مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت الف

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART A

KEEP HOPE ALIVE

The hostages were chained up inside of a barbed wire fence deep in the Colombian jungle.

Who was chained up? The hostages were chained up. Were they chained up deep in the Columbian jungle? Yes, they were chained up deep within the Columbian jungle.

Many of them had been there for more than ten years.

How long had many of them been there? Many of them had been there for more than ten years.

The hostages were all soldiers who’d been kidnapped by FARC, a violent rebel army.

Were the hostages all doctors? No, the hostages weren’t all doctors. The hostages were all soldiers.

Conditions were bleak and hope was running out.

How were the conditions? Conditions were bleak. What was running out? Hope was running out.

But one man, Colonel Jose Espejo hadn’t lost hope.

Who hadn’t lost hope? Colonel Jose Espejo hadn’t lost hope.

And though he didn’t know it at the time, this hope would eventually reach, and ultimately free the desperate jungle hostages.

Would his hope eventually reach the jungle hostages? Yes, his hope would eventually reach the jungle hostages.

Colonel Espejo had been working for Colombia’s military for 22 years and was ready to hang up his hat.

How long had he been working for Columbia’s military? He had been working for Columbia’s military for 22 years. Was he ready to hang up his hat? Yes, he was ready to hang up his hat.

He was nearing retirement, but the thought of retiring just didn’t feel right when he still had men trapped behind enemy lines.

Who was nearing retirement? Colonel Espejo was nearing retirement. What didn’t feel right? The thought of retiring when he still had men trapped behind enemy lines didn’t feel right.

He racked his brain, trying to come up with a way to send a message to the trapped soldiers.

Did he rack his brain? Yes, he racked his brain. What did he rack his brain for? He racked his brain for a way to send a message to the trapped soldiers.

He realized there was only one man who could come up with the type of ingenious idea that he needed.

What kind of idea did he need? He needed an ingenious idea.

He called advertising executive Juan Carlos Ortiz.

Who did he call? He called advertising executive Juan Carlos Ortiz.

It might seem strange to call a man who works in advertising to help you rescue hostages deep in the jungle, but Ortiz wasn’t just any advertising executive. He was special.

Was Ortiz just any advertising executive? No, Ortiz wasn’t just any advertising executive. He was special.

Just a few years before, Ortiz had created a television commercial for the government to help them fight Colombia’s drug problem.

What had Ortiz created for the government? Ortiz had created a television commercial for the government. What was the purpose of the commercial? The purpose of the commercial was to fight Columbia’s drug problem.

The commercial took place on a bus and showed a cocaine addict standing behind a man with dandruff on his shoulders.

What took place on a bus? The commercial took place on a bus. Who was the cocaine addict standing behind? The cocaine addict was standing behind a man with dandruff on his shoulders.

The cocaine addict, desperate to get high, mistakes the man’s dandruff for cocaine.

Who was desperate to get high? The cocaine addict was desperate to get high. What did he mistake the man’s dandruff for? He mistakes the man’s dandruff for cocaine.

He puts his face on the man’s shoulder and snorts the dandruff up his nose.

What does he do after he puts his face on the man’s shoulder? After he puts his face on the man’s shoulder, he snorts the dandruff up his nose.

The ad ends with the words, “Cocaine is addictive. Very addictive.”

How does the ad end? The ad ends with the words, “Cocaine is addictive. Very addictive.”

The ad was a huge hit. It was creative, funny and surprising.

What was a huge hit? The ad was a huge hit. Was it creative, funny and surprising? Yes, it was creative, funny and surprising.

It was just what the Colombian government was looking for.

Was it just what FARC was looking for? No, it wasn’t just what FARC was looking for. It was just what the Colombian government was looking for.

Ortiz won a prestigious advertising award in France that brought him national acclaim in Colombia. He became a national hero.

What kind of award did Ortiz win? Ortiz won a prestigious advertising award. Did it bring him national acclaim in Columbia? Yes, it brought him national acclaim in Columbia. What did he become? He became a national hero.