Do you remember Boaty McBoatface? That was the name selected for a new British research ship in an online vote last April. Britain’s National Environmental Research Council (NERC) was building the ship to carry out scientific research in polar waters. As VOA Learning English reported then, NERC permitted internet users in Britain to choose the name of the ship in an online campaign. But, instead of choosing a name connected to science, the British public chose a funny, not-so-serious one: Boaty McBoatface. The name received more than 124,000 votes, far more than any other proposed name. British officials, however, did not let “Boaty McBoatface” become the ship’s official name. They believed the important research vessel deserved a more serious name. Not long after the vote, officials announced that the ship would instead be named in honor of British researcher Sir David Attenborough. Many people were not happy with the decision. They felt that the name “Boaty McBoatface” should remain. And it did. Kind of. Researchers at Britain's University of Southampton have decided to give the beloved, humorous name to another kind of ship: a submarine. Three small, yellow underwater vehicles developed there now have “Boaty McBoatface” painted on them. They, too, will carry out research in polar waters.
Title: Boaty McBoatface Is Back
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/boaty_mcb.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Boaty McBoatface Is Back' data-article-id='2249'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='4125'>Do you remember Boaty McBoatface?</span> <span data-start-time='4125' data-end-time='14167'>That was the name selected for a new British research ship in an online vote last April.</span> <span data-start-time='14167' data-end-time='26396'>Britain’s National Environmental Research Council (NERC) was building the ship to carry out scientific research in polar waters.</span> <span data-start-time='26396' data-end-time='40042'>As VOA Learning English reported then, NERC permitted internet users in Britain to choose the name of the ship in an online campaign.</span> <span data-start-time='40042' data-end-time='50500'>But, instead of choosing a name connected to science, the British public chose a funny, not-so-serious one:</span> <span data-start-time='50500' data-end-time='52438'>Boaty McBoatface.</span> <span data-start-time='52438' data-end-time='62167'>The name received more than 124,000 votes, far more than any other proposed name.</span> <span data-start-time='62167' data-end-time='71292'>British officials, however, did not let “Boaty McBoatface” become the ship’s official name.</span> <span data-start-time='71292' data-end-time='77938'>They believed the important research vessel deserved a more serious name.</span> <span data-start-time='77938' data-end-time='89688'>Not long after the vote, officials announced that the ship would instead be named in honor of British researcher Sir David Attenborough.</span> <span data-start-time='89688' data-end-time='93813'>Many people were not happy with the decision.</span> <span data-start-time='93813' data-end-time='98354'>They felt that the name “Boaty McBoatface” should remain.</span> <span data-start-time='98354' data-end-time='100396'>And it did.</span> <span data-start-time='100396' data-end-time='101979'>Kind of.</span> <span data-start-time='101979' data-end-time='113188'>Researchers at Britain's University of Southampton have decided to give the beloved, humorous name to another kind of ship:</span> <span data-start-time='113188' data-end-time='114875'>a submarine.</span> <span data-start-time='114875' data-end-time='125188'>Three small, yellow underwater vehicles developed there now have “Boaty McBoatface” painted on them.</span> <span data-start-time='125188' data-end-time='130438'>They, too, will carry out research in polar waters.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/Boaty_McB.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=8253 data-hint-location='113188' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/what_does_submarine_mean.m4a'>What does submarine mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='an underwater boat'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/a_research_center.m4a'><span>a research center</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/a_majority_vote.m4a'><span>a majority vote</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/an_underwater_boat.m4a'><span>an underwater boat</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/a_yellow_vessel.m4a'><span>a yellow vessel</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=8254 data-hint-location='114875' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/how_many_submarines_were_developed.m4a'>How many submarines were developed?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='three'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/four.m4a'><span>four</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/three.m4a'><span>three</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/two.m4a'><span>two</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/one.m4a'><span>one</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=8255 data-hint-location='71292' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/officials_believed_the_vessel_deserved_a__blank__name.m4a'>Officials believed the vessel deserved a <span class='blank'>serious</span> name.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='serious'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/humorous.m4a'><span>humorous</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/serious.m4a'><span>serious</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/beloved.m4a'><span>beloved</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1731/funny.m4a'><span>funny</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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