English Summer Semester 2022
Gymnasium Thun
Funny Newspaper Headlines II
(http://gurmeetsingh.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/funny-newspaper-headlines/)
Sometimes even native speakers of English make mistakes with their own language.
Below are real newspaper headlines taken from various English-speaking countries. Each one is either
ambiguous or has a meaning opposite the one intended.
In pairs, explain what the meanings of each headline are and rewrite them so that they are unambiguous.
1. Kids make nutritious snacks.
2. Prostitutes appeal to pope.
3. Something went wrong in jet crash, expert says.
4. Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers.
5. Lung cancer in women mushrooms.
6. Juvenile court to try shooting defendant.
7. Red tape holds up new bridge.
8. New study of obesity looks for larger test group.
9. Astronaut takes blame for gas in spacecraft.
10. Local high school dropouts cut in half.
11. New vaccine may contain rabies.
12. Sex education delayed, teachers request training.
13. Include your children when baking cookies.
14. Ferries must stay afloat in worst of storms, say safety engineers.
15. Children’s stool great for use in garden.
16. New housing for elderly not yet dead.
17. Reagan wins on budget, but more lies ahead.
18. Autos killing 110 a day, let’s resolve to do better.
19. Chef throws in heart into helping feed needy.
20. Lawmen from Mexico barbecue guests.