The Sport of Parkour

09 April, 2012

Parkour athlete

Photo Credit: Geishaboy500, via Flickr

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Voice 1

Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Ryan Geertsma.

Voice 2

And I’m Robin Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1

A young man runs toward a wall. But he does not stop running.  He reaches the wall and kicks off it. He uses the force of his kick to push himself up the wall. Now, his hands can reach the top of the wall. He uses his arms to pull his body up. He quickly climbs over the top of the wall. He jumps down. His feet land on the ground. He keeps running, leaving the wall behind him. Now he searches the environment around him. He looks for another obstacle - a wall, steps, or any other natural structure that blocks his path.

Voice 2

This young man is doing parkour. The sport of parkour concentrates on training and skilful movement.  It demands physical strength. It demands that a person knows her environment. But it does not require much equipment. As a result, a person can do parkour in almost any place. Today’s Spotlight is on the sport parkour.

Voice 1

The goal of parkour is simple. A person who does parkour is called a traceur. Traceurs want to get from one place to another quickly and efficiently. To do this, a traceur chooses their movements carefully.  They want movements that require the smallest amount of effort, but give the greatest result.

Voice 2

Traceurs do a lot of running, jumping, climbing, and rolling. They also do flips by jumping in the air and rolling their bodies forward or back. Often they do these movements on obstacles they find around them - like walls, steps, and hand rails or bars found next to walking paths. Experienced traceurs even do parkour on high places like the top of buildings.

Voice 1

To some people, parkour sounds very risky. But traceurs around the world claim that the sport is not about taking risks. Quentin Russell is a traceur in the United States.  He told his school newspaper,

Voice 3

“People see parkour. Then they go out, do it, and break a bone. That is not what parkour is. You have to start at a lower level and build up. If you get hurt, you are not training correctly. In some ways, it is dangerous. But that is only if you do it in a dangerous way. In all seriousness, if you are afraid of defeating an obstacle, you probably should not do it. You will not be prepared or concentrated enough on your movement.”

Voice 2

People must train a lot to have good parkour skills. Most traceurs begin by jumping only small distances, like 7 or 8 centimeters. They will spend days and weeks training. They will practice their runs and jumps over and over. Then, when the traceurs are sure their bodies are ready - they will increase the distance of their jumps. Over time, they will try moves that are more and more difficult.

Voice 1

Every serious traceur respects the limits of what his body can do. Yan Shopin is a traceur in Israel. He talked with a writer named Inbal Aharoni about parkour.  Shopin also showed Aharoni a few parkour movements.  But when performing, Shopin made a mistake. He tried to do too much too early in his training. Right away, he climbed the side of a large wall. Then he jumped. But his body was not ready. And he hurt his ankle.  He told Aharoni,

Voice 4

“You see. We are supposed to begin each time of training with simple things.  We do this so that we do not get injured. I did too big of a jump right at the start.”

Voice 2

The movements of parkour are not new. But combining the movements into a sport is new. Parkour’s creator is David Belle. Belle was born in France in 1973. His father believed physical health and strength were very important. So Belle worked hard to make his body strong. When he was older, he started training with a group of friends. This training method was the beginning of parkour.

Voice 1

Belle was very loyal to his training.  And sometime between 1995 and 1997, Belle developed his training method into a sport. The sport slowly grew.  And in 1998, Belle began calling it parkour.

Voice 2

As an adult, David Belle began doing parkour in action films. David’s friend, Sebastien Foucan, even performed parkour in the James Bond film, Casino Royale. These films have helped increase the world’s knowledge of parkour. As a result, more people have started training in the sport.

Voice 1

People like parkour for many reasons. One reason is that it does not require special, costly equipment. Traceurs only need two basic things.  They wear loose fitting clothing so that they can move easily. They also wear good shoes to support their feet. This means almost anyone, anywhere can train in parkour.

Voice 2

Another reason people like parkour is because it helps them think differently about their environment. To do parkour, people must think creatively. Yanikov is another tracuer from Israel.  He explained to the Jerusalem Post,

Voice 5

“We search for a place that will give us as much creativity as possible. When we see things like, for example, a pole, we imagine how many things we can do with it.”

Voice 1

Finally, many people enjoy parkour because it is more than just a physical sport. On his website, David Belle writes,

Voice 6

“Parkour is useful. It teaches people how to trust themselves. It helps them learn to be careful. The basic idea is always to go forward, never to stop. Parkour is like life, if you have an obstacle you must always continue forward.”

Voice 2

This attitude is why many people see parkour as a positive influence. And it is why people all over the world are involved in parkour. Dvir Rozen is another traceur in Israel. He believes parkour helps people to have faith in their abilities.  He also believes it helps people learn to have courage. He told the Jerusalem Post,

Voice 7

“It is both physical training and mental training. It strengthens the body. And it lets you do things that you did not think you could do in the past. Through parkour, you learn about the body, mind and soul. You work them together. You recognize you can defeat any obstacle.”

Voice 1

The writer of this program was Courtney Schutt. The producer was Mark Drenth.  The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted and voiced by Spotlight. You can find our programs on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called “The Sport of Parkour.”

Voice 2

We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

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Nursery Rhymes Around the World

09 April, 2012

Singing a lullaby

Photo Credit: Ross Burton, via Flickr

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Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.

Voice 2

And I’m Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1

A mother sits and rocks her baby to sleep. She sings quietly. She wants the baby to fall asleep. She sings this song about a cradle -a small bed for a baby:

Voice 3

“Rock a bye baby in the tree top.

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.

When the branch breaks, the cradle will fall.

And down will come baby, cradle and all.”

Voice 2

‘Rock a bye baby’ is a rhyming song from England. The sentences rhyme - they end with the same sounds like ‘fall’ and ‘all’. Rhyming songs and poems are very popular all around the world.  Parents often sing them to young children. And children sing them in nursery school - when they are only three or four years old. Today’s Spotlight is on nursery rhymes around the world.

Voice 1

Most countries have nursery rhymes. People sing nursery rhymes like a song. Or sometimes they say nursery rhymes like a poem. Nursery rhymes are fun for both adults and children. But nursery rhymes also have other purposes.

Voice 2

There are different kinds of nursery rhymes. Some nursery rhymes are for helping a child to fall asleep. “Rock a bye baby” is one of these. Other nursery rhymes are educational. They teach children about cultural traditions or about good behaviour. Some nursery rhymes are games - they include movements. The children must do these movements with their hands or bodies.

Voice 1

Let’s listen to some different kinds of nursery rhymes from around the world. This first nursery rhyme is from Uganda in East Africa:

Voice 4

“Keep keep keep your health

Eat good food!

Milk and eggs, fish and beans

Are excellent for you.

Comb comb comb your hair

Do not forget your teeth!

Brush brush brush your teeth

Clean up all those germs!”

Voice 2

This nursery rhyme teaches children about healthy food. And it teaches children to take care of their bodies. Because it has rhyming sounds, this song is easy to remember! Parents and teachers often use songs to teach lessons. Songs can help children to remember important things - like cleaning their teeth.

Voice 1

The next nursery rhyme also uses rhyming to teach. This poem is from China. It teaches about the traditional customs of a very important Chinese holiday. It is called ‘Chinese New Year’:

Voice 5

“You will find when ever the New Year comes

the Kitchen God will want some plums.

The girls will want some flowers new;

The boys will want firecrackers, too.

A new soft hat will please Papa

And a sugar cake for dear Mama”

Voice 2

This nursery rhyme teaches children about the special customs of the Chinese New Year holiday. For example, families celebrate Chinese New Year with special food. The nursery rhyme also teaches children to share with their family members. By repeating this rhyme, children will remember their traditional customs.

Voice 1

Many cultures also have nursery rhymes to teach children about right and wrong actions. Here is a nursery rhyme from Thailand. It is named after a large fruit. The jackfruit has a hard, green skin. But inside, it has soft, yellow fruit around big seeds:

Voice 6

“Jum-Jee Jackfruit Seed

Those who have done good deeds

Can eat all the food

Those who tell lies

Must eat old dead dog!”

Voice 2

This nursery rhyme teaches children to tell the truth. It explains that people who tell the truth will get good things. But people who do not tell the truth will NOT get good things.

Voice 1

There are two more interesting things about this nursery rhyme. One is that it uses words that are not real! The beginning words - “Jum-Jee” - do not mean anything. These are just words that sound fun. They rhyme to make the song sound good. Many nursery rhymes have these kinds of words in them.

Voice 2

The “Jum-Jee” nursery rhyme is also a game. While the children sing it, they sit in a circle. They all put their hands into the middle. Then, one child counts the other children’s fingers while they sing together. When the song is finished, the child stops counting. The person with the finger last counted must pull their hand away. The song continues until only one child has a hand left in the middle of the circle.

Voice 1

Many other nursery rhymes can also be used for games. Some have special motions for the children to do. They sing and move parts of their bodies at the same time. Listen to this nursery rhyme from Switzerland in Europe. It is a rhyme about a child named Joggeli riding a horse. Imagine how children would move while saying it.

Voice 7

“Joggeli, can you ride?

Yes, yes, yes.

Have you got one leg each side?

Yes, yes, yes.

Did you give the horse some hay?

Yes, yes, yes.

Did you water it today?

Nay, nay, nay.

So let's ride to town

And go three times around.

But then the horse starts bucking

And Joggeli falls down down down.”     

Voice 2

Nursery rhymes can teach many things! They can teach children about being healthy and behaving well. They also teach about traditional culture. Nursery rhymes often use language in a fun way. And they can be used for movements or games. But one of the most important things about nursery rhymes is that they help create relationships.

Voice 1

Nursery rhymes help children create friendships with each other. They help teachers to give good lessons. And they also help create closeness between a child and her parent. Nursery rhymes are a way for parents to teach important lessons.

Voice 2

Lastly, parents use nursery rhymes to put their children to sleep - like the first rhyme we heard.  The last nursery rhyme is also a song from a parent to his child. The child is named Iro. This rhyme is from the Mina language of Benin, in West Africa. It shows the most important lesson that a parent can teach a child: that her mother and father love her.

Voice 8

“My Iro, what am I going to give you?

My Iro, what am I going to give you?

I have nothing to give you -

I am going to pray for you.

Your life will be happy for all time.”     

Voice 1

What is your favourite nursery rhyme? Does your culture teach any good lessons with children’s songs? You can leave your comments on our website or email us at radio at radioenglish dot net.

Voice 2

The writer and producer of this program was Rena Dam. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at http://www.radioenglish.net This .program is called, ‘Nursery Rhymes Around the World’.

Voice 1

You can also find us on Facebook - just search for spotlightradio. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

_______________________________________________________________________

The Titanic

09 April, 2012

Titanic at the docks of Southampton.

Photo Credit: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Voice 1

Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.

Voice 2

And I’m Adam Navis. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1

The Titanic. Some people called it “The Wonder Ship.” Others called it “The Millionaires’ Special.” Some people even called it “Unsinkable”. It was the Titanic. But on April 15, 1912, this luxury ship sank. It now lies on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Today’s Spotlight is on the Titanic.

Voice 2

Before airplanes, ships were the only way to travel from continent to continent. It could take weeks, and sometimes months, to travel across the ocean. So people used ships to travel safely from one place to another.

Voice 1

In the 1800s, it became popular to build ships that offered people the ease of home. Passengers could have their own private rooms. There were dining areas where people could eat good meals. There were places to exercise. There were libraries with books where people could sit and read. Some ships even had swimming pools!

Voice 2

One ship company was the White Star Line. In 1909, it decided to build the biggest, greatest ship. The company named its ship the Titanic. The word titanic means gigantic, or very big.

Voice 1

When people looked at the size of the Titanic they could easily believe that it was strong. The Titanic was 269 metres long. It had 9 different decks, or levels. If the ship were to stand on its end it would have been taller than many buildings during that time!

The ship weighed about 60 million kilograms. And it could carry 3547 people.

Voice 2

The people who built the Titanic tried to make it the safest ship as well as the biggest ship. The ship had 16 water-tight rooms. These rooms were at the bottom of the ship. They were filled with nothing but air. The air helped the Titanic to float. If the ship experienced damage and one room started to fill with water, the other rooms would keep the ship floating. In fact, people believed that the ship could still float even if five of the rooms were filled with water. At the time the water-tight rooms were a new engineering idea. Passengers believed that this would protect the Titanic from sinking.

Voice 1

The Titanic was also the finest luxury ship of its time. The inside of the Titanic looked like the home of a king! There were stairs that connected each different level. One set of stairs was called the “Grand Staircase.” That is because it was so beautiful. There were many details cut into the wood. There were golden lights on the ceilings. And there were also lights made of fine crystal glass. Many of the ships in that day had hard wood floors. But the ship builders put soft cloth carpet on the floors of the Titanic.

Voice 2

People could purchase first, second, or third class tickets to ride on the Titanic. The first class tickets cost the most money. People holding a first class ticket experienced all of the best things on the ship. But everyone riding the Titanic experienced wonderful things that they usually did not experience at home.

Voice 1

For example, many people with third class tickets were poor. They wanted to ride on the Titanic from Europe to America. They did not plan to ever return home. They were going to start a new life in America. But even the poor, third class passengers felt special on the Titanic. All of the rooms on the ship had water in the rooms. This was something many of the third class passengers did not have at home.

Voice 2

On April 10, 1912 the Titanic started on its first trip. It was travelling from Southampton, England to New York City in the United States.

Voice 1

Four days into the trip the captain received warnings about icebergs. These large pieces of ice float on the ocean. And several large icebergs were in the path of the Titanic. However, the captain was not concerned about the ice. He believed that it would not damage the ship. At eleven o’clock, on April 14, the Titanic hit an iceberg. The ice did cause damage. It made a large tear on the bottom of the boat.

Voice 2

Cold, icy, water poured into the bottom of the Titanic. It filled a few of the water-tight rooms. Soon, because of an engineering mistake, most of the water-tight rooms were filled with water. The Titanic began to sink.

Voice 1

People on the ship were not prepared. They did not know how to get off the boat safely. There were lifeboats - small boats that could float to safety. But there were not enough lifeboats for all the passengers. Even worse, the crew of the ship did not fill the lifeboats. Many more people could have escaped.

Voice 2

In this situation, some people showed great bravery. One famous example was the ship’s musicians. They knew that they would not escape. So they sat with their instruments, and played music for the people left on the boat. Some people reported that they played the Christian song, “Nearer My God to You.” The words of this song speak about how God is close in difficult times.

Voice 1

But soon, the ship was sinking fast. It broke into two pieces, and many passengers fell into the cold water. They died quickly from the extreme cold. Others drowned inside the ship as it sank. The lifeboats only rescued thirteen people from the water.

Voice 2

At that time, the rule was that women and children escaped first. So more than ninety percent of the men on the ship died. Most second and third class passengers also did not escape. About 1500 people died - two thirds of the people on the ship. It was a great tragedy - one of the worst accidents on the sea at that time.

Voice 1

After many hours in the cold water, another ship came to rescue the people in the lifeboats. When they finally arrived in New York, the passengers were famous. People were very interested in the story - the fine luxury ship, the terrible tragedy, and the amazing stories of survival. And this interest has continued since that time.

Voice 2

In 1997, James Cameron made a film about the ship. This film, Titanic, became one of the most popular films in the world. Maybe you have seen it! In an interview, Cameron explained why he made the film, and why it was so popular.

Voice 3

“I wanted to show the beauty, excitement, good wishes and hope of the Titanic, and her passengers and crew. For Titanic is not just a warning story. It is also a story of faith, courage, sacrifice, and more than anything else, love.”

Voice 1

The writer of this program was Rebekah Schipper. The producer was Michio Ozaki. The voices you heard were from the United States. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called, ‘The Titanic’.

Voice 2

We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

_______________________________________________________________

Growing Peace

09 April, 2012

Marti statue in Central Park, New York City

Photo Credit: Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington.

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Voice 1

Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Robin Basselin.

Voice 2

And I’m Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1

For fifty years, the governments of Cuba and the United States of America have seen each other as an enemy. There has been little communication between the people of both countries. However, today’s Spotlight is on a man who is respected by both cultures. His example could provide a cultural bridge of new understanding between Cuba and the U.S. He is the famous Cuban poet Jose Marti.

Voice 2

Jose Marti was born in Cuba in 1853. At that time, Cuba was ruled as a colony of Spain. During his life, many people struggled for self rule in Cuba. This struggle shaped Marti’s life and choices. As a boy, Marti studied to be an artist. He also learned to express his ideas in writing.

Voice 1

As a young man, Marti studied law in Spain and received a law degree. But the Spanish government was afraid of his support for Cuban independence. So, the government would not let him work as a lawyer. Instead, he became a teacher in a private school in Cuba. Teaching let him express his ideas. It also provided him with time to write.

Voice 2

Marti published important academic writing and news columns. He wrote to support the cause of Latin American freedom. During his early years, Cuba still had slaves. Slavery did not end in Cuba until 1886. Marti argued against many laws and social customs that treated non-Europeans unfairly.

Voice 1

Marti was often criticized for his words. Some governments banned his words from being printed. Marti even had to leave both Spain and Cuba. He had to live and write in exile. His studies and his work as a writer led him to Mexico, Guatemala, and Venezuela. Marti finally found freedom to write in New York City.

Voice 2

Marti is most famous for his poems. His most loved book of poems is Simple Verses, or Versos Sencillos. The poems express his belief in writers’ freedom and loving concern for all people.

Voice 1

The following is a poem from Simple Verses. It is named “39”. It talks about growing beautiful white roses. These flowers are highly valued in Cuba and the Americas.

Voice 3

I grow white roses

In January as in July

For the honest friend who freely

Offers me his hand.

And for he who tears from me

The heart with which I live,

Neither sharp thorns nor unwanted weeds do I grow

But grow white roses.

Voice 2

”Poem 39” is “simple” for several reasons. It is briefly stated in two short verses. In both Spanish and English, the language and images are simple. Yet in being simple there is still complex beauty. Marti uses the simple image of a person who grows and cares for roses. The action of growing this flower expresses friendship, forgiveness, and peace.

Voice 1

”Poem 39” can also be found in the words of the Cuban popular song, “Guantanamera.” Joseito Fernandez wrote the music for Guantanamera in 1929. In the words of the song, he included several Marti poems. Many famous singers around the world have performed and recorded this song. Some of the singers perform the song as a social protest. Many sing the song for its simple beauty.

Voice 2

”Poem 39” begins and ends with the same idea, “I grow white roses.” The symbol of the poem is that image - the image of a person who grows and cares for white flowers. And that person provides the voice of the poem.

Voice 1

Yet other words and images suggest ideas of extreme difference. Marti’s roses are grown “in January as in July”---in winter months as well as in summer. The roses are grown also for the enemy as well as for “the honest friend.” The friend “freely offers a hand” of love, of help, and of welcome. But the enemy “tears the heart” with a vicious hand. A final difference is between the beautiful roses and the harmful weeds and painfully sharp thorns.

Voice 2

In this poem Marti is expressing his desire for brotherly love – the loving concern for all people. He expresses his desire for peace. The rose is a beautiful gift of love. The rose’s white color is a symbol of good will and of peace. Marti expresses forgiveness and peace for his enemy - not blame and fighting back.

Voice 1

Working for peace is difficult. It is human nature to return evil for evil. Human nature often gives “weeds and thorns” in return for violence and oppression. Many people think loving and forgiving an enemy cannot be done. Forgiving an enemy can be as difficult to do as growing roses in the winter month of January. Marti wrote this poem while in exile. He was in New York City in the United States. Winter is very cold there. While he was in exile, Marti must have struggled to think kind things about his enemies.

Voice 2

A second look at the beginning and ending lines of “Poem 39” shows Marti’s special use of the word “grow.” Taking care of and growing roses is not easy work. Beautiful roses are the result of long and often difficult labor. Roses do not grow without care. Bad weather conditions, a lack of rain, harmful insects, poor soil quality, all can have a negative effect on a rose’s growth. The grower must work hard to defeat many problems which interfere with their success.

Voice 1

Marti’s image, “I grow white roses,” is similar to his life’s work. He desired peace and loving kindness toward all people. He also worked for freedom and self rule for Cuba and Latin America. It was a hard and difficult job for Marti to do. He spent many years living and writing in exile. And in 1895, he died fighting in Cuba against Spanish forces.

Voice 2

Memorial statues in Jose Marti's honor can be found both in the United States---in New York City’s famous Central Park---and also in Havana, Cuba. People from both nations respect Marti as a hero. Today the United States and Cuba are not at all friendly. But that does not mean there is no hope. Some day soon, it may be possible for the governments of both nations to “grow white roses” for each other.

Voice 1

The writer of this program was Jeff Carpenter. The producers were Mark Drenth and Josh DeGroot. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted and voiced by Spotlight. Computer users can visit our website at www.radio.english.net. This program is called “Growing Peace.” We hope you can join us again, for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye!