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Welcome to News In Slow English! Tune in every week to hear the latest stories, delivered in clear, slow English that’s perfect for intermediate language learners. On the Podcast page you’ll find the latest episode, and all the previous ones in case you missed one. Don’t forget to subscribe to never miss an episode! Additionally, you’ll find comprehension questions based around every episode so you can check how much you understood, and the transcript to help you with any difficult vocabulary. Enjoy!   Transcript First, read through these questions. Then, listen to the podcast and try to answer the questions. If you find it difficult, read the transcript while listening to the podcast, and focus on the way the words are pronounced. For howlong have the FARC and the government been fighting? 52 years. Have the two sides kept the promises they made just before the elections?Luckily not. They promised that there would be no second chances, but not are willing to negotiate for peace. What was the main reason why the proposed peace was rejected?People felt that the terms were too kind to the rebels. For how long were the people trapped inside the London Eye?Three-and-a-half hours. Who called the emergency services? Who didn't? Why didn't they?Some of the trapped tourists called the fire brigade. Merlin Entertainments, the company who owns the London Eye, didn’t call for help because it was a technical problem and they didn’t think it was necessary. What does the Chinese company consider a better use of money than buying an iPhone?Investing in children’s education and care for the elderly. Why were Apple phones unavailable in Beijing in June this year?A Chinese company claimed that they were too similar to a phone that they produce, so they banned their sale. What verb is used to mean 'to steal an animal'?To rustle. For example: 300 sheep were rustled last year. That man is guilty of sheep rustling. How did the farmer solve the problem of sheep rustling?He painted his flock bright orange, so that they are easy to identify. What word is used to talk about the maximum and minimum temperatures predicted on a weather forecast?Highs of … degrees and lows of … degrees.  

Welcome to News In Slow English! Tune in every week to hear the latest stories, delivered in clear, slow English that’s perfect for intermediate language learners. On the Podcast page you’ll find the latest episode, and all the previous ones in case you missed one. Additionally, you’ll find comprehension questions based around every episode so you can check how much you understood, and the transcript to help you with any difficult vocabulary. Enjoy! Transcript First, read through these questions. Then, listen to the podcast and try to answer the questions. If you find it difficult, read the transcript while listening to the podcast, and focus on the way the words are pronounced. Which country is leading in the paralympics, and how many medals do they have?China, with 191. Is the recent violence the first racist attack that the town of Bautzen has seen?No: a house designed to shelter immigrants was burned down in February. How long did it take the police to regain control of the situation?There was chaos for 45-90 minutes, according to the chief of police. Which two countries are funding the new power station and what percentage is each one contributing?France will finance two thirds of the project, and China the remainder. Suggest two positive impacts of the new power station.Any two from: it will create 25,000 jobs; it will provide 7% of the UK’s energy requirements; it will help achieve emission reduction targets. How many pounds (lbs) of crickets could be produced with the amount of water needed to produce 2lbs of beef?2000. Which English idiom means 'to solve two problems at once'?To kill two birds with one stone. E.g. ‘We could kill two birds with one stone, and eat the crickets which are killing our crops.’ What is the major difference between the British and Chinese officials who have recently been involved in social media scandals?The Chinese scandal was allegedly censored so that no one knew about it whereas Corbyn was publicly criticised. How many Hanjin Shipping boats are currently stranded?More or less 60 boats and their crews. Who was allowed to leave the boats to celebrate the South Korean harvest festival?No one: all the captains and crews have been forced to remain on-board.

Welcome to News In Slow English! Tune in every week to hear the latest stories, delivered in clear, slow English that’s perfect for intermediate language learners. On the Podcast page you’ll find the latest episode, and all the previous ones in case you missed one. Additionally, you’ll find comprehension questions based around every episode so you can check how much you understood, and the transcript to help you with any difficult vocabulary. Enjoy!   Transcript First, read through these questions. Then, listen to the podcast and try to answer the questions. If you find it difficult, read the transcript while listening to the podcast, and focus on the way the words are pronounced. What is the idiom used to describe a day with no interesting news?It’s called a slow news day. When was the scheduled launch date of the rocket which exploded?The 4th of September. What was the purpose of the satellite which the rocket was carrying?It would have provided internet access for remote parts of sub-Saharan Africa. How are other countries reacting to North Korea's nuclear test?Many countries including China, Russia and the USA have condemned the test and threatened strong punishments. Suggest a possible social effect of the education system in 1944.The separation of “the cleverest” from the “less clever” is thought to be one of the causes of social inequality in the UK.  Aside from the debate about grammar schools, from which other two problems is the UK education system suffering?A lack of funding and a lack of teachers. (A lack = not enough) What does courageous mean?Brave, fearless. What was the major change that Apple made to the design of the new iPhone 7?They have removed the 3.5mm jack socket, used to connect standard headphones. How are Apple Airpods charged up?They have a special box which charges them. If a Londoner wanted to go for a walk in Hyde Park this weekend, which day would be best for it?Sunday, because rain is forecasted for Saturday.  

Welcome to News In Slow English! Tune in every week to hear the latest stories, delivered in clear, slow English that’s perfect for intermediate language learners. On the Podcast page you’ll find the latest episode, and all the previous ones in case you missed one. Additionally, on the blog you’ll find comprehension questions based around every episode so you can check how much you understood, and the transcript to help you with any difficult vocabulary. Enjoy!   INSERT AUDIO HERE Transcript First, read through these questions. Then, listen to the podcast and try to answer the questions. If you find it difficult, read the transcript while listening to the podcast, and focus on the way the words are pronounced. What phrase do English people often say on the first of the month?A pinch and a punch, it’s the first of the month! For how many days are junior doctors threatening to strike this month?Five days How are hospitals trying to minimise the impacts of the strike?They are postponing non-essential operations such as knee and hip replacements. Compared with Wednesdays, how likely are hospital patients to survive if they are admitted at weekends?Patients are 10% more likely to die if they’re admitted on Saturday and 15% if they’re admitted on Sunday. How much money has Apple been told to pay back to Ireland?€13bn or £11bn. What could be a possible bad side effect of paying the extra money, according to Apple?They have suggested that jobs and investment could lost. How could the American economy be hurt by Donald Trump's proposed rules?Many states rely on immigrant labour at harvest time. Why may driverless taxis not be practical, even if the technology works?Taxi drivers do more than just drive the taxi: communicating with passengers and ensuring good behaviour are also important roles. When was the first electric vehicle invented?1834. Why is the new battery such an important breakthrough?It allows electric cars to have the same range as a petrol car. Tune in next week for another episode of News In Slow English!

Welcome to News In Slow English! Tune in every week to hear the latest stories, delivered in clear, slow English that’s perfect for intermediate language learners. On the Podcast page you’ll find the latest episode, and all the previous ones in case you missed one. Additionally, on the blog you’ll find comprehension questions based around every episode so you can check how much you understood, and the transcript to help you with any difficult vocabulary. Enjoy!   INSERT AUDIO HERE Transcript First, read through these questions. Then, listen to the podcast and try to answer the questions. If you find it difficult, read the transcript while listening to the podcast, and focus on the way the words are pronounced. When was Airlander 10's first flight?Last week. The specific word for a first flight is a “maiden flight”. Check out the podcast page if you missed it! How far is Rome from Amatrice?100km. What is the noun for 'secondary earthquakes'?After-shocks. E.g.:’After-shocks have been felt’/’there have been aftershocks’. What causes the frequent earthquakes in central Italy?The collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. For how long have the FARC militants been fighting government forces in Columbia?Around 52 years. What did the rebels and government officials do before announcing the peace plans in Havana this week?They sang the national anthem together. What is the outlook of the aviation company which built the Airlander following its crash?They remain positive, insisting that the flight went well and planning to produce ten of the aircraft by 2021. According to the broadcast, what are the possible benefits of driverless cars?They may help reduce road accidents, and allow people who otherwise are unable to drive due to disability the opportunity to travel. What safety measures are in place to protect passengers during the driverless taxi experiment?Each vehicle has a driver who can take control if necessary. What has the US government done to assist with the development of driverless cars?It has agreed to invest $4bn in the technology, starting by standardising laws regarding the vehicles across all the states.

Welcome to News In Slow English! Tune in every week to hear the latest stories, delivered in clear, slow English that’s perfect for intermediate language learners. On the Podcast page you’ll find the latest episode, and all the previous ones in case you missed one. Additionally, on the blog you’ll find comprehension questions based around every episode so you can check how much you understood, and the transcript to help you with any difficult vocabulary. Enjoy!   Transcript First, read through these questions. Then, listen to the podcast and try to answer the questions. If you find it difficult, read the transcript while listening to the podcast, and focus on the way the words are pronounced. What two theories have the french media proposed to explain England's recent success in cycling?They suggested that extra team GB have more funding available to them, and that they have superior muscle power. How old is the former head of the European Olympics Committee?He is 71. What is the verb used to mean 'selling a ticket for more than its face value'?Ticket touting: to tout tickets. What has caused the recent fall in the value of the pound?The recent referendum which decided that Britain would leave the EU. [Which members of the government are currently not in office, and why?”]The Prime Minister, Chancellor and Health Secretary are all on holiday.[/accordion_item] What is the most positive part of the new children's health plan?Despite being generally disappointing, it does at least promote sport. What has Germany's immigration policy been for the past year?They have been welcoming refugees in an ‘open door’ policy. Why has Angela Merkel been criticised recently regarding immigration?Two of the three recent violent attacks in Bavaria were comitted by asylum seekers, which has caused some people to distrust immigrants. How long was the previous longest aircraft in the world?92-8 = 84 metres What are the two main planned uses of the new Airlander?Military surveillance and aid work.

Welcome to News In Slow English! Tune in every week to hear the latest stories, delivered in clear, slow English that’s perfect for intermediate language learners. On the Podcast page you’ll find the latest episode, and all the previous ones in case you missed one. Additionally, on the blog you’ll find comprehension questions based around every episode so you can check how much you understood, and the transcript to help you with any difficult vocabulary. Enjoy!   Transcript First, read through these questions. Then, listen to the podcast and try to answer the questions. If you find it difficult, read the transcript while listening to the podcast, and focus on the way the words are pronounced. How many medals has Britain won so far, and how many are the Team GB athletes expected to win?They have won 12 so far (day 6), and are expected to win 48. In what position is Japan and how many medals have they won?Japan are third, with 17 (on day 6). What problem has occurred in the games recently?The water in the diving pool and water polo pool has turned green. Which of these headlines best describes the second news story? 1) Man breaks into Trump tower. 2) Man rescued from top of Trump Tower. 3) Man arrested for trying to climb Trump Tower.3. The man was arrested on the 21st floor, after climbing for 2 hours. Explain who is affected by Australia's movement and why.Farmers, because their GPS controlled tractors are no longer accurate. What negative social effects have been seen as a result of the Brexit vote? Is it the first time this has happened?There has been a significant increase in hate crime and racism. This has happened before following other major news events such as Lee Rigby’s murder. What is Scotland planning to invest £100m in?They want to speed up current projects to create new jobs. When was Palestine removed from Google Maps?It wasn’t. Google has said that Palestine was never shown on its Maps application. Which days this week would not be suitable for a picnic in London?Wednesday and Thursday, as it is predicted to rain.    Tune in next week for another podcast and more listening activities!

Welcome to News In Slow English! Tune in every week to hear the latest stories, delivered in clear, slow English that’s perfect for intermediate language learners. On the Podcast page you’ll find the latest episode, and all the previous ones in case you missed one. Additionally, on the blog you’ll find comprehension questions based around every episode so you can check how much you understood, and the transcript to help you with any difficult vocabulary. Enjoy!   INSERT AUDIO HERE Transcript First, read through these questions. Then, listen to the podcast and try to answer the questions. If you find it difficult, read the transcript while listening to the podcast, and focus on the way the words are pronounced. What two theories have the french media proposed to explain England's recent success in cycling?They suggested that extra team GB have more funding available to them, and that they have superior muscle power. How old is the former head of the European Olympics Committee?He is 71. What is the verb used to mean 'selling a ticket for more than its face value'?Ticket touting: to tout tickets. What has caused the recent fall in the value of the pound?The recent referendum which decided that Britain would leave the EU. [Which members of the government are currently not in office, and why?”]The Prime Minister, Chancellor and Health Secretary are all on holiday.[/accordion_item] What is the most positive part of the new children's health plan?Despite being generally disappointing, it does at least promote sport. What has Germany's immigration policy been for the past year?They have been welcoming refugees in an ‘open door’ policy. Why has Angela Merkel been criticised recently regarding immigration?Two of the three recent violent attacks in Bavaria were comitted by asylum seekers, which has caused some people to distrust immigrants. How long was the previous longest aircraft in the world?92-8 = 84 metres What are the two main planned uses of the new Airlander?Military surveillance and aid work.