News Review - BBC Learning English

Introduction

• Welcome to News Review, a program to learn how to use language from the latest news stories.
• Hosts: Neil and Dan.

Highlighted Story: Italy's World Cup Qualification Failure

• Key Event: Italy fails to qualify for the Football World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
• Match Result: Italy held to a 0-0 draw by Sweden in the play-off.
• Public Reaction: Italian newspapers describe this situation as "apocalyptic".

Vocabulary for Everyday Use

1. Scathing

• Definition: Strongly criticizing.
• Origin: Derived from the Norse word. Related verb: "to scathe" (to hurt or harm).
• Usage: Often used in newspapers to describe critical comments, attacks, or reports.
• Example: "He gave us a scathing report about our idea for a new show."

2. Goes Ballistic

• Definition: Suddenly becomes very angry.
• Origin: "Ballistic" comes from Greek, meaning to throw objects. Associated with missiles.
• Usage: Often used in contexts where someone loses their temper.
• Example: "Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi goes ballistic at coaching staff before World Cup exit."
• Synonyms: "See red", "lose your cool", "become hot under the collar".

3. Goes Begging

• Definition: Free to be taken.
• Confusion: Not related to asking for money; if something goes begging, it means it is available for anyone who wants it.
• Example: "The leftover food from the party went begging."

Quiz Challenge

• Theme: Match sports teams to their scoring terms.
• Scoring Terms: A. Deuce, B. Try, C. Century, D. Bullseye.
• Sports: 1. Archery, 2. Rugby, 3. Cricket, 4. Tennis.
• Correct Pairings:
  • A. Deuce - Tennis
  • B. Try - Rugby
  • C. Century - Cricket
  • D. Bullseye - Archery

Vocabulary Recap

1. Scathing: Strongly criticizing.
2. Goes Ballistic: Suddenly becomes very angry.
3. Goes Begging: Free to be taken.

Conclusion

• For more practice, visit the BBC Learning English website for quizzes and other resources.
• Thanks for joining us! Goodbye!