A

B
C
D
E
F

Mr Vroom flew so often that he knew the planes better than most of the cabin crews
In a period of 20 years, he estimates that he flew a staggering 38 million miles
Although he believes he hadnt done anything wrong, American Airlines disagreed.
He worked as a catalogue sales representative.
On top of that, the ticket holder could also collect airmiles each time they flew
The Airpass quickly paid for itself.

The ultimate frequent flyer

Jack Vroom, an American businessman from Dallas, Texas, has made a claim as the
ultimate frequent flyer. (---1----) Even more amazingly, he did this without paying for
any of the flights. But after having flown enough times to go round the world 1,600
times, Mr Vroom has now been banned from flying on American Airlines.
Mr Vrooms adventure began in 1988, when a friend told him about a unique
opportunity. American Airlines were selling an unlimited, life-long first-class travel pass
called the AAirpass. For a fee of $350,000 plus interest, the ticket-holder and one
companion could fly first-class anywhere, whenever they wanted, and as much as
they wanted. (----2----). Although they were expensive, American Airlines sold a total of
40 tickets, before they stopped issuing them in 2004.
The pass was designed mostly for business use, but Jack Vroom decided to use it all
the time. (---3----) He would fly across the USA to watch his son play American football
at university, or to pick up his father-in-law from Washington DC so he could babysit
his children. He told friends it was cheaper than paying for a local babysitter. He would
also go abroad too, often just for a few hours. He flew to Milan to pick up some parts
for a motorbike, and to Guadalajara, Mexico, just to buy some belts. (---4----) He didnt
even need to show his pass, and everyone at his local airport knew him by name.
His adventure came to end, though, in 2009 on a flight back from London. He had
used his companion pass to fly his daughters friend back to the US, but when they
arrived at Heathrow airport, Mr Vroom was taken to the VIP lounge and was given a
letter saying that he could never use the ticket again. (----5----) When they checked
who he was flying with, they noticed he booked trips with people he had never flown
with before. They also noticed he would fly to far-away destinations in Europe and
Asia, but only stay for a few hours. They accused him of selling his companion ticket,
which was against the rules. His frequent flying was also costing the airline millions of
dollars a year.
Mr Vroom disagrees with the decision, and believes there was nothing written
anywhere which said he wasnt allowed to gain compensation from his companion
ticket. He believes that any money made was for his business services, or simply
because friends wanted to pay him for the flight.
These days, Mr Vroom stays on the ground, working as a teacher and giving lectures
in his house in the city of Dallas in the United States.

The ultimate frequent flyer

Jack Vroom, an American businessman from Dallas, Texas, has made a claim as the
ultimate frequent flyer. In a period of 20 years, he estimates that he flew a staggering
38 million miles. (----1-----) But after having flown enough times to go round the world
1,600 times, Mr Vroom has now been banned from flying on American Airlines.
Mr Vrooms adventure began in 1988, when a friend told him about a unique
opportunity.(---2---). For a fee of $350,000 plus interest, the ticket-holder and one
companion could fly first-class anywhere, whenever they wanted, and as much as
they wanted. On top of that, the ticket holder could also collect airmiles each time they
flew. Although they were expensive, American Airlines sold a total of 40 tickets, before
they stopped issuing them in 2004.
The pass was designed mostly for business use, but Jack Vroom decided to use it all
the time. The AAirpass quickly paid for itself. He would fly across the USA to watch his
son play American football at university, or to pick up his father-in-law from
Washington DC so he could babysit his children. (----3----) He would also go abroad
too, often just for a few hours. He flew to Milan to pick up some parts for a motorbike,
and to Guadalajara, Mexico, just to buy some belts. Mr Vroom flew so often that he
knew the planes better than most of the cabin crews. He didnt even need to show his
pass, and everyone at his local airport knew him by name.
His adventure came to end, though, in 2009 on a flight back from London. He had
used his companion pass to fly his daughters friend back to the US, but when they
arrived at Heathrow airport, Mr Vroom was taken to the VIP lounge and was given a
letter saying that he could never use the ticket again. Although he believes he hadnt
done anything wrong, American Airlines disagreed. When they checked who he was
flying with, they noticed he booked trips with people he had never flown with before.
They also noticed he would fly to far-away destinations in Europe and Asia, but only
stay for a few hours.(----4----). His frequent flying was also costing the airline millions
of dollars a year.
Mr Vroom disagrees with the decision, and believes there was nothing written
anywhere which said he wasnt allowed to gain compensation from his companion
ticket. (----5----)
These days, Mr Vroom stays on the ground, working as a teacher and giving lectures
in his house in the city of Dallas in the United States.

A
B
C
D
E

He told friends it was cheaper than paying for a local babysitter.

Even more amazingly, he did this without paying for any of the flights.
They accused him of selling his companion ticket, which was against the rules
The pass was sold to wealthy passengers only.
American Airlines were selling an unlimited, life-long first-class travel pass called the
AAirpass
F He believes that any money made was for his business services, or simply because
friends wanted to pay him for the flight.

The Effects of Climate Change in the UK

Climate change is a long-term change in weather patterns over periods of time that
range from decades to millions of years. It is one of the greatest environmental issues
of our time.
The effect of changes in our climate has been a hot topic for many years. And now
government ministers in the UK have warned that the internet could be badly affected
due to climate change. (----- 1 -----)
Scientists say that higher temperatures and rainstorms could affect wi-fi
communications. In addition, wetter winters and drier summers might lead to
subsidence the sinking of the ground damaging underground cables. (----- 2 -----) If
climate change affects the quality of the signal, or there is no signal due to extreme
changes in temperature, people will clearly be disadvantaged. It would be very serious
if communication systems were not working in the height of an emergency. This is why
the issue must be dealt with.
The Environment Secretary, Caroline Spelman, recently explained the governments
plans to take action. (----- 3 -----) However, if these facilities cannot deal with the
increase in floods and storms likely to accompany rising temperatures, the money will
have been wasted, she warned. Speaking at Blackfriars Railway Station in London,
which a UK rail company says is being redeveloped with the long-term effects of
climate change in mind, Ms Spelman said the UK economy would not be able to grow
if infrastructure transport and communications networks and reliable energy and
water supplies failed.
Ms Spelman explained that our economy is built on this infrastructure. But it could not
grow if there are repeated power failures, or goods cannot be transported because
roads are flooded and railways have been damaged, or if heavy rainfall or high
temperatures negatively affect wi-fi signals. (----- 4 -----) According to Ms Spelman,
they could come forward and develop new technologies and processes to help our
current systems better deal with climate change.
A government report published recently outlines how planning and design of new
systems needs to consider the effect of climate change. This is especially important as
many projects will still be there in 50 to 100 years from now. The study gives details of
what action needs to be taken by the owners of transport networks, for example. (----5 -----)
Rail Minister Theresa Villiers explained that although the UK government needs to
manage money very carefully, it is committed to spending considerable sums on
transport through vital projects such as the Thameslink upgrade, Crossrail, the
proposed High Speed rail network and more electrification of the rail network.
The new Blackfriars Railway station in London is being fitted with technology including
sun pipes, rainwater harvesting systems, insulation and solar panels to make it less
reliant on water and electricity networks. Perhaps this station will lead the way for
others all over the country to become more environmentally friendly.

A It also highlights the role of the government in protecting the UK from the effects of
climate change.
B So, how long has it been damaged for?
C This involves spending around 200billion on UK transport and power supplies over the
next five years.
D As well as getting money from the government, she also asked for help from British
businesses.
E So, what does that mean for people who need to use these communications?

F Roads, railways, and power and water supplies also need to be protected as weather
patterns become more serious.

Unexpected challenges from environmental

change
Climate change is a long-term change in weather patterns over periods of time that
range from decades to millions of years. It is one of the greatest environmental issues
of our time.
The effect of changes in our climate has been a hot topic for many years. (----- 1 -----)
As weather patterns become more serious, railways, roads, and power water supplies
also need to be protected.
Scientists say that higher temperatures and rainstorms could affect wi-fi
communications. In addition, wetter winters and drier summers might lead to
subsidence the sinking of the ground damaging underground cables. So, what
does that mean for people who need to use these communications? If climate change
affects the quality of the signal, or there is no signal due to extreme changes in
temperature, people will clearly be disadvantaged. It would be very serious if
communication systems were not working in the height of an emergency. (----- 2 -----)
The Environment Secretary, Caroline Spelman, recently explained the governments
plans to take action. (----- 3 -----) However, if these facilities cannot deal with the
increase in floods and storms likely to accompany rising temperatures, the money will
have been wasted, she warned. Speaking at Blackfriars Railway Station in London,
which a UK rail company says is being redeveloped with the long-term effects of
climate change in mind, Ms Spelman said the UK economy would not be able to grow
if infrastructure transport and communications networks and reliable energy and
water supplies failed.
Ms Spelman explained that our economy is built on this infrastructure. But it could not
grow if there are repeated power failures, or goods cannot be transported because
roads are flooded and railways have been damaged, or if heavy rainfall or high
temperatures negatively affect wi-fi signals. She also asked for help from British
businesses. (----- 4 -----)
A government report published recently outlines how planning and design of new
systems needs to consider the effect of climate change. This is especially important as
many projects will still be there in 50 to 100 years from now. (----- 5 -----) It also
highlights the role of the government in protecting the UK from the effects of climate
change. Rail Minister Theresa Villiers explained that although the UK government
needs to manage money very carefully, it is committed to spending considerable sums
on transport through vital projects such as the Thameslink upgrade, Crossrail, the
proposed High Speed rail network and more electrification of the rail network.
The new Blackfriars Railway station in London is being fitted with technology including
sun pipes, rainwater harvesting systems, insulation and solar panels to make it less
reliant on water and electricity networks. Perhaps this station will lead the way for
others all over the country to become more environmentally friendly.

A The study gives details of what action needs to be taken by the owners of transport
networks, for example.
B And now government ministers in the UK have warned that the internet could be badly
affected due to climate change.
C Over the next five years, it intends to spend around 200billion on UK transport and
power supplies.
D According to Ms Spelman, they could develop new technologies to help our current
systems better deal with climate change.

E She was sure that it was essential for the work to be done immediately.

This is why the issue must be dealt with.

Survival stories
Weve all heard amazing stories in which people struggle heroically to survive against
all the odds. [----1----] The truth, though, is that not all survivors are quite so heroic. As
these two stories show, the will to survive isnt always so strong.
As an experienced sailor, Lynn Walker knows nothing is ever certain on the high seas.
However, when she took on the job of sailing a luxury yacht from Tahiti to San Diego,
she must have believed that it would be one of the less complicated trips she had
done. Little did she know that after a week of calm sailing the weather would change
dramatically, bringing a tropical depression from Central America to blast the yacht
with 20-metre waves. Lynn found herself battling against Hurricane Raymond. [---2----]
Lynn was unconscious for a long time. When she did finally come round, she realized
that the boat had miraculously righted itself, and that she had been saved by the
lifeline connecting her to the boat. [---3----] Tragically, she could see Simon, her
boyfriend, lying dead in the water.
There was plenty of food on the boat, and the weather was calm again, but Lynn could
only feel an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. She found that she couldnt eat,
and simply sat on the soaking wet deck. It was as if she had given up, and was waiting
to die. Then, all of a sudden, a voice in her head told her to survive. She managed to
put up a makeshift sail, and consulting the surviving charts on the boat, somehow
sailed to Hawaii.
Another story is set in the thrilling yet terrifying Marathon des Sables, arguably the
worlds toughest foot race. Competitors attempt a six-day 250-km run across the
Sahara desert in temperatures of over 45 degrees. Just imagine getting lost. That,
however, is exactly what happened to an Italian policeman called Marco Contadino, a
regular competitor, when he took part in the race in 1996. [-----4-----] Marco should
have stopped and waited for the storm to calm down, but he kept on, desperate to
stay in seventh place in the race, only to find that when the wind dropped he could no
longer see the course. He reached for his water bottle and found there were only a
few drops left in the bottom of it.
For three whole days Marco tried to find his way back to the course, with barely any
water and no idea what direction he was heading in. He started to visualize the
agonising death he would soon have to face. A friend had once told him that dying of
thirst was the worst of all possible deaths. Fearing such a long and painful death, he
decided to cut his wrists with a knife. But, short of water, his blood was thick and
would not flow.. [---5----] Five more days passed until, miraculously, a group of Tuareg
nomads found him and took him to a village. Marco discovered he was in Algeria, 130
miles away from the race course.

A She had tied it to herself moments before the boat had first gone under the waves.
B A sandstorm developed as he was running, which covered the marks of the course he was
following with sand.
C In desperation, he headed out into the desert one more time, expecting to die.
D Something went wrong, and soon disaster struck.
E It was an unequal battle, and the boat soon turned over.

F We wonder what we would have done in similar impossible

situations and find it hard to imagine how these people found the
strength to stay alive.

Survival stories
Weve all heard amazing stories in which people struggle heroically to survive against
all the odds. [----1----] The truth, though, is that not all survivors are quite so heroic. As
these two stories show, the will to survive isnt always so strong.
As an experienced sailor, Lynn Walker knows nothing is ever certain on the high seas.
However, when she took on the job of sailing a luxury yacht from Tahiti to San Diego,
she must have believed that it would be one of the less complicated trips she had
done. Little did she know that after a week of calm sailing the weather would change
dramatically, bringing a tropical depression from Central America to blast the yacht
with 20-metre waves. Lynn found herself battling against Hurricane Raymond. [---2----]
Lynn was unconscious for a long time. When she did finally come round, she realized
that the boat had miraculously righted itself, and that she had been saved by the
lifeline connecting her to the boat. [---3----] Tragically, she could see Simon, her
boyfriend, lying dead in the water.
There was plenty of food on the boat, and the weather was calm again, but Lynn could
only feel an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. She found that she couldnt eat,
and simply sat on the soaking wet deck. It was as if she had given up, and was waiting
to die. Then, all of a sudden, a voice in her head told her to survive. She managed to
put up a makeshift sail, and consulting the surviving charts on the boat, somehow
sailed to Hawaii.
Another story is set in the thrilling yet terrifying Marathon des Sables, arguably the
worlds toughest foot race. Competitors attempt a six-day 250-km run across the
Sahara desert in temperatures of over 45 degrees. Just imagine getting lost. That,
however, is exactly what happened to an Italian policeman called Marco Contadino, a
regular competitor, when he took part in the race in 1996. [-----4-----] Marco should
have stopped and waited for the storm to calm down, but he kept on, desperate to
stay in seventh place in the race, only to find that when the wind dropped he could no
longer see the course. He reached for his water bottle and found there were only a
few drops left in the bottom of it.
For three whole days Marco tried to find his way back to the course, with barely any
water and no idea what direction he was heading in. He started to visualize the
agonising death he would soon have to face. A friend had once told him that dying of
thirst was the worst of all possible deaths. Fearing such a long and painful death, he
decided to cut his wrists with a knife. But, short of water, his blood was thick and
would not flow.. [---5----] Five more days passed until, miraculously, a group of Tuareg
nomads found him and took him to a village. Marco discovered he was in Algeria, 130
miles away from the race course.

A She had tied it to herself moments before the boat had first gone under the waves.
B A sandstorm developed as he was running, which covered the marks of the course he was
following with sand.
C In desperation, he headed out into the desert one more time, expecting to die.
D Something went wrong, and soon disaster struck.
E It was an unequal battle, and the boat soon turned over.

F We wonder what we would have done in similar impossible

situations and find it hard to imagine how these people found the
strength to stay alive.