News Exercise #63

This time it isn’t news, but a excerpt from a BBC World topics programme.

Questions:
1) Phil (the driver) said “Yeah, I needed that pointing out, thanks.” This was sarcasm. Why did he say this?

2) At 0:38 Phil said another sarcastic comment. What was it?

3) What is their goal for when it gets dark?

4) How does their situation become more difficult?

5) How does Marcus explain the fog situation at 1:10?

6) What does Phil say at 1:45?

7) How long did the rough-road stage take?

Answers:
1) Phil (the driver) said “Yeah, I needed that pointing out, thanks.” This was sarcasm. Why did he say this?
He was being sarcastic that what Marcus said was actually something he hadn’t wanted to hear: that the cliff is cut away beneath the road that we’re just about to go on.
2) At 0:38 Phil said another sarcastic comment. What was it?
“That’s all we need for this road to become narrower and tricksier.” The phrase “That’s all we need,” is sarcasm, meaning the opposite: “We don’t want that.”
3) What is their goal for when it gets dark?
Their goal is to be at least on tarmac (asphalt).
4) How does their situation become more difficult?
“With the weather closing in, they’ve got the added pressure of trying to navigate through low-level cloud.”
5) How does Marus explain the fog situation at 1:10*
“You know what, the fact that you can’t see how much is down there, (Phil: makes it worse?) yeah, it’s terrifying.
6) What does Phil say at 1:45?
“I can actually feel you trying to brake, with your feet.”
7) How long did the rough-road stage take?
It took five hours.