trancript1
BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Love letters
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
Yvonne:Hello, I'm Yvonne Archer and Rob has joined me for today's 6 Minute English.
Now Rob, put yourromantic
hat on and tell us, have you ever sent or receiveda love letter?
Rob:Mm – both actually. I have sent one and I've received one as well.
Yvonne:And why don't you write love letters any more?
Rob:Because there's not enough time.
Yvonne:Well, today we're going to make time for love, because we're talking about‘Wives and Sweethearts’. It’s an exhibition at London's National Army
Museum. The exhibition includes letters from soldiers onthe front lineto their
loved ones which date back over the last 200 years. But before we find outmore – here's today's question, Rob.
Rob:OK!
Yvonne:In which year was The Royal Mail – Britain's postal service – founded?
a) 1516 b) 1710 or c) 1780
Rob:I would say, quite a long time ago – probably 1710.
Yvonne:
OK, we'll find out whether you're right or wrong later on! Now, back to "Wives
and Sweethearts" – the collection of letters at the National Army Museum. It
aims to show us how army life affected personal relationships between soldiers
and their wives, sweethearts and families. But Rob – what would you say is
'a
sweetheart'?
Rob:It's a nice word, isn't it? And 'sweetheart' is quite an old-fashioned noun – so
now, we usually say 'girlfriend' or 'boyfriend'. But basically, a sweetheart is
someone we're sweet on – someone we like a lot and hold dear to our heart.
We're very fond of them.
Yvonne:So we might call a child 'a sweetheart' - or even a colleague who we really
appreciate. So, thanks for that explanation Rob - you're a sweetheart!
Rob:And so are you!
Yvonne:
Now, the letters in the exhibition were sent during the Napoleonic War, theCrimean War, World Wars I and II and even during the conflicts we'reexperiencing today. So they go back as far as 200 years. Let's listen to someexcerpts…
.Insert 1: Excerpt from love letters
1. I do miss you so very much…
2. Shall we become engaged in a sort of distant way?
Yvonne:
The number of words used in the first excerpt gives the impression that the
letter was written a long time ago, doesn't it, Rob?
Rob:
Yes, it does. And today, we'd probably be more direct and simply say: "I missyou very much", but instead, we heard "I do miss you so very much".
Yvonne:
Now the second writer seems quiteshy
or unsure of how the young lady feels,because instead of simply asking his sweetheart to marry him, he suggests thatthey becomeengagedwhile he's still away
.Rob:He suggests that they get engaged 'in a sort of distant way' because he's farfrom home and can't propose marriage in person.
Yvonne:OK, well let's hope she accepted his proposal and that they got married after
the war. But of course, not all the letter writers were reunited,as Dr FrancesParton, organiser of the exhibition, explains:
Insert 2: Dr Frances Parton, Exhibit Organiser
Some of them are very moving and quite distressing. Obviously, we've looked at all the
aspects of a soldier's relationship and sometimes that can be very, very difficult when it
involves separation and obviously, in worst case scenarios, bereavement.
Yvonne:Rob, Dr Parton describes some of the letters as'verymoving'
. What does shemean by that?
Rob:
Well basically, when we read them, they make us feel very emotional –perhaps even tearful.
Yvonne:And some aspects – areas – of a soldier's relationship can involve '
worst casescenarios'.
Rob:'Worst case scenarios' are situations that couldn't possibly be sadder or more
dangerous, for example. And here, Dr Parton is talking about the fact that in
some cases, soldiers and their loved ones died.
Yvonne:Mm - well luckily, Caroline Flynn-MacCloud's husband recently returned
safely from a seven month
deploymentin Afghanistan. They have a wonderful
collection of love letters as a result, which are included in the exhibition at theNational Army Museum.
Rob:
Wow – they must be very different from the love letters written by soldiers
hundreds of years ago.
Yvonne:
Well funnily enough, Caroline says that they're not!
Insert 3: Caroline Flynn-MacCloud, wife of a soldier
Letters begin with the declaration of love and how much one is missing someone and end
pretty much the same way, and also saying not to worry. And in the middle, you have a
whole sort of section about quite banal things. When I wrote to him, sort of everyday
things to show life was going on as normal without him. And he wrote a bit about what
he was doing, but frustratingly, very little about what he was doing.
Yvonne:
So letters start by saying how much people love and miss each other and they
end by asking each other not to worry. But the middle of the letters are quite
interesting, aren't they?
Rob:
Yes, they are. That's where the
banal
things are written – the most ordinary or
even boring information about everyday life. But Caroline's husband didn't tell
her much about what he was doing out in Afghanistan.
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Yvonne:
No, perhaps soldiers aren't allowed to send too many details home because of
security issues and of course, they don't want to worry their loved ones at
home, do they?
Rob:No.
Yvonne:Well I don't know about you Rob, but I think I'm going to try to get to that
exhibition – and perhaps write a few more love letters of my own!
Rob:A good idea, actually. It'll be good to get pen to paper again and not rely on e-mail.
Yvonne:Exactly
.Right Rob, earlier, I asked: in which year was the Royal Mail founded?And you said…
Rob:I said 1710.
Yvonne:And you were….wrong!
Rob:Oh dear!
Yvonne:It was in 1516.
Rob:I am surprised. That is a long time ago so think of how many letters have been
sent since then.
Yvonne:Especially love letters.
Rob:Yes.
Page 5 of 7
Yvonne:Do join us again soon for more "6 Minute English".
Both:Goodbye!
Vocabulary and definitions
someone who has a lot of positive and sometimes
romantic
unrealistic ideas, particularly about love
the front line
place where soldiers are directly fighting their enemy in a
war, and in danger of being killed
term used to express fondness for someone else,
a sweetheart
sometimes in a romantic way
shy
person who is quiet, nervous and uncomfortable with other
people
engaged
two people who have promised to get married to each
other
distant
far away
very moving
something which makes you emotional
worst case scenarios
the most unpleasant or unsatisfactory situations you can
imagine
deployment
movement of army troops to a place
something that is very ordinary and not interesting
banal
http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk/exhibitions/special-displays/wives-
sweethearts
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 7
BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
A new lease of life
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
Alice:Hello, I'm Alice.
Finn:AndI'm Finn.
Alice:And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about an amazing
scientific achievement – it’s called a totalartificialheart.
Finn:That’s a heart that’s made completely artificially – in fact it’s made of plastic.
Something artificial is something that isn’t real.
Alice:This total artificial heart has givena new lease of life
to a patient in the UnitedStates – so before we find out more, Finn, I have a question for you. Which ofthese creatures has the slowest heartbeat? Ready?
Finn:OK, I’m ready!
Alice:A, an elephant, b, a human being or c, a dog.
Finn:Hmm – I’m really not sure about that. Do different size dogs have different heartbeats
I wonder, Alice?
Alice:I don’t know! I only know which of them has the slowest heartbeat and I’ll
give you the answer at the end of the programme. So let’s find out more about
this total artificial
heart. Here’s heart doctor, cardiologist Dr Doug
Page 1 of 7
Horstmanshof talking about his patient, Troy Golden, a pastor from the United
States who was born with a serious heart condition.
Insert 1: Dr Doug Horstmanshof
He suffers from a disease called Marfan's syndrome that he was born with. Physically,
He wasn't even able to get out of bed anymore, could barely bear weights, could barely
breathe comfortably. Emotionally, mentally, spiritually - he had reached a point so low
that most of us can't even imagine.
Alice:
Dr Doug Horstmanshof says his patient suffered badly from his disease. He
had reached a point so low that most of us can’t even imagine.
Finn:A point so low – a condition that is so bad you can’t imagine things getting any worse.
Alice:Troy Golden was physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally exhausted.
He had been put on a list for a heart transplant in January 2010 but couldn’t find a donor.
Finn:A donor – somebody who gives you something, in this case a human heart.
Somebody who donates a heart or a liver or kidney is called an organ donor.
Alice:And Troy’s heart was in such a bad condition a normal heart pump wouldn’t
work for him, so Dr Horstmanshof decided to do something incredible in
September 2010. He removed his patient’s heart completely and replaced it
with a plastic heart – the total artificial heart. It contains valves, a pump and
also batteries to keep it powered.
Finn:So that was September 2010 – Troy Golden has had his new heart for several
months now. How has it been functioning?
Alice:Let’s hear what he says.
Insert 2: Troy Golden
Yeah, I really have got to the point that I don't even really notice it, other than it's loud.
So... I think for my wife it feels, to her, she can hear it beating so she knows I'm alive, so
it's very comforting to her.
Alice:Troy Golden says his wife can hear the heart beating, and she finds the sound very comforting
Finn:Comforting – it makes her feel safe and secure.
Alice:And Troy Golden says he’s got to a point where he doesn’t really notice his new heart.
Finn:He’s got to a point where he doesn’t notice his new heart, which means he’s
got used to it.
Alice:Another doctor, Dr Kevin Fong, a Consultant Anaesthetist at University
College Hospital in London, says the total artificial heart is almost unbelievable – he calls it
mind-blowing
Insert 3: Dr Kevin Fong
It's mind-blowing to think that where he once had a heart, there's now a mechanical
device; that it's been replaced with plastic and tubes attached to a pneumatic pump
inside the rucksack on his back.
Alice:
Dr Kevin Fong, a Consultant Anaesthetist from University College Hospital in
London, describing the mechanical device which is keeping Troy Golden alive.
Finn:A pneumatic pump – now, a pneumatic pump is an air pump, and this one is kept in a
rucksack on the patient’s back.
Alice:Troy Golden carries the rucksack on his back, and he says it’s great to know
his heart is pumping. He says it’s wonderful to feel alive again.
Insert 4: Troy Golden
It is great to know that my… that the heart is pumping, that my heart is pumping. I
guess it's not mine, but it is wonderful to feel alive again.
Alice:
Troy Golden who has been given a new lease of life with his total artificial heart.
Finn: A new lease of life – that’s new energy and a new sense of happiness.
Alice:So, before we go today, Finn – have you had a chance to think about my
question about the heart rates of different creatures.
Finn:Well, I think the bigger the animal the slower the heartbeat, so I’m going to go for elephant.
Alice:Ah, well done – very good! Apparently an elephant’s heart beats only 25 times
a minute, a human being, usually between about 60 and 90 times a minute, and
a dog, between 100 and 150 heartbeats every minute!
Finn:There you go.
Alice:Yes. So, a chance to hear some of the words and phrases. Finn, would youmind?Finn:
artificial a new lease of life
heartbeat
comforting
got to a point
mind-blowing
pneumatic
rucksack
Alice:
Thanks for that, Finn.
Finn:
You’re welcome.
Alice:
Well that’s all we have time for today, and we’ll have more "6 Minute
English" next time.
Finn:
Bye for now!
Vocabulary and definitions
objects or materials which do not occur naturally, and are
artificial
made by people
a new lease of life
a new, positive stage in your life
heartbeat
the regular movement of the heart as it pumps blood
around the body
comforting
reassuring
got to a point
reached a position or time
mind-blowing
extraordinary or amazing
pneumatic
powered by compressed or pressurised air
rucksack
large bag for carrying personal belongings, which is
carried on the back
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12422348
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/03/110303_6min_english_heart_page.shtml
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 7 of 7
BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Sleepwalking
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
Alice:
Hello, I'm Alice…
Stephen:
And
I'm Stephen.
Alice:
And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about
sleepwalking
.Have you ever walked in your sleep, Stephen?
Stephen:
I don’t think so, but I’ve been known to tell stories in my sleep.
Alice:
Oh, fascinating. This is a new development by scientists in the United States
that shows that sleepwalking is
genetic –
it’s passed on from parent to child.
They’ve been looking at the
genes
of four
generations
of a family who have a
lot of sleepwalkers. But before we find out more, I have a question for you,
Stephen. What do the letters REM stand for? And it’s not just the name of an
American pop group….
Stephen:
REM – that’s something to do with sleep?
Alice:
It is – does it stand for:
a) rapid eye movement
b) random eye movement or
c) relative eye movement
Stephen:
I’m going to guess a) rapid eye movement.
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Alice:
As usual, I won’t tell you the answer now – we’ll find out at the end of the
programme! So let’s hear more about what it’s like to be a sleepwalker. Here’s
Margaret Brand, a woman who often spends several hours a night sleepwalking:
Insert 1: Margaret Brand
Sometimes I was just back in bed and didn’t know that I’d sleepwalked. But I’d wake
up in the morning and find that things had been moved or eaten or forgotten – and it
had to be me because I was the only person in the flat. Other times I would wake up,
usually in the kitchen. I took medication – on one occasion, three 20ml doses of
morphine.
Alice:
Margaret Brand said that she moves or eats things when she’s sleepwalking,
and she once took
medication
– drugs - while she was asleep.
Stephen:
She says
on one occasion,
she took
doses
of morphine.
Alice:
That’s dangerous. There are also other instances when sleepwalking
can put the
person or other people in danger. Dr Dev Banerjee is a sleep expert at the
Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham, in the UK. He says that there have been
occasions when sleepwalkers have injured themselves, or even got into their
cars to drive:
Insert 2: Dr Dev Banerjee
I think (for) the majority of those that sleepwalk (it) is fairly harmless and quite novel
actually, but there are a proportion who do injure themselves, fall down the stairs. I’ve
got someone from Bristol who put his hand through a glass window and severed his
radial artery. Not only just injuries, but risks of injuries such as getting out of the house,
onto the street. There have been cases, I think in America, where people got into their
car and drove down a freeway.
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Alice:
Dr Dev Banerjee, who says that usually sleepwalking is
harmless
– even novel
– unique and quite amusing.
Stephen:
What else do scientists know about sleepwalking, Alice?
Alice:
They know it’s pretty common. One in five children sleepwalk and one in ten
adults. And there’s a new development by scientists in the United States that
shows
it runs in families
– it’s genetic.
Stephen:
It is passed on from parent to child in a person’s
genes
.
Genes
control which
features identify a person.
Alice:
Scientists examined the DNA – the genetic code of a family of four generations
who suffer from sleepwalking, and found that they carried a
defective
gene,
chromosome 20.
Stephen:
A defective
gene – that’s a gene which has a fault. DNA
is the complicated
code that makes a human unique and is carried from generation to generation.
Alice:
Once the defective gene has been identified it means it could be easier to find
treatments and tests for sleepwalkers. People that carry the defective gene have
a
50-50
chance of passing it onto their children.
Stephen:
50–50
- that means they have an equal chance of either inheriting the gene
or
not inheriting it! 50 per cent vs per cent.
Alice:
Here’s the BBC’s Health Reporter, Michelle Roberts:
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Insert 2: Michelle Roberts
DNA analysis of the 22 relatives, from the great-grandparents downwards, located the
chromosome where the fault lies. Sleepwalkers with these genes on chromosome 20, had
a 50-50 chance of passing them onto their children. More work is needed to see if the
discovery will explain all cases of sleepwalking, but in the meantime, the researchers say
it should help them to develop tests and treatments.
Alice:
The BBC’s Health Reporter, Michelle Roberts, who says more work is needed
to see if the discovery of the sleepwalking gene will help explain all cases of
sleepwalking
.
Well, that’s all we have time for today, Stephen – but before we
go, what did you think about REM?
Stephen:
I guessed that it stands for ‘rapid eye movement’.
Alice:
And you’re right. It’s the stage of sleep where your eyes move around a lot –
and it’s about 20-25% of your total sleep apparently.
Stephen:
Well, don’t say you don’t learn anything new on 6 Minute English!
Alice:
Exactly, Stephen. And before we go, because you did so well answering the
question, would you mind reading some of the words and phrases we’ve heard
today?
Stephen:
Yes of course:
sleepwalk
genetic
genes
doses of medication
harmless
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
it runs in families
generations
defective
50-50
Alice:
Thanks so much for that, Stephen. We hope you’ll join us next time on "6
Minute English".
Both:
Bye.
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
do things while asleep, e.g. walk around
sleepwalk
genetic
inherited; a feature that someone was born with that was
passed on by their parents or grandparents
genes
parts of living cells which carry information about physical
characteristics, e.g. a person’s appearance and health
doses of medication
specific amounts of medicines taken at regular times, as
instructed by a doctor
harmless
not dangerous
it runs in families
it is a feature or condition that affects several people who
are related
generations
here, members of a family who are directly related through
their parents, grandparents, great grandparents etc
defective
faulty, imperfect
50-50
two equal possibilities
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12394009
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/02/110224_6min_english_sleep_page.shtml
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Citizen Journalism
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
Stephen:
Hello, I'm Stephen.
Rob:
And
I'm Rob.
Stephen:
And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about
citizen
journalism
.
Rob:
Citizen journalism – that’s when people who aren’t
trained
journalists write or
report about their experiences or use
social media
, like Facebook or Twitter, to
broadcast their messages.
Stephen:
Over the last few weeks, media companies have published a large number of
videos, photos, phone calls and blogs from citizen journalists in countries
where protests have been taking place, and there aren’t many – or any -
traditional journalists. But as usual, I’m going to start with a question for you,
Rob.
Rob:
OK, I’m ready.
Stephen:
Which of these six countries, according to figures from internet world stats, has
the largest percentage of people using the internet?
Rob:
The largest percentage of people who use the internet. OK. Have got you any
clues?
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Stephen:
Well, your six countries are South Korea, Japan, the US, the UK, India or
China.
Rob:
Hmm…let me think. I would say South Korea.
Stephen:
Well, I won’t tell you the answer just yet. We can find out at the end of the
programme. So let’s talk about citizen journalism. Could citizen journalists
ever replace traditional journalists? Peter Barron, the Director of External
Relations at Google, says there has been a massive
democratisation
in access
to information.
Rob:
A massive democratisation – that's when people all over the world can access
information on the internet, and use the same tools
to publish
information
themselves.
Insert 1:
Peter Barron, Director of External Relations, Google
The point here is that there has been a massive democratisation in access to information
and the ability to publish information – so everybody these days can be a publisher.
What you’ve seen time and time again, is that the very high quality material rises to the
top and becomes a trusted brand, alongside the trusted brands that already exist.
Stephen
: Peter Barron from Google believes that the best quality blogs will become as
trusted as media companies -
media brands
- which already have a good
reputation.
Rob
: Very high quality material rises to the top – the best blogs will become as
popular as traditional broadcasters or newspapers.
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Stephen:
Alan Rusbridger is the editor of the Guardian newspaper in the UK. He says
that traditional journalists will always be needed to make sense of large
amounts of information, something which citizen journalists might not be able
to do. He uses the example of Wikileaks.
Insert 1: Alan Rusbridger, Editor, The Guardian
The case of Wikilieaks was an excellent one; 300 million words would have been
completely meaningless if it had been dumped on the internet, as well as being
completely unsafe. It took months of Guardian, New York Times, Der Spiegel
journalists going through and finding the stories, redacting them and making sense of
them. So the journalist still has a valuable role as mediator, analyser and finder and
verifier of stories.
Stephen:
Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian newspaper, who gives the example of
Wikileaks, where he says 300 million words, dumped on the internet, would
have been completely meaningless if journalists hadn’t been able
to go
through them
.
Rob:
To go through them – finding stories and checking them. He says the journalist
has a valuable role as mediator, analyser, finder and verifier of stories.
Stephen:
Journalists need to check stories – to
verify
them, to check they are safe to
publish and that they are true. Anne McElvoy from the Economist magazine
says that citizen journalism
hasn’t really
been tested yet.
It’s a very
valuable
source
when the story is on the street, but not when we, the readers, listeners or
viewers, aren’t sure which side we should be on.
Rob: Whose side we should be on -
who we support. When it is clear whose side
we should be on,
citizen journalists
are very valuable, but when we don’t
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
really know what’s going on, we need the traditional skills of journalists to
analyse material to help us understand. She says ‘we rely on the trade’ -
meaning the trade of the traditional journalist.
Insert 3: Anne McElvoy
Citizen journalism hasn’t really been tested yet; we’re writing a lot about it and
reflecting on it. But really, what we’ve seen is it being very active and also being a very
valuable source, I should say, but in situations where we kind of know, generally, which
side we are on. We know that the story is on the street. I think citizen journalism will
have a much tougher time when we have situations - which will arise - when we’re really
not sure which side should have the upper hand, or, indeed, what’s really going on. And
that’s an area where I think you do rely a bit on the old trade to have analysis skills and
to help you out there.
Stephen:
Anne McElvoy talking about citizen journalists. So, before we go today, Rob –
which of those six countries did you guess has the highest internet penetration?
That’s the highest percentage of population who are online.
Rob:
OK. Well, I said South Korea. Am I right?
Stephen:
Actually it’s the UK – followed by South Korea, then Germany, Japan, the US,
China and finally India.
Rob:
Well I never!
Stephen:
And a chance to hear some of the words and phrases we heard in the
programme today. Would you mind, Rob?
Rob:
OK, we heard:
citizen journalism
trained
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
social media
democratisation
to publish
media brands
to go through them
verify
hasn’t really been tested yet
valuable source
Stephen:
Thanks for that, Rob.
Rob:
You’re welcome.
Stephen:
Well, that’s all we have time for today - we’ll have more "6 Minute English"
next time.
Rob:
Bye for now!
Stephen:
Bye!
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
information collected by people who are not formally
citizen journalism
employed as journalists; their material is not always edited
and published by recognised media sources
trained
learned how to be a reporter through courses or lessons
social media
websites where people interact socially via different types
of technology and software
democratisation
a process which makes it easier for people to find out
about and contribute to the information available
to publish
to make your work available to the public through printed
or electronic media (e.g. books, newspapers, the internet)
media brands
well known companies or corporations which produce
media content (e.g. the BBC)
to go through them
to read, analyse and organise them
confirm something is true
verify
hasn’t really been tested yet
not yet known if it works well in really challenging
situations
valuable source
place where useful and trusted information can be found
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/9405719.stm
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/03/110310_6min_english_citizen_journalism_page.shtml
6 Minute English
© bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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