英语听力精选进阶版 13797（在线收听）

BBC Learning English 

Words in the News  

18th January 2012 

Sealed Fate 

Transcript: 

Rescued from certain death at sea. 

This seal pup has been separated from its mother by storms and joined others in a 

sanctuary in the Netherlands. The refuge has been overwhelmed by the arrival of 

hundreds washed up on the beaches. 

They are fed herrings stuffed with vitamins. 

But when they grow up, they will face other challenges. Overfishing and pollution also 

affect their chances of survival. 

Vocabulary: 

sanctuary 

safe place 

overwhelmed 

received a number greater than it would normally cope with 

washed up 

brought to the shore of a body of water 

stuffed 

totally filled with (something) 

overfishing 

fishing too much to the point of threatening the local fish population 

Watch this video online: Sealed Fate               

Exercise: 

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from BBC 

news reports.  

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

sanctuary / overwhelmed / washed up / stuffed / overfishing 

1.  

Turkey was often very difficult to get, so housewives were advised to cook "murkey", which 

was ____________ mutton. The stuffing was largely made of breadcrumbs. No-one threw 

away a stale loaf in those days. 

2.  

About 40,000 people on Mindanao are living in evacuation centres after losing their homes 

and possessions. China and the US are among international donors offering assistance. Mr 

Ramos said funeral parlours had been ___________ by the catastrophe. 

3.  

The 2011 statistics included a very high peak of common dolphins being stranded during 

February and a high number of porpoises ending up on the coast during the winter. The 

group has also received samples from the 13m sperm whale which was __________ on 

Connemara's Omey island last week. 

4.  

Japan is the world's biggest consumer of seafood, eating about 80% of the Atlantic and Pacific 

bluefins caught. However, restrictions on catches have been tightened in recent years 

because of concerns about __________. 

5. 

An animal ___________ in Bishop Auckland is appealing for help after being swamped with 

hundreds of hens released from their battery cages. 

Answers: 

1. 

Turkey was often very difficult to get, so housewives were advised to cook "murkey", which 

was stuffed mutton. The stuffing was largely made of breadcrumbs. No-one threw away a 

stale loaf in those days. 

Source:  Carrots in the Christmas pud: How wartime cooks made do 

2.  

About 40,000 people on Mindanao are living in evacuation centres after losing their homes 

and possessions. China and the US are among international donors offering assistance. Mr 

Ramos said funeral parlours had been overwhelmed by the catastrophe. 

Source:  Philippines floods: Aid agencies say 120,000 in need    

3.  

The 2011 statistics included a very high peak of common dolphins being stranded during 

February and a high number of porpoises ending up on the coast during the winter. The 

group has also received samples from the 13m sperm whale which was washed up on 

Connemara's Omey island last week. 

Source:  Record year for stranded whales              

4.  

Japan is the world's biggest consumer of seafood, eating about 80% of the Atlantic and Pacific 

bluefins caught. However, restrictions on catches have been tightened in recent years 

because of concerns about overfishing. 

Source:  Japan tuna is world's most expensive edible fish         

5.  

An animal sanctuary in Bishop Auckland is appealing for help after being swamped with 

hundreds of hens released from their battery cages.  

Source:  Freed battery hens in Bishop Auckland need new homes    http://bbc.in/yfCw5s