Professional Documents
Culture Documents
other people’s money. Thank you for coming in and next week on
Changing Lives we have Geraldine Piper
A: So, did you look for another job or think about
who gave up a life in sunny Australia to work
retraining?
in wildlife conservation in Outer Mongolia.
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play truant from school to escape their tormentors A: Next on the show we’re going to address a
and a number of children actually drop out due to growing problem in a rapidly expanding
bullying. This is very serious as it can ruin section of the population, the elderly. As the
someone’s entire life. By the way, did you know average life expectancy has increased
that 2 out of 5 boys who bully end up with a thanks to modern medicine, we start to see
criminal conviction before the age of 24? This is more age related conditions. To talk about
why bullying is not good for anyone and we need one of them we have Frank Carter with us in
to put a stop to it. BeatBullying works with schools the studio. Thanks for coming in Frank.
and young people across the UK to do just that B: It’s a pleasure!
and I’d like to talk a little about our work. First and
A: Now Frank you have a very interesting
foremost, we support, counsel and help those who
background because you used to work in a
have been bullied. We also help set up school or
nursing home for the elderly and were so
community based anti-bullying programmes that
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impassioned by the problems of the residents uncomfortable in our own home. We may be
that, at the age of 36, you went back to being filled with a longing for contact. We might
a student, got a PhD in psychology and are suffer from anxiety, insomnia or high blood
now recognised as one of the leading pressure among other things.
authorities on psychological problems in the A: Mmm, I never thought about it like that. Is
elderly. So, you’re the perfect man to talk to enough being done about it?
us about this issue of loneliness that so many
B: Good question! While a lot is being done, it is
of our elderly experience.
inadequate and we really need to tackle it
B: Far too many … that’s right and not enough head on which is an issue I am trying to
is being done about it. Statistics show that address with the local charities I’m involved
50% of elderly people over the age of 75 live with. We organise get-togethers with food
alone, one in ten elderly people suffer from and entertainment for those living alone to
intense loneliness and that 15% are seriously meet others in similar situations.
depressed but I imagine that in reality the
A: Which is the next area I wanted to discuss
figures are higher as not all old people seek
with you. But let’s take a quick break for the
help.
news and you can tell us about that when we
A: Yes, I imagine so. come back …
B: We also estimate that one in five old people
see family, friends or neighbours less than Module 5
once a week - and about one in ten has
… now for news on what’s going on in the world of
company less than once a month. The worst
art and entertainment and I am pleased to
thing about it is that there is a lot of talk about
announce on behalf of the Criss-Cross Arts
problems such as Alzheimer’s and dementia
Centre a new three-day juried art show themed
but really not enough about what I call ‘the
around cultural exchange. The show will be
silent killer of the elderly’. I believe (and
named Crossing Lines and will be another
recent studies seem to back me up) that a
addition to their numerous successful shows and
lack of social interaction can make certain
other events including last month’s highly
people more vulnerable to depression and
acclaimed photography exhibition.
unhealthy habits such as not doing enough
It will take place from the 5 th to the 7th of June at
exercise, bad diet and even excessive
the Criss-Cross Arts Centre (which is actually an
drinking. Medical research shows that it
old 9,000 m2 textile factory converted into a multi-
affects the immune system and the
purpose arts centre for those of you who don’t
cardiovascular system and is also linked to
know) and at the new Half Moon Theatre, both
Alzheimer’s disease.
conveniently located near the hospital.
A: Really?
The show is being organised in conjunction with
B: Yes. Human beings are truly social animals
the National Art Gallery and instead of serving as
and have a fundamental need for inclusion in
advertising for established artists it intends to
group activity. We tend to function best when
promote young artists. So there won’t be any big
this social need is met. If it is not, we fall
names but the organisers tell me that the show
apart mentally and even physically. There are
will feature some of the world’s most talented up-
effects on the brain and on the body. It
and-coming artists still enrolled in art schools and
makes us feel sad and isolated and even
universities.
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There will be a wide variety of performance art, and let thy medicine be food" and even in
traditional and contemporary paintings and more modern times Thomas Edison believed
sculptures, with juries awarding a prize in each that, "The doctor of the future will no longer
category. As always the centre will include treat the human frame with drugs, but rather
photography in the form of a competition, the will cure and prevent disease with nutrition”.
winner of which will be featured in the highly Yet, it is as if no one ever listened to them
acclaimed magazine Arts Review. and when someone has a migraine or a sore
Entrance to the exhibitions will be free but there throat or other complaint, most of the time a
will be a small cover charge for each of the doctor prescribes a pill or other form of
theatre performances, which I believe will be laboratory prepared medication.
announced soon. The good news is that we will A: So what’s the situation now?
be giving away free tickets for the opening and B: Fortunately, the idea that food can profoundly
closing event at the Half Moon Theatre. To affect our health is getting popular. What
participate in our competition, just go online at fascinates me is that many physicians, who
www.104fm.co.uk and click on Criss-Cross Arts traditionally do not study nutrition, have
on our homepage. For any other information you started to study the subject and are now
can call the Criss-Cross Arts Centre on 01432 among the most popular teachers of healthy
776598. OK! Now I think it’s time for some eating.
music …
A: Right! So, what is your message?
B: I believe that we should put emphasis on
Module 6
traditional cuisine and learn from what our
A: … I’ve just been joined in the studio by ancestors ate and cooked. Over thousands of
Melanie Green who is going to talk about years, humans all over the world developed
another important aspect of health and traditional diets that have maintained the
fitness. Now, as some of our listeners might health of local inhabitants. So, I am
know, you’re not a scientist or doctor but convinced that our bodies are designed to
you’re highly respected by a number of live on the foods that nature provides and I
eminent experts in the field of food and call ‘whole foods’ foods such as whole grains,
nutrition. You’ve published books about vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, eggs, seafood,
subjects such as overfishing and fish farming, fish and so on. The opposite of ‘whole foods’
herbal medicine, obesity and anorexia. Your would be ‘refined foods’ containing white
most recent project is health supportive flour, white rice, sugar and other processed
cooking. What is that all about? substances. Nowadays, we consume large
B: Well, as you know, I was brought up in the quantities of processed foods which I’m not
countryside and have always eaten more or sure are supportive of health, whereas ‘whole
less organic food. I’ve always been interested foods’ have been proven over hundreds of
in the relationship between health and years.
nutrition and the idea that food and diet can A: And you’ve spoken out strongly against GM
help the body heal itself. This is not new; it is food, right?
a concept that has been around for B: Indeed! I’ve never liked it. Here we are in a
thousands of years. In ancient times situation where food is treated like software
Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine, that you need to update every year; to plant
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the seeds you need a license and a payment been known as the ‘Island of the Devils’ even
to the owner of the patent. You are not before the disappearances.
allowed to keep them and replant them the So anyway, the ships and aircraft that have
year after. This is unnatural and outrageous disappeared have been victims of different
as human beings have kept the food supply circumstances and situations and in all cases
going since the beginning of time by keeping things happened very quickly and unexpectedly.
and reusing seeds. The effects of GMs are These incidents often leave experts baffled and, as
not known but I don’t trust them. I really you can imagine, have been a cause for concern.
believe that we need to be careful. For years, believers in the paranormal, aliens, and
A: OK! So, we’ll take a short commercial break other theories, blamed the disappearances on
and then you’ll tell us about cooking to mysterious forces at work or on alien abductions.
prevent and cure illness. Of course, these theories were never proven and,
B: Right! since then, lots of research has been carried out to
try to come up with a reasonable explanation. As a
result there are a variety of theories. The top two
Module 7
explanations have long been methane gas and
… and finally I come to one of the great mysteries electronic fog. The first theory maintains that in the
of all times, the Bermuda Triangle. Now, even area there is methane gas trapped under the sea
though I am neither an aviation engineer nor a pilot, floor, which can erupt and cause ships to sink.
I have studied the subject for many years. The Even planes flying over it, can catch fire and
Bermuda Triangle is an area of sea in the Atlantic explode. The latter theory states that at given times
Ocean south of the USA. If you can imagine a a strange thick cloud appears from nowhere and
triangle on this map here with its corners just engulfs a ship or a plane; its instruments begin to
touching Miami in Florida, San Juan in Puerto Rico malfunction, and finally it vanishes without a trace.
and the tiny 54 km2 island of Bermuda ... so it isn’t Neither of these explanations seems adequate
really a place as such and was sort of invented and however.
named due to the mysterious disappearance of
Recently, more plausible, and … let’s say down-
airplanes and ships in that area.
to-earth, explanations are being put forward and
In fact, over the past five centuries more than 1000 considered more seriously. One researcher, for
craft have disappeared inside the triangle, mostly example, has recently given quite convincing
near the southern boundary of the triangle between explanations for the disappearance of two
Florida and Puerto Rico. The strange thing is these commercial planes in the area. According to his
disappearances occur in what seem normal theory, one plane suffered from catastrophic
conditions and often without distress calls as if the technical failure as a result of poor design, while
vessels simply vanish into thin air. the other is likely to have run out of fuel. He
Now, how people came up with the name explains that sixty years ago, commercial flights
Bermuda Triangle is worth explaining before I from London to Bermuda were more risky as
continue. As a matter of fact the first name planes would have had barely enough fuel to do it
proposed was ‘the Miami’ but the state of Florida even though they refuelled along the way. Flights
objected for fears that it would stop people from from London to Bermuda needed to refuel in the
visiting. Likewise, Puerto Rico objected to it being Azores before the 2,000 mile flight to Bermuda,
called after the country but no one seemed to which was actually the longest non-stop
object to its current name because Bermuda had commercial overseas flight in the world at the
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time. So, in fact, planes were often operating at championship and were runners-up in volleyball
the limit of their range and near accidents and and Mr Miles was named high school football
accidents were more common than today. One coach of the year. Several of you have earned
airline, for example, had a terrible safety record. In sports scholarships and I am convinced that one
three years it had 11 serious accidents and lost day I will see you winning gold for your country. In
five planes with 73 passengers and 22 the performing arts, 25 of our students earned all
crewmembers killed. Let’s take a look at one of state honours, the most of any high school in the
these disappearances in detail … state, with five of our students earning first chair
honours. Seniors, on behalf of the faculty, I want
Module 8 you to know how proud we are of all of you.
You have been a memorable group of students,
Good afternoon everyone. My name is Michelle
and now you are ready to go out into the world
Grisham. For those of you who may not know me
and make your mark. I want you to go out there
I have the privilege of being the principal of this
and participate in life and society. I want you to
wonderful school. I heartily welcome all parents,
show the world what you can do! However, there
family and friends to celebrate our graduates and
are a couple of important things I would like you to
it is with great pride that I present to all of you this
remember. Most of you are now 18. I want you to
year’s senior class. We are honoured to have our
take charge of your lives. Register to vote; have a
mayor, Benjamin Harold with us tonight as well as
say in your future. Get involved! Likewise, get
a number of our generous sponsors. Thank you
involved in your college studies and find a career
all for joining us. I’d also like to thank Senior
you will love for the rest of your life. Find a cause
Assistant Principal Diana Givens for coordinating
you believe in and make a difference. Be a
and arranging the many details for tonight’s
participant, not a spectator. Do something instead
ceremony.
of watching it get done. Be brave and never be
Seniors, you have spent the last few years
afraid to speak your mind and stand up for your
together and shared many memories. As you
ideas. Friends and families, it is with great pride
have grown up, you have all made new friends,
that I present to you this year’s senior class.
have learnt a lot and developed as individuals.
Sometimes things were easy, sometimes not. But
today, you have all earned the right to call
yourselves graduates. Today your achievement is
recognised and it is this achievement that you
should be very proud of and I am sure your
parents are, too.
Let us talk about these accomplishments. To start
with, in the classroom our students excelled,
earning over $5 million dollars in scholarships. 75
of you have earned college scholarships,
including two to Harvard University. Seven of you
will be joining the Air Force and we also have an
Earthwatch honours recipient.
Over the past year, our athletes brought home
tremendous victories: we won the state basketball