Howard

整椎DIY --滾背

2011-06-02T06:40:00.001-07:00

站立歪斜或坐姿不端正、習慣性翹腳、長時間坐在電腦前都會造成我們脊椎歪曲不直，

脊椎一旦彎曲歪斜，很多毛病會跟著來，所以可以常常做滾背的動作，可以矯正脊椎，

甚至有人長了骨刺也可以治癒哦！每天勤快108下（來回一次算一下），骨刺免開刀，不用快,

慢慢作，矯正脊椎自己來！

“滾背”這個動作可以矯正脊椎，基於每個人身體狀況不同，體質也有差異，並非人人可以輕鬆“滾”，

為求安全，再一次談談這個動作。

矯正脊椎的方式很多種，此為其一，不吃藥、不打針，簡易可行。

人體除了特定器官外，全部都受脊髓神經所支配，如果各個支配器官神經

與脊髓之間傳導暢通無阻，各個器官就可發揮正常，一旦脊髓神經系統受

壓迫便容易病變，每一椎別供應人體各個部位。
例：頸椎1C供應部位是頭部血管、大腦垂體、面部、腦部、中耳、內耳、

交感神經系統；神經受壓的結果會頭痛、神經過敏、失眠症、高血壓、

神經桄惚、眩暈、週期症、健忘症、倦怠。
啥！健忘，那我有耶，還有倦怠！！
頸椎2C! 供應部位是眼神經、耳神經、竇、舌、額頭、乳突骨；神經受壓後果：

鼻竇炎、過敏症、重聽、眼疾、耳痛、昏眩、某種眼盲、斜眼、耳鳴....
頸椎3C供應部位：額、外耳、面骨、牙、三叉神經；神經受壓後果:神經痛、

痤瘡、濕疹
頸椎4C供應部位：鼻、唇、口、耳、咽管；神經受壓後果：乾草熱、卡地、

耳聾、增殖腺炎
頸椎5C供應部位：聲帶、頸部脖體、咽；神經受壓後果：喉炎、嘶啞、咽喉炎
頸椎6C供應部位：頸部肌肉、肩部、肩桃腺；神經受壓後果：頸部僵硬、上臂疼痛、

肩桃腺炎、百日咳、哮喘

頸椎7C供應部位：甲狀腺、肩、肘骨囊；神經受壓後果：滑囊症、傷風、甲狀腺症狀
頸椎8C供應部位：氣管；神經受壓後果：氣管炎、前背、內側小指
胸椎1T供應部位：手臂以下部位、食道、氣管；神經受壓後果：支氣管性氣喘、

咳嗽、呼吸不順、手腕疼痛
胸椎2T供應部位：心臟、包括冠狀動脈及瓣膜；神經受壓後果：功能性心疾、胸痛
胸椎3T供應部位：肺、氣管、胸膜；神經受壓後果：支氣管炎、肺炎、肺充血（

胸膜炎）、流行性感冒　
胸椎4T供應部位：膽囊、膽管；神經受壓後果：膽囊疾病、帶狀��疹、黃疸
胸椎5T供應部位：肝、太陽神經叢、血液；神經受壓後果：肝疾、發熱、低血壓、

貧血、循環不良、關節炎
胸椎6T供應部位：胃；神經受壓後果：神經性胃炎、消化不良、胃灼熱

胸椎 7T供應部位：胰臟、十二指腸；神經受壓後果：糖尿病、胃炎
胸椎8T供應部位：脾；神經受壓後果：抵抗力減低
胸椎9T供應部位：腎上腺；神經受壓後果：過敏症、蕁麻疹
胸椎10T供應部位：腎；神經受壓後果：腎病、倦怠、腎盂炎、腎炎
胸椎11T供應部位：腎、輸尿管；神經受壓後果：痤瘡、小丘疹、癤等皮膚病濕疹
胸椎12T供應部位：小腸、淋巴系統、輸精管；神經受壓後果：風濕痛、氣痛、不孕症
腰椎1L供應部位：大腸、腹股溝；神經受壓後果：便秘、結腸、痢疾、腹瀉、疝氣
腰椎2L供應部位：盲腸、腹部、大腿；神經受壓後果：盲腸炎、痛性痙攣、呼吸困難、靜脈曲張
腰椎3L供應部位：生殖器官、子宮、膀胱、膝；神經受壓後果：膀胱病、月經不調、小產、膝痛
腰椎4L供應部位：前列腺、腰部肌肉坐骨神經；神經受壓後果：坐骨神經痛、腰痛、排尿困難、頻尿
腰椎5L供應部位：小腿、踝、腳；神經受壓後果：腿部血液循環不良、腿無力、足踝腫痛
薦椎S1～S5供應部位：骨盤、臀部、攝護腺；神經受壓後果：薦骼關節病變、脊椎彎曲

尾骨Co4供應部位：直腸、肛門；神經受壓後果：痔瘡、搔癢症、尾骨疼痛
以上資料供參考。這些是瑜珈老師給我們的寶貴資料之一，分享一下，人多少脊椎都有彎曲不正，所以才有些毛病，

平常生活上累積的習慣造成，像是翹二郎腿啊，以前我不自覺也會，習慣養成了，真不是一下子就改掉的，真的是

破壞容易建設難喔，沒事滾滾背可以幫助矯正，記得地上要舖墊子以免傷到，別在沙發或彈簧床上滾。這不是在廢話嗎！

　

滾背方式：
1.併腿屈膝坐在地上，兩手環抱住小腿，自然呼吸別太急促，收腹拱背，身體往後從尾椎、腰椎一節一節觸及地面，

剛開始腳還先不用越過頭，多做幾下後再視自己身體狀況，然後滾到胸椎、頸椎，腳尖朝上，漸漸地雙腳越過頭，

腳打直腳尖著地。我們瑜珈老師的學員們第一次學皆能做到，按照老師的指示，稍用點力一蹬就有衝力幫助我們往後，

腳也能順勢越過頭而腳尖著地了。雙手環抱小腿下方一點會較有力。

2.躺在地上，兩腳屈膝，兩手環抱住小腿，抬頭收腹拱背，身體往後從尾椎、腰椎、胸椎一節一節碰觸地面，如此前後滾過來滾過去。

　

練瑜珈需視自己身體狀況，做不到不能太勉強，滾背這個動作若無法將腳越過頭可以練第2點就好。

有骨刺的人動作可更小更慢些。　

　　　
　　　　
Q:己經有駝背的人可以滾背嗎？　　
A:可以的，但要慢慢地輕輕前後搖擺即可。或者頭不抬起直接躺在地上，抱著腳彈動就好，老人家這麼做就可以了。

Centenarians!

2011-05-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Centenarians
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Yvonne: This is 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer - and thanks to Alice for joining
me today.
Alice: Hi, Yvonne!
Yvonne: Hi! Now, when people in the UK reach the ripe old age of 100, something
rather special usually arrives in the post for them.
Alice: Yes, they get a congratulatory card from the Queen.
Yvonne: Exactly. But it seems that the Queen will have to send out lots more cards in
the future. But before we hear why, are you ready to answer today's question,
Alice?
Alice: Yes, ready and waiting!
Yvonne: Grand! The oldest female to complete a marathon was from the United States
- but how old was she?
a) 92
b) 97 or
c) 101 years old
Alice: Oh, that's difficult. They're all quite old. Because we're talking about people
over the age of 100, I'll guess 101 years old.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Yvonne: Good answer, but as usual you'll have to wait until the end of today's “6 Minute
English” to find out if you're right or wrong. Now, reaching the age of 100
used to be quite rare - unusual. But government figures show that in 2009,
there were 11,600 people over that age here in the UK.
Alice: That's quite a lot!
Yvonne: Exactly. Well, that number is set to rise because it's expected that more than
three million of today's under-16s will live to be centenarians. Alice, explain
what 'a centenarian' is for us, please?
Alice: A centenarian is someone who has reached 100 years old - or older.
Yvonne: Wow. Let's hear more on that from Fran Cartwright of Age UK, who's at an
exercise class for the over 70s.
Insert 1: Fran Cartwright, Age UK
Well, people are living longer. We have wonderful clients here who are approaching a
hundred; they're still exercising. So by mental and physical activity, they can achieve
that.
Yvonne: In that class, there are clients who are approaching - are almost - a hundred
years old and they're still exercising.
Alice: Yes, and Fran Cartwright from Age UK says they can achieve the age of a
hundred through mental activity and physical activity - by exercising both
mind and body.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Yvonne: Right, well, here's how one woman in the exercise class compares herself and
her friends with her own great grandmother.
Insert 2: Woman at exercise class for over 70s
My great grandma, you know, she was, you know - I thought they were ancient. We're
not today, are we? You know, we're reasonably healthy.
Yvonne: The woman and her friends are all over the age of 70. Some of them are great
grandparents too, but she wouldn't describe them in the same way that she'd
describe her own great grandmother, would she?
Alice: No, she describes her own great grandmother as 'ancient' - so old, that she was
almost an antique, or even prehistoric!
Yvonne: Oh dear. And in contrast, at a similar age, the woman says that she and her
friends are reasonably healthy - they're in fairly good health. But here's how
two young people feel about the possibility of an extended old age - living
longer than they'd expect to.
Insert 3 – Two young men
Young man 1: It would be an achievement living that long, but I wouldn't be able to do
much then. I'd just probably be sitting around in a chair.
Young man 2: I don't think it would be fun because you've got to live with strangers
which you don't know.
Yvonne: Well, they don't seem too enthusiastic about living until one hundred - and
possibly beyond - do they?
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
Alice: No, they don't. Although the first young man said that he thought it would be
an achievement to live that long. He doesn't think he'll be able to do much by
then - except sit around in a chair.
Yvonne: And the second young man thinks that being old won't be any fun because he'll
have to live with strangers - people he doesn't know - rather than with friends
and family.
Alice: But government figures seem to say otherwise, predicting that one in four
children in Britain will live until they are 100 years old.
Yvonne: So hopefully, both young men are wrong about what will happen to them when
they're old. Alice, did I tell you that I've got a friend who's now 102 years old?
Alice: You did. What an achievement! And she's still very active, isn't she?
Yvonne: Definitely. She was dancing at her sister's 100th birthday party just last
weekend! And what about your sprightly, lovely grandfather, Alice?
Alice: Yeah, my grandpa's over 90 and he does lots of crosswords. I think it keeps his
mind very active.
Yvonne: Excellent! And to keep your mind active Alice, back to today's quiz. Earlier, I
told you that the oldest female to complete a marathon was from the United
States. But was she 92, 97 or 101 years old?
Alice: I guessed 101 years old.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
Yvonne: And, unfortunately, you were wrong. She was actually 92 years old and it only
took her nine hours and almost a minute.
Alice: Fantastic! I hope we'll be able to do that when we get into our 90s.
Yvonne: Let's hope so - and more importantly, that we're really healthy too. But that's all
for "6 Minute English" from BBC Learning English. Do join us again soon.
Both: Goodbye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
the ripe old age of an informal expression emphasising that someone has
lived for more years than most people
a marathon a race of about 26 miles or 45 kilometres which takes place
on public roads
centenarians people who are 100 years of age or older
mental activity things that people do to make or keep the mind healthy
physical activity things that people do to make or keep the body healthy
great grandmother the mother of someone's grandmother
ancient extremely old, from a time in the distant past
extended lengthened, extra long, lasting longer than usual
strangers people who you don’t know or are familiar with
sprightly energetic, lively, active
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13137233
Read and listen to the story online: http://bbc.in/k83d4O

King Cyrus' Cylinder!

2011-05-13T19:28:00.001-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
King Cyrus' Cylinder
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Yvonne: Hello, I'm Yvonne Archer, this is 6 Minute English and thanks to Alice for
joining me today.
Alice: Hi Yvonne.
Yvonne: Hello Alice. Now recently, an artefact - a very old piece of art - which many
historians regard as the world's first ever human rights charter was on loan
for a while from the British Museum to the National Iranian Museum in
Tehran.
Alice: Very interesting.
Yvonne: It is, and it's small, it’s made of clay and is a cylindrical shape. And the Cyrus
Cylinder, as it's often called, is two and a half thousand years old!
Alice: That’s very old. Is it still in perfect shape?
Yvonne: I think it is, yes. But before we find out more, you'd better answer today's
question, Alice.
Alice: OK - I’m ready and waiting.
Yvonne: Very good. Which country does the British Museum's oldest artefact come
from?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
a) Benin
b) Iraq or
c) Tanzania
Alice: I’ve got no idea - so I’m going to guess …Tanzania.
Yvonne: OK. And I’ll tell you whether you’re right or wrong later on in today’s “6
Minute English”. King Cyrus of Persia, now Iran, ordered the cylinder to be
inscribed way back in 539 BC. Alice, can you explain how an inscription is
different from writing for us, please?
Alice: Sure. When we write, it's usually on the surface of something with ink - or with
graphite if we’re using a pencil. But King Cyrus's words were 'inscribed', so
they were engraved - or carved - into the surface of the cylinder. And we can
actually feel the writing with our fingers if we touch the inscription, not just
look at it.
Yvonne: And here's BBC Front Row presenter, John Wilson, to tell us what is inscribed
on the Cyrus Cylinder:
Insert 1: John Wilson, BBC Front Row
This object records how he liberated the city of Babylon from tyranny, how he freed and
repatriated enslaved people. And how he decreed that all the people of Babylon should
be allowed to practice their own religion and culture.
Yvonne: The little clay object records - or tells us - how King Cyrus liberated the city of
Babylon from tyranny. Now there's a word we don't hear too often! Alice, can
you explain what is 'tyranny' is for us, please?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Alice: Well, 'tyranny' is a type of behaviour that is cruel, oppressive and very unfair.
For example, we might hear a dictator described as 'tyrannical'. So freeing the
city of Babylon from tyranny is generally thought to have been a good thing.
Yvonne: As we heard, King Cyrus freed the enslaved people and sent them back to their
homes - he repatriated them. And what about that word 'decreed' - that's
another old fashioned and rather formal word, isn't it?
Alice: Yes, it is. If a ruler decrees something, he or she makes it officially known that
it is now law. And King Cyrus of Persia decreed that people should be allowed
to practice their own religion and culture.
Yvonne: The cylinder was on display in Tehran for about seven months and during that
time, about two million people went to see it. Here's what one exhibition
visitor told John Wilson about the artefact:
Insert 2: Woman in National Iranian Museum and John Wilson
Woman: Iran was the centre of the world so many years ago but nowadays, we're left
apart. In our schools and universities, they don't talk about these things.
John Wilson: Because it's part of the pre-Islamic history?
Woman: Yeah.
Yvonne: The woman says that Iran was the centre of the world many years ago.
Alice: So in her view, at one point, Iran was the most important country in the world.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
Yvonne: Mm. She says they don't talk about things like the Cyrus Cylinder in schools or
universities in Iran because it's an object from a time when the country wasn't
yet the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Alice: Yes, as she puts it, it's part of their pre-Islamic history, which isn’t often
talked about.
Yvonne: Well, despite the fact that Britain and Iran don't engage much politically, they
were able to agree on this exhibition after some discussion. As Neil
MacGregor, director of the British Museum explains, that has been important:
Insert 3 – Neil MacGregor, Director, British Museum
In this context there have been conversations between British diplomats and Iranian
diplomats about human rights. So the exhibition itself doesn’t address these big issues of
the relationship, what it does do is create a space in which difficult conversations can
take place.
Yvonne: OK Alice, it's time to answer today's question! Which country does the British
Museum's oldest artefact come from?
Alice: And I said Tanzania.
Yvonne: And you were right! Hey!
Alice: Incredible. Pure luck! How old is it?
Yvonne: It’s actually 1.8 million years old, and it’s a stone tool that was made by man.
Now as your reward, Alice, you get to remind us of some of today’s language.
Alice: With pleasure:
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
an artefact
inscribed
tyranny
repatriated
exhibition
Yvonne: Now that’s all we’ve got time for - but do join us again soon for more "6
Minute English".
Both: Goodbye!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
an artefact a very old piece of art or an object made by humans
human rights charter legal document which says how people must be treated by
governments and each other
a cylindrical shape something with fairly flat, circular ends and longer straight
sides
inscribed writing which is cut into the surface of something so that it
is permanent
tyranny cruel, oppressive treatment of people by their leaders
repatriated sent back to their own countries
decreed officially announced
exhibition display of a group of objects or art in a public place
pre-Islamic history here, events which happened in Iran before the country
became an Islamic state
engage interact, talk to each other, discuss
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11264102
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/05/110505_6min_english_iran_rights_page.shtml

British republicans!

2011-05-10T04:08:00.001-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
British republicans
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 5
Yvonne: You're listening to 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer and Stephen has
kindly joined me for today's programme. Hello Stephen!
Stephen: Hi Yvonne!
Yvonne: This year, there's a special British bank holiday so that people can watch and
celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. But it's
worth noting that some people are making it clear that they won't be
celebrating at all.
Stephen: Well, I suppose at this time, it's easy to forget that not everyone supports royals.
Yvonne: That's true. Some think that a hereditary monarchy – a system where people
are born into royalty – is inconsistent with the idea of a democracy.
Stephen: Some people believe that those two systems don't work well together. But antimonarchism
isn't new, is it?
Yvonne: No, it's not. In fact, King Charles the first was executed - or put to death - in
1649 after a bloody civil war. So, I've a rather gruesome question for you
today, Stephen. Are you ready?
Stephen: Oh, my knees are knocking!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 5
Yvonne: Why were British royals put to death by beheading rather than hanging?
a) It was faster, because gallows – a special wooden structure - wasn't needed.
b) It was less brutal to the prisoner as they died more quickly.
c) More executioners preferred to use the axe.
Stephen: I think it's probably a, because it was faster and they just wanted to get the
execution over and done.
Yvonne: Right - as usual, we'll find out whether you're right or wrong later on in today’s
"6 Minute English". So, roughly how many people in Britain are monarchists –
people who support the monarchy? Let's hear from the BBC's Gabriel
Gatehouse:
Insert 1: Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC News
Opinion polls suggest that support for the monarchy hovers around the 70, 75% mark
and has done for quite some time now. But that doesn't mean that a quarter of all
Britons want to get rid of the Queen as head of state. In fact, real die-hard republicans
are pretty difficult to come by.
Yvonne: So support for the monarchy hovers around, or is usually, between 70 and 75%.
But as we heard, that doesn't mean that the remaining 25% - a quarter of all
Britons - want to get rid of the Queen. In fact, we heard that die-hard
republicans are not easy to find, or to come by. Stephen, what does Gabriel
Gatehouse mean by 'die-hard republicans'?
Stephen: Well, republicans believe that a country should be lead by someone who has
been elected by its citizens, rather than by someone who was born into the
position. And 'die-hard' republicans are very firm or very unlikely to change
their views.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 5
Yvonne: Thanks, Stephen. Well, the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse did manage to find a
group of people who we could describe as 'die-hard republicans'. They belong
to a British anti-monarchy campaign group called Republic, which thinks that
scrapping the monarchy would make politicians more accountable.
Stephen: They think it would make politicians more answerable to the people who put
them in power.
Insert 2: Graham Smith, Republic
By 2025, we want the monarchy gone or going. And it can be done, it can be achieved.
And there are plenty of examples in history. If you go back in time and you ask people,
let's say ten years ago, how long before America has a black president? Most people
would have said 20, 30, 40 years. It happened in eight.
Yvonne: Graham Smith from Republic compares the possibility of scrapping the British
monarchy with how Americans saw the possibility of having a black president
10 years ago.
Stephen: Yes, he says that happened much more quickly than they thought it would – in
just eight years. So he uses that example to say it's possible that Britain could
scrap the monarchy by 2025.
Yvonne: Well, for many, the monarchy is a big part of Britain's identity. Even
Americans, who are generally proud to live in a republic, seem to enjoy the
British monarchy, especially things like royal weddings!
Stephen: That's true, but is support for the royals consistent with their views on liberty?
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 5
Yvonne: That’s a good question. And here's what historian, Professor Justin Champion,
says on that:
Insert 3: Professor Justin Champion, historian
The remarkable thing is that with all of its problems to do with race and class, liberty
means something in America. Liberty is the thing around which their national identity is
built. Ours is built around castles and queens and kings when really, it ought to be built
about being a free-born English man.
Yvonne: Professor Champion thinks it's remarkable - extraordinary - that with all their
problems around race and class, liberty - or freedom - still mean something in
America. He says that's what their national identity is built around.
Stephen: But Britain's national identity, he says, is built around castles and queens and
kings - the monarchy!
Yvonne: Well, the debate has been going on for centuries and I’m sure it will continue.
So in the meantime, Stephen, what's the answer to today's gruesome question?
Why were British royals put to death by beheading rather than hanging?
Stephen: And I think I said, because it was the quickest way.
Yvonne: It's actually because it was less cruel to behead people. Hanging was saved for
the commoners.
Stephen: Well, I guess I'm going to have to read up more of my history again.
Yvonne: Yes. And that's all for "6 Minute English".
Both: Goodbye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 5
Vocabulary and definitions
a hereditary monarchy a system where a royal family rule a country, with the
children of each king or queen succeeding their mother or
father as the next ruler
inconsistent with not matching or similar to
gruesome something involving death or injury which is very
unpleasant
gallows place where people are hanged by the neck until they die,
after being convicted of a crime
die-hard republicans people who are very committed to their country being a
republic, where all leaders are voted into power
elected given political power or responsibility after being voted for
by people in an election
scrapping getting rid of, or abolishing
more accountable more responsible for actions and decisions
identity the characteristics which someone or something is known
for
class a person’s place in society, based on their wealth and the
privileges available to them
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13125501
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/04/110426_6min_english_republicans_page.shtml

Sham weddings!

2011-05-10T04:00:00.001-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Sham weddings
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Yvonne: I'm Yvonne Archer, this is 6 Minute English and Rob has joined me for today's
programme. Hello, Rob!
Rob: Hello, Yvonne, good to be here!
Yvonne: So, with the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton just a
few days away, I thought we'd talk about weddings – but weddings of a
different kind. Any ideas, Rob?
Rob: Hmm. Is it your wedding?
Yvonne: Well, before I reveal all – you'd better answer today's question!
Rob: OK then – fire away.
Yvonne: OK. How long was the world’s longest-lasting marriage?
a) 79 years
b) 82 years or
c) 86 years
Rob: Hmm. I’ll have a guess at 79 years – I think 86 and 82 years is just a little bit
too long.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Yvonne: Mm. As usual, I'll tell you the correct answer at the end of today's "6 Minute
English! Now, back to weddings, and today, we're talking about 'sham
weddings'. Rob, would you explain what 'a sham wedding' is for us, please?
Rob: Yes, of course. Well, something that's 'a sham' isn't genuine – it's not real. So,
for example, in a sham wedding, one of the people getting married may be
doing it for money.
Yvonne: And you've got two more examples there for us haven’t you, Rob - adjectives
that describe something that isn't real or genuine.
Rob: Yes, we can say 'fake' or 'phoney' - which is an American English word. So, 'a
fake wedding', 'a phoney wedding'.
Yvonne: Thanks. Now, it's not just the people who are actually marrying each other who
are guilty in the event of a sham wedding. Alex Brown, a Church of England
minister was found guilty of conducting sham marriages at his church. Here's
June Kelly, the BBC's Home Affairs Correspondent, on what happened to him:
Insert 1: June Kelly
He was jailed for joining together 360 bogus brides and grooms over a four year period.
Now, if a couple want a C of E service and one of them is a non-European, they'd have
to apply for a common licence first; greater scrutiny for them and more controls on the
clergy.
Yvonne: Alex Brown was actually jailed. The BBC's June Kelly describes what he did
over a four year period as: 'joining together 360 bogus brides and grooms'. Of
course, 'brides and grooms' are women and men who are about to be joined
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
together in marriage. But can you explain what 'bogus' brides and grooms are
for us please, Rob?
Rob: Well, 'bogus' is another adjective we can use to describe something that's not
genuine. For example, false information might be described as 'bogus'; 'I was
given a bogus address and phone number' for example.
Yvonne: Yes, that's a good example. As we heard, if a couple wants to have a C of E
wedding - that's short for 'a Church of England wedding' - and one of them is
non-European, they now have to apply for a common licence. Why, Rob?
Rob: Well, applying for a common licence means greater controls on the clergy -
that’s the vicars and ministers - so they can avoid conducting sham marriages.
And there will be greater scrutiny for couples - more thorough background
checks on them - to make sure they're not bogus brides and grooms.
Yvonne: The Church of England, together with the UK Border Agency, has developed
guidance to help stop vicars being exploited - or unfairly used - by people who
want them to carry out sham marriages. The British Immigration Minister,
Damian Green MP, explains more about what he thinks the guidance will
achieve.
Insert 2: Damian Green MP, British Immigration Minister
There's been more freedom for vicars to act in the past. So what this does is make it
necessary for them to take action, which will mean that anyone trying to marry in
church - which the criminal gangs that lie behind sham marriages have often exploited
as a fairly easy loophole - that loophole will now be gone.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Yvonne: Damian Green believes that a loophole will now be gone, making it much
more difficult for bogus couples, vicars and criminal gangs to carry out sham
weddings. So, how would you describe 'a loophole', Rob?
Rob: A loophole. Well, that’s something that allows people to escape punishment
even if they're doing something wrong, because the law doesn't specifically say
that it's illegal. For example, people sometimes escape paying taxes because of
a loophole in the law.
Yvonne: And it's a loophole that has lead to an increase - a rise - in the number of sham
weddings taking place here in the UK. So, we’ve mentioned a Royal Wedding,
a sham wedding and now for the world's longest marriage! Rob, how many
years did you say the longest lasting marriage went on for?
Rob And I said 79 years. Was I right?
Yvonne: No, it was actually 86 years!
Rob: Wow, that’s a long time!
Yvonne: It’s an American couple that’s been married for 86 years and eleven months.
Rob: Congratulations!
Yvonne: Now, as your reward, Rob, you get to remind us of some of the language we've
heard today!
Rob: Certainly, OK! We heard:
a sham wedding
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
phoney
bogus
scrutiny
a loophole
Yvonne: Beautifully read, Rob! Now, that's all we’ve got time for on today's "6 Minute
English" - but we hope you'll join us again soon.
Both: Goodbye!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
a sham wedding a wedding which is false or not real, perhaps arranged to
gain money dishonestly
phoney fake or false
bogus not genuine
scrutiny careful observation or examination of something
a loophole a way of avoiding a rule or law
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13046296
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/04/110421_6min_sham_weddings_page.shtml

Social Mobility!

2011-05-05T04:44:00.001-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Social Mobility
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Rob: Hello, I'm Rob, and Yvonne has joined me for today's 6 Minute English. Hello,
Yvonne!
Yvonne: Hello, Rob.
Rob: Today, we're talking about social mobility in the UK and a plan by the
government to try and improve it.
Yvonne: Social mobility is a big issue, and something that is very important.
Rob: Yes, and the coalition government in the UK is hoping its new strategy will
help make things better for everyone. Now, today I wanted to ask you,
according to government statistics what percentage of the UK population has
attended an independent or private school? Is it:
a) 7%
b) 12% or
c) 24%
Yvonne: I’m going to say 24%.
Rob: OK! Interesting. Well, as usual, I'll give you the answer at the end of today's "6
Minute English". So let's talk about social mobility. Would you like to explain
what this term really means, Yvonne?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Yvonne: Sure. Social mobility describes the extent an individual's status can change in
terms of their position in a social hierarchy.
Rob: A social hierarchy. So this is about the class system. But how can we tell which
class a person belongs to?
Yvonne: Well, this is often defined by a person's material wealth, their occupation and
their education. So this is what the government's new strategy is hoping to
improve for everyone.
Rob: Yes, but it particularly aims to give more opportunities to poorer people from
the lower class, some of which live in poverty. Let's hear from the
government’s social mobility tsar, Alan Milburn. He spoke to the BBC about
the aim of improving social mobility.
Insert 1: Alan Milburn
What social mobility is in the end is about breaking the link between a person's class or
income being dependent on the class or income of their parents, and unfortunately our
country tends to have a stronger correlation between parental income and class, and
children's income and class, than comparable countries.
Rob: So Alan Milburn says in the UK there is a strong correlation – or link –
between the income and class of parents and the income and class of their
children.
Yvonne: Oh, so he’s suggesting that people who are poorer and in a lower class now are
in the same situation as their parents were?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Rob: Mm, that's right and this is worse than in other similar countries. That's why he
says we need to break this link.
Yvonne: To break the link. But Rob, how is the government hoping to do that?
Rob: Well, shall we hear from David Willetts? He’s the Universities and Science minister.
He can explain the government's new approach.
Insert 2: David Willetts
You've got a clear statement of how at each stage these kind of hinges, these moments in
peoples lives when they make crucial transitions - we want those transitions to be better
for everyone. We want for everyone to see much more clearly what their opportunities
are and how they can seize them.
Yvonne: So David Willetts is talking about improving the crucial transitions in
people's lives. What are those Rob?
Rob: Well, these crucial transitions are the important points in our lives where we
can make a decision that could have consequences later on. Things like which
school we go to, which university we choose, or which career we take.
Yvonne: Ah, these are important choices or key decisions. So the government wants to
make it easier for people to know what their opportunities are and how they
can access them.
Rob: Or what David Willetts said was, "how they can seize them" – or get them. The
ultimate vision for this strategy is to create a fairer society. But, of course, this
government plan is just a strategy - it's not a policy and there's no extra money.
Yvonne: Hmm. Well, maybe we should hear from Frances Cairncross who's an
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
economist. She thinks it's not the government's responsibility to improve
social mobility.
Insert 3: Frances Cairncross
I approve of anything that increases the chances for young people of getting ahead, but a
lot of the things that improve those chances happen in the family, they don't happen at a
government level. They happen if you have parents who talk to you, if you have parents
who care whether you finish your homework. That's part of social mobility and it’s an
extremely important part.
Yvonne: That's Frances Cairncross, who says she approves of any initiative - or idea -
that helps young people, but many things that improve the chances of them
getting ahead come from home.
Rob: Yes. She believes that much of the responsibility comes from the parents. If
they talk to their children, take an interest in their homework, it can really help
them get ahead in life.
Yvonne: Mm. Well, maybe she has a point there, Rob! Now, Rob, it's time you gave me
the answer to your question.
Rob Ah yes. I asked you, according to government statistics, what percentage of the
UK population has attended an independent or private school? Was it 7%, 12%
or 24%?
Yvonne: And I said 24%, but I think I’m terribly wrong.
Rob: Ah, you can’t change your mind now! I’m afraid you are wrong. The answer
is actually just 7%. OK, Yvonne, please could you remind us of some of the
words that we used in today's programme.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
Yvonne: social mobility
a strategy
social hierarchy
material wealth
opportunities
a correlation between
crucial transitions
consequences
to seize
responsibility
Rob: Thanks so much, Yvonne.
Yvonne: You’re welcome. And that's all for today, but do join us again for more "6
Minute English" soon.
Both: Goodbye!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
social mobility how much a person’s position and privileges in society are
allowed to change (often due to their financial situation or
social background)
a strategy a detailed plan of action
social hierarchy a system in which people occupy different positions based
on their wealth or privileges available to them
material wealth money and property owned
opportunities situations in which it is possible for someone to do
something
a correlation between a link, or a close connection, between
crucial transitions changes or alterations which could prove important in the
future
consequences the results of earlier decisions or actions
to seize to take hold of quickly and firmly
responsibility accepting ownership of something, often a problem
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12976217
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/04/110414_6min_english_social_mobility_page.shtml

Philanthropy!

2011-05-05T04:37:00.001-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Philanthropy
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Yvonne: Hello, I'm Yvonne Archer and Alice has joined me for today's 6 Minute
English. Hello, Alice!
Alice: Hello, Yvonne.
Yvonne: Of course, the world news is often about the financial crisis, so I thought it
would be nice to hear about philanthropy on today's programme.
Alice: Very good choice.
Yvonne: Thanks, Alice. So how about explaining 'philanthropy' for us?
Alice: Sure. 'Philanthropy' is something people or companies do to help others in a
practical way. For example, they might give away some money to help
improve other people’s lives.
Yvonne: Hmm. Thanks, Alice. So philanthropy is about generosity, really – giving and
being kind to other people. Now, before we hear more I've a question for you.
Are you ready, Alice?
Alice: I am.
Yvonne: OK. Of course, coins have been around for hundreds of years. But where was
the first true paper money used? Was it in:
a) China
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
b) Turkey or
c) Egypt
Alice: Oh, I would guess…Turkey.
Yvonne: OK! So, as usual, I'll give you the answer at the end of today's "6 Minute
English". Recently, two of the world's wealthiest men – Americans Bill Gates
and Warren Buffett, were in India.
Alice: Ah, yes - Bill Gates is the founder of Microsoft and Warren Buffett is a very
successful investor. They're both US dollar billionaires and have given away
considerable – or very large - amounts of money.
Yvonne: Exactly. And in India, there are 55 billionaires, so Bill Gates and Warren
Buffett met some of them who are industrialists and businessmen, to talk
about philanthropy. Let's hear Bill Gates explain more about their trip to India.
Insert 1: Bill Gates
You know, our goal is just to talk about philanthropy and learn from other people. Our
experience is that when we talk about it with others that there's a tendency for them to
do somewhat more. But we're not trying to, you know, make anyone feel guilty - we're
just here to talk about why we do it and see if there's a chance to work together.
Yvonne: Bill Gates talked about their goal – what they're aiming to do or are trying to
achieve by visiting India. Did you catch what that was, Alice?
Alice: Yes, several things, actually. Their goal was to talk to people about
philanthropy – and why they do it. They also wanted to learn from other people
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
and find out whether there's a chance – an opportunity – that they might be able
to work together.
Yvonne: And what did Bill Gates mean when he said that, after he and Warren Buffett
speak to other wealthy people, "there's a tendency for them to do somewhat
more"? What's 'a tendency to do something'?
Alice: 'A tendency to something' means you’re more likely to do it. So by talking to
other wealthy people about philanthropy, it's more likely they’ll get involved.
Yvonne: Next, here's the BBC's Shalu Yadav with a little more information on that visit
to India by two of the world's richest men:
Insert 2: Shalu Yadav, BBC
Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have been successful in inspiring billionaires in the
United States and China to give away a notable part of their wealth for a good cause.
But out of India's 55 billionaires, only a handful have shown the same enthusiasm.
Yvonne: Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have managed to make other billionaires in the
United States and China feel that it's a good idea to give away a notable part
of their wealth - a fairly large amount of their money - for a good cause. Alice,
what does the BBC's Shalu Yadav mean by 'for a good cause'?
Alice: Well, 'for a good cause' means for what the philanthropists think is a good
reason. For example, if you give money to a charity that helps people to access
clean drinking water, most people would agree that it’s a good cause. You're
giving your money away to help other people.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
Yvonne: Mm. So far, only a handful of – very few - of India's 55 billionaires have
shown the same enthusiasm to become philanthropists. So far, they haven't
shown the same amount of passion and eagerness that Bill Gates and Warren
Buffett show for philanthropy.
Alice: Perhaps they give to charity in other ways?
Yvonne: That’s true! OK Alice, I haven't got any money to give you – but you've got
something for me, and that's the answer to today's question!
Alice: And hopefully, I've got the right answer?
Yvonne: Well, let's see. I asked: where was the first true paper money used? Was it in
China, Turkey or Egypt?
Alice: And I said Turkey.
Yvonne: Well, the first coins came from what is now Turkey, but the answer is China.
True paper money was used between 600 and 1455 there, although true paper
money didn't really work well until it was printed in Massachusetts in the
United States in the 1690s. So Alice, as you're feeling so philanthropic, why
don't you remind us of some of the language we heard in today's "6 Minute
English"?
Alice: Today, we heard:
philanthropy
billionaires
industrialists
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
a tendency to do something
a notable part of
a good cause
a handful of
enthusiasm
Yvonne: Lovely, thanks so much, Alice. And that's all for today, but do join us again for
more "6 Minute English" soon.
Both: Goodbye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
philanthropy the effort to improve something by giving time, money or
attention
billionaires people whose wealth is greater than a billion - in this
example - US dollars
industrialists people who own or develop big businesses
a tendency to do something usually does something
a notable part of a significant aspect of
a good cause a problem or charitable organisation worthy of money and
attention
a handful of very few of
enthusiasm eagerness to do something or be involved in it
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12847057
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/04/110407_6min_english_philanthropy_page.shtml

Watt's workshop!

2011-04-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Watt’s workshop
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice.
Stephen: And I'm Stephen.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about an inventor’s
workshop which has been reassembled after almost 200 years.
Stephen: Reassembled – reconstructed or rebuilt.
Alice: This is the workshop of James Watt, an inventor born in Scotland in 1736. He’s
often credited with inventing the steam engine – though in actual fact, he
improved on one which had already been developed. He’s seen as a key figure
in the Industrial Revolution. But anyway Stephen, before we find out more I’ve
got a question for you.
Stephen: Ok – I’m feeling clever today!
Alice: Oh, well, in that case here’s a difficult one. Can you put these four inventions
in chronological order - that’s the oldest one first? Ready?
Stephen: Ok.
Alice: The hot air balloon, Morse code, the vacuum cleaner and the typewriter.
Stephen: That’s hard. I’m going to have to think about that and get back to you!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Alice: Ok, good. So, let’s talk about today’s topic. Curators at the Science Museum in
London have reassembled the workshop of 18th century inventor James Watt,
so people can see what it was like. Here’s the BBC’s science correspondent,
Tom Fielden:
Insert 1: Tom Fielden
When Watt died in 1819, this workshop was locked up and its contents left pretty much
undisturbed until the 1920s when it was more or less picked up lock, stock and barrel by
the Science Museum and put into storage. It’s been a long wait, but the contents, a
regular cornucopia of gadgets, tools, contraptions, you name it, have all been
painstakingly reassembled here in the main hall of the Science Museum. I think, really,
it’s its spiritual home if nowhere else.
Alice: Watt’s workshop was locked up after his death in 1819 but curators from the
Science Museum in London collected all the things they found there, lock,
stock and barrel.
Stephen: Lock, stock and barrel – those are the three parts of an old-fashioned gun. It’s a
term that’s used in English to mean everything. They took everything in the
workshop and put it in storage.
Alice: Tom Fielden says Watt’s workshop was a relative cornucopia of gadgets, tools
and contraptions.
Stephen: A relative cornucopia – a cornucopia in classical mythology is a horn full of
food and drink. But in modern English it’s often used to mean a collection of
wonderful things.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Alice: In this case, a cornucopia of gadgets, tools and scientific contraptions. Tom
Fielden says that Watt’s workshop has found its spiritual home at London’s
Science Museum.
Stephen: Its spiritual home – a place where it feels very comfortable.
Alice: The Curator of Mechanical Engineering at the Science Museum, Ben Russell,
says the workshop is full of inventions and interesting objects – bits of
machinery, engines, sculptures and musical instruments. He says it is a
treasure trove.
Stephen: A treasure trove – full of wonderful, valuable things.
Insert 2: Ben Russell
It’s an absolutely astonishing… it’s a treasure trove, really. We actually counted 8,430
objects, and it’s a complete physical record of Watt’s entire working life and interests,
going back to the 1750s. So it’s unparalleled anywhere. But really what the workshop
does, it shows the engine, and there are some fragments about the engine, but it shows a
lot of his other projects as well, from chemistry to pottery, instrument making, even
musical instrument making. So it shows how diverse a bloke he was.
Alice: Curator Ben Russell says the workshop is unparalleled anywhere. It’s unique.
It shows that Watt was interested in lots of different things – not only steam
engines but other inventions. The workshop shows what a diverse bloke he was.
Stephen: A diverse bloke indeed – that’s a conversational way of saying he was a wellrounded
man. He had lots of interests.
Alice: Here’s Andrew Nahum, the Curator of Innovation Curator at London’s Science
Museum:
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
Insert 3: Andrew Nahum
He didn’t just do steam, as Ben said, he was a chemist, he was a potter, he built bridges
and harbours and canals. He was, if you like, a one man innovation centre.
Alice: Andrew Nahum says James Watt didn’t just ‘do steam’.
Stephen: He wasn’t interested in just one thing - steam - but lots of other things.
Alice: He was a chemist, a potter and he built bridges, harbours and canals. Andrew
Nahum uses a nice phrase to describe him - he was a one man innovation
centre.
Stephen: A one man innovation centre – a man full of ideas and inventions.
Alice: And the improvements he made to the steam engine led the way to developing
sophisticated machinery. OK, Stephen, have you had a chance to think about
my invention question?
Stephen : OK, this is very hard, so I’m going to try: hot air balloon, typewriter, Morse
code and then vacuum cleaner.
Alice: Stephen, you’re brilliant! (Alice and Stephen laugh) Hot air balloon, developed
in the 1780s, typewriter, 1830, Morse code, 1832 and the vacuum cleaner in
1860. Though the one on 1860 wasn’t electronic – that came a bit later. So,
you’ve done so well – will you read the words and phrases we’ve had today?
Stephen: Sure:
inventor
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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workshop
credited
chronological order
cornucopia
treasure trove
Alice: Thanks very much, Stephen.
Stephen: You’re welcome.
Alice: Well, that’s all we have time for today, and we’ll have more 6 Minute English
next time.
Both: Bye!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
inventor
person who makes items which have not been made before
workshop room or area where things are built or designed
credited
given recognition, or believed to be responsible for
chronological order
the order in which things happened
cornucopia
large, varied and magnificent collection
treasure trove
a collection of wonderful, valuable objects
More on this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9432000/9432194.stm
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/03/110331_6min_english_watt_page.shtml

Satellite Navigation Systems!

2011-04-23T18:47:00.001-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Satellite navigation systems
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice.
Stephen: And I'm Stephen.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about sat navs.
Stephen: Sat navs – that’s short for satellite navigation systems.
Alice: They’re the gadgets people put in their cars to help give them directions.
Engineers have been asking if we’re becoming too reliant on them. Before we
find out more, here’s a question for you, Stephen:
Stephen: Ok – I’m ready and waiting.
Alice: When we talk about ‘satellite navigation’ in English, there is an abbreviation
we use called GPS. Do you know what it stands for? I’ll give you some choices.
Is it:
a) greater place signal
b) global positioning signal, or
c) global positioning system
Stephen: I’m pretty sure I know the answer – but I won’t spoil it for everyone else. I’ll
tell you at the end of the programme.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Alice: That’s fine. Sat navs using GPS have become very popular in recent years. But
they can sometimes get people into trouble. The BBC News website has lots of
examples about people driving into rivers or getting stuck on roads which are
too narrow. This woman is talking about the lorries which keep getting stuck
under a 15th century stone archway in her town because they’re following
directions on their sat navs.
Insert 1: Woman
The amount of lorries that we see nearly every day - they get to that point and there’s no
signs anywhere. At the bottom of the road, it doesn’t say: “Don’t go down there - there’s
a bridge.” And they get to this point here and every one of them have to reverse - and
there’s cars everywhere. It’s just absolute mayhem.
Alice: Oh dear – she says it’s mayhem. Lorries either get stuck under the bridge or
they cause lots of problems trying to turn around - or to go backwards, to
reverse - on a very narrow road. She says it’s absolute mayhem.
Stephen: Mayhem – chaos.
Alice: In another incident, a car got stuck on the edge of a steep hill when its sat nav
directed it down a path which wasn’t suitable for vehicles any more. Antony
Chmarny, who works for a satellite navigation manufacturer, says the gadgets
should only be used as an aid to driving:
Insert 2:
Sat nav voice: Turn around when possible – then turn right.
Antony Chmarny: If it doesn’t look suitable, don’t drive down it, don’t drive down a
one-way street the wrong way if a sat nav tells you to do that.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Alice: I think he means, use your common sense – don’t drive down a one-way street
the wrong way even if a sat nav tells you to do it!
Stephen: I like the sat navs which you can programme with different voices – so you can
have your favourite singer or actor with you in the car as your navigator!
Alice: What a good idea! Let’s hear now from an engineer who is worried that we’re
becoming too reliant on sat nav and GPS technology. Professor Martyn
Thomas from the Royal Academy of Engineering says the weak radio signal it
uses can easily be messed up.
Stephen: Messed up – that’s interfered with, or destroyed.
Insert 3:
Professor Martyn Thomas: You can get interference – either deliberate or accidental
interference, because it is a very weak radio signal.
BBC interviewer Justin Webb: Yes, it’s quite easy, isn’t it, to mess it up?
Professor Martyn Thomas: Oh, extremely, yes. The radio signal is about the strength…
in light terms, it’s like looking at a 100 watt bulb from 12,000 miles away.
Justin Webb: So someone who really wanted to put out a large area – satellite
navigation systems, could do so?
Professor Martyn Thomas: Yes, you could. It would essentially have to be
jammed line-of-sight, so you’d have to do it from high ground.
Alice: Researchers were able to interfere with GPS signals on a ship using a
transmitter on high ground.
Stephen: A transmitter produces radio signals or interference - signals which, if strong
enough, can block other signals.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Alice: Professor Martyn Thomas said all kinds of things went wrong with the onboard
equipment on the ship.
Stephen: Without saying anything was wrong – incorrect – the ship reported that it was
travelling ten miles inland and moving faster than the speed of sound:
Insert 4: Professor Martyn Thomas
All kinds of things went wrong. The onboard equipment, that was reporting where they
were, at one point said that they were ten miles inland and moving faster than the speed
of sound. But more alarmingly, quite often the onboard systems, without saying
anything was wrong, was reporting their position as being just subtly wrong. And of
course, the onboard systems would broadcast that position and information to other
ships.
Alice: Professor Martyn Thomas from the Royal Academy of Engineering who thinks
we should be careful about becoming too reliant on GPS and sat navs, because
they can be interfered with. Apparently some people buy blocking gadgets to
put on their sat navs in company cars, so their employers won’t know where
they’ve been! Well, before we go, Stephen, can you tell us about the
abbreviation ‘GPS’?
Stephen: So, does it stand for global positioning system?
Alice: Yes, well done. So, before we go - a chance to hear some of the words and
phrases we’ve heard in the programme today: would you mind, Stephen?
Stephen: Sure.
satellite navigation systems
gadgets
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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abbreviation
mayhem
to reverse
aid
common sense
navigator
messed up
interfere with
Alice: Thanks, Stephen.
Stephen: You’re welcome.
Alice: Well, that’s all we have time for today. We’ll have more 6 Minute English next
time.
Both: Bye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
satellite navigation systems computer systems that are installed in some vehicles which
tell you the best way to get to a place
gadgets pieces of technology which are used for everyday tasks,
e.g. mobile phones
abbreviation shortening of a phrase, often to just one letter of each
word, e.g. NHS – National Health Service; words can also
be abbreviated to fewer letters, e.g. Dr – doctor
mayhem chaos, confusion
to reverse to move backwards
aid help, assistance
common sense natural ability to think clearly and make sensible decisions
navigator something or someone which tells you which way to go
during a journey
messed up spoiled or damaged
interfere with get involved with in a damaging or unhelpful way
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12668230
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/03/110324_6min_english_sat_nav_page.shtml

Football Rivalries!

2011-04-23T18:32:00.001-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Football rivalries
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice.
Stephen: And I'm Stephen.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! This week, we’re talking about rivalries
between football teams.
Stephen: Football rivalries - supporters of one football team often have one or two other
teams that they really dislike.
Alice: A bit of friendly rivalry probably doesn’t hurt anybody, but sometimes football
rivalries spill over into violence.
Stephen: Spill over into violence - when rivalry between fans leads to fighting.
Alice: First, a question for you Stephen: can you tell me which city these two football
teams come from? Al Ahly and Zamalek. Is it:
a) Cairo
b) Beirut, or
c) Damascus
Stephen: Well, my youngest brother would probably know the answer. I'm going to
guess Cairo.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Alice: Well, I won’t tell you the answer just yet. We'll find out at the end of the
programme. Now, let’s talk a bit more about football rivalries. Here’s a word
that gets used in British English: can you explain what a derby is?
Stephen: Sure. A derby, in the context of football, is a match played between two
football teams from the same city, or near each other. It’s thought the word
comes from a rugby-like game played by two teams in a town in Derbyshire, in
central England.
Alice: In Britain, famous derbies are games played between Arsenal and Tottenham
Hotspur, which are both in north London, Liverpool and Everton, or Celtic and
Rangers - two football teams in Glasgow in Scotland. They have a bitter rivalry
- and matches between the two often involve heated exchanges.
Stephen: Heated exchanges – lots of passion and anger.
Alice: Here’s BBC sports reporter Alex Capstick, reporting on a recent match
between Celtic and Rangers, which turned into mayhem - chaos:
Insert 1: Alex Capstick, BBC sports reporter
Matches between the Glasgow neighbours Rangers and Celtic usually involve heated
exchanges, but the mayhem during the latest clash has been described as an
embarrassment to Scottish football. Rangers had three players sent off. Celtic's manager,
Neil Lennon, and Rangers' assistant coach, Ally McCoist, had to be dragged apart
following an ugly confrontation after the final whistle.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Alice: BBC sports reporter Alex Capstick, who says that players were sent off and
that managers and coaches got involved in an ugly confrontation after the
final whistle.
Stephen: An ugly confrontation after the final whistle – angry fighting after the match
had ended.
Alice: The First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, is setting up a summit to deal
with the violence. He says the players are role models for society.
Stephen: Supporters will follow their example.
Insert 2: Alex Salmond, First Minister, Scotland
The fans at football matches are representatives of their clubs, the players at football
matches are role models for society, and the management of football clubs have a
particular responsibility and they must, absolutely must, behave responsibly.
Alice: The First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, says the football clubs have a
particular responsibility, and they absolutely must behave responsibly.
Stephen: They must set a good example to fans watching the matches.
Alice: Policemen in Scotland say that even cases of domestic violence increase when
the two Glaswegian clubs play each other.
Stephen: People watching the match at home are more likely to become violent towards
their families during or after the matches.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Alice: Les Grey from the Scottish Police Federation says attention needs to be given
to future fixtures – the times when games are played. For example, there's less
violence if games are played midweek, in the evening, rather than at the
weekend. He says changing licensing laws - the sale of alcohol - might help
prevent people becoming violent.
Insert 3: Les Grey, Scottish Police Federation
If that game hadn’t been on a Wednesday night, we’d have seen a lot more trouble had
that been a Sunday lunchtime game or even a Saturday afternoon game. So we’ll be
looking at when to play these games. We need to look at the licensing laws. We need to
look at the coverage of the games, and by that I’m going to upset a lot people and say
perhaps we need to stop televising one or two of them. There’s a direct correlation
between what happens during the game and what happens after the game. If I tell you
the latest figures just in - I was informed last night that domestic violence incidents
jumped 70% on Wednesday evening after the game. That’s a huge jump.
Alice: Les Grey from the Scottish Police Federation, who says that incidents of
domestic violence jumped by 70% after the last Celtic versus Rangers match.
He said there’s a direct correlation between what happens during the game and
what happens afterwards.
Stephen: A direct correlation – a clear link or relationship
Alice: And he even proposes a very unpopular idea: to stop televising some of the
games. Well, before we go, Stephen, any ideas about the city the two teams Al
Ahly and Zamalek come from?
Stephen: Well, I guessed Cairo, and…
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
Alice: You're correct – well done! So, a chance to hear some of the words and phrases
we heard in the programme today. Would you mind, Stephen?
Stephen: rivalries
spill over
derby
heated exchanges
mayhem
ugly confrontation
role models
domestic violence
licensing laws
Alice: Thanks for that, Stephen.
Stephen: You’re welcome.
Alice: Well that’s all we have time for today. We’ll have more 6 Minute English next
time. Bye!
Stephen: Bye for now!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Vocabulary and definitions
rivalries competition between people, often based on their political
views or support for a sports team
spill over here, influencing or causing something else to start, or
become more serious
derby here, a football match between two football teams based in
the same town, city or region
heated exchanges passionate or angry discussions
mayhem uncontrolled, chaotic situation
ugly confrontation
argument or fight between people, possibly involving
violent behaviour or insulting language
role models
people who are well-known to the public, and shown as
positive examples of how to live your life
domestic violence
physical abuse in the home, usually where one family
member attacks another
licensing laws regulations or rules laws about where and when alcoholic
drinks can be sold
More on this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9419232.stm
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/03/110317_6min_english_football_rivalries_page.shtml

Citizen Journalism!

2011-04-16T19:33:00.001-07:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Citizen Journalism
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Stephen: Hello, I'm Stephen.
Rob: And I'm Rob.
Stephen: And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about citizen
journalism.
Rob: Citizen journalism – that’s when people who aren’t trained journalists write or
report about their experiences or use social media, like Facebook or Twitter, to
broadcast their messages.
Stephen: Over the last few weeks, media companies have published a large number of
videos, photos, phone calls and blogs from citizen journalists in countries
where protests have been taking place, and there aren’t many – or any -
traditional journalists. But as usual, I’m going to start with a question for you,
Rob.
Rob: OK, I’m ready.
Stephen: Which of these six countries, according to figures from internet world stats, has
the largest percentage of people using the internet?
Rob: The largest percentage of people who use the internet. OK. Have got you any
clues?
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Stephen: Well, your six countries are South Korea, Japan, the US, the UK, India or
China.
Rob: Hmm…let me think. I would say South Korea.
Stephen: Well, I won’t tell you the answer just yet. We can find out at the end of the
programme. So let’s talk about citizen journalism. Could citizen journalists
ever replace traditional journalists? Peter Barron, the Director of External
Relations at Google, says there has been a massive democratisation in access
to information.
Rob: A massive democratisation – that's when people all over the world can access
information on the internet, and use the same tools to publish information
themselves.
Insert 1: Peter Barron, Director of External Relations, Google
The point here is that there has been a massive democratisation in access to information
and the ability to publish information – so everybody these days can be a publisher.
What you’ve seen time and time again, is that the very high quality material rises to the
top and becomes a trusted brand, alongside the trusted brands that already exist.
Stephen: Peter Barron from Google believes that the best quality blogs will become as
trusted as media companies - media brands - which already have a good
reputation.
Rob: Very high quality material rises to the top – the best blogs will become as
popular as traditional broadcasters or newspapers.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Stephen: Alan Rusbridger is the editor of the Guardian newspaper in the UK. He says
that traditional journalists will always be needed to make sense of large
amounts of information, something which citizen journalists might not be able
to do. He uses the example of Wikileaks.
Insert 1: Alan Rusbridger, Editor, The Guardian
The case of Wikilieaks was an excellent one; 300 million words would have been
completely meaningless if it had been dumped on the internet, as well as being
completely unsafe. It took months of Guardian, New York Times, Der Spiegel
journalists going through and finding the stories, redacting them and making sense of
them. So the journalist still has a valuable role as mediator, analyser and finder and
verifier of stories.
Stephen: Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian newspaper, who gives the example of
Wikileaks, where he says 300 million words, dumped on the internet, would
have been completely meaningless if journalists hadn’t been able to go
through them.
Rob: To go through them – finding stories and checking them. He says the journalist
has a valuable role as mediator, analyser, finder and verifier of stories.
Stephen: Journalists need to check stories – to verify them, to check they are safe to
publish and that they are true. Anne McElvoy from the Economist magazine
says that citizen journalism hasn’t really been tested yet. It’s a very valuable
source when the story is on the street, but not when we, the readers, listeners or
viewers, aren’t sure which side we should be on.
Rob: Whose side we should be on - who we support. When it is clear whose side
we should be on, citizen journalists are very valuable, but when we don’t
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
really know what’s going on, we need the traditional skills of journalists to
analyse material to help us understand. She says ‘we rely on the trade’ -
meaning the trade of the traditional journalist.
Insert 3: Anne McElvoy
Citizen journalism hasn’t really been tested yet; we’re writing a lot about it and
reflecting on it. But really, what we’ve seen is it being very active and also being a very
valuable source, I should say, but in situations where we kind of know, generally, which
side we are on. We know that the story is on the street. I think citizen journalism will
have a much tougher time when we have situations - which will arise - when we’re really
not sure which side should have the upper hand, or, indeed, what’s really going on. And
that’s an area where I think you do rely a bit on the old trade to have analysis skills and
to help you out there.
Stephen: Anne McElvoy talking about citizen journalists. So, before we go today, Rob –
which of those six countries did you guess has the highest internet penetration?
That’s the highest percentage of population who are online.
Rob: OK. Well, I said South Korea. Am I right?
Stephen: Actually it’s the UK – followed by South Korea, then Germany, Japan, the US,
China and finally India.
Rob: Well I never!
Stephen: And a chance to hear some of the words and phrases we heard in the
programme today. Would you mind, Rob?
Rob: OK, we heard:
citizen journalism
trained
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
social media
democratisation
to publish
media brands
to go through them
verify
hasn’t really been tested yet
valuable source
Stephen: Thanks for that, Rob.
Rob: You’re welcome.
Stephen: Well, that’s all we have time for today - we’ll have more "6 Minute English"
next time.
Rob: Bye for now!
Stephen: Bye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
citizen journalism information collected by people who are not formally
employed as journalists; their material is not always edited
and published by recognised media sources
trained learned how to be a reporter through courses or lessons
social media websites where people interact socially via different types
of technology and software
democratisation
a process which makes it easier for people to find out
about and contribute to the information available
to publish
to make your work available to the public through printed
or electronic media (e.g. books, newspapers, the internet)
media brands well known companies or corporations which produce
media content (e.g. the BBC)
to go through them to read, analyse and organise them
verify confirm something is true
hasn’t really been tested yet
not yet known if it works well in really challenging
situations
valuable source place where useful and trusted information can be found
More on this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/9405719.stm
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/03/110310_6min_english_citizen_journalism_page.shtml

A New Lease of Life!

2011-03-05T15:59:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
A new lease of life
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 7
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice.
Finn: And I'm Finn.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about an amazing
scientific achievement – it’s called a total artificial heart.
Finn: That’s a heart that’s made completely artificially – in fact it’s made of plastic.
Something artificial is something that isn’t real.
Alice: This total artificial heart has given a new lease of life to a patient in the United
States – so before we find out more, Finn, I have a question for you. Which of
these creatures has the slowest heartbeat? Ready?
Finn: OK, I’m ready!
Alice: A, an elephant, b, a human being or c, a dog.
Finn: Hmm – I’m really not sure about that. Do different size dogs have different
heartbeats I wonder, Alice?
Alice: I don’t know! I only know which of them has the slowest heartbeat and I’ll
give you the answer at the end of the programme. So let’s find out more about
this total artificial heart. Here’s heart doctor, cardiologist Dr Doug
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 7
Horstmanshof talking about his patient, Troy Golden, a pastor from the United
States who was born with a serious heart condition.
Insert 1: Dr Doug Horstmanshof
He suffers from a disease called Marfan's syndrome that he was born with. Physically,
He wasn't even able to get out of bed anymore, could barely bear weights, could barely
breathe comfortably. Emotionally, mentally, spiritually - he had reached a point so low
that most of us can't even imagine.
Alice: Dr Doug Horstmanshof says his patient suffered badly from his disease. He
had reached a point so low that most of us can’t even imagine.
Finn: A point so low – a condition that is so bad you can’t imagine things getting any
worse.
Alice: Troy Golden was physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally exhausted.
He had been put on a list for a heart transplant in January 2010 but couldn’t
find a donor.
Finn: A donor – somebody who gives you something, in this case a human heart.
Somebody who donates a heart or a liver or kidney is called an organ donor.
Alice: And Troy’s heart was in such a bad condition a normal heart pump wouldn’t
work for him, so Dr Horstmanshof decided to do something incredible in
September 2010. He removed his patient’s heart completely and replaced it
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 7
with a plastic heart – the total artificial heart. It contains valves, a pump and
also batteries to keep it powered.
Finn: So that was September 2010 – Troy Golden has had his new heart for several
months now. How has it been functioning?
Alice: Let’s hear what he says.
Insert 2: Troy Golden
Yeah, I really have got to the point that I don't even really notice it, other than it's loud.
So... I think for my wife it feels, to her, she can hear it beating so she knows I'm alive, so
it's very comforting to her.
Alice: Troy Golden says his wife can hear the heart beating, and she finds the sound
very comforting.
Finn: Comforting – it makes her feel safe and secure.
Alice: And Troy Golden says he’s got to a point where he doesn’t really notice his
new heart.
Finn: He’s got to a point where he doesn’t notice his new heart, which means he’s
got used to it.
Alice: Another doctor, Dr Kevin Fong, a Consultant Anaesthetist at University
College Hospital in London, says the total artificial heart is almost
unbelievable – he calls it mind-blowing.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 7
Insert 3: Dr Kevin Fong
It's mind-blowing to think that where he once had a heart, there's now a mechanical
device; that it's been replaced with plastic and tubes attached to a pneumatic pump
inside the rucksack on his back.
Alice: Dr Kevin Fong, a Consultant Anaesthetist from University College Hospital in
London, describing the mechanical device which is keeping Troy Golden alive.
Finn: A pneumatic pump – now, a pneumatic pump is an air pump, and this one is
kept in a rucksack on the patient’s back.
Alice: Troy Golden carries the rucksack on his back, and he says it’s great to know
his heart is pumping. He says it’s wonderful to feel alive again.
Insert 4: Troy Golden
It is great to know that my… that the heart is pumping, that my heart is pumping. I
guess it's not mine, but it is wonderful to feel alive again.
Alice: Troy Golden who has been given a new lease of life with his total artificial
heart.
Finn: A new lease of life – that’s new energy and a new sense of happiness.
Alice: So, before we go today, Finn – have you had a chance to think about my
question about the heart rates of different creatures.
Finn: Well, I think the bigger the animal the slower the heartbeat, so I’m going to go
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 7
for elephant.
Alice: Ah, well done – very good! Apparently an elephant’s heart beats only 25 times
a minute, a human being, usually between about 60 and 90 times a minute, and
a dog, between 100 and 150 heartbeats every minute!
Finn: There you go.
Alice: Yes. So, a chance to hear some of the words and phrases. Finn, would you
mind?
Finn: artificial
a new lease of life
heartbeat
comforting
got to a point
mind-blowing
pneumatic
rucksack
Alice: Thanks for that, Finn.
Finn: You’re welcome.
Alice: Well that’s all we have time for today, and we’ll have more "6 Minute
English" next time.
Finn: Bye for now!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 7
Alice: Bye!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 7 of 7
Vocabulary and definitions
artificial objects or materials which do not occur naturally, and are
made by people
a new lease of life a new, positive stage in your life
heartbeat the regular movement of the heart as it pumps blood
around the body
comforting reassuring
got to a point reached a position or time
mind-blowing extraordinary or amazing
pneumatic powered by compressed or pressurised air
rucksack large bag for carrying personal belongings, which is
carried on the back
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12422348
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/03/110303_6min_english_heart_page.shtml

Sleepwalking!

2011-02-27T23:51:00.000-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Sleepwalking
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice…
Stephen: And I'm Stephen.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about sleepwalking.
Have you ever walked in your sleep, Stephen?
Stephen: I don’t think so, but I’ve been known to tell stories in my sleep.
Alice: Oh, fascinating. This is a new development by scientists in the United States
that shows that sleepwalking is genetic – it’s passed on from parent to child.
They’ve been looking at the genes of four generations of a family who have a
lot of sleepwalkers. But before we find out more, I have a question for you,
Stephen. What do the letters REM stand for? And it’s not just the name of an
American pop group….
Stephen: REM – that’s something to do with sleep?
Alice: It is – does it stand for:
a) rapid eye movement
b) random eye movement or
c) relative eye movement
Stephen: I’m going to guess a) rapid eye movement.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Alice: As usual, I won’t tell you the answer now – we’ll find out at the end of the
programme! So let’s hear more about what it’s like to be a sleepwalker. Here’s
Margaret Brand, a woman who often spends several hours a night sleepwalking:
Insert 1: Margaret Brand
Sometimes I was just back in bed and didn’t know that I’d sleepwalked. But I’d wake
up in the morning and find that things had been moved or eaten or forgotten – and it
had to be me because I was the only person in the flat. Other times I would wake up,
usually in the kitchen. I took medication – on one occasion, three 20ml doses of
morphine.
Alice: Margaret Brand said that she moves or eats things when she’s sleepwalking,
and she once took medication – drugs - while she was asleep.
Stephen: She says on one occasion, she took doses of morphine.
Alice: That’s dangerous. There are also other instances when sleepwalking can put the
person or other people in danger. Dr Dev Banerjee is a sleep expert at the
Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham, in the UK. He says that there have been
occasions when sleepwalkers have injured themselves, or even got into their
cars to drive:
Insert 2: Dr Dev Banerjee
I think (for) the majority of those that sleepwalk (it) is fairly harmless and quite novel
actually, but there are a proportion who do injure themselves, fall down the stairs. I’ve
got someone from Bristol who put his hand through a glass window and severed his
radial artery. Not only just injuries, but risks of injuries such as getting out the house,
onto the street. There have been cases, I think in America, where people have got into
their car and drove down a freeway.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Alice: Dr Dev Banerjee, who says that usually sleepwalking is harmless – even novel
– unique and quite amusing.
Stephen: What else do scientists know about sleepwalking, Alice?
Alice: They know it’s pretty common. One in five children sleepwalk and one in ten
adults. And there’s a new development by scientists in the United States that
shows it runs in families – it’s genetic.
Stephen: It is passed on from parent to child in a person’s genes. Genes control which
features identify a person.
Alice: Scientists examined the DNA – the genetic code of a family of four generations
who suffer from sleepwalking, and found that they carried a defective gene,
chromosome 20.
Stephen: A defective gene – that’s a gene which has a fault. DNA is the complicated
code that makes a human unique and is carried from generation to generation.
Alice: Once the defective gene has been identified it means it could be easier to find
treatments and tests for sleepwalkers. People that carry the defective gene have
a 50-50 chance of passing it onto their children.
Stephen: 50–50 - that means they have an equal chance of either inheriting the gene or
not inheriting it! 50 per cent vs per cent.
Alice: Here’s the BBC’s Health Reporter, Michelle Roberts:
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
Insert 2: Michelle Roberts
DNA analysis of the 22 relatives, from the great-grandparents downwards, located the
chromosome where the fault lies. Sleepwalkers with these genes on chromosome 20, had
a 50-50 chance of passing them onto their children. More work is needed to see if the
discovery will explain all cases of sleepwalking, but in the meantime, the researchers say
it should help them to develop tests and treatments.
Alice: The BBC’s Health Reporter, Michelle Roberts, who says more work is needed
to see if the discovery of the sleepwalking gene will help explain all cases of
sleepwalking. Well, that’s all we have time for today, Stephen – but before we
go, what did you think about REM?
Stephen: I guessed that it stands for ‘rapid eye movement’.
Alice: And you’re right. It’s the stage of sleep where your eyes move around a lot –
and it’s about 20-25% of your total sleep apparently.
Stephen: Well, don’t say you don’t learn anything new on 6 Minute English!
Alice: Exactly, Stephen. And before we go, because you did so well answering the
question, would you mind reading some of the words and phrases we’ve heard
today?
Stephen: Yes of course:
sleepwalk
genetic
genes
doses of medication
harmless
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
it runs in families
generations
defective
50-50
Alice: Thanks so much for that, Stephen. We hope you’ll join us next time on "6
Minute English".
Both: Bye.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
sleepwalk do things while asleep, e.g. walk around
genetic inherited; a feature that someone was born with that was
passed on by their parents or grandparents
genes parts of living cells which carry information about physical
characteristics, e.g. a person’s appearance and health
doses of medication
specific amounts of medicines taken at regular times, as
instructed by a doctor
harmless not dangerous
it runs in families it is a feature or condition that affects several people who
are related
generations here, members of a family who are directly related through
their parents, grandparents, great grandparents etc
defective faulty, imperfect
50-50 two equal possibilities
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12394009
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/02/110224_6min_english_sleep_page.shtml

Love letters!

2011-02-14T20:42:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Love letters
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 7
Yvonne: Hello, I'm Yvonne Archer and Rob has joined me for today's 6 Minute English.
Now Rob, put your romantic hat on and tell us, have you ever sent or received
a love letter?
Rob: Mm – both actually. I have sent one and I've received one as well.
Yvonne: And why don't you write love letters any more?
Rob: Because there's not enough time.
Yvonne: Well, today we're going to make time for love, because we're talking about
‘Wives and Sweethearts’. It’s an exhibition at London's National Army
Museum. The exhibition includes letters from soldiers on the front line to their
loved ones which date back over the last 200 years. But before we find out
more – here's today's question, Rob.
Rob: OK!
Yvonne: In which year was The Royal Mail – Britain's postal service – founded?
a) 1516
b) 1710 or
c) 1780
Rob: I would say, quite a long time ago – probably 1710.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 7
Yvonne: OK, we'll find out whether you're right or wrong later on! Now, back to "Wives
and Sweethearts" – the collection of letters at the National Army Museum. It
aims to show us how army life affected personal relationships between soldiers
and their wives, sweethearts and families. But Rob – what would you say is 'a
sweetheart'?
Rob: It's a nice word, isn't it? And 'sweetheart' is quite an old-fashioned noun – so
now, we usually say 'girlfriend' or 'boyfriend'. But basically, a sweetheart is
someone we're sweet on – someone we like a lot and hold dear to our heart.
We're very fond of them.
Yvonne: So we might call a child 'a sweetheart' - or even a colleague who we really
appreciate. So, thanks for that explanation Rob - you're a sweetheart!
Rob: And so are you!
Yvonne: Now, the letters in the exhibition were sent during the Napoleonic War, the
Crimean War, World Wars I and II and even during the conflicts we're
experiencing today. So they go back as far as 200 years. Let's listen to some
excerpts…
.
Insert 1: Excerpt from love letters
1. I do miss you so very much…
2. Shall we become engaged in a sort of distant way?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 7
Yvonne: The number of words used in the first excerpt gives the impression that the
letter was written a long time ago, doesn't it, Rob?
Rob: Yes, it does. And today, we'd probably be more direct and simply say: "I miss
you very much", but instead, we heard "I do miss you so very much".
Yvonne: Now the second writer seems quite shy or unsure of how the young lady feels,
because instead of simply asking his sweetheart to marry him, he suggests that
they become engaged while he's still away.
Rob: He suggests that they get engaged 'in a sort of distant way' because he's far
from home and can't propose marriage in person.
Yvonne: OK, well let's hope she accepted his proposal and that they got married after
the war. But of course, not all the letter writers were reunited, as Dr Frances
Parton, organiser of the exhibition, explains:
Insert 2: Dr Frances Parton, Exhibit Organiser
Some of them are very moving and quite distressing. Obviously, we've looked at all the
aspects of a soldier's relationship and sometimes that can be very, very difficult when it
involves separation and obviously, in worst case scenarios, bereavement.
Yvonne: Rob, Dr Parton describes some of the letters as 'very moving'. What does she
mean by that?
Rob: Well basically, when we read them, they make us feel very emotional –
perhaps even tearful.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 4 of 7
Yvonne: And some aspects – areas – of a soldier's relationship can involve 'worst case
scenarios'.
Rob: 'Worst case scenarios' are situations that couldn't possibly be sadder or more
dangerous, for example. And here, Dr Parton is talking about the fact that in
some cases, soldiers and their loved ones died.
Yvonne: Mm - well luckily, Caroline Flynn-MacCloud's husband recently returned
safely from a seven month deployment in Afghanistan. They have a wonderful
collection of love letters as a result, which are included in the exhibition at the
National Army Museum.
Rob: Wow – they must be very different from the love letters written by soldiers
hundreds of years ago.
Yvonne: Well funnily enough, Caroline says that they're not!
Insert 3: Caroline Flynn-MacCloud, wife of a soldier
Letters begin with the declaration of love and how much one is missing someone and end
pretty much the same way, and also saying not to worry. And in the middle, you have a
whole sort of section about quite banal things. When I wrote to him, sort of everyday
things to show life was going on as normal without him. And he wrote a bit about what
he was doing, but frustratingly, very little about what he was doing.
Yvonne: So letters start by saying how much people love and miss each other and they
end by asking each other not to worry. But the middle of the letters are quite
interesting, aren't they?
Rob: Yes, they are. That's where the banal things are written – the most ordinary or
even boring information about everyday life. But Caroline's husband didn't tell
her much about what he was doing out in Afghanistan.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 7
Yvonne: No, perhaps soldiers aren't allowed to send too many details home because of
security issues and of course, they don't want to worry their loved ones at
home, do they?
Rob: No.
Yvonne: Well I don't know about you Rob, but I think I'm going to try to get to that
exhibition – and perhaps write a few more love letters of my own!
Rob: A good idea, actually. It'll be good to get pen to paper again and not rely on email.
Yvonne: Exactly. Right Rob, earlier, I asked: in which year was the Royal Mail founded?
And you said…
Rob: I said 1710.
Yvonne: And you were….wrong!
Rob: Oh dear!
Yvonne: It was in 1516.
Rob: I am surprised. That is a long time ago so think of how many letters have been
sent since then.
Yvonne: Especially love letters.
Rob: Yes.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 7
Yvonne: Do join us again soon for more "6 Minute English".
Both: Goodbye!
Vocabulary and definitions
romantic someone who has a lot of positive and sometimes
unrealistic ideas, particularly about love
the front line place where soldiers are directly fighting their enemy in a
war, and in danger of being killed
a sweetheart A term used to express fondness for someone else,
sometimes in a romantic way
shy person who is quiet, nervous and uncomfortable with other
people
engaged two people who have promised to get married to each
other
distant far away
very moving something which makes you emotional
worst case scenarios the most unpleasant or unsatisfactory situations you can
imagine
deployment movement of army troops to a place
banal something that is very ordinary and not interesting
More on this story: http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk/exhibitions/special-displays/wivessweethearts
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 7 of 7
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/110214_6min_english_love_page.shtml

Shark's fin soup!

2011-02-10T19:54:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Shark's fin soup
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 7
Yvonne: This is 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer - and Finn has kindly joined me
for today's programme. Hello Finn!
Finn: Hello Yvonne – how are you?
Yvonne: Oh, I'm great thanks! Now, 2011 is the year of the Rabbit in the Chinese lunar
calendar - and Finn, your name is a brilliant clue for today's topic.
Finn: It is.
Yvonne: We're talking about a traditional dish that many people expect to find on the
menu to celebrate the New Year!
Finn: Yes, so what could it be? My name is Finn and we're talking about the dish
'shark’s fin soup'.
Yvonne: Excellent! Now, in Taiwan this year, shark's fin soup may be missing from
quite a few menus. But before we find out why – I've a question for you, Finn.
Are you ready?
Finn: Okay, I'm ready.
Yvonne: Good. Which type of shark is the longest fish in the world?
a) the great white shark
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 7
b) the whale shark or
c) the hammerhead shark
Finn: Okay, let me see. Well, whales are very big so I think - b) the whale shark.
Yvonne: Right - and I'll tell you whether you're right or wrong later on! For some time
now, animal rights activists have been calling for a ban on shark's fin soup
because of the way the sharks are treated. Finn, explain what 'a ban' is for us
please, because it doesn't mean the same as 'illegal' does it?
Finn: No, not quite. 'A ban' is an official order or statement saying that something
isn't allowed anymore, rather than a law saying that something is illegal - or
that it's a crime. For example, in the UK, smoking cigarettes in offices is
banned but it's not against the law to smoke cigarettes.
Yvonne: Right. Once their fins are chopped off, many sharks are just thrown back into
the sea to die.
.
Finn: Yes, and sadly for the sharks, the simple reason for this is because it saves
space on the fishermen's boats.
Yvonne: Mm, it is very sad. Now the campaign against shark's fin soup is starting to
show small signs of progress. But the BBC's Cindy Sui was still able to find a
restaurant window in Taiwan's capital, Taipei, where a large, dried shark's fin
was on display. Here's what the restaurant's manager told Cindy:
Insert 1: Restaurant owner, Taipei
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 7
Look at our restaurant, there's hardly any business. The media coverage has affected us,
but many of the fish are caught whole, not just for the fins. In Taiwan, we eat all the
shark, not just the fin.
Yvonne: The restaurant owner says that the media coverage about the campaign to ban
shark's fin soup means he's had fewer customers. As he puts it: "there's hardly
any business". Finn, can you explain what he means by 'the media coverage'
though?
Finn: Yes, well it means things like articles in newspapers and online, as well as
news bulletins and programmes on television and radio – all the publicity, all
gathered together - that's what we call 'media coverage'.
Yvonne: Great. Taiwan catches between 40,000 and 60,000 tons of shark meat each year
for its own use, and the restaurant manager we heard from clearly doesn't agree
that there should be a ban on shark's fin. Now, you lived in Taiwan for a few
years, didn't you Finn?
Finn: I did – yes.
Yvonne: Was this an issue there at the time?
Finn: Well, I lived there about 10 years ago and I have to say there wasn't a lot of
media coverage about banning shark's fin soup at the time.
Yvonne: So, let's find out who is getting involved in the campaign at this time to help
save sharks from a cruel death, from the BBC's Cindy Sui:
Insert 2: Cindy Sui, BBC Correspondent, Taipai
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 4 of 7
In recent years, an increasing number of young people in Taiwan are refusing to order
shark's fin or serve it at their wedding banquets, even though it has long been
considered a must on banquet menus. Celebrities have also spoken out against eating
shark's fin.
Yvonne: So celebrities have spoken out against eating shark's fin?
Finn: They have. They've made it clear to the public that they support a ban – they've
spoken out against it.
Yvonne: And young people are refusing to order shark's fin or to serve it at wedding
feasts, even though it's traditional. We could say they're 'boycotting' it,
couldn't we Finn?
Finn: We could yes – 'boycotting'.
Yvonne: So when you were in that part of the world Finn, was it really 'a must' – an
essential choice on a good menu for special occasions? And I'm scared to ask,
but have you tried shark's fin soup?
Finn: You know - I have actually. And yes, it was at a special occasion - a wedding
in Taiwan, and it did taste very nice. But at the same time, you feel a bit bad
because of the cruelty to the shark. And of course, it's a very prestigious dish
in Chinese culture.
Yvonne: But if the whole fish is being eaten, wouldn't that make a difference?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 7
Finn: I think yes, if you were to eat the whole fish and it wasn't wasted, then that
would make a big difference. And I think that's really at the core of the issue
here, isn't it?
Yvonne: I think so. Now, earlier Finn, I asked: Which type of shark is the longest fish in
the world.
Finn: Mm-hmm. And I said b) the whale shark. Was I right?
Yvonne: Errr….
Finn: Was I right?
Yvonne: Yes!
Finn: Oh, fantastic!
Yvonne: Well done Finn! And the longest ever recorded was 13.5 metres.
Finn: Now that is very long, isn't it.
Yvonne: Huge – yes.
Finn: That's a big shark!
Yvonne: Now, how about a Chinese New Year greeting to say goodbye from today's "6
Minute English"?
Finn: Yes, this is the beginning of the year of the rabbit, so we can say: "Happy New
Year" which is: "Xin nian kuai le". Yvonne?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 7
Yvonne: Xin nian kuai le.
Finn: Xin nian kuai le. Happy New Year everyone!
Yvonne: Happy New Year!
Finn: Bye for now
Yvonne: Goodbye!
Vocabulary and definitions
lunar calendar something that shows the days and months in a year, based
on the moon’s journey around the Earth each month
a clue a piece of information which can help to find answers
animal rights activists people who try to bring attention to the cruel treatment of
animals and get laws introduced to help protect them
a ban an official order or statement saying that something isn't
allowed
thrown back carelessly tossed or flung to where it came from
the campaign the organised set of activities aimed at achieving an
objective
the media coverage all the information given about a particular situation or
event in newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, websites etc
boycotting refusing to buy goods or be involved in activities because
you don’t agree with them
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 7 of 7
a must something which most people think is essential
prestigious highly thought of, respected and valued
More on this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8470945.stm
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/110210_6min_english_soup_page.shtml

Scam mail!

2011-02-03T04:24:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Scam mail
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 5
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice…
Finn: And I'm Finn.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about a crackdown on
scam mail.
Finn: Scam mail – that’s post sent to people, asking them for money or promising
them prizes like cars or holidays
Alice: The Metropolitan Police – the police force in London – has said that it will
crack down on companies and criminal groups sending scam mail. It’s seized
thousands of letters. Do you ever get these scam mail letters Finn?
Finn: Yes, Alice, I do, occasionally.
Alice: What do they look like?
Finn: They’re often quite convincing, they’re addressed to me personally and some
really look quite official sometimes.
Alice: Well, before we get into the murky world of scam mail – I have a question for
you about the post, Finn. What was the name of the first sticky postage stamp
which went on sale on the 1st May 1840? Was it:
a) The penny brown b) The penny black or c) The penny blue
Finn: I don’t know much about stamps. Let me guess a, the penny brown.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 5
Alice: Well, I won’t tell you the answer now – we’ll find out at the end of the
programme. So let’s hear more about scam mail from an investigation by the
Metropolitan Police and in this report by the BBC’s Phil Lavelle:
Insert 1: Phil Lavelle
It’s bright, it’s colourful and it tells us that a top gift is waiting, and most of us will have
thrown it straight in the bin. The problem is when the more vulnerable members of
society reply to these letters, especially when they look like they are official. For
example, this one says, ‘You must reply immediately! Do not delay!’ It is a final notice,
so it grabs the attention. Another one looks like it’s come from a government
department. In fact, it says it’s from the US Department of Finance and Disclosure. So
again, it looks official and it grabs attention.
Alice: Phil Lavelle says that most people throw these letters straight in the bin, but the
police are worried about vulnerable people responding to these scam letters.
Finn: Vulnerable people – the elderly, or people with learning difficulties who trust
letters they get in the post.
Alice: The letters often have a sense of urgency.
Finn: The people who send the letters want you to act quickly – they often say things
like ‘Do not delay!’, ‘Reply immediately!’ or, ‘Offer ends soon’.
Alice: They grab attention! And Phil Lavelle says that many of the letters look
official – in his example he has a letter which sounds like it comes from a real
government department.
Finn: So how big is this problem Alice?
Alice: Police estimate that about 3.5 billion pounds is sent to postal scammers every
year in the UK. They’re even linking five suicides of people who got heavily
in debt sending money in postal scams.
Finn: Heavily in debt – that means they owe a lot of money.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 5
Alice: One of the problems, apparently, is if you respond once to one scam letter – a
tempter letter - your details are given to other criminal groups and entered
onto a sucker list.
Finn: A sucker list – now, a sucker is somebody who is easily fooled or duped.
Alice: Here’s the BBC’s Home Affairs correspondent, June Kelly:
Insert 2: June Kelly
After replying to one of these so-called tempter letters a victim’s name is put on what’s
called a suckers list, and sold to criminals all over the world. These suckers lists
comprise many vulnerable people, including the elderly. They’ll be bombarded with
mail. Some have ended up in desperate financial straits, some with health problems.
Alice: June Kelly says that some people have ended up in desperate financial straits –
a very bad financial situation.
Finn: People get bombarded with mail. They receive lots and lots of letters.
Alice: One elderly man the BBC spoke to who started responding to scam mail has
sent at least ￡3,000 to scammers – and now receives up to 70 letters every day.
The problem is that once people get hooked it’s very difficult to stop. Here’s
Detective Superintendent Mark Ponting of the Metropolitan Police, who says
even with consumer information about the risks of answering scam mail
people continue to send money.
Insert 3: Detective Superintendent Mark Ponting
I’ve met quite a few now, several dozen individuals who find it difficult, if not often
impossible once they’re hooked, to stop. So you can give them all the consumer
education in the world, and actually once they’re hooked they’re not going to stop.
Alice: Well, that’s all we have time for today. But before we go Finn, the answer to
our question about the first sticky postage stamp. You said…
Finn: My sticky answer was a, the penny brown…..
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 5
Alice: There was a penny brown, but the first sticky postage stamp was actually the
penny black.
Finn: A-ha, the penny black!
Alice: So, you don’t get a prize this week, but it would still be nice if you’d read out
today’s words and phrases.
Finn: That’s enough of a prize for me, Alice! What could be better? Here we go:
crackdown
scam mail
official
vulnerable
a sense of urgency
heavily in debt
tempter
sucker
bombarded
hooked
Alice: Thanks so much for that, Finn. We hope you’ll join us next time on "6 Minute
English". Bye.
Finn: Bye for now.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 5
Vocabulary and definitions
crackdown strong, official action taken to punish people who break
laws
scam mail post sent to people with the aim of deceiving them, by
offering them gifts or money which are never delivered
official here, an important letter, from an organisation like a bank
vulnerable people who are emotionally or physically weak, or without
protection
a sense of urgency a feeling that something should be dealt with as soon as
possible
heavily in debt owe a lot of money
tempter something designed to persuade you to do something,
often by offering something appealing to you
sucker someone easily fooled or tricked into doing something
bombarded when something happens over and over again in a short
space of time
hooked addicted or unable to stop doing something
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12273260
Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/01/110127_6min_scam_mail_page.shtml

Population explosion!

2011-01-29T20:25:00.000-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Population growth
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 5
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice…
Finn: And I'm Finn.…
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! This week we’re talking about population
growth and the effects it might have on the world. At the moment it’s
estimated that there are about 7 billion people on the planet.
Finn: It’s estimated – experts make an educated guess at the number of people based
on research.
Alice: If projections are correct experts think there could be 9.5 billion people by the
year 2075.
Finn: Projections – the estimated number of people calculated by looking at
population changes over time.
Alice: Experts say there will be a population explosion.
Finn: That means a dramatic and very fast increase.
Alice: So before we find out more – I have a question for you Finn. How many zeros
are there after the 1 in a billion?
a) 12 b) 9 c) 6
Finn: Let’s guess. A thousand million. A million is 6 zeros so a thousand – 9, 9 zeros.
Alice: As usual, I won’t tell you the answer now - but we’ll find out at the end of the
programme. So let’s see how population growth is going to change the way
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 5
our planet works. The Institute of Mechanical Engineers recently published a
report about how technology could help us manage larger populations. They
say it’s the defining challenge of the century.
Finn: That’s the most important issue in the next 90 years.
Alice: Here’s the BBC’s environment analyst Roger Harrabin:
Insert 2: Roger Harrabin
One author of today’s report described population growth as the defining challenge of
the century - bigger even than climate change. The report says work needs to start now
on technological solutions for a world of nine and a half billion people. Many of the
practical ideas in the report have been welcomed by development groups.
Alice: Roger Harrabin says that population growth is even more important than
climate change. The report says that engineers need to start work now to find
technological solutions to provide enough food, water, energy and homes for
nine and a half billion people.
Finn: Technological solutions – that’s the use of technology to invent or improve
something.
Alice: One of the authors of the report is Tim Fox, Head of Energy, Environment and
Climate Change at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He says that
engineers have already created technologies which can deal with the challenge
of providing food, water, energy and homes for everyone in the world in 2075.
But one area he says we can try and improve on is wasting less food:
Insert 2: Dr Tim Fox
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 5
The challenge of providing food, water, energy and homes internationally can be met
through existing technologies that are available today. So something like 50% of food is
wasted in newly developing countries between the field and the market place – now here
in the highly industrialised countries we’ve solved that problem sustainably through the
use of refrigeration and transportation mechanisms that are highly optimised and we
waste all our food between the supermarket and our consumption.
Alice: What did Dr Tim Fox of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers say were the
two technological improvements we could make to stop wasting so much food?
Finn: He said we could improve refrigeration and transportation
Alice: Dr Tim Fox said that something like 50% of food is wasted in newly developed
countries between the field and the market place. This could be improved by
having better refrigeration and transportation from the farm to markets and
shops. What did he say about developed countries?
Finn: In developed countries the system of refrigeration and transportation has been
optimised.
Alice: optimised – that means it has been developed so that it is extremely efficient
and can’t be improved upon. But he says that in highly industrialised countries
– countries that are very developed economically – food is wasted between the
supermarket and people’s consumption.
Finn: That means that people might buy a lot of food at the supermarket but end up
throwing it away – they don’t consume it. Now, before we go let’s find out the
answer to the question I asked you at the beginning of the programme. How
many zeros come after the 1 in a billion? a. 12, b.9, c.6
Finn: I guessed b. 9
Alice: You’re right. And your prize, Finn, is to read out some of the words and
phrases we’ve heard in today’s programme.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 5
Finn: What could be better? Here we go:
population
billion
it’s estimated
projection
explosion
defining challenge
technological solutions
refrigeration
transportation
optimised
consumption
Alice: Thanks so much for that Finn. We hope you’ve had fun with us today on "6
Minute English" - and that you’ll join us again next time.
Both: Bye.
Vocabulary and definitions
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 5
population the total number of people living in a particular country or
region
billion a thousand million (in some parts of the world a million
million)
it’s estimated experts have made approximate calculations of how much
something is likely to be or cost
projection an expected outcome
explosion here, a large, sudden increase
defining challenge a difficult or demanding task that will shape or characterise
related events
technological solution the use of technology to solve a problem or find an answer
refrigeration keeping something at a constant, cold temperature
transportation moving things or people from one place to another
optimised to have made something become as best as it can be
consumption here, eating or drinking something
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12160715
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/01/110119_6min_populations_page.shtml

Brains and politics!

2011-01-15T20:25:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Brains and politics
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice.
Rob: And I'm Rob.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! We’ve had a special request from our listeners in
Lugano, Switzerland for a more complicated topic this week. We’re talking
about the structure of the brain, and how it could be related to our political
beliefs.
Rob: Scientists at University College London scanned people’s brains and found
that certain areas were more or less developed depending on people’s political
views.
Alice: And - they found some interesting results! Before we hear them, I have a
question for you Rob. Are you ready?
Rob: Of course.
Alice: Now, which of these isn’t a part of the brain? And please excuse my
pronunciation:
a) corpus callosum
b) tomatosensory cortex
c) pons
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Rob: Mmm – well, my Latin isn’t that great, but I think I’ll choose b, tomatosensory
cortex. It doesn’t sound real to me.
Alice: OK. Well, as usual I won’t tell you the answer now - but we’ll find out at the
end of the programme. Now let’s learn a bit more about this connection
between the structure of the brain and a person’s political beliefs. Let’s think
about the different ways we can talk about these. If someone is left-wing…
Rob: …they are considered to have liberal views.
Alice: And if they are right-wing.
Rob: If they are right-wing they are thought to be more conservative.
Alice: Scientists carried out MRI scans on two British Members of Parliament – MPs
- as well as 90 other students and postgraduates. Their hypothesis – the theory
they are testing to see if it is correct or not - is to find out if there is any
difference in their brains.
Rob: These MRI scans can measure the thickness of the grey matter in the brain –
that’s the outer layer of the brain which varies in thickness, and is full of
neurons – nerve cells, which are very sensitive.
Alice: Here’s a BBC Science correspondent, Tom Feilden:
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Insert 1:
Tom Feilden: It’s time to get down to the serious business of scanning our MPs – one left
and one right-wing to see if we can find any differences in the structure of their brains.
(Background) Nurse:
Bit of scanner noise coming now.
Professor Geraint Rees: We’re now standing in the control room of our MRI scanner...
Tom Feilden: Professor Geraint Rees is the Director of the Institute of Cognitive
Neuroscience at University College London.
Professor Geraint Rees: We’re going to look in detail at the thickness of the grey matter
- that’s the outer covering of the brain.
Tom Feilden: The hypothesis we’re testing is to see whether there is any significant
difference in the shape or structure - the thickness of the grey matter covering the brain
- between people who self-classify as either left or right wing.
Rob: So did people who self-classify themselves – describe themselves as being
liberal or conservative - have different shaped brains?
Alice: What the scientists found was that people who have thicker grey matter in one
area of the brain – the anterior cingulate- described themselves as being liberal
or left-wing, and those with a thinner layer described themselves as
conservative or right-wing. Here’s Professor Geraint Rees:
Insert 2:
We find there are two areas of the brain – one called the anterior cingulate and the
other called the amygdala, whose structure seems to vary according to their selfdescribed
political attitudes. The anterior cingulate is a part of the brain that’s on the
middle surface of the brain, at the front. And we found that the thickness of the grey
matter – where the nerve cells or neurons are - was thicker the more people described
themselves as liberal or left-wing, and was thinner the more people described themselves
as conservative or right wing.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
Rob: That’s all very interesting, Alice – but what about people who change their
political beliefs as they get older? Does this mean their brain shapes change
too?
Alice: We don’t know yet if brain shape changes as people’s political views change.
More research needs to be done - but scientist Professor Colin Blakemore
from Oxford University says that grey matter can change shape in the brain.
For example, even playing computer games for a short period of time a week
can change the shape of your grey matter:
Insert 3:
We know from lots of other recent studies, that the brain - even the grey matter of the
brain, the part that’s being measured in these studies - can change its organisation
incredibly rapidly, simply teaching someone computer games for a few minutes each
week, can cause their grey matter in certain areas of the brain to change thickness.
Alice: So perhaps even people who seem hard-wired to believe certain things may be
able to change their minds and the shape of their brains too.
Now before we go let’s answer our question. We heard a couple of terms used
to describe parts of the brain. But which of the ones I gave you, Rob, at the
beginning of the programme were real?
Rob: I think I said the one that sounded like a tomato? It didn’t sound like a real part
of the brain.
Alice: Well, Rob, you’re right. The odd one out was the tomatosensory cortex.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
The corpus callosum and the pons are parts of the brain.
Rob: And before we go, let’s hear some of the words and phrases that we’ve used in
today’s programme:
Political beliefs
Scanned
Left-wing
Liberal
Right-wing
Conservative
MRI scans
Hypothesis
Grey matter
Neurons
Alice: Thanks, Rob. Well, we hope you’ve had fun with us today on 6 Minute English
- and that you’ll join us again next time.
Both: Bye.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
political beliefs your opinions on how governments should run the world
scanned here, photographed by a machine which can show images
of people’s brains
left-wing having political ideas which are close to socialism
liberal tolerant of different beliefs or behaviours
right-wing having political ideas which support conservatism and
capitalism
conservative likes to preserve traditional ideas, and resists changes or
new ideas
hard-wired here, unmovable in opinion
MRI scans a machine which can photograph people’s brains (MRI –
magnetic resonance imaging
hypothesis explanation or theory which has not yet proved to be
correct
grey matter type of matter which forms part of the brain
neurons cells in the human nervous system which conduct
messages to and from the brain
nerve cells cells which, together, form human nerves
More on this story:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/today/tomfeilden/2010/12/are_political_beliefs_hard_wir.html
Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2011/01/110106_6min_brain_page.shtml

Families!

2011-01-07T23:29:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Families
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 1 of 7
Yvonne: Hello, I'm Yvonne…
Rob: And I'm Rob.…
Yvonne: And this is 6 Minute English! Now lots of people have been getting together
with their relatives for Christmas and the New Year, so we thought we’d talk
about families today.
Rob: Now BBC radio in the UK has had a family week. They surveyed their
listeners and web users to find out how they feel about their families.
Yvonne: And - they got some really interesting results! Before we hear them, I have a
question for you Rob. Are you ready?
Rob: Of course.
Yvonne: People in the UK were asked, at what age should their children be able to go to
school on their own. Can you guess what most people thought was an
acceptable age, Rob? 5, 8 or 11 years old?
Rob: Hmm – I know people are quite cautious these days so I'd say, 11 years old.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 7
Yvonne: Umm - as usual I won’t tell you the answer now, but we'll find out what the
answer is at the end of the programme. Now recently, there's been a lot of
attention given to the break-down of traditional British families.
Rob: The break-down of families – that's when parents get divorced or separate.
Yvonne: And lots of children are brought up by single parents
Rob: Single parents – just one parent, either a mother or a father
Yvonne: There’s also been a lot of talk about people needing to be better parents – or
even attending parenting classes. But despite the negative view of families we
might read about in the newspapers, most people said that their families made
them happy.
Rob: People were asked which of the following things made them most happy –
family, friends, job or hobbies.
Yvonne: Now families came in at almost 80%, friends just over 60%, next came hobbies
and last on the list of the things that make people happy were their jobs. Only
about 25% of the people surveyed said their jobs make them happy!
Rob: Umm - interesting!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 7
Yvonne: Hmmm. One of the most surprising things was reading about how people felt
about staying together if they were unhappy in their marriage but they had
children. Would they stay together for the sake of the kids?
Rob: For the sake of the kids – if you do something for the sake of something –
you’re not doing it for yourself, you’re putting other people's needs and
feelings first, even if you're suffering.
Yvonne: Here’s Radio 5 Live’s Chris Warburton:
Chris Warburton/Quiz contestant
How many people say they would stay together for the sake of the children?
Woman:
40%
Nearly two thirds of you think it’s better not to stay together for the sake of the kids.
Yvonne: So Chris Warburton says two thirds of people from the survey think they
shouldn't stay in unhappy relationships just for the sake of the children.
Rob: Perhaps that's because there are many happy single parent families. It is not
unusual for children to grow up in single parent families. It's socially
acceptable in modern Britain.
Yvonne: Now here's an interesting statistic: a large majority of people said they'd report
a relative to the police if they found out their relative had committed a crime.
Here’s more from Radio 5 Live’s Chris Warburton:
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 4 of 7
Chris Warburton
A big majority of people said that they would report to the police if they thought they had
committed a serious crime. 84 per cent of people are prepared to do that even if the
consequences were pretty tough.
Yvonne: 84 percent of people said they were prepared to tell the police if they found out
their relative had committed a crime – even if the consequences were pretty
tough.
Rob: Pretty tough – that's relatively severe, like having a large fine or going to
prison
Yvonne: People were also asked about their family secrets. You may have heard the
phrase: ‘skeletons in the closet’.
Rob: Those are uncomfortable secrets which people try their very best to hide.
Yvonne: Ha ha – and most families have a few skeletons in the closet. The BBC’s
Stephen Chittendon found out about some of the secrets people knew about
their family, but, would rather others didn’t know. Rob, you may have to help
us out here with some of the words and phrases we hear.
Stephen Chittendon
1. My brothers and sisters don't know I'm adopted.
2. My brother in-law pawned his Mum's engagement ring.
3. My Nan – this not all from the same person (woman: that's a relief to hear) – My nan votes
Tory.
Yvonne: So, we heard: 'my brothers and sisters don’t know I’m adopted'
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 7
Rob: OK, well if you’re adopted, you don’t live with your biological parents – other
people become your new parents.
Yvonne: And – 'my brother-in-law pawned his Mum’s engagement ring'
Rob: The sister's husband – my brother-in-law - gave his mother’s precious
engagement ring to a pawn shop in return for money
Yvonne: And this one was odd: 'My nan votes Tory'
Rob: (Ha ha) That person’s grandmother voted for the Conservative Party! Of course,
that wouldn't be a secret for all families.
Yvonne: OK, thanks very much, Rob. Now, do you have any skeletons in your closet?
Rob: Nothing at all. I'm very honest and upfront. No secrets at all.
Yvonne: Umm, I don't know if I believe you Rob!
Rob: I wouldn't tell you anyway; it's a secret!
Yvonne: (Ha, ha). And the answer to our question - what age do most people think it’s
appropriate for children to go to school on their own?
Rob: And I said 11 years old.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 7
Yvonne: And you're right, Rob! The largest number of people from the survey think that
children are ready to walk to school on their own when they're 10 or 11. Thank
you, Rob. We hope you’ve had fun with us today on "6 Minute English" - and
that you’ll join us again next time.
Both: Goodbye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 7 of 7
Vocabulary and definitions
cautious careful, wary
single parents people who are the only parent to their child or children
hobbies things that people do in their spare time for enjoyment
consequences things that happen as a result or effect of something you do
skeletons in the closet secrets, information that people do not want others to
know about
adopted someone who is adopted was taken into the home of
another family and legally became their child
pawned temporarily exchanged for money
upfront open, honest, truthful
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/5live/2010/12/5-live-family-week-survey-resu.shtml
Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/12/101230_6min_english_families.shtml

The World Wide Web turns 20!

2010-12-25T19:02:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
The World Wide Web
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 1 of 7
Rob: Hello, I'm Rob.
Yvonne: I'm Yvonne.
Rob: And this is 6 Minute English! Today we’re celebrating a very special
anniversary - the 20th anniversary of the World Wide Web.
Yvonne: Ah, the World Wide Web. That’s something that's really changed our lives -
and in such a short space of time.
Rob: Hmm - definitely. Well, we’ll talk more about that in a moment - but first I
have a question for you: on average, how long does someone spend surfing the
net each day in the UK? Is it:
a) 7 minutes
b) 27 minutes or
c) 57 minutes
Yvonne: Umm – I'm going to say 27 minutes Rob, because I think people spend much
more time on things like Facebook.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 7
Rob: Hmm – that's true. Well, I’ll give you the right answer at the end of the
programme. But now, let’s find out more about the World Wide Web – or
'www' for short.
Yvonne: www – that’s an acronym! It was on Christmas Day, 20 years ago, that a
breakthrough was made in the development of the internet.
Rob: Yes, a breakthrough or a discovery. The man most associated with this
discovery is Sir Tim Berners-Lee. He’s been nicknamed ‘The Father of the
Web’.
Yvonne: What an amazing thing to invent - but of course, other people were also
involved.
Rob: Yes, of course. Tim Berners-Lee has been quoted as saying: “the remarkable
progress of the Web today has been quite gratifying to me”. 'Gratifying' – that
really means being satisfied - or pleased.
Yvonne: Mm... so he’s really pleased with what has happened to the web – and rightly
so! Rob, can you tell me a bit more about his achievement?
Rob: Well, Sir Tim Berners-Lee worked on the first web page in his spare time. He
was a computer scientist and a computer programmer.
Yvonne: And what did his groundbreaking web page say?
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 7
Rob: It was just information about the project that he was working on. The web
page had a very catchy address: nxoc01.cern.ch!
Yvonne: Ha ha! Yeah, really catchy!
Rob: C.E.R.N spells CERN, and that’s the European Organisation for Nuclear
Research, which is where he worked. But the page didn't actually go online
until August 1991.
Yvonne: But this really heralded the start of people communicating by computer?
Rob: Yes. It really showed how computers could talk to each other using a language
called Hyper Text Mark up Language.
Yvonne: Ah - that’s HTML for short!
Rob: Very good!
Yvonne: So, HTML is the language that computers use to talk to each other – to
communicate with each other.
Rob: It’s very clever isn’t it?
Yvonne: Hmmm.
Rob: And since then the internet has evolved at a rapid rate. Now, there are believed
to be around one trillion web pages.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 4 of 7
Yvonne: Whew! And I’m sure almost everyone uses the internet now – but I wonder
how we'd cope without it?
Rob: Well, we've been asking people just that. Listen to what they said when we
asked: how would you cope without the World Wide Web?
Insert:
Man:
I'd just have to do without it, wouldn't I? If you remember all the scare stories of the
millennium that, you know, all the power stations would shut down and all that – it
didn't happen. As long as my central heating wasn't controlled by the internet, I'd just
have to manage.
Woman:
Probably not very well. Umm - I imagine that most of my social relationships would be a
lot more difficult. And also keeping in contact with people far away would also be
impossible.
Man:
Err – with great difficulty (laughs)! It would be the phone, I imagine, and lots more
writing, lots more paper. Umm – we'd need bigger file cabinets.
Rob: So the first man would cope without the internet, as long as the computers
which help provide power for his central heating – that's the system he uses to
keep warm – isn't affected! He says he'd just have to 'do without it'.
Yvonne: The woman was most worried about her social relationships – keeping in
contact with her friends and family.
Rob: Yes, especially those who are far away. In fact, she thinks keeping in contact
with them would be impossible without the internet. But the last man we heard
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 7
from doesn't agree. Although he says he would cope with great difficulty, he
does have some alternatives – ideas about what we could do instead.
Yvonne: And he has a good point I think, Rob. We could write to each other - like we
used to before we had the internet. It would be lovely to get more hand-written
letters from friends and family rather than just e-mails, I think.
Rob: That's what we call 'snail-mail'. But of course, as that man pointed out, lots
more paper would mean that we'd need bigger file cabinets – the pieces of
furniture that are used to keep all those bits of paper safe.
Yvonne: It’s incredible how the World Wide Web has expanded in twenty years, and
how much we now rely on it. I wonder what it will be like after another twenty
years.
Rob: Well, Sir Tim Berners-Lee has said: “we have only scratched the surface of
what could be realised with deeper scientific investigation into the Web’s
design, operation and impact on society”.
Yvonne: It’s true. We've only just begun to understand how useful the World Wide Web
can really be, especially for people in developing countries.
Rob: So this technological breakthrough, twenty years ago, is something worth
celebrating! Now, Yvonne, earlier I asked you a question. On average, how
long does someone spend surfing the net each day in the UK?
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 7
Yvonne: And I said 27 minutes.
Rob: And you were wrong.
Yvonne: Oh no!
Rob: The average time people spend on the internet each day is a lot longer than that.
It's 57 minutes.
Yvonne: Oh - and without Sir Tim and his colleagues’ work, it wouldn’t be possible at
all.
Rob: That’s right. Well, we do hope you’ve enjoyed today’s 6 Minute English.
Both: Bye bye.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 7 of 7
Vocabulary and definitions
anniversary a date that is remembered each year because something
special happened
surfing searching, looking at, browsing information on the internet
a breakthrough an important discovery, development or achievement
gratifying satisfying, pleasing
heralded signalled something that was going to arrive or happen in
the future
scare stories news that frightens many people unnecessarily, all or parts
of which may not be true
social relationships connections with family and friends
file cabinets (filing cabinets) furniture that is used to keep documents or papers safe;
usually found in offices
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/berners_lee_tim.shtml
Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/12/101223_6min_www_page.shtml

Farming in Africa!

2010-12-17T20:01:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Farming in Africa
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 1 of 6
Alice: Hello, I'm Alice.
Yvonne: And I'm Yvonne.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! And in today’s programme we’re talking about
farming in Africa.
Yvonne: The study of farming is called agriculture.
Alice: This is a new look at agriculture in Africa – how one expert – a Harvard
Professor thinks Africa could change from being an importer of food to an
exporter in one generation.
Yvonne: In one generation – that’s usually a period of about 20 to 30 years. The time it
takes for someone to become an adult.
Alice: In his book ‘The New Harvest’, Professor Calestous Juma says Africa could
become self-sufficient in terms of growing food within one generation. But
before we find out more, can you explain what a staple crop is?
Yvonne: Sure. A staple crop is a plant that is grown for food and it’s considered to be
the most important part of a country’s diet.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 6
Alice: So like rice or corn. And my question is about the country Professor Calestous
Juma comes from originally – Kenya. Which of these is a staple crop in Kenya?
a) rice
b) maize
c) wheat
Yvonne: I think I’m going for maize because I know that is something that’s used in
other countries in Africa.
Alice: Well, we’ll find out at the end of the programme. Now let’s see how Professor
Juma thinks Africa could become food secure.
Yvonne: Food secure – that’s self-sufficient in terms of food.
Alice: He believes that leaders in Africa need to make agriculture a top priority. And
he says that the modernisation of agriculture is the responsibility of African
Presidents. Let’s listen to what he says:
Insert 1: Professor Calestous Juma
I think the most important message is for them to recognise that agriculture and the
economy for Africa are one and the same. And that is the responsibility of an African
president to modernise the economy and that means essentially starting with the
modernisation of agriculture. And that they should stick with it and not hand it over to
departmental (government) ministries.
Alice: Agriculture and economy are one and the same.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 6
Yvonne: One and the same – a phrase which means they are identical. They are the
same – here that the economy in Africa is completely dependent on
agriculture.
Alice: The BBC’s Science Reporter Neil Bowdler says Professor Juma is
thinking big.
Yvonne: Thinking big – he has large ambitions.
Alice: He believes it’s a question of political will.
Yvonne: Political will – if politicians want to make something happen, they will.
Insert 2: BBC’s Science Reporter Neil Bowdler
Professor Juma can't be accused of not thinking big. He says that with land and labour
abundant, Africa shouldn't be a hungry importer of food, but a major exporter. He says
it's all a question of political will.
Alice: Juma can’t be accused of not thinking big.
Yvonne: That’s true. He says Africa has abundant land and labour.
Alice: Abundant – lots of, lots of land to grow crops on and lots of labour – lots of
people to work on farms.
Yvonne: But what about the detail of how this can happen? Large areas of Africa’s land
are desert or suffer from drought.
Alice: According to Neil Bowdler, Juma has a wish list.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 4 of 6
Yvonne: A wish list – a list of things he would like to happen. What are they?
Alice: He wants to boost investment in roads – to carry crops and machines from
place to place.
Yvonne: Boost investment – increase the amount of money put into
agriculture. What else?
Alice: To boost investment in irrigation.
Yvonne: Irrigation – moving water from one place to another to make sure crops don’t
dry out.
Alice: And to mechanise farms – introduce big machines to help with the harvest and
process crops. He wants people to embrace what science can offer.
Yvonne: To embrace what science can offer – to take advantage of new technology.
Alice: In agriculture this might mean using genetically modified crops.
Yvonne: GM crops – crops that have been developed by scientists to be stronger or to
need less water to grow, so they may be less affected by climate change.
Alice: Let’s hear Neil Bowdler again.
Insert 3: BBC’s Science Reporter Neil Bowdler
The wish list - and some will call it that - is a long one. Boost investment in roads,
irrigation and energy schemes. Mechanise all farms, and build storage and processing
facilities. He's also asking the continent to embrace what science can offer, and that
includes using GM crops to combat climate change.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 6
Alice: So before we go Yvonne. Have you thought about our question from earlier?
Which are staple crops in Kenya? Rice, maize, wheat?
Yvonne: I said maize because that’s a staple in other African countries.
Alice: Well, it was a trick question because all three are grown in staple crops
in Kenya. Apparently rice not as much as wheat and maize but it’s catching up.
And before we go today, Yvonne would you mind reading some of the words
and phrases we’ve heard?
Yvonne: Not at all.
agriculture
self-sufficient
staple crop
food-secure
modernisation
thinking big
political will
abundant
Alice: Thanks very much, Yvonne. Beautifully read. We hope you’ve had fun with us
today on 6 Minute English - and that you’ll join us again next time.
Both: Bye.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
agriculture farming
self-sufficient able to provide everything you need, especially food,
without the help of other people
staple crop plant grown for food considered essential part of a
country’s diet
food secure referring to a situation when people could live without
hunger or fear of starvation
modernisation to update something
thinking big having large ambitions
political will how politicians can make something happen if they want
to
abundant more than enough
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11890702
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/12/101216_6min_agriculture_page.shtml

London English: Cockney!

2010-12-11T06:03:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
London English: Cockney
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 1 of 6
Yvonne: Hello, I'm Yvonne Archer.
Alice: I'm Alice.
Yvonne: And this is 6 Minute English! Now, like me, you were born in London, weren't
you Alice?
Alice: Yes I was.
Yvonne: Were you born within the sounds of Bow bells, in the East End of London?
Alice: No, I wasn’t born close enough to hear the bells ringing from a certain church
in Bow.
Yvonne: Ah, so that means officially, you’re not a Cockney. But I imagine like me Alice,
you're probably interested in "Evolving English – One Language, Many
Voices". It’s an exhibition at the British Library which includes a whole
section about London English.
Alice: London English - how interesting!
Yvonne: Hmm, I thought so. Now before we continue, Alice - I've got a tricky little
question for you! Are you ready?
Alice: I am.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 6
Yvonne: OK - in August of 2009, a business decided to officially recognise the Cockney
language by delivering its services using Cockney rhyming slang for three
months. Now can you guess what type of business it was?
a) a hotel
b) a restaurant or
c) a financial business
Alice: Oh, I'm going to guess 'a restaurant', you know, maybe something like a fish
and chips restaurant?
Yvonne: Hmm, that's a nice answer. But as usual, you'll just have to wait until later on to
find out the correct answer! Now the exhibition at the British Library tells us
about the 1500 year history of the English language, as used by people around
the world. And of course, there's information about the Cockney dialect in the
section on London English too.
Alice: Oh that's really good.
Yvonne: Mm. Now if I say, "Hello me ole china" – am I being rude, Alice?
Alice: Oh, no - not at all, that's quite friendly. You're using Cockney rhyming slang to
say: "Hello my old mate - my old friend". So in Cockney rhyming slang, a
word is replaced by another word or phrase that rhymes with it. So here,
"china" from "a china plate" is used instead of "mate". Hello me ole china!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 6
Yvonne: OK, Cockney rhyming slang was, and is still sometimes used in the East End
of London, mainly by working people. It’s changed over the years. So let’s
hear from the exhibition’s curator, Johnny Robinson:
Insert 1: BBC Radio London
In London today, we do still hear that traditional Cockney that's been around for a long
time, but also we get British Asian English speakers, London Jamaican speakers. And so
that's been going on for, you know, a thousand years – people coming into contact with
each other and gradually changing the sounds and the words and the vocabulary that we
hear.
Yvonne: So people of Asian and of Jamaican descent, for example, speak their own
versions of London English, including Cockney. And as they’ve come into
contact with people who speak traditional Cockney, it’s changed.
Alice: That's right - as people immigrate to London, they influence the sounds, the
words, the vocabulary that we hear. But of course, as people who speak
traditional Cockney move out of London, they also take that language with
them.
Yvonne: So, we can also hear it outside the East End of London too. You know what
Alice, I think of Cockney rhyming slang as a sort of code. When I was a child,
adults would speak it around me in Hackney because they didn’t want me to
know what they were saying.
Alice: What a good idea! And it’s said that working-class people in the East End of
London started speaking it because they didn’t want the ruling-class to
understand their conversations.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 4 of 6
Yvonne: That's right. Now I’d also say that Cockney rhyming slang gives East Enders a
strong sense of identity, just like any other language.
Alice: That’s true. If we hear someone speaking Cockney or Cockney rhyming slang,
we immediately know they've got roots in the East End.
Yvonne: That's true. OK, here’s a treat! Let’s hear Paul Ross from BBC Radio London’s
Breakfast Show reading out a message from a listener. But, it’s all in Cockney
rhyming slang. How much will we understand?
Insert 2: BBC Radio London
"Morning Gaby and Paul", says Ian on the Dartford Crossing, "Woke up this morning,
had a jimmy, had a dig in the grave, cleaned me corned beef, put on me trousers, put me
wallet in me sky, came down the apples and pears, got in mi jam jar and I'm now on me
way to work - or in my case" says Ian, "shirk".
Yvonne: Ooh, so what have you got for us, Alice?
Alice: Well, Ian from Dartford Crossing said: "had a dig in the grave" – "grave" -
shave. So he shaved when he woke up.
Yvonne: Ian also "cleaned his corned beef". Did you get that one, Alice?
Alice: Yeah – "he cleaned his corned beef" – so that's cleaning his teeth.
Yvonne: Excellent! Shall we hear the last part of that again? It's quite fast.
Alice: Yeah.
Insert 3: BBC Radio London
"… came down the apples and pears, got in me jam jar and I'm now on me way to work
– or in my case" says Ian, "shirk".
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 6
Yvonne: He "came down the apple and pears" – meaning "stairs".
Alice: And then he got into his "jam jar" – his car - he got into his car.
Yvonne: Now before we go, it’s time for the answer to today’s question. Earlier, I told
you that in August of 2009, a business decided to officially recognise the
Cockney language. And it did this by delivering its services using Cockney
rhyming slang for three months. But, what type of business was it, Alice?
Alice: I thought it might be a restaurant selling something like fish and chips.
Yvonne: Good idea. But no, it was actually the financial institution.
Alice: Oh, how bizarre! Why?
Yvonne: Well, they did it via their cash machines and they thought it would be fun if it
asked you: "please enter your Huckleberry Finn".
Alice: Ha, ha, "Huckleberry Finn" – pin!
Yvonne: Exactly. Anyway, we do hope you’ve had fun with us today on "6 Minute
English" and that you’ll join us again soon.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
evolving gradually changing, developing and adapting
dialect version of a language spoken by a particular group of
people or in a particular area
curator person in charge of gathering objects for exhibitions in
museums or galleries
descent here, a person’s family background, specifically the
nationality of their family
immigrate to come to live in a country after leaving your own
code here, a secret language or system of replacing words with
others so that only certain people can understand its
meaning
ruling class a group of the most powerful of people in charge of
government
sense of identity special things about a particular group of people which
they share and can be recognised by
roots here, the place where a person comes from
delivering its services making its products and help available to customers
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11640951
Read and listen to the story online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/12/101202_6min_london_english_page.shtml

The London Tube!

2010-12-03T19:47:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
The London Tube
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 1 of 6
Yvonne: This is 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer and Alice has kindly joined me
for today's programme. Hello Alice.
Alice: Hi Yvonne.
Yvonne: Now Alice, how do you get around London?
Alice: Ooh – by bus, bicycle and usually the Tube.
Yvonne: Aha, and most people would agree that the London Underground – ‘the Tube’ -
is the best way to get around this city. But many people have a love-hate
relationship with the underground – we either love it or hate it.
Insert 1: Tube announcement
(Ladies and gentlemen)…because of earlier signal failure, theMetropolitan Line has
severe delays and Hammersmith & City, Circle and Victoria Lines are all operating
with minor delays. We have a good service and operation on all of our other London
Underground lines (baby crying).
Alice: Oh dear, more delays – that's when the Tube is running late and doesn't come
along when we expect it to. And that makes it unreliable.
Yvonne: And the thing I hate most is that on a crowded carriage – or compartment - I
always have to stand under someone's armpit – and they don't always smell
very nice!
Alice: Oh, Yvonne – you poor thing. It's probably because you're not that tall, right?
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: Anyway, there is a lot to love about the Tube as well. It’s reasonably fast, it
covers a wide area and it has a long history. Now, it’s time for today's question,
Alice. During the last financial year, how many kilometres did Tube trains
travel? Was it about equal to:
a) 72 trips to the moon and back
b) 85 trips to the moon and back or
c) 90 trips to the moon and back
Alice: Oh, I've got no idea, so I'm going to guess and go for the big one. 90 trips to
the moon and back.
Yvonne: Mmmm – a very brave guess! But we’ll find out whether you've given us the
right answer or not later on. Now, if you live or work in London, or even if
you’ve only ever used the Tube once as a visitor to Britain, you’ll probably
have an opinion on it.
Alice: Yes, tourists and visitors to London who I’ve spoken to say they find it quite
simple to use and that the map is very good. It's difficult to get lost
underground.
Yvonne: Hmm, it is. When our colleague Natalie first arrived in London from Northern
Ireland, one thing about the Tube really surprised her.
Insert 2: Natalie
Nobody speaks to each other on the Tube; nobody looks at each other either most of the
time. And at first, it was strange being that close to strangers, but you just have to get on
with it or you'll not get on the Tube.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 6
Yvonne: So Natalie found it strange to be standing so close to people she didn't know –
strangers – because the Tube was so crowded.
Alice: She soon realised that if she didn't 'get on with it', squeeze into a carriage and
travel in cramped conditions at rush hour, she might never go anywhere.
Yvonne: Mm, Natalie was most surprised that people don’t really speak to each other on
the Tube. And do you know, it's true. We do avoid eye contact with other
people, but I’m not sure why? But I'm a Londoner, and of course, I think lots
of us are quite friendly.
Alice: I think it happens in all big cities. When there are lots of people in small,
public places, people avoid eye contact or talking to each other.
Yvonne: Now let’s hear from Wang Fei, another of our colleagues. He's from China, but
has a much more romantic view of the Tube. Let’s listen to part of this rather
poetic piece he created about the sounds we hear underground:
Insert 3: Wang Fei
I hear a rumbling noise begin quietly, then grow louder and louder, building up to a
noise explosion as the train comes into the station. (This is South Kensington…). I hear
the beeping sound and the doors open and close. I hear the clacking sound of the
track, a constant soundtrack to people silently reading newspapers and books on the
train.
Yvonne: Aw, Alice, that might certainly make us feel a little differently about the Tube,
don't you think?
Alice: Yes, it often takes fresh eyes to look at something we take for granted.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: That’s true. So Wang Fei used quite a few adjectives to describe some of the
sounds we heard there as we travel on the Tube. Alice, remind us of a few
please.
Alice: Sure. Wang Fei describes the sudden, loud sound that we hear as the train
arrives at a station as 'a noise explosion'. But first, the train makes a quiet,
rumbling noise that grows louder and louder.
Yvonne: Mmm, that was lovely, because it's the same word we use to describe the
sound our stomachs make when we're hungry. Our stomachs rumble. They
make a rumbling sound.
Alice: Then there was 'beeping' - that's the sound we hear as the doors open and close
on the carriages. And this beeping's really important for blind or visually
impaired people to know when the doors are open or shut.
Yvonne: Yes, because the beeping sound lets them know when it's safe to get on and off
the train.
Alice: We also heard about the 'clacking' sound – which Wang Fei says is a
continuous sound that we hear in the background. So it's like the music in a
film; he calls it 'a constant soundtrack'.
Yvonne: 'A constant soundtrack'. Well, I hope we'll both think about all those things
next time we're stuck on a Tube train, Alice.
Alice: I hope so.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 6
Yvonne: And before we go, our question! I asked you Alice: during the last financial
year, how many kilometres did Tube trains travel, in terms of trips to the moon
and back? And your answer was?
Alice: I think I said 90.
Yvonne: Yes, 90 trips to the moon and back.
Alice: Amazing!
Yvonne: Thanks Alice, that was fun! Do join us again soon for more "6 Minute English".
Both: Bye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
get around travel around
the Tube the London Underground train system
a love-hate relationship relationship (often not romantic) where feelings towards
someone or something vary from love to hate
delays when things are later than expected or planned
unreliable cannot be depended on
get on with it hurry up or do something you might find difficult
eye contact to look at someone while they are looking at you
take for granted don't understand the value of
visually impaired not able to see properly
soundtrack music used in or made for a film
Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/11/101125_6min_tube_page.shtml

Estate Agents!

2010-11-27T17:10:00.000-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Estate agents’ language
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 1 of 6
Yvonne: Hello, I'm Yvonne Archer and this is 6 Minute English. Today, I've been
joined by Alice. Hi Alice!
Alice: Hi Yvonne!
Yvonne: Now Alice, everyone seems to have something to say about estate agents or as
they’re known in the United States, real-estate agents - the people who help
others to buy or sell houses or flats. But what would you say about the
language they use?
Alice: Oh, it can be very descriptive and often, they make things sound better than
they really are.
Yvonne: Hmm – I have to agree with you on that one. Well, estate agents do seem to
have a language all of their own. For example, if they describe a house as
'characterful' – what would you think they meant by that, Alice?
Alice: Well, 'characterful' – so full of character, perhaps old, unusual and maybe that
there are quite a few things that need fixing.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 6
Yvonne: Mm-hmm, definitely! But before we go any further, let’s have today’s question.
There are lots of old houses in London Alice, but do you know anything about
the smallest house?
Alice: The smallest house? I don't.
Yvonne: Well, the smallest house was built 1805 in central London and it's said that it
was used by people who were watching out for body snatchers – people who
stole bodies from the nearby cemetery for medical examinations. Anyway, can
you guess how wide that house is, Alice?
a) 2.4 metres
b) 5.6 metres or
c) 1 metre
Alice: Oh, I think I'll go for 2.4 metres. I can't imagine anything smaller.
Yvonne: No - but I will tell you what the correct answer is later on. So, we’ve already
heard some language used by real-estate agents, but what about some of the
other things they write in advertisements. In 1968 it became illegal - against
the law – to advertise a house or a flat in a way that might discriminate against
different groups of people or encourage discrimination. Listen to this example:
Insert 1:
Beautiful 3 bedroom house, close to temples.
Yvonne: Alice, why might that language be seen as discriminatory?
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 6
Alice: Well, it said ‘close to temples’. So maybe that might describe the perfect house
for people of a certain religion. But it could also seem like the sellers and the
estate agent won’t sell the house to people of any other religion.
Yvonne: Mmm… so using the words ‘close to temples’ could be used to exclude or
discriminate against people of other religions, or encourage discrimination
against them.
Alice: Hmmm, it's complicated. So estate agents have to be very careful about the
language they use to stay within the law.
Yvonne: Now one of the most interesting uses of language in estate agent adverts are
the synonyms; finding words which mean the same thing. So, for example,
how many ways can you say the word ‘small’ without putting people off?
Here’s Paul Bonnett, an estate agent, who’s said that for the past 30 years, the
vocabulary estate agents use hasn’t changed much.
Insert 2: Paul Bonnett
You’ve got the compact, you've got the bijou, you've got the delightful, you've got
attractive (charming), you've got panoramic…
Yvonne: So there, we heard words that lots of estate agents use. Alice – can you explain
them for us, please?
Alice: Yes – we heard ‘compact’, which means that it’s quite small, but everything
that’s needed can still fit into it. We heard ‘bijou’ – that's more elegant. It
means that the apartment, the flat, is small and elegant.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: Mm… and what about ‘panoramic’?
Alice: Well, that means there's a good view of the area. So you can see all around you
from the flat.
Yvonne: Now, Paul Bonnet wanted the adverts from his real-estate agency to stand out
from all the others – to be more noticeable so that they’d attract more
customers. They decided to make their descriptions more poetic – like poetry.
Alice: And of course, while factual descriptions appeal to or satisfy our heads – our
intellect – poetry appeals to our hearts – how we feel.
Yvonne: It does, so here’s a factual description for a flat:
Insert 3:
Two bedroom, first floor balcony flat with some superb sea views towards the Palace
Pier.
Yvonne: Okay, we know there are two bedrooms, but did the description include
anything that appeals to your emotions, Alice?
Alice: Well, not really. I mean 'superb sea views' sounds quite nice, but nothing too
attractive.
Yvonne: No, so let’s hear a more poetic description of the same flat by the poet, Paul
Lyle. He's helping Paul Bonnet write his adverts:
Insert 4: Paul Lyle
The room fills your eyes with air and space. The first thing you see is the sea meeting the
sky. The windows lead out onto the terrace, taking you above and beyond with room to
breathe.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 6
Yvonne: Would you be interested in viewing that flat, Alice?
Alice: It sounds lovely! Filling your eye with air and space.
Yvonne: So adverts that appeal to our emotions but are also accurate and fair seem to
work quite well for us, don't they Alice?
Alice: They do.
Yvonne: Now earlier, I asked you how wide the smallest house in London is and what
you said was…
Alice: I think I went for 2.4 metres.
Yvonne: Oh, it’s actually 1.05 metres wide – really narrow.
Alice: So – compact and bijou!
Yvonne: Well, that’s all for today's "6 Minute English". Join us again.
Both: Bye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 6 of 6
Vocabulary and definitions
estate agents people who sell properties including flats and houses
characterful a word used by estate agents to suggest a building is full of
character, perhaps old or unusual
illegal not allowed by the law, against the law
discriminatory unfair; treating some people worse than others
synonyms words that mean the same thing or have a similar meaning
compact small, with just enough space to fit what is needed
bijou small and elegant (in French this means ‘jewel’)
panoramic a good view of the surrounding area
poetic like poetry
intellect idea of what is makes sense

Men are the weaker sex!

2010-11-19T18:10:00.001-08:00

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Men are the weaker sex
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 1 of 5
Yvonne: This is 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer - and I’ve been joined by Rob.
Hello Rob!
Rob: Hello Yvonne.
Yvonne: Now Rob, you may not know this, but experts say that men are the weaker sex.
Can you explain that term for us please, ‘the weaker sex’?
Rob: Well I'll try! Now traditionally, women are generally known as ‘the weaker
sex’ – so they’re not as strong as men and need to be protected. But in terms of
health, women are the strong, healthy ones - so, men are supposedly the weaker
sex.
Yvonne: Now it's time for today’s question! Rob, compared with the early 1960s, each
year, the number of men who enter medical schools in the UK has doubled. But
how many women enter medical school each year?
a) About the same number
b) Triple the number - or
c) Ten-fold
Rob: Hmm… that's a tricky one. I would probably say about the same number.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 2 of 5
Yvonne: Mmm…as usual, we’ll find out the correct answer later on. So, why are men
the weaker sex in terms of health? Writer, Doug Devaney told the BBC’s
Breakfast television programme how he started taking tablets for angina – a
type of heart condition. But unfortunately, Doug was still getting chest pains
and a few days later, he collapsed in the street.
Extract 1: Doug Devaney
15 minutes later after the fact of the initial attack, I thought: 'Oh well, I've got through
that' and so forth. I went off and carried on my business as usual. But then I realised
after a while that I couldn't run for the bus or anything like that. So I just thought:
'Well - I've already been there; I don't want to be a fuss, I don't want to be a burden.'
Rob: Wow – just 15 minutes later, it was ‘business as usual’ for Doug; he carried
on doing what he usually does. Doug should have gone back to the hospital
when he was still getting pains in his chest - but he didn't. Shocking!
Yvonne: Definitely – and that helps to explain why men are the weaker sex. They find it
difficult to ask for medical help when they need it, which can be dangerous.
For example, Rob, did you know that men are more likely than women to get
cancer and die from it - and they’re more likely to commit suicide?
Rob: Hmm…no, I didn't know that. That's really shocking.
Yvonne: And sad too. So if more men ask for medical attention, more lives could be
saved. But did you catch the reasons Doug Devaney gave for not going back to
the hospital, Rob?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 3 of 5
Rob: Yes, he said he ‘didn’t want to be a fuss’ – so he didn’t want to draw any
attention to himself. Or we can also say: ‘he didn’t want to make a fuss’.
Yvonne: He also said he ‘didn’t want to be a burden’.
Rob: No, he didn't want to be a nuisance, a bother – to use up anyone’s time and
make them feel like they were responsible for looking after him. Doug didn’t
want to be ‘a burden’.
Yvonne: Of course, doctors are there to look after us. We’re not a burden to them even
if, like men, many of our illnesses are caused by lifestyle choices. Rob, what
are 'lifestyle choices'?
Rob: Well, these are things we choose to do in life - such as drinking and smoking
too much, an unhealthy diet maybe, or not getting enough exercise. Those are
all 'lifestyle choices'.
Yvonne: Mmm…now, as men tend to work more hours than women, it can be more
difficult – or harder for them to ask for the help they need – and get to doctors'
appointments. But are there other reasons why they don't? Peter Baker is Chief
Executive of the charity, The Men’s Health Forum. And Peter has a possible
answer for us.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 4 of 5
Extract 2: Peter Baker, Chief Executive, The Men’s Health Forum
I think men are still stuck in the attitude: they mustn't admit there's something wrong
with them. They mustn't show weakness, admit a vulnerability. And I think this makes
it much harder for them to ask for help from a doctor or another health professional.
Yvonne: So men have an attitude – a way of thinking - that they just won't change.
They're 'stuck' in their attitude which makes it harder for them to ask for
medical help.
Rob: Experts say that we men believe we mustn't let other people know – we mustn't
admit – that there's something wrong with us. And Doug's story shows us how
dangerous it can be.
Yvonne: Exactly. Peter Baker says that men believe they mustn't show weakness or
‘vulnerability’ – but can you explain what is meant by 'vulnerability', Rob?
Rob: Yes, if you're 'vulnerable', you're not at your best. Perhaps you're easily hurt,
either physically because you're ill, or emotionally because, for example, you're
not feeling particularly happy. And men don't like to show that they're
vulnerable – they don't like to show their 'vulnerability'.
Yvonne: So, what can be done to change this situation where men are now the weaker
sex when it comes to health? Here’s Peter Baker again with two suggestions.
Extract 3: Peter Baker, Chief Executive, The Men’s Health Forum
I think we've got to do two things: we've got to educate men, change men's attitudes,
make them more aware. But we've also got to make the system much more accessible.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
Page 5 of 5
Yvonne: So, the medical system needs to be easier to use – it needs to be 'more
accessible', and men need to be made more aware.
Rob: Yes, men need help to understand more about when it's really important for
them to get medical help and why, even if the problem was caused by lifestyle
choices.
Yvonne: Absolutely! Now earlier Rob, I asked: since the early 1960s, how many
women enter medical school each year?
Rob: And I said: about the same number.
Yvonne: It's actually ten-fold.
Rob: Wow – that is a lot!
Yvonne: It is… but that's all for today's "6 Minute English".
Both: Goodbye!