BBC LEARNING ENGLISH 6 Minute English Covid: One year on

link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-210225

pandemic: (of a disease) existing in almost all of an area or in almost all of a group of people, animals, or plants

• It has backfired because those worst hit by the pandemic, black people, are paying the price.

take hold: to become strong; to be established

• The economic recovery is just beginning to take hold now.

wimpy: not strong, brave, or confident

• I'm far too wimpy to go rock climbing.

sheer: used to emphasize how very great, important, or powerful a quality or feeling is; nothing except

• His success was due to sheer willpower/determination.

kicks in: to start or to begin to have an effect

• The storm is expected to kick in shortly after sunrise.

genome: the complete set of genetic material of a human, animal, plant, or other living thing

• Further, these simulation studies have not considered markers over the entire genome.

outbreak: a time when something suddenly begins, especially a disease or something else dangerous or unpleasant

• First, before the outbreak, a large proportion of the population was susceptible because of the geographical characteristics of the health district.

take stock: to think carefully about a situation or event and form an opinion about it, so that you can decide what to do

• It is time to take stock, at the half-way mark, before the next phase of reform.

virus: a very small organism that causes disease in humans, animals, and plants

• She’s had a virus for several days.

lockdown: an emergency situation in which people are not allowed to freely enter, leave, or move around in a building or area because of danger

• Police imposed a lockdown in the building until the shooter could be stopped.

virologist: a scientist who studies viruses and the diseases that they cause

• The world-leading virologist has joined the new EU COVID-19 advisory team.

feeble: weak and without energy, strength, or power

•         He was a feeble, helpless old man.

vaccines: a substance containing a virus or bacterium in a form that is not harmful, given to a person or animal to prevent them from getting the disease that the virus or bacterium causes

• This vaccine protects against some kinds of the bacteria.