BBC Learning English
Words in the News
22

nd

August 2011

Chilean miners' anniversary

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

Page 1 of 2

bbclearningenglish.com

The 33 miners who were rescued from underground in Chile last year are marking the first

anniversary of the day that they were found alive. Many of them have said that for them,

August the 22nd was the most memorable day of their whole ordeal - even more so than the

day of the rescue itself. From Chile, Gideon Long reports:

Most people in Chile remember where they were when they heard that the miners had been

found alive. It's a day that's etched on the national conscience.

The men had been trapped for 17 days. Nothing had been heard from them and most people

had given them up for dead.

Then on August 22nd engineers pulled a drill out of the ground and found a splash of red

paint on it - a sign of life. Moments later they found a note attached to the drill. "We are all

well in the shelter, the 33," it read.

The discovery sparked wild celebrations across Chile. The miners will be remembering that

day in private ceremonies in the city of Copiapo.

The government has decided not to mark the occasion formally. A similar anniversary in

Copiapo two weeks ago was marred by protests against President Sebastian Pinera.

Relations between the miners and the government have soured somewhat since July, when 31

of the men launched legal action against the Chilean state, accusing it of negligence.

And in Copiapo, some of the workers from the San Jose mine who weren't trapped but who

lost their jobs because of the accident have accused the 33 of taking advantage of their

celebrity and using it to line their own pockets.

Gideon Long, BBC News, Chile

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

Page 2 of 2

bbclearningenglish.com

Vocabulary and definitions

etched on the national

conscience

forever remembered by the country

given them up for dead

believed that they were already dead or that they were

alive but could not be rescued and would certainly die

the shelter

the place designed to be safe in times of emergency or

accident

sparked

caused, started

to mark the occasion

to do something special to remember and celebrate what

happened

marred by

spoiled by, ruined by

soured

turned from good to bad

launched

started

negligence

failing to provide correct and necessary safety systems

to line their own pockets

to make money for themselves in a selfish way

More on this topic:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14578721

Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2011/08/110822_witn_chile_miners.shtml