Keywords
| Word | IPA | American English Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Vigil | /ˈvɪdʒ.əl/ | VIH-juhl (like “visual” without the ‘s’) |
| Site | /saɪt/ | Sight (rhymes with “light”) |
| Cumbersome | /ˈkʌm.bɚ.səm/ | KUM-bur-sum |
| Interrogate | /ɪnˈtɛr.əˌɡeɪt/ | in-TER-uh-gate |
| Divulge | /dɪˈvʌldʒ/ | di-VULJ (rhymes with “bulge”) |
Listening
Text
When Agent Rhea arrived at Site 93, the forest was cloaked in silence. The research facility, half-buried in the earth, had been abandoned for weeks—yet the surveillance logs suggested movement.
Her task was clear: maintain a vigil overnight and wait for whoever—or whatever—had triggered the alarms.
The night grew colder. The equipment she carried was cumbersome, making even small movements feel like dragging weights through quicksand. She crouched behind a broken support beam, waiting.
At 03:16, the faint creak of a metal hatch opening pierced the silence. A man emerged, gaunt and trembling. His ID badge was smudged, but readable.
“Dr. Halvorsen?”
His eyes widened. “They told me no one would come. I didn’t think… I didn’t think you’d find this place.”
Rhea approached cautiously. “We need to interrogate you, Doctor. There’s a lot you haven’t told us.”
He shook his head violently. “If I divulge anything, they’ll kill me. You don’t understand what they were testing here.”
The ground shuddered beneath them. A low, humming sound rose from below.
“We’re out of time,” she said.
Match the definition
Gap-fill
Complete the story
Discussion questions
Have you ever kept a vigil—waiting anxiously for something?
Why might someone refuse to divulge sensitive information?
What types of clothing or equipment can be cumbersome when hiking,working, playing sports etc.?
Do you think it’s ethical to interrogate people in extreme situations? Why or why not?
What is the most important site you’ve visited, and why?
Test Yourself!
Recommended Settings
-Answer with “Term”
-Turn on “Written”
-Turn off “Multiple choice”
