CELPIP Listening Part 4 Practice Test: A Surprise Visitor at School

NARRATOR: Students at a Chilliwack elementary school got an unexpected science lesson on Tuesday morning when a hot air balloon touched down in the middle of their soccer field. The balloon, carrying a pilot and three passengers, had lifted off from a farm near Agassiz shortly after sunrise. Pilot Doug Ferreira says the winds shifted unexpectedly about forty minutes into the flight, pushing the balloon away from his usual landing sites and toward residential neighbourhoods. Running low on fuel, he chose the school field because it was the largest open space he could see. Recess had not yet begun, so the field was empty, but dozens of youngsters pressed against classroom windows to watch. Principal Karen Liu admits her first reaction was alarm, but says the crew handled everything calmly and professionally. Once the balloon was safely packed away, Ferreira volunteered to answer questions in the gym, explaining how heated air keeps a balloon aloft. Nobody was injured, and the only damage was a few tire ruts in the grass. The passengers, who had purchased the flight as an anniversary gift, were driven back to Agassiz by the ground crew. Liu says the students have already asked whether the balloon can come back next year.