Learning English

Major problem with world's oceans

A new report into the rising temperatures of the world's oceans has discovered that this problem is more serious than we originally thought. 

Language challenge

Two of these verbs mean 'rise quickly' and one of these verbs means 'fall quickly'. Which verb do you think means 'fall quickly'? 

a) rocket
b) surge
c) plunge

You'll hear the answer in the programme.

Watch the video and complete the activity

The story

A report compiled by 80 scientists from 12 countries says the global impact of ocean warming has been severely underestimated.

The study launched by the International Union for Conservation of Nature suggests that climate change is pushing plankton, jellyfish, turtles and seabirds into waters previously too cold to support them.

Dan Laffoley - BBC News

This warming has real consequences for us and our livelihoods. One of the things which is different with this report than anything we've done before is taking this comprehensive view.

One of the priorities should be actually to build on this report, to have a discussion around the evidence that we're showing and actually then to work to, to plan for the future with the information that we know we'll need to be able to cope when we see [a] progressive changes from a warming ocean.

Key words and phrases

underestimated
(here) thought to be lower than it really is

livelihoods
ways of earning money in order to live

soaring
rising quickly

plummeting
falling quickly and suddenly

staggering
very shocking and surprising

bear the brunt of
suffer the worst part or effect of something bad or harmful

To do

Try our quiz to see how well you've learned today's language.

Downloads

You can download the audio and PDF document for this episode here.

Language challenge - answer

c) plunge means 'fall quickly'

a) rocket and b) surge both mean 'rise quickly'

End of Session 2

Join us in Session 3 for Lingohack - our video which teaches you words from the news using the latest BBC World News bulletins.