BBC Learning English
Words in the News
30

th

November 2011

Back to nature

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

Page 1 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com

Transcript:

The neon lights of Tokyo.

For decades, rapidly growing Asian economies have encouraged young workers to leave

the fields and flock to the cities.

But now many young Japanese are bucking the trend, abandoning the office and heading

back to the fields.

Economic stagnation means millions can't find a permanent job.

New recruits are being welcomed by Japanese farmers, whose average age is more than 65.

Vocabulary:

encouraged - made happen with incentives

flock to - go in large numbers to

bucking the trend - behaving the opposite way to the norm

heading back - returning

stagnation - no growth

Watch this video online: Back to nature

http://bbc.in/t8NPHj

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.

encouraged / flock to / bucking the trend / heading back / stagnation

1.

There is little public appetite across the world for building new nuclear reactors, a poll for

the BBC indicates. In countries with nuclear programmes, people are significantly more

opposed than they were in 2005, with only the UK and US ____________________.

2.

As life begins to return to normal in Libya, the first batch of Bangladeshi migrant workers are

_______________ to work in the country.

3.

A campaign is under way to __________ people to cut down on wasting water.

4.

Because if everyone - governments, households and companies - simultaneously tries to save

more, that effort will be self-defeating. The result will be economic ___________, or

something rather worse.

5.

As night fell in Cairo, thousands more ____________ the symbolic square - the focal point

of the protests which overthrew President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

Page 3 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com

Answers:

1.

There is little public appetite across the world for building new nuclear reactors, a poll for

the BBC indicates. In countries with nuclear programmes, people are significantly more

opposed than they were in 2005, with only the UK and US bucking the trend.

Source: Nuclear power 'gets little public support worldwide'

http://bbc.in/unQhXG

2.

As life begins to return to normal in Libya, the first batch of Bangladeshi migrant workers are

heading back to work in the country.

Source: Bangladeshis head back to Libya

http://bbc.in/rWIhRu

3.

A campaign is under way to encourage people to cut down on wasting water.

Source: Anglian Water granted drought permit after dry spring

http://bbc.in/tSd857

4.

Because if everyone - governments, households and companies - simultaneously tries to save

more, that effort will be self-defeating. The result will be economic stagnation, or

something rather worse.

Source: Mr Cameron, GDP and the hole in the recovery

http://bbc.in/obogCZ

5.

As night fell in Cairo, thousands more flocked to the symbolic square - the focal point of

the protests which overthrew President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Source: Egypt cabinet offers to resign as Cairo protests grow

http://bbc.in/tyuZDX