Learning English

Transcript

A loving couple should support one another, and here in Maine, in the US, they take it to heart.

Fifty men stepped up to the plate at the annual North American Wife-Carrying Championship.

The men carry their other half through a 250-metre obstacle course as fast as they can.

And like in every relationship, there are ups and downs.

A couple of locals are this year's winners, and the prize - her weight in beer and money.

Vocabulary

take it to heart
consider something seriously  

stepped up to the plate
took responsibility for a task

other half
partner in a long-term relationship  

obstacle course
training route with physical objects you have to get over and through  

ups and downs
good and bad times

To do

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports.

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

take it to heart / stepped up to the plate / other half / obstacle course / ups and downs

1.     Now Middlesbrough Council has become one of the first in England to offer safety courses, as well as an _________, to help first-time users hone their driving skills.

2.     How's your _________? Is she feeling better?

3.     If the customer shouts at you or says some dirty words, you have to remember it's just work and not _________.

4.     Manager Roy Hodgson has picked a youthful squad to face Norway on Wednesday as England look to bounce back from a poor World Cup campaign.

Henderson, 24, said: "It's time for the younger lads to _________ and show what they've got to offer."

5.   The Labour leader told his MPs there would be _________ in the run-up to polling day, but said a Labour government was "absolutely doable".

Answers

1. Now Middlesbrough Council has become one of the first in England to offer safety courses, as well as an obstacle course, to help first-time users hone their driving skills.

See story

2. How's your other half? Is she feeling better?

See story

3. If the customer shouts at you or says some dirty words, you have to remember it's just work and not take it to heart.

See story

4. Manager Roy Hodgson has picked a youthful squad to face Norway on Wednesday as England look to bounce back from a poor World Cup campaign.

Henderson, 24, said: "It's time for the younger lads to step up to the plate and show what they've got to offer."

See story

5. The Labour leader told his MPs there would be "ups and downs" in the run-up to polling day, but said a Labour government was "absolutely doable".

See story

From the archives

All Words in the News programmes pre-September 2014 can be found here.