In The News

What Idiots!

Just recently, 28-year-old Jane Symonds was working in a late night store when two criminals walked in. “I was just finishing my shift when this guy came up to the counter with six cans of beer in his hand. He looked underage to me, so I asked to see his ID. Then, as he was taking out his wallet I noticed that he had a gun. Without thinking I just grabbed the pistol; and almost immediately, the two men ran out of the store, taking the beer with them. Incredibly, half-an-hour later one of them telephoned the store and asked if he could come back for his gun. I said ‘sure, come right now’. Of course, I immediately phoned the police, who arrested the two guys. They must be the dumbest robbers I’ve ever met in my life”

Man beats horse, at last

Every year one of the top sporting events in Wales takes place: the man-versus-horse race. And for the first time in 25 years a man has won (hooray for man!). The race covers a 22-mile course through the hills and mountains of the Welsh countryside. For this year’s race there were 40 horses and riders against nearly 500 people. Runner Hugh Lobb completed the course in just two hours, five minutes and nineteen seconds. The 27-year-old was presented with 25,000 pounds prize money (approximately 37,000 euros). The first horse to come in got nothing.

Unfortunate accidents

Getting angry can be dangerous, as 27-year-old Gordon Rage recently found out. Rage was driving along the freeway when he was hit by another car. He was so upset that he got out and kicked the offending vehicle. However, he kicked it so hard that he broke his leg. In a similar incident, 42-year-old Tony Lines was taken to hospital after a violent argument with his neighbour. Lines was in his apartment trying to get some sleep but found it impossible because of the loud music coming from downstairs. He banged on the floor to get his neighbour to turn it down but was unsuccessful. Then, in a fit of rage, Lines leapt off his bed with the intention of making a loud banging noise on the floor. Unfortunately, he jumped so high, and landed so hard, that he broke both his legs. He was taken to hospital shortly afterwards. G L O S S A R Y

a late night store n US a shop that is open either until late, or all night a shift n a period of time in which you work. You can say morning shift, evening shift, etc to come up to exp to go close to the counter n the table in a shop where you pay for the goods that you buy underage adj less than the legal age for buying alcohol, etc ID abbr identification. A card that says who you are, etc a wallet n a small object you carry in your pocket that has your money, credit cards, etc in it to grab vb to take with force sure exp of course; yes, of course dumb adj (superlative: dumbest) stupid hooray excl an exclamation of happiness a freeway n US a large road with many lanes for traffic (a “motorway” in British English) upset adj angry and sad to turn down phr vb to decrease the volume a fit of rage exp if you do something in a “fit of rage”, you do something while you are very angry to leap off phr vb to jump off to land vb to hit a surface