bbclearningenglish.com | News about Britain2013-11-20T12:36:14+00:00bbclearningenglish.comlearningenglish@bbc.co.ukhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/images/f/bbclearningenglish_180x80.gifCopyright British Broadcasting Corporation 2013tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-05-19:454596454596Latest: Sunbeds (June 2009)2009-05-19T14:38:40+00:002009-05-19T14:02:46+00:00Do you prefer to be fair or bronzed? This month we report on the dangers of sunbeds News about Britain 16 June 2009tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-05-11:389215389215Susan Boyle: unlikely superstar?2009-05-11T16:38:31+00:002009-05-11T16:06:56+00:00A few weeks ago Susan Boyle was a virtual unknown. However, since auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent, a televised talent competition, she has experienced a stratospheric rise to fame News about Britain May 2009tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-04-21:229787229787The Apprentice2009-04-21T13:57:29+00:002009-04-21T12:24:46+00:00One of Britain’s most popular reality TV programmes, The Apprentice, has returned to our screens for a fifth series. News about Britain 21 April 2009tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-03-10:6655866558British Oscar success2009-03-10T12:20:56+00:002009-03-10T12:20:56+00:00The list of Oscar winners is usually dominated by American films and actors but 2009 has seen British actors and movies winning no fewer than 11 awards. News about Britain 10 March 2009tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5898158981What to wear?2009-02-25T19:13:39+00:002009-02-25T19:13:39+00:00One of the biggest shocks when you arrive in a new country can be the clothes people wear. You may look fashionable at home, but you find that elsewhere you are behind the times. Let's take a look at teenage fashion in the UK for girls. November 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5898058980Freshers' week2009-02-25T19:09:04+00:002009-02-25T19:09:04+00:00The UK has a well-respected higher education system but for those new to it all, it can be overwhelming.Universities have a Freshers' Week for newcomers - an opportunity to make new friends, join clubs and settle into university life.October 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5897958979Duchess - or Princess?2009-02-25T18:58:17+00:002009-02-25T18:58:17+00:00Keira Knightley has rejected claims that her film The Duchess parallels the life of Princess Diana. The film tells the true life story of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, the great-great-great-great aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales.September 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5897858978Cycling2009-02-25T18:54:12+00:002009-02-25T18:54:12+00:00What's the furthest you have ever cycled? Perhaps you cycle to school or to work, or maybe at most a short cycling trip with friends? How would you feel about spending months on the road travelling solo from the UK to China, by bike? August 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5897758977Mamma Mia!2009-02-25T18:53:03+00:002009-02-25T18:53:03+00:00The ever so-beloved West End musical Mamma Mia! has finally been taken from the stage to the silver screen. The film is based on the songs of legendary Swedish pop band ABBA and is an adaptation of the musical of the same name. July 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5897658976Bond is back2009-02-25T18:51:32+00:002009-02-25T18:51:32+00:00Fans of James Bond have been thrilled with the release of the new Bond book Devil May Care, published on 28th May 2008. Ian Fleming, the creator of the fictional character James Bond 007 wrote 14 Bond books during his lifetime. June 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5897558975London's new Mayor Boris Johnson2009-02-25T18:48:35+00:002009-02-25T18:48:35+00:00London has a new mayor, after its citizens voted in the Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson, ahead of Labour's Ken Livingstone. Mr Johnson has been a colourful figure in British politics for many years. May 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5897358973Heathrow terminal 52009-02-25T18:39:47+00:002009-02-25T18:39:47+00:00London Heathrow is the UK's biggest airport which also handles more international passenger traffic than any other airport in the world. For this reason, expansion was planned and on 27th March a fifth terminal opened. April 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5897158971Earthquake hits Britain2009-02-25T18:35:46+00:002009-02-25T18:35:46+00:00On 27th February 2008, something very unusual happened in the UK; there was a rather large earthquake. March 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5897058970Oscar hopefuls2009-02-25T18:33:40+00:002009-02-25T18:33:40+00:00Atonement is leading the pack of British hopefuls for this year's Oscars. The film is up for seven gongs including best picture. However, the stars of the movie Keira Knightley and James McEvoy haven't been nominated for their acting. February 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5896958969January sales2009-02-25T18:30:44+00:002009-02-25T18:30:44+00:00For shopaholics, the post-Christmas period means only one thing - sales! Across the country, prices are slashed on clothing, electronics, home furnishings and more, but London is the place for serious shopping, with some amazing bargains.January 2008tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5896758967Ballroom dancing2009-02-25T18:25:06+00:002009-02-25T18:25:06+00:00Ballroom dancing in the UK used to be seen as something rather unfashionable that old people might do. For the past five years though, its popularity has soared thanks to 'Strictly Come Dancing', one of the BBC's big TV shows. December 2007 tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5896658966The Great Storm 20 years on2009-02-25T18:19:51+00:002009-02-25T18:19:51+00:00On 16th October 1987, southern Britain was hit by hurricane force winds, the worst storm to occur in Britain since 1703. Twenty years on, Britain is remembering the devastation caused by what came to be known as 'The Great Storm.' November 2007tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5896558965What's in a name?2009-02-25T18:15:12+00:002009-02-25T18:15:12+00:00Recently, a couple in New Zealand were forbidden from naming their baby son 4Real. Even though New Zealand has quite liberal rules about naming children, names beginning with a number are not allowed. They decided to call him Superman. October 2007tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5896358963Edinburgh festivals2009-02-25T18:11:32+00:002009-02-25T18:11:32+00:00Summer in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city, is the time for festivals. In August and September there are several different festivals which take place there. September 2007tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5896058960Universities in the UK2009-02-25T18:09:15+00:002009-02-25T18:09:15+00:00Universities in Britain are a magnet for overseas students. There are currently over 200,000 from outside Britain studying at British universities, the largest single group being Chinese students. August 2007tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5895758957Instant messaging2009-02-25T18:03:06+00:002009-02-25T18:03:06+00:00When you meet someone for the first time, do you ask their ASL? Do you LOL if they come out with something funny, and say 'CU L8er' when you finish the conversation? If you do, you are probably already a user of Instant Messaging, or IM. July 2007tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5895358953Modern British Families2009-02-25T17:58:48+00:002009-02-25T17:58:48+00:00Father leaves for work, the two children go to school, and mother stays at home cooking and cleaning - the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain. But is it true today? No! The past 20 years have seen enormous changes. June 2007tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5894958949Friends Reunited2009-02-25T17:48:40+00:002009-02-25T17:48:40+00:00Have you ever wondered what your old school-mates are doing now? Well plenty of people in Britain do. One of the most successful internet ventures in Britain has shown how popular, and how lucrative, nostalgia can be. May 2007tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5894558945Online music sales2009-02-25T17:46:51+00:002009-02-25T17:46:51+00:00Do you like music? Of course you do. Are you still going to the record shop to buy your records? If you are, you may not be for much longer. April 2007tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5893858938Music in the UK: the charts2009-02-25T17:43:15+00:002009-02-25T17:43:15+00:00In 1952 Al Martino made history by becoming the first recording artist to have a number one record with his song "Here In My Heart". For over fifty years sales of singles have been measured on a weekly basis and ranked in a chart. September 2006tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5893358933The world of animation2009-02-25T17:37:24+00:002009-02-25T17:37:24+00:00The adventures of an eccentric inventor and his canine companion are proving to be a surprise hit in the US. It seems the quirky humour of 'Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' has captured the American public's imagination. August 2006tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5893258932West End shows2009-02-25T17:32:13+00:002009-02-25T17:32:13+00:00For many people the highlight of a visit to London is the chance to see a West End show. The West End of London is home to dozens of beautiful theatres which are currently enjoying a boom in popularity and ticket sales. July 2006tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5892958929Wimbledon2009-02-25T17:28:35+00:002009-02-25T17:28:35+00:00Wimbledon is the most important sporting event of the British summer. Since the first tournament in 1877 with only a few hundred spectators, the competition has become a global event attended by over half a million people. July 2006tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5892658926UK summer music festivals2009-02-25T17:17:15+00:002009-02-25T17:17:15+00:00What's your idea of a good time? What about dancing in a rainy field with one hundred and fifty thousand other people while a famous rock band plays on a stage so far away that the performers look like ants? June 2005tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5892558925Extreme sports2009-02-25T17:15:55+00:002009-02-25T17:15:55+00:00Summer's just around the corner, encouraging some to dust off tennis rackets or rummage round the cupboard for cricket bats. For some Britons traditional outdoor pursuits are just not enough. So how do extreme sports devotees get their kicks?May 2005tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5892358923Britain's latest Royal Wedding2009-02-25T17:10:37+00:002009-02-25T17:10:37+00:00The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles have finally become husband and wife - more than 30 years after their romance first began. April 2005.tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5892258922Councils must find Gypsy sites2009-02-25T17:09:04+00:002009-02-25T17:09:04+00:00According to a recent announcement made by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, local councils in Britain will have to provide legal sites for travelling communities. They will also gain stronger powers to move on illegal settlements. March 2005tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5891858918Unrequited love can be a "killer"2009-02-25T17:03:36+00:002009-02-25T17:03:36+00:00Lovesickness can kill and should be taken more seriously as a legitimate diagnosis, according to health experts. February 2005tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5891758917Teenagers and drugs2009-02-25T17:01:53+00:002009-02-25T17:01:53+00:00Two separate surveys suggest that Britain's teenagers are amongst the heaviest drug-users and drinkers in Europe. The British government has introduced some measures to tackle the use and supply of drugs, particularly among young people.November 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5891658916Disability Discrimination Act2009-02-25T16:58:08+00:002009-02-25T16:58:08+00:00Most people take it for granted that they can go to the shops, bank or library. But for people with disabilities, using services like these things can be very difficult, or even impossible, so Britain has launched some new guidelines. October 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5891458914Speed dating2009-02-25T16:52:22+00:002009-02-25T16:52:22+00:00Are you single but too busy to search for love? Then you need to try the latest dating phenomenon that is sweeping across the UK - speed dating. September 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5891158911Tennis fans2009-02-25T16:50:19+00:002009-02-25T16:50:19+00:00June, south west London. Outside the The All England Lawn Tennis Club a queue of people discuss the price of strawberries - high; the chances of Henman winning - high; and the chance of rain - even higher. It's Wimbledon fortnight. August 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5890858908Voting2009-02-25T16:42:42+00:002009-02-25T16:42:42+00:00Voters in Britain went to the polls on Thursday 10th June. They voted in different ways for different organisations, with different results. June 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5890658906Fit or fat?2009-02-25T16:39:04+00:002009-02-25T16:39:04+00:00Doctors in Britain are warning of an obesity time bomb, when children who are already overweight grow up. So, what should we do? Exercise more? Eat less? Or both? The government feels it has to take responsibility for this expanding problem. May 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-25:5889858898Me and my mobile2009-02-25T16:33:24+00:002009-02-25T16:33:24+00:00Police in Britain have been cracking down on drivers who use mobile phones. But while talking and driving is not allowed, it seems you can talk while doing anything else, anywhere, any time. April 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5858558585Fashion fan or fashion slave?2009-02-24T18:13:39+00:002009-02-24T18:13:39+00:00Are you a fashion slave, spending all your money on the latest clothes even if you don't look good in them, or a fashion fan, enjoying wearing modern clothes but not obsessed by them? March 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5858058580Superstitions: Friday 13th 2009-02-24T18:10:03+00:002009-02-24T18:10:03+00:00Many people in Britain consider the number 13 to be unlucky. Some airlines avoid having a seat row numbered 13 - so the rows go from 12 to 14. And there are many other superstitions. February 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5857958579Food on the move2009-02-24T18:06:55+00:002009-02-24T18:06:55+00:00A research group says that Britons are spending four times as much for 'food on the move' as the Spanish and nearly twice as much as the Italians. The reason - it takes longer to get to work. January 2004tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5857658576Celebrating sport2009-02-24T18:03:42+00:002009-02-24T18:03:42+00:00Everyone knows that regular exercise will keep you fit and may prevent disease. But sport also seems to benefit countries as well as individuals. December 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5857558575HIV/AIDS2009-02-24T18:01:22+00:002009-02-24T18:01:22+00:00 HIV/AIDS is an issue which concerns many people in the UK as well as round the world. Researchers say that sexual partners of patients with HIV should be routinely offered drugs which could prevent them becoming infected. November 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5857458574Black history month 20032009-02-24T17:59:12+00:002009-02-24T17:59:12+00:00Black history month celebrates the history and culture of ethnic communities across the UK. The idea was begun in the 1920's by Dr Carter Godwin Woodson, an historian unhappy about how African Americans were represented in history books. October 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5857058570Education2009-02-24T17:48:40+00:002009-02-24T17:48:40+00:00In England, Wales and Northern Ireland pupils sit GCSE (General Certificate in Secondary Education) exams and A (Advanced) levels. Pupils in Scotland sit exams for the Higher Leaving Certificate. But why are boys doing so badly? September 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5856758567Wind power2009-02-24T17:38:50+00:002009-02-24T17:38:50+00:00A huge expansion in UK wind power has been announced by the government. The plans pave the way for thousands of coastal wind turbines, mainly in the north east of England, the Wash and the Thames Estuary. August 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5856458564Cats and gardens2009-02-24T17:36:38+00:002009-02-24T17:36:38+00:00 Britain's gardeners have revealed one of their greatest pet hates - other people's cats. Okay, they're sadistic murderers - but is it fair that cats have been rated as being as detestable as rats in a poll of British gardeners? June 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5856358563Water2009-02-24T17:34:54+00:002009-02-24T17:34:54+00:00Water is essential to life. But there are many ways of managing its distribution, and ensuring it is suitable for people to drink. April 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5856258562Congestion charging2009-02-24T17:32:44+00:002009-02-24T17:32:44+00:00Motorists wishing to drive into central London will have to pay a toll from February 2003. London's (current) mayor Ken Livingstone hopes making drivers pay to enter the city centre will cut traffic by at least 10%.
March 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5855958559Student debts2009-02-24T17:30:31+00:002009-02-24T17:30:31+00:00With the abolition of grants and introduction of tuition fees, most students are stretched - particularly if students are paying tuition fees out of the loan.
January 2003tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-24:5855858558North 'rubbish' at Recycling2009-02-24T17:25:30+00:002009-02-24T17:25:30+00:00A survey involving 1,000 street interviews in England shows different attitudes to recycling in the North and the South. It follows a recent government report showing recycling rates have increased only slightly in the last eight years.
December 2002tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-16:5626056260Valentine's Day2009-02-16T15:16:44+00:002009-02-16T15:16:44+00:00This feature, dubbed Love is in the Air, is about a very special day in February's calendar in the UK.tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-02-06:5407154071Soap operas2009-02-06T16:32:47+00:002009-02-06T16:32:47+00:00There are lots of different soaps on in the UK on different channels. The BBC even has a soap opera to help you learn English! All this and more - in this month's feature.tag:www.bbc.co.uk,2009-01-21:5015650156Advent2009-01-21T11:32:43+00:002009-01-21T11:32:43+00:00Christmas is the biggest festival in Britain and is celebrated on 25th December. The four weeks before Christmas are called Advent, and are traditionally celebrated in churches by lighting a candle each Sunday during Advent.