BBC Learning English
Words in the News
7
th
September 2011
9/11: Ten Years On
Words in the News
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011
Page 1 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com
Transcript
The
defining moment of a new century…
Preparations are being made to mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11
th
attacks which
resulted in the deaths of almost 3,000 people.
US president George W. Bush addressed the nation promising to punish those behind the
attacks and any country which harboured terrorists.
This precipitated the bombing of Afghanistan and the pursuit of the Al Qaeda leader Osama
Bin Laden.
Vocabulary
defining moment:
event which changes the course of history
addressed the nation:
made a speech to the whole country
harboured:
gave shelter to someone who is attempting to escape the authorities
precipitated:
brought about
the pursuit of:
the determined search for someone with the intention of capturing and bringing to justice
Watch this video online: 9/11: Ten Years On
http://bbc.in/ppCbQh
Words in the News
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011
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bbclearningenglish.com
Exercise
Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from a BBC news
report. Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence
correctly.
defining moment / addressed the nation / harboured / precipitated / the pursuit of
1.
Newspapers in Thailand have expressed the hope that Sunday's surprise landslide election
victory for the Pheu Thai party will _____________ an era of national reconciliation.
2.
Reggae singer Luciano has been charged with ___________ a fugitive who shot and wounded
three police officers, Jamaican police have said.
3.
Hare coursing is___________ a hare by a pair of hunting dogs, often greyhounds, and is
common in rural Northern Ireland.
4.
It was one of the _______________________ of the last Labour government's years
in power. The Commons debate in March 2003 that preceded the Iraq invasion is seared in
many people's memories.
5.
Looking much thinner than when he last _____________________, Mr Chavez on
Thursday confirmed what many had suspected - his health problems were more serious
than first thought, says the BBC's Sarah Grainger in Caracas.
Words in the News
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011
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Answers
1.
Newspapers in Thailand have expressed the hope that Sunday's surprise landslide election
victory for the Pheu Thai party will precipitate an era of national reconciliation.
Source: Thai press focus on reconciliation
http://bbc.in/oti1UZ
2.
Reggae singer Luciano has been charged with harbouring a fugitive who shot and
wounded three police officers, Jamaican police have said.
Source: Reggae star charged over gunman
http://bbc.in/p1E3f6
3.
Hare coursing is the pursuit of a hare by a pair of hunting dogs, often greyhounds, and is
common in rural Northern Ireland.
Source: Permanent ban for hare coursing in Northern Ireland
http://bbc.in/pU58Qb
4.
It was one of the defining moments of the last Labour government's years in
power. The Commons debate in March 2003 that preceded the Iraq invasion is seared in many
people's memories.
Source: Why is Libyan conflict less controversial than Iraq?
http://bbc.in/k3NpaD
5.
Looking much thinner than when he last addressed the nation, Mr Chavez on Thursday
confirmed what many had suspected - his health problems were more serious than first thought,
says the BBC's Sarah Grainger in Caracas.
Source: Venezuela 'is calm' after Hugo Chavez cancer surgery
http://bbc.in/ioKQjv