Listening Practice #2

LISTENING PRACTICE #2 ROCKET MAN SCRIPT AND ANSWERS

Presenter: Hello and welcome. And for today's programme, we're not on the other side of the world, we're closer to home - just 25 miles outside Manchester and I'm with Herbert Weston, a man with an unusual hobby. Could you tell us a little bit about it, Herbert? Weston: Well, er, as you can see, I'm building a rocket in my garden. When I've finished it, in about, er, six months time, I'm planning to travel about 60 kilometres up into space in it. Presenter: Hah, hah! A bit different from your neighbour's hobby - keeping rabbits. Weston: Hah, hah. Um, yes. Presenter: So, how did this hobby start? Weston: Well, when I was a child, I used to watch 'Star Trek' on TV and films like '2001 A Space Odyssey'. Once I saw John Glenn, the astronaut, on a TV chat show. But it was watching the Apollo moon landings - that's when I thought 'Wow! I really want to do that'. However, there was a problem ... Presenter: Yes? Weston: Um, I wasn't very good at maths and sciences at school. So, from a very early age I knew I could never be an astronaut. Presenter: But you still built yourself a rocket. How did you do that? Weston: Well, I taught myself maths and sciences and I'm really quite good now. Good enough to build my own rocket, anyway. And finding the information to build the rocket was easy ... Presenter: Oh, yeah? Weston: Um, there's been a lot around for 50 years and you can get lots of information quite quickly on the Internet. Presenter: But it must be a very expensive hobby! Um, how do you manage? Weston: Well, my father and my uncle were both very well-off. They owned a number of clothing factories. And when they died, the factories came to me. I sold them and I'm using the money from that. Presenter: I see. Er, and, er, has anything been difficult for you? Weston: Oh, yes, training. I mean, I can get fit ... er, go for runs ... but that's really not enough. I need to take part in a proper astronaut training programme. Presenter: America or somewhere? Weston: Well, the Americans weren't very helpful. They didn't really want to know me. But after a lot of time, and talking, the Russians are going to let me train with them for a month before I go. Presenter: That's great! And how do you feel about the trip? Weston: At the moment I'm fine, I can't wait. But when it's time for take off, I'm going to be really frightened. Presenter: Yeah? Weston: I've got two aims on this trip. The first is to stay alive ... Hah, hah. Um, I really don't want to die - that's important. The second is to go sixty kilometres into space. That'll be a record for anyone outside an official space programme. Presenter: Okay. So, what about the future then? Will you be able to go back to a normal life? Weston: I don't know really. Perhaps someone in the space industry will give me a job. At the moment I'm too busy to think about the future. Presenter: One final question - how much is all this actually going to cost you? Weston: Well, I haven't added it all up yet. Er, the parts of the rocket aren't too expensive. The spacesuit's quite expensive - about 40 thousand pounds. I guess in total - probably half a million pounds - including the training in Russia. When you think about it - that's not too bad really! Presenter: Um, well, I suppose not. Herbert Weston, thank you very much for sharing your hobby with us. Weston: Not at all. 1 Mr Weston ... a) has built a rocket in his garden. b) intends to send rabbits into space in his rocket. c) hopes to travel into space in his rocket. d) plans to travel 60 kms a day in his rocket.

2 Mr Weston first became interested in his hobby when ... a) he saw the Apollo moon landings. b) he watched Star Trek and 2001 A Space Odyssey . c) he met John Glenn, the astronaut. d) he saw a TV chat show about rockets.

3 In order to build a rocket Mr Weston had to ... a) go back to school. b) spend a lot of time on the Internet. c) teach himself maths and sciences. d) go to a special school for astronauts. 4 Where does Mr Weston's money come from? a) He sold some clothing factories. b) He makes a lot of money in the clothing business. c) His father and his uncle are paying for the rocket. d) He inherited a lot of money from his uncle.

5 What has been difficult for Mr Weston? a) Going running. b) Building a rocket. c) Getting astronaut training. d) Getting fit.

6 Where will Mr Weston do his astronaut training? a) In America. b) In Russia. c) Somewhere else. d) A month in Russia and a month in America.

7 When it is time to take off, Mr Weston will feel ... a) very excited. b) very afraid. c) fine. d) relaxed.

8 The most important aim for Mr Weston is to ... a) set a new record. b) become part of an official space programme. c) stay alive. d) go 60 km into space.

9 What does Mr Weston want to do in the future? a) Build some more rockets. b) He wants to go back to a normal life. c) Someone has already given him a job in the space industry. d) He is not worried about the future at the moment.