News Mash-up: Accidents

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Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. devastated / ˈdɛv əˌsteɪ tɪd / (adj.) – very shocked and hurt because of something
    Example:

    Ken was devastated when he lost his job.


  2. condolence / kənˈdoʊ ləns / (n.) – an expression of sympathy for the friends and family of someone who’s died
    Example:

    The president expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.


  3. barrel into (something/someone) / ˈbær əl ˈɪn tʊ / (idiom) – to move very fast and crash into something or someone
    Example:

    Anna ran around the corner without looking and barreled into Sarah.


  4. crumpled / ˈkrʌm pəld / (adj.) – describing something that’s crushed and bent
    Example:

    Wow, that bus must’ve been moving fast! The front of it is totally crumpled.


  5. dawn / dɔn / (n.) – the first appearance of sunlight in the morning
    Example:

    My grandfather wakes up before dawn.


Article

Read the text below.

Italian cable car crash kills 14 people


At least 14 people, including five Israelis, died and a child was seriously injured May 23 when a cable car linking Italy’s Lake Maggiore with a nearby mountain plunged to the ground, officials and rescuers said.


The Stresa cable car takes tourists and locals from the town on Lake Maggiore to the top of the Mottarone mountain in 20 minutes.


“We are devastated, in pain,” Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino told broadcaster RAI, while Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi voiced his condolences to the families of the victims.  (Reuters)


Trains collide in Pakistan, killing at least 51


An express train barreled into another that had derailed in Pakistan’s Ghotki district, in the southern province of Sindh on June 7, killing at least 51 people and setting off a desperate effort to search the crumpled cars for survivors and the dead, authorities said.


More than 100 other people were injured in the accident, which occurred before dawn.


Train accidents are common in Pakistan, where successive governments have paid little attention to improving the poorly maintained signal system and aging tracks.  (AP)


These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • In the case of the cable car accident, a judge decided that the greatest responsibility fell on one service technician. Do you think it’s fair to make just one person responsible for such a huge accident? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Some people are afraid to ride on cable cars. After reading this article, do you think their fears are reasonable, or was this just a very unfortunate, rare accident? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Train accidents are common in Pakistan, where successive governments have paid little attention to improving the poorly maintained signal system and aging tracks. Do you think Pakistan’s past and present officials should be held responsible for all train accidents? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you feel public transportation is properly maintained in your country? Why or why not? Discuss.