BBC Learning English

Words in the News

21st December 2011

Polar plunge



Transcript:

The temperature was close to freezing but this was no time to get cold feet.

Hundreds of thrill-seekers looking for a challenge and a good cause jumped into a hole in the Alaskan ice.

Some of the groups came in fancy dress.

The crowd gathered around the hole clapping and cheering on the participants of this charity event in support of disabled athletes.



Vocabulary:

to get cold feet

to be afraid of doing something you had planned to do

thrill-seekers

people who seek excitement and adventure

a good cause

an activity that benefits the community

fancy dress

costume worn to represent a particular character

cheering on

shouting to encourage or show support for someone



Watch this video online: Polar plunge



http://bbc.in/s3h7nI





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 BBC

news reports.

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

to get cold feet / thrill-seekers / a good cause / fancy dress / cheering on 1.

The Guinness World Records has confirmed that Penzance now holds the title for the largest gathering of pirates in one place. On Sunday 25 June, 8,734 people in _________

assembled on Penzance promenade at 13:00 BST.

2.

Scientists say they have found physical evidence of brain differences which may drive _____________ to act impulsively or dangerously.

3.

Thousands turned up at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for a second time in a week to ____________ the Wales team at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. More than 16,000

fans watched the third-place play-off against Australia on the venue's big screens.

4.

The events in the Gaza Strip may limit the amount of debate given to the prickly issue of crimes of aggression. Some insiders at the ICC conference are even hinting that delegates may have _____________, and the much expected vote on the subject could be put on ice.

5.

MPs have occasionally been accused of telling tales but, thanks to a Buckinghamshire charity, they have now done it for _____________. Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May have joined more than 80 Conservative MPs to record stories for visually impaired children.





Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011



Page 2 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com





Answers:

1.

The Guinness World Records has confirmed that Penzance now holds the title for the largest gathering of pirates in one place. On Sunday 25 June, 8,734 people in fancy dress assembled on Penzance promenade at 13:00 BST.

Source: Penzance town breaks official world pirate record http://bbc.in/vzIjkO

2.

Scientists say they have found physical evidence of brain differences which may drive " thrill-seekers" to act impulsively or dangerously.

Source: Evidence of 'risk-taking' brain http://bbc.in/szrSkW

3.

Thousands turned up at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for a second time in a week to cheer on the Wales team at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. More than 16,000 fans watched the third-place play-off against Australia on the venue's big screens.

Source: Fans at Millennium Stadium see Wales lose cup play-off http://bbc.in/tULsyn

4.

The events in the Gaza Strip may limit the amount of debate given to the prickly issue of crimes of aggression. Some insiders at the ICC conference are even hinting that delegates may have got cold feet, and the much expected vote on the subject could be put on ice.

Source: Why International Criminal Court needs more than time http://bbc.in/uy65ZN

5.

MPs have occasionally been accused of telling tales but, thanks to a Buckinghamshire charity, they have now done it for a good cause. Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May have joined more than 80 Conservative MPs to record stories for visually impaired children.



Source: Conservative MPs record children's stories for charity http://bbc.in/v8Dkcr





Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011



Page 3 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com