Car! Stop!
A car comes fast to the gate. It does not stop. You are the officer at the gate.
"Car! Not stopping! Main Gate!"
Please note: This is a story. It is for English practice only. It is not real military training or orders. It is not from NATO. Do not write real or secret information.
Read the full note
These scenarios are fictional and written for English-language practice only. The actions, priorities and answers in them are what the characters in each story chose to do. They are not military advice, doctrine, standard procedure or operational training, and they do not replace your own unit's or organisation's procedures and orders. This course is not produced or endorsed by NATO. Please do not enter real or sensitive information.
Words for this story
Tap a word. Listen. Say it.
Radio words
What happens
You are Officer Marek Kovacs. You are at the Main Gate. It is afternoon.
- 14:32A silver car comes fast to the Main Gate.
- 14:32It does not stop. It breaks the barrier. The gate has no power.
- 14:32The car stops inside the base. Forty metres in, near the visitor car park. Broken parts on the road.
- 14:32Who is the driver? Why is he here? Nobody knows.
- 14:32You are alone. Your boss's order: check, make safe, report.
Short lines, not full sentences: clear English that everyone understands, whatever their first language.
What do you say?
Press Start. Listen. Then choose fast.
You call Control first. What do you say?
You go to the driver. What do you ask first?
The driver is not hurt. What do you tell him?
Main Gate calls Control
Two people talk on the radio: Officer Kovacs at the Main Gate, and Control. Listen. Then answer.
- Main Gate: Control, this is Main Gate. Over.
- Control: Main Gate, this is Control. Go ahead. Over.
- Main Gate: Car through the barrier. One car. Silver. Stopped inside. Forty metres. Over.
- Control: Copy. Driver? Over.
- Main Gate: Driver in car. Driver says: brakes broken. Not hurt. Over.
- Control: Copy. One guard coming to you. Cars use Gate Two. Over.
- Main Gate: One guard coming. Cars use Gate Two. Copy. Out.
1. Who is coming to the Main Gate?
2. What does the driver say?
3. Which gate do cars use now?
Say the order back
On the radio, you say the order back. Then the other person knows: you understand. Listen to the order. Choose what you say back. Then say it out loud.
"Put cones around the car."
"Cars use Gate Two."
"Wait at the car."
"Next call at one six zero zero."
Make the call
Officer Kovacs calls Control. Tap the parts in the right order: who you call first, "Over" last.
Control, this is Main Gate. Car stopped inside. Driver in car. Driver not hurt. Send one guard. Over.
Now say it out loud. Two times. Slow and clear. Then press Next.
How it ends
What happens next, to the end. The same events as in Full and Detailed.
- 14:32You call Control. You ask for backup. You go to the car.
- 14:32You ask the driver: "Are you hurt? Do you need help?"
- 14:34Not hurt. The driver says: "My brakes are broken." You say: "Please stay in the car."
- 14:34To be safe, a medical team is coming. You tell your boss. One more guard is coming.
- 14:36Cones around the car and the broken parts. Cars use Gate Two. You take photos. No other car came in.
- 14:41The medical team checks the driver. Not hurt.
- 14:42Driver name, ID and car number. You write it in the log. You keep the camera video.
- 15:10Photos and notes go to the Facilities Manager. Guards check cars at the gate by hand.
- LaterA small barrier for the night. Gate fixed in 36 hours. Brakes checked: broken. Nobody hurt.
Two ways to say it
Same scenario, two ways. Choose by who is listening. Short and clear: when you do not know how strong their English is. Full and formal: in reports and briefings. Saying it simply is often harder. Know one way? Learn the other.
The same scenario in Full and Detailed →
Full and Detailed takes 45 to 60 minutes. It uses longer, formal English, and you write a report.
End of the scenario
Know both. Each way is a challenge. Know the formal words? Saying it simply is often the harder skill. Know the short way? Learn the formal words you will meet in Full and Detailed.