Bbc radio 4 news

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BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Thursday, 1st March 2012
ELEMENTARY: QUESTIONS
1. Which reforms are mentioned in the first story? 2. Which party is Nick Clegg the leader of? 3. What is the party holding next week? 4. What is the full name of the health bill? 5. What do you think the words ‘to be scrapped’ mean? 6. What would happen to the activists’ motion if it was passed? It would become 7. What is the name of the BBC reporter at Westminster? 8. Which word do you hear instead of ‘changes’? 9. What has the bill failed to win the support of, as well as the public, according to 10. What is the NHS having to make at the moment? significant _________ 11. Which word means ‘more difficult’? 12. How many motions on health will the conference organisers consider for debate? 13. What are most MPs and peers supportive of? 14. Which country has been condemned for acts of violence against civilians? 15. Where did the UN Human Rights Council meet? 16. What is Homs? 17. What was David Rathband’s job? 18. What did the gunman Raoul Moat do to David Rathband? 19. Where in Northumberland has David Rathband been found dead? 20. How old was he? 21. What is the home secretary’s surname? 22. What did she say about David Rathband? She said he was a _________ _________ 23. Who have been killed by two local people in southern Afghanistan? 24. In which country is the stricken cruise liner, the Costa Allegra, registered? 25. What broke out three days ago? 26. What did this leave the ship without? 27. What did passengers do as the ship came into port in the Seychelles? They _________ the railings and _________. Distributed with kind permission from the BBC
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BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Thursday, 1st March 2012
ELEMENTARY: ANSWERS
1. Which reforms are mentioned in the first story? the NHS reforms
2. Which party is Nick Clegg the leader of? the Liberal Democrat Party
3. What is the party holding next week? its spring conference
4. What is the full name of the health bill? The Health and Social Care Bill
5. What do you think the words ‘to be scrapped’ mean? to be withdrawn, to be
6. What would happen to the activists’ motion if it was passed? It would become
party policy.
7. What is the name of the BBC reporter at Westminster? Vicky Young
8. Which word do you hear instead of ‘changes’? ‘amendments’
9. What has the bill failed to win the support of, as well as the public, according to
party activists? health professionals
10. What is the NHS having to make at the moment? significant savings
11. Which word means ‘more difficult’? ‘harder’
12. How many motions on health will the conference organisers consider for debate?
13. What are most MPs and peers supportive of? The changes that have been made
to the bill.
14. Which country has been condemned for acts of violence against civilians? Syria
15. Where did the UN Human Rights Council meet? in Geneva
16. What is Homs? It’s a city in Syria.
17. What was David Rathband’s job? He was a policeman.
18. What did the gunman Raoul Moat do to David Rathband? He blinded him.
19. Where in Northumberland has David Rathband been found dead? at his home
20. How old was he? 44
21. What is the home secretary’s surname? May
22. What did she say about David Rathband? She said he was a fine and brave
policeman.

23. Who have been killed by two local people in southern Afghanistan? two NATO
soldiers
24. In which country is the stricken cruise liner, the Costa Allegra, registered? Italy
25. What broke out three days ago? a fire in the engine-room
26. What did this leave the ship without? Power
27. What did passengers do as the ship came into port in the Seychelles? They lined
the railings and cheered.
Distributed with kind permission from the BBC
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BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Thursday, 1st March 2012
INTERMEDIATE: GAP-FILL
1. Nick Clegg has suffered a _________ in his attempt to _________ support _________ his _________ party for _________ reforms. 2. Liberal Democrat activists say _________ _________ for a motion at next week’s 3. They will call for the Health and Social Care _________ to be _________. 4. If passed, the motion _________ become party policy. 5. The BBC reporter’s name is Vicky _________. 6. Nick Clegg has promised to _________ for further amendments to the Health Bill. 7. This emergency motion says the bill has _________ to _________ support from the 8. The motion says introducing the Health Bill would be _________ disruptive at a time when the NHS is having to save a lot of money. 9. It also says it will make restructuring the NHS even _________. 10. The motion calls for the bill to be _________ or defeated. 11. The Lib Dem conference organisers will consider _________ motions on health for 12. Privately the party leadership is confident that with _________ MPs and peers supportive of the _________ that have been made to the bill, _________ be able to _________ _________ a challenge from activists. 13. Diplomats meeting in Geneva have _________ a motion condemning Syria _________ acts of violence _________ civilians. 14. The resolution was passed by the _________ Human Rights Council. 15. The resolution also calls for _________ access for humanitarian aid. 16. Reports from Syria say government troops are preparing for a full-scale attack 17. David Rathband, the policeman who was _________ by the gunman Raoul Moat, has been _________ dead at his _________ in Northumberland at the age of _________. 18. The _________ Secretary, Theresa _________, has said he was ‘a fine and 19. NATO says two of _________ soldiers have been killed in _________ Afghanistan by 20. It’s believed one of the activists was an _________ soldier. 21. The stricken _________ cruise liner, the Costa Allegra, has _________ in the 22. A _________ in the ship’s engine room three _________ ago left it drifting 23. Passengers lined the railings and _________ as the ship came into _________. Distributed with kind permission from the BBC
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BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Thursday, 1st March 2012
INTERMEDIATE: ANSWERS

1. Nick Clegg has suffered a setback in his attempt to win support within his own
party for NHS reforms.
2. Liberal Democrat activists say they’ll press for a motion at next week’s spring
3. They will call for the Health and Social Care Bill to be scrapped.
4. If passed, the motion would become party policy.
5. The BBC reporter’s name is Vicky Young.
6. Nick Clegg has promised to press for further amendments to the Health Bill.
7. This emergency motion says the bill has failed to win support from the public or
health professionals.
8. The motion says introducing the Health Bill would be deeply disruptive at a time
when the NHS is having to save a lot of money. 9. It also says it will make restructuring the NHS even harder.
10. The motion calls for the bill to be withdrawn or defeated.
11. The Lib Dem conference organisers will consider several motions on health for
12. Privately the party leadership is confident that with most MPs and peers supportive
of the changes that have been made to the bill, they’ll be able to see off a
challenge from activists.
13. Diplomats meeting in Geneva have backed a motion condemning Syria for acts of
violence against civilians.
14. The resolution was passed by the UN Human Rights Council.
15. The resolution also calls for immediate access for humanitarian aid.
16. Reports from Syria say government troops are preparing for a full-scale attack on
the city of Homs.
17. David Rathband, the policeman who was blinded by the gunman Raoul Moat, has
been found dead at his home in Northumberland at the age of 44.
18. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has said he was ‘a fine and brave policeman’.
19. NATO says two of its soldiers have been killed in southern Afghanistan by two local
20. It’s believed one of the activists was an Afghan soldier.
21. The stricken Italian cruise liner, the Costa Allegra, has docked in the Seychelles.
22. A fire in the ship’s engine room three days ago left it drifting without power.
23. Passengers lined the railings and cheered as the ship came into port.
Distributed with kind permission from the BBC
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BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Thursday, 1st March 2012
ADVANCED: TRUE/FALSE
1. Nick Clegg has suffered a setback in his attempt to win support within his own 2. Lib Dem activists say they’ll press for emotion at next week’s spring conference. 3. They will call for the Health and Social Care Bill to be scraped. 4. If passed, the motion would become party policy. 5. The BBC’s correspondent at Westminster is Vicky Gung. 6. Nick Clegg has promised his party that he’ll press for further amendments to the 7. However, this emergency motion says the bill has failed to win the support of the public or people who work in the healthcare sector. 8. The NHS is having to save a lot of money at the moment. 9. The emergency motion says the bill will make restructuring the NHS more difficult. 10. The emergency motion calls on the bill to be either drawn up or defeated. 11. The Lib Dem conference organisers will consider seven motions on health for 12. Privately the party leadership believes the bill will get through. 13. Diplomats based in Geneva have backed a resolution condemning Syria for acts of 14. The resolution was passed by the UN Human Rights Council 15. Reports from Syria say government troops are preparing for a full-scale attack on 16. David Rathband, a 44-year-old policeman, lost his sight thanks to the gunman Raoul 17. Now his body has been found at his home in Cumberland. 18. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, said he was ‘a fine a brave policeman’. 19. NATO says two of its soldiers have been killed by two local people in central 20. The newsreader says ‘The stricken Italian cruise liner, the Costa Allegra, has 21. A fire in the ship’s kitchen on Monday left it drifting without power. 22. Passengers lined the railings and jeered as the ship entered the port. Distributed with kind permission from the BBC
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BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Thursday, 1st March 2012
ADVANCED: ANSWERS
1. Nick Clegg has suffered a setback in his attempt to win support within his own party for NHS reforms. (T)
2. Lib Dem activists say they’ll press for emotion at next week’s spring conference. (F
‘they’ll press for a motion’)
3. They will call for the Health and Social Care Bill to be scraped. (F ‘to be scrapped’, i.e.
withdrawn)
4. If passed, the motion would become party policy. (T)
5. The BBC’s correspondent at Westminster is Vicky Gung. (F ‘Vicky Young’)
6. Nick Clegg has promised his party that he’ll press for further amendments to the Health
Bill. (T)
7. However, this emergency motion says the bill has failed to win the support of the public or people who work in the healthcare sector. (T health professionals, i.e. people who
work in the healthcare sector)
8. The NHS is having to save a lot of money at the moment. (T ‘at a time [when] the NHS is
having to make significant savings’)
9. The emergency motion says the bill will make restructuring the NHS more difficult. (T
harder=more difficult)
10. The emergency motion calls on the bill to be either drawn up or defeated. (F ‘to be
withdrawn or defeated’)
11. The Lib Dem conference organisers will consider seven motions on health for debate. (F
‘several’, not seven)
12. Privately the party leadership believes the bill will get through. (T ‘Privately the party
leadership is confident that with most MPs and peers supportive of the changes that
have been made to the bill, they’ll be able to see off a challenge from activists.’)
13. Diplomats based in Geneva have backed a resolution condemning Syria for acts of violence against civilians. (F ‘Diplomats meeting in Geneva’ i.e. They’ve travelled to Geneva
for the meeting – they’re not based there.)
14. The resolution was passed by the UN Human Rights Council (T)
15. Reports from Syria say government troops are preparing for a full-scale attack on the city of
Oms. (F ‘Homs’)
16. David Rathband, a 44-year-old policeman, lost his sight thanks to the gunman Raoul Moat. (T He was blinded by Raoul Moat.)
17. Now his body has been found at his home in Cumberland. (F Northumberland)
18. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, said he was ‘a fine a brave policeman’. (T)
19. NATO says two of its soldiers have been killed by two local people in central Afghanistan. (F ‘in southern Afghanistan’)
20. The newsreader says ‘The stricken Italian cruise liner, the Costa Allegra, has stopped in the Seychelles.’ (F ‘has docked in the Seychelles’)
21. A fire in the ship’s kitchen on Monday left it drifting without power. (F ‘a fire in the
ship’s engine-room’)
22. Passengers lined the railings and jeered as the ship entered the port. (F ‘and cheered’
Distributed with kind permission from the BBC

Source: http://milhouse.langcen.ucl.ac.uk/sac/English/PDFs/bbc-news-audio/BBCNews01032012.pdf