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Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

DailyStep-5_news-webcams-002_GB-05

James: On the subject of remote surveillance, what’s your view on the

proliferation of CCTV cameras that seem to be popping up everywhere

these days? Apparently, the UK has just one percent of the world’s

population but twenty percent of its CCTV cameras.

Sarah: Well, I think in many ways they are a good thing because they

must surely cut the crime rates in the streets where they operate.

James: I think what is more likely to happen is that they just displace the

crime to a street where there is no CCTV in place.

Sarah: Yes, I suppose that makes sense. But I know that if I was walking

home in the dark, I’d much rather the street was covered by CCTV than

not. It would just make me feel safer. And remember that nail bomber

who let off those 2 bombs in London a few years ago? The only reason he

was caught was because the police spent hours and hours trawling

through CCTV footage until they thought they had a suspect.

James: Oh yes, I remember. They put his image on the news and one of

his workmates recognised him and called in straightaway.

Sarah: Yes and if he hadn’t been caught he would almost certainly have

gone on to commit more atrocities!

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Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

Situation: Sarah and James discuss the increasing number of CCTV cameras on Britain’s
streets.

Style: general conversation

.

Functions:
1. Changing to a related subject: On the subject of remote surveillance, (note:
please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
2. Asking for an opinion: What’s your view on the proliferation of CCTV cameras...
(note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
3. Expressing approval: I think in many ways that they are a good thing because
they must surely cut crime rates
4. Making a prediction: I think what is more likely to happen is that they just
displace the crime to a street where there is no CCTV in place. (note: please
copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
5. Agreeing: Yes, I suppose that makes sense. (note: please copy the tone and
emphasis carefully here.)
6. Talking about a hypothetical situation: But I know that if I was walking home
in the dark, I’d much rather the street was covered by CCTV than not. (note:
please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
.

Notes:
1. On the subject of (more formal) = Talking about / Speaking of
2. what’s your view on (more formal) = what do you think about / what’s your
opinion of
3. remote surveillance = observation using remotely controlled cameras
4. the proliferation of (more formal) = the growing presence of / the increasing
numbers of
5. CCTV cameras = Closed circuit television cameras
6. popping up (phrasal verb) everywhere = appearing everywhere (more formal)
7. cut crime rates = reduce crime levels
8. where they operate = where they are used
9. I think what is more likely to happen is = the thing that will more probably
happen is
10. displace the crime = move the crime
11. in place = in position
12. I suppose that makes sense = Yes, that is probably true
13. I’d much rather = I would far prefer (more formal)
14. I’d much rather the street was covered by CCTV than not (not repeating the
subject and verb) = I would much rather the street was covered by CCTV than
not covered by CCTV
15. nail bomber = person who planted bombs that were full of nails
16. let off (phrasal verb) those 2 bombs = detonated those 2 bombs
17. trawling through (phrasal verb) = carefully looking at (phrasal verb)
18. a suspect = a person they believed to be guilty of the crime
19. his image = his picture / his photograph
20. one of his workmates = one of the people that he worked with
21. called in (phrasal verb) = telephoned
22. straightaway = immediately
23. he hadn’t been caught = had he not been apprehended (more formal)

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Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

24. he would almost certainly have gone on (phrasal verb) to commit = it is almost
inevitable that he would have then committed (note: the phrasal verb ‘go on’ has
different meanings depending on whether it is followed by a gerund or an
infinitive. ‘GO ON + INFINITIVE’ means ‘do something after finishing something
else’. For example ‘After he finished college, he went on to become a politician.’
But ‘GO ON + GERUND’ means ‘continue’. For example ‘After finishing college, he
decided to go on studying so he enrolled in a business school.’)
25. atrocities = terrible crimes that caused a lot of bloodshed

.
Audio file name: DailyStep-5_news-webcams-002_GB-05
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A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step