Oxford - Part 1

Today, we travel to the ancient city of Oxford!

VIDEO 1

Stephen: Ice on the road, bridge ahead, look out for wild animals. What’s this one, Ash?
Ashlie: That one means ‘danger, river bank’ or something. It’s obvious, look at it.
Stephen: I’m studying for my driving test. You have to do a test in the car when you’re learning to drive and you have to do a written test as well - so I have to learn all these signs.
Ashlie: And I’m studying for my Business Studies course. I have to go to Oxford this afternoon to do an exam so I’m doing some last minute revision.
Stephen: Hey, Ash.
Ashlie: What?
Stephen: Did you say your exam’s in Oxford?
Ashlie: Yeah, so?
Stephen: So, why don’t I drive us there? And you can give me a driving lesson on the way. I really need the practice.
Ashlie: OK, then. Sounds good.
Stephen: Great! When do we need to go?
Ashlie: Well, with you driving? Now!
Stephen: I’ll go and get a map.
Ashlie: Oh, you don’t need to - we’ve got the GPS.
Stephen: Excellent, shall we go?
Ashlie: Yep.
.....

Stephen: OK. Ready to go!
GPS: Seatbelt on.
Stephen: Oops. Seatbelt on.
Ashlie: Right. Look in the mirrors. Get into gear. Signal. Just check the mirrors again. And off we go.
Stephen: This is easy!
Ashlie: You’re doing OK, just take it easy, the GPS knows where we’re going.
GPS: Turn right in 100 metres.
Stephen: Turn right in 100 metres.
GPS: Continue driving around the roundabout for five kilometres. Turn left in 200 metres.
Stephen: Left?! That can’t be right. We’re going round in circles.
Ashlie: I think we should go right.
GPS: Keep left. Approaching destination in 5 metres.
Ashlie: Stephen!
Stephen: Let’s turn that thing off and turn around.
Ashlie: Oh, come on. I’m going to be late. It’s almost two o’clock now.
Stephen: Which way do I go Ash?
Ashlie: Oh, look, just stop here. Over there.
Ashlie: OK – remember to lock the car and don't forget to take the GPS with you. I’ll give you a ring after my exam. Bye!
Ashlie: Taxi!
Ashlie: Excuse me, Can you take me to Oriel College, please?
Taxi Driver: OK.
Ashlie: Thanks.
GPS: You have arrived at your destination.

VIDEO 2

Transport and Travel - Part 2

Ashlie, Stephen and Jazz take a trip on the London Eye to enjoy the views of London.

VIDEO 1

VIDEO 2 (Language Focus)

TRANSCRIPTION to VIDEO 1 AVAILABLE HERE:

Jazz: Do you know how many different types of transport we have been on today?

Stephen: Well, we arrived on a plane, and then took a train, then a taxi – and now we’re on a boat on the River Thames!

Jazz: Wow - amazing. I didn’t realise people in London travelled around on boats.

Stephen: Well, there’s a lot less traffic on the river and it’s a great way to see the sights.

......

Stephen: Ah - there’s Ashlie.

Ashlie: Hi guys. Ah, I’m glad to have these back.

Stephen: Well, here we are!

Jazz: Brilliant. Are we going to the London Eye?

Stephen: We are and I’ve got our tickets!

Ashlie: Oh, what a great surprise, Stephen. I’ve always wanted to go on the London Eye!

Stephen: And the view of London from up there is amazing.

Ashlie: Oh, and the weather’s so good, we’ll be able to see loads.

Jazz: Oh, I can’t wait.

Stephen: There you go mate, the Houses of Parliament. There’s Big Ben. Over there is St Paul’s Cathedral.

Jazz: What a view.

Ashlie: Wow this is amazing. The City looks great from up here.

Jazz: That’s a strange building. What is that?

Stephen: Oh, that’s what we call the Gherkin – is one of London’s famous office blocks.

Jazz: Cool. This is fantastic.

Stephen: And there’s one thing we haven’t done today? Here’s something to remind you of your trip to London.

Jazz: Oh, the London Underground. We haven’t been on the London Underground today. Thank you so much, Stephen. I’m never going to forget this day!

......

Ashlie: Let’s get some food, you guys must be hungry. What do you want to do? Shall we get a takeaway or eat in?

Jazz: Sorry? A take-away or eat in? What do you mean?

Ashlie: Eat in, when we eat in the restaurant or take-away, when we take the food home with us.

Jazz: OK. Let’s get take-away, shall we?

Ashlie: So what do you fancy then, Pizza?

Jazz: Pizza’s good.

Stephen: Yes, pizza sounds good. And I know a great place right near the flat.

Ashlie: Oh no! You guys are never going to believe this… I’ve left my purse on the London eye!

Transport and Travel - Part 1

Stephen and Ashlie have a friend called Jazz visiting from abroad. They take Jazz on a trip around London to see the sights and famous places.

Nick meets a man who lives on the River Thames and a photographer who creates digital visions of London in the future.

Watch these videos to visit London (virtually, of course) and explore some language exercises.

Video 1

Video 2 (Language Focus)

TRANSCRIPTION to VIDEO 1 AVAILABLE HERE:

Stephen: There she is!

Ashlie: Hi!

Stephen: Great to see you Ash – this is Jazz.

Ashlie: Hi, nice to meet you, Jazz.

Jazz: Nice to meet you Ashlie. I have never been here before. I have always wanted to visit London.

Ashlie: Wow, this is your first visit to London – you’ve never been here before? Well, I’m glad you could come – we’re really looking forward to showing you around.

Stephen: Come on. Let’s get going.

Ashlie: Here, let me help you with this bag. What have you got in here? It weighs a ton.

Stephen: Oh - come on. We need to get a move on.

Ashlie: Stephen’s brought his friend Jazz over to London for a few days. So we’re going to give him a tour of the city and show him the sights.

Stephen: Come on Ash - we need to get to central London for your surprise.

Ashlie: Surprise? What for me? I’ve got a surprise!

.....

Stephen: Hi there.

Cab Driver: Hi.

Stephen: We need to get to the River Thames. Can you take us to Embankment – near the tube station?

Cab Driver: Embankment Station, OK.

Ashlie: Oh no! My bag! Where’s my bag? I can’t believe it… I’ve lost it. Damn it! I’m going to have to go back there and get it.

Stephen: Did you have it with you on the train? Are you sure you had it with you on the train?

Jazz: You had your bag on the train, definitely – you put it on the... err... How do you say that in English?

Stephen: The luggage rack – yeah. Did you put it on the luggage rack, Ash?

Ashlie: You’re right - I’m sure I had it with me on the train. Oh my gosh! My phone! My phone is in my bag. Oh, I’m going to have to go back.

Stephen: But Ashlie, you’ll miss the surprise.

Ashlie: Oh, how annoying! You guys go on ahead and I’ll catch you up later.

Stephen: Are you sure?

Ashlie: Yes, don’t worry. I’ll give you a call later.

.....

Jazz: Oh gosh! This is an amazing city. What is that building over there?

Stephen: Oh, that’s the Royal Albert Hall... I hope we’re going to get there on time.

Jazz: The traffic in London is terrible. Is the traffic always this bad?

Stephen: Ah - you should see it in rush hour. Sometimes it’s quicker to walk. In fact, maybe we should… are you OK with walking?

Jazz: Is it a long way?

Stephen: It’s about ten minutes walk to the flat from here.

Jazz: OK, that’s fine. I think we can manage with these bags.

Stephen: Can you pull over here, please?

......

Stephen: It’s only half an hour to the surprise – we’ll have to hurry.

Jazz: Wait a minute. Wait a minute, wait, I want to take a photo. Wow, I have never seen anything like this before. Where are we? What is this place called?

Stephen: This is Piccadilly Circus. There’s always loads of tourists round here.

Jazz: Wow, I must take a photograph, just one minute.

Stephen: When we get to Trafalgar Square, we can stop for a quick rest. Come on. Jazz…

Stephen: What’s that? It’s a phone. Is that your phone?

Jazz: No.

Jazz: Hey, I don’t believe it. Look what I’ve found! Isn’t this Ashlie’s bag? It’s her phone!

Stephen: What? Oh no! We had it with us all along. Poor Ashlie. I’m going to answer it. Hello?

Ashlie: Stephen?

Stephen: Hello. This isn’t Ashlie – I’m Stephen, I’m Ashlie’s brother.

Ashlie: Stephen!

Stephen: But this is Ashlie’s phone.

Ashlie: What are you doing with my phone?

Stephen: Who’s that?

Ashlie: Stephen it’s me – Ashlie – Where are you?

Stephen: Ash, we’ve found your stuff. We had it was with us all the time.

Ashlie: Oh - I can’t believe I came all the way back here for nothing.

Stephen: Yes, don’t worry we’ve got your bag. Everything‘s safe.

Ashlie: Thank goodness it’s all turned up. I’m so relieved.

Stephen: Right, well get here as quick as you can. We’re going to drop the bags off at the flat.

Ashlie: Great. And thank you!

Stephen: Meet you at the Embankment. Don’t be late. Remember, I’ve got a surprise for you!

Ashlie: OK, I’ll see you later. Bye!

Treasures of Heaven at The British Museum

Treasures of Heaven. Saints, relics and devotion in medieval Europe at The British Museum.

So, if you are planning a trip to London, do not miss this exhibition. And if you stay in Argentina, just enjoy this great video. This major exhibition brings together for the first time some of the finest sacred treasures of the medieval age.

The exhibition features over 150 objects from more than 40 institutions including the Vatican, European church treasuries, museums from the USA and Europe and the British Museum’s own pre-eminent collection.

Where heaven and earth meet

It was during the medieval period that the use of relics in devotional practice first developed and became a central part of Christian worship. For many, the relics of Christ and the saints – objects associated with them, such as body parts or possessions – continue to provide a bridge between heaven and earth today.

Sacred containers

Relics were usually set into ornate containers of silver and gold known as reliquaries, opulently decorated by the finest craftsmen of the age. They had spiritual and symbolic value that reflected the importance of their sacred contents.

Over a thousand years of history

The earliest items date from the late Roman period and trace the evolution of the cult of the saints from the 4th century to the peak of relic veneration in late medieval Europe.

Relics featured in the exhibition include three thorns thought to be from the Crown of Thorns, fragments of the True Cross, the foot of St Blaise, the breast milk of the Virgin Mary, the hair of St John the Evangelist, and the Mandylion of Edessa (one of the earliest known likenesses of Jesus).

Witness a lost heritage

Treasures such as these have not been seen in significant numbers in the UK since the Reformation in the 16th century, which saw the wholesale destruction of saints’ shrines. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to glimpse the heritage of beautiful medieval craftsmanship that was lost to this country for centuries.

Falkland man chooses Argentine citizenship

A British man, born on the Falkland Islands has become the first person from there to chose Argentine citizenship.

James Peck was handed his national identity card by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, during a ceremony to mark the 29th anniversary of the end of the Falklands War.

Peck's father fought for the British during the conflict.

The Ever-Present Threat of Tsunamis

Our planet is yelling. Earthquakes, tsunamis, smoking volcanoes are all around the globe. Have a look at this interesting report as you practice your listening skills.

Part one. Listen from here.

BOB DOUGHTY: People in Japan call them “harbor waves.” Tsunami is a two-character Japanese word. Tsu means harbor and nami means wave. Tsunamis happen after an earthquake strikes, either near or under the ocean. The earthquake displaces a large amount of water in the ocean. Waves then rush inland quickly and powerfully, causing death and destruction.

Scientists say that strong earthquakes under the sea are responsible for eighty to ninety percent of all tsunamis. Volcanic explosions can also cause a tsunami. So could a large piece of land sliding into the water or when a rock from space strikes the ocean. There have been three major tsunamis worldwide in the past seven years. Generally, a major tsunami happens only once every ten years.

FAITH LAPIDUS: In the deep ocean, a tsunami wave may rise up only about three hundred millimeters. In fact, people on a boat at sea may not even know that a tsunami wave has just moved past them. Tsunamis are long waves that can travel great distances very quickly - some move at over eight hundred kilometers an hour. They can cross an ocean in less than a day.

Some people may not understand the difference between a tsunami and a tidal wave. Tides are the normal rise and fall of saltwater levels against the coast. Tsunamis are not normal tides - they are extreme events. And a tsunami is not just one wave, but a series of waves. Some of the waves can be huge. Scientists say the first wave is often not the largest. That is usually the third or fourth wave. The waves can be from five minutes to one hour apart.

(MUSIC)

BOB DOUGHTY: How is a tsunami wave caused? The land underneath the ocean is made up of tectonic plates. These large areas are always moving. Usually the plates just rub up against each other on a crack, also called a fault line. Sometimes, one plate subducts -- or slides under -- another plate. Over time, a huge amount of pressure builds up on the plate that has slid under the other. It suddenly springs up, resulting in an earthquake. The large subduction zone earthquakes are responsible for most of the ocean-wide tsunamis, such as the recent tsunami in Japan.

Scientists are able to measure the strength and position of earthquakes because there are hundreds of seismic monitoring stations around the world. If it is a strong quake and it happens near or in the ocean, computers quickly measure the length, depth and location of a quake. These measurements help to show how strong a resulting tsunami might be.

FAITH LAPIDUS: When a tsunami forms, the wave can spread out quickly. As it gets close to land, the force of the water builds. People near the ocean may hear a loud, sucking sound, or a noise similar to a train or airplane. Then, a “drawback” may happen. Suddenly, a large area of coastline has very little water on it, because the water is moving away from land. But sometimes there is no drawback, and high waves come quickly toward the land with no warning. Some tsunami waves reach as high as thirty meters.

BOB DOUGHTY: Three months ago, the tsunami that hit Japan destroyed houses, office buildings, cars, trucks, and even large boats. Thousands of people were killed. But many more would have died if not for a tsunami warning from the Japanese Meteorological Agency. That warning came just three minutes after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck near northeastern Japan. It was the fourth-most powerful earthquake ever measured worldwide and the worst to hit Japan.

The tsunami waves that followed the earthquake came almost immediately. They were reported to have reached as high as nine meters in some areas. Japan has concrete sea walls wrapped around forty percent of its coastline. But those walls were not built for such high waves. In some areas, the sea walls were as low as three meters.

Part two. Listen from here.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Japan has one of the best tsunami early warning systems in the world. There are more than four thousand seismic intensity meters in place across the country to measure earthquakes. These meters provide information within two minutes of an earthquake striking. Information about the strength and the epicenter of the earthquake can be learned in less than three minutes.

Earthquakes often strike Japan. Some of those earthquakes cause powerful tsunamis. Japan has suffered hundreds of tsunamis over the years. But few were as powerful as the tsunami that struck the country’s northeast in March.

(MUSIC)

BOB DOUGHTY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a government agency in the United States. NOAA officials use equipment on the floor and surface of the ocean to measure tsunamis. The great waves are difficult to predict.

NOAA spends forty million dollars a year in an effort to protect the United States from tsunamis. The country has operated a tsunami warning system for forty years. It operates two tsunami warning centers – one on the Hawaiian island of Oahu and another in Palmer, Alaska. Jenifer Rhoades supervises NOAA’s Tsunami Program.

JENIFER RHOADES: “What we acquire first is seismic data, and we start acquiring this within about ten seconds of an earthquake. And we use that to generate the initial product. Based on the seismic data alone, we determine the size of the earthquake and the magnitude of the earthquake and the location.”

FAITH LAPIDUS: NOAA says tsunamis can move much faster than anyone can run. The agency says people in coastal areas need to recognize signs of a possible tsunami. These include hearing a roaring or sucking noise, seeing the ocean suddenly pull back or rise, or feeling a strong earthquake that lasts more than twenty seconds.

NOAA says the safest thing you can do is move to higher ground at once, or go to the top of a tall, strong building. You should not wait to hear a tsunami warning. And, once a tsunami wave has reached land, you should not return to the coastline until local officials say it is safe. That is because tsunamis are often made of many waves, and later waves can be higher than the first one. There can be as much as an hour between waves. You might have to stay away from low-lying areas for as long as twenty hours after the first warning.

BOB DOUGHTY: Jenifer Rhoades of NOAA says the agency spends a lot of time and money educating people in areas where tsunamis may strike. She says it is important for people who live in those places to understand what she calls “nature’s warning signs.”

JENIFER RHOADES: “You can have a very near-shore earthquake that will result in a tsunami in minutes. And the time for us to issue a warning might exceed the time that that first wave arrives. So what we do those events is we tell people in those communities that if the earth shakes for more than twenty seconds and you cannot stand up through the earthquake that you need to hold through that earthquake but as soon as the earthquake is over you need to move to higher ground.”

(MUSIC)

A powerful earthquake and tsunami struck the Indian Ocean on December twenty-sixth, two thousand four. More than two hundred thousand people on two continents were killed.

After the tsunami, NOAA and the United States Geological Survey were given more money to help make tsunami warnings more quickly. NOAA is now able to reduce the time to provide tsunami warnings from an average of fifteen minutes to six. In some areas, NOAA can provide these warnings in less than three minutes. That reduction can help save many lives.

FAITH LAPIDUS: But without a way to publicize that warning, such information is of little use. Local officials need to have a warning system in place. They also should have a plan for removing people from threatened areas. Officials are responsible for broadcasting warnings as fast as they can, by any method they can.

The Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres says it has developed new technology for tsunami warnings. The group says today less time passes for an earthquake shock wave to reach a measuring instrument than in the past. But it is difficult to read and judge a wave when it is near. To deal with that problem, the designers developed a computer software program. They say the program can show the source, location and size of strong earthquakes within two minutes.

BOB DOUGHTY: The Indian Ocean tsunami of two thousand four was among the worst ever reported. But the Pacific Ocean has experienced more of the deadly waves than other oceans. Experts estimate sixty percent of tsunamis take place there. NOAA says a tsunami cannot be prevented. But the harm that a tsunami causes can be lessened by people being prepared, by timely warnings and by an effective plan of action.

Please, do not smoke (in NYC)

New Yorkers Have Mixed Feelings About Ban on Smoking in Parks.

It is prohibited to smoke in pubs, discos, stores, schools and many other places in Buenos Aires. But can you imagine a total restriction? Can you think of a totally-smoke-free city? Have a look a the reactions of New Yorkers, now that the city has declared the war against tobacco.

Smoking has long been illegal in New York City bars and restaurants, including open-air restaurants, as well as in public transit, workplaces, schools and stores, among other places. On May 23rd, New York also joined 500 other U.S. municipalities that have banned smoking in parks and public squares. Under the new law, smokers who light up anywhere in New York’s more than 1,700 parks and pedestrian plazas, or along its 22 kilometers of beaches, could face a $50 fine.

Park visitors questioned on one of the last days before the ban took effect had mixed feelings about the new law. Micah Bozeman, who was sitting with his friend Megan Burns, a smoker, said he thought the ban was a good idea, on balance. “I don’t want cigarette smoke in my face when I’m sitting in a park. I don’t want it in my face while walking down the street, either,” he said. Nor did he want to lie in the beach and find cigarette butts in the sand. On the other hand, Bozeman noted, “People have an addiction. They need to smoke.”

Exhaling a cloud of smoke, his friend Burns exclaimed, “We’re outdoors! I don’t see how it could really bother anyone that much.” She added that she doesn’t smoke much, but prefers doing it outdoors, where she’s not so exposed to her own secondhand smoke. “I don’t like being trapped in an apartment with smoke.”

Nowhere to go for a smoke?

“It’s stupid,” said Jean Pierre, another smoker. “I think it’s crazy, because they’re making it so that you can’t go nowhere and have a cigarette.” He said that he is considerate and doesn’t light up without asking people nearby if they mind. “I do show respect for people who don’t smoke. I will get up and move if my smoke is bothering you,” he said.

“A lot of people are considerate,” conceded Sharon Stahlnecker, a tourist from Oregon. “But it’s just that those of us who don’t smoke, appreciate no smoke.” Michael Walters, who was sitting down for a lunch-hour game of chess in City Hall Park, agreed. “I think the ban is good. It will improve the health of the public, the smoker and the nonsmoker alike,” he said.

That is also the hope of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance in Queens, whose members say they were the first to lobby for the smoking ban. On the cool gray day that the new law took effect, they gathered in a riverside park to celebrate. Activist Warren Schreiber said that discarded cigarette butts were a litter nuisance and a hazard to wild birds. And he said that children should not see people smoking in the parks, even if it can’t be avoided elsewhere.

Some anti-smoking activists fear the ban could trigger a public backlash

Yet other anti-smoking advocates say that people’s health is not endangered by momentary exposure to smoke diluted in the open air. They argue that the ban could lead to a backlash against more important anti-tobacco campaigns. Michael Siegel, a professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health, said the emphasis should be on the 22 American states that still allow smoking in bars, restaurants and casinos.

“My fear is that we’re going to detract from smoke-free policies where they’re really a life-and-death matter for employees,” he said. “There are still about one-third of workers in the country who are not protected from secondhand smoke in the workplace. The levels of exposure in these environments are enormous, and people are exposed chronically. And they can’t escape, unlike a park, where you can just get up and move.”

Siegel also contends that banning smoking in the open space of the city’s parks will only lead to more concentrated secondhand smoke on New York sidewalks, at park entrances and in people’s homes. “We know that chronic exposure to secondhand smoke in the home is a very important source of exposure and disease for people, especially for children,” he said. “So if anything, the message we want to be sending to smokers is ‘please, do smoke outdoors! That’s where you really should be smoking to avoid [these] effects.’"

However, Rebecca Kalin, head of a group called Asthma Free School Zone, noted that even passing exposure to smoke can cause severe reactions in some people with asthma. “It’s not always easy to move away from a smoker,” Kalin said. “And it would be impossible to say, well, it’s okay here, and it’s not okay there. The goal really, is to eradicate smoking, eradicate tobacco. It is dangerous. It is life-threatening. It takes more lives than many other diseases put together.”

City officials say they hope the law will be self-enforcing, and that park officers, not police, will issue warnings and tickets. But critics predict the ban will be widely ignored in New York’s thousands of hectares of parkland. And one smokers’ rights group, the New York chapter of Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, said it will flout the rule with a "smoke-in-the-park" protest at a beach in Brooklyn. In a statement, the group said, “This law will be paid the respect it deserves.”