On Screen p 59. A Great Catch. Narratives. Word Formation

Does anyone know what a DJI Phantom is? Can you guess?

 

 

KEY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 



Predict the story with these phrases:

An aerial video
A safety feature
An automatic landing
A GPS (Global Positioning System)



Answer these questions:
1. Is this a hobby that anyone here is interested in – making drone aerial videos ?
2.Can you guess how much a drone like this would cost?
3. There’s something important that isn’t included in the price. Can you guess what it is?
4. Imagine this: you are flying a drone and the battery dies. What do you think would happen?


Answers:
2. (Answer: between 500 € and 1500 € )



3. (Answer: the video camera. Other guesses may include: the remote control; the battery.)



4. (Answer: the DJI Phantom has a safety feature . The drone will make an automatic landing just before the battery dies. A GPS inside the drone will guide it back to the same spot where it took off from.) 


Story text 
Part one
Drone aerial videos are becoming more and more popular these days. Perhaps you’ve seen some on YouTube – bird’s-eye views of urban landscapes and city landmarks for example.
 For amateur enthusiasts , the DJI Phantom is a popular model. A drone from the DJI Phantom series can cost anything from between 500 € and 1500 € . That’s quite an expensive piece of equipment and it doesn’t include the video camera.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the battery died while the drone was in flight? Well, the DJI Phantom has a safety feature . Just before this happens, the drone will make an automatic landing. A GPS (Global Positioning System) inside the machine will guide it back to the same spot where it took off from. Clever, no? What could go possibly wrong?



YOUR TASK:   

Constructing a narrative
 

Tell a story which involves a drone. It takes place in the Netherlands and it involves the following:
- A cold day in December
- An amateur drone aerial video enthusiast
- A ditch filled with ice-cold water
- Fully clothed
- Over 4 million views

Using these prompts construct a narrative! 

Now I want you to work together to guess what you think happens in the story. It doesn’t matter if you are right or if you are wrong. This is a speaking activity. I want you to share ideas and construct a narrative. Consider all of the details!

_____________________________________________________________

TIP: 

The use of adjectives, adverbials, collocations, idioms,... will make your stories more colourful:

Examples of adverbials

relatively, easily, suddenly, extremely, gratefully, desperately, dangerously, continuously, possibly, urgently, immediately,

Attitude adverbials

amazingly, apparently, astonishingly, unbelievably, clearly, conveniently, curiously, disappointingly, disturbingly, evidently, (un)fortunately, funnily, happily, indisputably, inevitably, interestingly, ironically, laughably, luckily, miraculously, naturally, obviously, personally, predictably, presumably, reassuringly, regrettably, rightly, sadly, sensibly, strangely, (not) surprisingly, understandably, undoubtedly, unexpectedly, unmistakably, (un)wisely, worryingly.

_______________________________________________________________________

 

Vocabulary:
a ditch : a long hole beside a road or a field that water goes into. Sp. zanja, cuneta, acequia. Note that in the Netherlands, ditches can be very wide and deep!
Google maps:
http://lessonstream.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Ditch.jpg

an enthusiast : someone who is passionate about something (a hobby, for example)
fully clothed : If someone is fully clothed, they have all of their clothes on. Fully dressed.

fully dressed. adjective    wearing clothes, including things such as shoes. E.g.  She collapsed fully dressed on the bed



Story text 
Part two 
Sample answer
Story text 
Part two 

A Great Catch

It’s a cold day in December. A (1)_____________ (RELATE) young Dutch man called Zwier goes out with a group of friends to test his brand new DJI Phantom drone. He begins by placing it in the middle of a (2)___________ (FAIR) quiet road. As if by (3)___________ (MAGICALLY), it takes off (4)_______________ (VERTICAL) and Zwier flies it (5)______________ (SMOOTHNESS) above the local (6)______________ (SUBURBS) houses, the (7)______________ (LEAVE) trees, the almost (8)______________ (DESERT) roads and Holland’s (9)________________ (UBIQUITY) canals.

After about 15 minutes, however, Zwier has a (10)_______________ (WHAT) (11)__________________ (EXPECTATIONS) problem: the battery seems to start to die and the (12)____________________ (STATE) drone begins to make an (13)__________________ (AUTOMATE) (14)_______________ (LAND). But to everybody’s surprise, instead of landing on the (15)___________________ (PRACTICE) empty road, the drone slowly starts to come down above a water-filled ditch. The minor problem is that Zwier didn’t set the GPS (16)_______________ (CORRECTNESS)!

The ditch is (17)_______________ (WIDTH) and (18)____________ (DEPTH) and the drone is going to land right in the middle of it. Zwier has (19)____________________ (ABSOLUTE) no choice but to quickly run to the ditch and without (20)____________________ (HESITANTLY) jump in, fully clothed at that. (21)___________________ (OBVIOUSNESS), the ice-cold water (22)_______________ (GRADUAL) comes up to his waist.

Zwier (23)______________(ARDUOUS) wades to the centre of the ditch as quickly as he can, desperate to catch the rather (24)_____________ (COST) drone before it lands in the water. The water gets deeper and deeper as he goes: first, up to his chest, then up to his neck and next up to his chin.

The drone is just centimetres from the surface. However, just in the nick of time, and with all his effort, Zwier reaches out his arms and makes a (25)____________ (HERO) one-handed catch. He spits out a (26)_____________________ (MOUTH) of water and (27)____________ (HAPPINESS) smiles. (28)__________________ (SURPRISE), his friends cheer and applaud him (29)____________________ (ENTHUSIASM). (30)_____________ (CURIOSITY), Zwier’s (31)____________________ (COURAGE) catch was caught on camera, which was attached to the drone that he saved! He then decides to publish the video on YouTube and (32)_____________ (WITH) weeks, it goes (33)_____________ (VIRULENT) and it is viewed over 4 million times.

 

 

KEY

1. relatively

 

 

2. fairly 

 

 

3. magic 

 

 

 

4. vertically 

 

 

 

5. smoothly

smoothness: the quality a surface has when it is completely flat and even, without any rough areas or holes.

  • the smoothness of her skin

  

 

 

 

6. suburban

 

 

7. leafy 

 

 

 

8. deserted 

 

 

 

9. ubiquitous

ubiquity noun /juːˈbɪkwəti/ [uncountable] (formal or humorous) ​the fact that something seems to be everywhere or in several places at the same time; the fact that something is very common. E.g. the ubiquity of the mass media.

ubiquitous adjective /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/  [usually before noun] (formal or humorous) ​seeming to be everywhere or in several places at the same time; very common. E.g. the ubiquitous bicycles of university towns. The ubiquitous movie star, Tom Hanks.

 

 

 

10. somewhat

somewhat adverb /ˈsʌmwɒt/ (rather formal) ​to some degree, rather. E.g. somewhat different/similar. I was somewhat surprised to see him. The situation has changed somewhat since we last met. What happened to them remains somewhat of a mystery. My options are somewhat limited.  

 

 

 

11. unexpected

 

 

 

12. state-of-the-art 

/ˌsteɪt əv ði ˈɑːt/ 

using the most modern or advanced techniques or methods; as good as it can be at the present time

  • The system was state of the art.
  • a state-of-the-art system
  • The Physics Department has state of the art facilities.

 

 

 

13. automatic
/ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk/

automate verb /ˈɔːtəmeɪt/ [usually passive] ​to use machines and computers instead of people to do a job or task. Be automated. The entire manufacturing process has been automated. The factory is now fully automated. 

 

 

 

14. landing

 

 

 

15. practically 

 

 

 

16. correctly 

 

 

 

17. wide

 

 

 

18. deep 

 

 

 

19. absolutely 

 

 

 

20. hesitation

hesitantly adverb /ˈhezɪtəntli/ ​in a way that is slow because you feel uncertain, embarrassed or unwilling.     E.g. He smiled hesitantly

 

 

 

21. Obviously

obviousness noun /ˈɒbviəsnəs/  [uncountable] ​the fact of being easy to see or understand. E.g. the obviousness of his injuries. 

 

 

 

22. gradually  

 

 

 

23. arduously

arduously adverb /ˈɑːdʒuəsli/  ​in a way that involves a lot of effort and energy, especially over a period of time. E.g. They searched arduously for clues.

 

 

 

24. costly

 

 

 

25. heroic 

 

 

 

26. mouthful 

 

 

 

27. happily 

 

 

 

28. Unsurprisingly 

 

 

 

29. enthusiastically 

 

 

 

30. Curiously 

 

 

 

31. courageous 



/kəˈreɪdʒəs/ showing courage. brave.
  • a very courageous decision
  • I hope people will be courageous enough to speak out against this injustice.

 

 

 

 

32. within  

 

 

 

33. viral

virulent adjective /ˈvɪrələnt/ 

1.  ​(of a disease or poison) extremely dangerous or harmful and quick to have an effect. E.g. a virulent form of influenza. A particularly virulent flu germ. 

2. showing strong negative and bitter feelings

  • virulent criticism
  • virulent nationalism

Entire text:

It’s a cold day in December. A relatively young Dutch man called Zwier goes out with a group of friends to test his brand new DJI Phantom drone. He begins by placing it in the middle of a fairly quiet road. As if by magic, it takes off vertically and Zwier flies it smoothly above the local suburban houses, the leafy trees, the almost deserted roads and Holland’s ubiquitous canals.

After about 15 minutes, however, Zwier has a somewhat unexpected problem: the battery seems to start to die and the state-of-the-art drone begins to make an automatic landing. But to everybody’s surprise, instead of landing on the practically empty road, the drone slowly starts to come down above a water-filled ditch. The minor problem is that Zwier didn’t set the GPS correctly!

The ditch is wide and deep and the drone is going to land right in the middle of it. Zwier has absolutely no choice but to quickly run to the ditch and without hesitation jump in, fully clothed at that. Obviously, the ice-cold water gradually comes up to his waist.

Zwier arduously wades to the centre of the ditch as quickly as he can, desperate to catch the rather costly drone before it lands in the water. The water gets deeper and deeper as he goes: first, up to his chest, then up to his neck and next up to his chin.

The drone is just centimetres from the surface. However, just in the nick of time, and with all his effort, Zwier reaches out his arms and makes a heroic one-handed catch. He spits out a mouthful of water and happily smiles. Unsurprisingly, his friends cheer and applaud him enthusiastically. Curiously, Zwier’s courageous catch was caught on camera – the camera attached to the drone that he saved! He then decides to publish the video on YouTube and within weeks, it goes viral and it is viewed over 4 million times.

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