Covid-19: A new era for cyclists?: BBC News Review

Could the Covid-19 pandemic mean more people using bicycles in the future? Fear of catching the coronavirus has seen many people trying to avoid public transport. The UK has seen a huge uptake of cycle-to-work schemes, which allow new bicycles to be bought tax-free. Neil and Catherine discuss this news story and help you to learn English vocabulary to talk about it.

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Story:

Fear of catching the coronavirus has led to many people trying to avoid using public transport. However, people still need to be able to get around which has in turn created a huge demand for bicycles with cycle shops in the UK reporting a surge in sales. Cycle-to-work schemes are also in high demand. These schemes are an arrangement that allow people buy a bicycle without paying tax, effectively making bicycles more affordable. Some people are predicting that this will become a great time for cycling in Britain.

Vocabulary:

boom time
a period in which there is a large increase in demand for something

• Lockdown is a boom time for online shops.
• While radio was big in the last century, it’s now a boom time for podcasts.
golden age
a period in which a particular activity is popular or successful

• Critics say Hollywood’s golden age ended in the early 1960s.
• The 2000s have been a golden age for social media companies.

at the crossroads
at a point where an important decision needs to be made

• The climate stands at the crossroads. Our decisions now will change the future of the planet.
• With many countries debating their future membership, the EU could be standing at the crossroads.


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