BBC Learning English Video Words in the News 27 March 2013

From the ashes of Pompeii

Transcript: Frozen in time Plaster casts of victims buried following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius around 2,000 years ago. They are part of a major exhibition of more than 250 archaeological discoveries in the British Museum about the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Jewellery still intact, a cot turned to charcoal they offer a snapshot of the lives of ordinary people at the time. Vocabulary: frozen stopped moving and completely still plaster casts copies of statues or other objects made from plaster: a mixture of white powder and water that becomes hard when it dries archaeological discoveries items or information found by archaeologists: people who study the past by looking at objects, graves and buildings from that time charcoal hard, black substance made from burned wood snapshot a description that tells you about a place or situation at a particular time

Watch the video online:

From the ashes of Pompeii http://bbc.in/WTdHjJ

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Exercise: 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. frozen / plaster casts / archaeological discoveries / charcoal / snapshot

1.

It is comparatively easy to find evidence of human occupation in caves through the dating of __________ from fires or bones from long-ago dinners, Dr Cohen said.

2.

Gori's main tourist attraction is its museum to Stalin. The ornate building, with its collection of heroic photographs and Stalin's death mask, appears __________ in time - a Soviet shrine to the dictator, almost untouched since the museum was built in 1957.

3.

The excavation has revealed artefacts that show a __________ of life in Ireland at least as far back as the 9th century AD.

4.

The gymnast, who won a bronze medal at London 2012, had to stand with her body covered in plaster-filled bandages for an hour while the cast was made. The __________ was then taken back to Ms Giblin's Sussex studio where the artwork was completed.

5.

Recent __________ on the Arabian Peninsula have uncovered evidence of a previously unknown civilisation based in the now arid areas in the middle of the desert.

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Answers:

1. It is comparatively easy to find evidence of human occupation in caves through the dating of charcoal from fires or bones from long-ago dinners, Dr Cohen said. Source: 'Oldest pottery' found in China http://bbc.in/Jpa3P 2. Gori's main tourist attraction is its museum to Stalin. The ornate building, with its collection of heroic photographs and Stalin's death mask, appears frozen in time - a Soviet shrine to the dictator, almost untouched since the museum was built in 1957. Source: Georgia divided over Stalin 'local hero' status in Gori http://bbc.in/14mm0EC 3. The excavation has revealed artefacts that show a snapshot of life in Ireland at least as far back as the 9th century AD. Source: Fermanagh crannog dig extended for further week http://bbc.in/XuFLKV 4. The gymnast, who won a bronze medal at London 2012, had to stand with her body covered in plaster-filled bandages for an hour while the cast was made. The plaster cast was then taken back to Ms Giblin's Sussex studio where the artwork was completed. Source: Beth Tweddle sculpture presented to her in Liverpool http://bbc.in/WmpgQ4 5. Recent archaeological discoveries on the Arabian Peninsula have uncovered evidence of a previously unknown civilisation based in the now arid areas in the middle of the desert. Source: Desert finds challenge horse taming ideas http://bbc.in/XClkIa

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