Save me from certain death

You, along with 14 other people, have won a ride in a hot air balloon. You are all
really enjoying the experience until the balloon gets caught in a thermal air stream
and is blown miles off course. The gas for the burner runs out, leaving you all in
danger as there is a significant risk that the balloon will crash.

The pilot of the balloon calculates that if there were 11 people on board instead of
16, it would be possible to get the balloon and the remaining passengers safely back
to the launch site. This means that five people will have to jump from the balloon’s
basket, with no way of knowing whether they will survive the fall. Even if they do
live to tell the tale, they will almost certainly be severely injured.

You have to convince the pilot and the rest of the group that you should be kept
aboard the balloon. Any factual information about your lifestyle, occupation, age
and family circumstances can be used in an effort to keep your place on the balloon,
but everything you say must be truthful. You may use what you know about other
passengers against them, but again, you
must be truthful.

Think carefully about how you will

convince your fellow passengers to let
you keep your life. As you’ve only got
one chance you will need to use all the
information you have at your disposal
and think of persuasive ways to present it
to the group.

Good luck!

© www.teachit.co.uk 2010 13694 Page 1 of 4

Save me from certain death

Name: Albert Smith

Name: Stanley Harvey
Age: 88
Age: 48
Occupation: retired
Occupation: poet and playwright
Profile:
Profile:
You live with your wife, Enid, and have been
You are a world‐famous poet and playwright
married for sixty years. You were childhood
who brings joy to millions of people. You
sweethearts. You have three children and
have been called the greatest writer since
eleven grandchildren. You fought in the
William Shakespeare. You fell into writing by
Second World War where you received an
chance, and have no qualifications or other
injury that left you walking with a stick, and
skills. You are unmarried. You are a heavy
partially deaf. You are otherwise fit and
smoker but you do not drink.
healthy.

Name: Mary Smith

Name: Susan Davies Age: 33
Age: 15 Occupation: student
Occupation: student
Profile:
Profile: You live with your husband and three children
You live with your parents and two brothers. aged eight years, five years and 20 months.
You are studying for 11 GCSEs, and are You also look after your elderly father who
predicted A and A* grades. When you leave lives with you in the family home. Although
school you plan to go to university to study you don’t work outside the house, you are an
medicine. active member of the local community and
are a volunteer at a local charity.

Name: Ray Wolfe

Age: 41
Name: Louise Smith Occupation: unemployed
Age: 8
Profile:
Occupation: none
You are divorced and are currently single.
Profile: You have four children by two different wives.
You smoke and drink. You find it difficult to
You are the eldest daughter of Mary Smith.
keep a job, as you often get bored. When you
You have one leg two inches longer than the
were younger, you wanted to become a
other.
lawyer, but didn’t go to university because
your girlfriend became pregnant. You then
married her.

© www.teachit.co.uk 2010 13694 Page 2 of 4

Save me from certain death

Name: David Green

Name: Frances Minster
Age: 18
Age: 65
Occupation: athlete
Occupation: part time balloon pilot
Profile:
Profile:
You are an only child and live at home with
your mum. You are currently training for the You are a widow and have no children. You
110 metre hurdles for the 2012 Olympics and have many friends but no close family. You
are considered a medal hope. You do not have retired from full‐time employment, but
smoke or drink and you eat a healthy diet. currently work part time as a hot air balloon
Your mum has two jobs to meet your training pilot and are the pilot of this flight. You have
costs. Although you are at college, you are heart disease and have recently recovered
not very interested in your exams and are in from ovarian cancer.
danger of failing all your subjects.

Name: Michael Addington Name: Wesley Jones

Age: 46 Age: 55
Occupation: doctor Occupation: computer games designer

Profile: Profile:
You are married with two children, aged You are single and live with your elderly
three and four years. You are a leading mother, who looks after you. You are a heavy
specialist in heart surgery. You have been drinker. You always wanted to work in the
having an affair with a colleague for the last gaming industry and are considered one of
five years. the best games designers in the world.

Name: Sam Phillips

Name: June Gray
Age: 19
Age: 26
Occupation: unemployed
Occupation: mother
Profile:
Profile:
You live at home with your parents. You are
You are a single mum with a nine‐month‐old
unemployed, having dropped out of sixth
son. You work part‐time at the local post
form and college, despite having the potential
office and are currently studying for your A
to achieve good grades. You are at risk of
Levels at evening classes.
developing a drug habit.

© www.teachit.co.uk 2010 13694 Page 3 of 4

Save me from certain death

Name: Karen Woodward Name: Drew Robinson

Age: 27 Age: 10
Occupation: waitress Occupation: none

Profile: Profile:
You live with your parents, both of whom are You are an only child and are very spoilt. You
disabled. You are their main carer and work receive £30 pocket money each week, but are
part‐time to earn enough money to keep the always asking for more from your parents.
household afloat. You also run ‘shopping for You are often disrespectful to your parents,
the disabled’, a service that helps four local but you are close to your grandmother and
families by going to the supermarket once a visit her every week and help her with her
week for them. housework.

Name: Andrea Black Name: Robert Baker

Age: 65 Age: 35
Occupation: just retired Occupation: factory worker

Profile: Profile:
You care for your husband, who is disabled. You live with your girlfriend and her son of 11
You have three children, none of whom you years. Although you are not the child’s
are in regular contact with. You are a fairly father, you have built a strong relationship
well‐known local artist. You suffer from with him. You plan to ask your girlfriend to
severe asthma and rheumatism. marry you.

© www.teachit.co.uk 2010 13694 Page 4 of 4