Supply the correct form of the verbs given in brackets and perform the role play given below.

Reports just (1) _________________ (to come) in that Clarence chemical plant in Gateshead, a town in the north-east of England, (2) ______________ (to close) down. It (3) _______________________ (to reveal) yesterday the closure (4) ____________________ (to initiate) by Green peace activists who claim that the plant (5) ___________________ (to dump) industrial waste into the River Tyne for years and great damage (6) ______________ (to cause) to the environment.

Workers protesting at the closure (7) ____________________ (to begin) a sit-in at the plant, where over 2,500 local people (8) ____________________ (to employ). “We (9) ______________________ (to inform) about the closure just three days ago,” said Bill Halls, representing the workforce. “Why proper measures (10) _____________________ (not to take) to prevent pollution? Where we (11) _____________________ (to find) jobs and how we (12) ____________________ (to raise) our children?”

Ray Reynolds of “Clarence Chemicals” (13) ___________________ (to ask) what (14) ________________________ (to do) to help those who were going (15) ____________________ (to make) redundant. “The majority of our employees (16) _____________________ (to offer) work at our plant in Newcastle,” he told the reporters, “and every effort (17) _________________ (to make) over the past week to offer early retirement to those who (18) ____________________ (to qualify).” When he (19) ___________________ (to question) why appropriate measures (20) __________________ (not to take) to stop dumping chemical waste, he revealed that competition was tough and the plant was unable to install waste disposal equipment. He also said the company (21) _________________ (to promise) a government loan, but at the last moment it (22) ____________________ (to withhold).

Local MP Brenda Stone (23) ___________________ (to ask) to raise the matter in the House of Commons, and she said that a letter (24) ___________ (to send) to the minister responsible within the next few days.

 

Role play 1. Make up a radio report about some later developments at the Clarence chemical plant. Here are some hints for you.

Demonstrations of protest – to hold; workers’ demands.

 

Brenda Stone: the matter – to raise in the House of Commons – refuse; the Minister responsible – no reply yet; urgent measures – to consider.

 

Reg Reynolds: production costs – too high; to go bankrupt if ….

 

David Brooks, a trade union leader: workers’ rights, no jobs – to provide; high unemployment; workers – to agree to salary cuts; salary cuts – to negotiate to lower production costs.

 

Mary Goodwin, a social security worker: unemployment – to rise; no funds to provide for social security benefits.

 

Role play 2.

Role 1. You are Claire Barns, a radio reporter. You’ve been following the developments at the Clarence chemical plant lately. Interview Rodney Hodges and Jeremy Brown (see Roles 2 and 3).

Role 2. You are Jeremy Brown. Tell the reporter about your situation.

Your cues: to work for the company for 30 years; to offer a job in Newcastle; can’t move, old parents, a new house (unpaid for, can’t sell); to make redundant; early retirement – not qualify; early retirement – to offer to men aged 59, you – to be 59 in two months; two children (twins aged 12); to file a law suit to get a pension.

Role 3. You are Rodney Hodges, Jeremy Brown’s lawyer. Tell the reporter how Jeremy Brown’s case is to be considered in legal framework and about the prospects of his law suit.

 

7. Supply the correct form of the verbs given in brackets and perform the role play given below.

 

Bush Fires Worst in Canberra’s History

As forest fires retreated leaving behind nearly 400 destroyed houses and four people dead, Australia’s capital (1) ______________ (to count) the cost of the worst firestorm in its history yesterday.

The Australian Capital Territory’s chief minister, Tom Stanhope, said the fires (2) _______________ (to be) the worst since Canberra (3) _______________ (to found) as Australia’s capital in 1913.

“We (4) _______________ (to face) yesterday with an event which would have happened perhaps every 100 or 200 years, the like of which never (5) _______________ (to see) in Canberra,” he said.

The territory’s fire service estimated that 368 houses (6) _______________ (to destroy) by last night, when most severe fires (7) _______________ (to bring) under control.

However, some people enjoyed miraculous escapes. Andrew Glady’s home was in the middle of a block of five houses which (8) _______________ (to survive) the inferno, while all buildings around them (9) _______________ (to destroy).

“The winds (10) _______________ (to pick) up early afternoon and (11) _______________ (to push) it very hard against the western edge of the city,” he said. “I didn’t know what (12) _______________ (to happen) until I went out the front and saw the fires.”

“I thought my house completely (13) _______________ (to destroy) until we (14) _______________ (to come) back this morning, and (15) _______________ (to find) that just these few houses (16) _______________ (to preserve). I (17) _______________ (to leave) the house when it (18) _______________ (to catch) fire. I couldn’t believe it.”

(From ‘The Guardian’, abridged)

 

Role play.

Role 1. You are George/Georgiana Wolfe, a TV correspondent. The fires in Canberra made headlines and now you are presenting a TV program about it. Introduce the problem and interview Tom Stanhope, Jason Smith, Patricia Hoffman and Andrew Glady (see roles 2, 3, 4, 5). Find out as many details about the fires as possible.

Role 2. You are Tom Stanhope, Australian Capital Territory’s chief minister. You have the following information: 400 houses – to destroy; the cost – still to estimate; when the fires – to report, the fire brigades and troops – to call in; local inhabitants – to assist the fire brigades; the fires – to bring under control this morning; many people – to injure; 50 people – to deliver to hospitals with severe burns.

Role 3. You are Jason Smith, a fire brigade chief. You have the following information: the cause of the fires – still to investigate + drought & strong winds; the fires (probably) – to cause by careless handling of fire; to explain to the public – to be careful; the firemen – to have difficulty – to contain the situation; 3 firemen – to receive severe burns; to announce – they – to award medals for bravery.

Role 4. You are Patricia Hoffman, an insurance agency head manager. Your information: the houses – to insure; funds – to raise; insurance sums – to pay out; already to explain to the public – government funds – to draw; to point out – all obligations of insurance companies – to meet.

Role 5. You are Andrew Glady. Describe your miraculous escape.

 

Health Care

 

Reading and Speaking 1