Laos: Six dead from possible methanol poisoning AI transcript and summary - episode of podcast Learning English from the News

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Episode: Laos: Six dead from possible methanol poisoning

Author: BBC Radio
Duration: 00:07:21

Episode Shownotes

Six people have died of suspected methanol poisoning in LaosMORE Find full subtitles and a worksheet for this episode at: ``https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish`/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2024/241127FIND` BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followusLIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️ 6 Minute English ✔️ Learning English

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Full Transcript

00:00:00 Speaker_05
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. From BBC Learning English, this is Learning English from the News, our podcast about the news headlines.

00:00:10 Speaker_04
In this programme, six tourists die with suspected methanol poisoning in Laos.

00:00:19 Speaker_05
Hello, I'm Phil.

00:00:20 Speaker_04
And I'm Beth.

00:00:22 Speaker_05
In this programme, we look at one big news story and the vocabulary in the headlines that will help you understand it.

00:00:29 Speaker_04
You can find all the vocabulary and headlines from this episode, as well as a worksheet, on our website bbclearningenglish.com.

00:00:38 Speaker_05
So, let's hear more about this story.

00:00:44 Speaker_04
Eight hostile staff members have been detained after six tourists died in Laos.

00:00:50 Speaker_05
The tourist deaths were thought to have been caused by drinks that had been contaminated with methanol, a type of alcohol that the human body cannot process.

00:00:59 Speaker_04
Vang Vieng is a town popular with backpackers, usually young people who travel on a budget, and has a reputation for cheap alcohol and partying.

00:01:10 Speaker_05
According to humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières, that's Doctors Without Borders, Asia has the highest incidence of methanol poisoning, with cases in Indonesia, India, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

00:01:24 Speaker_04
Methanol is sometimes added to homemade alcohol, but just 30 millilitres can be deadly.

00:01:31 Speaker_05
And here's a headline about this story. It's from Business Insider. Six tourists who died are believed to have drunk tainted alcohol in Laos.

00:01:42 Speaker_04
And that headline again from Business Insider. Six tourists who died are believed to have drunk tainted alcohol in Laos.

00:01:52 Speaker_05
This headline is telling us that six tourists have died and what the reason is believed to be.

00:01:58 Speaker_04
Now, we have this adjective, tainted. So, Phil, this must be linked to poisoning in some way.

00:02:05 Speaker_05
Yes, it's often used to say that something harmful has been added to something else, making it dangerous. As in this case, it's often used to talk about safety issues around food and drink.

00:02:16 Speaker_04
Yes, if something has gone wrong with food manufacturing, a company may have to find tainted products and remove them from sale. Now, in this story, it's thought the drinks bought by the tourists were tainted with methanol, which is poisonous.

00:02:33 Speaker_05
In this story, tainted is being used literally, but it's also commonly used metaphorically to talk about a situation, memory or relationship that has been made bad by something.

00:02:44 Speaker_04
Yes, so a bad incident might taint your memory of a particular time. Negative feelings like jealousy might taint a relationship.

00:02:56 Speaker_05
So, we've had tainted – made dangerous by something harmful.

00:03:00 Speaker_04
For example, the company had to recall the tainted meat.

00:03:08 Speaker_05
This is Learning English from the News, our podcast about the news headlines. Today, we're talking about the deaths of six tourists in Laos, suspected to be caused by drinks containing methanol.

00:03:21 Speaker_04
Since the first news of these deaths emerged, tourists in Vang Vieng have reported shock, a feeling of unease and taking more care over what they're drinking.

00:03:31 Speaker_05
The next story we're going to look at discusses how people are feeling in Vang Vien. This is from Al Jazeera. Laos' methanol-poisoning deaths send chill through backpacker paradise.

00:03:44 Speaker_04
And that headline again from Al Jazeera. Laos' methanol-poisoning deaths send chill through backpacker paradise.

00:03:52 Speaker_05
So this headline talks about the effect of the deaths on Vang Vien. And we're looking at this expression, send chill through. It sounds like something from a horror film.

00:04:03 Speaker_04
Well, yes. If there's a chill, then it's cold. Think about how that makes you feel. It can make you shiver. And fear can do the same.

00:04:12 Speaker_05
That's what this headline is talking about – the dark feeling in the town caused by the deaths.

00:04:18 Speaker_04
Yes, we often say that bad news or a scary situation sends chills through people and we can also say that something gives you chills or the chills.

00:04:29 Speaker_04
For example, the news of the accident sent a chill through the crowd or the dark empty street gave him chills.

00:04:39 Speaker_05
So we've had send chill through, that's make worried or afraid.

00:04:45 Speaker_04
For example, seeing the destruction caused by the earthquake sent a chill through the rescue team. This is Learning English from the News from BBC Learning English.

00:04:57 Speaker_04
We're talking about the deaths of six tourists in Laos suspected to be caused by drinks containing methanol.

00:05:05 Speaker_05
Vang Vien has gained a reputation as a party town.

00:05:08 Speaker_04
Many young backpackers stay in the town and there are a number of tourism businesses there, many offering cheap alcohol.

00:05:16 Speaker_05
In 2012, a number of bars were closed after a large number of tourist deaths were recorded locally.

00:05:23 Speaker_04
And our next story is about this reputation. I have a headline here from The Telegraph – how an idyllic Laos village turned into a hedonistic party hotspot.

00:05:35 Speaker_05
And that headline again, How an idyllic Laos village turned into a hedonistic party hotspot. And that's from The Telegraph in the UK.

00:05:44 Speaker_04
So, Vang Vieng is described both as an idyllic village because of its beautiful natural setting, but also a party hotspot. We also have the adjective hedonistic, which we're going to look at now.

00:05:57 Speaker_05
A hedonistic is all about pleasure. Literally, a hedonistic lifestyle is one where your own pleasure is the most important thing.

00:06:06 Speaker_04
And we tend to use it to talk about doing too much of things, especially uncontrolled partying, drinking, drug-taking. For example, some celebrities have been famous for their hedonistic lifestyles.

00:06:19 Speaker_05
And in this headline, hedonistic is describing Vang Vien and how it has become known for partying, alcohol and drug use.

00:06:29 Speaker_04
We've had hedonistic, related to uncontrolled partying.

00:06:34 Speaker_05
So, for example, the rock band became known for their hedonistic parties.

00:06:39 Speaker_04
That's it for this episode of Learning English from the News. We'll be back next week with another news story.

00:06:46 Speaker_05
If you've enjoyed this programme, remember you can find loads more programmes about all different topics on our website bbclearningenglish.com.

00:06:55 Speaker_04
And don't forget to follow us on social media. Just search for BBC Learning English. Bye for now.

00:07:01 Speaker_05
Goodbye.

00:07:05 Speaker_03
Thanks for listening to Learning English from the News. Did you know we have a BBC Learning English email newsletter? Subscribe for our latest lessons, worksheets and quizzes and weekly tips to help you study.

00:07:19 Speaker_03
Just search BBC Learning English newsletter or follow the link in the notes for this programme.

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00:09:36 Speaker_00
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