Part IV More about the topic: Day-light-saving Time

The following short passage is about day-light-saving time. Supply the missing words while listening.

Tapescrippt:

Standard time is a worldwide system of time areas based on longitude. Longitude is the distance on the earth measuring east or west of the first longitude line at Greenwich, England. Each time area is 15 degrees longitude wide. Under standard time, the time kept in each time area is that of its central longitude line. These line are 15 degrees, 30 degrees and so on east or west of the first line in England. The difference in time between each nearby area is exactly one hour. All clocks keep the same time within each area.

In the summer, most people in the United States move their clocks ahead on hour to use day-light-saving time. The only states which do not are Hawaii, Arizona and most of Indiana. Some border areas of Indiana keep the same time as nearby state and do change to day-light-saving time. The use of day-light-saving time provides an added hour of day light in the early evening. Its chief purpose is to save energy by reducing the evening use of electricity for reading. Many countries first used day-light-saving time during war time. For example, Britain went on day-light-time during WWI, so didi the United States. The United States also abserved it during WWII. After the war, many American states established some kind of day-light-saving time for the nation. It began the last Sunday of April and ended the last Sunday of October.

In the 1970s, that time period was extended as a result of the reduction in Arab iol exports that caused a fuel shortage in the United States. In 1986, new legislation changed the start of day-lingt-saving time from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in April. This was done to save energy. Experts say that including the whole month of April saves the nation about 300,000 barrels of oil each year. So today day-lingt-saving time begins the first Sunday in April and ends the last Sunday in October. That is why most Americans will set their clocks backward one hour this Saturday night.

Part V  Memory test: Radio Announcement

You ae going to hear a radio announcer describing tonight’s programmes (perferably only one time). After that several questions will be asked. Find the right answers as quickly as possible according to the notes you have taken while listening.

 1. b. 2

 2. c. 3

 3. c. 3

 4. b. Wednesday

 5. d. Old People Talking

 6. a. My Favourite Discs

 7. d. Joe Newland with his friends

 8. c. Middle East

 9. c. 9:15

10. d. 9:00

Tapescript:

Announcer: And now here are some of the things you can listen to this evening here on Radio 2. Our Wednesday play is at nine and is called Old People Talking; it’s bout a small group of old age pensioners sitting in a social club remembering the past. Before that at 7:30 we have “My Favourite Discs” in which Jenny Lindley talks about the records that influenced her musical career. At 10:30 there is an account by James Farmer of his travels in the Middle East by bicycle and at 11:00 there’s a service from St. Paul’s. On Radio 3 the big event of the evening is the broadcast of La Traviata from the Albert Hall; it’s at 9:00 and it has Felicity Newcombe in the major role. The interval talk at 9:15 is Peter Morris remembering his adventures while fishing in Scotland. Radio 1 has as usual continuous pop music; from 6 to 8 it’s the Tommy Brain show with interviews with live pop stars; from 10 till midnight it’s Joe Newland with his friends. So if you’re in for the eving or listening on the car radio there should be something for you; stay tuned.

Questions for memory test:

1. Which channel are you listening to?

2. If you are interested in opera, which channel are you going to listen to?

3. Which channel will La Trviata be on?

4. What day is it?

5. What is the name of the 9 o’clock play?

6. What is on Radio 2 at 7:30?

7. What is on Radio 1 at 10:30?

8. Where did James Farmer travel?

9. When will Peter Morris be on Radio 3?

10. When will Felicity Newcombe be on Radio 3?