Learning English

Latte levy

Billions of coffee cups are thrown away every year in the UK alone. Now a group of British politicians want to raise money for recycling by adding an extra charge to disposable coffee cups. 

Language challenge

The word 'whizz-kid' means 'a very clever and successful young person'. There is another word, borrowed from German and used in English, which has a very similar meaning. What is it?

a) hinterland
b) wunderkind
c) zeitgeist

Watch the video and complete the activity

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The story

A committee of MPs has said it wants an extra 25 pence added to hot drinks sold in disposable cups. An estimated 2.5 billion are thrown away in the UK every year. The Commons Environmental Audit Committee says the levy would be used to improve Britain's recycling and reprocessing facilities.

Key words and phrases

in a bid to
in an attempt to (achieve something)

combat
try to stop something bad happening

whizz-kids
young people who are very clever and successful

To do

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Language challenge - answer

b) wunderkind

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