Phrases and vocabularies from December BBC news extract

1st December 2011 Superman comic's record price

2011

An original edition of the first comic book to feature the character Superman has sold for a world record price of $2.1 million. Issue One of "Action Comics" was published in 1938, and was sold in an online auction in the United States. This report is from SteveKingstone: newsstand the oppressed buff
(Cn.) : a place on the street where newspapers are sold (n.)(pl.v.) : the people who are treated in an unfair and cruel way and are not able to defend themselves (Cn.) : person who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about a specified subject or activity *---usu. preceded by a noun For comic buffs, this issue was in breathtakingly good condition.

fetch

(v.) : (1) go for and bring back sth/ (2) be sold for a price 1. The inhabitants have to walk a mile to fetch water. 2. In an online auction it fetched a little over $2 million, a world record for a comic.

connoisseurs collectibles (collectables)

(n.) : an expert on matters involving the judgment of beauty, quality or skill in art, food or music: (n.)(usu. pl.) : things that are worth collecting because it is beautiful or may become valuable shops selling antiques and collectables

============================================================================ 5th December 2011 Putin's party loses support in polls The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has suffered an unexpected setback in parliamentary elections. His party, United Russia, has won just under 50% of the vote considerably down on the last election. From Moscow Steve Rosenberg reports: uncharted territory has grown used to be completely in control stutter (stammer) Vote rigging
(col.) : an unfamiliar situation Uncharted (adj.) : not explored or mapped (phr.) has been used to has power to give orders and make decisions (fig.) go through in an unsure way, with stop and start His political party has stuttered at the polls. (col.) dishonest way of influencing the result of an election through tampering with the vote Tamper (v.): meddle or interfere with; alter without being authorized (~rig)

Phrases and vocabularies from December BBC news extract

2011

The only living thing on Earth visible from space. But rising temperatures in the Pacific are causing coral in Australia's Great Barrier Reef to decay. The key to its survival could be in these pots. Experts in Sydney have taken about eight billion cells and put them in deep freeze. They plan to reintroduce some of these samples to see if they can re-grow. in deep freeze reintroduce
being held in temporary frozen inactivity (v) : to place back in its environment (~of plants)

============================================================================ 9th December 2011 Hawaii's volcano could turn violent Hawaii's Kilauea volcano attracts two million tourists every year, who photograph its spectacular lava rivers. But scientists have discovered explosive eruptions have been far more common through Kilauea's history. If that behaviour returns, it could have implications for Hawaii's economy. BBC's Jonathan Amos reports: *Sentence Pattern: There is no doubting + N There is no doubt about + N (doubting is a gerund here) outflow the charred remains
(Cn.) : outpour (~from sth.) (phr.) : the burnt black matter of sth. Char (v.): (cause sth to) blacken by burning; scorch The bonfire was quenched to charred remains. Large parts of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park would be off-limits for a long time.

off-limits

(n.)/(adj) area not to be entered, of limited access

============================================================================ 14th December 2011 Thriller in Manila (Video Clip) The dance moves of Michael Jackson performed by a Santa Claus lookalike. Drivers on a congested road in the capital of the Philippines, Manila, are being entertained by traffic enforcer, Ramiro Hinojas. The fifty-five-year-old man, in fancy dress costume, directs traffic at a chaotic intersection with his distinctive dance routine. His amusing antics are aimed at lightening the motorists' mood during the busy festive season. lookalike traffic enforcer antics
(n.) : a person who looks very similar to the person mentioned (phr. n) someone who makes sure people obey particular laws about driving on the road (n.)(usu. pl.) : silly, ridiculous or sometimes disruptive behaviour

Phrases and vocabularies from December BBC news extract

2011

============================================================================= 12th December 2011 Scientists find 208 new species Two hundred and eight new species of animals and plants were identified in the Greater Mekong in Southeast Asia last year. The new species are highlighted in a report from WWF, which is warning that the area is under threat from rapid development. The BBC's Rachel Harvey reports: carnivorous plants psychedelic a gecko among the wildlife pantheon
(jar.) plants that feed on insects (adj.) : producing hallucinations; having bright colours, strange sounds (n.) : small house lizard, found in warm countries included in a selection of species considered more famous or important *Pantheon (n.): literary a group of famous and important people/ a temple dedicated to all the gods (fig.) Rancho was a colossal figure in the pantheon of 20th century artists

A treasure trove of pressure is mounting on

(fig.) a place with lots of undiscovered, but precious things The region is a treasure trove of biodiversity (orig.) But with the economies of South East Asia growing rapidly, pressure is mounting on land and resources putting natural habitats at risk. (col.) : to increase in the exploitation of something

============================================================================ 16th December 2011 100 years of Antarctica discovery Norway's prime minister and several hundred scientists and adventurers have gathered at the South Pole to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen's first successful expedition to the world's most southerly point. Our reporter Neil Bowdler has more: centenary celebration Ill-fated Inhospitable places
(phr. n) : the 100th anniversary of an event (adj.) : not lucky and ending sadly, especially in death or failure (phr.) places that living conditions are hard Inhospitable (adj.): difficult to stay or live in/ unfriendly

Phrases and vocabularies from December BBC news extract

2011

============================================================================ 21th December 2011 Polar Plunge (Video Clip) 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. to get cold feet thrill-seekers fancy dress cheer on
(idioms) : to be afraid of doing something you had planned to do (phr. n) : people who seek excitement and adventure (phr. n) : costume worn to represent a particular character (phr. v) : shouting to encourage or show support for someone

============================================================================ 23rd December 2011 Chileans told to take off ties The government in Chile has come up with a new way of saving energy. It's advised Chilean men to take off their ties during the summer months, so they won't need to switch on the air conditioning. From the Chilean capital, Santiago, Gideon Long reports: sweltering
(adj.) : feeling very hot It's a common sight during the Southern Hemisphere summer to see Chilean men sweltering in suits and neckties. Sentence Pattern: It is a common sight (time-indicator) to see ...

bone-dry to shed something

(adj.) : totally free from moisture to take off something So the government's told the country's menfolk to shed their ties, undo their top buttons and turn down the air conditioning. (Cn.) : large supply or collection of something (~reserve) It relies heavily on hydro-electric power, but that often runs low during the summer, when the country's reservoirs are frequently hit by drought. Hit (v.): have an adverse impact on (fig.) a reservoir of information, facts, knowledge

reservoir

Phrases and vocabularies from December BBC news extract

2011

============================================================================ 26th December 2011 Frankincense under threat, says study Researchers in the Netherlands say that frankincense, a significant item in the Christmas story, faces an uncertain future. In the Journal of Applied Ecology, they warned that the production of the fragrant substance could decline by half over the next 15 years. The BBC's Victoria Gill reports: frankincense
(Un.) : type of sweet-smelling gum from a tree, burnt as incense Frankincense is a resin tapped from Boswellia tree, which grows in dry-lands of Africa and Arabian Peninsula. Tap (v.): draw liquid from/ cut a trees bark to collect the sap

resin struggle to sustain itself livestock safeguard

(Un.) : sticky substance that runs inside the trunk of trees Resinous (adj.) have difficulty in keeping alive (Un.)(pl.) farm animals (v.)/(Cn.) : to protect (~from/against) Measures like this could safeguard the future of a product that's been traded since long before the time of the Christmas story.

============================================================================ 28th December 2011 The art of video games The Grand Palais gallery in Paris - associated more with fine art than video games. But for its latest exhibition, these rooms are full of treasures, which tell the story of the development of gaming since the 1970s.From PacMan, Ataris and Joysticks to 3D devices, the focus is on the cultural and visual aspects of the games. fine art (the) fine art(s)
(Un.)(pl.) : forms of art, especially paintings or sculpture