German Man Commutes By Swimming To Work

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsWDm50DaKM

A German man has started swimming to work after he got fed up with commuting. Benjamin David, 40, got tired of being stuck in traffic every day in the German city of Munich. He now beats the traffic by swimming 2km down the city's Isar River. He puts his laptop computer, mobile phone and his business suit in a waterproof bag that he drags behind him. Mr David got the idea by watching the river flow right past his apartment. He looked on a map and realized the river went past his office. He then decided to swim to work and get some exercise, instead of battling other commuters in buses and trains or breathing fumes from traffic while on a bicycle. .

Mr David told reporters that his river commute has changed his life. He is much fitter and less stressed. He spoke about the stress his commute used to cause him. He said: "I'm not a monk. When I was on my bike I would yell at cars. When I was on foot, I would yell at cyclists, and so on and so forth." He described how the river has changed things. He said: "Just a few metres to the side of all the traffic is the river, and if you just swim down that, it's completely relaxing and refreshing." David also spoke about the dangers of river swimming. He always checks the temperature before diving in. Not everyone can swim to work in the city. In Central London, it is forbidden to swim in the River Thames.

1. EXERCISE: Students A strongly believe we should all get to work / school by exercising; Students B strongly believe the opposite. 

2. OFFICE WORKING: How can bosses change these things to make offices better? Why? Complete this table 

	Improvements	Why?
Desks
Internet
Lighting
Music
Refreshments
Breaks

 

3.Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

1.	fed up	a.	not allowed; banned.
2.	commuting	b.	bored, annoyed, or disappointed, especially by something that you have experienced for too long
3.	stuck	c.	be unable to move or be moved and in the same position.
4.	refreshing	d.	when something  is stimulating because it is new or different
5.	forbidden	e.	to travel from home to work and vice versa on regular basis

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. fed up with
2. drags
3. flow
4. battling
5. fumes
6. fitter
7. yell
8. completely
9. dangers
10.  forbidden

1. in better shape
2. run
3. pollution
4. hazards
5. sick and tired of
6. totally
7. unlawful
8. pulls
9. shout
10. fighting

2. COMMUTING: How can we get more exercise while commuting? Complete this table 

	How to exercise more	Would you do this?
On a bus
On a train
In a car
In the subway
By ferry
On foot

Role play

Role  A – Car You think cars are the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their methods. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why):

Role  B – Helicopter You think helicopters are the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their methods. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why):

Role  C – Bicycle You think bicycles are the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their methods. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why):

Role  D – Train You think trains are the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their methods. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): helicopters,  bicycles or cars. OR           Bus ·        Subway ·        Tuk-tuk ·   ·         Motorbike ·         Ferry ·

Discussion - Man swims to work every day to beat traffic

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What is the most annoying thing for you about commuting?
3. What do you look forward to during your commute?
4. What do you think of your commute to work / school?
5. What do you think of swimming to work?
6. How is the traffic in your country?
7. What do you take to work?
8. Should we all exercise while we go to work?
9. What do you dislike about trains and buses?
10. Should everyone cycle around cities?

11. What makes you stressed on your way to work / school?
12. Do you ever get angry with car drivers and cyclists?
13. What other interesting ways could you use to get to work?
14. Would people work better if they swam to work?
15. What do you think of swimming?
16. What are the dangers of everyone swimming to work?
17. What questions would you like to ask Benjamin David?