The Bank of England is to offer money to high-street banks to kick-start mortgage and small business lending to prevent loans being rationed for many families and entrepreneurs, the Chancellor announced.

It comes after sharp rises in the costs of mortgages and other loans in recent months as banks struggle to raise money in the midst of the single currency crisis.

Sir Mervyn King, the Bank of England Governor, said that the “industrialised world has thrown everything bar the kitchen sink” at the global economic meltdown but that even “bolder action” was now required.

Questions

Answer with complete sentences.

1. What did George Osborne announce?
2. Why is he doing it?
3. For what purpose is the Bank of England offering money to high street banks?
4. Why has the cost of mortgages risen recently?
5. Who is the Governor of the Bank of England?
6. Does he believe that more or less action is required by governments?

General

1. Banks do not want to lend money – in case it is not repaid. Should governments encourage them to lend money in this situation?
2.  

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Answers

1. He announced a £140 billion emergency scheme.
2. He is doing it to try to avoid another credit crunch caused by the ongoing crisis in the eurozone.
3. It is offering money to high street banks to kick start mortgage and small business lending.
4. The cost of mortgages has risen because banks are struggling to raise money in the midst of the single currency crisis.
5. Sir Mervyn King is the Governor of the Bank of England.
6. He believes that more action is required by governments.

Nurses and carers will also face a legal duty to consider the “well-being and dignity” of the elderly. The legal ban on age discrimination in public services will come into force in October, the Coalition will confirm.

It follows a series of shocking reports showing that older people often suffer sub-standard care and uneven treatment in the NHS and the social care system

“We know that older people are not always treated with the dignity and respect they deserve because of ageist attitudes – this will not be tolerated,” Paul Burstow, the Care Minister, said.

Questions

Answer with complete sentences.

1. What will ministers announce today?
2. What will nurses be obliged by law to consider?
3. When will be new rules be introduced?
4. What have several reports demonstrated?
5. What attitudes cause this lack of respect, according to the Minister?

General

1. As more people live longer, is it possible to offer a full range of medical treatments to old people?
2. How can we finance the extra costs associated with medical care for an aging population?

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1. Ministers will announce that Doctors and NHS managers will be banned by law from denying older people treatment simply on the grounds of their age.
2. Nurses will be obliged by law to consider the dignity and well-being of the elderly.
3. The new rules will be introduced in October.
4. Several reports have demonstrated that older people often suffer sub-standard care and uneven treatment in the NHS and the social care system.
5. Ageist attitudes cause this lack of respect, according to the Minister.

Answers

1. It is being held in Poland. (In fact, in Poland and the Ukraine.)
2. Mark van Bommel is the captain of the Dutch team.
3. He is angry because black players in the Dutch team were subjected to “monkey chants” during open training.
4. They had just visited Auschwitz.
5. No, they had not.

Black players in the Dutch squad were subjected to “monkey chants” from supporters of Wisla Krakow during open training at the Polish club’s stadium on Wednesday, according to the midfielder.

Uefa and the Dutch football association played down the row but on Thursday Van Bommel warned: “It’s a real disgrace, especially after getting back from Auschwitz, that you are confronted with this. We will take it up with Uefa and if it happens during matches we will talk to the referee and ask to leave the field.”

When questioned by Dutch journalists, some of whom claimed not to have heard the abuse, Van Bommel added: “You need to open your ears. If you heard it and did not want to hear it then that is even worse.”

Questions

Answer with complete sentences.

1. In which country is the Euro 2012 football competition being held?
2. Who is the captain of the Dutch team?
3. Why is he angry?
4. What does he say he will do if this happens during a match?
5. Which famous site of an atrocity had the Dutch team just visited?
6. Had all the Dutch journalists heard the abuse?

General

1. What should a team captain do if there are racist chants during a match?
2. Have you witnessed any examples of racism?

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Restrictions were due to last until Christmas after two dry winters left water levels at their lowest since 1976. But the Environment Agency has confirmed the risk of drought had been “significantly reduced” with no further action expected.

Provided dry conditions do not return, the ban is likely to be lifted before the Olympics next month.

Thames Water, which supplies almost nine million people across London and the Thames Valley, said it expected to remove the ban “sooner rather than later” with an update on water reserves due by the end of the month.

Questions

Answer with complete sentences.

1. What is banned at the moment?
2. When is the ban likely to be lifted?
3. Why?
4. When was the ban expected to continue until?
5. How many people get their water from Thames Water?
6. When will Thames Water next tell people its plans?

General

1. Do you find it strange that a country as wet as Britain has a hosepipe ban?
2. Should we pay for water according to how much we use?
3. Do you think water is a scarce natural resource?

Answers

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Answers

1. Hosepipes are banned.
2. It is likely to be lifted before the end of the summer.
3. It is likely to be lifted because two months of rain has returned rivers and reservoirs to normal levels.
4. It was expected to continue until Christmas.
5. Nine million people get their water from Thames Water.
6. It will next tell people its plans by the end of the month.

The sovereign put duty first, as she has done for the past 60 years, and pressed on with her Jubilee engagements despite the Duke of Edinburgh being taken to hospital a few hours earlier.

Her resolve was not lost on the 500,000 people who gave her a deafening reception at the end of last night’s Diamond Jubilee concert outside Buckingham Palace.

For someone who has seen so much during her reign, she still seemed taken aback by the sheer volume of the welcome as she took to the stage wearing a dazzling gold dress sewn with crystals that glittered in the lights as she waved to the crowd.

Background

The Queen is celebrating 60 years as monarch. Her husband, Prince Philip, is known as the Duke of Edinburgh. Her son, Prince Charles, is the Prince of Wales, and will become king when the Queen dies. Her home in London is Buckingham Palace. The Queen is 86 and the Duke of Edinburgh is 90.

Questions

Answer with complete sentences.

1. Who had to go to hospital?
2. Who spoke to thank the Queen for her service?
3. How many people were outside Buckingham Palace?
4. What had they been listening to?
5. What was the Queen wearing?
6. Which words mean that she seemed surprised?

General

1. Have you ever attended any big outdoors festival? Why? Did you enjoy it?

Answers

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Answers

1. The Duke of Edinburgh had to go to hospital.
2. The Prince of Wales, her son, spoke to thank her for her service.
3. There were 500,000 outside Buckingham Palace.
4. She was wearing a dazzling gold dress sewn with crystals.
5. “Seemed taken aback” means that she seemed surprised.