Article

This is an original article as printed in the Guardian Weekly which is suitable for advanced comprehension classes/groups. It was written by Severin Carrell.

Scottish fisherman spoils Trump's dream development

For 40 years, Michael Forbes has lived a quiet life netting salmon every summer like his father and grandfather before him. His rambling old farm nestles behind a rampart of vast sand dunes that protect his rusting tractors and ramshackle sheds from the North Sea winds.

But those dunes are coveted by the billionaire property developer Donald Thump, as the centrepiece of his plans to create the "world's greatest golf course" - a $1bn project to plant an eight-storey five-star hotel, two championship golf courses and 950 timeshare holiday flats on the coast of North East Scotland.

In the middle of Trump's dream sits Forbes' weather-stained house, his mother's neatly kept mobile home and their roaming tribe of geese, cats and hens.

And Trump is far from pleased. During a press conference called to bolster his attempt to build the Trump International resort, he singled out Forbes for attack, describing the fisherman's property as a "disgrace" which damaged his scheme for an award-winning resort.

Trump told the assembled reporters: "Take a look and see how badly maintained that piece of property is. It's disgusting. There are rusty tractors, rusty oil cans. I actually asked him. 'Are you doing this on purpose to try and make me look bad, so I have to pay some more money?'"

Forbes, a stocky grey-haired and ruddy-faced 55-year old, is unrepentant. On his lawn flutters a blue and white Scottish flag. He is in no doubt that Trump is unhappy: he has refused several offers from the billionaire's lawyers to buy his nine hectares of land, offers that have slowly edged up to $750,000.

"To me, you can't put a price on it. I just won't sell, and he knows that," Forbes said. "All my family came from here. My grandfather fished down here and my father and I'm last in line and will see it out."

George Sorial, Trump's managing director for international development, said the Trump organisation had tried to negotiate with Forbes, including offering him a job at the resort and to relocate him and his mother. But he claimed Forbes was trying to force Trump into paying a higher price. "He has become very greedy. He wants huge numbers."

Glossary

hold oout against someone

(phrasal verb) when a person refuses to surrender to an enemy or opponent

ramshackle

(adjective) when buildings are in very bad condition

single out

(phrasal verb) choose someone from a group for special attention

a disgrace

(noun) a thing that is so bad that it makes people feel ashamed

Questions

The questions below are divided into three groups - before, during and after reading the above article.

Before reading

Discuss the questions below with a partner

1. Do you know any cases in your country where an individual person has decided to fight against a large company or powerful organisation?
2. What happened to this person in the end? Did they win or lose their fight? Tell the rest of the class about the person you discussed.

Look at the headline, photo and caption. Choose the correct words in the paragraph below.

Michael Forbes is a (a) fisherman/property developer who lives on the northeast coast of (b) the USA/Scotland. The (c) 25-year-old/55-year-old] Forbes is currently (d) helping/spoiling the billionaire Donald Trump's plans for a new (e) fishing lake/golf development.

While reading

Look at the sentences below about Michael Forbes and Donald Trump. Then read the whole article and put yes (Y) or no (N) next to the sentences.

1. Michael Forbes ...
   1. has lived and worked in the same place for 40 years.
   2. keeps his farm tidy and in good repair.
   3. has refused only one low offer from Trump to buy the farm.
   4. is the last in his family line to live and work on the farm.
   5. is considering working on the new golf resort.
2. Donald Trump ...
   1. is planning to build a large and luxurious golf resort in Scotland.
   2. admires the farm that Forbes has created.
   3. wants to buy the farm because it is in the middle of the planned development.
   4. believes Forbes is trying to force him into paying a higher price.
   5. has recently agreed with Forbes a price of $750,000 for the farm.

Read the article again. Use the words below to complete the questions and then find the answers. How, How many,How much,What,Where

1. ___ is situated between the farm and the North Sea?
2. ___ holiday apartments does Trump plan to build?
3. ___ will the whole project cost?
4. ___ does Forbes' mother live?
5. ___ does Trump describe the farm?
6. ___ does Forbes look like?
7. ___ hectares of land does Forbes own?
8. ___ does George Sorial describe Forbes?

Choose five adjectives from the list below that you think best describe Michael Forbes. Check any unknown words in the dictionary. Make brief notes to explain your choices. With a partner negotiate a list of five words that you both agree on. Repeat the process as a group to produce a final list.

• crafty
• foolish
• greedy
• heroic
• ineffective
• naïve
• patriotic
• persistent
• powerful
• principled
• selfish
• shrewd
• strong-minded
• stubborn

After reading

Look at the verbs in red below. Choose the correct meaning from the given list. Paragraph numbers are given in brackets.

1. Michael Forbes has lived a quiet life netting salmon ... (para 1)
   1. killing
   2. farming
   3. catching
   4. preparing
2. But those dunes are covetted by Donald Trump ...(para 2)
   1. desired
   2. admired
   3. detested
   4. owned
3. ... and their roaming tribes of geese, cats and hens. (para 3)
   1. constantly feeding
   2. freely moving
   3. loudly calling
   4. often sleeping
4. During a press conference called to bolster his attempt ... (para 4)
   1. announce
   2. discuss
   3. describe
   4. strengthen
5. On his lawn flutters a blue and white Scottish flag ... (para 6)
   1. hangs heavily
   2. moves quickly and lightly
   3. moves slowly
   4. noves loudly
6. ... the Trump organisation has tried to negotiate with Forbes, including offering to relocate him ... (para 8)
   1. help
   2. pay
   3. move
   4. employ

Activity - Role Play

Imagine that Trump makes a final attempt to persuade Forbes to sell his land. Role play with a partner a meeting between the two men. Choose a role and then follow the steps below. Visit the development web site for more information on the development.

1. Look back at the article. Make notes on the key arguments that your character would put forward about selling the land. Add more arguments of your own - for example, Forbes might wish to keep his farm to protect the environment.
2. Note some useful phrases to help you express your arguments/opinions.
3. Conduct the negotiations and come to a conclusion.
4. Do the role play again, this time in front of the class. Ask the class to decide which person makes the most convincing Forbes or Trump?