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BBC Learning EnglishWords in the News14th September 2011Giraffe on the High Seas

Words in the News British Broadcasting Corporation 2011Page 1 of 3

bbclearningenglish.com

Transcript

Travelling long distances can bea pain in the neck

But Jelani the giraffe didn't seem to mind as hetook to the seas inside acustom-made, 4.2metre-highshipping crate.

It took five days to transport him from Auckland Zoo in New Zealand to Melbourne, Australia.

After a few days in quarantine, Jelani will take part in a breeding programme.

Vocabulary

a pain in the neck:

idiom meaning 'very annoying'

took to the seas:started travelling across the ocean

custom-made:

built according to specifications

shipping crate:

box designed especially for delivery

in quarantine:

isolation period for an animal suspected of carrying a disease

Watch this video online: Giraffe on the High Seas http://bbc.in/otCfSH

http://bbc.in/otCfSHhttp://bbc.in/otCfSH

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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.

a pain in the neck / took to the seas / custom-made / shipping crate / in quarantine

1.

A __________ electric guitar stolen in Edinburgh from a Californian rock band appearing at a

music festival has been recovered by police.

2.

The importation of tortoises is restricted under the Convention in International Trade inEndangered Species (CITES) and they can only be brought into the UK if the correct permits

have been applied for and issued. The tortoises are ___________ while plans are made for

them to be rehomed.

3.

In an article for Scotland on Sunday in February 2000 the judge wrote that the impact of the

Convention on Scots Law was already ''devastating'' and suggested that the legislation was

providing ''a field day for crackpots, ____________ for judges and legislators, and a goldmine

for lawyers''.

4.

It has landed here on the island nation of Singapore aboard the MV Copenhagen Express. This

is a routine stop over - hundreds of ______________ are unloaded while new ones are hoisted

in to replace them.

5.

The company behind the fin whale trade, Hvalur hf, has not hunted any this year because of

poor market conditions in Japan following the March earthquake and tsunami. But it does

intend to _________ again if and when the market improves.

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Words in the News British Broadcasting Corporation 2011

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Answers

1.

A custom-made electric guitar stolen in Edinburgh from a Californian rock band appearing at a

music festival has been recovered by police.

Source: Le Blonde Dames' stolen guitar found http://bbc.in/neWQKy

2.

The importation of tortoises is restricted under the Convention in International Trade in

Endangered Species (CITES) and they can only be brought into the UK if the correct permits

have been applied for and issued. The tortoises are in quarantine while plans are made for them

to be rehomed.

Source: Endangered spur-thighed tortoises found at Stansted http://bbc.in/lUNtZV

3.

In an article for Scotland on Sunday in February 2000 the judge wrote that the impact of the

Convention on Scots Law was already ''devastating'' and suggested that the legislation was

providing ''a field day for crackpots, a pain in the neck for judges and legislators, and a

goldmine for lawyers''.

Source: Supreme Court 'not supreme' despite judgement http://bbc.in/kvfnT5

4.

It has landed here on the island nation of Singapore aboard the MV Copenhagen Express. This

is a routine stop over - hundreds of shipping crates are unloaded while new ones are hoisted in

to replace them.

Source: The Box arrives in Singapore http://bbc.in/nagzHR

5.

The company behind the fin whale trade, Hvalur hf, has not hunted any this year because of

poor market conditions in Japan following the March earthquake and tsunami. But it does

intend to take to the seas again if and when the market improves.

Source: US targets Iceland on whalemeat exports http://bbc.in/oMPkse

http://bbc.in/neWQKyhttp://bbc.in/lUNtZVhttp://bbc.in/kvfnT5http://bbc.in/nagzHRhttp://bbc.in/oMPksehttp://bbc.in/oMPksehttp://bbc.in/nagzHRhttp://bbc.in/kvfnT5http://bbc.in/lUNtZVhttp://bbc.in/neWQKy