Review of 2021: BBC News Review

We're almost at the end of 2021,

so now's a good time to look back

at some of the news stories we've discussed here on BBC News Review.

Hello, I'm Rob and joining me to look back on 2021 is Roy. Hello Roy.

Hello Rob and hello everybody.

Yes, absolutely. It's been an incredibly busy year,

but also it's been a very, very difficult year for many families

and people around the planet, especially with the Covid pandemic,

but 2022 – it's almost here,

so let's hope that next year will be a much, much better year

for many people out there.

Yeah, let's hope so.

But, as you say, this year we discussed things such as the Covid pandemic,

we've discussed royal news, we've talked about sports and the Olympics,

we've talked about political stories as well

and we've talked about drinking wine in space, haven't we?

Yes, we have. I've never tried it, but it does sound intriguing.

Apparently it tastes better if you do it up in space, but who knows?

OK. Well, anyway, we've picked three of our most popular stories from this year

and we're starting with some royal news.

Yes. So, this one was about an interview with Oprah Winfrey,

and Meghan Markle spoke about her life with the British royal family

and how she found it very difficult.

Now, Neil and Catherine talked about this and brought us

the word 'bombshell'.

Let's have a look at what they said:

And we're now with Sky News, here in the UK – the headline:

'Bombshell' – describes a shocking event or piece of news.

Yes, it's all one word: B-O-M-B-S-H-E-L-L – 'bombshell'.

It's a military term.

Neil, you know what a 'bomb' is, don't you?

Yes, a 'bomb' is a device that explodes in order to destroy things,

like buildings or military hardware – those type of things.

Yes, and a 'bombshell' – excuse me – is the casing around the bomb so –

'bomb' or 'bombshell'.

And yes, a 'bombshell' will destroy everything.

It's a shocking, life-changing, momentous event.

Nothing will be the same after a 'bombshell'

and that's the idea behind the word in this context.

A 'bombshell' interview is something that really shocks:

potentially very damaging – devastating even.

So, a 'bombshell' is something really, really serious.

And we're talking about figurative damage here.

We're not saying that Harry and Meghan actually used a weapon of any kind.

No, no, not unless you count words as a weapon.

Yeah, there's no actual weaponry involved here.

Yeah. In this example, 'bombshell' is an adjective, so we talk...

we're talking about a 'bombshell' interview.

We can say a 'bombshell' moment; but it is also often used as a noun

and with the expression 'to drop a bombshell'.

Yes, 'to drop a bombshell'.

If you 'drop a bombshell', you give very important, unexpected news.

So, your news – if you 'drop a bombshell',

you're giving shocking and surprising news at the same time.

So, for example, if your family have always expected

you maybe to go to university.

You've always said you're going to go to university

and then the day before you're supposed to go to university,

you say, 'Actually... I'm not going.'

That would be – you would be 'dropping a bombshell'

or you'd be giving some 'bombshell' news.

Yeah. And the degree to which this news is shocking is of course relative.

You know, it might be very important to an individual,

but not important on an international scale.

Yes, of course. Yeah.

You don't have to be leaving a royal family to 'drop a bombshell'.

It's literally what's important to you and the person

that you're giving this news to.

OK. Well, let's get a summary:

So, that was the word 'bombshell'.

Yes, and if you want to test yourself on that piece of vocabulary,

or any of the other vocabulary we talk about today,

all you need to do is head to our website

bbclearningenglish.com to take a quiz.

OK. And you can learn more about that story, about Meghan and Harry,

and learn more vocabulary as well.

So, how can people do that, Roy?

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

Just down below.

Next – no surprises,

but we've been talking about climate change this year

and we had a story, back in August, that we talked about.

What was it exactly, Roy?

OK. So, this story was called

'Climate Crisis: Last Chance for Humanity'

and it was basically the fact that human activity

is causing unprecedented and irreversible changes to the planet,

according to a UN report.

And Catherine and Tom talked about this

and brought us the phrase 'a wake-up call'.

Let's have a look at what they said:

We're here with the BBC News and the headline:

'A wake-up call' – a shocking event which can cause changes

in behaviour or attitude.

Catherine, over to you.

Yes. Now, we start with 'a'.

Then the second word: 'wake' – W-A-K-E.

Third word is 'up' – U-P –

but those two words, 'wake' and 'up',

are joined with a hyphen when you write them.

And the final word is 'call' – C-A-L-L.

So, you have 'a wake-up call'.

Now, Tom, I'm sure you've had 'a wake-up call' in a hotel,

haven't you, at some point in your life?

I have, yeah. 'A wake-up call' in a hotel

is when someone gives you a phone call to wake you up,

or stop you from sleeping.

Yeah, so there's a bit of a shock, isn't it, when you're lying...

you wake up in a strange bed with the phone ringing and you're, like:

'Where am I? What's happening?'

It, sort of, makes you jump a bit, doesn't it?

It's... it's alarming, yeah, and you could say it causes 'alarm', yeah.

Yes, which is why we call it an 'alarm call' sometimes.

So, that's the kind of idea of 'a wake-up call' originally.

Now, in this context, we're not talking about hotels

and making you wake up in the morning,

but we are talking about a shock:

something that, kind of, jolts you into reality

and makes you pay attention and take action.

OK. So, we're talking about 'wake-up call' again

in this serious context of climate change.

Could you give us an example of when we can use 'wake-up call'

in a more everyday context?

Yes. Well, if you think about those lazy students, Tom.

I'm sure you weren't one but, you know, there's always that time

at university when you get fed up of working really hard

and the grades slip a bit and there's...

Yeah, I heard... I heard about that time.

Never happened to me obviously.

Yes... I'm sure, I'm sure.

And then one day you get a grade, which is really quite low.

It's a D, maybe an E even,

and you go: 'Oh no... Right, party time's over.

I'm going to have to start working

because if I don't, I'm going to fail this course.'

So, that bad grade – that D or that E –

was 'a wake-up call' because it makes you get back to reality, work harder.

So, a serious warning that makes you change your behaviour

is 'a wake-up call'.

So, low grades are 'a wake-up call' to lazy students and of course...

Should be!

...and of course, anyone watching this is taking ownership of their education

and will not need that 'wake-up call'. Great.

Let's have our summary slide please:

So, that was 'a wake-up call'

and you can watch that full report

and learn more vocabulary about that subject by going somewhere,

but where do people go, Roy?

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

Down below. Thank you.

Next, we had some big news in September.

What was it, Roy?

Yes, we had a story that ABBA, the pop superstars of the 1970s,

were planning a new album and a digital tour.

Yeah, exciting news – well, for ABBA fans at least.

And you and Neil discussed this and brought us the phrase 'damp squib'.

So, let's hear what you said:

OK. Our next headline comes from the UK,

from the Telegraph, and it reads:

'Damp squib' – something less impressive than expected.

Yeah. So, this is a very British expression and it's two words.

The first word is 'damp' – D-A-M-P.

The second word is 'squib', spelt S-Q-U-I-B –

very important that 'b' there.

And what it means – it describes something. It's a noun...

a noun phrase and it describes something that is...

it's... it's less than it was expected.

So, you had high expectations and it didn't reach those expectations.

Yeah. Now, this is a bit of a strange expression because

most people will understand the first part, 'damp', meaning slightly wet

and we can see how that can be... have a, sort of, negative meaning,

but 'squib' – what is a 'squib', Roy?

In the past, a 'squib' was used to refer to a small firework.

So, this is going to give an idea.

So, you're right – that 'damp' word which is obviously still in use:

it means wet.

And the firework... if a wet firework...

if a firework is wet, it doesn't really...

it doesn't really work. Fireworks are best when they're dry.

So, this is what many people believe is the origin of this expression:

just a wet firework that didn't... didn't go off.

Yeah. And as we know, fireworks are exciting.

There's some expectation around how they are going to make you feel.

You're going to be excited and full of joy.

If it's 'damp', that excitement is gone and that's the key to this meaning.

It is. So... And we use it quite commonly,

as I say, in British English informally –

to say something is a disappointment.

So, maybe you go to a restaurant and the food isn't very good

and you say: 'Humph, that restaurant was a bit of a damp squib.'

Or a party – a terrible, terrible party.

Can you think of an example of a 'damp squib'?

Well, Roy, I know... you know,

I don't want to upset you here, because I know you organised it,

but last year's Learning English Christmas party...

Well, the Christmas party's usually quite good fun, but this year,

or last year, because we couldn't get together because of Covid,

we had to do it virtually and I'm afraid to say

it was a 'damp squib', Roy.

Yeah. Yeah, I agree. It was a...

it was a bit of a let-down – not as good as expectations,

but we made the best of a bad situation.

But you can say, yeah, it was a bit of a 'damp squib',

because the year before everybody was together and hopefully again –

I have another opportunity this year,

so hopefully my reputation this time will remain intact.

Ah... nice use of the word from that previous headline.

One other thing to point out about this expression 'damp squib':

a lot of people get confused

because the word 'squib' is not used in modern English very often

and they think it's 'squid'. What's a 'squid', Roy?

OK. So, yeah, this is absolutely true.

Both native speakers of English and non-native speakers

regularly get this wrong: they say 'damp squid'.

A 'squid' is an animal that lives under the water

and it's kind of like an octopus,

and it makes sense because a 'squid' would be damp,

but that's not the expression.

We say 'damp squib' with a 'b'.

OK. Let's get a summary:

'Damp squib' – a great phrase,

but hopefully one that doesn't describe your year,

or indeed this programme.

Now, Roy, could you recap some of the vocabulary

that we've heard about today please?

Of course I can.

We had 'bombshell' – describes a shocking event or piece of news.

We had 'a wake-up call' – a shocking event which can cause changes

in behaviour or attitude.

And we had 'damp squib' – something less impressive than expected.

Thank you. And a reminder that you can test yourself

on the vocabulary you've heard today

on our website at bbclearningenglish.com.

Well, we're we're almost out of time,

but from the whole of the News Review team –

that's me and Neil and Catherine and Tom

and of course you, Roy – we want to wish you a very happy New Year

and of course we'll be back as usual every week in 2022.

So, from me: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everybody!