Name: Rocket hits the Moon - BBC News Review
Uploaded: 2021-12-04T16:45:19.000Z
Duration: 10 min 29 s
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Part of an abandoned rocket is thought to have hit the Moon last Friday

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

And joining me today to look at the language from the headlines

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

but now let's hear more about this story from Professor Hugh Lewis,

a professor at the University of Southampton

part of a discarded rocket has most likely impacted

Now, it isn't clear at this time who this rocket belongs to.

The effects of the impact on the Moon are likely to be quite small and minor,

but interestingly the European Space Agency

estimates that there are now 36,500 pieces of space junk,

which is a word we use — or phrase we use — to say space rubbish,

Wow. Well, we have three words and expressions

from the news headlines about this story.

What are those words and expressions please, Roy?

We have 'rogue', 'collision course' and 'calculate'.

That's 'rogue', 'collision course' and 'calculate'.

OK. Let's go to that first headline then please.

OK. So, our first headline comes from Space.com and it reads:

So, that's 'rogue' — describes something that behaves abnormally,

OK. So, 'rogue' is being used as an adjective here.

and it talks about something that is behaving unexpectedly.

It's describing something that's not acting in its normal way

And in this headline, we're using the word 'rogue'

the rocket was expected to do one thing or this...

the part of the rocket was expected to do one thing

and it's behaving in an unexpected way —

as in it's now going to collide or has collided with the Moon.

We use this word 'rogue' quite often to talk about objects or people.

For example, a 'rogue' employee: if you have a rogue employee,

they're maybe doing something that's going to cause damage

For example, they may be trying to sabotage

If you have a 'rogue' company or a 'rogue' firm,

maybe they are behaving or trading in a bad way,

We also hear it when we talk about secret agents.

You can have a 'rogue' secret agent or a 'rogue' spy.

Maybe they're selling secrets to the enemy.

Is 'rogue' a negative word or can it be used in a positive way?

Yeah, quite... quite... quite commonly it is used negatively.

You can also, in some instances, use it positively.

For example, police officers: you have some police officers

but they decide to go against their orders.

They go 'rogue' and they maybe save people from a building.

they don't follow their orders and they go and help other people.

And we can talk about 'rogue' countries as well.

Yes, you can. A country that's not behaving in an...

And the verb commonly used with 'rogue' is 'go rogue': to 'go rogue'.

OK. Thanks for that, Roy. Let's have a summary:

We've been to space before in News Review.

Last time we went there was to find some space wine.

All you need to do to watch this story is click the link

Great. OK. Let's have a look at your next news headline please.

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

So, that's 'collision course' — on a path which will result in impact.

First word: 'collision' — C-O-L-L-I-S-I-O-N.

And it means on a path, or going in a direction,

and this expression is commonly used with the preposition 'on':

OK. Now, I've heard this expression used in the movies,

in a kind of action film or a disaster movie,

when for example two aircraft are heading towards each other:

they're on a 'collision course'. Is that right?

one object is potentially moving — like a plane —

in the direction of something — for example, a mountain —

and if they don't change their direction, if they don't change their way,

they are on a 'collision course' and they will hit.

It could also be two objects moving towards each other

and we commonly use it for talking about things like cars,

What about two people? If they're going to head towards each other,

bump into each other, are they on a 'collision course'?

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Rocket hits the Moon - BBC News Review

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