تمرین مکالمه

Lawnchair Larry

Becoming a pilot for the US Air Force was a childhood dream of Larry Walters.

Was becoming a pilot for the US Navy a childhood dream of Larry Walters? No, becoming a pilot for the US Navy wasn’t a childhood dream of Larry Walters. Becoming a pilot for the US Air Force was a childhood dream of Larry Walters.

While he never achieved that goal due to poor eyesight, Larry never gave up his dream of flying.

Did Larry have keen eyesight? No, Larry didn’t have keen eyesight. Larry had poor eyesight. Did Larry give up his dream of flying? No, Larry never gave up his dream of flying.

When he was 13, some weather balloons he saw hanging in a military surplus store gave him an idea: “What if I could fly with balloons?” 20 years later, he finally decided to give it a go.

What did Larry see in the military surplus store when he was 13? He saw some weather balloons hanging in a military surplus store when he was 13. What did Larry decide 20 years later? 20 years later, Larry finally decided to give it a go.

In July of 1982, Larry bought 45 eight-foot weather balloons and a handful of helium tanks.

What did Larry buy? He bought 45 eight-foot weather balloons and a handful of helium tanks.

In the backyard of his home in Los Angeles, he then tied the balloons to an aluminum lawn chair fitted with water jugs for ballast. He filled the balloons with helium, put on a parachute and strapped himself in.

Did Larry tie the balloons to a wooden lawn chair? No, he didn’t tie them to a wooden lawn chair. He tied them to an aluminum lawn chair. What did he use for ballast? Larry used water jugs for ballast. Did he fill the balloons with oxygen? No, he didn’t fill the balloons with oxygen. He filled them with helium. What else did Larry do? He put on a parachute and strapped himself in.

He also grabbed his pellet gun, a CB radio, and a few sandwiches.

Did Larry grab a pellet gun? Yes, he grabbed a pellet gun. What else did he grab? He also grabbed a CB radio and a few sandwiches.

His idea was to reach an altitude of 300 feet, fly east toward the Rocky Mountains and then shoot the balloons with his pellet gun to control his descent.

What was Larry’s idea? His idea was to reach an altitude of 300 feet, fly east toward the Rocky Mountains and then shoot the balloons with his pellet gun to control his descent.

As soon as Larry cut loose his makeshift craft - which he named Inspiration I - he ascended far more rapidly than he had anticipated.

What was the name of Larry’s makeshift craft? Larry’s makeshift craft was named Inspiration I. What happened as soon as Larry cut it loose? As soon as Larry cut it loose, he ascended more rapidly than he had anticipated.

He shot up to an altitude of 15,000 feet and drifted into the main airspace for Long Beach Airport.

How high did Larry shoot up? He shot up to an altitude of 15,000 feet. Did he drift into the main airspace for Los Angeles Airport? No, he drifted into the main airspace for Long Beach Airport.

He was afraid that if he shot the balloons he’d lose his balance and fall out of the chair. He used his CB to make a mayday call to the authorities.

Why was Larry afraid to shoot the balloons? He was afraid that if he shot the balloons he’d lose his balance and fall out of the chair. How did Larry contact the authorities? He used his CB to make a mayday call to the authorities.

Larry tried to remain calm, knowing that he’d either fall to his death, be hit and killed by a commercial jet, or be arrested upon landing.

What were the 3 possible outcomes of Larry’s situation? Larry knew that he’d either fall to his death, be hit and killed by a commercial jet, or be arrested upon landing.

After about 45 minutes in the sky, he finally summoned up the courage to begin shooting some of the balloons, until he accidentally dropped his gun overboard.

How long was Larry in the sky before he began shooting the balloons? He was in the sky for about 45 minutes before he finally began shooting the balloons. What happened next? He accidentally dropped his gun overboard.

He descended slowly. Eventually, his balloons’ cords got caught in an electricity line, causing a neighborhood blackout in the city of Long Beach.

Did Larry’s balloon cords get caught in a tree? No, they didn’t get caught in a tree. They got caught in an electricity line. What did this cause? It caused a neighborhood blackout in the city of Long Beach.

In the end, Larry was arrested and fined $4,000. He said, “It was something I had to do. I had this dream for twenty years, and if I hadn’t done it, I think I would have ended up in the funny farm.”

In the end, was Larry arrested and fined $40,000? No, he wasn’t arrested and fined $40,000. He was arrested and fined $4,000. How long had Larry had this dream? He had this dream for twenty years. Where would Larry have ended up if he hadn’t done it? He would have ended up in the funny farm.

Larry’s dangerous stunt made the national news, and it wasn’t long before others began to mimic him. It eventually gave rise to the extreme sport of cluster ballooning, from which many have died or floated away, never to be seen again.

Did Larry’s dangerous stunt make the national news? Yes, it made the national news. Did others mimic Larry? Yes, others began to mimic Larry. What sport did this give rise to? It gave rise to the extreme sport of cluster ballooning. Have people died from cluster ballooning? Yes, many people have died or floated away, never to be seen again.

Little did Larry know that the realization of his childhood dream would inspire so many others with the same lofty goals.

Did Larry know that the realization of his childhood dream would inspire others? No, he had no idea that the realization of his childhood dream would inspire so many others with the same lofty goals.