brought his daughter in the following evening.
The FAA has released a statement saying, “This lapse in judgment not only violated the FAA’s own policies but common sense standards for professional conduct. These kinds of distractions are totally unacceptable.”
Part A: Write TRUE or FALSE.
1. A little girl was in the control tower in the evening of 16th February. _______
2. The child was talking to the pilot of an airbus heading for New York. ______
3. The child’s father was not a certified controller. __________
4. The child directed only one pilot for take-off. ________
5. Pilots who heard the boy giving instructions were alarmed. _________
6. The FAA regulates America’s airports. ________
7. The pilot and supervisor were suspended from work . ________
8. The controller had his son and his daughter with him at work the next evening. _______
Part B: Matching.
Match each of the following sentences with the words given below.
A. the control tower B. pilots C. an Airbus A320 D. amused
E. his supervisor F. relieved of their duties
G. is being blown out of proportion
H. lapse in judgment I. violated J. distractions
1. Things that stop people from paying attention and concentrating on what they should be doing.
___________________________________________________________________
2. Broke the rules or guidelines.
___________________________________________________________________
3. Unexpectedly bad decisions.
__________________________________________________________________
4. Had their jobs taken away, are no longer allowed to work
___________________________________________________________________
5. The high building in an airport from where instructions are given to help people takeoff and land airplanes safely.
__________________________ _________________________________________
6. People who fly airplanes.
___________________________________________________________________
7. A type of airplane.
____________________________________________________________________
8. Thought of something funny.
____________________________________________________________________
9. His manager, the person who makes sure that he does his job properly, gets training to do it and that his behavior at work is acceptable. ____________________________________________________________________
10. Is being made to seem much more serious than it actually is. ____________________________________________________________________
ANSWERS
Part A
1. false 2. false 3. false 4. false 5. false 5. true 7. true 8. true.
Part B
1. distractions 2. violated 3. lapse in judgment 4. relieved of their duties
5. the control tower 6. pilots 7. an Airbus A320 8. amused
9. his supervisor 10. is being blown out of proportion.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Gold For Canada as Olympics End, BBC, Words In The News
Gold for Canada as Olympics End
Adapted from BBC, Words in the News, 1 March 2010.
Reporter: Ian Gunn
The flame was put out and the organizers were praised as the Olympic games in Vancouver came to a close. But the real excitement was provided by Canada’s men’s ice-hockey team winning the final gold medal of the games.
The ceremony was marked by Canadians making gentle fun of themselves. In a nod to a glitch in the opening ceremony, part of the Olympic cauldron which couldn’t be lit two weeks ago was set alight to kick off the closing. The ceremony also featured a comic parade of Canadian stereotypes including Mounties, canoes and moose-antler hats for members of the audience.
In his closing remarks IOC ( International Olympics Committee) President Jacques Rogge called the games ‘excellent’ and ‘very friendly’ and said the Canadian organizers had done an outstanding job.
The head of Vancouver’s organizing committee received a deafening cheer from the 60,000 spectators as he acknowledged Canada’s ice-hockey team that won the final gold medal of the games shortly before the ceremony. John Furlong also said the games had lifted the Canadian mood in a way no one could have anticipated.
The Canadian officials handed the Olympic flag to organizers of the next Winter Olympics in Sochi who invited the world to Russia in 2014 with simultaneous performances inside the Canadian stadium and from Sochi itself.
Part A: Write TRUE or FALSE
1. During the ceremony, the Canadians were laughing and smiling at things about themselves. __________________
2. There was a small problem in the opening ceremony . ___________________
3. There was a parade of Canadian police officers. ____________
4. Jacques Rogge was the President of Canada. __________
5. Head of Vancouver’s organizing committee received a cold welcome from the spectators. _____________
6. The ice-hockey team won a silver medal. ______________
7. The audience wore moose-antler hats. ___________
8. The next winter games will be held in Sochi. __________
9. Sochi is in Russia. _____________
10. The next winter Olympics is in five years’ time. _________
Part B: Vocabulary Matching
Match the sentences with the words given below.
A. making gentle fun of themselves B. a nod to
C. a glitch in D. cauldron
E. to kick off F. Mounties
G. moose-antler hats H. a deafening cheer
I. lifted the Canadian mood J. anticipated
1. an acknowledgment of, in recognition of.
__________________________________________________________
2. smiling or laughing at things about themselves that others find funny.
__________________________________________________________
3. a small problem or fault.
__________________________________________________________
4. to start, to begin
_________________________________________________________
5. hats that have flat horns on them like those of a large type of deer found in
North America.
_________________________________________________________
6. Canadian police officers who are well known for their colourful uniforms and their use of horses rather than motor vehicles.
_________________________________________________________
7. expected, predicted
________________________________________________________
8. an extremely loud sound made by a crowd of people to show that they are very pleased.
________________________________________________________
9. made the Canadians feel happier
_______________________________________________________
10. very large, round metal pot that is used on fires, here, to hold the Olympic flame.
_______________________________________________________
ANSWERS
Part A
1. true 2. true 3. true 4. false 5. false 6. false 7. true 8. true 9. true 10. false
Part B
1. a nod 2. making gentle fun of themselves 3. a glitch in 4. to kick off 5. moose-antler hats 6. Mounties 7. anticipated 8. a defeaning cher 9. lifted the Canadian mood 10. cauldron
Adapted from BBC, Words in the News, 1 March 2010.
Reporter: Ian Gunn
The flame was put out and the organizers were praised as the Olympic games in Vancouver came to a close. But the real excitement was provided by Canada’s men’s ice-hockey team winning the final gold medal of the games.
The ceremony was marked by Canadians making gentle fun of themselves. In a nod to a glitch in the opening ceremony, part of the Olympic cauldron which couldn’t be lit two weeks ago was set alight to kick off the closing. The ceremony also featured a comic parade of Canadian stereotypes including Mounties, canoes and moose-antler hats for members of the audience.
In his closing remarks IOC ( International Olympics Committee) President Jacques Rogge called the games ‘excellent’ and ‘very friendly’ and said the Canadian organizers had done an outstanding job.
The head of Vancouver’s organizing committee received a deafening cheer from the 60,000 spectators as he acknowledged Canada’s ice-hockey team that won the final gold medal of the games shortly before the ceremony. John Furlong also said the games had lifted the Canadian mood in a way no one could have anticipated.
The Canadian officials handed the Olympic flag to organizers of the next Winter Olympics in Sochi who invited the world to Russia in 2014 with simultaneous performances inside the Canadian stadium and from Sochi itself.
Part A: Write TRUE or FALSE
1. During the ceremony, the Canadians were laughing and smiling at things about themselves. __________________
2. There was a small problem in the opening ceremony . ___________________
3. There was a parade of Canadian police officers. ____________
4. Jacques Rogge was the President of Canada. __________
5. Head of Vancouver’s organizing committee received a cold welcome from the spectators. _____________
6. The ice-hockey team won a silver medal. ______________
7. The audience wore moose-antler hats. ___________
8. The next winter games will be held in Sochi. __________
9. Sochi is in Russia. _____________
10. The next winter Olympics is in five years’ time. _________
Part B: Vocabulary Matching
Match the sentences with the words given below.
A. making gentle fun of themselves B. a nod to
C. a glitch in D. cauldron
E. to kick off F. Mounties
G. moose-antler hats H. a deafening cheer
I. lifted the Canadian mood J. anticipated
1. an acknowledgment of, in recognition of.
__________________________________________________________
2. smiling or laughing at things about themselves that others find funny.
__________________________________________________________
3. a small problem or fault.
__________________________________________________________
4. to start, to begin
_________________________________________________________
5. hats that have flat horns on them like those of a large type of deer found in
North America.
_________________________________________________________
6. Canadian police officers who are well known for their colourful uniforms and their use of horses rather than motor vehicles.
_________________________________________________________
7. expected, predicted
________________________________________________________
8. an extremely loud sound made by a crowd of people to show that they are very pleased.
________________________________________________________
9. made the Canadians feel happier
_______________________________________________________
10. very large, round metal pot that is used on fires, here, to hold the Olympic flame.
_______________________________________________________
ANSWERS
Part A
1. true 2. true 3. true 4. false 5. false 6. false 7. true 8. true 9. true 10. false
Part B
1. a nod 2. making gentle fun of themselves 3. a glitch in 4. to kick off 5. moose-antler hats 6. Mounties 7. anticipated 8. a defeaning cher 9. lifted the Canadian mood 10. cauldron
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