Learning English - Words in the News
31 May, 2006 - Published 10:57 GMT
Switzerland attracts thousands of holidaymakers every summer. But this year, Germany's hosting the World Cup and the Swiss Tourist Board is worried about loss of revenue - and so, its latest television campaign reveals Switzerland's secret weapon. Football widows take note: Switzerland isn't limited to beautiful scenery; it has beautiful men too ...
From smiling cable car attendants to sexy mountain climbers to ... yes ... farmers with a smooth line in milking and what's more, they're not that interested in football. Oliver Kirstalt of the Tourist Board insists this is a true picture of Swissmasculinity:
OLIVER KIRSTALT:
"It is a true picture of Switzerland. All the men are Swiss and are working in the real jobs and they're representing men in everyday Switzerland, yes ..."
"It is a true picture of Switzerland. All the men are Swiss and are working in the real jobs and they're representing men in everyday Switzerland, yes ..."
The campaign has been tested on Swiss women and they love it. But while they like the marketing concept, they're not absolutely convinced these men exist:
SWISS WOMAN:
"Just go to the mountain and see the nice lakes and the view and the summits and there you might find a good man. But I wouldn't make too much ideas about that ..."
"Just go to the mountain and see the nice lakes and the view and the summits and there you might find a good man. But I wouldn't make too much ideas about that ..."
SWISS WOMAN:
"People out there in the world probably think about Switzerland as a conservative or more traditional country and I think this shows that we are the opposite ..."
"People out there in the world probably think about Switzerland as a conservative or more traditional country and I think this shows that we are the opposite ..."
REPORTER:
'But are Swiss men like that? Can I walk out in the street and find one like that?'
'But are Swiss men like that? Can I walk out in the street and find one like that?'
SWISS WOMAN:
"Yeah, I guess so. Good luck ... " (laughter)
"Yeah, I guess so. Good luck ... " (laughter)
Well, a quick tour of the streets of Zurich reveals the sad truth that you can't believe everything you see on television. Still, if you want a break from football this summer, then Switzerland is waiting. Just one word of warning: a Swiss team has actually qualified for the World Cup - so those Swiss men, gorgeous or otherwise, might all be watching the match.
Imogen Foulkes, BBC News, Zurich
hosting the World Cup
being the country where the competition will be played
being the country where the competition will be played
loss of revenue
not getting money that was expected
not getting money that was expected
television campaign
a series of advertisements on television
a series of advertisements on television
Football widows
women who can't have time with their husbands because the husbands are watching a lot of football
women who can't have time with their husbands because the husbands are watching a lot of football
masculinity
the features and qualities of being male
the features and qualities of being male
the marketing concept
the idea behind the advertisements
the idea behind the advertisements
summits
tops of mountains
tops of mountains
conservative
with traditional, maybe old-fashioned attitudes
with traditional, maybe old-fashioned attitudes
gorgeous
very attractive
Original BBC page herevery attractive
WORKSHEET 1
Are the following sentences true or false?
1. This year, The Swiss Tourist Board expects to tourism to generate a lot of money. T/F
2. The Swiss countryside is very attractive. T/F
3. The men in the advertising campaign are keen football fans. T/F
4. The men in the advertising campaign are models and actors. T/F
5. Swiss women have reacted positively to the publicity. T/F
6. Swiss women are not certain that the lovely men in the adverts can be really found. T/F
7. Some people think that Switzerland doesn’t usually try out new ideas. T/F
8. The reporter found several lovely men, but they were watching the TV. T/F
9. The Swiss football team isn’t playing in this year’s World Cup. T/F
WORKSHEET 2
VOCABULARY
Match these words and phrases to their definitions
1. hosting the world cup A. a series of advertisements on television
2. loss of revenue B. being the country where the competition will
be played
3. television campaign C. the idea behind the advertisements
4. football widows D. with traditional, maybe old-fashioned attitudes
5. masculinity E. not getting money that was expected
6. the marketing concept F. women who can't have time with their
husbands because the husbands are watching a
lot of football
7. summits G. very attractive
8. conservative H. the features and qualities of being male
9. gorgeous I. tops of mountains
WORKSHEET 3
GRAMMAR FOCUS – VERB PHRASES WITH PREPOSITIONS
Fill the blanks with a preposition from the box below.
on for(x2) about of in to(x2) with
1. Make sure you prepare carefully _____ your exams next week.
2. Most medicines are tested _____ animals before they are given to humans.
3. I think I’m the only person who isn’t interested _____ the World Cup. What a lonely
summer I’ll have!
4. She’s really worried _____ her future, she doesn’t know whether to leave University to
join the rock group.
5. Playing computer games all day is not my idea ____ fun. I’m leaving!
6. David’s musical skills are limited _____ singing: he can’t play any instruments at all.
7. You’re so creative. You come up ____ new ideas all the time, and they’re always good
ones.
8. In the summer I love going ____ the beach
9. ‘Did Sasha qualify _____ the Olympics? Was his time fast enough?’
Can you find these verb phrases in the news report?
ANSWER KEY
WORKSHEET 1
1. False – Paragraph 2 says ' the Swiss Tourist Board is worried about loss of revenue.'
2. True – Paragraph 2 'Switzerland isn’t limited to beautiful scenery.'
3. False – Paragraph 3 says ‘They’re not that interested in football.’
4. False – Paragraph 4 says ' All the men…are working in the real jobs.'
5. True – Paragraph 5 says ‘The campaign has been tested on Swiss women and they
love it'.
6. True – Paragraph 5 says ‘they’re not absolutely convinced these men exist.'
7. True – Paragraph 7 says ‘people out there…think about Switzerland as a
conservative…country’
8. False – Paragraph 8 says ‘a quick tour of the streets of Zurich reveals the sad truth that
you can’t believe everything you see on TV’
9. False – Paragraph 9 says ‘a Swiss team has actually qualified for the World Cup’
WORKSHEET 2
1. B 6. C
2. E 7. I
3. A 8. D
4. F 9. G
5. H
WORKSHEET 3
1. for
2. on
3. in
4. about
5. of
6. to
7. with
8. to
9. for
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