segunda-feira, 30 de maio de 2011

Storm Busters (A2), SPEAK UP IN CLASS

STORM BUSTERS TORNADO


Source: www.speakup.com.br
Language level: Pre-intermediate
Standard accent: American
Speaker: Chuck Rolando

STORM BUSTERS


It’s storm-chasing season in Tornado Alley, USA. Tour companies offer courageous, and possibly insane, tourists the chance to see a tornado from a distance of only 300 metres. The season runs from May 1st to June 30th.

DANGEROUS TERRITORY

Tornado Alley is famous for its thunderstorms and tornadoes. It’s located between the Rocky and the Appalachian mountain ranges hundreds of miles of flat, open plains. It runs through Northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. The buildings in this region have reinforced roofs, solid foundations and storm cellars. Local people rely on storm warnings to avoid disaster.

ADRENALINE!

Tornadoes are very dangerous so why do people want to chase them? Documentary-maker Sean Casey says. “It’s addictive.” His driver Byron Turk agrees. It’s the adrenaline…the ultimate challenge! Casey built a Tornado intercept Vehicle. It weights 680 kilos and has steel-plated armour, its windows are 4 centimetres thick. Casey and his team filmed as a tornado hit the vehicle. You can see his documentaries on the Discovery Channel.

A BIG RISK

Are you still interested in storm-chasing? Well, it’s very important to find expert guides. A company like “Storm Chasing Adventure Tours” (SCAT) can guarantee tourists safety. They have years of experience, and understand how storms develop. They use advanced computer systems to predict the location of the storms. SCAT chief Todd Thorn says, however. “Guides cannot rely only on the technology. . they must have the ability to read the sky.” The SCAT team aren’t simply tourist guides. They also provide important information to National Weather Centres on the position and strength of storms. They help save lives.

UNBELIEVABLE

Storms usually occur in the late afternoon, early evening. Teams must drive hundreds of miles to arrive at storm locations. So they leave their base in Amarillo. Texas in the morning. The chase often continues until late in the evening. What is it like to chase a storm? SCAT driver Ravin Harned says. “It’s one thing to see a tornado on TV. But totally different to see it with you won eyes!

STORM BUSTERS

It’s storm-chasing season in Tornado Alley, USA. Tour companies offer courageous, and possibly insane, tourists the chance to see a tornado from a distance of only 300 metres. The season runs from May 1st to June 30th.

DANGEROUS TERRITORY

Tornado Alley is famous for its thunderstorms and tornadoes. It’s located between the Rocky and the Appalachian mountain ranges hundreds of miles of flat, open plains. It runs through Northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. The buildings in this region have reinforced roofs, solid foundations and storm cellars. Local people rely on storm warnings to avoid disaster.

ADRENALINE!

Tornadoes are very dangerous so why do people want to chase them? Documentary-maker Sean Casey says. “It’s addictive.” His driver Byron Turk agrees. It’s the adrenaline…the ultimate challenge! Casey built a Tornado intercept Vehicle. It weights 680 kilos and has steel-plated armour, its windows are 4 centimetres thick. Casey and his team filmed as a tornado hit the vehicle. You can see his documentaries on the Discovery Channel.

A BIG RISK

Are you still interested in storm-chasing? Well, it’s very important to find expert guides. A company like “Storm Chasing Adventure Tours” (SCAT) can guarantee tourists safety. They have years of experience, and understand how storms develop. They use advanced computer systems to predict the location of the storms. SCAT chief Todd Thorn says, however. “Guides cannot rely only on the technology. . they must have the ability to read the sky.” The SCAT team aren’t simply tourist guides. They also provide important information to National Weather Centres on the position and strength of storms. They help save lives.

UNBELIEVABLE

Storms usually occur in the late afternoon, early evening. Teams must drive hundreds of miles to arrive at storm locations. So they leave their base in Amarillo. Texas in the morning. The chase often continues until late in the evening. What is it like to chase a storm? SCAT driver Ravin Harned says. “It’s one thing to see a tornado on TV. But totally different to see it with you won eyes!

Source: www.speakup.com.br
Language level: Pre-intermediate
Speaker: Chuck Rolando
Standard accent: American

STORM BUSTERS

It’s storm-chasing season in Tornado Alley, USA. Tour companies offer courageous, and possibly insane, tourists the chance to see a tornado from a distance of only 300 metres. The season runs from May 1st to June 30th.

DANGEROUS TERRITORY

Tornado Alley is famous for its thunderstorms and tornadoes. It’s located between the Rocky and the Appalachian mountain ranges hundreds of miles of flat, open plains. It runs through Northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. The buildings in this region have reinforced roofs, solid foundations and storm cellars. Local people rely on storm warnings to avoid disaster.

ADRENALINE!

Tornadoes are very dangerous so why do people want to chase them? Documentary-maker Sean Casey says. “It’s addictive.” His driver Byron Turk agrees. It’s the adrenaline…the ultimate challenge! Casey built a Tornado intercept Vehicle. It weights 680 kilos and has steel-plated armour, its windows are 4 centimetres thick. Casey and his team filmed as a tornado hit the vehicle. You can see his documentaries on the Discovery Channel.

A BIG RISK

Are you still interested in storm-chasing? Well, it’s very important to find expert guides. A company like “Storm Chasing Adventure Tours” (SCAT) can guarantee tourists safety. They have years of experience, and understand how storms develop. They use advanced computer systems to predict the location of the storms. SCAT chief Todd Thorn says, however. “Guides cannot rely only on the technology. . they must have the ability to read the sky.” The SCAT team aren’t simply tourist guides. They also provide important information to National Weather Centres on the position and strength of storms. They help save lives.

UNBELIEVABLE

Storms usually occur in the late afternoon, early evening. Teams must drive hundreds of miles to arrive at storm locations. So they leave their base in Amarillo. Texas in the morning. The chase often continues until late in the evening. What is it like to chase a storm? SCAT driver Ravin Harned says. “It’s one thing to see a tornado on TV. But totally different to see it with you won eyes!

Recently I posted an article from Speak Up it's about Tornadoes, check it out the podcasts and answer questions bellow

Storm Busters  (A2)

 

A - Before you start

Answer the questions with a partner.
1. What do you know about tornadoes?
2. Have you ever seen one?
3. Do they ever happen in your country?

B - Listen and answer

Read these statements. Then listen (without reading) and write T (True) or F (False).
1. Tornadoes are a tourist attraction in Tornado Alley.
2. The storm-chasing season lasts for three months.
3. Tornado Alley runs through several States of the USA.
4. A tornado hit Sean Casey’s vehicle while he was filming.
5. Storms usually happen late at night.

C - Read and answer

Read the article and answer the questions with a partner.
1. How near can tourists get to a tornado?
2. What kind of country is Tornado Alley?
3. What protection do the inhabitants of this area have from tornadoes?
4. What makes Sean Casey’s vehicle so strong?
5. How do expert storm chasers predict the location of storms and tornadoes?
6. In what way do members of the SCAT team help to save lives?

D - Learn it! Use it!

Complete these sentences with words from the glossary. (You may have to adapt the expression in some way; e.g. change from singular to plural.)
1. If you read a lot of articles in English, your knowledge of English vocabulary will ________.
2. The highest mountain ________ in the world is the Himalayas.
3. Another word for “crazy” is _________.
4. Jane is very helpful. You can ________ on her if you need a hand.
5. Don’t take too many of those tablets. Some doctors say they’re _________ .
6. That suitcase looks heavy. How much does it _________?
7. Look at those dark clouds. We’re going to have a __________ .

E – Ready for KET? (Paper 1, Part 5)

Choose the best word for each space.
Storm chasers are people 1 ________ (what/which/who) drive around in special vehicles and follow storms and tornadoes 2 _________ (for/to/so) photograph or study them. They use computer systems to predict where the storms will be. They also rely 3 ________ (at/on/to) their experience of how storms develop. Sometimes they 4 ________ (have/must/will) to drive hundreds of miles across the flat open plains of Tornado Alley before arriving 5 ________ (to/by/at) the location of a storm.
            Many people wonder 6 ________ (how/which/what) it’s like to chase a storm. Storm chaser Kevin Harned says: “It’s 7 ________ (a/one/another) thing to see a tornado on TV, but totally different to see it with your own eyes.” However, anybody who is interested 8 _______ (in/about/to) trying it should find expert guides to accompany them.

F – Check your pronunciation
One of the four words in each group has a different vowel sound. Which one?
1. form              warn  storm  work
2. chase  range  chance  weigh
3. built  guide  mile  drive
4. tour  through  use  roof

G - Talk about it

Discuss these questions in pairs or groups.
1. Are you afraid of thunderstorms?
2. What shouldn’t you do if you’re outside during a thunderstorm?
3. Do you believe the SCAT team can really “guarantee” the safety of tourists?
4. Would you go on a storm-chasing tour? Why (not)?

H – Write about it

Write about the worst thunderstorm you have ever experienced.

- Where/When was is it?
- What were you doing at the time?
- Did it cause any damage?
- How did you react?

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