BBC Learning English News

2025-07-02 Deadly heatwave hits Europe – Learning English from the News

The story

Many European countries are experiencing an extreme heatwave and are on a red heat alert. This means there is a major risk to life and infrastructure.

Two people in Italy have died because of the heat, while in Turkey, over 50,000 people have been evacuated because of wildfires.

Experts say extreme hot weather, like heatwaves, will happen more often, last for longer and become even more intense as the planet continues to warm. 

News headlines

European heatwave leaves Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece in sweltering 40C heat
Sky News

Schools closed and Paris at standstill as France takes brunt of Europe’s heat wave
MSN

Lethal heat is Europe’s new climate reality
Politico

Key words and phrases

sweltering
uncomfortably hot

  • It’s sweltering out here! I really need an iced drink and a room with air conditioning.

take the brunt of
experience the worst part of something negative

  • The manager took the brunt of the blame when most of her staff left the company.

new reality
a new and different situation to the past

  • Peace and quiet is my new reality since moving to the countryside.

BBC Learning English

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