- Have you been watching the news about the oil spill off the American coast?

- Oh, yes, it’s absolutely heartbreaking, isn’t it? It was bad enough to hear there had been an explosion and that eleven people had lost their lives, but the oil slick that’s heading for the Louisiana coastline is going to devastate the wildlife of the area and no doubt ruin the livelihoods of so many people, from fishermen to – well, basically anyone who makes their living from the sea or from tourism along that stretch of coast.

- Oh, I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes! Imagine being lucky enough to live in such a beautiful area, only to have it destroyed, maybe for years to come. I mean, I know they are making some kind of device to contain the slick, and employing all kinds of preventative measures to limit the scale of the damage, but it’s kind of hard to see how any of it could really make such a difference. I would have thought that once the oil had leaked into the sea, no amount of damage limitation could really contain it.

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Situation: Louise and Danny talk about the recent explosion which destroyed an oil rig and caused a massive oil slick off the coast of America.

Style: General / Informal

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Functions:

1.    Introducing a subject:  Have you been watching the news about the oil spill off the American coast? (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

2.    Talking about something that is very sad: Oh, yes, it’s absolutely heartbreaking, isn’t it? (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

3.    Expressing pity for someone who is in a difficult situation: Oh, I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes! (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

4.    Using a positive idea to emphasize a negative one: Imagine being lucky enough to live in such a beautiful area, only to have it destroyed, maybe for years to come. (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

5.    Expressing a tentative opinion: I would have thought that once the oil had leaked into the sea, no amount of damage limitation could really contain it. (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

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Notes:

1.    the oil spill = the oil leak / the large escape of oil

2.    off the American coast = in the sea but close to the American coast

3.    it’s absolutely heartbreaking (idiom) = it is extremely sad

4.    It was bad enough to hear = It was enough bad news to hear that

5.    oil slick = large spill of oil floating on the sea

6.    heading for (phrasal verb) = moving in the direction of

7.    devastate = destroy / damage very badly

8.    the wildlife = the wild animals and plants

9.    ruin the livelihoods = destroy the way of earning a living

10. that stretch of coast = that part of the coastline

11. I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes (idiom) = I wouldn’t like to be in the same position as them

12. for years to come = for many years in the future

13. device = machine / object

14. employing all kinds of preventative measures to limit (more formal) = doing lots of things to try and limit

15. the scale of = the size of / the amount of

16. it’s kind of hard to see how any of it could really make such a difference = it’s difficult to imagine how it is going to work

17. I would have thought that... = my view, though I’m not an expert in these matters, is that... (more formal)

18. leaked into the sea = escaped and went into the sea (liquid)

19. damage limitation = measures to contain the amount of damage

20. contain it = stop it / hold it back (phrasal verb)

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Audio file name: DailyStep-5_environment-oil-leak-001_01

- What you were saying about the effective damage limitation of the Louisiana oil slick being completely impossible isn’t strictly true. I know it sounds rather outlandish, but BP has come up with some kind of massive funnel that they are planning to use to contain the oil that’s still gushing from the deep water well.

- Yes, I did read something about that – well, you are right about it sounding rather far-fetched! I mean, what is it and how on earth is it supposed to work?

- Well, it’s some kind of giant metal containment box, forty feet tall and weighing 98 tonnes. BP has been working round the clock to build it in the last week. The idea is that it will be lowered 5000 feet down to the sea bed using remote controlled submarines, and then placed over the leak. If all goes according to plan, then it will then contain 85% of the leaking oil and pipe it all to the surface.

- Yes, the operative word being ‘if all goes to plan!’ I mean, it’s a totally untested process, isn’t it?

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Situation: Louise and Danny talk about the plan to try and stop the oil leaking into the sea.

Style: General / Informal

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Functions:

1.    Referring to a previous point: What you were saying about effective damage limitation of the Louisiana oil slick being practically impossible isn’t strictly true.

2.    Talking about something that is hard to take seriously: I know it sounds rather outlandish, but BP has come up with some kind of massive funnel... (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

3.    Emphasizing: I mean, what is it and how on earth is it supposed to work? (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

4.    Explaining: The idea is that it will be lowered 5000 feet down to the sea bed using remote controlled submarines...

5.    Focussing on a key word or phrase: Yes, the operative word being ‘if all goes according to plan!... (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

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Notes:

1.    damage limitation = measures to contain the amount of damage

2.    oil slick = large spill of oil floating on the sea

3.    isn’t strictly true (more formal) = isn’t quite true / isn’t totally true

4.    it sounds rather outlandish = it sounds quite crazy or unlikely

5.    BP = British Petroleum (the company that is responsible for the oil leak)

6.    has come up with (phrasal verb) = has thought of / has designed / has devised

7.    funnel = tube like object that is much wider at one end (used to facilitate the pouring of liquids from large containers into smaller ones)

8.    to contain = to stop

9.    gushing = flowing at high speed

10. the deep water well (note: the speaker actually uses the wrong sentence stress here – sorry but I didn’t notice it until after the recording session was over! The speaker says the deep water well, with the stress on the word ‘water’ . This makes it sound as if she is referring to a deep well from which water is extracted. But here we are talking about an oil well in deep water, so the stress should have been ‘a deep water well’ , with the stress on the word ‘well’. If the word ‘oil’ was also in the sentence, the correct stress  would have been ‘ a deep water oil well’.) = oil well situated in deep water

11. far-fetched (idiom) = crazy / unbelievable

12. how on earth (idiom) is it supposed to work? = How can it possibly work?

13. forty feet tall = forty feet high

14. working round the clock (idiom) = working 24 hours per day

15. it will be lowered 5000 feet down = it will be submerged in 5000 feet of water

16. remote controlled submarines = submarines that are controlled from the surface, without crew on board

17. placed over = put on top of

18. the leak = the escape (of oil)

19. If all goes according to plan (idiom) = If everything happens in the way that it should happen

20. pipe it all to the surface = send it all to the surface through a pipe

21. the surface = the surface of the sea

22. the operative word being ... (more formal) = the most important word here is...

23. it’s a totally untested process (more formal) = it’s something that hasn’t been tried before

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Audio file name: DailyStep-5_environment-oil-leak-001_02

- Even though the idea of stemming the flow of leaking oil using a massive underwater funnel is untested, it’s their best, and as far as I know, only hope of preventing even more oil from gushing out into the sea.

- Maybe so, but what I’d like to know is, why hadn’t they considered this possibility before the explosion that caused the leak? It’s not exactly outside the realms of possibility for this to happen, and yet they hadn’t even designed, let alone built, the only thing that could contain it. It’s like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted!

- Yes, it does make you mad, doesn’t it? I mean, these oil companies are happy to cream off the profits straight into the pockets of their shareholders, and no doubt the top people in BP have been enjoying huge bonuses, but it hadn’t occurred to them to plan ahead for a disaster like this. Just like the banks! Living it up at everyone else’s expense!

- Well, yes, but the difference here is that BP is solely and directly responsible, whereas with the financial crisis it was impossible to pin the blame on any one company, even though we’d have liked to!

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Situation: Louise and Danny talk about how they think that BP should have been more prepared for the disaster.

Style: General / Informal

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Functions:

1. Prefacing a comment that you are not sure is true: it’s their best, and as far as I know, only hope of preventing even more oil from gushing out into the sea. (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

2. Indicating anger or frustration before a question: Maybe so, but what I’d like to know is, why hadn’t they considered this possibility before the explosion that caused the leak? (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

3. Adding a further highly relevant point: and yet they hadn’t even designed, let alone built, the only thing that could contain it. (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

4. Talking about a course of action that was taken too late: It’s like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted! (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

5. Talking about something that makes you angry: Yes, it does make you mad, doesn’t it? (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

6. Expressing certainty: and no doubt the top people in BP have been enjoying huge bonuses, (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

7. Emphasising a difference: Well, yes, but the difference here is that BP is solely and directly responsible, whereas with the financial crisis it was impossible to pin the blame on any one company (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

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Notes:

1. stemming the flow of leaking oil = stopping the oil from leaking

2. funnel = tube like object that is much wider at one end (used to facilitate the pouring of liquids from large containers into smaller ones)

3. is untested = hasn’t been tried before

4. as far as I know = to the best of my knowledge (more formal)

5. preventing = stopping

6. gushing out (phrasal verb) = flowing out (phrasal verb) at high speed

7. Maybe so = That is possibly correct (more formal)

8. considered (more formal) = thought about

9. It’s not exactly outside the realms of possibility (more formal – the speaker is being sarcastic here and means that of course they should have foreseen such an occurrence.) = It’s not something that couldn’t happen

10. let alone = not to mention

11. It’s like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted (idiom) = It’s like trying to stop something happening after it has happened

12. the horse has bolted = the horse has run off (phrasal verb)

13. to cream off (phrasal verb) the profits = to take the profits

14. shareholders = investors

15. the top people in BP = the bosses in BP

16. bonuses = extra payments given as reward for achievement

17. it hadn’t occurred to them = they never thought of it

18. to plan ahead (phrasal verb) = to prepare for the future

19. a disaster = a terrible event

20. Living it up (phrasal verb) at everyone else’s expense (idiom) = Living the good life whilst spending everybody else’s money

21. is solely and directly responsible = is completely responsible

22. whereas with (more formal) = but with

23. to pin the blame on (idiom) = to hold responsible

24. we’d have liked to (using only the auxiliary) = we would have liked to pin the blame on a single company

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Audio file name: DailyStep-5_environment-oil-leak-001_03

- So, if BP do manage to make their containment device work and stem the flow of the leaking oil, what about the slick that is already hundreds of miles wide? What do they propose to do about that?

- Err, well, there are actually quite a few ways they are trying to tackle that.

- Such as?

- Well, one thing they are doing is using hundreds of ships to skim the oil from the sea’s surface – apparently there are such things as skimming vessels, which I had never heard of before but which must have been designed after other oil spill disasters.

- That’s all well and good – but they are surely not going to be able to get more than a tiny percentage of it that way!

- That’s true, but in addition to that, they are also burning off as much of the oil as they can, which, even though it does cause damage to the environment, is definitely not as damaging as if the oil were left in the sea and washed up on the shore, so it is definitely the lesser of two evils.

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Situation: Talking about the different methods that are being used to clean up the oil spill.

Style: General / Informal

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Functions:

1. Talking about solutions: What do they propose to do about that? (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

2. Seeking further information: Such as? (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

3. Saying what you have heard elsewhere: apparently there are such things as skimming vessels, (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

4. Making an assumption: but which must have been designed after other oil spill disasters.

5. Showing doubt: That’s all well and good – but they are surely not going to be able to get more than a tiny percentage of it that way! (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

6. Agreeing and adding a further point: That’s true, but in addition to that, they are also burning off as much of the oil as they can, (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

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Notes:

1. BP = British Petroleum (the company that is responsible for the oil leak)

2. So, if BP do manage to = So, if BP is able to

3. device = machine

4. stem the flow of = stop the leak of

5. leaking oil = escaping oil

6. slick = large body of oil floating on water

7. propose = suggest

8. to tackle = to deal with (phrasal verb)

9. Such as? = Could you please me some examples?

10. to skim = to take off (phrasal verb) the surface layer

11. skimming vessels = ships for taking whatever is on the surface of the water out of the water

12. That’s all well and good but (idiom) = that sounds OK but

13. a tiny percentage of it = a small amount of it

14. in addition to that = but also / plus

15. burning off (phrasal verb) = burning ...until it disappears

16. as much of the oil as they can = as much oil as they can burn off

17. the environment = the natural surroundings

18. as if the oil were left in the sea = as the oil being left in the sea

19. washed up (phrasal verb) on the shore = carried by the waves onto the shore

20. the lesser of two evils (idiom) = the least bad of two bad options

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Audio file name: DailyStep-5_environment-oil-leak-001_04

- Aren’t they building some kind of barriers as well, to contain the oil slick? I’m sure I saw some footage of something like that.

- Yes, they are called booms. Basically, what they do is keep the oil in a certain area, then after that a small air force sprays dispersants on to it from above.

- Oh my God, so they are basically spraying the sea with chemicals?

- Yes, but they have to. The Louisiana wetlands host a thriving, multi-billion dollar fishing industry and are prime spawning areas for shrimp, crabs and oysters, not to mention the home of a huge variety of wildlife. The alternative is to let more of it wash up on the Louisiana coastline.

- I suppose so. I guess this may change the attitude of some pro-drilling American politicians to the whole idea of offshore rigs!

- Yes, there has already been sizeable political fallout from this. Two Republican state governors have withdrawn their support for the idea of expanded offshore drilling and a number of Democrats in Congress have warned that they can no longer support energy reform legislation if it includes such provisions.

- Wow, so soon after President Obama announced that he was willing to lift a decades-long moratorium on drilling in new areas of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coastline. Back to the drawing board, then!

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Situation: Danny and Louise discuss the damage that the oil spill will cause to the environment and the Louisiana coastline.

Style: General / Informal

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Functions:

1. Explaining: Basically, what they do is keep the oil in a certain area,

2. Expressing surprise or dismay: Oh my God, so they are basically spraying the sea with chemicals? (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

3. Adding a further relevant point: not to mention the home of a huge variety of wildlife (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

4. Agreeing reluctantly: I suppose so. (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

5. Suggesting starting from the beginning again: Back to the drawing board, then! (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)

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Notes:

1. barriers = obstacles (to hold things back (phrasal verb))

2. the oil slick = large amount of oil floating on the water

3. footage = recorded film

4. booms = inflatable barriers (to contain the oil)

5. air force = military group of planes

6. dispersants = chemicals used to disperse the oil

7. Yes, but they have to (using only the auxiliary) = Yes, but they have to spray dispersants on to it

8. The Louisiana wetlands = Areas of marshland in Louisiana, USA

9. host = provide a home for

10. thriving = flourishing / successful

11. multi-billion dollar fishing industry = fishing industry that earns billions of dollars

12. prime = the best

13. spawning areas for shrimp = areas where shrimps breed

14. crabs = kind of sea creature that lives in a hard shell and has claws. Crabs walk sideways! In fact, the way to describe the way they move is ‘scuttle’. Crabs scuttle sideways.

15. oysters = sea creature that lives in a shell that sometimes contains a pearl

16. Not to mention = and an even more important point is

17. a huge variety of (more formal) = many different types of

18. wildlife = wild animals and plants

19. The alternative is = The other option is

20. wash up (phrasal verb) on the Louisiana coastline = brought onto the Louisiana coastline by the waves

21. pro-drilling American politicians = American politicians who favour oil exploration (more formal)

22. offshore rigs = oil rigs situated in the sea

23. sizeable = large

24. fallout = negative consequences

25. withdrawn their support for = taken away (phrasal verb) their support for

26. offshore drilling = drilling for oil in the sea

27. Democrats = Politicians from the Democratic party

28. Congress = the lower house of the United States parliament

29. they can no longer support (more formal) = they can’t continue to support

30. energy reform legislation (more formal) = new laws about changing energy policy

31. provisions (more formal) = plans

32. willing = prepared to

33. a decades-long moratorium on (more formal) = a ban which has lasted for decades on

34. Back to the drawing board (idiom) = A totally new plan is needed

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Audio file name: DailyStep-5_environment-oil-leak-001_05