Academic English

Listen to the recording and read along with the conversation. Review the key vocabulary and the sample sentences.

Narrator: Welcome to Space Radio Theater, your passport to the future. In this episode, the crew is under attack by an unknown source until it is too late. This episode opens with the crew members on board the Starship Quest.

Captain: Status, Commander Crdovi.

Crdovi:. Course looks clear, Capt . . .

Captain: Yes, Commander?

Narrator: The Captain suddenly realizes that Mr. Crdovi has disappeared from the bridge.

Captain: Commander? Computer . . . Locate Commander Crdovi.

Computer: Mr. Crdovi is not aboard this ship.

Captain: Computer . . . (BEEP BEEP). What was the status of the ship from one minute prior to his leaving the ship to one minute after he left?

Computer: Unknown aliens connected with ships systems. The aliens sent an electric charge through the transporter system.

Captain: Bridge to transporter room . . . Lieutenant, please respond. Security, report to the transporter room immediately and investigate.

Narrator: Security officers, Lieutenant Mortia Adams and Ensign Greg Suzuki, ran down the corridors to the transporter room. Now, we take you to the transporter room.

Greg: Mortia? Look at this!

Mortia: Uh-oh. The Captain is not going to like this.

Narrator: Now, back on the bridge . . .

Mortia: Captain? Computer . . . (BEEP BEEP). Locate Captain Duroset.

Computer: Captain Melony Duroset is not aboard this ship.

Mortia: Mr. Greenfield, Mr. Ruto, you have the bridge and inform me if anything happens.

Mortia: Mortia to all decks. Please report to the cargo bay 3.

Narrator: A few minutes later, Commander Mortia has taken charge and is briefing crew members in cargo bay 3.

Mortia: As many of you are aware, twenty crew members have disappeared from the ship. Our sensors have detected a spatial flux. We’re not sure if our members are being randomly transported off the ship or if they are being targeted.

Narrator: Suddenly, five alien ships appear on long range scanners heading straight for them. Mr. Greenfield, on the bridge, reports to Commander Mortia . . .

Mr. Greenfield: Commander, come in.

Mortia: Mortia here.

Mr. Greenfield: We’ve detected five alien vessels approaching at warp 8. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Narrator: Well, that’s the end of this exciting episode. What has happened to the ship? Who are the aliens? Will the ship find its lost crewmen? Tune in next week for the conclusion of this exciting story.

• episode (noun): one single section of a story which is part of a longer series 
  – You don’t want to miss the next episode of the show.
• crew (noun): an organized group of people working on a ship
  – The crew met together to review the situation.
• bridge (noun): the main control center of a spaceship 
  – The captain was called to the bridge when the aliens were sighted.
• locate (verb): find 
  – The crew were able to locate a planet where they could land.
• status (noun): the condition at a particular time 
  – The commander of the starship asked about the status of the engines.
• respond (verb): answer 
  – The crew sent numerous messages to the moon’s surface, but no one responded.
• corridor (noun): hallway 
  – The captain encountered an alien in the corridor outside of the transporter room.
• inform (verb): give information 
  – Please inform me of any changes.
• deck (noun): a level or floor in a ship 
  – Some of the crew reported unusual activity on deck five.
• brief (verb): give a summary of information 
  – The captain briefed the officers about the status of the ship.