Learn English with an ESL Lesson from BBC News

• ☐ ☐ ☐ a state of emergency [exp] - an official declaration that allows a government to take special action during a crisis
• ☐ ☐ ☐ be declared [exp] - be officially announced
• ☐ ☐ ☐ an earthquake [n] - a sudden, violent shaking of the ground
• ☐ ☐ ☐ strike [v] - hit suddenly
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a fatality [n] - a death
• ☐ ☐ ☐ extensive [adj] - large
• ☐ ☐ ☐ mark [v] - officially celebrate or recognize
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the founding of [exp] - the establishment or creation of
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a drug trial [n] - a scientific test to see if a new medicine works
• ☐ ☐ ☐ Ebola [n] - a deadly infectious disease that causes severe bleeding
• ☐ ☐ ☐ an outbreak [n] - a sudden spread of a disease
• ☐ ☐ ☐ get underway [exp] - begin; start happening
• ☐ ☐ ☐ glitter [n] - tiny sparkling pieces that reflect light
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the cosmos [n] - the universe
• ☐ ☐ ☐ teem with [phv] - be full of; contain large numbers of
• ☐ ☐ ☐ the Milky Way [n] - the galaxy that contains our solar system

[n] - noun,  [v] - verb,  [phv] - phrasal verb,  [adj] - adjective,  [exp] - expression

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1. A state of emergency was declared in Venezuela.
   True
   False
   
   
2. The two earthquakes struck about an hour apart.
   True
   False
   
   
3. Celebrations in Washington mark the 200th anniversary of the United States.
   True
   False
   
   
4. A new Ebola drugs trial has just been completed.
   True
   False
   
   
5. Astronomers recently took a very detailed photograph of the center of the Milky Way.
   True
   False
   
   
6. The speaker was surprised by how empty the center of the Milky Way looked.
   True
   False
   
   

Score:

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Directions: Play the audio clip and try to repeat what you hear. Click "Show" to see the text.

Instrucciones: Reproduce el clip de audio e intenta repetir lo que escuchas. Haga clic en "Show" para ver el texto.

Instruções: Reproduzca el clip de audio e intente repetir lo que escucha. Haga clic en "Mostrar" para ver el texto.

지시 사항 : 오디오 클립을 재생하고 들리는 내용을 반복해 보십시오. 텍스트를 보려면 "Show" 를 클릭하십시오.

Інструкції: Увімкніть аудіокліп і спробуйте повторити те, що чуєте. Натисніть "Show", щоб побачити текст.

Clip 1

And in the early hours of Thursday, the 25th of June, these are our main stories.

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Clip 2

A state of emergency has been declared in Venezuela.

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Clip 3

Two major earthquakes struck seconds apart, causing fatalities and extensive damage.

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Clip 4

Celebrations have officially begun in Washington to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

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Clip 5

A major drugs trial to help fight the latest Ebola outbreak is about to get underway.

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Clip 6

It kind of looks like somebody has just thrown glitter across the cosmos.

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Clip 7

Astronomers have taken the most detailed picture yet of the center of the Milky Way.

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Directions: Fill in the missing letters.

A st_ _ _ of emer_ _ _ _ _ has been dec_ _ _ _ _ in Venezuela after two major earthquakes struck seconds apart, causing fatalities and extensive dam_ _ _ .

Celebrations have offi_ _ _ _ _ _ begun in Washington to mark the 250th anni_ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the founding of the United States.

A major drugs tr_ _ _ to help fight the lat_ _ _ Ebola outbreak is ab_ _ _ to get underway.

It kind of looks like somebody has just thr_ _ _ glitter ac_ _ _ _ the cosmos. This thing is teeming with st_ _ _ .

Astronomers have taken the most det_ _ _ _ _ picture yet of the center of the Mi_ _ _ W_ _ .

Score:

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Directions: What expressions from the video have the same meaning as the highlighted expressions in the sentences below?

Instrucciones: ¿Qué expresiones del video tienen el mismo significado que las expresiones destacadas en las oraciones siguientes?

Instruções: Quais expressões do vídeo têm o mesmo significado que as expressões destacadas nas frases abaixo?

지시 사항: 아래 문장에서 강조된 표현과 같은 의미를 가진 표현을 영상에서 찾아보세요.

Інструкції: Які вирази з відео мають те саме значення, що й виділені вирази в реченнях нижче?

1. Two major earthquakes [ hit ] seconds apart, causing [ deaths ] and [ widespread ] damage.

   [ struck ] [ fatalities ] [ extensive ]

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2. Celebrations have officially begun in Washington to [ commemorate ] the 250th anniversary of the [ creation ] of the United States.

   [ mark ] [ founding ]

   Show Hide
   
   
3. A major drugs trial to help fight the latest Ebola [ sudden spread ] is about to [ begin ].

   [ outbreak ] [ get underway ]

   Show Hide
   
   
4. This thing is [ packed with ] stars.

   [ teeming with ]

   Show Hide