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Baumgartner Falls Faster Than Speed Of Sound (16th October, 2012)

Felix Baumgartner, 43, from Austria has become the first person to fall faster than the speed of sound – more than 1,000 kilometres per hour. He jumped from a tiny capsule over 39km above the Earth. The project leader told Baumgartner before he leapt: "Start the cameras, and our guardian angel will take care of you." The skydiver replied: "I know the whole world is watching now. I wish you could see what I can see. Sometimes you have to be up really high to understand how small you are."

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It took Baumgartner ten minutes to reach the ground. His fastest speed was 1,342kph. After the Austrian landed, he fell to his knees, raised his fists and waited for the helicopter to take him back to his team. He told reporters at a press conference: "When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble. You don't think about breaking records…the only thing that you want is to come back alive." In 2003, Baumgartner glided across the English Channel from England to France under a carbon fibre wing.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	more than 1,000 kilometres	a.	the Earth
2	He jumped from a tiny	b.	up really high
3.	over 39km above	c.	capsule
4.	guardian	d.	world is watching now
5.	I know the whole	e.	per hour
6.	Sometimes you have to be	f.	angel

Paragraph 2

1.	ten minutes to	a.	to his knees
2	he fell	b.	on top of the world
3.	press	c.	the English Channel
4.	When I was standing there	d.	reach the ground
5.	come back	e.	conference
6.	Baumgartner glided across	f.	alive

LISTENING GAP FILL

Felix Baumgartner, 43, from Austria has become the first person to (1) ____________________ speed of sound – more than 1,000 kilometres per hour. He jumped (2) __________________ over 39km above the Earth. The project leader told Baumgartner before he leapt: "Start the cameras, (3) ____________________ will take care of you." (4) ____________________: "I know the whole world is watching now. I (5) ____________________ what I can see. Sometimes you have (6) ____________________ to understand how small you are."

It took Baumgartner ten minutes (7) ____________________. His fastest speed was 1,342kph. After the Austrian landed, he fell to his knees, (8) ____________________ waited for the helicopter to (9) ____________________ his team. He told reporters at a press conference: "When I was standing there on top of the world, you (10) ____________________. You don't think (11) ____________________ …the only thing that you want is to come back alive." In 2003, Baumgartner glided across the (12) ____________________ England to France under a carbon fibre wing.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Felix Baumgartner, 43, from Austria has (1) ____ the first person to fall faster than the speed of sound – more than 1,000 kilometres (2) ____ hour. He jumped from a (3) ____ capsule over 39km above the Earth. The project leader told Baumgartner before he leapt: "Start the cameras, and our guardian (4) ____ will take care of you." The skydiver replied: "I know the whole world is watching now. I (5) ____ you could see what I can see. Sometimes you have to be (6) ____ really high to understand how small you are."

It took Baumgartner ten minutes to (7) ____ the ground. His fastest speed was 1,342kph. After the Austrian landed, he fell to his (8) ____, raised his fists and waited for the helicopter to take him (9) ____ to his team. He told reporters at a press conference: "When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so (10) ____. You don't think about breaking records…the only thing that you want is to come back (11) ____." In 2003, Baumgartner glided (12) ____ the English Channel from England to France under a carbon fibre wing.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	became	(b)	becoming	(c)	become
2.	(a)	par	(b)	per	(c)	purr
3.	(a)	microscopic	(b)	enormous	(c)	tiny
4.	(a)	angel	(b)	child	(c)	cupid
5.	(a)	answer	(b)	wish	(c)	think
6.	(a)	high	(b)	increase	(c)	up
7.	(a)	fall	(b)	reach	(c)	arrive
8.	(a)	knees	(b)	leg	(c)	foot
9.	(a)	return	(b)	fly	(c)	back
10.	(a)	humble	(b)	grumble	(c)	mumble
11.	(a)	life	(b)	alive	(c)	livelihood
12	(a)	across	(b)	under	(c)	on

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	eocbme the first person
2.	He jumped from a tiny pecauls
3.	cpojrte leader
4.	adaginru angel
5.	the whole world is chtawing
6.	nersnuatdd how small you are
Paragraph 2
7.	ten minutes to reach the ruognd
8.	His tetsfsa speed was 1,342kph
9.	raised his tsisf
10.	press erfnocenec
11.	you become so mulehb
12.	Baumgartner ledigd across the English Channel

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	than the speed of sound – more than 1,000 kilometres per hour. He jumped from a tiny
( )	capsule over 39km above the Earth. The project leader told Baumgartner before
( )	standing there on top of the world, you become so humble. You don't think about breaking
( )	It took Baumgartner ten minutes to reach the ground. His fastest speed
( )	"I know the whole world is watching now. I wish you could see what I can see. Sometimes you
( )	have to be up really high to understand how small you are."
( )	records…the only thing that you want is to come back alive." In 2003, Baumgartner glided
( )	was 1,342kph. After the Austrian landed, he fell to his knees, raised his fists and waited for the
( )	across the English Channel from England to France under a carbon fibre wing.
( )	he leapt: "Start the cameras, and our guardian angel will take care of you." The skydiver replied:
( )	helicopter to take him back to his team. He told reporters at a press conference: "When I was
( 1 )	Felix Baumgartner, 43, from Austria has become the first person to fall faster

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	fall to person first The sound of speed the than faster.
2.	above tiny the capsule Earth over 39km A.
3.	guardian of angel you will take Our care.
4.	watching the now whole world I is know.
5.	Sometimes up you really have high to be.
6.	his knees After the Austrian landed , he fell to.
7.	the back helicopter to Waited take for him.
8.	top of the world When I was standing there on.
9.	come to is want you that thing only The alive back.
10.	across Channel 2003 glided English In Baumgartner the ,.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about Felix Baumgartner for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other's work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. FELIX BAUMGARTNER: Search the Internet and find more information about Felix Baumgartner. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Felix Baumgartner's amazing record. Include an imaginary interview with him. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to a free-fall expert. Ask him/her three questions about free-falling. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - Felix Baumgartner (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)