Girafa em alto mar

Travelling long distances can be a pain in the neck…

But Jelani the giraffe didn’t seem to mind as he took to the seas inside a custom-made, 4.2 metre-high shipping crate.

It took five days to transport him from Auckland Zoo in New Zealand to Melbourne, Australia.

After a few days in quarantine, Jelani will take part in a breeding programme.

Viagens longas podem ser uma tortura…

Mas, a girafa Jelani não pareceu se incomodar quando começou a cruzar o oceano em seu compartimento de viagem de 4,2 metros de altura feito sob medida.

A viagem desde o zoo de Auckland, na Nova Zelândia à cidade de Melbourne, na Austrália, levou 5 dias.

Após ficar alguns dias em quarentena, Jelani irá participar de um programa de reprodução.

a pain in the neck: idiom meaning 'very annoying'

took to the seas: started travelling across the ocean

custom-made: designed according to special needs

shipping crate: large box designed especially for delivering items

in quarantine: isolation period for an animal which might be carrying a disease

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from a BBC news report.

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

a pain in the neck / took to the seas / custom-made / shipping crate / in quarantine

1. A __________ electric guitar stolen in Edinburgh from a Californian rock band appearing at a music festival has been recovered by police.

2. The importation of tortoises is restricted under the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and they can only be brought into the UK if the correct permits have been applied for and issued. The tortoises are ___________ while plans are made for them to be rehomed.

3. In an article for Scotland on Sunday in February 2000 the judge wrote that the impact of the Convention on Scots Law was already "devastating" and suggested that the legislation was providing "a field day for crackpots, ____________ for judges and legislators, and a goldmine for lawyers".

4. It has landed here on the island nation of Singapore aboard the MV Copenhagen Express. This is a routine stop over - hundreds of ______________ are unloaded while new ones are hoisted in to replace them.

5. The company behind the fin whale trade, Hvalur hf, has not hunted any this year because of poor market conditions in Japan following the March earthquake and tsunami. But it does intend to _________ again if and when the market improves.

1. A custom-made electric guitar stolen in Edinburgh from a Californian rock band appearing at a music festival has been recovered by police.

Source: Le Blonde Dames' stolen guitar found

http://bbc.in/neWQKy

2. The importation of tortoises is restricted under the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and they can only be brought into the UK if the correct permits have been applied for and issued. The tortoises are in quarantine while plans are made for them to be rehomed.

Source: Endangered spur-thighed tortoises found at Stansted

http://bbc.in/lUNtZV

3. In an article for Scotland on Sunday in February 2000 the judge wrote that the impact of the Convention on Scots Law was already "devastating" and suggested that the legislation was providing "a field day for crackpots, a pain in the neck for judges and legislators, and a goldmine for lawyers".

Source: Supreme Court 'not supreme' despite judgement

http://bbc.in/kvfnT5

4. It has landed here on the island nation of Singapore aboard the MV Copenhagen Express. This is a routine stop over - hundreds of shipping crates are unloaded while new ones are hoisted in to replace them.

Source: The Box arrives in Singapore

http://bbc.in/nagzHR

5. The company behind the fin whale trade, Hvalur hf, has not hunted any this year because of poor market conditions in Japan following the March earthquake and tsunami. But it does intend to take to the seas again if and when the market improves.

Source: US targets Iceland on whalemeat exports

http://bbc.in/oMPkse