SCRIPTS UNIT 3:

Track 14

1. glaciers
→ It is assumed that glaciers move slowly, but occasionally they have surges
and move up to fifty times faster than normal.
2. salinity
→ The Dead Sea is famous for the salinity of its water.
3. humidity
→ The humidity in tropical areas can make you very tired.
4. kilometres
→ The oceans can reach depths of eleven kilometres in places.
5. pressure
→ Altitude sickness is due to a reduction in air pressure.
6. evaporation
→ Rain is mainly caused by evaporation from the oceans.
7. environment
→ We need to look after the environment around us.
8. biology
→ Biology is a branch of the natural sciences.
9. brightness
→ Our perception of the brightness of the sun changes with the seasons.

Track 15

Linda: Hi, everyone. How are you all?

John: I'm fine thanks, Linda.
Steven: Actually, I'm not feeling so well – I think I've got a cold.
Linda: Oh no, Steven. I'm sorry to hear that. What about you, Joanne?
Joanne: I'm fine, but I'm very busy with my biology course.
John: Me, too – there's so much work to do.
Joanne: In that case, we should get started on our essay. John, do you want to start?
John: OK... Let me start by telling you my ideas for the essay.

Track 16

Alice: We've really got to decide who does what for our Natural Earth project.
Karl: OK, Alice. Well, we’ve got all our cloud research so let’s decide how to break it
down.
We should probably start by saying how clouds are formed.
Karl: Good idea, and then maybe move on to the different types of clouds. We can
separate it into low-lying, medium-level and high clouds. What do you think, Jenny?
Jenny: Yes, I think that’s a good idea, and we should also make a PowerPoint to make
it a bit more interesting, showing pictures of the different clouds.
Alice: Good idea, Jenny! We should probably have cue cards, too. I'm useless at
remembering what to say without them!
Karl: Yes, me too! Well, I'm quite happy to organise everything we’ve found out
about clouds and make sure it fits into our presentation times.
Alice: Actually, I’d better do that. I’ve got all the research on my computer so it
makes sense. How about if you make the presentation slides, Karl?
Karl: OK, Alice. That’s fine by me.
Jenny: Well, if you guys are going to do that, then I’ll look on the Internet for
pictures of the different types of clouds.
Alice: That’ll be great, Jenny. I’ll also make the prompt cards so we don’t forget what
we’re saying during the presentation.
Karl: Sounds great. Let’s have a run through on Tuesday. What sections does
everyone want to talk about?
Alice: I hate speaking in front of people so I’d prefer not to do the introduction.
Jenny: I don’t mind, I’ll do that. If you don’t want to talk much, then why don’t you
just do the middle bit about the medium-level clouds?
Karl: Yes, I can do the low-level and high-level clouds part. I’m sure Jenny can
handle the summarising, too.
Alice: Thanks, guys. We can all take questions together.

Track 17

Debbie: Hi, Roger.

Roger: Debbie! Hi. How are you?
Debbie: Oh... I’ve been struggling with my Natural Earth assignment. It’s proving to
be really difficult.
Roger: The one for Professor Black? Me too. I’m writing about volcanic activity.
What are you doing yours on?
Debbie: Acid rain. I thought that would be OK, but the process is really complicated.
Roger: Well, I can help you with it! I know a lot about acid rain. I studied the causes
and effects last year.

Debbie: Really? That’s great ... I’ve done some work on the causes. I’m going to write
that acid rain is caused by sulphur dioxide from power plants and smelters. Basically,
this reacts in the atmosphere to form acid rain.
Roger: Ah, but it’s not just sulphur dioxide, it’s also nitrogen oxides.
Debbie: Really?
Roger: Yes, from things like car exhausts.
Debbie: But aren’t nitrogen oxides also caused by natural events, too?
Roger: Yes. They’re a minor factor, but I think they’re worth mentioning. But, sorry,
carry on ...
Debbie: Thanks. I might add that. So anyway, these emissions react in the atmosphere
with water, oxygen and oxidants to form acidic compounds like sulphuric acid. These
compounds then fall to earth.
Roger: Are you going to mention the different ways they return to the ground?
Debbie: Do you mean wet and dry deposition?
Roger: Yes! So you’ve done a bit of background reading, then?
Debbie: Yes ... so if I’ve got it right, acid rain often comes down as rain, but also as
snow or fog. This is wet deposition. I’m also going to define it as any form of
precipitation that removes acids from the atmosphere.
Roger: Yes, I think that’s a good term to define it.
Debbie: Dry deposition, ... Well, I think that’s when the pollutants stick to the ground
through dust. I’m not really sure how to define it, though, compared to wet deposition.
Roger: Just think of it as any pollutants that are not caused through precipitation.
That’s probably the best way. Did you know that sunlight can enhance the effects of
acid rain as well?
Debbie: No, I didn’t. There’s so much to think about. I’m sure I’ll go over my word
limit.
Roger: Well, you sound like you know a lot about the subject. Just try and keep your
focus. I’ve had the same problem writing about volcanoes! There’s just so much!

Track 18
Charlotte: Do you want to make a start on our Natural Earth project? I think your idea
of a lightning safety presentation is great, don’t you, Rachel?
Rachel: Yes, I think it’ll be really good... I have a few ideas already.
Charlotte: Great! Me too. I think we should divide it into two parts: what to do if
you’re inside when lightning strikes, and what to do if you’re outside. What do you
think?
Rachel: That’s good, but we need more. Something about planning for this kind of
event. And also, what to do if someone gets hit by lightning.
Charlotte: I can’t believe I forgot that! Of course! Well, what should we talk about in
the first part?
Rachel: I think we should say it’s important to be aware. Lightning is always before
rain, so don’t wait until it rains. As soon as you hear thunder or lightning you should
get inside.
Charlotte: OK, yes. And then if you’re indoors, you should avoid water. Stay away
from doors and windows, and don’t use the telephone.
Rachel: Or any electrical equipment. In fact, if you can, switch it off first. And you
should wait half an hour after the last clap of thunder before going back outside.
Charlotte: And if you’re outside when it storms, you also need to avoid water. Try and
get inside as soon as possible. There are certain things you should avoid ... open
spaces ... anything large and made of metal. And of course the obvious one: trees.
Rachel: But we should mention that if lightning strikes very near you, you need to
crouch down.
Charlotte: Oh! Is that right? I thought you had to stand still.
Rachel: No, that’s actually wrong – you’re supposed to crouch down ...
Charlotte: ... and put your hands over your ears. The noise can damage your hearing if
you don’t. OK ... I think we’ve got quite a lot to go now. Only the last part to go.
Now: what to do if someone gets hit.
Rachel: I think we should say that it’s very rare for someone to get hit by lightning.
Our talk sounds as if there’s danger all around! We should try and make it sound a bit
more reassuring!
Charlotte: Yes, you’re right – we’ll say it doesn’t happen often. It’s just better to be
safe than sorry. But what should we say about getting hit by lightning?
Rachel: Well, I think we should say it’s safe to touch people who’ve been hit by
lightning ... they don’t have any electrical charge! If there’s a first aider around, then
they should help them.

Track 19

Emma: So, I think we’d better start planning what we’re going to do for our group
project. Have you guys had any ideas?
Tom: I was thinking we should do something on extreme weather events, but I think
Alex had some different ideas.
Alex: Yes, maybe we should look into more localised weather conditions and the
effects on the immediate environment.
Emma: That’s a good idea, Alex, but I don’t think we’d be able to get much data on
that, and we don’t really have time to do our own research. What about doing
something about the seasons?
Tom: I think the seasons might be a bit too wide-reaching, you know, when we take
into account the wind patterns and pressure systems.
Emma: Maybe you’re right.
Alex: Well, how about Tom’s idea of extreme weather conditions?
Emma: Yes, that sounds like a good idea. It’s easy to break down into separate parts
and it certainly sounds more interesting!
Tom: I’d quite like to cover monsoons. I’ve been doing some reading on them and
they’re quite interesting.
Emma: Well, that sounds good. We should maybe take two areas each – that would
make it easier for us to focus.
Alex: Well, we’ve got lots to choose from: we could do blizzards, heat waves,
droughts, cyclones. There are loads! Why don’t you do blizzards too, Tom?
Tom: I don’t fancy doing them, but I wouldn’t mind doing something on floods.
They’re linked to monsoons, I think, so it will be an easy transition. What do you
fancy doing, Alex?
Alex: Well, I could always cover winds.
Emma: But that isn’t really extreme enough.
Alex: Hmm... I could do hurricanes, they’re pretty exciting. How about doing
cyclones, Emma?
Emma: I’d rather do heat waves and droughts, I think. I know a bit about them. I don’t
know anything about cyclones.
Alex: Cyclones are really interesting. I can cover them.
Tom: That sounds great. I was thinking about doing cyclones, but I’m happy for you
to do them.

Track 20

Emma: Right, shall we get started on some of the content?

Tom: Yes, we haven’t got that much time. Does anyone know anything about their
topics?
Alex: I know quite a lot about cyclones.
Tom: Do you?
Alex: Well, I studied them at high school. You know, cyclones usually start near the
equator. They need quite warm water to form. Above the warm water, the vapour in
the air forms clouds, and if there is low pressure, then these clouds will start to rotate.
Tom: Isn’t it also the fact that the earth rotates too which makes the clouds spin more?
Alex: Yes, that too. Once they begin rotating, they can either lose momentum or keep
gathering momentum until they hit land – these ones are called mature cyclones.
Luckily, as soon as they hit land, they start to lose momentum and fade away. Just
because they don’t have the warmth of the ocean underneath.
Emma: Well, that’s a relief!
Alex: They can still be really destructive. They’re like a big circle of wind. They
blow strongly until the eye of the storm passes – you know, the centre, where
everything is really quiet, no wind or anything. But then the other side hits and the
winds blow just as strongly but in the other direction! It’s just amazing! Yes, I
would really like to cover that. Emma: Well, it looks like we’ve got it all arranged,
then!