Easy English

VANESSA CLARK präsentiert einen Dialog und dazu passendes Hintergrundwissen – auf Sprachniveau A2.

A CONVERSATION WITH KEVIN MORLAND

Here, we present interesting lives from around the Englishspeaking world. This time, we talk to Kevin Morland, who works as a chimney sweep.

What do you do in your job?

It’s a lot more than just sweeping the chimney. We do a full check of the whole chimney system, to make sure everything is clean and safe. If it’s dirty, it can kill you and your family.

Why can a chimney be dangerous?

It can catch fire and burn your house down. Or it can produce carbon monoxide. That’s a very dangerous gas — you can’t see it or smell it, but it can kill you in your bed at night. Everyone should have a carbon monoxide alarm.

Do you have a long, traditional chimney brush?

Yes, I do, but I also have a lot of modern things, such as a big industrial vacuum cleaner. We use cameras to look inside, and smoke machines to check how the smoke goes up.

Can you work during lockdown?

Yes, we’re an essential service, so we’re allowed into homes during lockdown.

Is it true that chimney sweeps bring good luck?

Yes! You can invite a chimney sweep to a wedding, to bring good luck to the new couple. People sometimes call our office to ask if we can do that for them.