Andy Murray will collect £1.6m in prize money for yesterday's victory, but that's a modest sum compared with the amount he could earn now his status as a national sporting hero has been sealed.
According to his manager, Simon Fuller, Murray's victory is no less a triumph than winning the top prize in football. And he's now admired not just as a sportsman but as a personality.
Andy Murray's manager, Simon Fuller:
The public has warmed to Andy. As each year passes they understand him and they warm to him, and I think people got a little insight as to how big a heart he has and how sort of passionate he is about sport and what a truly great guy, and I think that, combined with winning on court, makes for a true superstar.
Murray's already earning £15m over five years from sportswear sponsorship and he was reckoned to be worth a total of £32m even before yesterday's victory.
If he now exploits 'brand Murray' to the full, marketing experts believe, he could earn £15m a year making him one of the highest-earning sportsmen in the world.
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a modest sum
a fairly small amount of money
sealed
agreed; confirmed
triumph
great success
personality
well-known person / famous person
insight
deeper understanding
passionate
very enthusiastic
sponsorship
money that a company gives to support or encourage someone or something (and sometimes to promote the company giving the money)
exploits
uses a situation to get benefit from it
For Baloo the bear in The Jungle Book, it was honey, ants, paw paws and prickly pears. But when it comes to the Great British public, the top four things people couldn't live without were an internet connection, a television, a cuddle and a trustworthy best friend.
And while women placed cuddles as their number one 'bare necessity', men were more into the television. For women, chocolate, central heating and a cup of tea all ranked highly. But for men, a cooked breakfast and a pint of beer were up there. I asked people on the streets of London what their bare necessities were:
Vox pops of people in London:
My girlfriend. X-box. Cigarettes. Money's the main thing - makes the world go round! Phone. My family and kids. Freedom, democracy, independence, votes, women's rights. My kids. Water. My wife I think, that's about the best. Very diplomatic!
Eighty-six per cent of those polled admitted that they overlooked love and friendship in favour of materialistic things - which could explain why the iPhone helps so many British people rest at ease when it comes to the bare necessities of life.
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trustworthy
reliable and honest
bare necessity
basic and essential thing that everyone needs
ranked highly
thought to be most important
up there
at the top of the list (of things they couldn't live without)
polled
asked to answer questions in a survey
overlooked
did not notice
rest at ease
happily relax
The Duke University team designed two games - one to test patience and the other assessing risk-taking.
The second was a sort of gambling game where the forty chimps and bonobos the team studied were offered a choice between a safe option - six peanuts hidden under a bowl - or a risky option. The second bowl concealed either a slice of cucumber or a much tastier piece of banana, and that prize wasn't revealed until the ape had made its choice.
When one chimp, named Timi, gambled and got the cucumber, he threw what looked and sounded very much like a tantrum. Although some were more stoic than Timi, many of the animals involved showed an emotional response to a bad decision - anxiously scratching themselves or calling out.
The study, the scientists say, suggests that emotions like frustration and regret - so fundamental to our own decisions - are not uniquely human, but are an important and ancient part of ape society.
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patience
the ability to keep calm
risk-taking
taking a chance; making a decision where the result might be good or bad
a safe option
a choice which is not risky
concealed
hidden
revealed
shown
a tantrum
a period of anger without control
frustration
feeling annoyed
regret
feeling of sadness about a decision you have made
fundamental
important
uniquely
only
People either love them or hate them – garden gnomes, those little figurines of men with their pointy, red hats and white beards, with a pipe or a fishing rod, that are used to decorate gardens in some countries. Some people have called the ban on them at the prestigious Chelsea flower show 'snobbery' – or worse still, gnomo-phobia. The organisers, the Royal Horticultural Society, defend themselves by saying the ban on what they describe as "brightly-coloured, mythical creatures" is in force so as not to distract from the flowers on show. But this year the ban is being lifted. So do people support the move?
(People giving their opinions:)
I don't mind garden gnomes. I think they bring a bit of colour. They bring a bit of amusement. And, you know, there's a place for them in the right type of garden.
I think they're very nice and I'm from Denmark and I think there's a tradition in Denmark. We always have them in our gardens.
I'm all for equality and equal opportunity for everybody including gnomes.
The moratorium is to allow in a group of more than 100 celebrity gnomes, or rather, gnomes decorated by celebrities such as Sir Elton John and Dolly Parton. They will be auctioned to raise money for a charity that helps children get involved in gardening.
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figurines
small models of people
fishing rod
a long pole with a line of string and a hook attached to it, used for catching fish
prestigious
highly respected and admired
snobbery
behaviour and attitudes held by snobs (people who think they are better than others)
-phobia
extreme fear of something, often fear of things that people are not usually afraid of (examples: arachnophobia - fear of spiders, claustrophobia - fear of closed spaces)
mythical
not real, existing only in stories (in myths)
in force
(of a law or rule) being applied; happening
lifted
(of a law or rule) stopped, ended
all for in favour of; agreeing with
all for
in favour of; agreeing with
moratorium
stopping an activity for an agreed amount of time
auctioned
sold publicly to the person who offers the most money
The hypothalamus is a small structure located deep within the brain. It plays a critical role in controlling growth, reproduction and metabolism - but now it could hold the key to ageing too.
A team of scientists in the US looked at this region of the brain in mice. They found that blocking a chemical in this area increased the animals' lifespan. Healthy mice typically live for between 600 to 1000 days.
But the rodents in the study were living about a fifth longer without suffering problems that are common in old age, such as muscle loss or memory problems. Conversely, when the scientists boosted the substance in the hypothalamus, the animal's lifespan was shortened.
The researchers now want to fully understand the biological mechanism behind this process. They say the work could provide new insights into age-related diseases - and in the future even raise the prospect of drugs that could increase our lifespan.
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a critical role
a very important part
reproduction
the process of creating new life
metabolism
how your body processes food to give energy and strength
lifespan
time that it lives for
typically
usually, normally
common
frequent, often occurring
conversely
in the opposite way
boosted
increased
biological mechanism
what happens inside the body, the way the body functions
the prospect
the possibility
Artemisinin is a frontline drug in the fight against malaria. It's used around the world, and can clear the infection in just a few days.
But reports of resistance began to emerge in western Cambodia in 2008, and this has now spread to other areas in South East Asia.
To investigate, scientists sequenced the genomes of more than 800 malaria-causing parasites collected from all around the world.
They found that some of the strains present in Cambodia were significantly different to the rest, and these were able to withstand artemisinin treatment.
The researchers don't yet know how the parasites are beating the drugs.
But they say understanding their genetic fingerprint will help them to quickly detect and track these strains if they spread.
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frontline
leading, most important
resistance
the ability not to be affected or harmed by something, especially a drug
emerge
appear, become known
sequenced the genomes
determined the order of genetic material (DNA)
parasites
plants or animals that live in or on other plants or animals and feed on them
strains
types
withstand
to be strong enough not to be harmed or destroyed by something; resist
genetic fingerprint
the unique pattern of a plant or animal's genes
detect
to discover something (often using special equipment)
track
follow the movement or development of something
As expected, the Premier League gave final approval for the use of goal-line technology and it will act as a guinea pig for Europe's other big leagues, who are not yet convinced. It's adopted the Hawk-Eye system, which claims to be millimetre-accurate when tracking a ball. Its high speed laser-eye cameras, already well-established at the top levels of tennis and cricket, will be installed at all twenty Premier League grounds, as well as Wembley Stadium.
From next season a signal will be sent to the referee's watch within a second to indicate whether or not a goal has been scored. The technology debate in football intensified following an incident in the 2010 World Cup, when England's Frank Lampard was denied a perfectly legitimate goal. The current England manager is Roy Hodgson:
Roy Hodgson
"It's obviously something that people in football have wanted for a long, long time now. There's been a big debate and, for a while, it was pushed back, but it's great now to see that everyone is on the same page and that we've introduced it, so I'm looking forward to that and, at least, it will stop some of those gross injustices that we've seen in recent years, where goals have obviously been scored and not allowed."
The agreement comes after FIFA chose a different company - Goal Control - to supply similar equipment for this year's Confederations Cup in Brazil, a warm-up event for the 2014 World Cup. The doubters worry this is just the tip of the iceberg, that other systems could be introduced to decide offsides, fouls or red cards, and that would further undermine the work of the referees. In addition, there is concern that only the rich leagues can afford to pay for such hi-tech innovations. But, despite those fears, the argument for goal-line technology, in the Premier League at least, has been emphatically endorsed.
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goal-line technology
equipment used to tell when a goal is scored
to act as a guinea pig
to be used as an experiment or trial
installed
put in place
intensified
here: became more angry and urgent
denied
not allowed
legitimate
here: allowed (according to the rules)
on the same page
in agreement
gross injustices
examples of unfair treatment (when goals have been disallowed)
the tip of the iceberg
a small part of a bigger problem or issue
undermine
weaken
emphatically endorsed
officially and definitely supported
Here's the problem with chocolate - what makes it velvety and smooth in the mouth is exactly what ends up elsewhere - fat.
Low-fat versions disappoint because it's difficult to replace the tiny globules of fat with anything else that disperses within the chocolate and maintains its texture.
The trick, it seems, is to use agar - a widely available gelling agent. Thoroughly blended bits of it, the researchers say, act as tiny sponges that soak up any liquid - fruit juice, plain water, even alcohol.
Stefan Bon, who led the research, said that the method opens up whole new markets for chocolate, and that additives such as fruit juice could further increase chocolate's health credentials.
Stefan Bon:
"It would both lower fat content and sugar content, so for people that just have a craving and just want to down a bar of 200g, you take half the amount of fat in, so it's great."
But for the less health-conscious, students in the group have made a chocolate bar containing four shots of vodka.
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velvety
smooth and soft like the the material velvet
globules
small balls of liquid
disperses
spreads out across a large area
agar
a thick, clear substance like jelly made from seaweed
gelling agent
a substance that helps things become firm
sponges
soft substances full of small holes which take in water, often used for cleaning
additives
substances added to a food or drink to improve taste or appearance, or to keep it fresh for longer
credentials
here: qualities which make chocolate healthier
craving
strong desire for something
health-conscious
(people who are) aware and concerned about their health
shots
small measures of alcoholic drinks, especially spirits like whisky or vodka
This is the Central District and it's 11 o'clock at night time, but if I put on my sunglasses it wouldn't be too dark at all and that's because there are lights everywhere. There's a neon sign across the street at an old antique shop. It's closed but there are one, two, three signs lit up and it's the same thing all down the street.
Now, researchers say that these signs are contributing to what is known as light pollution - you can tell by looking up into the sky. Not a single star in sight. In fact, the sky is a light shade of grey because of the amount of light in this area. And this is affecting people's lives because above these businesses and signs are apartment blocks. So these neon lights are reflecting off of the windows and bouncing into people's homes.
Christine Siu lives near the area. She says sometimes the lights are so bright it makes it hard to fall asleep.
Well, researchers are asking businesses to dim their lights and to turn them off earlier in the evening. Except it's not going to be an easy thing to do. Hong Kong is a place where businesses can offer the same services or sell the same products side-by-side.
The only way they can distinguish themselves from their competitors are through these neon signs to grab customers' attention. The bigger, the brighter, the better. Hong Kong is known to be a place that never sleeps. Well, now it seems that's because they never allow the sky to go dark.
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neon sign
a sign that contains gas that shines brightly
contributing to
adding to
to dim
to reduce the brightness
side-by-side
directly next to each other
distinguish
make themselves obviously different
competitors
businesses providing the same service
to grab
to attract
a place that never sleeps
a city where there is activity 24 hours a day
There can't be many parts of the world where the president takes to the loudspeaker during a football match to express his dismay. In the Chechen capital Grozny, everything is a little different.
The president is also the city football club's biggest fan. And from the stands of Terek Grozny's stadium, shortly after the team's captain had been sent off in last Sunday's match, Ramzan Kadyrov grasped the microphone. He called the referee corrupt and said he was a donkey.
It didn't achieve much. The match was a nil-all draw and now the club will have to fork out a hefty fine - the equivalent of $3,200. The fine was doubled because after the match the strongman leader spent a few minutes in the dressing room with the referee, demanding an explanation, while his security guards kept the football officials at bay.
Mr Kadyrov, who used to be Terek Grozny's president, is not the one being directly penalised. Instead it is the club that is picking up the bill.
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dismay
feeling of disappointment and surprise
sent off
told to leave the football pitch because of doing something that is not allowed
grasped
tightly held
corrupt
dishonest/not playing by the rules
nil-all draw
no goals were scored by either team
to fork out
to pay money, although they do not want to
hefty
large
at bay
under control
penalised
punished/forced to pay
picking up the bill
having to pay
They feast on our blood while we sleep - leaving itchy, red welts as their calling card. Bedbugs are an insect that many would like to see the back of. But in North America, Europe and Australia, infestations are on the rise - and our insecticides are losing their bite.
Researchers at the University of Kentucky in the US have found 14 genes associated with resistance to these chemicals. They're causing a number of biological changes in the bedbugs. These include the development of a thicker skin that stops the poisons from penetrating and mutations within the insects' bodies that prevent the toxins from hitting the nervous system.
The genes linked to these changes are active in the insect's tough outer shell - creating a formidable first line of defence. These findings could help scientists to develop new insecticides that could either turn these genes off or bypass the pest's molecular shields.
But until these substances are developed, exterminators are having to resort to more primitive tactics.
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itchy
unpleasant feeling on the skin that makes you scratch
welts
area of raised skin, red in colour, sometimes caused by an insect bite
calling card
evidence that something has been there
infestations
problems where insects are in a place and causing damage
insecticides
chemical substances used for killing insects
penetrating
getting inside of
mutations
changes in the genes that make it different from others of its type
toxins
poisons
formidable
impressive or powerful
exterminators
people who kill unwanted pests (such as insects)
David Beckham says he's 'honoured' and 'excited' by this new role, as part-time global ambassador for Chinese football. It could be one of his toughest yet.
In the world's most populous country, football has struggled for popularity. Corruption and match-fixing have tainted Chinese football. And recent attempts by Chinese clubs to hire star players from abroad, including Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka have foundered. The big foreign names have left after just a few months, disappointed by their new clubs or the standard of the game in China.
In the same way he was an ambassador for the London Olympics, David Beckham's role will be to promote China's Super League inside and outside the country. In particular he’ll try to encourage Chinese children to get interested in the game.
It's not clear how much he'll be paid by China's League to be its ambassador, but he'll continue to play football for his new French club Paris St. Germain.
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honoured
proud and happy
role
job or responsibility
ambassador
person who represents the sport
toughest
most challenging/hardest
corruption
illegal activity, especially by people in power
tainted
spoiled
standard
quality
to encourage
to increase interest in
Report
It was one of the most talked about moments of the inauguration: Beyonce's soaring, flawless rendition of the Star Spangled Banner in front of President Obama and millions more.
But doubt was soon cast on the authenticity of the performance. There was speculation it was taped, that the megastar had mimed.
Today came her response. She strolled into a news conference for Sunday's Super Bowl, at which she will sing, asked the audience to stand and raised her microphone:
Beyonce singing American national anthem:
"Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light?"
After belting out the national anthem she asked, with a laugh, if there were any questions. And then she admitted to singing along to a pre-recorded track last week because she didn't have time to practise.
Beyonce said she had not wanted to risk anything going wrong on such a big occasion.
But she will be singing live during the half-time show on Sunday, to one of the biggest audiences of her career.
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soaring
rising or flying up into the air
flawless
perfect, without faults
rendition
a version of a song or performance
authenticity
reality
speculation
guessing about a subject without enough evidence
taped
recorded (of a sound)
mimed
moved lips along to a song without making a sound
strolled
walked slowly and in a relaxed way
belted out
sang very loudly and with a lot of enthusiasm
pre-recorded track
song which been recorded earlier
We've already found more than a million species, but unearthing the rest was thought to be an impossible task.
But now it seems an army of amateur scientists have taken up the cause. A new study concludes that, thanks to them, we're in a golden age of discovery, with 20,000 new finds charted each year.
There could also be far fewer plants and animals left for them to find. The researchers say rather than tens of millions of species living on Earth, there could be between two and eight million.
If the appetite for discovery continues to grow, they say a full ecological audit could be a possibility within the next 100 years.
The scientists also looked at the numbers of species going extinct, and said this had been overestimated.
Professor Mark Costello, from the University of Auckland, is the lead author of the study:
"Suddenly people say we're in the middle of a mass extinction crisis well that's a bit premature because when we look at the extinction rates that are actually happening they're not as bad as people have been letting on."
But the International Union for the Conservation of Nature disagreed with the team's conclusion that the rate of new species found was higher than the numbers being lost.
The organisation's deputy director said it was more important to save species than to count them.
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unearthing
discovering things after careful searching
taken up the cause
become actively involved in a movement
a golden age
a period of time in which things are very successful and people are happy
charted
recorded, listed
appetite for discovery
desire to find out and learn about new things
ecological audit
a thorough study of all plants and animals and the environmental conditions in which they live
overestimated
thought that something would be greater than it is
mass extinction
a large number of plants and animals becoming extinct at the same time
premature
happening too early, before the normal time
The confession took a long time to come. Despite being stripped of his Tour de France titles last year following a doping investigation, Lance Armstrong always denied cheating.
But he had been lying. The 41-year-old American cyclist told Oprah Winfrey he used performance enhancing drugs in every Tour de France contest he won.
He took banned substances and used blood transfusions to boost his performance. Without them, he said, it wouldn't have been possible to win.
Armstrong said he kept repeating "one big lie" and conceded that his admission would be "too late" for most people. "All the fault and all the blame lies with me," Lance Armstrong said.
But he claimed his actions had not felt like cheating at the time and denied having pressurised other members of his team to dope.
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confession
admission of guilt
stripped of
had taken away
doping
using drugs in sport
performance enhancing drugs
substances used illegally to improve a sportsperson's ability
blood transfusions
adding blood to a person's body
conceded
accepted as true
admission
acceptance of the truth
blame
responsibility for a bad or wrong act
cheating
winning by dishonest means
pressurised
strongly tried to influence
Lightning never strikes twice, they say. But apparently jewel thieves do, especially, it seems, at famous French film festivals.
Thieves outwitted 80 bodyguards, local police and hotel security to make off with the $2.5m necklace, owned by the Swiss jewellery company De Grisogono. The lavish piece had been displayed in a fashion parade at a glamorous party attended by film stars and celebrities at an exclusive hotel in Cap d'Antibes.
At the end of the evening a check was made of the jewellery and the necklace had disappeared. French police are investigating whether the jewellery was stolen, lost or misplaced. Last week thieves ripped a safe out of a hotel wall in Cannes, stealing 1.5m dollars' worth of jewellery owned by the Swiss company Chopard.
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lightning never strikes twice
(idiom) it is unlikely that the same bad thing will happen twice in the same place or to the same person
outwitted
gained advantage over someone by using a clever or dishonest trick
make off with
steal
lavish
expensive, impressive and in large quantity
glamorous
attractive in an exciting way
exclusive
limited to only one person or group
misplaced
(of an object) put in the wrong place and lost
safe
a strong, heavy box with a lock used for storing valuable things
According to his manager, Simon Fuller, Murray's victory is no less a triumph than winning the top prize in football. And he's now admired not just as a sportsman but as a personality.
Andy Murray's manager, Simon Fuller:
The public has warmed to Andy. As each year passes they understand him and they warm to him, and I think people got a little insight as to how big a heart he has and how sort of passionate he is about sport and what a truly great guy, and I think that, combined with winning on court, makes for a true superstar.
Murray's already earning £15m over five years from sportswear sponsorship and he was reckoned to be worth a total of £32m even before yesterday's victory.
If he now exploits 'brand Murray' to the full, marketing experts believe, he could earn £15m a year making him one of the highest-earning sportsmen in the world.
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a modest sum
a fairly small amount of money
sealed
agreed; confirmed
triumph
great success
personality
well-known person / famous person
insight
deeper understanding
passionate
very enthusiastic
sponsorship
money that a company gives to support or encourage someone or something (and sometimes to promote the company giving the money)
exploits
uses a situation to get benefit from it
For Baloo the bear in The Jungle Book, it was honey, ants, paw paws and prickly pears. But when it comes to the Great British public, the top four things people couldn't live without were an internet connection, a television, a cuddle and a trustworthy best friend.
And while women placed cuddles as their number one 'bare necessity', men were more into the television. For women, chocolate, central heating and a cup of tea all ranked highly. But for men, a cooked breakfast and a pint of beer were up there. I asked people on the streets of London what their bare necessities were:
Vox pops of people in London:
My girlfriend. X-box. Cigarettes. Money's the main thing - makes the world go round! Phone. My family and kids. Freedom, democracy, independence, votes, women's rights. My kids. Water. My wife I think, that's about the best. Very diplomatic!
Eighty-six per cent of those polled admitted that they overlooked love and friendship in favour of materialistic things - which could explain why the iPhone helps so many British people rest at ease when it comes to the bare necessities of life.
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trustworthy
reliable and honest
bare necessity
basic and essential thing that everyone needs
ranked highly
thought to be most important
up there
at the top of the list (of things they couldn't live without)
polled
asked to answer questions in a survey
overlooked
did not notice
rest at ease
happily relax
The Duke University team designed two games - one to test patience and the other assessing risk-taking.
The second was a sort of gambling game where the forty chimps and bonobos the team studied were offered a choice between a safe option - six peanuts hidden under a bowl - or a risky option. The second bowl concealed either a slice of cucumber or a much tastier piece of banana, and that prize wasn't revealed until the ape had made its choice.
When one chimp, named Timi, gambled and got the cucumber, he threw what looked and sounded very much like a tantrum. Although some were more stoic than Timi, many of the animals involved showed an emotional response to a bad decision - anxiously scratching themselves or calling out.
The study, the scientists say, suggests that emotions like frustration and regret - so fundamental to our own decisions - are not uniquely human, but are an important and ancient part of ape society.
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patience
the ability to keep calm
risk-taking
taking a chance; making a decision where the result might be good or bad
a safe option
a choice which is not risky
concealed
hidden
revealed
shown
a tantrum
a period of anger without control
frustration
feeling annoyed
regret
feeling of sadness about a decision you have made
fundamental
important
uniquely
only
People either love them or hate them – garden gnomes, those little figurines of men with their pointy, red hats and white beards, with a pipe or a fishing rod, that are used to decorate gardens in some countries. Some people have called the ban on them at the prestigious Chelsea flower show 'snobbery' – or worse still, gnomo-phobia. The organisers, the Royal Horticultural Society, defend themselves by saying the ban on what they describe as "brightly-coloured, mythical creatures" is in force so as not to distract from the flowers on show. But this year the ban is being lifted. So do people support the move?
(People giving their opinions:)
I don't mind garden gnomes. I think they bring a bit of colour. They bring a bit of amusement. And, you know, there's a place for them in the right type of garden.
I think they're very nice and I'm from Denmark and I think there's a tradition in Denmark. We always have them in our gardens.
I'm all for equality and equal opportunity for everybody including gnomes.
The moratorium is to allow in a group of more than 100 celebrity gnomes, or rather, gnomes decorated by celebrities such as Sir Elton John and Dolly Parton. They will be auctioned to raise money for a charity that helps children get involved in gardening.
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figurines
small models of people
fishing rod
a long pole with a line of string and a hook attached to it, used for catching fish
prestigious
highly respected and admired
snobbery
behaviour and attitudes held by snobs (people who think they are better than others)
-phobia
extreme fear of something, often fear of things that people are not usually afraid of (examples: arachnophobia - fear of spiders, claustrophobia - fear of closed spaces)
mythical
not real, existing only in stories (in myths)
in force
(of a law or rule) being applied; happening
lifted
(of a law or rule) stopped, ended
all for in favour of; agreeing with
all for
in favour of; agreeing with
moratorium
stopping an activity for an agreed amount of time
auctioned
sold publicly to the person who offers the most money
The hypothalamus is a small structure located deep within the brain. It plays a critical role in controlling growth, reproduction and metabolism - but now it could hold the key to ageing too.
A team of scientists in the US looked at this region of the brain in mice. They found that blocking a chemical in this area increased the animals' lifespan. Healthy mice typically live for between 600 to 1000 days.
But the rodents in the study were living about a fifth longer without suffering problems that are common in old age, such as muscle loss or memory problems. Conversely, when the scientists boosted the substance in the hypothalamus, the animal's lifespan was shortened.
The researchers now want to fully understand the biological mechanism behind this process. They say the work could provide new insights into age-related diseases - and in the future even raise the prospect of drugs that could increase our lifespan.
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a critical role
a very important part
reproduction
the process of creating new life
metabolism
how your body processes food to give energy and strength
lifespan
time that it lives for
typically
usually, normally
common
frequent, often occurring
conversely
in the opposite way
boosted
increased
biological mechanism
what happens inside the body, the way the body functions
the prospect
the possibility
Artemisinin is a frontline drug in the fight against malaria. It's used around the world, and can clear the infection in just a few days.
But reports of resistance began to emerge in western Cambodia in 2008, and this has now spread to other areas in South East Asia.
To investigate, scientists sequenced the genomes of more than 800 malaria-causing parasites collected from all around the world.
They found that some of the strains present in Cambodia were significantly different to the rest, and these were able to withstand artemisinin treatment.
The researchers don't yet know how the parasites are beating the drugs.
But they say understanding their genetic fingerprint will help them to quickly detect and track these strains if they spread.
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frontline
leading, most important
resistance
the ability not to be affected or harmed by something, especially a drug
emerge
appear, become known
sequenced the genomes
determined the order of genetic material (DNA)
parasites
plants or animals that live in or on other plants or animals and feed on them
strains
types
withstand
to be strong enough not to be harmed or destroyed by something; resist
genetic fingerprint
the unique pattern of a plant or animal's genes
detect
to discover something (often using special equipment)
track
follow the movement or development of something
As expected, the Premier League gave final approval for the use of goal-line technology and it will act as a guinea pig for Europe's other big leagues, who are not yet convinced. It's adopted the Hawk-Eye system, which claims to be millimetre-accurate when tracking a ball. Its high speed laser-eye cameras, already well-established at the top levels of tennis and cricket, will be installed at all twenty Premier League grounds, as well as Wembley Stadium.
From next season a signal will be sent to the referee's watch within a second to indicate whether or not a goal has been scored. The technology debate in football intensified following an incident in the 2010 World Cup, when England's Frank Lampard was denied a perfectly legitimate goal. The current England manager is Roy Hodgson:
Roy Hodgson
"It's obviously something that people in football have wanted for a long, long time now. There's been a big debate and, for a while, it was pushed back, but it's great now to see that everyone is on the same page and that we've introduced it, so I'm looking forward to that and, at least, it will stop some of those gross injustices that we've seen in recent years, where goals have obviously been scored and not allowed."
The agreement comes after FIFA chose a different company - Goal Control - to supply similar equipment for this year's Confederations Cup in Brazil, a warm-up event for the 2014 World Cup. The doubters worry this is just the tip of the iceberg, that other systems could be introduced to decide offsides, fouls or red cards, and that would further undermine the work of the referees. In addition, there is concern that only the rich leagues can afford to pay for such hi-tech innovations. But, despite those fears, the argument for goal-line technology, in the Premier League at least, has been emphatically endorsed.
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goal-line technology
equipment used to tell when a goal is scored
to act as a guinea pig
to be used as an experiment or trial
installed
put in place
intensified
here: became more angry and urgent
denied
not allowed
legitimate
here: allowed (according to the rules)
on the same page
in agreement
gross injustices
examples of unfair treatment (when goals have been disallowed)
the tip of the iceberg
a small part of a bigger problem or issue
undermine
weaken
emphatically endorsed
officially and definitely supported
Here's the problem with chocolate - what makes it velvety and smooth in the mouth is exactly what ends up elsewhere - fat.
Low-fat versions disappoint because it's difficult to replace the tiny globules of fat with anything else that disperses within the chocolate and maintains its texture.
The trick, it seems, is to use agar - a widely available gelling agent. Thoroughly blended bits of it, the researchers say, act as tiny sponges that soak up any liquid - fruit juice, plain water, even alcohol.
Stefan Bon, who led the research, said that the method opens up whole new markets for chocolate, and that additives such as fruit juice could further increase chocolate's health credentials.
Stefan Bon:
"It would both lower fat content and sugar content, so for people that just have a craving and just want to down a bar of 200g, you take half the amount of fat in, so it's great."
But for the less health-conscious, students in the group have made a chocolate bar containing four shots of vodka.
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velvety
smooth and soft like the the material velvet
globules
small balls of liquid
disperses
spreads out across a large area
agar
a thick, clear substance like jelly made from seaweed
gelling agent
a substance that helps things become firm
sponges
soft substances full of small holes which take in water, often used for cleaning
additives
substances added to a food or drink to improve taste or appearance, or to keep it fresh for longer
credentials
here: qualities which make chocolate healthier
craving
strong desire for something
health-conscious
(people who are) aware and concerned about their health
shots
small measures of alcoholic drinks, especially spirits like whisky or vodka
This is the Central District and it's 11 o'clock at night time, but if I put on my sunglasses it wouldn't be too dark at all and that's because there are lights everywhere. There's a neon sign across the street at an old antique shop. It's closed but there are one, two, three signs lit up and it's the same thing all down the street.
Now, researchers say that these signs are contributing to what is known as light pollution - you can tell by looking up into the sky. Not a single star in sight. In fact, the sky is a light shade of grey because of the amount of light in this area. And this is affecting people's lives because above these businesses and signs are apartment blocks. So these neon lights are reflecting off of the windows and bouncing into people's homes.
Christine Siu lives near the area. She says sometimes the lights are so bright it makes it hard to fall asleep.
Well, researchers are asking businesses to dim their lights and to turn them off earlier in the evening. Except it's not going to be an easy thing to do. Hong Kong is a place where businesses can offer the same services or sell the same products side-by-side.
The only way they can distinguish themselves from their competitors are through these neon signs to grab customers' attention. The bigger, the brighter, the better. Hong Kong is known to be a place that never sleeps. Well, now it seems that's because they never allow the sky to go dark.
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neon sign
a sign that contains gas that shines brightly
contributing to
adding to
to dim
to reduce the brightness
side-by-side
directly next to each other
distinguish
make themselves obviously different
competitors
businesses providing the same service
to grab
to attract
a place that never sleeps
a city where there is activity 24 hours a day
There can't be many parts of the world where the president takes to the loudspeaker during a football match to express his dismay. In the Chechen capital Grozny, everything is a little different.
The president is also the city football club's biggest fan. And from the stands of Terek Grozny's stadium, shortly after the team's captain had been sent off in last Sunday's match, Ramzan Kadyrov grasped the microphone. He called the referee corrupt and said he was a donkey.
It didn't achieve much. The match was a nil-all draw and now the club will have to fork out a hefty fine - the equivalent of $3,200. The fine was doubled because after the match the strongman leader spent a few minutes in the dressing room with the referee, demanding an explanation, while his security guards kept the football officials at bay.
Mr Kadyrov, who used to be Terek Grozny's president, is not the one being directly penalised. Instead it is the club that is picking up the bill.
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dismay
feeling of disappointment and surprise
sent off
told to leave the football pitch because of doing something that is not allowed
grasped
tightly held
corrupt
dishonest/not playing by the rules
nil-all draw
no goals were scored by either team
to fork out
to pay money, although they do not want to
hefty
large
at bay
under control
penalised
punished/forced to pay
picking up the bill
having to pay
They feast on our blood while we sleep - leaving itchy, red welts as their calling card. Bedbugs are an insect that many would like to see the back of. But in North America, Europe and Australia, infestations are on the rise - and our insecticides are losing their bite.
Researchers at the University of Kentucky in the US have found 14 genes associated with resistance to these chemicals. They're causing a number of biological changes in the bedbugs. These include the development of a thicker skin that stops the poisons from penetrating and mutations within the insects' bodies that prevent the toxins from hitting the nervous system.
The genes linked to these changes are active in the insect's tough outer shell - creating a formidable first line of defence. These findings could help scientists to develop new insecticides that could either turn these genes off or bypass the pest's molecular shields.
But until these substances are developed, exterminators are having to resort to more primitive tactics.
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itchy
unpleasant feeling on the skin that makes you scratch
welts
area of raised skin, red in colour, sometimes caused by an insect bite
calling card
evidence that something has been there
infestations
problems where insects are in a place and causing damage
insecticides
chemical substances used for killing insects
penetrating
getting inside of
mutations
changes in the genes that make it different from others of its type
toxins
poisons
formidable
impressive or powerful
exterminators
people who kill unwanted pests (such as insects)
David Beckham says he's 'honoured' and 'excited' by this new role, as part-time global ambassador for Chinese football. It could be one of his toughest yet.
In the world's most populous country, football has struggled for popularity. Corruption and match-fixing have tainted Chinese football. And recent attempts by Chinese clubs to hire star players from abroad, including Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka have foundered. The big foreign names have left after just a few months, disappointed by their new clubs or the standard of the game in China.
In the same way he was an ambassador for the London Olympics, David Beckham's role will be to promote China's Super League inside and outside the country. In particular he’ll try to encourage Chinese children to get interested in the game.
It's not clear how much he'll be paid by China's League to be its ambassador, but he'll continue to play football for his new French club Paris St. Germain.
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honoured
proud and happy
role
job or responsibility
ambassador
person who represents the sport
toughest
most challenging/hardest
corruption
illegal activity, especially by people in power
tainted
spoiled
standard
quality
to encourage
to increase interest in
Report
It was one of the most talked about moments of the inauguration: Beyonce's soaring, flawless rendition of the Star Spangled Banner in front of President Obama and millions more.
But doubt was soon cast on the authenticity of the performance. There was speculation it was taped, that the megastar had mimed.
Today came her response. She strolled into a news conference for Sunday's Super Bowl, at which she will sing, asked the audience to stand and raised her microphone:
Beyonce singing American national anthem:
"Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light?"
After belting out the national anthem she asked, with a laugh, if there were any questions. And then she admitted to singing along to a pre-recorded track last week because she didn't have time to practise.
Beyonce said she had not wanted to risk anything going wrong on such a big occasion.
But she will be singing live during the half-time show on Sunday, to one of the biggest audiences of her career.
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soaring
rising or flying up into the air
flawless
perfect, without faults
rendition
a version of a song or performance
authenticity
reality
speculation
guessing about a subject without enough evidence
taped
recorded (of a sound)
mimed
moved lips along to a song without making a sound
strolled
walked slowly and in a relaxed way
belted out
sang very loudly and with a lot of enthusiasm
pre-recorded track
song which been recorded earlier
We've already found more than a million species, but unearthing the rest was thought to be an impossible task.
But now it seems an army of amateur scientists have taken up the cause. A new study concludes that, thanks to them, we're in a golden age of discovery, with 20,000 new finds charted each year.
There could also be far fewer plants and animals left for them to find. The researchers say rather than tens of millions of species living on Earth, there could be between two and eight million.
If the appetite for discovery continues to grow, they say a full ecological audit could be a possibility within the next 100 years.
The scientists also looked at the numbers of species going extinct, and said this had been overestimated.
Professor Mark Costello, from the University of Auckland, is the lead author of the study:
"Suddenly people say we're in the middle of a mass extinction crisis well that's a bit premature because when we look at the extinction rates that are actually happening they're not as bad as people have been letting on."
But the International Union for the Conservation of Nature disagreed with the team's conclusion that the rate of new species found was higher than the numbers being lost.
The organisation's deputy director said it was more important to save species than to count them.
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unearthing
discovering things after careful searching
taken up the cause
become actively involved in a movement
a golden age
a period of time in which things are very successful and people are happy
charted
recorded, listed
appetite for discovery
desire to find out and learn about new things
ecological audit
a thorough study of all plants and animals and the environmental conditions in which they live
overestimated
thought that something would be greater than it is
mass extinction
a large number of plants and animals becoming extinct at the same time
premature
happening too early, before the normal time
The confession took a long time to come. Despite being stripped of his Tour de France titles last year following a doping investigation, Lance Armstrong always denied cheating.
But he had been lying. The 41-year-old American cyclist told Oprah Winfrey he used performance enhancing drugs in every Tour de France contest he won.
He took banned substances and used blood transfusions to boost his performance. Without them, he said, it wouldn't have been possible to win.
Armstrong said he kept repeating "one big lie" and conceded that his admission would be "too late" for most people. "All the fault and all the blame lies with me," Lance Armstrong said.
But he claimed his actions had not felt like cheating at the time and denied having pressurised other members of his team to dope.
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confession
admission of guilt
stripped of
had taken away
doping
using drugs in sport
performance enhancing drugs
substances used illegally to improve a sportsperson's ability
blood transfusions
adding blood to a person's body
conceded
accepted as true
admission
acceptance of the truth
blame
responsibility for a bad or wrong act
cheating
winning by dishonest means
pressurised
strongly tried to influence
Lightning never strikes twice, they say. But apparently jewel thieves do, especially, it seems, at famous French film festivals.
Thieves outwitted 80 bodyguards, local police and hotel security to make off with the $2.5m necklace, owned by the Swiss jewellery company De Grisogono. The lavish piece had been displayed in a fashion parade at a glamorous party attended by film stars and celebrities at an exclusive hotel in Cap d'Antibes.
At the end of the evening a check was made of the jewellery and the necklace had disappeared. French police are investigating whether the jewellery was stolen, lost or misplaced. Last week thieves ripped a safe out of a hotel wall in Cannes, stealing 1.5m dollars' worth of jewellery owned by the Swiss company Chopard.
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lightning never strikes twice
(idiom) it is unlikely that the same bad thing will happen twice in the same place or to the same person
outwitted
gained advantage over someone by using a clever or dishonest trick
make off with
steal
lavish
expensive, impressive and in large quantity
glamorous
attractive in an exciting way
exclusive
limited to only one person or group
misplaced
(of an object) put in the wrong place and lost
safe
a strong, heavy box with a lock used for storing valuable things