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.

On Screen p 59. How 'The War of the Worlds' Radio Broadcast Created a National Panic. Extra Word Formation Cloze

Look at this photo and predict the story:

 

Orson Welles' radio drama is the most famous broadcast in radio history. 

As the clock struck 8 p.m. in New York City on the Halloween night of October 30, 1938, Orson Welles stood on a podium inside a Madison Avenue radio studio. The 23-year-old (1)______________ (THEATRE) star prepared to direct 10 actors and a 27-piece orchestra for the Columbia Broadcasting System’s (2)_____________ (WEEK) “Mercury Theatre on the Air” programme. Millions of Americans, as they were every night, huddled around their radios, but (3)___________ (RELATIVE) few of them were listening to CBS when it was announced that Welles and his fellow cast members were presenting an original (4)_____________ (DRAMA) of the 1898 H.G. Wells science-fiction novel “The War of the Worlds.” Instead, most of the country was tuned in to NBC’s popular “Chase and Sanborn Hour,” which featured ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy. Channel (5)____________ (SURF), however, was not a modern-day (6)___________ (INVENT), and (7)____________ (ORIENTATION) listeners who stumbled onto the “Mercury Theatre on the Air” without having heard the (8)____________ (CLAIM) at the top of the radio play were thrust into the middle of an hour-long drama that left some believing that the country was under attack. The CBS programme opened (9)___________ (SERENE) with dulcet dance music played live by an orchestra.” Then, an actor (10)____________ (PORTRAY) an (11)_____________ (ANNOUNCE) broke in with a fake news report that several explosions of incandescent gas had occurred on Mars. In quick (12)____________ (SUCCESSIVE) came a series of (13)______________ (INCREASE) (14)____________ (ALARM), suspense-building newsflashes that culminated with Martian spacecrafts crashing into a farm in Grovers Mill, New Jersey. For the rest of the hour, terror crackled over the airwaves. (15)_____________ (BREATH) reporters detailed an (16)_____________ (TERRESTRIAL) army of squid-like figures that killed thousands of (17)___________ (EARTH) with heat rays and black clouds of poison gas as they penetrated into New York City. Welles and the rest of the cast (18)___________ (PERSON) (19)_____________ (ASTRONOMY), state militia officials and even the Secretary of the Interior, who  sounded like President Franklin D. Roosevelt. At the end of the hour the director wrapped up the radio drama by telling his audience, “This is Orson Welles, ladies and gentlemen, out of character to assure you that ‘The War of the Worlds’ has no (20)__________ (FAR) (21)______________ (SIGNIFY) than as the holiday offering it was intended to be. The Mercury Theatre’s own radio version of dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying ‘boo!’” 

KEY

 

1. theatrical

 

 

 

2. weekly

 

 

 

3. relatively

 

 

 

4. dramatization

 

 

 

5. surfing

 

 

 

6. invention

 

 

 

7. disoriented

 

 

 

8. disclaimer

disclaimer: a statement in which somebody says that they are not connected with or responsible for something, or that they do not have any knowledge of it. Sp. declaración de limitación de responsabilidad.

E.g.

They protect themselves by issuing various disclaimers. 

9. serenely

serenely: /səˈriːnli/ in a calm and peaceful way.

E.g.

a serenely beautiful scene
She smiled serenely.

 

dulcet /ˈdʌlsɪt/ sounding sweet and pleasant.

E.g.
I thought I recognized your dulcet tones (= the sound of your voice).

 

 

 

10. portraying

 

 

 

11. announcer

 

 

 

12. succession

 

 

 

13. increasingly

 

 

 

14. alarming

 

 

 

15. Breathless

 

 

 

16. extraterrestrial

 

 

 

17. earthlings

earthling: (in science fiction stories) a word used by creatures from other planets to refer to a person living on the earth.

 

 

18. impersonated 

 

 

 

19. astronomers

 

 

 

20. further

 

 

 

21. significance 

 

Related Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZgTPgmJAWc 

 

The National Panic That Followed The War of the Worlds 

The fright that Welles put into America, however, was much greater than he thought. Although the program included a reminder at intermission that it was a dramatization, thousands of anxious and confused listeners believed it to be real. They besieged police departments, newspapers and CBS with phone calls. In New Jersey, ground zero for the fictitious invasion, national guardsmen wanted to know where they should report for duty, and the Trenton police department fielded 2,000 calls in under two hours. In Providence, Rhode Island, hysterical callers begged the electric company to cut power to the city to keep it safe from the extraterrestrial invaders. Fear and anxiety had become a way of life in the 1930s, and it took little to rattle jittery Americans. The Depression had emptied their wallets, the gathering crisis in Europe threatened to ignite into war and just weeks earlier the Hurricane of 1938 had roared ashore. Plus, the Hindenburg disaster, which had been broadcast over the airwaves just the year before, was still fresh in the country’s collective psyche. The newspaper industry also felt unease from the increasing popularity of radio as an informational and advertising medium, and seeing a chance to strike back at its growing rival, it gleefully collected the sporadic reports of individual confusion generated by “The War of the Worlds” and weaved them into a narrative of “mass hysteria.” Newspapers reported suicide attempts, heart attacks and exoduses from major metropolitan areas. The New York Daily News printed the feverish headline “Fake Radio ‘War’ Stirs Terror Through U.S.” along with the photograph of a “war victim,” a woman in a sling who had heard the reports of black gas clouds in Times Square and ran out from her midtown apartment into the street where she fell and broke her arm. Similar stories of woe were printed from coast to coast and unleashed a media frenzy. Orson Welles' Response With threats of lawsuits swirling in the press, CBS went into damage control. At a hastily called press conference, a doe-eyed Welles displayed his theatrical acumen and expressed his remorse and shock at the public reaction. “I can’t imagine an invasion from Mars would find ready acceptance,” he said when asked if he pranked the country. Decades later, however, Welles admitted, “The kind of response was merrily anticipated by us all. The size of it, of course, was flabbergasting.” The Federal Communications Commission did not sanction CBS or Welles, and the radio dramatist quickly spun his Halloween trick into a treat. Thanks to what became known as the “panic broadcast,” the radio program signed Campbell’s Soup as a sponsor, and soon after, Welles inked a deal to direct “Citizen Kane,” named by the American Film Institute as the greatest movie of all time.

 Orson Welles’s “War of the Worlds” radio play is broadcast

 

“The War of the Worlds”—Orson Welles's realistic radio dramatization of a Martian invasion of Earth—is broadcast on the radio on October 30, 1938. Welles was only 23 years old when his Mercury Theater company decided to update H.G. Wells’s 19th-century science fiction novel The War of the Worlds for national radio. Despite his age, Welles had been in radio for several years, most notably as the voice of “The Shadow” in the hit mystery program of the same name. “War of the Worlds” was not planned as a radio hoax, and Welles had little idea of how legendary it would eventually become. The show began on Sunday, October 30, at 8 p.m. A voice announced: “The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations present Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater on the air in ‘War of the Worlds’ by H.G. Wells.” Sunday evening in 1938 was prime-time in the golden age of radio, and millions of Americans had their radios turned on. But most of these Americans were listening to ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy “Charlie McCarthy” on NBC and only turned to CBS at 8:12 p.m. after the comedy sketch ended and a little-known singer went on. By then, the story of the Martian invasion was well underway. Welles introduced his radio play with a spoken introduction, followed by an announcer reading a weather report. Then, seemingly abandoning the storyline, the announcer took listeners to “the Meridian Room in the Hotel Park Plaza in downtown New York, where you will be entertained by the music of Ramon Raquello and his orchestra.” Putrid dance music played for some time, and then the scare began. An announcer broke in to report that “Professor Farrell of the Mount Jenning Observatory” had detected explosions on the planet Mars. Then the dance music came back on, followed by another interruption in which listeners were informed that a large meteor had crashed into a farmer’s field in Grovers Mills, New Jersey. Soon, an announcer was at the crash site describing a Martian emerging from a large metallic cylinder. “Good heavens,” he declared, “something’s wriggling out of the shadow like a gray snake. Now here’s another and another one and another one. They look like tentacles to me … I can see the thing’s body now. It’s large, large as a bear. It glistens like wet leather. But that face, it… it … ladies and gentlemen, it’s indescribable. I can hardly force myself to keep looking at it, it’s so awful. The eyes are black and gleam like a serpent. The mouth is kind of V-shaped with saliva dripping from its rimless lips that seem to quiver and pulsate.” The Martians mounted walking war machines and fired “heat-ray” weapons at the puny humans gathered around the crash site. They annihilated a force of 7,000 National Guardsman, and after being attacked by artillery and bombers the Martians released a poisonous gas into the air. Soon “Martian cylinders” landed in Chicago and St. Louis. The radio play was extremely realistic, with Welles employing sophisticated sound effects and his actors doing an excellent job portraying terrified announcers and other characters. An announcer reported that widespread panic had broken out in the vicinity of the landing sites, with thousands desperately trying to flee. The Federal Communications Commission investigated the unorthodox program but found no law was broken. Networks did agree to be more cautious in their programming in the future. The broadcast helped Orson Welles land a contract with a Hollywood studio, and in 1941 he directed, wrote, produced, and starred in Citizen Kane—a movie that many have called the greatest American film ever made.

 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-War-of-the-Worlds-novel-by-Wells