Ukraine: US tells embassy families to leave: BBC News Review

The US orders diplomats' families to leave Ukraine,

as concerns of a Russian invasion grow.

Hello, this is News Review from BBC Learning English.

I'm Rob 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, the United States has told families of staff

who work in embassies in Ukraine to leave.

It has also told its citizens not to travel to Russia.

This is due to fears that there will be some kind of military action

by Russia against Ukraine — something that Russia denies.

And we've got three words and expressions from the news headlines

that we can use to talk about this story, haven't we?

What are those expressions and words please, Roy?

Yes, we do. We have 'weighs options', 'fears mount' and 'nonessential staff'.

So, that's 'weighs options', 'fears mount' and 'nonessential staff'.

Well, OK. Let's have a look at our first news headline then please.

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

So, that's: 'weighs options' — considers value of potential plans.

OK. So, in the headline, this is a two-word expression.

Now, usually we have an article in there.

For example, 'the': we say 'weigh the options'.

But, because this is a headline, they have removed that.

You can say 'weigh all the options' or 'weigh all options'.

First word in the headline is 'weigh' — W-E-I-G-H.

Second word: 'options' — O-P-T-I-O-N-S.

And it basically means to carefully consider

the results or outcomes of a plan.

OK. And I'm familiar with the word 'weigh';

it's to do with 'weight' usually — about how heavy things are.

So, are we kind of 'weighing up the options'

and seeing how heavy the options are?

Well... well, not exactly. OK. So, with the word 'weigh',

you're talking about measuring how heavy something is,

so you're considering the 'weight' of something, if you like.

The 'options' are potential plans.

So, what it actually means is that you're considering potential plans

and their... their potential outcomes.

In the terms of the headline, it is saying that

they are considering the troop 'options'

or the military 'options' with the army that they have.

And we can also say that we 'weigh consequences'.

That's, kind of, looking at the potential results of our actions.

Is that right?

Exactly. So, you say: 'The consequences will be carefully weighed.'

And you've absolutely got it right there.

It's talking about considering those results.

Now, 'weigh' is actually a little bit formal.

We also have a phrasal verb that means something very similar

and that is 'weigh up'.

Now, this is a separable phrasal verb,

so you can 'weigh something up' or 'weigh up something'.

So, for example, I could 'weigh up' what I'm going to do this weekend.

In fact, I do. Every Friday, I 'weigh up' what I'm going to do —

you know, how I'm going to spend my weekend

and look at the different possibilities.

Yeah, you consider your options and, for example, at the end of the day

I 'weigh up' which video game I'm going to play in the evening.

I'm like: 'Hmmm, shall I play that one? Shall I play that one?'

I 'weigh up my options'.

Hard decisions, eh? Hard decisions.

OK. Let's have a summary of that expression:

We've talked about many things here on News Review

and one of the subjects was a plan to bring live music back

after the Covid lockdowns.

That's a News Review video, but how can we watch that again, Roy?

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

Thank you. OK.

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

OK. So, the next headline comes from Fox 29 Philadelphia and it reads:

  'Fears mount' — concerns gradually increase.

OK. So, this is a two-word expression.

First word: 'fears' — F-E-A-R-S.

Second word is a verb: 'mount' — M-O-U-N-T.

And it basically means that concerns or worries over a situation are growing.

OK. And I'm familiar again with that word 'fears'.

I mean, I have a 'fear': I have a 'fear' of spiders.

I suppose you could call it a phobia.

Is that the kind of 'fears' we're talking about?

Not... not exactly. Now, a phobia is a general fear of something.

It's very terrifying.

What we're talking about with 'fears' in the headline is a concern

or worry over something serious happening.

So, you're talking about those 'fears' are increasing.

They're gradually growing.

Now, that word 'mount' basically means something is increasing or growing.

And we don't always just use it with 'fear';

we can also use it with something like exciting... 'excitement'.

So, for example, 'excitement can mount'.

Now, we also use the word 'mounts' as a verb in another way.

So, for example, if you've got a horse or a bicycle,

when you say you get on the bicycle:

when you get up — again, that idea of 'up' —

on the bicycle or the horse, you 'mount' the horse.

OK. And also you can say you 'mount' a painting, can't you?

When you... when you put a painting up on the wall, you're 'mounting' it.

When you fix it and attach it up on the wall —

again, that idea maybe there: 'up'.

So, there's also that common theme of 'up'.

Great. OK. So, that's 'fears mount'.

Thanks for that explanation. Let's have a summary:

So, there we were talking about 'fears mount' or 'fears are rising',

but we did a video about the difference

between the words 'raise' and 'rise'.

That was English in a Minute.

How can we watch that again, Roy?

OK. So, all you need to do is click the link in the description below.

Great. OK.

Let's have a look at your final headline please.

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

So, that's 'nonessential staff' — employees who are not necessary

for critical functions.

Yes. So, this is a two-word expression.

First word: 'nonessential' — N-O-N-E-S-S-E-N-T-I-A-L.

Second word: 'staff' — S-T-A-F-F.

And it basically refers to employees or workers

who are not critical for primary functions.

OK. And 'nonessential', then, is not necessary, not needed.

Does that mean they're not important?

No, not exactly, no.

So, when we refer to the word 'essential',

that basically means completely necessary.

So, for example, oxygen is 'essential' for life.

I need to breath. Breathing is 'essential'.

When we talk about something that is 'nonessential',

it's — for example, video games.

I love video games. I talked about them earlier.

I love video games, but they're... they're not 'essential';

they're 'nonessential'.

You know, I can live without playing video games.

Now, if we talk about 'nonessential staff',

let's consider maybe a cruise ship.

So, on a cruise ship there are people that help the ship continue going —

continue on its voyage — and they stop the ship from sinking.

Maybe they work in the engine — engine room.

So... but 'nonessential staff' are maybe the people

like the entertainers, or something like that.

OK. So, you've got the 'essential staff' looking after the safety.

'Nonessential': the extra people providing the entertainment

that you could survive without, I suppose.

Yeah, exactly. Now, let's look at that word 'staff'.

So, 'staff' is usually an uncountable noun.

We talk about, for example, in a hospital,

all the workers are called 'the hospital staff'.

In this sense, we don't normally say: 'Four staffs,' for example.

If you want to make the word 'staff' countable, we say 'staff members'.

So, four 'staff members'.

Or worker or employee: four 'workers' — four 'employees'.

And going back to the word 'nonessential',

does that just relate to 'staff'? It can relate to other things, can't it?

It can. For example, something that is 'essential' —

we can talk about goods: 'nonessential goods'.

Food is 'essential' to live.

Electronics, for example — they're 'nonessential': 'nonessential goods'.

Got it. OK. Let's have a summary of that expression:

OK. Roy, it's time now for you to recap

the words and expressions we've discussed today.

Yes. We had 'weighs options' — considers value of potential plans.

We had 'fears mount' — concerns gradually increase.

And we had 'nonessential staff' — employees who are not necessary

for critical functions.

And don't forget — if you want to test your understanding of these expressions,

there's a quiz on our website at bbclearningenglish.com.

And that's the place to go to for all our other Learning English resources.

But of course, we're also on social media,

so check us out there as well. OK.

Well, that's the end of News Review for today.

Do join us again next week. Bye for now.

Bye!