BBC Learning English
Video Words in the News
3 July 2013
Forest fires hit the US
Transcript:
Fire eats up the forest in Arizona.
This is the deadliest wildfire involving firefighters in the US for 30 years.
The blaze spread rapidly amid high heat, low humidity and windy conditions.
Helicopters and planes tried to douse flames from above. Thousands of people
have been evacuated.
As some American states experience extreme temperatures and drought,
meteorologists have warned that more forest fires may hit California and New
Mexico.
Vocabulary:
wildfire
fire that spreads rapidly and uncontrollably
amid
surrounded by
douse
extinguish (a fire)
evacuated
taken away (from a difficult or dangerous situation or place)
meteorologists
professionals who analyse weather conditions
Watch the video online: Forest fires hit the US http://bbc.in/17CDfFy
Video Words in the News ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2013
Page 1 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com
Exercise:
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.
wildfire / amid / douse / evacuated / meteorologists
1. TV pictures showed chaotic scenes as crowds swarmed the crash site, some
helping pass along hoses to __________ the smoking wreckage.
2. A smaller area is ablaze on Tenerife. On the mainland, two firefighters died
while helping to extinguish a __________ in Torremanzanas, a village north
of the eastern coastal town of Alicante.
3. The severe weather is also affecting neighbouring Bulgaria and Romania,
where six people have reportedly died. __________ warn that the cold snap
in the region could continue and temperatures may drop even further.
4. The manufacturing and export sectors have been key drivers of China's
economic growth in recent years. However, they have been under pressure
lately __________ a slowdown in key export markets as well as China's
own economic growth.
5. The quake caused buildings to sway in Tijuana, where Easter celebrations
were interrupted as families rushed for open ground. There were power cuts
and hospitals and public buildings were __________ in Mexico's Baja
California state.
Video Words in the News ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2013
Page 2 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com
Answers:
1. TV pictures showed chaotic scenes as crowds swarmed the crash site, some
helping pass along hoses to douse the smoking wreckage.
Source: Lagos air crash: No survivors, officials say
http://bbc.in/Lcg5rh
2. A smaller area is ablaze on Tenerife. On the mainland, two firefighters died
while helping to extinguish a wildfire in Torremanzanas, a village north of
the eastern coastal town of Alicante.
Source: Fire in Spain's Canary Islands forces La Gomera exodus
http://bbc.in/OdLBKu
3. The severe weather is also affecting neighbouring Bulgaria and Romania,
where six people have reportedly died. Meteorologists warn that the cold
snap in the region could continue and temperatures may drop even further.
Source: Dozens die in Ukraine's cold snap
http://bbc.in/VU8Rh6
4. The manufacturing and export sectors have been key drivers of China's
economic growth in recent years. However, they have been under pressure
lately amid a slowdown in key export markets as well as China's own
economic growth.
Source: China manufacturing growth rate slows
http://bbc.in/19Nwm4U
5. The quake caused buildings to sway in Tijuana, where Easter celebrations
were interrupted as families rushed for open ground. There were power cuts
and hospitals and public buildings were evacuated in Mexico's Baja
California state.
Source: Earthquake rocks western Mexico
http://bbc.in/9MVdjz
Video Words in the News ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2013
Page 3 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com