[00:00.00]Unit 2 Friends and relatives
[00:04.99]2 While you read
[00:11.65]Surprise for Jailbird Dad
[00:16.20]There are many happy stories
[00:20.17]about children being reunitted with the famous parents they did not know they had,
[00:26.41]but perhaps one of the unusual
[00:30.77]is that of a twenty-five-year-old chef from Liverpool,
[00:36.13]who was recently in formed of the fact
[00:40.20]that the father he had never known
[00:43.86]was actually one of Britain’s most dangerous men.
[00:49.14]Originally jailed for robbery and burglary,
[00:54.60]Charles Bronson has spent twenty-two of the last twenty-six years in prison.
[01:00.84]Much of this is because he has repeatedly taken hostages in jail
[01:07.21]and attacked fellow inmates.
[01:10.87]He is a man of incredible physical strength and has a terrible temper.
[01:17.71]He has already caused over half a million pounds’worth of damage to prison property
[01:24.56]had to be moved to a special secure unit,costing the taxpayer over $60,000 a year.
[01:32.60]Twenty-five years ago,he became a father,when his son,Michael,was born.
[01:39.06]However,he split up with the boy’s mother when he began a prison sentence three years later.
[01:46.11]Last year,though,an old friend managed to track down Bronson’s son in Lverpool.
[01:53.19]The news that his father was the infamous ’most dangerous man in Britain’
[01:59.35]obviously came as a total shock to the son,
[02:04.11]who nevertheless decided to get in touch with his father.
[02:08.97]When Bronson first heard from Michael,he said:’I was on a mission of madness,
[02:16.23]now I’m no a mission of peace.
[02:20.67]All I want to do now is get home and have a pint with my boy.’
[02:26.42]When the two men finally met in prison,
[02:31.69]Michael said that he got on like a house on fire with his father.
[02:37.15]’I gave him a great big hug.
[02:41.52]It was very nice to finally meet him after all thesee years.
[02:46.69]People get the wrong impressioon of him from the media.
[02:52.15]He’s not as bad as they make out.He’s actually a very sensitive and talented guy.’
[02:59.10]Interestingly,the facts do back up this claim,
[03:04.37]because as well as having a reputation for violence,
[03:09.13]Bronson also has a reputation for his cartooms and poetry.
[03:15.08]He’s been attempting to have his work published,
[03:19.94]but the prison authorities have stood in the way of any such plan,
[03:25.19]because they didn’t want him to profit from his crimes.
[03:30.26]Michel also commented on the fact that he and his father looked very similar,
[03:36.71]except for his dad’s large bushy beard.
[03:41.44]Bronson himself said:’I’m delighted to be back in touch with my son.
[03:47.81]It’s taken twenty-two years to get him back into my life."
[03:53.38]When Charles Bronson is eventually released,
[03:58.55]father and son want to open up a restaurant.
[04:03.41]Mike plans to be the chef-while Bronson intends to be the security on the door!
[04:09.97]These plans,however,may have to be put on hold-it seems that old habits die hard.
[04:17.70]Only last week,Bronson was involved in yet another violent incident
[04:23.55]and an early release looks increasingly unlikely.
[04:28.41]If you would like to know more about Charles Bronson’s amazing life,
[04:34.36]a biography is currently being written about him.
[04:39.12]You can read it with a clear conscience because any profits will be going to charity.
[04:45.88]3 Pronunciation:the schwa sound
[04:55.03]1.It’s better than my old one.
[05:04.17]2.It’s better than it was before.
[05:10.52]3.It’s bigger than the last one.
[05:16.08]4.It’s much more touristy than it used to be.
[05:22.93]5.It’s much cheaper than it used to be.
[05:29.40]6.It was quicker than last time.
[05:34.97]7.It wasn’t as good as the last time we went.
[05:41.92]8.It wasn’t as good as I remembered.
[05:47.79]9.It’s not as good as it used to be.
[05:54.04]5 Giving bad news
[06:03.18]1.Can you give me a lift home?
[06:11.72]I’m sorry,I’m afraid .I can’tI lost my licence las week
[06:17.97]-had a bit too much to drink and got stopped by the police!
[06:22.72]2.Do you think I could get that camera back off you sometime soon?
[06:29.20]I don’t know how to put this,but I think I lost it last night while I was out.
[06:35.96]I’m really sorry,but I’ve searched everywhere and I can’t find it.
[06:41.53]I’ll get you another one.I’m extremely sorry.
[06:46.39]3.Have you heard from Jan recently?
[06:51.98]Well,actually,I haven’t-not for about six months
[06:57.31]-we had a bit of an argument last year.
[07:01.43]4.Is your grandfather any better?
[07:07.31]I’m afraid not.We’re very worried about him.But then he is ninety.
[07:14.57]5.So,has peter had his results yet?
[07:21.23]Well,yes,I’m afraid he has.
[07:25.39]He didn’t pass-so he’s got to re-sit part of his exams in July.
[07:30.85]6.Are you feeling all right,Steve?
[07:36.02]Well,actually,no.I’ve just had some very bad news.
[07:42.18]7.Hello,how are you?
[07:47.75]Oh,fine thanks.Well,actually,I think I’m getting the flu.
[07:53.81]So I’d stay away if I were you.
[07:57.65]8.I thougt you had a dog.
[08:02.98]We did.But unfortunately,it ran out into the street and was run over.
[08:09.04]I’m aftaid we had to have it put down. |