A Hard Rocker

 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

live (2)	broadcast	international
equally	intolerant	stock market
curry	research	index/indices
appear	check (2)	exchange rate
release	screen (2)	TV screen
glad	record (3)	sing/sung/sung
guitar	of course	globalization
fresh	downside	eat/ate/eaten
abroad	products	buy/bought/bought
wealth	share (2)	concerned
profit	involve	draw the short end of the straw
gain	humanity	sustainability
worry	tolerate	make sure
power	hard-nose	responsibility
spread	best of all	incompetent
sick	exchange	misinformation
tofu	sherbet	competent
expect	graphics	environment
great	fizz/fizzy	make a difference
band	sunshine	all over the world

 
 
 
 
 

Video

 
 
 
 

Transcript

Hello. My name’s Melanie Marker, and I live in Berlin, Germany.

What do you do for a living?

I work in a big, international TV broadcaster. I’m involved in making sure that everything works in the show: stock market indices, watching the exchange rates, doing research, checking graphics. I’m one of the people who make sure things appear on the TV screen.

I’m glad it’s such an interesting job.

But really, I just want to make music, write songs, play the guitar, sing and record.

What does globalization mean to you?

I can travel anywhere, eat fresh fruit all year round and buy cheap products from abroad.

Of course the downside is that you get the same products in shops all over the world.

And wealth isn’t shared equally. Usually the poor countries draw the short straw.

It would be better if people were less concerned about making profits. If there were more humanity, more sustainability, and social responsibility, so that everyone would gain from globalization.

What worries you?

Intolerant, hard-nosed people who love power and money. People who are socially incompetent. War. The spreading of misinformation. Poverty. I also worry about people I love getting sick.

What’s your favorite food?

I love Asian food, green curry with tofu best of all, as well as blue ice-cream and fizzy sherbet.

What do you expect for your future?

I would love to make even more music and get somewhere with it; release a great CD. And also do something that makes a difference, for the environment or helping people, something like that.

What makes you happy?

Sunshine, playing with my band, Shirley Holmes, a good party.

 

 

Questions

1. Who is this person? Where does she live?

2. Is Melanie a musician? What is her job? What does she do (for a living)?

3. According to Melanie, there are upsides and downsides to globalization. True or false? Give examples. What does she like and dislike? She likes . . . .

4. What is her solution to the problems of the world?

5. Does she What does she worry about? She worries about…

6. Melanie’s favorite foods are pizza and hamburger. Is this right or wrong?

7. Is her long-term goal to be the director or CEO of the TV station?

8. Walking in a forest in nature makes her happy. Is this correct or incorrect? What makes her happy?

9. Name some things and activities from the video.

A. Do you or your friends like your job or do you want to do something else?

B. Are you or is your friend a musician? Can you or your friend sing or play any musical instrument?

C. Do you live in Germany? Are you from Germany? Have you been to Germany?

D. Have you met people from Germany? What were they doing?

E. Describe the geography and climate of Germany.

F. Describe the economy of Germany. What does it import and export?

G. Does Germany have any problems or difficulties?

H. What is Germany food or cuisine like?

I. What are some popular tourist destinations (cultural, historic, natural)?