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8 The Guardian Weekly 18.01.08 Learning English Tefl Update Sign up for an email version of these materials at www.guardian.co.uk/GWeekly/teflupdate Advanced≥ Racing round the world on biofuel Robert Booth 8 “We need to make people aware that biofuels need to be part of our 1 It looks more like the Batmobile transport energy mix and people than an ocean-going speedboat. should support them,” he said. The winged silhouette of Earthrace 9 The boat has a chiselled prow de- inched up the Thames into London signed to pierce waves rather than last month in preparation for an ride over them and is weighed down environmentally friendly assault by 2.5 tonnes of fuel. By slicing on the world circumnavigation through the biggest swells the boat record. maintains its speed. The designers 2 Skipper Pete Bethune from New told Bethune it would work “like a Zealand said he planned to use hot knife through butter”. nothing but biofuels to power his 10 “It’s nothing like that,” he said. carbon fibre vessel westwards “In big seas it is brutal and violent. from Valencia, through the Panama The surge of energy works its way Canal, on towards Singapore and through the boat as it goes through back again through Suez — a jour- the wave.” ney of 42,000km. Earthrace with skipper Pete Bethune on deck Grame Robertson 3 The circumnavigation record stands Glossary at 74 days, 23 hours and 53 minutes lems faced on the craft’s first failed crew will be complemented by assault (noun) the act of trying to by Cable and Wireless Adventurer, record attempt last spring. paying members of the public in a achieve something that is difficult or a British boat that ran on conven- 5 Three heavy storms and problems mission that is equal parts record dangerous tional fuel in 1998. with the law ended that bid. A Gua- attempt and evangelical mission to ocean-going (adjective) designed to 4 Earthrace will sail from Valencia temalan shark fisherman was killed trumpet the value of biofuels in the cross the ocean or sea in March and is aiming to be back and another injured when Earthrace fight against global warming. world circumnavigation (noun) the act around 65 days later, having negoti- hit their boat while sailing at night, 7 Sitting in the cramped cockpit of of travelling completely around the world ated the perils of gun-toting pirates which saw Bethune held briefly in his 24m vessel, Bethune, a former evangelical (adjective) wanting very in the Caribbean, floating logs off prison. oil industry worker, jokes he has much to persuade other people to accept Borneo and towering 12m high seas 6 None of that was enough to put him “swung over to the dark side” by your opinions in the Pacific — some of the prob- off a second attempt and a trained embracing plant power. Questions a the boat or parts of the boat? b the sea? Find the full route at: www.earthrace. to the four man crew for each leg of the c people working on the boat? d dangers net/index.php?section=3 race, chosen from members of the public Before reading that threaten the boat? who are willing to join in and work hard. After reading 2 Plan and write an email to apply to join 1 The article is partly about “biofuel”. While reading the crew. Use key vocabulary from the Choose the best answers below. 1 Synonyms article. Include the following: Biofuel is a type of fuel made from . 1 Read paragraphs one to five. Use the Synonyms are words with the same or an introduction explaining why you are a oil, coal or other types of fossil words below to complete the ques- very similar meaning. Find synonyms emailing material. tions, then find the answers. for these words in the first five para- the reason why you are interested in b volcanic gas or hot water from under How many, What, Where, Why graphs. Put them in the grid below. joining the crew the Earth. a _______ does Earthrace look like? Find the word that runs down through brief information about your background c recently living things or the waste of b _______ is Bethune going to start his all the words. how you will raise the money (it will cost living things. journey? a attempt b dangers c armed (two words) you at least $20,000) c _______ kilometres is the trip? d for a short time e hurt f boat g unsuc- questions regarding the trip A common type of biofuel is made from d _______ is the current circumnavigation cessful h jail 3 Swap emails with others in the class. crops such as . record? Who has written the most convincing a sugarcane and corn. b onions and pota- e _______ were the problems that Earthrace a application? toes. c lemons and oranges. faced on the previous attempt? f _______ was Bethune sent to prison in b Answers Biofuel is a popular form of car fuel in . Guatemala? a the US. b Brazil. c Japan. c Before reading 2 Read the rest of the article. Decide if 1 c, a, b 2 Look at the headline, photo and caption. the sentences are true [T] or false [F]. d 2 a speedboat — racing, skipper, deck b circumnavigate the world in record time Answer the questions below. Correct the false sentences. e a What form of transport is Earthrace? a □ The crew will pay to be on the boat. 3 won’t appear — fence, valley Which words in the headline or caption b □ There are two main reasons for the f a craft, vessel, prow b swell, wave c crew helped you to choose your answer? Earthrace journey. d pirate, storm (wave, swell) b What do you think Pete Bethune is c □ Bethune used to work in the biofuel g While reading 1 a What, the Batmobile b Where, Valencia planning to do? industry. h c How many, 42,000 d What, 74 days Quickly read the first paragraph to d □ Bethune is a strong supporter of e What, pirates, floating logs, high seas, biofuels. check your answers. heavy storms, problems with law f Why, e □ The boat is designed to ride over the Earthrace killed a Guatemalan fisherman 3 Vocabulary from the article waves. Activity — write an application 2 a F (members of the public will pay . ) Before reading the rest of the article, f □ In stormy seas the movement of the b T c F oil industry d T e F pierce waves f T look at the nouns below. Underline two boat can be rough and violent. 1 Read this real announcement from the 3 Useful phrases: westwards, through, on words that you think will not appear in Earthrace website: www.earthrace.net. towards, back . through the article, then answer the questions. 3 Look back at paragraph two. Using an Imagine that you wish to join the crew. After reading craft, crew, fence, pirate, prow, storm, atlas, plot the route that Earthrace will Earthrace skipper, Pete Bethune, has said 1 a bid b perils c gun-toting d briefly swell, vessel, wave, valley take in March. Underline the useful that he is willing to share the experience e injured f vessel g failed h jail Which word or words refer to . phrases used to indicate the direction. with others by adding one extra person .

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