Is there plastic in your blood?: BBC News Review

Plastic has been found in human blood for the first time.

This is News Review from BBC Learning English.

I'm Neil and joining me for this programme is Roy. Hello Roy.

Hello Neil 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 me tell you more about this news story.

So, a study found plastic particles in blood samples in 80% of people tested.

This study was first published in the journal Environment International.

These findings suggest that plastic particles might have the ability

to move around the human body and enter organs.

The effects of microplastics in the body aren't known,

but researchers say that the new results are concerning

and that microplastics could damage human cells.

OK. You've been looking around the various news websites at this story.

You've picked out some really interesting

vocabulary from headlines. What have you got?

We have 'filtered out', 'key risks' and 'adverse effects'.

'Filtered out', 'key risks' and 'adverse effects'.

So, let's start with your first headline then please, Roy.

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

'Filtered out' — removed completely.

OK. So, this is a phrasal verb.

First word is 'filtered' — F-I-L-T-E-R-E-D.

Second word: 'out' — O-U-T.

Now, this is a separable phrasal verb,

which means it can 'filter something out'

or you can 'filter out something',

and it basically means to remove something completely or to purify.

Yeah. So, the key here

is the word 'filter' that we can see in 'filtered'

and a 'filter', as an object,

is something which prevents bad stuff going one way

and therefore you're only left with good stuff.

Yeah. So, the idea...

for example, a good idea of this is a water 'filter'.

So, when you're drinking water you maybe put water through a 'filter'

to remove or 'filter out' impurities.

'Filter out' as a phrasal verb: the 'out' part,

the 'out'... the second word implies remove everything.

So, for example, when I'm editing a video

I try to 'filter out' all the noise, the background noise,

and just leave the voices of the presenters.

So, 'filter out' background noise in a video edit.

OK. That's interesting, Roy. So, we're not just talking about fluids

like, in the example, blood or, as you just said, water.

We can 'filter' other things too.

Absolutely. So... let's talk about people.

If you're doing a survey,

maybe you want to only look at certain groups of people,

so we 'filter out' people from the survey,

unwanted groups of people, if you like.

OK. Anything else we need to say about this?

Well, we talked earlier about the word 'filter'.

Now, the word 'filter' has other meanings. You can...

'Filter' can mean to remove impurities

or, for example, if you're doing some work on spreadsheets

and you want to refine the results, you could filter the results.

And another way that we can use 'filter'

is that people — sometimes when they leave a building,

they may leave in a, sort of, small line — a thin line —

and we say they are 'filtering out' of the building.

Again, quite commonly we use the preposition 'out'.

And one final way: if news doesn't come out all at once —

maybe a breaking story comes out in pieces —

we can say that the news is 'filtering', or 'filtering out',

commonly used with the preposition 'out' again.

That's right, yes, because a 'filter' slows down the progress of something,

doesn't it, in order to make... to make it pure.

Absolutely.

OK. Let's get a summary:

Talking of 'filtering' things, we have a story about pollution.

What can our viewers do to watch that, Roy?

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

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

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

'Key risks' — most significant potential dangers.

OK. So, 'key risks' is a two-word expression.

The first word is 'key' — K-E-Y.

The second word is 'risks' — R-I-S-K-S.

And it means the most significant or...

most significant potential dangers.

Yeah, OK. So, Roy, I know what 'key' is.

A 'key' is the little metal thing I use to open my front door.

Is there a connection between this meaning and that meaning?

Well, yeah. When we talk about... Interestingly there,

when we talk about 'keys', it's a very important thing, right?

Because it opens the door.

Without a 'key' you're not getting in your house.

So, when we use the word 'key' in this sense,

we're talking about something that is very significant —

the most significant thing.

So, we're talking about the most significant 'risks' — the 'key risks'.

We also use the word 'key' to talk about something very important.

Yeah, we talk about 'key points', don't we?

Yeah. So, if you're making a speech,

maybe you have a few 'key points' that you want to talk about.

Other ways that we use 'key': you can talk about a 'key moment',

maybe in your life or in your day — something really important.

Or you could talk about a 'key role' in the workplace:

somebody who is very important.

Yeah. You can also simply say that something or someone is 'key'.

Yes, or the 'key to' something. It is 'key to' something.

OK. So, 'risks': 'risks' are potential dangers.

Yes, that's right. So, when you go climbing,

for example, there is a 'risk' of falling, a danger of falling,

especially if you don't use the correct equipment when you're climbing.

Or in, sort of, lighter terms than that

you could, sort of, say that — talking about the weather —

you could say there is a 'risk' of rain: it might rain today.

Now, in both of those cases, both falling and rain,

it is a negative thing that we don't want to happen

and is in danger potentially of happening.

That's right. OK. Let's get a summary:

OK. We will be talking about 'effects' in our next headline

and that is a word which is often confused with another word, 'affect',

and we've got a programme explaining the difference, haven't we, Roy?

Yes, we do. All we need to do to watch that

is click the link in the description below.

Right. Your next headline please.

OK. So, our next headline is about

how potentially plastics may enter the bloodstream

and it is from News Medical and it reads:

'Adverse effects' — negative and harmful consequences.

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

First word 'adverse' — it is A-D-V-E-R-S-E.

Second word: 'effects' — E-F-F-E-C-T-S.

And basically what it means is negative, unwanted

or potentially harmful consequences or results.

OK. So, this word 'adverse' — tell me about that.

It's an adjective, right?

Yeah. So, we talk quite commonly

about things like 'adverse effects' of too much television,

or maybe too much social media.

Now 'adverse' can be used in a number of ways

and it means very bad or negative,

so you're talking about the negative or damaging effects of social media.

In terms of weather, you could talk about 'adverse' weather conditions

when they are maybe unexpected and potentially dangerous

weather conditions.

Or maybe you're in an 'adverse situation'.

Now, it's mainly used for quite serious situations which involve danger.

I wouldn't really use this word in, sort of, everyday use.

I wouldn't say: 'Ugh, I had an adverse conversation yesterday.'

It's more for something really serious and potentially dangerous.

Yeah, a situation in which there is 'adversity'

and 'adversity' is the noun form of that word 'adverse'.

Yes. And you mentioned nouns there.

So, also the word 'affect' and 'effects':

as we mentioned, with the English In A Minute we talk about that.

'Affect' with an 'a', A-F-F-E-C-T, is the verb

and effect is E-F-F-E-C-T and it is the noun.

Now, you can have...

you can 'affect' somebody as a verb,

or you can have 'an effect' on somebody.

Now, important to notice that these two worlds are both neutral:

you can have a positive or negative 'effect'.

It is the adjective before that changes the meaning.

OK. Let's get a summary, Roy:

Time now for a recap of our vocabulary please, Roy.

OK. We had 'filtered out' — removed completely.

We had 'adverse effects' — negative and harmful consequences.

And we had 'key risks' — most significant potential dangers.

If you want to test yourself on the vocabulary,

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

Go there and take the test.

Thanks for joining us and see you again soon.

Bye.