1. BBC: Increase in extremist online content
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The amount of online content created by extremists is growing - and so is the audience for it. A British report says technology companies need to do more to prevent it.
Language challenge
The adjective 'wannabe' is a contraction. What are the words that make it up?
a) would not be
b) wanting be
c) want to be
The story
New research by the independent British think tank Policy Exchange says the amount of material being published online by extremist groups, including the so-called Islamic State, shows no signs of reduction.
It calls for additional pressure to be put on technology companies to encourage them to take more responsibility as the publishers and distributers of this material.
Key words and phrases
would-be
hoping or trying to be
war against
strong and organised effort to control something harmful
giants
large, successful, powerful companies
2. BBC: Myanmar: Military takes control
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The army have taken control of Myanmar after claiming an election in November 2020 was fraudulent, or fake. Placing the country in a state of emergency for one year, the military have arrested several politicians, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
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The story
The armed forces in Myanmar have carried out a coup, arresting Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior figures in the ruling party.
The military claims that the election she won in November was fraudulent and are imposing a state of emergency for one year.
Key words and phrases
coup
takeover of government by force
• The presence of soldiers on the streets indicated that there had been a coup.
• Supporters of the former president describe the opposition party’s victory as a coup.
at a crossroads
at a point of change
• Stephanie’s career is at a crossroads. Should she accept the promotion or leave the company for good?
• The trade talks are at a crossroads. No one knows which way they will go.
deals a killer blow
ends something suddenly and violently
• Covid has dealt a killer blow to some struggling businesses.
• Failing her exams dealt a killer blow to Larissa's dream of becoming a doctor.
3. BBC: New royal baby
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William and Kate expecting third child
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced that they are expecting their third child.
Language challenge
Which of these English expressions means to feel extremely unwell?
a) sick as a dog
b) sick to death
c) sick as a parrot
The story
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced they're expecting their third child.
Kensington Palace said the duchess was again suffering from an acute form of pregnancy sickness and had pulled out of an engagement today.
Key words and phrases
morning sickness
feeling of wanting to vomit during early pregnancy
brand
the way a person or family market themselves
in line
likely to receive something
4. BBC: Hurricane Irma hits Florida
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A devastating hurricane has reached Florida after causing death and destruction across many Caribbean islands.
Language challenge
There's an English expression that means 'to survive a difficult situation'. Which one is it?
a) to shelter the storm
b) to weather the storm
c) to break the storm
The story
Nearly seven and a half million homes across five US states are without power as the tropical storm, which hit Florida as Hurricane Irma, continues inland.
Key words and phrases
pounds
hits several times with force
darkness
sadness; hopelessness
in something's wake
after and as a result of an event
5. BBC: Greenest summer ever for UK
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Over half of the UK's energy use came from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, this summer.
Language challenge
‘Green’ can mean 'environmentally friendly'. But there is another meaning. If you say someone is ‘green’, what does it mean?
a) They are very experienced
b) They are not experienced
c) They are a member of a political party
The story
The British National Grid – that's the system of wires that takes electricity from its sources into people's homes – was the most environmentally friendly ever this summer.
Over half of the energy consumed came from low-carbon sources – that's things like solar and wind power rather than coal or oil.
Key words and phrases
enjoys
experiences something as an advantage
spells trouble
suggests there may be future problems
bleed
take a lot of money from
6. BBC: Spain in crisis over Catalonia vote
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The Spanish region of Catalonia has voted for independence in an unofficial referendum
Language challenge
What does the expression 'to put something on the map' mean?
a) to find somewhere
b) to draw a location
c) to make something famous
The story
Catalans are going on strike today to protest the violence that marred the region's independence referendum on Sunday.
Catalonia's regional government says over 90% of Sunday's voters opted for independence, but only 40% of Catalans voted.
Key words and phrases
map out
make a detailed plan
goes it alone
does something on its own, without help from others
step back from the brink
decide against an action which may have a bad result
7. BBC: Racial inequality in the UK
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A person's race has an impact on their life chances in areas such as health, education, and criminal justice. Those are the results of an audit which has been published in the UK.
Language challenge
There's an idiom using 'bare' which means 'to tell someone your secret thoughts or feelings'. What is it?
a) bare your soul
b) bare your heart
c) both of these
The story
Theresa May will today challenge public bodies to explain or change sweeping inequalities between different ethnic groups in areas such as education, housing and criminal justice.
She's launching the results of the government's racial disparities audit.
Key words and phrases
take action on
begin to do something to solve a problem
lays bare
makes something known which was hidden
glaring
obviously bad or wrong
8. BBC: Ancient stellar collision makes waves
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Two dead stars, which collided 150 million years ago, have made gravity waves and proven Einstein's prediction correct.
Language challenge
Two stars hitting each other has been described as ‘cataclysmic’, but what does that mean?
a) extremely destructive
b) extremely beneficial
c) extremely catty
The story
The collision of two dead stars has been watched for the first time by an international team of researchers. The event gave off gravitational waves, ripples in space and time that were first predicted by Albert Einstein.
The collision happened 130 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, but its light and waves have only now reached us. One researcher described it as the first full picture of one of the most violent, cataclysmic events in the universe.
Key words and phrases
sparking
causing to begin
ripple
small wave(s) of something
comb through
examine thoroughly
9. BBC: Toxicity tax for London’s polluting cars
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The T-charge, a new daily tax on London's worst polluting cars, has been introduced.
Language challenge
The T-charge, a tax to combat air pollution, has been launched in London. The ‘T’ stands for 'toxicity' – the noun form of 'toxic', meaning 'poisonous'. Which of these words does NOT also mean 'toxic'?
a) benign
b) noxious
c) venomous
The story
Owners of the most polluting cars will have to pay an extra £10 to drive in central London from today.
The T-charge, or toxicity charge, will apply to older diesel and petrol vehicles in what’s been described as the toughest emission standard of any world-ranking city.
It’ll be levied on top of the congestion charge. Some health charities have welcomed the move, others say it doesn’t go far enough.
Key words and phrases
curb
control or limit something
template
something copied to produce similar items
exempt
excused from following a rule
10. BBC: Human health affected by climate change
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Changing climate is causing heat waves, poor diet and spreading disease.
Language challenge
We’ve heard the word ‘toll’ meaning a small amount of money you pay to use something – often connected to transport. But which of these is NOT a common term?
a) toll bridge
b) toll bike
c) toll road
The story
A new report on climate change has concluded that rising temperatures are seriously harming human health.
The report from a group of universities and UN agencies says that more people are being affected by heatwaves, a poor diet and the spread of disease..
Key words and phrases
taking a toll
causing harm or damage over time
swelter
feel uncomfortably hot
flee
escape quickly from a dangerous place
11. BBC: Online abuse the same as face-to-face
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The Director of Public Prosecutions has recommended that the UK treat online hate crime in the same way as face-to-face hate crime.
Language challenge
The UK is to consider online hate crime as seriously as hate crime meted out face to face. Meted out is a synonym for ‘gave out’, but what kinds of things do we usually mete out?
a) love or affection
b) gifts or money
c) punishment or cruelty
The story
Prosecutors in Britain are being told to treat online hate crime as seriously as abuse meted out face-to-face.
The guidance issued by the government covers offences motivated by hostility towards people of different races, religions, sexuality, gender and disability.
The Director of Public Prosecutions said online abuse, such as threats of violence, had a ‘corrosive effect’ on society and destroyed lives
Key words and phrases
trolls
people who intentionally send annoying or insulting online messages
corrosive
causing gradual damage to something
closes (the) net
restricts the movement or activities of
12. BBC: Assure, ensure, insure
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Betty from Hong Kong says: Could you tell me the difference between assurance and insurance?
Summary
Assure / Assurance
If you assure someone about something, then you tell them that it is definitely true or will happen, often in order to make them feel less worried. We often use such phrases as, I can assure you (that)… or let me assure you (that)… in order to emphasise the truth of what we’re saying. Assurance has the same meaning as assure. If you give someone an assurance that something will happen, you say that it is definitely true or will happen in order to make them feel less worried.
Let me assure you that the children will be totally safe.
I gave her assurance that she would catch the flight.
Ensure
If you ensure that something happens, you make certain that it happens. A less formal equivalent of this verb in spoken English would be make sure. In American English, ensure is often spelt with an ‘i’. We cannot say ensurance. There is no noun which is derived from the word ensure.
Please ensure that you close and lock all doors and windows.
Insure / Insurance
If you insure yourself, or your property, then you pay money to an insurance company so that if you become ill, or if your property is stolen or damaged, that company will pay you money. In British English, we sometimes talk about life assurance as an alternative to life insurance. Insurance is the term used to describe all other types of insurance.
I always insure my phone against water damage and theft.
That car is not insured. The insurance expired last July.
13. BBC: How to be a critical thinker
Being able to critically analyse the things we see and read to distinguish what is real or fake has never been more important! But, how can you be a critical thinker?
Key vocabulary
spin
the presentation of, for example, negative information in a positive way
to cherry-pick
to use only the details that support your view and ignore other information
bias
a belief that something is good or bad which is not based on evidence
critical thinking
the skill of looking at information objectively, without bias, prejudice or spin
a sceptic /skeptic
someone who uses logic and evidence rather than emotion when judging information
gullible (adj)
easily tricked or deceived because you believe uncritically what you see or hear
media literacy
awareness of the modern media environment and how information and disinformation are spread