Learning English

 

A 20^th Century disaster

passenger liner
a large ship that carries people across the sea

iceberg
a very large piece of ice in the ocean

to sink
to go under the water

to strike
to hit with force

string quartet
a classical music group of four people

lifeboats
something that is used to help people escape from danger on a ship

 

Blue Peter: Titanic: A child survivor’s story

fortunate
lucky

apprehension
fear that something bad will happen

luxurious
extremely comfortable or elegant

shipwreck
the destruction of a ship at sea by sinking or breaking up

stationary
not moving, still

tragedy
an event causing great suffering, destruction and distress

overcrowded
when there are too many people in a space than is comfortable

 

6 Minute Vocabulary

rainfall
water that falls as rain over a period of time

water level
the height of water in rivers and lakes

burst its banks
we say this when the water level of a river gets so high that the water overflows its sides and floods the local area

flooded
full of water, usually from coming from rainfall

soaked
covered in water

waterlogged
when something is so full of water it cannot hold any more

 

Eyewitness accounts

I could hardly stand
I almost couldn’t stand up

tilting
leaning to one side

lowered
moved into a low position

making a lark of it
making fun of a situation

boatswain
a ship’s officer in charge of equipment and the crew, also written as bosun

jutting out
sticking out

 

News Report

pulpit
high place in a church where the priest speaks

research
a detailed study of a subject

satisfaction
feeling of being happy when you do or receive something you wanted

clergy
priests or other religious leaders, especially in the Christian Church

vicar
priest in Church of England who is in charge of a church

roles
jobs

actually
used in sentences to show surprise

similarities
things that are similar or the same

stressful
describes an activity that makes people feel worried or nervous

till
a container with a drawer in a shop where the money goes after a customer pays

publican
manager of a pub

bottoms on seats
people watching a performance (the bottom is the part of the body you sit on)

 

The Race

shipwrecked
unable to go anywhere because your ship/boat has been damaged in an accident

castaways
people who are left on an island or beach (where there are no other people) because their ship has been sunk or damaged

marooned
left or stuck in a place that you cannot leave

driftwood
wood that is floating on the sea or brought onto the beach by the sea

beachcombing
searching a beach for shells or valuable or useful objects