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In the news: a new flag for New Zealand

Average: 1.9 (206 votes)

The people of New Zealand are being given the chance to choose the design of a new flag. The Flag Consideration Project set up a website for people to design and upload ideas for a new national flag.

Twerk in the English dictionary

Average: 3.1 (53 votes)

Read this article and decide if the statements which follow it are true or false:

The Oxford English Dictionary has confirmed that 500 words are being added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

The dictionary records the meaning and development of the English language. For a word to qualify, it must have been have been in popular use for at least 10 years in both novels and newspapers.

Some of the terms in Oxford's latest update are much older than you might think.

In the news: Johnny Depp's Dogs!

Average: 3.4 (39 votes)

Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has been given an _1_ by Australia: Either send your pet dogs back home to the United States or they will be put _2_.

“There is a process if you want to bring animals: you get the permits, they go into _3_ and then you can have them,” said Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce.

All about animals

Average: 2 (256 votes)

After our lesson on cat idioms and another on dog idioms, it’s time to take a look at some other animals.

Instead of idioms we are going to look at some vocabulary related to animals. All you have to do is read through the following short text and guess what the missing words are:

Animal Vocabulary - A day at the zoo

I took my young daughter to the zoo for the first time recently.

The first day of spring

Average: 2.2 (262 votes)

Friday, March 20 is the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

Spring is a season. There are four seasons in a year, spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each season is marked by different weather and hours of daylight.

It's easy to know when spring is on the way. The Sun rises earlier in the morning and sets later in the day. The days also start to get warmer.

Vocabulary Lesson: English in the Premier League

Average: 4 (27 votes)

Living and working abroad is an amazing and challenging experience. You have to adapt to a new culture and a new way of life.

Would you love to live in another country, work in an international environment and be well paid? For football fans, the dream is England!

In the news: Sam Smith at the Grammys

Average: 3.6 (18 votes)

Sam Smith has pretty much swept the board at the 2015 Grammy Awards.

The 22-year-old British soul singer was the big winnner at the 57th ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

He crowned his breakthrough year by winning four awards, from the six he was nominated for, including best new artist and record of the year.

Business English: Apple's record profits

Average: 3.4 (32 votes)

Twelve months ago, Apple reported low iPhone sales that seemed to confirm long-term worries that the company's best days were over. Industry analysts thought Apple were struggling to maintain the high levels of success previously set by founder Steve Jobs.

Doubts over the ability of Tim Cook, who took over as current CEO six weeks before Jobs passed away, have been banished with the company's latest sales figures.

In the news: Smoking

Average: 3.7 (28 votes)

Do you smoke?

Did you know the UK government are trying to pass a law banning branding on packs of cigarettes.

If they are successful tobacco manufactuers will be forced to sell their cigarettes in plain packets.

The motivation behind this decision is to make smoking less appealing to people, especially children.

A similar law was passed in Australia in 2012 that has resulted in a fall in smoking rates from 15.1% to 12.8% for people aged 14.

Find the 10 mistakes

Average: 3.7 (45 votes)

We've had a lot of requests for another find the mistakes quiz. Like last month's lesson, all you have to do find the one mistake in each sentence. Rewrite the correct sentences in the comments area.

Click 'Show Answers' to see the correct sentences.

Ten sentences, ten mistakes

1) I'll be with you in a moment, please being patient.

2) She do judo in her spare time.