Magyar Nemzet, 1993. március (56. évfolyam, 50-75. szám)

1993-03-13 / 61. szám

II Magyar Nemzet Narrator ON ÉS A NYELVVIZSGA 1993. A MÁRCIUS 13. Greg Prdf Greg Prof Greg Prof Greg N.O. Hope A Magyar Nemzet és a Kossuth rádió közös angoltanfolyama G alaxy X - középhaladóknak L ESSON 19: WHERE’ IS THE ui ιιιν *m\j ui vviuui j a Hungarian scientist discovered a way of saving the oxygen in the air. Nobody took him seriously so he locked his invention in a safe and hid the code for the lock in 13 identical expressions in some conversations and translations. Three centuries later his great-great-great grandson, N.O. Hope, tried to open the safe because the air on Earth was running out. He couldn’t open it, so he put the safe into a capsule together with a message on a cassette and sent them into, . space. - ‘ . 113131 I It is now the 31st century and the capsule has been found, in Galaxy X, where the oxygen is running out. Professor Middlebrow, a linguist from the English Planet, and Gergely Martin, an engineer from the Hungarian Planet, are trying to break the code in the hope that the 20th century discovery might save the Galaxy. Slowly they’re collecting the expressions they need to open the safe. They now have: to hand in one’s notice, odds and ends, out of order, to put up with somebody or something, every modern convenience, to show somebody round, to lose one’s way and V.I.P. (Very Important Person). They are now going to listen to the next tape. □ □□ Sorry I’m so late, Prof. Never mind. I was omy worried - something 1 had happened. No, / got caught up in the rush hour, that's all. I usually leave a little early, but 1 couldn’t get away today. And the space-buses were so crowded l couldn’t get on the first two that came along. It’s because of the migration, you know. I read in the paper that they aren’t making buses any more. They are concentrating on long-distance inter-galaxy coaches to make sure everyone can leave. Perhaps we won't have to if we can find the code and open the safe. Shall we start then? It’s tape No 9. Yes, let’s. Here’s the cassette. Tape No 9 is about an experiment some people made to see how helpful people were in the street. It’s all about transport and traffic. The 20th century marked the end of the horse as a means of transport. People bought cars and travelled far more widely than ever before. Towns became jamned with traffic, and you had to pay to park, even. There were parking meters, and traffic wardens who fined people for parking in the wrong places. Some towns were so congested that no parking was allowed at all, and people had to leave their cars in large car parks outside the city and travel in by public transport. On the other hand public transport was gradually improving. There were buses, trolley buses and trams in most towns, and big cities had underground trains as well. It was in the twentieth century that people first became aware of the dangers of pollution and began to look for new fuels for vehicles to replace oil and petrol. Now in the 23rd century we only have solar-powered cars and there is no pollution at all, but the cities are just as crowded as ever. Prof Times haven’t changed much, then. Greg Only now it’s space that's jamned with traffic, not the cities. Prof Anyway, let’s listen and see if people were any more helpful in the 20th century than they are today. □ □□ (Tape) Chairman ... and the subject of our next paper is „How helpful are people in the street?”. I hand over to Professor Glib, from the psychiatric department of the Studies Institute. Glib Ladies and Gentlemen, the subject of our paper is „How helpful are people in the street?”. I was assisted in my investigations by Raymond Grant, the well-known radio reporter, and Mary- Midi, a guide from a travel agency. Our plan was to start from the Central Bus Station and make for the camping site on the edge of the town. Grant went by car. Miss Midi and I decided to rely on public transport. Greg: to rely on public transport? A.D.: it is to use public transport - buses, underground or trams. Glib We each carried cassette tape recorders und-recorded the reactions of the people who we asked to help us find our way.________________ Greg: to find one’s way? A.D.: this is to I discover 'which road one 1 SI should go along: Glib First then, here is Raymond Grant’s report. Grant (on tape): „I’m sitting in my car in the car park by the Central Bus Station. I shall ask the car park attendant how to get to the campsite... Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the camping site? Mary The German and I lost our way completely. We asked several people and no one knew exactly where the campsite was.” Glib So Mary never met us at the campsite. But she managed to prove that being helpful can make people happy. She is now living in Germany, married to the man with the large red Mercedes... Finally here’s my report. Waitress „Are you going by car? Glib No. Well, it’s too far to walk, love. You’d be best to take a number 6 bus, then change on to a number 8 tram, get off at the swimming pool and... ... The campsite? No, you’d better get a taxi - it’s very complicated otherwise. No, it’s quite easy. Take a trolley from the comer to the stadium, then... Not the stadium, the police station... Take the underground, it’s quicker... But the underground doesn’t go in the right direction... Well, it does if you get off at the Town Hall... The Town Hall has moved. It’s somewhere in the new shopping centre. No, it’s not in the shopping centre. But please, tell me how to get to the campsite? Yousjiould read the papers, madam; The Town Hall is' that new block by the Stadium^.! ‘ You should read the papers. I work in the Town Hall, it’s overby the... But please, tell me where the campsite is! Stop interrupting! But the campsite! Can’t you see we’re talking! find your own bloody way!” So I walked out, quite exhausted and took a taxi. Ladies and Gentlemen, the conclusion I must make from our experiment is that on the whole people in the street are helpful, but I’d advise anyone in a strange place to use a map... you are more likely to reach your destination. (End of tape) □ □□ Now I’ll put the tape on to the Expression Extractor. . on the edge of the town, to cut through the park, to keep straight on, I haven’t a clue, to be on one’s way through somewhere, it’ll take you all the way, to give somebody a lift, to get lost, to exceed the speed limit, you can’t miss it, it’s back the way you came. Plenty of them this trime. By the way, Greg, I forgot to tell you that I’ve just bought a Mini Space Hopper. Have you really? They’ re supposed to be very good. They don’t cost much to run and they’re easy to park. Come and have a look at it. It’s in the inflatable floating garage. Hm, I’d love to. A sorozat szerzői: Caroline Bodóczky, Horlai György, Lukács Krisztina IFolytatjuk) A Sötét tónusú rész szerkesztési okból nincs a hanganyagban. Felhívjuk olvasóink figyelmét, hogy az angol nyelvleckéket tartalmazó mellékleteink I pótlólag - megvásárolhatók a Budapest VII., Erzsébet körút 6. szám alatti ügyfélszolgálati irodánkban. Greg 3 .....same direction without turning right or left. Attendant Turn left again and the park’s in front of you. Grant Thank you very much, goodbye. Attendant Just a minute, sir, you’ve gone over your time that’ll be an extra -Grant But I only stayed here in order to ask you the way. Attendant Well, I’m sorry, sir. Another time you’d better use a map. That’ll be fifty pence... Grant Well, the attendant seemed helpful enough, but he gave me the wrong directions! At the park I stopped to ask a pedestrian. Greg: pedestrian? A.D.: a pedestrian is a person walking in the street, he must use the pavement and cross the road at zebra crossings. Grant Excuse me, can you tell me the way to the camping site? Woman I’m not quite sure I can, I’m afraid. Hang on a mo! Hey Mister! How’d you get to the campsite from here? Man I should say the best thing is to... Policeman What’s all this? What do yoti think you’re doing parking here? Can’t you see the No Stopping sign? Greg: No Stopping sign? A.D.: traffic signs are notices in the street telling people what to do and what not to do. The No Stopping sign e.g. means you are not to stop there. Grant I’m very sorry, officer, but I’ve lost my way. I stopped to ask. Policeman No stopping allowed liere. G?ani'‘1 ’ Tihiorry, I’m a strängfer... Policeman1 ·' - Ό.Κ., in that case Γ won’t ■ ' fhieryou this time'.' * ' Greg: fine? A.D.: a fine is a sum of money paid in punishment for breaking a law. Policemen fine drivers who drive too fast or park in a no parking area, or break any of the other traffic rules. Grant ,. Oh, thank you. But please, help me get to the camping site. Policeman I’m going that way myself. You’d better follow me. Grant Thank you, that’s very kind. - So 1 went with a police escort. Greg: police escort? A.D.: a police escort is a group of policemen or police cars protecting important people. Grant We exceeded the speed limit all the way and arrived with sirens wailing and everyone jumping out of the way.” Greg: to exceed the speed liiiilt? A.D.: go faster than you üre allöwed Wk&A X \ : to.' Greg: sirens? A.D.: sirens are strong whistles to warn people of danger. Police cars, ambulances and fire engines have sirens. Glib So Grant had little trouble but although people seemed to be helpful he wouldn’t have found his way if it hadn’t been, for the police. Now let’s listen to Mary Midi’s account. Mary „At the Central Bus Station I first asked a bus official... I can I get to the camping site by bus? Official Sorry, Miss, we only have long-distance coaches here. Can’t help you, I’m afraid. Mary So I asked someone waiting in a bus queue. Man Haven’t a clue. Greg: haven’t a clue? A.D.: this is an expression, meaning I don’t know, l haven't the faintest idea. Man I don’t live here, myself. I’m on my way through. Greg: I’m on my way through? A.D.: / am just travelling through this A Kossuth rádió URH sávján március 8-án 23.45-kor elhangzott adás szövege. Ismétlés: vasárnap, március 14-én, a Kossuth rádió URH-sávján 17.00 órakor