The Man in the Fiber Optic Cable - English Practice With Short Films

Listening

Test your understanding

1. Which of these things does Gary NOT do at his job?

A. Customer support. B. Order food. C. Deliver food. D. Improve internet speed.

2. Who is Gary?

A. A customer service agent who works in a normal call center. B. A man who designs new internet cables. C. The man who runs in the fiber optic cable to create connection speed. D. The CEO of FiberSprint.

3. Gary got emotional when he recognized someone's voice on the phone. Who was he talking to?

A. His boss. B. His father. C. A new friend. D. Someone that seemed dangerous.

4. Why did Gary lose his job?

A. Competitors created a faster technology. B. His boss thought he wasn't training hard enough. C. He decided to quit so that he could see his father. D. He woke up too late.

5. Which of the following best describes the main message of the movie?

A. Jobs are more important than family relationships. B. Quality food is important in the workplace. C. Workers must train hard and keep in shape. D. There are many companies that mistreat employees.

Find the Mistakes

There are five mistakes in the writing below. Can you find them all?

This is a story about the difficulties of working for the wrong company. The main character, who is called Anthony, works at an internet service provider. He does call center work, dealing with customer complaints. On top of this, he has to ensure that customers are receiving the fastest internet possible. He provides their internet by running up a mountain, and the faster he runs, the faster their internet is. He must keep increasing his speed so that his company can keep up with its competitors. We see him doing all kinds of training, including jogging, weight training and swimming. He trains and runs harder and harder, while not sleeping enough. During this time, he also has other problems, like bad food and lack of contact with his family. When he does finally talk to his father, we learn that he is sick and needs treatment. Gary continues the training, but eventually his body reaches its limit and he collapses while running. His uncle tells him that other companies have developed a faster technology ("relay technology") and that he is being replaced. We see him being forced to leave the office as a cycling team moves in to replace him. At the end of the movie, he finally manages to see his father and they finally make a real human connection. The story illustrates how some companies force people to work too hard, give them difficult conditions (bad food) and prevent them from doing the important things in life, such as seeing their loved ones.

Vocabulary

Drag the correct word to each blank.

Real Talk

Here you will find some language that can often be heard in real life, but isn't usually found in textbooks.

Bummer

"Bummer" is a common, informal word for a disappointing or unpleasant situation. It is often used to express sympathy or minor disappointment.

You've got this

This is a common phrase used to encourage someone, meaning they have the ability or confidence to succeed in something difficult. It's similar to "You can do it."

Speaking Activities

Are you interested in some group speaking activities? Contact us to find out more about how you can talk about this film with a class and a teacher!