If the zebra were given the spots of the leopard

And the leopard the spots of the zebra

Then the leopard would have to be renamed the zeopard,

And the zebra retitled the lebra.

And wouldn’t we laugh if the gentle giraffe

Swapped his neck for the hump on the camel?

For the camel would henceforth be called the camaffe,

The giraffe designated giramel.

It would be very funny, if the ears of the bunny

Were exchanged for the horns of the sheep.

For the sheep would then surely be known as the shunny,

And the bunny quite simply the beep.

22. Pre-reading task

1. Make a presentation about the novel “ The Airport”

2. Read the text.

3. Watch the corresponding episode from the film “The Airport”

4. Compare your impressions from the film and from the text.

5. Discuss your impressions with your friend.

6. If you haven’t read the novel yet, try to guess if Gwen is going to survive.

7. Try to guess why Mr. Guerrero planted a bomb.

23. Reading

1. Read the text again.

Arthur Hailey.

The Airport.

In the bloody shambles which was the rear of the tourist cabin of Flight Two, Dr. Milton Compagno, general practitioner, was doing his best in an attempt to save Gwen Meighen’s life. He was not sure he would succeed.

When the initial explosion from D. O. Guerrero’s dynamite bomb occurred, Gwen next to Guerrero himself – was to the explosion’s center.

In other circumstances she would have been killed instantly, as was D. O. Guerrero. Two things – for the moment – saved her.

Between Gwen and the explosion were Guerrero’s body and the aircraft toilet door. Neither was an effective shield, yet the two together were sufficient to delay the blast’s initial force the fraction of a second.

Within that fractional time the airplane’s skin ripped, and the second explosion – explosive decompression – occurred.

Gwen Meighen, the most critically hurt, lay unconscious in the aisle. Next to her, the young man who had emerged from the toilet and startled Guerrero, was wounded, bleeding badly, and dazed, but still on his feet and unconscious. A half dozen passengers nearby sustained cuts and contusions from splinters and bomb fragments. Others were struck, and stunned or bruised by hurting objects impelled toward the aircraft’s rear by explosive decompression, but none of the latter injuries was major.

Gwen Meighen received no oxygen, nor immediate help. The unconsciousness, caused by injuries, deepened.

For the first half of the dive – for a minute and a quarter, down to nineteen thousand feet – the air continued to be rarified, and insufficient to support life. Below that point, increasing amounts of oxygen were present and breathable.

At twelve thousand feet regular breathing was possible. By ten – consciousness returned to all aboard Flight Two who had lost it, excepting Gwen. Many were unaware of having been unconscious at all.

The other two doctors joined Dr. Compagno. One instructed another stewardess. “Bring us all the first aid equipment you have. “ Compagno – already on his knees beside Gwen – was the only one of the three with a medical bag.

In the narrow aisle, Dr. Compagno turned Gwen over partially, leaning forward to detect if she was breathing. She was, but her breath was light and shallow.

Cy Jordan returned to Dr. Compagno.

‘Doctor, Captain Demerest asked me to say he’s grateful for everything you and the other doctors are doing. When you can spare a moment, he ‘d appreciate it if you’d come to the flight deck to tell him what to radio ahead about casualties.”

Cy Jordan looked down at the still unconscious figure of Gwen.

“Is there a chance for her, Doc?”

“There’s always a chance, son, though I wouldn’t say it was the best. A lot depends on her own strength.”

“I always figured she had a lot of that”.

“A pretty girl, wasn’t she?” Amid the torn flesh, blood, and dirty, tousled hair, it was difficult to be sure.

“Very.”

Compagno remained silent. Whatever happened, the girl on the floor would not be pretty any more – not without plastic surgery. “Captain, I have a report of injuries you asked for.”

“We are grateful to you, Doctor. If you hadn’t here …”

Compagno waved his hand in dismissal. “Let’s do all that later.” He opened a leather-covered notebook where a slim gold pencil marked a page. It was characteristic that he had already obtained names, and recorded injuries and treatment. “Your stewardess, Miss Meighen, is the most badly hurt. She has multiple lacerations of the face and chest, with considerable bleeding. There is a compound fracture of the left arm and, of course, shock. Also, please, notify whoever is making arrangements on the ground that an ophthalmic surgeon should be available immediately.”

An ophthalmic surgeon! You mean her eyes?”

“I’m afraid so, Dr. Compagno said gravely. He corrected himself.”At least, her left eye has splinters, whether wood or metal I’ve no means of knowing. It will require a specialist to decide if the retina is affected. The right eye, as far as I can tell, is unharmed.”

“Oh, God!” Feeling physically sick, Demerest put a hand to his face.

Mechanically, Demerest wrote down the remainder of the doctor’s report. Compared with Gwen’s injuries, those of other passengers were slight.

“I’d better get back,” Dr. Compagno said. “To see if there’s any change”.

2. Work in pairs, A and B. Test your partner’s memory. Ask your partner the questions.

Questions for student A

a. Was Doctor Milton Compagno an ophthalmic surgeon?

b. How many passengers sustained cuts?

c. Which of Gwen’s eyes had splinters?

Questions for student B

d. What two things saved Gwen’s life?

e. At what altitude breathing became possible?

f. Could Gwen become pretty without plastic surgery?

3. Fill in the table with the words from the text relevant to the topic “medicine”

nouns	verbs and collocations	adjectives

Projects

1. Make a research into the history of airplane crashes, when the crew and the stewardesses displayed heroism and gave their lives for the passengers.

2. Make a research on the after effects of using sport food in fitness centres on customers.

3. Make a weekly healthy menu for a Poly student, taking calories into account.

Now you can

1. describe the symptoms of illnesses, ask the doctor about the ways of treatment and taking medicines

2. talk about healthy lifestyle

3. express empathy and concern

4. give advice and recommendations