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  • The Netherlands goes into Christmas Lockdown

  • due to the rise of the Omicron strain.

  • Hello, I'm Rob and this is News Review from BBC Learning English

  • and joining me today is Roy.

  • Hello Roy.

  • Hello Rob and hello everybody.

  • If you would like to test yourself on the vocabulary around this story,

  • all you need to do is head to our website

  • bbclearningenglish.com to take a quiz.

  • But now, let's hear more about this story from this BBC News report:

  • So, a new lockdown has started in the Netherlands:

  • just the essential shops are still open,

  • with all other shops and institutions closed until the middle of January.

  • This is due to the faster-than-expected spread of the Omicron strain.

  • Yes, and we've got three words and expressions from the news headlines

  • that we can use to talk about this story. What are they, Roy?

  • We do. We have: 'stem', 'rule out' and 'on the table'.

  • That's 'stem', 'rule out' and 'on the table'.

  • Right. Well, let's look at your first headline please.

  • OK. So, our first headline comes from the Evening Standard and it reads:

  • That's 'stem' – stop something from increasing.

  • OK. So, this word is spelt: S-T-E-M.

  • It's a verb and it means to stop something from rising,

  • increasing, or spreading.

  • I'm familiar with the word 'stem': a 'stem' is the...

  • the body of a plant, isn't it?

  • Grows from the rootgrows upwards

  • and then the flowers come out of the side of it.

  • The 'stem' is the... the main part of the plant, yes?

  • Yes, it is. You're right,

  • but you're using that word as a noun there

  • and it's not really related to the word that we're looking at.

  • 'Stem' in this case is talking about something undesirable that is spreading

  • or increasing like a virusso, we talk about

  • 'stemming' the spread of the virus to stop the spread of the virus.

  • And we quite often use it with expressions like 'stem the tide of'

  • or 'stem the rise of' something.

  • And we can also use it about 'stemming the rise in crime'

  • or maybe the government might want to 'stem the number of protesters' in a...

  • in a protestthat kind of thing.

  • Yeah, it's talking about things that people see as undesirable,

  • but there is another way that we use the word 'stem'

  • and that can also meanas a verb

  • it can also mean 'to originate'. It's a different meaning.

  • It means to originate or come from.

  • So, for example, the problem 'stems from' the lack of funding

  • or it 'stems from' the lack of funding.

  • So, meaningas you sayit comes from.

  • It originates from something and goes on to be a bad problem.

  • Absolutely. And if you want another meaning of the word 'stem',

  • you might sometimes hear it in relation to subjects at schools or universities,

  • for example: the 'STEM subjects',

  • which means Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

  • S-T-E-M subjects.

  • Yes. Very good example there. Thank you.

  • Yes, that's three meanings of 'stem'.

  • OK. Let's have a look at the summary please:

  • In a previous News Review programme,

  • we talked about stopping the cyber-criminals, didn't we, Roy?

  • We did, and all you need to do to see that programme

  • is click the link in the description.

  • Yeah, just click down below.

  • OK. It's time now for our next headline please.

  • OK. So, our next headline comes from CNN and it reads:

  • That's 'rule out' – say something is not a possibility.

  • OK. So, this word is a phrasal verb.

  • First word: 'rule' – R-U-L-E. Second word: 'out' – O-U-T.

  • And it is separable.

  • So, you can 'rule something out' or 'rule out something'.

  • And it basically means to say or declare that something is not a possibility.

  • OK. Let's break this down.

  • A 'rule' is something we're supposed to follow.

  • It's a bit like a lawwell, it is a law, I suppose

  • that we have to follow. Is that right?

  • Yeah, that's right, but in the case of 'rule out' –

  • when you add that preposition, it changes the meaning.

  • So, you're saying that something is not a possibility.

  • You're declaring or announcing that it's not an option.

  • Now, in the case of the headline,

  • it says the UK 'won't rule out a possibility'.

  • So, it's saying that the UK won't say that extra measures are not an option.

  • And we use this word or hear this word or expression

  • used quite a lot in politics, don't we?

  • We do. So, somebody...

  • a politician may 'rule themselves out' of the running or the...

  • you know, to go for the presidency, for example.

  • So: 'She ruled herself out of going for the presidency.'

  • But we don't only talk about this in politics;

  • you can also talk about this in the case of work, for example.

  • So, maybe there's a big promotion at work,

  • but you decide that that job isn't for you,

  • so you 'rule out' the chances of you going for it,

  • or you 'rule yourself out' of going for the job.

  • Yeah, and we've used this expression quite recently,

  • when we were talking about trying to organise our Christmas party.

  • Obviously, because of the risks around coronavirus,

  • we had to 'rule out' the idea

  • of a Christmas gathering this year, didn't we?

  • We did. We 'ruled out' the possibility of meeting in person, but we...

  • we still managed to have a little party online.

  • ...which was very nice. We didn't 'rule that out' at all, did we?

  • We had a good time. Good stuff. OK.

  • Let's have a summary of that expression:

  • Now, some of us might 'rule out' the idea

  • of playing video games because they're maybe too complicated,

  • but not Royyou like video games, don't you, Roy?

  • No, I love video games!

  • I absolutely love them

  • and we have a programme all about Super Mario for you to watch.

  • All you need to do is click the link in the description.

  • Just down below. Thanks Roy.

  • OK. What is your next headline please?

  • OK. So, our next headline comes from The Brussels Times.

  • This headline comes from a paper in Belgium,

  • one of the Netherlands' neighbours,

  • and relates to this story. It reads:

  • So, that's 'on the table' – available for consideration.

  • OK. So, this is a three-word expression.

  • First word: 'on' – O-N. Second word: 'the' – T-H-E.

  • Third word: 'table' – T-A-B-L-E.

  • And it basically means that something,

  • like a plan or a part of a plan, is available for consideration

  • or is being discussed.

  • OK. Well, I mean, obviously I eat my dinner on a table,

  • so does that mean we put food 'on the table' for consideration?

  • Well, we do, but this isn't related to your eating habits, Rob.

  • Now, if we continue with that idea of food,

  • if there is food 'on the table', you can eat it.

  • If there is no food 'on the table'...

  • well, you can't eat it.

  • Now, when we talk about something being 'on the table',

  • it talks about an idea or a plan being available

  • for consideration or discussion.

  • It's quite commonly used in business.

  • Yes, it's a business, kind of, related expression as you say.

  • Going back to my idea of food on the table,

  • I suppose there is food there... you know, you can choose.

  • There's different... a consideration of which food you're going to eat.

  • But, as you say, this is more about documents and contracts

  • and important things related to business.

  • Yes, if we return to the headline, the Health Minister is basically saying

  • that a lockdown in Belgium is not 'on the table' at the moment.

  • It's saying that the idea is...

  • or the plan of a lockdown is not being discussed or considered yet.

  • Yeahyet. May change. Who knows?

  • OK. Thanks for that, Roy.

  • Let's have a summary of that expression:

  • OK. Time now, Roy, to recap the vocabulary

  • that we've been discussing today.

  • Yes, we had 'stem' – stop something from increasing.

  • We had 'rule out' – say something is not a possibility.

  • And we had 'on the table' – available for consideration.

  • And don't forgetyou can test your understanding

  • of these words and expressions

  • in a quiz that's on our website,

  • at bbclearningenglish.com.

  • There's loads of other Learning English materials there as well

  • and don't forgetyou can always check us out on social media.

  • Well, that's all for today's programme.

  • Thank you so much for watching and have a happy Christmas!

  • Bye for now. Bye!

The Netherlands goes into Christmas Lockdown

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