英语听力精选进阶版 14512（在线收听）

BBC Learning English

Video Words in the News

20 August 2014

Talking statues

Transcript:

Alone and aloof. Figures from history stand mute in London and Manchester.

But now, an art project hopes to breathe new life into them.

Using your phone, you scan the plaque. And then… you get a call from Queen Victoria:

"Hello, Victoria here."

The creator of the project wants people to take a fresh look at these familiar faces.

Vocabulary:

aloof

not friendly; not wanting to join in with activities with other people

mute

silent; not talking or unable to talk

to breathe new life into

to give new energy or ideas to

plaque

flat piece of metal or stone with information on it that is hung from a wall or door or other surface

to take a fresh look

to look at or consider something again in a different way

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.

aloof / mute / to breathe new life into / plaque / to take a fresh look

1. A federal appeals court has asked a lower district court _________ at which claims are legitimate.

2. A _________ mounted on the front of the "Dundee Postal War Memorial" said the capsule should be opened by the Postmaster, in the presence of the Lord Provost, on 4 August 2014.

3. Mr Mintoff made a point of making himself accessible to ordinary people. In public he always presented himself as a statesman but he was not distant or _________.

4. The new clientele has helped __________ a sport that was in decline.

5. "I thought my voice had killed him, so it was better not to speak - so I simply stopped speaking," she said. She remained _________ for five years, but read voraciously.

Answers:

1. A federal appeals court has asked a lower district court to take a fresh look at which claims are legitimate.

2. A plaque mounted on the front of the "Dundee Postal War Memorial" said the capsule should be opened by the Postmaster, in the presence of the Lord Provost, on 4 August 2014.

3. Mr Mintoff made a point of making himself accessible to ordinary people. In public he always presented himself as a statesman but he was not distant or aloof.

4. The new clientele has helped breathe new life into a sport that was in decline.

5. "I thought my voice had killed him, so it was better not to speak - so I simply stopped speaking," she said. She remained mute for five years, but read voraciously.