Name: Monkeypox: New disease spreads - BBC News Review
Uploaded: 2022-06-02T05:59:14.000Z
Duration: 8 min 24 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Monkey pox cases continue to spread around the world.

This is News Review from BBC Learning English.

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

all you need to do is head to our website

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

So, new cases of monkey pox are being discovered in the UK every day.

in at least fifteen countries around the world.

Global authorities are meeting to discuss the outbreak.

OK. You've been looking at this story across the world's media

and you've picked out some really interesting vocabulary.

We have 'ramp up', 'formidable' and 'explodes'.

Let's take a look at your first headline please, Roy.

OK. So, our first headline comes from The Guardian and it reads:

  'Ramp up' — increase level of something dramatically.

Now, Roy, it might be useful for remembering this word

to look at that first part 'ramp' as a noun.

A 'ramp' is a structure to help something with wheels

Yes. So, that idea of taking something with wheels from one level to another,

really helps us to understand the idea of 'ramp up'.

Now, 'ramp up' basically means increase something suddenly.

Now, in terms of the headline, we're talking about 'ramping up' efforts.

You can also use it in the working world:

for example, if you need to 'ramp up' your work or your effort on a project.

And if there is a lack of a product, you can 'ramp up' manufacture.

Are there any alternatives to this word 'ramp up'?

Yeah. OK. So, 'ramp up' is a phrasal verb, which means it's quite informal.

but if you want to go away... get away from phrasal verbs,

So, you could 'increase' your efforts or 'boost' your efforts.

And specifically related to efforts, you could 'double your efforts'.

we have talked a lot about illnesses spreading around the world.

We have plenty of stories about coronavirus.

from the vocabulary point of view, haven't we, Roy?

Yes, we do. And all you need to do to watch that

is click the link in the description below.

Now, it's time for your next headline please.

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

Right. 'Formidable' — F-O-R-M-I-D-A-B-L-E.

that causes fear because it is very difficult.

in combination with the word 'challenge': a 'formidable challenge'.

Yeah. So, if a... if a challenge is 'formidable',

it's basically saying that it is a very difficult challenge,

to the point where it scares you or causes fear.

Now, synonyms for 'formidable' could be 'daunting' or 'intimidating'.

And it can be used to describe challenges

Also, for example, it could be used to describe an army.

you're describing a force that is very powerful:

You could even... even use it to describe, for example, a mountain:

it maybe says that that mountain is very big and scary.

So, it's often used to talk about things like size, power and difficulty.

And how about people? Can we describe people as 'formidable'?

if somebody has read a lot about a subject,

you could say they have 'formidable' knowledge of a subject.

Or in politics, for example, you may have a very powerful opponent

and you could describe that person as a 'formidable' opponent.

Talking about fear, we have a programme about spiders, don't we, Roy?

Yes, we do. And all you need to do to watch that programme

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

And it basically means to increase suddenly and quickly.

Now, Roy, usually we hear this word 'explode' in connection with bombs.

Yes. Now, if you think about that idea of a bomb, it's...

it very quickly goes from nothing to a very huge event.

So, we use this idea of 'explode' to talk about a huge increase

For example, product sales could 'explode'

Or even if, for example, a singer suddenly becomes very popular,

Subtitles ListPlay Video

Monkeypox: New disease spreads - BBC News Review

effort

recap

boost

basically