📚 Bài Học Tiếng Anh — 21/05/2026
English Lesson from Today's News
📖 Part 1: Vocabulary / Từ Vựng
| Word | IPA | Type | Meaning (VI) | Example from News |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ceasefire | /ˈsiːs.faɪər/ | n. | lệnh ngừng bắn | "Iran sent a proposal to end the ceasefire violations." |
| sanctions | /ˈsæŋk.ʃənz/ | n. (pl.) | lệnh trừng phạt, cấm vận | "The US imposed new sanctions on Cuba's military conglomerate." |
| conglomerate | /kənˈɡlɒm.ər.ət/ | n. | tập đoàn (kinh tế) | "GAESA is a military-controlled conglomerate tied to Cuba's economy." |
| flotilla | /fləˈtɪl.ə/ | n. | hạm đội nhỏ, đoàn tàu | "Israeli forces intercepted the Gaza Sumud Flotilla." |
| junta | /ˈhʊn.tə/ | n. | chính quyền quân sự | "Al-Qaeda called for Malians to rise up against the military junta." |
| ordnance | /ˈɔːd.nəns/ | n. | vũ khí, đạn dược, quân cụ | "Unexploded ordnance killed 14 Revolutionary Guard members in Iran." |
📝 Part 2: Grammar Focus — Passive Voice in News Reporting
Why it matters: News reports frequently use the passive voice to emphasize the action or the recipient rather than the doer. This is especially common in headlines and formal reporting.
Structure: Subject + be (conjugated) + past participle (+ by + agent)
Examples from today's news:
- "At least 22 people were killed in Israeli attacks despite the ceasefire."
- "Over 400 activists were abducted by Israeli forces."
- "New sanctions were imposed on Cuba's military conglomerate."
- "A 45-year-old man was charged with three counts of attempted murder."
Active vs Passive comparison:
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| Israeli forces killed 22 people. | 22 people were killed by Israeli forces. |
| The US imposed new sanctions. | New sanctions were imposed by the US. |
💡 Tip: In news English, passive voice is preferred when the action is more important than the actor, or when the actor is unknown/obvious. However, overusing passive voice can make writing feel distant — good journalists balance both.
✏️ Part 3: Exercises / Bài Tập
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word.
- The two countries agreed to a __________ after months of fighting. → ceasefire
- The United Nations criticized the __________ for its human rights abuses. → junta
- The peace __________ was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. → flotilla
- Economic __________ are designed to pressure governments to change their policies. → sanctions
- The __________ owns businesses in tourism, banking, and construction. → conglomerate
- Soldiers carefully removed the unexploded __________ from the battlefield. → ordnance
Exercise 2: Rewrite these sentences in passive voice.
- The police arrested 200 protesters. → 200 protesters were arrested (by the police).
- The ICC issued an arrest warrant for the minister. → An arrest warrant was issued for the minister (by the ICC).
- Russian forces lost significant territory in April. → Significant territory was lost by Russian forces in April.
Exercise 3: Reading Comprehension
Read the paragraph and answer the question:
"The Trump administration announced new sanctions targeting GAESA, a Cuban military-controlled conglomerate. UN experts warned that the US fuel blockade could lead to energy starvation. Meanwhile, Iran sent a peace proposal to the US through Pakistani mediators, and Trump said he would wait for Tehran's response."
Q: What are the three main events described in this paragraph?
→ 1) New US sanctions on Cuba targeting GAESA. 2) UN warning about energy starvation from the US fuel blockade. 3) Iran sending a peace proposal to the US via Pakistan.