Bulldozers stir up a hornets’ nest on the Costa Blanca

1. [Multiple choice]

The announcement was made on the first of November 2007.

(– but it is true. The original article in the Spanish press was published on November the second (Nov 2nd) and referred to a speech that had been made the previous day, November the first (November 1st).)

Answers for Quiz [1].

• 1. True
• 2. False
• 3. I can’t tell from the article. (correct)

2. [Multiple choice]

If you stir up a hornets’ nest you

(VB If you stir up a hornets’ nest or a hornet’s nest you create a very difficult or unpleasant situation, especially in which lots of people get very angry and complain. Hornets are a large kind of wasp. Notice that in the newspaper article the title removes the indefinite article ‘a’, and removes ‘the’ from the Costa Blanca.
VB
to be stung – informal – means a) to be exorbitantly overcharged for sth or b) swindled out of money –
eg a) I was stung for £100 for parking on a double yellow line. I think it’s outrageous the way tourists are stung £3 each for an ice-cream in London.
Eg b) A British couple got stung for £200,000 for a property on the Costa Blanca which had not been given planning permission. Their house was bulldozed and they lost everything. A true story.
)

Answers for Quiz [2].

• 1. are obsessed about something
• 2. will be stung financially
• 3. enjoy challenging people
• 4. provoke opposition or difficulties (correct)

3. [Multiple choice]

The Spanish Environment Minister is

Answers for Quiz [3].

• 1. a man.
• 2. a woman. (correct)

4. [Multiple choice]

The Minister for the Environment in Spain is

Answers for Quiz [4].

• 1. Señor Serrano.
• 2. Señora Narbona (correct)

5. [Multiple choice]

The Costa Blanca has proved a honey trap for the Spanish tourist industry.

(A honey trap is a big attraction. People cannot resist going to see it.)

Answers for Quiz [5].

• 1. True (correct)
• 2. False

6. [Multiple choice]

Sra Narbona seems to have a bee in her bonnet.

(- about the environment.
VB
To have a bee in your bonnet (about sth) , informal, = to be pre-occupied or obsessed (with something). Sra Narbona seems very committed to making a real difference on the environmental front.

Be careful, as sometimes having a bee in your bonnet – informal – implies that you are obsessed in an inappropriate way. This is therefore sometimes modified by having a ‘bit of a bee in your bonnet’, as this softens the implication that someone is inappropriately obsessed.
Eg He’s got a bit of a bee in his bonnet about sports facilities in the UK.)

Answers for Quiz [6].

• 1. True (correct)
• 2. False

7. [Multiple choice]

There are no flies on Señora Narbona!

(If there are no flies on someone, (informal), the person specified is quick and astute. This seems to be the case of Sra Narbona!)

Answers for Quiz [7].

• 1. True (correct)
• 2. False

8. [Multiple choice]

The general secretary for territory and biodiversity at the Ministry for the Environment is

Answers for Quiz [8].

• 1. a man. (correct)
• 2. a woman.

9. [Multiple choice]

The general secretary for territory and biodiversity at the Ministry for the Environment is called

Answers for Quiz [9].

• 1. Sra Narbona
• 2. Sr Serrano (correct)

10. [Multiple choice]

Antonio Serrano appears to be a rather waspish sort of man.

(If you are waspish you are sharply irritable.
To gather sth is to conclude or deduce from what you have heard, read or noticed.
Eg I gather you’re moving to Bristol?)

Answers for Quiz [10].

• 1. Obviously.
• 2. This is implied in the text.
• 3. Not clear from what I can gather from the article. (correct)

11. [Multiple choice]

Antonio Serrano is sitting on the fence as far as the matter of demolitions is concerned.

(– he is adamant that plans will go ahead. This means he is determined and will not be stopped.
VB
If you sit on the fence you are being indecisive, or delaying making a decision.
)

Answers for Quiz [11].

• 1. True
• 2. Untrue (correct)

12. [Multiple choice]

The Sustainability Report will dictate the rules for buying land along the coast.

(– not only for buying, but also for the right to build at all, as many built-up areas are being de-classified, so will no longer be available for construction work.)

Answers for Quiz [12].

• 1. True (correct)
• 2. False

13. [Multiple choice]

The report on sustainability suggests that …….. of the Spanish Mediterranean coast is over-developed.

Answers for Quiz [13].

• 1. about three-quarters
• 2. almost seven-twelfths
• 3. roughly half
• 4. approximately a third (correct)
• 5. just above a quarter

14. [Multiple choice]

The coastline around Valencia is no more built-up than most of the rest of the Mediterranean coastline

(About 80% of its coastline is developed, as against the average of about 50% along the Mediterranean.)

Answers for Quiz [14].

• 1. True
• 2. False (correct)

15. [Multiple choice]

About ……. kilometres of coastline around Valencia will be affected by this latest set of plans.

(A strange little rule, isn’t it? It’s the same for dozens, thousands and millions.
Eg 2 dozen eggs.)

Answers for Quiz [15].

• 1. six hundred
• 2. five hundred
• 3. four hundred
• 4. three hundred
• 5. two hundred (correct)
• 6. one hundred

16. [Multiple choice]

In 2007 …….. buildings along the Spanish coast were demolished.

(665, to be precise……)

Answers for Quiz [16].

• 1. over six hundred (correct)
• 2. about five hundred
• 3. in excess of seven hundred
• 4. well over a thousand
• 5. well under three hundred

17. [Multiple choice]

In 2004 somewhere around …… buildings within the maritime-terrestrial zone were demolished.

Answers for Quiz [17].

• 1. 30
• 2. 34
• 3. 38
• 4. 42 (correct)
• 5. 46
• 6. 50

18. [Multiple choice]

In future there will be ……… houses within 500 metres of the coastline.

(Less is the singular, fewer = plural. Many English people make a mistake over this!
)

Answers for Quiz [18].

• 1. less
• 2. fewer (correct)

19. [Multiple choice]

Sra Narbona’s main …………………… appears to be environmental sustainability.

(Criterion is the singular, criteria = plural. Another many English people get wrong!)

Answers for Quiz [19].

• 1. criterion (correct)
• 2. criteria

20. [Multiple choice]

The only fly in the ointment is that the demolition and building ban scheme cannot go ahead yet.

(A fly in the ointment is a minor irritation that spoils the enjoyment of sth, an obstacle that prevents sth going ahead, or stops a process going as smoothly as it might.
We’re moving to London – the only fly in the ointment is that we still haven’t sold our house.)

Answers for Quiz [20].

• 1. True (correct)
• 2. False