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BBC Betty Friedan
Learning English - Words in the News06 February, 2006 - Published 12:28 GMTUS feminist Betty Friedan diesBetty Friedan, a feminist iconOne of America's most famous feminist thinkers and writers, Betty Friedan, has died at the age of 85. She was best known for her book The Feminine Mystique, which helped start the modern women's movement in the United States.

This report by Lucy Williamson:

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That the things Betty Friedan said in the 1960s seem unremarkable now is, partly at least, down to her impact.

Back then the things she campaigned for - the right to abortion, equal pay, maternity leave and job adverts that didn't specify the sex of the person being sought - were seen by many in America as radical ideas.

Something Betty Friedan herself was keenly aware of, when in 1963 she published her book The Feminine Mystique.In the book, Betty Friedan described what she called 'the problem with no name' - the frustrations felt by educated, full-time mothers. In the 1950s, America expected its women to be completely fulfilled by marriage and motherhood. The idea that women might want to achieve something outside of this startled polite society.The book became a best-seller; and Betty Friedan a household name.

Three years later, she co-founded the National Organisation for Women and served as its first president. But in the 1970s, she split from the organisation, accusing many of her contemporaries of focusing too much on lesbian issues and of equating feminism with hating men.

Listen to the words
impact = influence, powerful effect
campaigned for = worked for
specify = describe, name
sought = looked for
radical = extreme, supporting great social and political change
mystique = the quality of being special in a mysterious and attractive way
startled polite society = surprised and worried large numbers of people who live in a socially correct way
a household name = a very famous person that most people know of
lesbian = to do with women who are sexually attracted to other women
equating feminism with hating men = thinking of feminism and hating men as the same thing

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leave = congé

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least
(adjectif).

le plus petit.

le moindre.

le moins.

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At least : au moins

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abortion =
avortement

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aware
(adjectif).
conscient.

au courant.

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fulfil ou fulfill
(verbe).
accomplir.

remplir (conditions, obligations).

s'acquitter de.

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split

diviser.

se diviser

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Beijing Sidelines a Million Cars for Olympic Air-Quality Test
By Daniel Schearf Beijing17 August 2007
Schearf report (mp3) - Download 575k Listen to Schearf report (mp3)
Beijing is pulling more than a million cars from the streets to test the effect on air quality and traffic flow. The four-day experiment is part of a search for ways to improve the Chinese capital's notorious air pollution and horrific traffic jams during next year's Olympic games. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.
Rush hour traffic on Beijing streets. Beijing is one of the world's most polluted cities and poor air quality (File)For four days, most vehicles in Beijing will only be allowed to take to the road on alternate days - odd-numbered license plates one day, even numbers the next.
China's official Xinhua news agency says the temporary measure is expected to remove more than a third of Beijing's three million-plus vehicles from city streets.
If the test leads to significant improvements in air quality and traffic flow, Beijing may use a similar method during the Olympic games next year, when 2.5 million visitors are expected to put added strains on the city's already clogged transportation systems.
Wen Bo is based in Beijing-based for Pacific Environment, a San-Francisco environmental group. He says limiting cars might affect traffic, but is not likely to have a big impact on Beijing's air quality. He says the city is surrounded by too much polluting industry for temporary measures to make much of a difference.
"Lots of factories have been relocated out of Beijing but they are still surrounding the city. So, they have to deal with the entire region. It's not just one city," he said. "You cannot just have a pocket of clean air and a sea of polluted air all around it. By reducing car numbers on the street, you're only dealing with one section of the problem."
Olympic teams are worried that the heavy air pollution may affect their athletes' health during the games.
The International Olympic Committee president said some endurance events might have to be postponed if Beijing's air quality is too poor.
The Chinese government is counting on the games to highlight the country's emergence as a world economic power. If the games are tainted by poor air, or if athletes can't get to their venues because they are trapped in traffic, it would be a major embarrassment for the hosts.
Officials say particulate matter, a major element of air pollution, has been reduced in recent years, but the rapidly increasing number of cars on the capital's roads poses a new challenge to air quality.
As the economy has raced ahead, the city's well-to-do have bought cars to show off their new wealth, adding a thousand new vehicles to Beijing streets each day.
Before the Olympic Games begin in August 2008, the city government plans to more than double the number of subway lines and put more buses on the road to encourage the use of public transportation. Half of Beijing's more than 20,000 buses already run on clean natural gas, and the other half are due to be converted by the end of this year.
But officials are concerned these steps may not be enough. Draconian measures, like ordering vehicles off the streets, may be necessary.

Learning English - Words in the News

13 August, 2007 - Published 14:29 GMT

Fidel Castro's birthday

The president of Cuba, Fidel Castro, is 81 today and for the first time in years there will be no official celebrations to mark his birthday. Mr Castro has been ill since last year when he was forced to hand over the leadership temporarily basis. This report from Simon Watts:
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When he was in good health, Fidel Castro enjoyed celebrating his birthday in public. Concerts were laid on, Cubans would wave flags at parades and children would share slices of cake. The events gave Mr Castro an image of being "father of the revolution"; his absence today is further confirmation that he's unlikely to play the same role again.
But although Fidel Castro dominated Cuban political life for nearly fifty years, his illness hasn't created a leadership vacuum. His brother, Raul - acting president now for over a year - is credited with keeping the Cuban people calm and the government united. Raul Castro has moved his supporters into key positions, while the powerful Cuban army - which he leads - has been given a bigger role in overhauling the economy.
Many analysts think the transition to a Raul Castro presidency is well underway, even though his ailing brother insists he's being consulted on the key decisions. But the real test for the survival of the Cuban system will still come when Fidel Castro dies. This could be the catalyst for bottled-up social tension, or rivalry within the government to break out, even though observers generally think Cuba is more likely to experience a slow, orderly transition to a more open system.
Simon Watts, BBC
Listen to the words
laid onhere, held
further confirmationyet more proof
dominatedwas the most important person, had control over Cuba
leadership vacuumwhen there is no clear leader
credited withpraised for, responsible for
overhauling the economyrestructuring and improving the economy so that every part of it works properly
well underwayevidently happening
ailingill, unfit
catalystan event or person that causes great change
bottled-upwhen a person bottles things up, they refuse to talk about things that make them angry or worried, or express their feelings/thoughts
Read more about this story

Learning English - News about Britain
Universities in the UK
Listen to the story
Universities in Britain are a magnet for overseas students. There are currently over 200,000 from outside Britain studying at British universities. The largest single group is Chinese students. There are currently 50,000 in the UK. The British government expects the total number of overseas students to be around 900,000 by 2020, and also thinks that a quarter of these will be Chinese.
But why is the UK such a popular destination for university students? Well, the quality of your course is guaranteed. All courses are assessed by an independent system, so you can be assured that your course is officially approved and has wide international recognition.
The British education system is very flexible in order to provide for the needs of a modern, complex society. It is also cost-effective. Degree courses are usually shorter and more intensive than in other countries. There are lots of scholarships available. You normally need 3 A-levels, which are the exams taken by people leaving school at 18, in order to enter an undergraduate degree course. You also need an IELTS score of at least 5.5, but many universities offer foundation or access courses to prepare students for their studies.
British universities offer a personalised but independent approach. The emphasis is on creative and independent thought, which helps develop the skills you will need to compete in the global job market. Tutors not only teach but also provide support and guidance. As a result, international students have a very low drop out rate and a very high pass rate.
It is very simple to become an international student in the UK. The British Council offers a free and impartial service to anyone who is interested in studying in the UK, and an organisation called UCAS assists you in finding a course and making an effective application.
The UK is a dynamic and cosmopolitan place. The countryside is beautiful, and the theatres, museums, architecture and rich history make it a fascinating place to live and study. Why not give it a go?

Vocabulary
magneta thing that attracts (literally, a piece of metal that attracts or repels iron)
overseascoming from abroad, foreign
guaranteedpromised and assured
assessedevaluated, ranked
recognitionaccepting that something (e.g. a course) is of high quality
cost-effectivehere, provides good education for not too much money
degreehere, providing further education
scholarshipspayments from a sponsor's funds to maintain a good student in full-time education
IELTSshort for International English Language Testing System. It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking
foundationhere, basic, preparatory
personalisedfocused on individual students
emphasisspecial importance
global job marketjobs that are open to people all over the world
guidancehelp and direction
drop outwhen you have to stop your university studies before you have completed your course
pass ratemarks that you need to get in order to begin/continue to study at a university
impartialfair, unbiased
dynamicwhere a lot happens and changes happen quite often
cosmopolitanincluding people of many different backgrounds
fascinatingvery interesting, irresistibly attractive

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Learning English - Words in the News

15 August, 2007 - Published 13:43 GMT

SNP advocates independent Scotland

Scotland's National Party, the SNP, has set out plans for a referendum on independence from Britain. Sixty percent of Scotland's parliamentarians, though, oppose independence. This report from Jon Devitt:
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The leader of the Scottish National Party, Alex Salmond, has long advocated independence but is also realistic. He holds the reins of power as First Minister in the Scottish parliament, but his party does not have a majority. So he can use his position to advocate major constitutional changes in the knowledge that the most radical proposals won't be accepted. Mr Salmond's strategy is to start, what he calls, a 'national conversation'.
SALMOND: 'Divergent views are the very essence of democracy; robust debate is part of what makes us Scottish. The exchanges, the premises and the debate must be passionate - how else could it be in Scotland? But let these contributions be based on fact, reason, logic, rather than smears, allegations or misinformation. Scotland deserves no less.'
From Mr Salmond's point of view this strategy rather neatly provides his opponents with a dilemma. The three main opposition parties all oppose independence, but they don't want to boycott a debate and there is support for some of the plans to increase the powers of the Scottish parliament which would form part of the discussions. Also, some of the SNP's opponents favour holding a referendum now when the opinion polls suggest support for independence is between thirty and forty per cent. A defeat for independence, they argue, would kill off the debate for a generation.
Jon Devitt, BBC
Listen to the words
has long advocated
_has publicly argued for something or supported an idea for a long period of time
holds the reins of power
_is very powerful

Divergent views
_different opinions or points of view

essence
_central characteristic

robust debate
_full and frank discussions

fact, reason, logic
_statements that can be proved to be true

smears
_things said in public which are meant to hurt people or harm their reputations or which aren't true
dilemma
_when you have a difficult choice to make between two different things

to boycott
_to agree to not do something (usually to show that you disagree with a rule, law or policy)

a referenduma
_vote on a single issue, rather than a vote for a particular politician or part