Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- security blanket / sɪˈkyʊər ɪ ti ˈblæŋ kɪt / (n.) – something that gives someone comfort or a feeling of safety
Example:He sees the old watch his father gave him as a security blanket, especially when giving presentations.
- throwback / ˈθroʊˌbæk / (n.) – something from the past or that existed in the past
Example:They enjoyed a throwback to the 1990s by playing old board games at the house party.
- pat / pæt / (v.) – to lightly touch something several times with an open hand
Example:She was patting her jacket to see if she had her keys.
- instinctively / ɪnˈstɪŋk tɪv li / (adv.) – doing something naturally or automatically, without thinking
Example:He saw someone get bitten by a dog, so he instinctively stepped back whenever he saw one.
- touch base / ˈtʌtʃ ˈbeɪs / (idiom) – to briefly talk to someone to share information, views, etc. about something
Example:Managers used video calling apps to touch base with their staff.
Article
Read the text below.
Attending the Masters for the first time was a new experience for Thomas Abraham, and it wasn’t just about the golf. The 16-year-old from Houston had the rare opportunity to use a public telephone for the first time.
“It was kind of cool,” said Abraham, who phoned a friend while attending the Masters Par 3 competition on April 9 with his father, Sid. “I’ve never used one before. I figured it out. If I had to use one of those (rotary) phones, I probably would’ve had to ask my dad.”
Augusta National Golf Club requires its patrons to leave their cellphones and other electronic devices behind. In place of those security blankets, there are several public telephone banks of those throwback devices from days gone by. They are a foreign sight for many in the younger generation who’ve never seen a phone with an attached cord.
Abraham is not unlike most teenagers—or adults, for that matter—who are very much attached to the world through their cellphones. At some point, chances are, patrons check for their phone—patting their pockets, reaching for the clip on their belts, wherever it usually is.
And when they can’t find it, well… “It’s kind of panic mode,” Abraham said. “We were at 18th (hole), and I went to reach in my pocket, and it wasn’t there. Then I remembered it’s in the car.”
He wasn’t alone.
“I’ve checked my pockets for my phone no less than 10 times today,” said Ryan O’Connor from Little Rock, Arkansas. “I was sitting in the bleachers on the 16th green, and someone dropped a water bottle, and it made a loud noise, and I instinctively reached for my phone. Not there.”
The line at the public phone bank can stretch up to 10 people deep at the height of the Masters. And while they provide an outlet for those looking to touch base with the world outside of Augusta National’s gates, there are some issues that come with them. Like, remembering phone numbers.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- At the Masters, visitors had to leave their phones behind. Why do you think cellphones are not allowed inside the golf club? Should more places ask people to turn off their phones to create a better atmosphere? Why or why not? Would you enjoy events more if no one around you used a phone? Why or why not? Discuss.
- Many people felt stressed and uncomfortable without their cellphones. Would you also feel stressed and uncomfortable if you had to spend a full day without your phone? Why or why not? Do you consider your cellphone to be a security blanket? Why or why not? Discuss.
Discussion B
- At the Masters, Thomas Abraham used a public phone for the first time and was surprised at how different it was from a smartphone. Do you think teens in your country would have the same reaction as Thomas Abraham if they used a public phone? How important were public phones to you before smartphones? Discuss.
- Do you think younger people should learn how to use older technology? Why or why not? Discuss.
