Bike Buses to School in Cardiff, Valencia and Barcelona

 

Cardiff has started a new scheme to help children bike to school safely, Hywel Griffith and Antonia Matthews report for BBC News in "Bike bus in Cardiff creates safety in numbers on school run". The idea is to plan bike routes where groups of children, with the supervision of some adults, can start the day with energy and oxygen in their brains, an initiative that was promoted by Bike Bus World, an American non-profit group, and Sustrans in the U.K., and has caught on in Spain -Violeta Peraita reports for Levante newspaper- in CEIP Cervantes de Alboraia, Valencia and in other schoolos like Xirinacs school, Barcelona. The BBC article is short and simple, so it can be recommended for B1 students who can pick up expressions like: a [bike] ride, to set [pupils] up for [a successful school day], non-profit, a charity, a marshal, to pick up [children], to foster [a sense of community], a convoy, loads [of fun], [to have a] chat. 

Below you can watch a video where folk singer and nationalist politician Dafydd Iwan sings along with many school children Yma o Hyd, the song that is mentioned in the BBC News article. This song is usually chanted when Wales plays international rugby or football matches to intimidate their rivals. You can watch Yma o Hyd in Welsh with Welsh subtitles right underneath these lines, to have a first exposure to Welsh language:

'Twas the Night Before Christmas & Let It Snow by Michael Bublé

'Twas the Night Before Chirstmas is a poem originally written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1987 with the title "A Visit (from St. Nicholas)", and still today, it is a favourite bedtime story for children on Christmas Eve.

Here you can find a fill-in the gaps task & key for B2 students based on Michael Bublé's rendition of 'Twas was the Night Before Christmas, with a direct link to YouTube below, and my transcription of Bublé's version plus Moore's original poem.The task is rather easy, but the vocabulary includes many descriptive words which are more C1 level than B2, you will find these expressions: to stir, a stocking, to be nestled, snug, sugar-plums, 'kerchief, cap, to settle down, a nap, the lawn, the clatter, to spring (sprang, sprung), a flash, to tear (tore, torn), a shutter, the sash [window], the breast, new-fallen [snow], the lustre, a sleigh, a reindeer, to whistle,  the porch, to dash away, a hurricane, to mount, the coursers, a twinkling, to prance, to paw, a hoof, a bound, a fur, to be tarnished, ash, soot, a bundle, to fling (flung, flung), a pedler (Am Eng), to twinkle, a dimple, merry, the cheeks, droll, to be drawn up, a bow, the chin,the stump, a pipe, [to hold] tight, to encircle, a wreath, a broad [face], a [round] belly, a bowlful of jelly, chubby, plump, jolly, an elf, a wink [of his eye], a twist [of his head], to dread, a jerk, to lay [a finger], to give [a nod], to rise (rose, risen), a whistle, the down [of] a thistle, [out of] sight.

If you want to listen to another Christmas song by the contemporary clooner from Canada Michael Bublé, you can play the song Let It Snow, and do another fill-in the gap task with its key, which is also accessible to B2 students. Some interesting words you will find here are: frightful, delightful, to pop, [the lights are] way [down] low, to kiss good night, [to hold somebody] tight. 

 

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You can find more texts and recordings about Christmas on the following entries in this blog: Christmas (18/12/20), The Magic of Christmas (25/12/22).

Thanksgiving

Today, Thursday 23 November, 2023, I would like to thank an American family, the Dolbeys, who welcomed me as a foreign AFS exchange student over 40 years ago and taught me English around a dining table. 

Thank you, Boyd, Lynn (R.I.P.), Charlie, Cathy and Christie, in times of joy and in times of sorrow.

*****

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States, Canada, some Caribbean islands and even in Liberia. Wikipedia explains the history and traditions of this peculiar holiday all around the world, in an article which is rather long and complex, so it is recommended for C1 students if you want to read it all . Some of the interesting words you can find in this article are: blessing, harvest, failure, settlers, to flee, God Almighty, to be prompted, relief, siege, to beseech, sham, to observe a festivity, to dub, a feast, staple, non-denominational, crop, barley, oats.

The Farmers' Almanac offers a more light-hearted, hands-on approach to celebrating Thanksgiving: recipes, helpful hints, traditions, trivia & nostalgia.  Each separate section could be accessible to B2 students. Some interesting words here are: to observe a festivity, to scour, a hint, to dig, to browse, mouth watering, cranberry, squash, stuffing, pumpkin, leftovers, heartburn, moist, fluffy, mashed [potatoes], yummy, stew, a riddled, jellied.

There are several videos on YouTube which give you complementary views of Thanksgiving. An easy video to introduce foreign students to the basics is Thanksgiving History & Traditions. ESL/ESOL/EFL A1- A2, (3:47) which, despite its title, is more suitable for B1 learners (you can read the subtitles). Some interesting words you will find are: an occasion, pilgrim, voyage, to land, crops, to grow [corn], harvest, roast, turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, parade.

A more detailed account of the story of Thanksgiving can be found in The Real Story of Thanksgiving, (11:42), where you can thoroughly learn about the sailing difficulties of the Mayflower, how the Pilgrims built the first settlement and the story of the individual Indians and tribes that hepled the settlers: Sumoset an Abenaki Indian; Squanto, a Patuxet Indian who was kidnapped and taken to Spain and England where he became fluent in English and the Wampanoag tribe who formed a military alliance with the Europeans against other Indian enemy tribe, namely, the Narragansetts. This video with subtitles is fast and dense, and it contains a lot of technical and colloquial expressions, so it is recommended for C2 students and above. Some interesting vocabulary: kumbaya, pier, bound for, a spit, speedwell, ungainly, to make it [to America], dissenters, haunt, to have more say, a printing press, a bad rap, flattering, creaky [boat], undaunted, glee, to be refitted, to botch, to cram, a snap, a beam, a spare, buckling, delays, a screw, to be kicked out, to cite land, to set up anchor, dodgy, to be set down, scurvy, icy, to send out, to be aboard, to drape, arrows, muskets, pilgrims, to search the area, claws, riddled, timber, to be wiped out, picky, to huddle together], to thaw, the crew, a storehouse, the locals, promptly, supplies, to swap, the chief, to be beset, a cannon, unlikely, tutelage, to thrive, bounty, game birds, waterfowl, deer, eel, crab, harvest, to set aside their differences.

A more critical view of the encounter of the two civilizations can be seen in the First Thanksgiving video (6:09) which takes pride to show the "true events" behind the fairy tale that is taught at primary schools: the complex political and religious background to the Mayflower Pilgrims's exile into the New World and the troubled relationships between the native Americans and the Pilgrims. This video is fast and quite complex in content so, it can be suitable for C2 students. Some interesting expressions are: dawn, deceitful, settlement, in droves, to be wiped out, the fate, pilgrims, to flee (fled), the congregation, to pay off the debt, to be spotted, a grave, a storage pit, furs, a hostage, to keep an eye on, bountiful, to entertain, settlers, to fast, to be up to something, to overthrow, swift, sachem, a conspiracy, preemptive, to outnumber, godless, the outcome, to surrender, short-lived, zealous beliefs, to wipe away, the fairy tale.

If you want to find out about how Thanksgiving is celebrated in other countries around the world, like Canada, China, Korea, the Caribbean, Liberia, Germany or Japan, you can watch Thanksgiving around the world (7:01). The script in this video with subtitles is more simple, colloquial and the delivery is less fast, so, perhaps it can be OK for B2 students and above. Some interesting expressions are: a feast, to compile, to get together, mashed potatoes, to chow down, casserole, cranberry, crew, treacherous, pastry, a filling, goddess, the eve, quality time, a bonding activity, odd, tiny, to be overthrown, a coup, a whaling ship, a whaler, a feast, a harvest  festival, the bounty of crops.

A final option is to watch the video The History of the Holidays: the History of Thanksgiving (3:25). This is a summary of the history of the festivity and the modern celebrations, a short version of the texts and videos above. The language is not too hard, so it can be accessible to B2 students.  You can also find the video at the bottom of this entry too. Some interesting vocabulary that you will find here: iconic, a feast, their bounty, staple, codfish, lobster, fasting, prayer, bountiful harvests, drought, to decree, to set about establishing, to urge politicians, leisure, to boost attendance, fledging, a kickoff, to brave the cold, a collective breath, to reconnect with loved ones. 

 

In 2023, Thanksgiving will be celebrated on Thursday 23rd November in the USA.

Christmas

Christmas is a commercial and religious family holiday which is celebrated in many countries around the world, including Spain and the UK. It is also a school holiday and each student always has something to say about Christmas: whether they find it exciting and uplifting, or gloomy and depressing, Christmas is always a very productive conversation topic in EFL and there are so many carols and songs that is very easy to find some music to bring to class. 

Here, you can find a lesson plan for a B1 conversation class which includes a Learn English with Ben video which compares British and Spanish Christmas, one of the most popular Christmas carols, Silent Night, in Tori Kelly's a capella voice, with a fill-in the gap listening task and the full lyrics to serve as the key, this link to Dougie MacLean's version of Auld Lang Syne, which is mentioned in the video.  In addition, you can listen to this BBC 5 Live podcast with an exculsive interview to Father Christmas (there is no script, so it is suitable for C2 students) or watch this 3 minute clip of the interview highlights on BBC5 Live In Short, which includes subtitles and, therefore, it is accessible to B2 students.  For further reading, you can check this article in "The Converstation" about the origin of Christmas decorations, which, perhaps, is more suitable for B2 learners.

This year, with the epidemic and the restrictions to social gatherings and movement, there will be much more to add to the Christmas conversations, so, Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!  

These are some of the less frequent words you will find in the video: pandemic, let me know, calendar, baubles, garlands, Christmas cards, on display, to stick, a Nativity scene, impressive, a figurine, to do a number two, to defecate, lottery, a total payout, community spirited, the winnings, the "Fat One", to meet up, seafood, starters, roast pig, Christmas Eve, nougant, nugget, Christmas carols, stockings, gifts, vivid memories, excitement, enthusiasm, a hangover, the Queen's speech, turkey, roast vegetables, Brussels sprouts, Christmas pudding, mince pice, brandy butter, fantastic, Christmas crackers, a snapping sound, a crown, board games, Boxing Day, alms box, extende family, New Year's Eve, grapes, to chime, a difficult challenge, to peel, to hit midnight, Auld Lang Syne, leftover [turkey], a curry, New Year's resolutions, Kings' Day, 3 Wise Men, floats, hang on a minute, to grow up, to stay [with us]. 

Happy Diwali!

Diwali festival celebrates the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil. It is observed by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and New Buddhists all over the Indian subcontinent and in the diaspora, at the end of October or at the beginning of November, depending on the Hindu moon calendar. In 2020 Diwali begins on 13th November and it runs for five days, but the main celebration is held on the second day, November 14th.  Different gods are worshipped in different parts of India, and in the families, houses get spotlessly clean, clay oil lamps are lit, "to symbolize the purification of the mind and to remove negativity, clutter and ignorance" and fireworks and firecrackers are let off in the streets. Other Diwali traditions include playing cards, baking and eating sweets, dressing up in the best attires, and exchanging gifts. Finally on the fifth day of Diwali, brothers and sisters honour their common bond by getting together and sharing food. If you want to find out more about this festival, you can click on this Tripsavvy link. This text is suitable for B2 students and upwards. 

In that article, you will find interesting words like: disrupted, fireworks, firecrackers, a row, brightness, a kingdom, clutches, the defeat, a demon, to be free [from prison], to dispel [our own darkness], outwards, to overlap, a fortnight, mankind, [legend] has it, a goddess, to churn, to ready, to purchase, to gather, to play cards, to gamble, to be auspicious, the doorway,the courtyard, to burst crackers, an effigy, clay [lamps], candles are lit, [fireworks are] let off, a fearsome [goddess], to be worshipped, sugarcane, jute sticks, mechants, shortcomings, the bond, blessings, [houses are] spotless, to remove clutter, joy, [firecrackers] go off, breathing [difficulties], to be aware that, peak [travel time], [trains will be] heavily booked, crowded, ear plugs, damaging [to the ears], [pollution has] skyrocketed.   

Below, you can find a National Geographic video with automatic subtitles that explains the Diwali celebrations when you are travelling in India and a Diwali Special Bollywood video:

 

      

Indian Matchmaking Causes a Stir in India

Indian Matchmaking is a Netflix TV show that has become a huge hit in India, but it has also stirred a heated debate about arranged marriages and the role of women in modern relationships.  Some people love the show, and they think it is "realistic and honest", while others find it  regressive and even "cringe-worthy".

Here you can read a BBC News article on the story, and below you will find the video report version of the story with Punjabi subtitles (4':30"), where you can listen to Indian an American accents, and three more YouTube video links. This story is recommended for C1 students.  

In the BBC News article, you will come across words like: cringe-worthy (informal), a [huge] hit,a  matchmaker, a [huge] buzz (informal), docuseries, to jet-set, bride, groom, a meme, to hate-watch (informal), in-your-face misogyny, casteism, colourism, [to cause] outrage, posh [hotels], closet, at stake, to leaf through [a database], to pull out, a [good] fit, to trawl through, a hunt, to come as a surprise, affluent, to rely on, a shopping list, an outsider, [an] alien [world], dating, [to suggest] condescendingly, insightful, hilarious, unaware, a [regressive] mindset, a caveat (formal), an astrologer, a face reader, auspicious, stubborn, to compromise, to adjust, to call out, picky [clients], to gloss over, to scar [women permanently], chattel, painful [memories], [bride viewing] demeaning, to put on display, to be sized up, to reveal, prejudice, a freaking [reality show], woke [people] (US informal).

If you want to find out more about Indian Matchmaking, here there is a short clip with the best moments of the show (2':46").

Here, you can find a link to one episode of Indian Matchmaking (40':21"). 

And, finally, here you can watch a Netflix programme where the creator of the show, Smriti Mundhra, and Sima Taparia, the Mumbai matchmaker, discuss "colourism, caste, religious prejudice and gender inequality in Indian society and on-screen".

Rescue Boat Baby Five Years On

This is the story of a baby who was born on a rescue boat, when her Nigerian mother was trying to arrive in Italy five years ago.  This short BBC News video with subtitles (2':47") is suitable for B2 students and it will allow you to listen to a West-African English accent in the voice of the mother.

The vocabulary is not too difficult, you will find words like miracle, a rescue ship, to flee (fled, fled), to struggle [for your life], to bear [a name], to faint, to be in labour, to make it to Europe on a boat, to go through [something], to be in [somebody's] shoes, to be blessed.

Jaden Wolfiez Ashman, the Teenage Gamer Who Became a Millionaire

Jaden Wolfiez Ashman is a 15-year-old gamer from Essex who won $1,000.000 playing the Fortnite World Cup Finals.  He promised to buy his mum a house, and one year later he has fulfilled his promise.  The BBC Newsbeat video on this link tells us the story.  

Wolfiez talks with a teenager's working-class intonation and he uses colloquial words, which makes it a bit more difficult to understand him, but the subtitles will allow C1 students to follow it.  You will come across new words like: "e-sport, chill, quid, set-up, too fancy, step, mortgage, to frame, logo, to be plastered, to take pressure off me, childminder, living day-to-day, you are clock watching, to moan, to strive to do something".

If you want to watch an interview to Wolfiez and his mum one year before when he had just won all that money, you can click below on this "Good Morning Britain" video on ITV , which has subtitles and it is also suitable for C1 students:

Shavuot, a Jewish Tradition

Shavuot is a Jewish holy day that marks the beginning of the harvest ("Bikkurim" or the collection and offering of "The First Fruits" to the Temple in Jerusalem) and also the reception of the Torah, with the 10 Commandments, given to Moses at Mount Sinai, 7 weeks after the departure from Egypt in Passover (Shavuot means "Festival of the Weeks" in Hebrew).  So, originally, Shavuot had an agricultural origin, which is kept in the tradition of decorating the house with greenery and flowers, or having a pic-nic in the woods or in your garden.  Later, when the Jewish people became more learned, some rabbis added to the festivity the practice of an all-nighter, "Tikkun", which involves staying awake all night and reading the Torah (the 10 Commandments, Ruth's or Ezekiel's books etc), having social debates about Arts & Culture etc. In 2020, Shavuot is celebrated from sunset May 28th to nightfall May 30th.  If you want to know more about Shavuot, you can read this article by Chabad.org. These texts are suitable for B2 students.

Food is an important part of the celebration too.  Ashkenazi Jews like to eat dairy products, like ice-cream, cheesecake or drink some milk, whereas Sephardic Jews prefer to eat a large meat meal, or the "Bread of the 7 Heavens" which you can see in the picture below right and you can bake by following this recipe in Spanish from eSefarad.com.  And kids like to bake aleph-bet shaped cookies.  Below, you can watch a short video by "BimBam", which has subtitles, but it is narrated at a fast speed and with several Hebrew words,  so it is more suitable for C1 level.

The Christian celebrations of Pentecost and Witsun in the Church of England are closely related to the Shavuot tradition, as you can read on this Wikipedia link.

I would like to thank A. C. Sefarad Aragón for their kind help to write this entry.

Eid-al-Fitr, The End of Ramadan

Eid-al-Fitr is the first day of  the month of Shawwal and the day Ramadan ends, so it is celebrated by Muslims around the world: people dress in their best clothes, exchange gifts, attend communal prayers, listen to a sermon (khutba), practice charity with the poor (zakat al-fitr), and they greet with the words "Eid Mubarak!" (Holy Feast!) as you can read on this web page.

In Turkey, this year's Eid's celebrations will be severely restricted to fight the spread of the coronavirus epidemic: a strict 24-hour curfew has been ordered in 83 provinces for two days and worshippers will not be allowed to pray in mosques, as you can read in this Aljazeera report and video, which is accessible to B2 students and above.

But the epidemic has also brought "amazing signs of solidarity" like the Berlin church that has hosted Muslim worshippers to help them maintain physical distancing rules while they pray together in Eid-al-Fitr, as Aljazeera reports in this B2 article.

In Arabia, Saudis are finding new ways to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr in lockdown:  Muslims will perform Eid-al-Fitr prayers at home, and they will exchange homemade gifts, decorate their home for the occasion and play home games like pinatas,  according to this Arab News report, which quotes 30-year-old Hadeel Ezmirli: "I want to at least feel the vibe of Eid, even though I will be at home".  This article, for its length and vocabualary can be classified as C1.

Mother's Day

Mother's day is celebrated on May 10th in USA, India and Australia, on March 22nd in the UK and Ireland and on May 3rd in Spain. Here you can read three stories related to the topic.

The first story is Kate Middleton's virtual visit to a new mother in a hospital in South-West London, where she has a friendly conversation with the astonished new mother, who describes the experience as "surreal".  Kate's goal was to raise awareness about the mental health issues that can affect new mothers.  The story comes from "The Daily Mail", a royalist tabloid in the UK, and it is suitable for B2 students.

The second story comes from The New York Times, and it reports on how florists are preparing to deliver bouquets of flowers for Mother's Day in the USA during confinement.  The language in the article is very descriptive -precise nouns and adjectives- which can be challenging, so the text is suitable for C1 students, but the pictures, of course, can be enjoyed by anyone.

Finally, the third story also comes from The Daily Mail, but from the Australia edition, in this case.  The article explains how social distancing restrictions will affect the celebration of Mother's Day in the different states and territories in Australia.  The text is not too difficult, it is full of passive voice verbs, but it can be read by B1 students with the help of a dictionary to look up words like "gatherings" (meetings), "to ease restrictions" (to reduce or to soften restrictions) or "hugs" (embraces).

The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King (1994) is one of the most popular animated films produced by Disney. The film was a box office and a critical success, it was praised for its music, animation and plot, which has echos of Hamlet and the Bible. Several sequels, spin-offs and remakes have been made, including a theatre musical.  If you want to know more about the film, you can click here to read the Wikipedia article.

On the left, you can watch the opening scene, "The Circle of Life".  The music of this song was composed and performed by Elton John and the lyrics by Tim Rice.

The film is a story about loss, power struggles, overcoming trauma, personal growth and coming-of-age.  In this short E! News interview, the original voice actors, Jonathan Taylor Thomas (young Simba), James Earl Jones (Mufasa) and Matthew Broderick (adult Simba) talk about the plot of the film, their own characters and how they recorded their voices over the animation. The interview has subtitles, so it should be accessible to B2 students.

Coronavirus Parody Songs & Self-Isolation

The coronavirus pandemic is sweeping the whole world and millions of people are in lockdown or self-isolation to fight the spread of the epidemic.  The disruption of family life may be hard to understand by very young children.  This is a BBC story about a self-isolated dad in Wales, and the while-lie he is telling his daughter.  It is a short video with subtitles, so it is suitable for B2 students.
I would like to thank one of my students, María A., because she passed me this link.

But in these times of global confinement, there is also a positive side:  the spread of memes, jokes, and parody songs that give us sound advice with a pinch of humour. Some of the key words you'll come across: allergies, flu, hand sanitize, shivers, social isolation, the flat curve, scrubbing, sneeze, droplets, crappy, latex gloves, tissue, mask. Here, you can watch three videos.  Which one do you like best?

The Beatles' "I Gotta Wash My Hands!"

Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence", in Alvin Oon's version.

Raúl Irabién's versión of Queen's "Coronavirus Rhapsody", in the InVoca YouTube channel.

If you still want to read on, this CNN report will show you more catchy cover songs with coronavirus lyrics: "My Sharona", "We Didn't Start the Fire", "Leave (Get Out)!

Domestic Violence Outcry in Turkey

Gender violence is a growing concern all around the world.  This NPR story reports on the state of affairs in Turkey, where feminist groups are leading the protests in the streets against male violence, they are fighting for women's rights in the courts and they are volunteering to create more women's shelters to protect the victims of domestic violence.
This report could be classified as C1for its extension and vocabulary.

It's a Boy!

Meghan and Prince Harry have had a baby son! The news came out this morning, and you can read all about it in this report from the Daily Mail, you can also watch a short video where Prince Harry announces the birth of their first child.
Both the report and the video can be accessible to B2 students.

Belinda Gates, a Female Philantropist

Belinda Gates, the co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, has published a book where she talks about how empowering women can bring about positive changes in society all over the world.  In this NPR interview, she talks about gender equality in the US and in her own relationship with Bill Gates, about philantropy and a fair tax system within the capitalist society and more.

This short interview (6':52'') with a script can be accessible to B2 students.

Educated

Tara Westover started school at the age of 17.  She was brought up on a farm in Idaho, in a survivalist family who stocked food and weapons to defend themselves from the government and to prepare for some kind of war. She had no birth certificate, she never saw a doctor and she was home schooled until she felt she wanted to learn music and was admitted to college at 17.  She finally earned a PhD in History from Cambridge University and she has recently published the book "Educated", about her personal journey to become an independent woman.
This long NPR interview (38':21") can be used by C1 students with the support of the script.

Japan's Elderly Crime Wave

The number of crimes committed by people over 65 in Japan is on the rise.  Meagre state pensions that do not pay bills and loneliness are pushing a growing number of elderly Japanese to commit petty crimes, reoffend and serve long terms in prison, where they can find food, accommodation and healthcare for free... and company too!  If you want to find out more, you can read this BBC News Stories article, which includes a short video (in Japanese and English with subtitles) and a link to a radio report from BBC radio 4 and the BBC World Service programme "Assignment". Both the text and the video can be classified as B2 level.

Here you can find a direct link to the BBC Radio 4 report (and the BBC World Service Assignment programme) on Japan's Elderly Crime Wave, which lasts 28 minutes. The narrator speaks slowly and very clearly, but there is  no transcript, so the documentary is classified as C2.

"Free-Range" Parents

How much freedom or supervision should children be brought up with? This NPR story talks about an incident that sparked the old debate, once again.







Reading Comprehension Task
Read the text and answer the following questions:
 1.- What are "free-range" parents?
 2.- What happened to Danielle and Alexander Meitiv?

Listening Comprehension Task
Now listen to the radio version of the story and compare the views of the two experts, Katie Arnold and Denene Millner who are discussing the case.

Speaking Follow-up Task
If you can talk to another English speaker, now you can express your opinion about the controversy.