Chapter 2: It's About Time

ANTILLO, ITALY. Vittoria Celemi and Sebastio Macaroni live in a small village in Sicily. They are in love. One day, Sebastio gives Vitorria an engagement ring and asks her to marry him. Vittoria accepts, but she adds, "Let's wait to get married until we can afford the perfect wedding! We don't have enough money now."

Vittoria begins to shop for a wedding dress, and she soon finds the perfect one. It's long, lacy, and beautiful. But it costs an arm and a leg! So Vittoria starts to save her money. She makes a small payment every year. She saves up for 40 years!

At long last, after a 40-year engagement, Vittoria can buy the wedding dress. She and Sebastio decide to tie the knot. At the wedding, Vittoria looks beautiful in her dress. The newlyweds are in seventh heaven. They dance, drink champagne, and eat caviar. Afterward, they ride off in a horse-drawn carriage. Their friends watch them and think, "It's about time!"

About You

1. Are you patient? Can you imagine waiting 40 years for anything? If so, what?
2. Is it important to be in love when you get married? Explain your ideas.
3. In your country, when a man wants to marry a woman, does he need to get permission from her parents? Does he give something to the woman or her family? Does the woman give something to the man or his family?
4. Vittoria's wedding dress cost an arm and a leg. Have you ever bought something that cost an arm and a leg? If so, what?

Chapter 1: It's No Wonder!

Saratov, Russia. One Day, Olga Petrovic isn't feeling well. She goes to see the doctor in her small town in southern Russia. "What's the matter?" he asks. I have a stomachache. And I'm running a fever", she tells him. The doctor takes an x-ray. He's shocked when he looks at it. There's a 12-inch piece of metal in Olga's stomach. "That takes the cake!" he thinks. "No wonder she has a stomachache! Olga remembers an operation she had 25 years ago. Apparently, the surgeon made a big mistake and left a medical instrument inside her. We need to get rid of it, "says the doctor. "You need an operation." Olga " has cold feet and wants to put it off. But her doctor wants her to have the operation right away. Now the medical instrument is gone and Olga is recovering.

Answer the Questions
ABOUT YOU

1. Have you ever had an operation?How do you feel today? Do you have a stomachache, a headache, or a cold?
2. How often do you think doctors make serious mistakes? Tell about a time when you made a big mistake.
3. Are you putting off something that you should be doing? If so, what?
4. Is there something you won't do because you have cold feet?
5. Do you have any bad habits that you's like to get rid of?

Chapter 13: Cyber-Romance Leads to Cross-Cultural Marriage

PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA. Until recently, Figen Gencosmanoglu, 36, was living in Trabzon, a small town in Turkey. Dan Haigh, 43 was in Philadelphia. Both were in the same boat--divorced and lonely. They met on the Internet and started e-mailing each other. Figen told Dan all her secrets. "He was so far away, he seemed unreal," she says. "It was like talking to an advice column, but I knew we had a lot in common." Dan was soon e-mailing Figen three times a day--morning, noon and night. Before long, he wrote, "I'm coming to Turkey." He hadn't even seen a picture of her!

Meanwhile, Figen got a photo of Dan in the mail. It took ages for her to open the envelope. She put her heart and repeated, "Oh God, please God." She was already madly in love with him and didn't want to be disappointed by the photo. She was not.

A month later, Dan made the long, expensive trip to Trabzon, his first trip outside the US. He was nervous about the meeting. On the plane, his mother's words echoed in his head. "What are you doing? Are you nuts?" In Turkey, Figen was on the edge too." Aren't there any American women for him?" her parents had said. But when Figen and Dan set eyes on each other, they knew it was the real thing.

Dan researched Turkish marriage customs, and several months later went back to Turkey with his parents and formally asked for Figen's hand. When you meet on the Internet, you begin as friends. You can really listen to the other person. You have time to think about their words and to read between the lines," says Figen, now living with Dan near Philadelphia.

Idioms and Expressions

• be in the same boat (as someone) --- be in the same situation, with the same problems

• have a lot in common (with someone) --- be similar in many ways (to someone)

• before long --- in a short time; soon

• take ages --- take a long time

• be disappointed by someone or something --- feel that your hopes were not met by someone or something

• make a trip --- travel someplace

• be nervous about something --- feel afraid and a little excited about something

• be nuts --- be crazy; insane

• be on the edge --- be nervous

• set eyes on someone or something --- see someone or something for the first time

• be the real thing --- be genuine and authentic

• ask for someone's hand --- ask for permission to mary someone

• read between the lines --- guess at something that soemthing that has not been stated directly

Answer The Questions

About The Story

1. Why were Figen and Dan in the same boat?
2. What did Figen realize soon after she and Dan met on the internet?
3. Why did it take ages for her to look at Dan's photo?
4. When Dan made the trip to Trabzon, how did he feel? Why?
5. How did Figen feel just before he arrived?
6. What happened when they set eyes on each other?
7. Why did Dan go back to Turkey later with his parents?
8. Why does Figen feel that dating on the internet is a good thing?

About You:

1. Have you met interesting people on the Internet?

2. Do you have friends who are in the same boat as Figen and Dan were? Do you have any advice for them?

3. How do you know when love is the real thing?

4. Tell about a trip you made recently. Were you pleased or disappointed by the trip? Tell why.

5. What are you often nervous about?Why?

Chapter 12: A One-of-a-Kind Hotel

KEY LARGO,FL, USA Jules Underwater Lodge in Key Largo is a one-of-a-kind hotel.It is completely underwater! It sits on legs at the bottom OF A 30-foot deep lagoon, completely underwater. To check in, you have to scuba dive and enter through a hole under the hotel. This hole leads to a "wet" room where you take off your wet clothes and dry off.

The underwater hotel is comfortable. There are books, videos, hot showers, and also phones so you can keep in touch with people on land. Each of the two bedrooms has a big window where you can watch hundreds of fish go by. When you wake up. You may see an angelfish or parrot watching you. "It's a moment you'll never forget," says I am Koblick, an underwater scientist. For special occasions, the hotel gives you the red- carpet treatment. A chef can scuba dive to the hotel and cook a special meal for you. A birthday cake or flowers can also delivered.

A control room an land monitors the hotel at all times. It pumps fresh air into the hotel and keeps water out. You can explore the ocean attach to a long line, which provides a limitless air supply. But if diving is not your cup of tea, you can relax inside the hotel.

Yes, you'll pay through the nose for a night at Jules' Lodge ($325 per person), but you'll have a ball. "To live beneath the sea was once just a science fiction fantasy. Now it is reality," says owner Dr. Neil Monney.

New Idioms and Expressions:

• one- of a kind---unique; one that does not exist elsewhere
• check in---register at a hotel, a convention, a hospital etc.
• take something off*---remove something (clothing, jewelry, make up, a cover from a jar. etc).
• dry off*---become dry
• go by(someone or something)---pass, move past (someone or something)
• wake up*---awaken from sleep
• give someone the red- carpet treatment---welcome guest with special attention
• at all times --- constantly; continuously
• keep someone or something out*---not allow someone or something to enter
• not one's cup of tea---not something one enjoys
• pay through the nose(for something) ---pay a very high price(for something)
• have a ball---have a wonderful time; really enjoy oneself

A b o u t y o u

1. Imagine a special place you want to go. What do you see when you wake up? What goes by your window?
2. Describe a place where you had a ball.
3. Do you own a anything that is one-of-a-kind? Describe it.
4. Have you ever given the red-carpet treatment to a guest in your house? What did you do?
5. What sports or activities are not your cup of tea?

Chapter 11: Family Hits the Road With a Horse, a Wagon, and a Dream

OAKLEY, ISLAND. SCOTLAND. Like many people, David and Kate Grant dreamed of going around the world. But their dream was out of the ordinary-the Grants and their three children wanted to travel in a horse-drawn wagon! "It started as a pipe dream," says David. "None of us knew a thing about driving a horse."

In 1990, the Grants sold their house in Scotland, bought a horse and wagon, and hit the road. They brought along a set of encyclopedias so the children could keep up with their studies.

The trip got off to a good start as the family rode through Belgium, France, and Italy. But then,they ran into some problems. They arrived in Slovenia in 1991 at the start of the Balkan wars, just as jets were bombing the country.

Two years later, in 1993, after crossing Hungary, Russia and Kazakhstan, red tape prevented them from entering China. They had to go 1600 kilometers out of their way into Mongolia. There, thieves tried to rob them, and the Grants used a slingshot to drive them away.

In 1996, the family flew from Japan to North America for the last leg of their trip. They spent more than a year crossing the United States and Canada. In late 1997, after 7 years on the road, the family sailed from Nova Scotia back to Scotland. Kate says she's ready to settle down now, but David is not so sure. "Maybe I've got another expedition in me," he says.

New Idioms and Expressions

• hit the road---leave, start a trip (usually in a car)
• dream of (doing something)---think about something that you wish for the future
• out of the ordinary---unusual; different
• a pipe dream---an unrealistic plan
• keep up (with someone or sth)---maintain the pace (of someone or sth)
• keep off to a good start---have a successful beginning
• run into the someone or sth---meet someone or something unexpectedly
• red tape---unnecessary bureaucratic routines
• out of one's way---not in the direction one is going
• drive someone away---force someone to leave
• the last leg---the final stage of a trip
• on the road---travelling; moving from one place to another
• settle down---begin to live a stable life in one place

About you

1. Do you like to be on the road? Tell about the last time you hit the road.
2. Tell about something you've done that is out of the ordinary.
3. Tell what you know about the wars in the Balkans.
4. That do you dream of doing? Is it a pipe dream or is it a realistic?
5. Is it hard for you to keep up with anything in your life (such as your studies, your e-mail messages, housecleaning, laundry, etc)?

Chapter 10 : Graffiti Makes Him See Red

DENVER, CO., USA. Mike Quintana can't stand graffiti. It makes him see red. Quintana owns Soan Lake Gym in Denver. Like other business owners there, he spends a lot of time trying to get rid of the graffiti on his walls. "It takes business owners all their lives to build something. Then punks come to the buildings and put their names all over the place. It's demoralizing," says Quintana. Quintana also tries to do away with graffiti in his neighborhood. A few times a week, he drives around looking for new graffiti. He paints over the graffiti on park benches, garbage cans, and walls.

One recent evening, Quintana heard a noise outside his gym and caught three teens red-handed. They were spray painting graffiti on his building. He pulled one teen into the gym, and the other two followed. There was a fight. Somehow Quintana got the upper hand and called the police, who put the teens in handcuffs. Then one of the teens threatened to kill Quintana. That was the last straw. Quintana hit the ceiling. He grabbed a can of red paint and sprayed two of the boys in the face.

Now Quintana is paying the price of losing his cool. He was arrested, convicted of assault, and sentenced to 40 hours of community service. "Two wrongs don't make a right," said the judge.

New Idioms and Expressions

• see red---be very angry
• can't stand something---dislike something very much
• get rid of something---remove; throw something away
• all over the place---everywhere
• do away with something---put an end to something; destroy something
• look for someone or sth---catch someone in the actof doing something wrong
• get the upper hand---get the power or advantage
• That's the last straw!---After so many problems, that's just too much to endure!
• hit the ceiling---become very angry
• pay the price for sth---receive punishment for sth
• lose one's cool---get angry; lose one's temper

Answer the Questions

About the Story

1. How does Quintana feel about graffiti?
2. What does he do about grafit on the gym wall?
3. What does he do about graffiti in the neighborhood?
4. What happened after Quintana heard a niseout side his gym?
5. What was the last straw for him?
6. What did he do when he hit the ceiling?
7. What price is Quintana paying for losing his cool?
8. Do you think Quintana deserved his punishment? Why or why not?

About You

1. How do you feel about graffiti? Is it vandalism or street art, in your opinion?
2. Is graffiti all over the place in your neighborhood? If yes, should you and your neighbors do something about it? What?
3. What makes you lose your cool?
4. What can't you stand?
5. If you you could, what would you do away with in the world?

Chapter 9: Man Ties the Knot with Stranger

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA. David Weinlick, 28 and still single, was sick and tired of the question "When are you going to get married?" So he set out on a date for his wedding-June 13- and began to get ready for it. He handed out wedding invitations, got a tuxedo, and bought the wedding rings.

There was only one problem: David didn't have a bride. He wasn't even going out with anyone! So he began to organize a bridal contest. It would take place on June 13 at a shopping mall, and he would marry the winner immediately afterwards. He invited his friends and relatives to come and choose the perfect wife for him. Some people thought he was out of his mind, but only his father refused the invitation. " I think a bridal contest makes light of someone serious," he said.

On June 13, the wedding day, 24 single women showed up at the mall. David's friends interviewed the women and then they voted. The winner was Elizabeth Runze, who, like David, is a student at the University of Minnesota. Moments later, Elizabeth and David tied the knot. The lucky bride was flying high. "This is the most incredible day of my life," Elizabeth told the crowd of friends, shoppers and reporters. David is happy too. He and his new bride have hit it off. "She is marvelous," he says.

New idioms and expressions

• tie the knot with someone---marry someone
• be sick and tire of something---feel unable to tolerate something any longer
• get married to someone--- marry someone
• get ready for something---prepare for something
• hand something out---distribute something
• go out with someone---have a romance with someone; go somewhre with friends
• take place---happen
• be out of one's mind---be crazy, irrational, silly
• make light of something---act as if something is unimportant
• be flying high---be very happy
• hit it off with someone---quickly become good friends with someone

Answer the Question
About the story

1. Why did david Weinlick decided to get married?
2. What did he do to get ready for the wedding?
3. What was david's one big problem?
4. When did the bridal competation take place?
5. What did his friends think about David's plan?
6. Why did his father refuse to come?
7. Who showed up?
8. Who was the winner? How did she feel?
9. What do you think of David's wedding? Was he out of his mind?

About you

1. Are you married? f not, are you going out with someone? Do you want to tie the knot?
2. Has anyone ever told you that you were out of your mind?
3. What kind of people do you hit it off with?
4. Tell about a time when you were flying high
5. What job do you have in mind for your future? How can you get ready for the job?
6. What are you sick and tired of?

Chapter 8: Emu Falls Madly in Love

MOBILE, AL, USA. One fall day, a giant bird showed up at the home of Ed Stuardi and fell madly in love with him. He and his wife first saw the six-foot emu drinking water from their bird bath and eating berries from their trees. Then Ed began to feed her dog food, not knowing that he was asking for trouble. Soon the bird was following Ed all day long and driving him crazy.

Then things went from bad to worse. One day the bird ran toward Ed, making noises deep in her throat. Ed didn't realize these were mating calls. He was scared stiff. Smaller than the bird, Ed tried to keep her away with a stick.

For two days, Ed didn't dare go out of his house. He called the police, but they said they couldn't help him out. They didn't have the equipment to catch the bird.

Finally, Ed contacted the Animal Rescue Foundation, which got involved and caught the bird. Diane Roberts, director of the Foundation, explained the situation this way: "Mr. Stuardi was feeding her and it was mating season. So she had her heart set on this man. Hopefully she'll meet another fellow and forget about Mr. Stuardi. After all, he is a married man."




New Idioms and Expressions

• fall madly in love (with someone) ---begin to love (someone) very much
• show up (at a piece)---arrive (somewhere);appear
• ask for trouble---cause something that will cause problems later
• all day---during the entire day
• drive someone crazy---annoy or irritate someone
• go out (of a place)---leave (a place)
• help (someone) out---be helpful (to someone)
• get involved (with something) ---become active or interested (in something)
• after all---one must remember that; consider the fact that

Answer the Questions
About the Story..................................................

1. When did the bird show up at Ed's house?
2. Why did she fall madly in love with Ed?
3. What did she do that drove him crazy?
4. When did things begin to go from bad to worse?
5. How did Ed do for two days?
6. What did the police say when Ed called?
7. Who finally get involved?

About You..........................................................

1. Do you have a pet? What kinds of problems does it cause? What do you love about it?
2. Who or what drives you crazy? Why?
3. Tell me about a time when you were scared stiff.
4. Who helps you out? Who do you help out?
5. Is there a situation in the world right now that is going from bad to worse? Discuss your ideas with the class.

Chapter 7: Globe-Trotting Frog Comes Home

SWANSEA, MA, USA. If you love a good mystery, this story is for you! One spring day, Gertrude and John Knight, both 67, were working in their yard. They noticed that the ten-pound cement frog in their garden was gone. "I thought some kids ripped it off," said John.

But several weeks later, John began to change his mind. The Knights got a strange postcard that said, "I'm sick of sitting in your garden. Had to get away. Love, the Frog."
Then the Knights got a letter from New York. "Dear Ma and Pa, I'm in New York! I should be back by Christmas. I'll write again soon!" Inside tha letter was a photo of the frog at a New York subway station.

For the next eight months, cards and pictures arrived from around the world. The Knights heard from the frog in Indonesia, Sweden, and Italy. A letter from Paris said, "Hi Mom and Dad, Can't stay here too long. They eat frog legs!" Finally, the frog dropped them a line from Japan, which said "I'll catch you later, around Christmas."

Sure enough, just before Christmas, the globe-trotting frog arrived home in a limousine. There was also champagne and a letter for the Knights. "Thanks for being good sports!" it said. The Knights don't have a clue who took the frog. But they sure got a kick out of this adventure!

New Idioms and expressions:

• globe trotting---traveling around the world
• rip something off/rip someone off---steal sth/ steal from someone
• change one's mind---change one's opinion or point of view
• be sick of something---be tired of; be bored with something
• get away---leaves one's daily routine; go on vacation
• be back---be again where you were before
• hear from someone---recieve a phone call, letter, or e-mail from someone
• drop someone a line---write a short letter to someone
• I'll catch you later---I'll see you later
• sure enough---as expected
• be a good sport---be able to laugh at jokes and pranks that involve you
• not have a clue---not know anything
• get a kick out of something---enjoy something a lot

Answer the Questions
About the Story..................................................

1. What did John Knight think happened to the frog at first?
2. When and why did he change his mind?
3. According to the postcard, why did the frog have to get away?
4. When did he promise to be back?
5. For how long did the Knights continue to hear from the frog?
6. What did the card from Japan say?
7. When did the globe-trotting frog arrive home?
8. What was the message in the letter?
9. Do the Knights know who took the frog?
10. How did they feel about his adventure?
11. In your opinion, what kind of person took the frog?

About You...........................................................

1. Do you like to get away? Where do you go?
2. How often do you drop your friends and family a line? How often do you hear from them?
3. What kinds of sports or adventures do you get a kick out of?
4. Are you a globe-trotter (or would you like to be?)? tell about your travels (or your plans).

source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/12/22/national/main25886.shtml?source=search_story

Chapter 6: Face to Face After 56 Years

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA. In 1941, the Nazis entered Russia. Anna Babken, 17, was pregnant and living in Luzhsky, near St. Petersburg. The Nazis destroyed her town and burned down her house, so she gave birth to her daughter, Ludmilla, outdoors in a field.

In 1942, the Nazis took Anna to a labor camp in Germany. She lost Ludmilla. "I don't know who took my daughter from my arms," she says.

Ana lived through the war. Afterwards, she searched for Ludmilla, but couldn't find her. She migrated to the U.S. and had two more children. But she couldn't stop thinking about Ludmilla. Was she alive? Where was she? Anna always put an empty chair at the dinner table for her lost daughter.

Year after year, Anna wrote letters to the Soviet government. Finally, in 1963, she found out that Ludmilla was alive and living in Russia. They started writing, but there were restrictions against travel into or out of the Soviet Union. As a result, they couldn't get together.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1989, they began to make plans for a reunion. Finally, in 1998, after 56 years, Anna and Ludmilla met face-to-face in Boston. It was a dream come true. "I knew someday I would find her," says Anna, now 74. "Now my empty chair is filled."

New Idioms and Expressions:

• face-to-face---indirect contact; in person
• be pregnant---be going to have a baby
• burn something down---destroysomething by fire
• give birth (to a baby) ---have a baby
• live through something---survive something
• search of someone or sth---look everywhere for someone or sth
• think about someone or sth---remember; consider someone or sth
• year after year---regularly for many years
• find something out---learn or discover something
• get together (with someone) ---meet and spend with someone
• make plans for something---plan to do something
• a dream come true---a dream that has become has become a reality

Answer the Question:
About the Story..................................................

1. Why did Anna give birth to her baby outdoors?
2. What happened to her in 1942?
3. What did Anna do after the wars? Was she succesful?
4. After Anna came to the U.S., what couldn't she stop doing?
5. Who did she write to year afer year?
6. What did Anna ind out in 1963?
7. Why couldn't she and her daughter get together?
8. When did they finally meet face to face? How did they feel?

About You...........................................................

1. Where are there wars today? Why are two sides fighting?
2. Do you know someone who lived through a war? Discuss.
3. Do you often think about someone far away? Will you get together in the future?
4. When and where did your mother give birth to you?
5. Anna waited 56 years for her dream to come true. Do you have a dream? When do you think it will come true?
6. Are you making plans for a trip? Tell the class.

sources: http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20127124,00.html

Chapter 5: Boy Fights Lion Tooth and Nail

MISSOULA, MT, USA On a fine summer day, Aaron Hall, 16, set out on a hike in the mountains of Montana with a group of young children. As a camp councelor, Hall was in charge of the children's safety.

Hall was walking in front of six-year-old Dante Swallow when he hears Dante scream. He turned around and got the shock of his life. An animal had Dante by the neck and was dragging him away. At first glance the animal looked like a dog, but then Hall saw the face of a mountain lion. He reacted in a flash. He began kicking and hitting the lion. He founght tooth and nail.

The lion let go of Dante and backed off, running into the bushes. Hall gave Dante first aid. Then he jumped to a nearby truck and drove the boy down the mountain. At the hospital, Dante got stiches in his neck.What a close call! The lion's teeth had just missed Dante's main artery.

"I was really scared of the lion," Hall said afterwards. "I don't even remember fighting him." He is now a hero in this community. "What he did is just incredible," said Dante's greatful parents.

New Idioms and Expressions:

• fight tooth and nail---fight very hard
• set out (on a hike, a walk, a trip)---begin (a hike, a walk, a trip, an adventure)
• be in charge (of someone or sth)---be responsible (for someone or something)
• in front of someone or sth---ahead of/before someone or sth
• get the shock of one's life---be extremely surprised and scared
• at first glance---at the first quick look
• look like someone or sth---be simolar in appearance to someone or sth
• in a flash---very quickly
• let go (of someone or sth)---release (someone or something)
• back off (from someone)---move in reverse/stop threatening (someone)
• a close call---a narrow escape
• be scared of someone or sth---fear/be afraid of someone or sth

Answer the Question

About the Story..................................................

• What was the Hall in charge of?
• What were the animals look like at first glance?
• How did Hall react when he saw it was a lion? How would you react in the same situation?
• What did the lion do after hall fought tooth and nail?
• Why did Dante have a close call?
• What is your opinion of Hall?

About You...........................................................

• Tell me about a time when you got the shock of your life.
• Are you scared of any animals? Which one?
• Tell about a close call you have had in your life. What happened?
• Do you like to be in charge of things? Explain.

Chapter 4: On Top of the World

KATMANDU, NEPAL As a boy in Wales, Tom Whittaker had his heart set on climbing mountains. He moved to the U.S. and became a skilled climber.

In 1979, a drunk driver hit his car. Whittaker, then age 30, lost his right foot. This was a bitter pill to swallow. However, he refused to give up climbing. Instead, he decided to break new ground as a disabled person. He set his sights on Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. It's also the most dangerous; one in six climbers dies there.

Year in and year out for more than 10 years, Whittaker trained hard for his dream. With the help of doctors and engineers, he designed a strong artificial foot to climb the terrible mountain. In 1989, Whittaker made a first attempt to climb, but bad weather forced him back. In 1995, he made a second attempt. This time, illness forced him back.

Finally, in 1998, Whittaker reached the roof of the world. "I arrived just as the sun came up," he said. He was on the top of the world! Whittaker made history as the first disabled person to climb Mount Everest.

New Idioms and Expressions:

• be on top of the world---be very happy
• have one's heart set on something---want something very much
• a bitter pill to swallow---a difficult thing to accept
• give up doing something---stop or quit doing something
• break new ground---do something that has been done before
• set one's sights on doing sth---choose to do sth as a goal
• year in and year out---continuously for many years
• make an attempt to do sth---try to do sth
• force someone back---make someone go back
• come up---rise( referring to the sun and moon)
• make history---do sth that will be remembered in history books

Answer the Questions
About the Story.................................................

• As a boy, what did Whittaker have his heart set on?
• How did he feel when he had the accident?
• After the accident, what did Whittaker set his sight on?
• What did he do year in and year out?
• What happened when he made first attempt at Everest? What happened the second time?
• When did Whittaker decide to climeb such difficult mountain?
• When did he arrived on the roof of the world? How did he feel?
• Why has he made history?
• What do you think of Whittaker?

About You.........................................................

• Who do you admire who has broken new ground or made history?
• What are you setting your sights on for the future?
• Would you like to make history?

Chapter 3: Out on a Limb

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA. Julia Butterfly, 24 has gone out on a limb for her beliefs. She has spent two years living in a giant redwood tree in Northern California, 180 feet above the ground. "I'm trying to save this tree," she says.

Butterfly is a member of Earth First!, an environmental protection group. She and her group are going head to head with a lumber company, which owns the forest. The company wants to chop down the 1000-year-old trees and sell the wood. To protect the tree, Butterfly stays in it around the clock. Only 3% of the redwood forests remain, according to Butterfly. "The world needs to know that the magnificent redwood forests are almost gone. I'm taking a stand for life in its beautiful form."

Butterfly puts up with horrible weather. Powerful storms often hit her tree house. She pulls up all her food with a rope. She cannot bathe. Her only convenience is a cell phone to keep in touch with her family.

Butterfly plans to stay in the tree as long as she can. What does she look forward to back in civilization? "I'd like to take a hot shower," she says.

Idioms and Expressions:

• go out on a limb---do something that has dangerous consequences
• go head to head (with someone)---argue or fight (with someone)
• around the clock---continuously without a break
• take a stand---clearly and loudly declare your point of view
• put up with someone or something---endure or tolerate someone or something
• spend time doing sth---use time to do something
• chop something down---cut sth down usually a tree
• according to someone or sth---as said by someone or something
• keep in touch (with someone)---communicate regularly (with someone)
• look forward to (doing) something*---anticipate (doing something with pleasure
• take a shower or bath---wash yourself in the shower or bath
  

Answer The Questions

About the story.................................................................

1. Why is Butterfly in the tree?
2. How much time has she spent living there?
3. What is Earth First? Why is it going head to head with a lumber company?
4. According to Butterfly, why is it important to take a stand?
5. What problems does she have to put up with in the tree house?
6. Why does she need a cell phone?
7. Do you think Butterfly has the right to stay in the tree? Why or why not?

About you........................................................................

1. Which social or political causes are important to you? Which one(s) would you go out on a limb?
2. Do you care about the environment groups in your country? What are their goals?
3. tell about the time when you put up with an inconvenience such as horrible weather or no electrical power.
4. Imagine that you were living in a tree for a year. What would be difficult to put up with? What would you look forward to? What would you spend time doing?
   

Chapter 2: Man Eats Out and Gets More Than He Ordered

DELTONA, FL, USA. Henry Snowden, 31, decided to eat out one Friday night. He pulled into a drive-up window at Burger King. Hungry as a bear, he ordered a large burger, large fries, and a king-size drink. Snowden got his fast food as well as a big surprise. Stuffed inside out of the paper bags was $4,170!

"I looked at the money as I ate. I knew immediately I should give it back," Snowden said. But Snowden did not return the money right off the bat. He went home to sleep on it. "I've got to say I was tempted to keep it," he admitted.

Snowden went back to Burger King the next day to give back the money. Restaurant workers greeted him with tears in their eyes and gave him lunch on the house. They explained that the restaurant puts its bank deposits in paper bags to prevent robberies. By mistake, a clerk gave Snowden the wrong paper bag.

Burger King may offer Snowden a reward. But Snowden says there's something even better- he has a clear conscience. "I'm glad I did the right thing. I feel better than I've ever felt."

New idioms and expressions:

• eat out---eat in a restaurant
• pull into a place ---arrive at a place by car, bus, or train
• (as) hungry as a bear --- very hungry
• as well as ---and also
• right off the bat --- immediately
• sleep on it ---decide later, often the next day
• on the house ---free; paid for by the merchant

Answer The Questions

About the story......................................................................

1. Why did Snowden decide to eat out?
2. Did he go inside the restaurant?
3. What did he get from the clerk?
4. What did he do as he ate?
5. Why didn't he return the money right of the bat?
6. When did he go back?
7. How did the workers thank him?
8. How does Snowden feel now?
9. What do you think of Snowden? Is he a good person? Whay would you do if you were in his shoes (in his situation)?

About you.............................................................................

1. What do you like to eat when you're hungry as a bear?
2. Do you like to eat out? Where?
3. Tell about something you did by mistake.
4. How important i it to have a clear conscience?

Chapter 1: Engineer Is Enthusiastic About Odd New Home

PORTLAND, OR, USA. Bruce Campbell recently bought his dream home. Campbell, 49, is not someone who follows the crowd. Instead of a traditional house in the suburbs, he got a 727! He paid $100,000 for his new home, which used to belong to the Greek Airline Olympic Airways.

Campbell's unusual home is parked on his rural property near the city of Portland. He cleaned the cabin and took out most of the seats. "Now it's a palace in here!" he says. The cabin is huge, but the bathrooms, on the other hand, are tiny. Campbell plans on using the cockpit as his office.

Campbell, an engineer, is enthusiastic about his new home. The plane is much stronger than most homes, he points out. And the roof will never leak! At present, Mr. Campbell is a bachelor. But what if he meets his soul mate? Then, he jokes, he'll buy a huge 747!

New idioms and expressions

• be enthusiastic about sth---like sth very much
• follow the crowd---do what everyone else does
• instead of (doing) sth---in the place of (doing) sth
• pay for something---give money for sth
• belong to someone---be the property of someone
• take something out---remove somehing
• on the other hand---however/in contrast
• plan on (doing) sth---expect (to do) sth in the future
• point sth out---explain sth/ show sth
• at present---now
• what if---what will happen if
• soul mate---perfect life partner

Answer the Question
About the story:

1. How much did Campbell pay for his new home?
2. Who did the plane belong to before Campbell bought it?
3. What did he do to the cabin?
4. What does he plan on doing with the cockpit?
5. Why is Campbell enthusiastic about his new home?
6. What is his marital status at present?
7. What if he meets his soul mate?
8. Do you think Campbell will easily find a soul mate? Why or why not?
9. Would you be enthusiastic about living in a plane? Why or why not?

About you:

1. What are you enthusiastic about?
2. Do you like to follow the crowd? (In fashion? In music?)
3. What kind of person would be a soul mate for you?
4. What things do you have to pay for every month?
5. Where are you living at present?
6. What do you plan on doing this weekend?