[166] Surfing champion attacked by shark off South African coast

TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…

Surfing champion attacked by shark off South African coast Pro surfer Mick Fanning was waiting to ride a wave during a surfing contest when a shark fin suddenly appeared in the water behind him. He was dragged under the water by the shark while rescue boats closed in on the scene. Seconds later, he managed to jump onto the back of one of the boats without a scratch. The incident was caught on camera and was shown over and over in his home country of Australia. Despite the fear and publicity, shark attacks only result in about 4 deaths per year in South Africa, while car accidents result in thousands of deaths and injuries.

THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE

fight back!

Eleanor: My bank said that I only have to pay 1% for making a fund transfer, but I found out that they were taking an additional 12$ for every transfer that I made. I’m really angry, but I don’t know what to do.

Amelia: Don’t let them steal money from you like that. You have to fight back! You should hire a lawyer and take them to court!

Explanation: When we want a person to go against a bad person or bad situation, we say “fight back!”

THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE

without a scratch

Paramedic on radio: We are bringing in a patient who fell off a bridge into a forest. But it seems that he landed without a scratch.

Emergency room doctor on radio: He seems very lucky. But we still need to check for internal injuries, and examine his back and feet for any sprains that might not be visible from outside.

Explanation: The phrase “without a scratch” means that a person survived without even a small injury. It means that even though they were in an accident, they were unharmed.

THIS WEEK’S BUSINESS/EMAIL PHRASE

backpedal

Dear Ezra:

I heard that American presidential candidate Donald Trump said bad things about Mexican immigrants. Many people criticized him, so later he started backpedalling, and told reporters “I love the Latinos.” I don’t think we can trust him.

Explanation: We say that someone is “backpedalling” when they say one thing, and then say the opposite, while trying to apologize. People often “backpedal” when they are criticized for their statements or actions. The phrase comes from pedaling a bicycle backwards.