BBC Learning English

Words in the News

7th September 2011

9/11: Ten Years On





Transcript

The defining moment of a new centuryâ€Åš



Preparations are being made to mark the tenth anniversary of the September 11th 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





Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011



Page 3 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com