BBC Learning English

Words in the News

21st September 2011

Palestinians in UN bid





Transcript

The site of the most intractable conflict in the modern eraâ€Åš



This land, occupied by Israel since 1967, has been fought over in two uprisings.



Now their officials have launched a campaign to join the United Nations as a full member state.



The idea’s strongly opposed by Israel and its close ally, the United States, who say they’ll veto the move.





Vocabulary



intractable:

difficult to manage or resolve

uprisings:

violent protest against a higher authority

launched a campaign:

started a series of activities to reach a goal ally:

country which supports another

veto:

power to prevent a move



Watch this video online: Palestinians in UN bid

http://bbc.in/puc7sY





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.



intractable / uprisings / launched a campaign / ally / veto



1.

Turkey used to be a close _______ of Syria, but has recently joined calls for Mr Assad to implement reforms.

2.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told me at the end of March that Turkey feared the chaos that might well fol ow the fall of President Assad. This is not like Egypt or Libya, he said. It has the potential to become an ___________ sectarian conflict, more like Iraq.

3.

But that proposal came with a caveat - a promise from Mr Obama that he would ___________

any bill eventually passed by Congress that cut healthcare but did not include new taxes on the rich.

4.

Six months after they started their ___________, Syrian opposition groups have for the first time agreed on a single body to represent them.

5.

Roald Dahl's family has __________________ to save the hut in which the late author wrote many of his best-loved stories.





Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011



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bbclearningenglish.com





Answers



1.

Turkey used to be a close ally of Syria, but has recently joined calls for Mr Assad to implement reforms.

Source: Syrian opposition unveils council names





http://bbc.in/qhxO7S

2.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told me at the end of March that Turkey feared the chaos that might well fol ow the fall of President Assad. This is not like Egypt or Libya, he said. It has the potential to become an intractable sectarian conflict, more like Iraq.

Source: Turkey's dilemma over Syrian unrest



http://bbc.in/mhU719

3.

But that proposal came with a caveat - a promise from Mr Obama that he would veto any bill eventually passed by Congress that cut healthcare but did not include new taxes on the rich.

Source: Obama unveils plans to cut US deficit





http://bbc.in/oIRGWH

4.

Six months after they started their uprising, Syrian opposition groups have for the first time agreed on a single body to represent them.

Source: Syrian dissidents form new united front





http://bbc.in/n4gZai

5.

The Roald Dahl's family has launched a campaign to save the hut in which the late author wrote many of his best-loved stories.

Source: Roald Dahl hut campaign launched





http://bbc.in/nRpUKj





Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011



Page 3 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com