Learning English

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Transcript

It's no ordinary day at the beach. These divers are in Cornwall, southwest England, not for the fun but to pick up rubbish.

An estimated 70% of the plastic which enters the sea sinks, according to the organisation Dive Against Debris. And much of it is not biodegradable.

This is a problem that stretches far beyond the UK. Eight million tonnes of plastic ends up in the world's oceans every year, causing damage to this fragile ecosystem.

Vocabulary

divers
people who swim underwater as a sport or for work

sinks
goes down below the water level

biodegradable
describes something that decays naturally

stretches
extends its reach further

ecosystem
all the living things in a particular area

To do

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports.

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

divers / sinks / biodegradable / stretches / ecosystem

1. The new regulations form part of Oxford City Council's new street trading policy, approved by the council on Monday evening.

It insists that all packaging and utensils passed on to customers by street traders must be made of __________ or recyclable materials.

2. Although deserts and arid lands may seem to be barren places, they often support complex and fragile __________ in which mammals play a key role.

3. A submerged prehistoric forest, discovered 200 metres off the Norfolk Coast, is about 10,000 years old, according to geologists.

Discovered by __________, the forest is part of a prehistoric Doggerland which once spread all the way to Germany.

4. Six fishermen have been rescued after their boat collided with another vessel and __________ off the coast of County Down.

5. A state of emergency has been declared in southern California in the US after two oil slicks, __________ nine miles, formed off the coast.

Answers

1. The new regulations form part of Oxford City Council's new street trading policy, approved by the council on Monday evening.

It insists that all packaging and utensils passed on to customers by street traders must be made of biodegradable or recyclable materials.

See story

2. Although deserts and arid lands may seem to be barren places, they often support complex and fragile ecosystems in which mammals play a key role.

See story

3. A submerged prehistoric forest, discovered 200 metres off the Norfolk Coast, is about 10,000 years old, according to geologists.

Discovered by divers, the forest is part of a prehistoric Doggerland which once spread all the way to Germany.

See story

4. Six fishermen have been rescued after their boat collided with another vessel and sank off the coast of County Down.

See story

5. A state of emergency has been declared in southern California in the US after two oil slicks, stretching nine miles, formed off the coast.

See story

የቅርብ Words in the News

Record-breaking royal
Episode 150909 / 09 Sep 2015
Queen Elizabeth II has broken the record. She's now been on the throne longer than any other British monarch
Notting Hill Carnival
Episode 150902 / 02 Sep 2015
One of the world's biggest festivals hits the streets of London
Plastic art
Episode 150826 / 26 Aug 2015
The art of recycling. Find out how plastic bags are being turned into pictures
Snakes in a cafe
Episode 150819 / 19 Aug 2015
New cafe in Tokyo offers customers the opportunity to hold a snake. Watch the video
Underwater clean-up
Episode 150812 / 12 Aug 2015
Reducing plastic rubbish on Britain's beaches. Clean-up group gets busy in Cornwall
Surfing dogs
Episode 150805 / 05 Aug 2015
Pets take to the waves at a Californian event. Watch the video and learn new words
Plant energy
Episode 150729 / 29 Jul 2015
Could your garden be a source of green energy? Scientists use electricity from plants
Auditions for Harry Potter spin-off
Episode 150722 / 22 Jul 2015
Do you want to be in the movies? Thousands queue in London for the chance to be in a new JK Rowling film
Grass phone
Episode 150715 / 15 Jul 2015
Would you use a phone made out of grass? Take a look at some 'green' technology
A good year for smelly fruit
Episode 150708 / 08 Jul 2015
What's causing a stink in Asia? Could it be the 'king of fruits'?!
The secret of giraffes' long legs
Episode 150701 / 01 Jul 2015
Is being tall a good thing? Scientists study how giraffes move
Ivory protest
Episode 150624 / 24 Jun 2015
Ivory objects destroyed in New York to curb trade behind killing of elephants
Monuments in Nepal reopen
Episode 150617 / 17 Jun 2015
Nepalese government wants to bring back tourists after earthquake destruction
Oil painting copy shop
Episode 150610 / 10 Jun 2015
Can't afford an original painting by Picasso? Visit the place where cheap copies are made
Paris 'love locks' removed
Episode 150603 / 03 Jun 2015
Padlocks lovers attach to Parisian bridge became a nuisance, say the authorities
New York's view from the top
Episode 150527 / 26 May 2015
The skyscraper replacing the World Trade Center opens its top floor to the public
Fighting child marriage
Episode 150520 / 20 May 2015
Pakistani teen campaigns to end practice of offering girls for marriage to resolve local disputes
Obstacle race in Germany
Episode 150513 / 13 May 2015
About 11,000 athletes endure mud and water to try to win the race
What's the meaning of a royal name?
Episode 150506 / 06 May 2015
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's daughter is called Charlotte Elizabeth Diana
Return of the lynx
Episode 150429 / 29 Apr 2015
Conservationists want to bring the lynx back to the British countryside, but farmers are worried
Ivory smuggling
Episode 150422 / 22 Apr 2015
Customs officials in Thailand capture four tonnes of smuggled ivory from the Democratic Republic of Congo
Playing 'Harry Potter'
Episode 150415 / 15 Apr 2015
A castle in Poland has been transformed into a College of Wizardry to welcome Harry Potter fans
3D paintings
Episode 150408 / 08 Apr 2015
A museum in the Philippines wants visitors to be part of the picture
Giant Easter egg
Episode 150401 / 01 Apr 2015
UK cook uses 100kg of chocolate to create two-metre-tall egg
Symbol of peace
Episode 150325 / 25 Mar 2015
People come together in Northern Ireland around a burning symbol of the future
Can you see the light?
Episode 150318 / 18 Mar 2015
Children who can't see get more active by playing with light and sound
Driving change in Afghanistan
Episode 150311 / 11 Mar 2015
Afghanistan's first female taxi driver
British sea power
Episode 150304 / 04 Mar 2015
The sea is powerful. But how can it be used to create electricity? Find out about a plan to build the world's first lagoon power plant
The 'No Cry' onion
Episode 150225 / 25 Feb 2015
A new type of onion has been developed that tastes good and won't make you cry
Battle of the Oranges
Episode 150218 / 18 Feb 2015
Some 500 tonnes of fruit are used in this Italian festival
Flying food
Episode 150211 / 11 Feb 2015
Food literally flies to the table in restaurants in Singapore
Shining a light on the past
Episode 150204 / 04 Feb 2015
New technology means we can now read texts written in Roman times
Guns in school
Episode 150128 / 28 Jan 2015
Teachers in Pakistan carry guns to protect school children after Taliban attack
Rich and poor
Episode 150121 / 21 Jan 2015
The gap between rich and poor is growing wider, says Oxfam
Desert snows
Episode 150114 / 14 Jan 2015
Snow hits Saudi desert regions for the third year running
How many in the zoo?
Episode 150107 / 07 Jan 2015
Zookeepers count more than 750 species in London
Not just for Christmas
Episode 141231 / 31 Dec 2014
Trees left after Christmas are used to prevent floods in the UK
Spiderman Santa
Episode 141224 / 24 Dec 2014
Why did Santa climb down a building 100 metres tall?
Hunting for medals
Episode 141217 / 17 Dec 2014
Maasai Olympics encourages young to show skills on sports rather than by killing lions
The city with no street names
Episode 141210 / 10 Dec 2014
A new project brings road signs and house numbers to Cotonou in Benin
Stonehenge tunnel
Episode 141203 / 03 Dec 2014
A tunnel is to be built near the ancient monument of Stonehenge. Watch the video and learn new words
Snow in the US
Episode 141126 / 26 Nov 2014
Residents of the north-east United States fear floods as temperatures rise. Watch the video and learn new words
A joke gone wrong
Episode 141119 / 19 Nov 2014
A British man drives his girlfriend's car round an ex-Grand Prix circuit. Watch the video and learn new words
Don't look down!
Episode 141112 / 12 Nov 2014
Two adventurers cross Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls on a high wire. Watch the video and learn new words
Puppet carnival in Thailand
Episode 141105 / 05 Nov 2014
Hundreds of puppets bring colour to the streets of Bangkok. Watch the video and learn some new words
Parkour is here to stay
Episode 141029 / 29 Oct 2014
British academies train people in urban running. Watch the video and learn some new words
Alternative Miss World
Episode 141022 / 22 Oct 2014
Men and women take part in a colourful event in London. Watch the video and learn some new words
Wife-carrying race
Episode 141015 / 15 Oct 2014
Couples should support each other. But, does that mean you need to carry your wife?
Let's rock and roll!
Episode 141008 / 08 Oct 2014
The world's biggest guitar is on show in the US. Watch the video and learn new words
Smoking in France
Episode 141001 / 01 Oct 2014
Will changes in cigarette packets make people smoke less? Watch the video and learn new words
Prison bank
Episode 140924 / 24 Sep 2014
Visit the bank which operates inside Peru's biggest prison. Watch the video and learn new words