BBC Learning English
Words in the News
7

th

September 2011

9/11: Ten Years On

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

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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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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