Building Dreams from the Top Down

23-07-24 00 / episode: 396

Hi You’re about to listen to a story for Listening practice. This story is about a building that was built differently. In fact the building technique is real and you can hear the good points and bad points of this technique in the story. Here are some pre-listening questions.

Questions

1. What did Jack’s father teach him about?
2. How do they build from the top down?
3. If it’s expensive, why do they use this technique?
4. Who can learn the technique?
5. What were the benefits of the technique?

Hi and welcome to the English Listening World podcast episode number 396. This podcast is for listening practice. I have 16 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expression “so … that” is repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below.

A New Way

Jack loved buildings. Ever since he was a little boy, he would look up at the tall skyscrapers in the city and imagine how they were made. His dad was an architect, and Jack wanted to be just like him. One day, Jack's dad told him about a new way of building skyscrapers. It was called the Termohlen-Thornton method, and it was very special.

"They build the buildings from the top down!" his dad said excitedly. Jack's eyes widened with wonder. How could anyone build a building from the top down?

Unbelievable

One sunny afternoon, Jack and his dad went to the construction site of a new skyscraper. Jack couldn't believe his eyes. Instead of starting with a big hole in the ground, the builders were working on the top floors first.

Jack asked one of the builders, "How do you do it?"

The builder smiled and said, "It's so simple that it makes building tall buildings easier and safer. We use special machines to lift the floors up as we build them. It's a lot like stacking blocks, but we start with the top block and keep adding more underneath."

Jack was amazed. "But isn't it expensive?" he asked.

Safe

The builder laughed. "It's so expensive that only big projects can afford it. But it's worth it because it's so safe that we don't have to worry as much about accidents."

Jack nodded. He could see how happy and safe the workers looked. He watched as they carefully placed a floor in the air, then slowly attached it to the columns that would hold it up. The machines did most of the heavy lifting, and the workers just made sure everything was in the right place.

Simple

Jack's dad explained more as they walked around. "The Termohlen-Thornton method is changing how we build cities. It's faster and safer. And because it's so simple that anyone can understand it, more people can learn to do it."

Jack felt inspired. He knew he wanted to learn all about this new way of building. He spent the next few years studying hard. He read books, watched videos, and even got to help out on some small projects.

Big Chance

One day, Jack got his chance. He was asked to help build a new skyscraper using the Termohlen-Thornton method. Jack felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. But as soon as he saw the familiar machines and the friendly workers, he knew he was ready.

He worked alongside the other builders, making sure each floor was perfectly placed. He felt proud knowing he was helping to build something that would stand tall in the city for many years.

When the skyscraper was finished, Jack stood at the top and looked out over the city. He remembered how he used to dream about building tall buildings, and now he was doing it. He smiled, knowing that he was part of something amazing.

Jack knew that building from the top down was the future. It was so simple that anyone could learn it, so safe that workers didn't have to worry, and though it was so expensive that only big projects could afford it, the benefits were clear.

From that day on, Jack continued to build many more skyscrapers, always starting from the top down. And every time he looked at the skyline, he felt a sense of pride knowing that he helped shape the city he loved.

Answers

1. What did Jack’s father teach him about? His father taught him about the technique of building from the top down.
2. How do they build from the top down?
   They build a floor of the building and then lift it to the top. Then they build the next floor and lift it to the second from the top, and so on.
3. If it’s expensive, why do they use this technique?
   It is simple to learn and very safe so people don’t get hurt.
4. Who can learn the technique?
   Just about anyone can learn this building technique because it is simple.
5. What were the benefits of the technique? The main benefits are simplicity and safety.