BBC Learning English

Video Words in the News

2 April 2014
Sumo in decline



Video Words in the News British Broadcasting Corporation 2014
Page 1 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com




Transcript:
It might look comic but becoming a top sumo wrestler is not for the faint-
hearted.

The sport, which is over 1,000 years old, requires extreme commitment: with
gruelling training and an enormous diet.

But sumo is in decline.

Revenues are falling, audiences are dwindling and the sport, which was once an
icon of Japanese pride, is now dominated by foreign wrestlers.



Vocabulary:
comic
funny
faint-hearted
not brave or confident
gruelling
extremely tiring; physically exhausting
dwindling
becoming smaller in size or number
dominated
controlled

Watch the video online: Sumo in decline http://bbc.in/1mHedPh


Video Words in the News British Broadcasting Corporation 2014
Page 2 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com


Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from
news reports.
Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence
correctly.
comic / faint-hearted / gruelling / dwindling / dominated

1. Two Bristol students who tackled a __________ transatlantic rowing race
have retired from the competition after more than three months at sea.

2. With the UK's gas and electricity market __________ by the "big six", the
claim often made is that the industry is somehow rigged in favour of these
companies.

3. India is home to around 25,000 elephants. Their numbers are __________
due to poaching and the destruction of their habitats by humans.

4. It is not surprising that we had to go to Britain's biggest aircraft hangar to
see the world's longest aircraft. For the best view, we had to climb the
world's scariest staircase too (safe of course, but not one for the
__________).

5. John Uhler Lemmon III - known to the world as Jack Lemmon - was one of
Hollywood's best-loved actors and a man who distinguished himself in both
serious and __________ roles.










Video Words in the News British Broadcasting Corporation 2014
Page 3 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com


Answers:

1. Two Bristol students who tackled a gruelling transatlantic rowing race have
retired from the competition after more than three months at sea.

Source: Bristol rowers adrift in ocean end 96-day Atlantic race
http://bbc.in/1e76jXp

2. With the UK's gas and electricity market dominated by the "big six", the
claim often made is that the industry is somehow rigged in favour of these
companies.

Source: Energy market: No quick fix to hugely complex issue
http://bbc.in/1hY2GnJ


3. India is home to around 25,000 elephants. Their numbers are dwindling
due to poaching and the destruction of their habitats by humans.

Source: Elephants killed by speeding train in India
http://bbc.in/1lkhTUl

4. It is not surprising that we had to go to Britain's biggest aircraft hangar to
see the world's longest aircraft. For the best view, we had to climb the
world's scariest staircase too (safe of course, but not one for the faint-
hearted).

Source: World's longest aircraft is unveiled in UK
http://bbc.in/1loGFVi

5. John Uhler Lemmon III - known to the world as Jack Lemmon - was one of
Hollywood's best-loved actors and a man who distinguished himself in both
serious and comic roles.

Source: Jack Lemmon's complex talent
http://bbc.in/1iUQ5Vr