مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت الف

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART A

OVER THE HILL

Today it’s common to hear stories of people lying about their age.

Is it common to hear stories of people lying about their age? Yes, today it’s common to hear stories of people lying about their age. Have you ever lied about your age?

The obsession with youth is powerful.

Is the obsession with old age powerful? No, the obsession with old age isn’t powerful. The obsession with youth is powerful.

In Hollywood, the pressure to be young hits women especially hard.

Where does the pressure to be young hit women especially hard? In Hollywood, the pressure to be young hits women especially hard.

Many actresses feel pressure to lie about their age to get the many choice roles that often go to younger women.

Do many actresses feel pressure to lie about their age? Yes, many actresses feel pressure to lie about their age. Why do they feel pressure to lie about their age? They feel pressure to lie about their age to get the many choice roles that often go to younger women.

Recently 37-year-old actress Maggie Gyllenhaal lost a part in a movie because she was supposedly over the hill.

Is Maggie Gyllenhaal over the hill at just 37? No, of course not, Maggie Gyllenhaal isn’t over the hill at just 37 years old. Is she supposedly over the hill? Well, yes, to some people in Hollywood, she is supposedly over the hill.

She was shocked to hear that she was too old play the love interest of a 55-year-old man.

Was she shocked to hear that she was too old to play the part? Yes, she was shocked to hear she was too old to play the part.

While it’s understandable that some people feel pressure to appear younger, we rarely hear about people pretending to be older.

What do we rarely hear about? We rarely hear about people pretending to be older.

Calvin Graham was a U.S. Navy soldier during WWII.

Was Calvin a US, army soldier? No, he wasn’t a US Army soldier. He was a US Navy soldier.

The ship he was on faced some of the fiercest battles of the war.

Did his ship face some of the fiercest battles of the war? Yes, his ship faced some of the fiercest battles of the war.

During one battle in 1942, 47 of his fellow soldiers died, and Graham was burned and his front teeth were knocked out.

How many of his fellow soldiers died? Forty-seven of his fellow soldiers died. What happened to Graham? Graham was burned, and his front teeth were knocked out.

Unlike his comrades who were grown men, Calvin was just 12 years old.

How old was Calvin? Calvin was just 12 years old.

When Calvin was just 11, his cousins were killed in the war.

How old was Calvin when his cousins were killed in the war? Calvin was just 11 when his cousins were killed in the war.

Calvin decided that he needed to join the fight.

What did Calvin decide? Calvin decided that he needed to join the fight.

He told his mother he was going to visit his grandmother, but instead he faked some documents and headed to the nearest military office.

What did he fake? He faked some documents. Where did he head? He headed to the nearest military office.

At just 12 years of age, 157 cm tall, and 56 kg in weight, he used the deepest voice he could and convinced them he was 17.

Did he convince them he was 20? No, he didn’t convince them he was 20. He convinced them he was 17.

After a year at war, the military discovered how young he was.

What did the military discover? The military discovered how young he was.

Graham was thrown in military prison for three months until his sister wrote letters to the newspapers about the “baby vet.”

Who did his sister write? His sister wrote to the newspapers. What did she write about? She wrote about her brother, the “baby vet.”

The military was pressured to release Graham, but his war medals were taken from him, and he was denied the medical benefits that were usually given to veterans.

What did the military take from Graham? The military took his war medals. What was he denied? He was denied medical benefits.

More than 30 years later, the U.S. government recognized their mistreatment of Graham and gave him the medical benefits and medals he deserved.

How long did it take the US government to recognize their mistreatment of Graham? It took the US government 30 years to recognize their mistreatment of Graham.

The notorious Frank William Abagnale also played the part of an older man many times, but he didn’t just lie about his age.

Did Frank play the part of a younger man? No, Frank didn’t play the part of a younger man. He played the part of an older man. Was he notorious? Yes, he was notorious. Did Frank just lie about his age? No, Frank didn’t just lie about his age.

He is one of the greatest conmen who ever lived.

Is he one of the greatest heroes who ever lived? No, he isn’t one of the greatest heroes who ever lived. He is one of the greatest conmen who ever lived.

He successfully impersonated an airline pilot, a doctor, a prison inspector, an FBI agent, and a lawyer.

Did he impersonate a pilot and a doctor? Yes, he impersonated a pilot and a doctor. Did he also impersonate an FBI agent and a lawyer? Yes, he also impersonated an FBI agent and a lawyer.

Amazingly he did this all between the ages of 15 and 21.

How old was he when he did this? Amazingly he did this all between the ages of 15 and 21.

To make people believe him, he used a variety of techniques including fake documents, and sheer confidence.

Did he use fake documents? Yes, he used fake documents. What else did he use? He also used sheer confidence.

The word ‘con’ or ‘conman’ in English comes from the word ‘confidence’.

What does the word ‘con’ or ‘conman’ come from? The word ‘con’ or ‘conman’ in English comes from the word ‘confidence’.

Abagnale had confidence in spades.

Did he have low confidence? No, he didn’t have low confidence. He had confidence in spades.

He was just a teenager throughout much of his cons, but he made people believe he was old enough to have jobs that take many years of training.

Did he make people believe he was older than he was? Yes, he made people believe he was older than he was.