Could the Covid-19 pandemic mean more people using bicycles in the future? Fear of catching the coronavirus has seen many people trying to avoid public transport. The UK has seen a huge uptake of cycle-to-work schemes, which allow new bicycles to be bought tax-free. Neil and Catherine discuss this news story and help you to learn English vocabulary to talk about it.
Please note: We have decided to activate YouTube’s automatic subtitles on this video. The BBC is not responsible for the accuracy of YouTube automatic subtitles.
Story:
Fear of catching the coronavirus has led to many people trying to avoid using public transport. However, people still need to be able to get around which has in turn created a huge demand for bicycles with cycle shops in the UK reporting a surge in sales. Cycle-to-work schemes are also in high demand. These schemes are an arrangement that allow people buy a bicycle without paying tax, effectively making bicycles more affordable. Some people are predicting that this will become a great time for cycling in Britain.
Vocabulary:
boom time
a period in which there is a large increase in demand for something
• Lockdown is a boom time for online shops.
• While radio was big in the last century, it’s now a boom time for podcasts.
golden age
a period in which a particular activity is popular or successful
• Critics say Hollywood’s golden age ended in the early 1960s.
• The 2000s have been a golden age for social media companies.
at the crossroads
at a point where an important decision needs to be made
• The climate stands at the crossroads. Our decisions now will change the future of the planet.
• With many countries debating their future membership, the EU could be standing at the crossroads.
#bbclearningenglish #vocabulary #coronavirus #newsreview
To download the audio and to test your understanding, go to our website at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/newsreview/unit-13/session-142
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Pandemic is a boom time for exporting companies. what is the golden age of 21st century ?planet is at the crossroad after the pandemic.
Boom time for
Golden age for
At the cross roads
Nice I love this channel😉
Your channel is my favourite you tube channel… Love it
Well, in order to be honest. I am astonished by this story from BBC
news. Maybe a strong revelation about government negligency. I was on January 27th, 2020 in London, with my Scholl for an Intensive course trip at Oxford School of language in Oxford. This Sunday morning all of
us, our group ( thirty people pretty much) we went to visit London. We
were in the classic around holidaymaker walk. Palace, House Parlament,
Abbey, Tower Of London and so on. When in the afternoon 2 pm. we got around the city center in order to do sightseeing. Suddenly when we carried on to Covert Garden stopped in Trafalgar Square. Over there we
saw a really crowded Chinese , Korean , and more. Pretty much twenty thousand people all around Trafalgar Square, a load of stalls for food etc. They were holding China's new year, like our New Year eve….It
was at the moment an akward situation. So don't tear out clothes away,
because I couldn't imagine why the British PM ( who lives nearby) let this sort of behavior. And still remain. Don't forget it. Still remain.
Being awkward in a pandemic is the best food for COVID 19.
Neil really you are honest and good me,,love from india,want to meet with u
Very informative and designed! I love you Neil and Catherine and all BBC Learning English team .. by the way I'm at the crossroads of English learning by following BBC Learning English on daily basis 🙂
I like your T-Shirt Neil 😀
Hi Niel and Catherine, you guys are AMAZING! ENORMOUS thank you to both of you and others in the crew. Plus, Niel looks so cute and Catherine sounds so caring. I hope you guys stay healthy and happy, always.
Ye video me jo hai ose oratory competition me boll Sakte hai kya
Jesus, the voices of this man and woman sound like family
You are Great! 👍 As always…!🙂
Thanks so much I really enjoy this learning. Regards from Perú
Thanks a lot for sharing such a good information!
I am still standing at the crossroads. I have no idea what should I choose between my career and my family.
Since the corona virus outbreak, there is a boom time for the number of people testing covid-19's rapid test.
Thank you.
Thank you so much. I learned a lot of English words here.
Great lesson!
What is 'French for dogs'?
In Italian we have the same figurative expression but the choice or decision we have to make is between 2 only options while in English, like Neil explains, is not well define, isn't it?
Thanks.. you encourage me to cycle again.
French for dog, hahaha………
Hello BBC,
I am your new subscriber. I was surfing the platform where I can improve my English & vocabulary with the gain of knowledge. As you know, this is the golden age to enhance the skills for each of us. This is most probably the boom time for those who want to improve their English speaking skill. But my mind always remains at the crossroads. My minds always wonder for some other creative channel when I subscribe one.
I am sorry, but it's true.
Hey, can I use those words on my ielts writing or speaking.
● lockdown has been proven as a boom time for online video game.
● It is golden age to polish one's skills for individual development.
● Pandemic put the world at the crossroads to bring reforms in their healthcare system.
Thank you for the lesson!
Surprisingly, even BBC does not know how many thousand words they give their listeners for the year from the list of 10,000 most used. You will be surprised, but it will be a maximum of 2500. You can have a dictionary in Anki and check.
Amazing Videos
Love you a lot, BBC.
Great lesson!! Thanks!!
Is it OK if I write 'allow people cycle'? Because I am taught 'allow someone to do something'. I don't know if 'allow someone do something' is grammatically correct or not.
baby boom
BBC learning english channel has booming time.nothwithstanding,covid hardships they at cross roads to deliver program at stretch
That’s great! Thanks for helpful lesson!
boom or burst…
Thank you very much
Thanks a lot.
Well, the lesson is a straight fire!