BBC Learning English
Words in the News
11

th

January 2012

Leap of Faith

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

Page 1 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com

Transcript:

Over a hundred metres above the Zambezi River.

With just a cord tied around her feet, an Australian adrenaline junkie launches herself

into the void.

But Erin Langworthy's bungee jump became a nightmare when the line broke.

She got through the ordeal in one piece – here describing how she managed to swim to

the river bank.

Erin suffered only cuts and bruises and thinks it's a miracle to be alive.

Vocabulary:

adrenaline junkie

someone addicted to dangerous activities

into the void

into an empty space with no immediate touchable ground

a nightmare

a bad dream

in one piece

with no serious injury

cuts and bruises

minor injuries

Watch this video online: Leap of Faith

http://bbc.in/zbizUG

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

Page 2 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com

Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from BBC

news reports.

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

adrenaline junkie / into the void / a nightmare / in one piece / cuts and bruises

1.

"The __________ that I have is the memories of when I lived under the Taliban," she said.

"That's what we went through and that's what might come back."

2.

She describes herself as an______________ having already tried skydiving and body boarding

down sand dunes.

3.

The victim suffered _______________ in the attack.

4.

"Four months ago I was in a very critical situation," Mr Chavez said. "Thanks be to God, four

months have passed and here I am, all ____________ and on my feet." Mr Chavez, who has

been in power since 1999, has said his illness will not stop him from standing for re-election

next year.

5.

Greece is "on the brink of the abyss", President Karolos Papoulias has warned, after three

people died during protests over planned austerity measures. "We are all responsible so that

it does not take the step ____________," the president said in a statement. It followed a day

of violence during which protesters set fire to a bank, killing three employees.

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

Page 3 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com

Answers:

1.

"The nightmare that I have is the memories of when I lived under the Taliban," she said.

"That's what we went through and that's what might come back."

Source: Afghanistan: Taliban peace deal 'threat to women's future'

http://bbc.in/vsSJs0

2.

She describes herself as an "adrenaline junkie" having already tried skydiving and body

boarding down sand dunes.

Source: Granny plans monumental birthday

http://bbc.in/wSxKf6

3.

The victim suffered cuts and bruises in the attack.

Source: Asian man attacked and racially abused in Salford

http://bbc.in/yiX5K8

4.

"Four months ago I was in a very critical situation," Mr Chavez said. "Thanks be to God, four

months have passed and here I am, all in one piece and on my feet." Mr Chavez, who has

been in power since 1999, has said his illness will not stop him from standing for re-election

next year.

Source: Venezuela's Chavez heads to Cuba for cancer check-up

http://bbc.in/ndauG7

5.

Greece is "on the brink of the abyss", President Karolos Papoulias has warned, after three

people died during protests over planned austerity measures. "We are all responsible so that

it does not take the step into the void," the president said in a statement. It followed a day

of violence during which protesters set fire to a bank, killing three employees.

Source: Greek protesters urged to retreat from 'abyss'

http://bbc.in/a8iYfo