Picking up useful chunks of words when reading a text

When we read a text such as the BBC news reports entitled Xi Jinping and Obama summit in California and NSA chief defends US surveillance programmes, it is useful – for the purpose of enriching our vocabulary – identify meaningful chunks of words such as:

- a delicate but vital balance between privacy and security
- to be transparent about the programmes
- to brief the Senate Intelligence Committee behind closed doors
- to call for the release of high-profile prisoners
- to chart the future of China-US relations
- to defend the programmes as vital national security tools
- to deny any role in doing something
- to disrupt terror plots
- to express concern over something
- to forge a new relationship
- to have a 2-day summit (in California)
- to investigate how Mr Snowden was able to ...
- to obtain and leak sensitive information
- to overcome differences
- to review the process
- to seize vast quantities of data
- to signify the importance of US-China relationship
- to solve (immediate) problems
- to tackle cyber security
- to tap into people's phone calls and emails
- to work together to tackle cyber security
- He would rather be criticised ...than jeopardise the security of the country
- massive surveillance programmes

Guidance on grammar points, pronunciation relating to the chunks of words set out above – and indeed relating to any part of the news reports – could, where necessary, be provided when we meet. If you are interested, we could also analyse long and complex sentences (e.g. those shaded in the Xi-Obama report).