BBC Learning English

Words in the News

30th November 2011

Back to nature





Transcript:

The neon lights of Tokyo.

For decades, rapidly growing Asian economies have encouraged young workers to leave the fields and flock to the cities.

But now many young Japanese are bucking the trend, abandoning the office and heading back to the fields.

Economic stagnation means millions can't find a permanent job.

New recruits are being welcomed by Japanese farmers, whose average age is more than 65.



Vocabulary:

encouraged - made happen with incentives

flock to - go in large numbers to

bucking the trend - behaving the opposite way to the norm heading back - returning

stagnation - no growth



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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.

encouraged / flock to / bucking the trend / heading back / stagnation 1.

There is little public appetite across the world for building new nuclear reactors, a poll for the BBC indicates. In countries with nuclear programmes, people are significantly more opposed than they were in 2005, with only the UK and US ____________________.

2.

As life begins to return to normal in Libya, the first batch of Bangladeshi migrant workers are _______________ to work in the country.

3.

A campaign is under way to __________ people to cut down on wasting water.

4.

Because if everyone - governments, households and companies - simultaneously tries to save more, that effort will be self-defeating. The result will be economic ___________, or something rather worse.

5.

As night fell in Cairo, thousands more ____________ the symbolic square - the focal point of the protests which overthrew President Hosni Mubarak in February.





Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011



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Answers:

1.

There is little public appetite across the world for building new nuclear reactors, a poll for the BBC indicates. In countries with nuclear programmes, people are significantly more opposed than they were in 2005, with only the UK and US bucking the trend.

Source: Nuclear power 'gets little public support worldwide' http://bbc.in/unQhXG

2.

As life begins to return to normal in Libya, the first batch of Bangladeshi migrant workers are heading back to work in the country.

Source: Bangladeshis head back to Libya



http://bbc.in/rWIhRu

3.

A campaign is under way to encourage people to cut down on wasting water.

Source: Anglian Water granted drought permit after dry spring

http://bbc.in/tSd857

4.

Because if everyone - governments, households and companies - simultaneously tries to save more, that effort will be self-defeating. The result will be economic stagnation, or something rather worse.

Source: Mr Cameron, GDP and the hole in the recovery

http://bbc.in/obogCZ

5.

As night fell in Cairo, thousands more flocked to the symbolic square - the focal point of the protests which overthrew President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Source: Egypt cabinet offers to resign as Cairo protests grow http://bbc.in/tyuZDX





Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2011



Page 3 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com