The Parsi Museum in Mumbai

Cherylann Mollan reports on a little museum in Mumbai that tells the history and traditions of an ancient people, the Parsis: the Framji Dadabhoy Alpaiwalla Museum.

The BBC News report, entitled "Of opium, fire temples, and sarees: A peek into the world of India's dwindling Parsis" can be read by B2 students and above, who will find interesting expressions like: a saree, a peek, to dwindle, to [be] tucked away, a lane, Zoroastrianism, to flee, [fled, fled], the mainstream [population], to shake-off, an artefact, on display, a curator, to showcase, a print, [to be] draped in [saree], cuneiform, a terracotta [pot], to source, [to be] dated [to 4000-5000 BCE], to rule, a barren [desert], to settle, to outline, to grant, a [human rights] charter, a portrait, to own, a brand, striking, to trade, an exhibit, to depict, a compelling [exhibit], a glimpse into, off-limits [to non-Parsis], [to be] renovated, [well]-captioned, a [glass] case, packed with [history].

You can step into the Alpaiwalla Museum virtually by watching the YouTube video below, where Purva Chitnis, assistant editor of The Print, interviews Kerman Fatakia, the curator of the museum, who offers a guided tour of the main exhibits in the museum.  This video can be watched with machine-generated subtitles, which may prove helpful for those C1 students and above who are less familiar with Indian English:

Best Wildlife Photographers and (Silly) Pictures, 2024

In October, the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award 2024, was announced by the Natural History Museum in London, and Alberto Román Gómez (Spain) won the under 10 years award with the picture "Free as a Bird" (left). You can gaze at the stunning photos and read the descriptive captions in The Guardian report "Wildlife photographer of the year 2024 winners -in pictures". The captions are very succinct and precise so, rather suitable for C1 learners and above, where these words, among other, will come up: record-breaking [59,228 entries], an exhibition, a tadpole, a swarm, to snorkel, a lily pad, a stonechat bird, hefty, tricky, ownership, to roll [a log] over, to fruit, [slime] mould, a springtail, a split second, focus stacking, to mirror, a spot, a [camera] trap, a prey, an [elusive] lynx, fungi, gnarled, a birch tree, a lichen, a timeless [beauty] etc. 

NPR also covered the same competition with a more factual article, "Lynx, tiger and tadpoles, oh my: See the Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners", which is longer, more cohesive and easier to read perhaps, so, it can be recommended for B2 students and above, who will find words like: a lynx, a tadpole, a swarm, a lily pad, to lay [in wait], to track [animals], to set up, [camera] traps, to frame, a shot, to seize the moment, to stretch, to wrestle, a yacare caiman, a falcon, underwater, to narrow down, to be featured, a venue, to spark [creation], to coil itself, a snout, to snorkel [painstakingly], a lily pad, silt, to dodge, stunning, to hatch, wetlands, to rally [the community together] etc.

To add a touch of humour to wildlife art, B2 students can either have a peek at the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Gallery of Winners and Finalists 2024 or read the USA Today report on the winners of that competition, "'Squirrel stuck in a tree' tops funniest wildlife photos of the year: See the pictures". The final list of goofy winners was published on December 10th.

The pics will certainly bring a sunny smile (or raucous laughter) to learners, who may pick up new words like: a squirrel, [stuck], to stick, smooching, owlets, to highlight, a compromising [position], a [tree] hole, hind [legs], a statement, a raucous [laughter], to be shortlisted, ecstatic, to narrow down, a standalone [photograph], to showcase etc.

Back in April, the winners of the World Nature Photography Awards 2024 came out. B2 learners and above can click above to look at amazing pictures, and find interesting words in the captions and explanations like: hired, waterproof, a gannet, to dive into [water], anglerfish, a reef, a cheetah, a herd, a topi, dotted [across the valley], to cling [onto a foal], to launch, iconic [iguanas], a lizard, to bask, and many more.

Other interesting wildlife photography awards to check out are the British Wild Photography Awards and National Geographic best wildlife photos from 2024.

"Veneradas y Temidas" in CaixaForum Zaragoza

"Veneradas y Temidas: el poder femenino en el arte y las creencias" is a British Museum globetrotting exhibition that opened in London in 2022 as "Feminine Power: the Devine to the Demonic" and has finally come to CaixaForum Zaragoza. 

The exhibition is a 5,000-year, cross-cultural stroll that shows the visitor how femininity has been perceived and represented by different faiths, mythologies and cultures across the world, often in contradictory terms: how women have been worshiped as the embodiment of protection, fertility, purity, gentleness and modesty, but often the very same goddesses have been feared as the epitomes of destruction, vengefulness, lust and wrath. Gender fluidity is also showcased in the exhibit, with artifacts of ancient non-binary deities, who display male and female sexual attributes and can transform into different animals to connect to mortals.  

The British Museum published a number of helpful guides for the teachers and students who are planning to visit "Feminine Power: the Devine to the Demonic", as well as comments by high-profile collaborators like Mary Beard, Elisabeth Day, Bonnie Greer, Rabbia Siddique and Deborah Francis-White, or by current religious communities, like the Bengali Hindu London Durgostav Committee (LDC), or the pagan Children of Artemis.  This kaleidoscope of opinions and materials will certainly sharpen the visitors' eyes to spot crucial details in the figures, and, hopefully, may open their minds to ideas beyond accepted beliefs and truths to prompt meaningful conversations with their companions.  Personally, I would stongly recommend watching a long video with subtitles below (01:11:43) "The curators introduction to the exhibition" -or at least parts of it- where Belinda Crerar and Lucy Dahlsen discuss the artistic and cultural significance of the highlights of the exhibition (note: in "Veneradas y Temidas", the exhibit touring Spain, Kiki Smith's Lilith 1994, has been substituted by Zanele Muholi's Somnyana IV 2015 etc., and John William Waterhouse's Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses 1891, has not come to Spain). 

C2 students who are planning to visit "Veneradas y Temidas" do not need to watch the whole video, they can just focus on the objects that catch their eye. The language in the video is rich and dense at times, so subtitles and pauses could help to pick up individual words and expressions such as: curator, to display, femininity,a deity, beliefs, faiths, to depict [in Art], bigendered, genderless, to honour [these deities], commonalities and contrasts, to run through [these themes], a [faith] community, a playwright, to prompt [questions], to tune in, to hand back [to Belinda], an artwork, a pioneering [artist], a multi-layered [narrative], sacred artefacts, vulva, to drag, to spin out, the cycle of life, [deliberately] provocative, Abrahamic [narrative], an unapologetically [feminist perspective], second wave feminist, [celebratory] imagery [associated with childbirth], visceral, crude, flexed [knees], labia, a carving, [artworks] on display, lust, emaciated, to trace [the interpretentions], [stories] revolve around, to transcend [gender], a print, Shinto, to stir [the primordial water], to bob [its tail], to embody [natural phenomena], to encapsulate, fiery [temper], to flow [like lava],rough/ polished texture, a dual/ multifaceted [nature], unpredictable, volatile, crossovers [between the sections], [female] agency, nudity, a relief, yuxtapositions, to epitomize the [male] gaze, to cover up, to avert [her gaze], to wield [power], rage, to worship, to underscore [other aspects], to mint [a coin], to honour [Venus], a shockingly [erotic image], [who is] in control [of her power], earthbound, stiff, demonology, to submit [to Adam], to lie [underneath Adam], defiance, to wreak [havoc], cast [from a body], crouched, on all fours, to embellish, temptress, [seemingly] blameless [Adam], to underscore [innate female deviousness, [women's] collusive [responsibility],  courtship, 

a cowherd, evil, esoteric [knowledge], to encapsulate, an icon of [feminist rebellion], to reinterpret, hunched [over], [the male] gaze, assertive [figure], to be tamed, to clutch [the chalice], [to have] the upper-hand, a deceptively [seductive figure], to look down her nose, witchcraft, voyeuristic, Sabbath, to epitomize, lust, to poke fun at, surrealist [artist], folk [belief], [feminity] to imbue [the natural world], to draw on [a standard belief], to transgress, demons, vengeance, an ogre, grief,
a sage, anger, jealousy, to encapsulate, furrowed brows, [emotional] turmoil, despair, annihilation, slaughter, wrath, to be venerated, to offset, to wipe them off [the planet], to rampage, harshness, to dye [beer red], Puja [celebrations], fearlessness, [demonic] hordes, to defeat [demons], enraged, emanations, to confront and overcome [injustice], compassion, to sever [her followers from greed, envy, ego], the Savior, [to guide] the faithful [to salvation], a striking [piece], straws, a shimmering [effect], a pilgrimage [site], straw mosaic, a calligraphy [work], upbringing, unshakeable fortitude, a role model, compassion, canonically, to lessen [her importance], an enlightened [being], goddess [of compassion], perceiver [of sound], genderless, wisdom, to be venerated, embodiment, to overcome [a vice], karma, a [fully meditative] pose, [a subject of] contention, seductiveness, sensuous, alluring, curvaceous, draped [in silks], jewels, nirvana.

C1 learners can read a shorter, easier prologue to Feminine Power written by curators Belinda Crerar and Lucy Dahlsen: "An Introduction to Feminine Power". C1 students will find interesting key words like: a sneak peek, belief, artwork, to shine [a light], femininity, a goddess, annihilation, embodiment, to showcase, primordial, vulva, to grasp, a breast, needleworkers, depiction, a deity, a goddess, a [reddish] hue, fiery[nature], flaming [hair], to flow [down], a rough/ polished texture, dual [nature], a relief, to stare [confidently and confrontationally], a [lion] mount, a tiered [crown], volatile, votive [models], to assert [her equality], defiance, to cast [the image from a real woman], piercing, lifelike, to crouch, on all fours, a [voyeuristic] gaze, to permeate [mythology], to defy [expectations of female submission], empowerment, bulging [eyes], a glyph, slaughter, to withhold [her wrath], to grant [healing and peace], scorching, to set up, garland, severed [heads], fearlessness, compassion, karma, enlightened [being], to fan out, to transcend [gender], androgynous, swiftly, to spring [into action], wrathful emanations.

Today covered the opening of the London exhibition on BBC Radio-4 back in May 2022. C2 learners can listen to the inauguration report with an interview to Elisabeth Day, and they can do a listening comprehension task and check their answers with the key. The list of key words can be used to follow the radio report without a script (these materials were already published on this blog, in the entry "Art and Femine Power"). Some interesting words and collocations in the Today report are: a goddess, a she-devil, a saint, a witch, to be betrayed, a blood-thirsty warrior, divine, demonic, to be installed, a gargoyle, a bronze [sculpture], to crawl, [about] to pounce, attached to [the wall], [female] defiance, [to refuse] to submit [to Adam], the Garden of Eden, happily ever after, to rebel, depiction, faiths and mythologies, a [painted] terracotta, dating [from 500 BC], snake-like [hair], fangs, to stick [her] tongue out, to have [someone] round for dinner, to reassess [things after Me Too], a survivor [of rape], [female] rage, a statement [of power], to be rageful, [to be sexually] assaulted, a male-dominated [industry],an all-boys [club], gratitude, to put up with [a lot of stuff], to range from,

an orgasm [machine], to impress [my bosses], [everyday sexual] harassment, micro-aggressions, an admission price [to being a woman], stepped into [my rage], bulbous [eyes], [to die in] childbirth, to be engaged [in a battle], to long for [children], yearning and shaped [by her lack of children], to open up [about a personal failure], [universal] resonance, my soul, [millennia of] patriarchy, to strive [against that], a cohesive narrative to [this exhibition].

"Vereradas y Temidas: el poder femenino en el arte y las creencias", CaixaForum Zaragoza, December 5th, 2024- March 23rd, 2025.

Elections in India, Mexico and South Africa

Three major emerging countries have held general elections recently: South-Africa, Mexico and India.

 India is the largest democracy in the world and the current 2024 elections have taken place in seven consecutive phases, starting from April 19 to June 1 to elect the 543 members of the Lok Sabha, the House of the People. There are two major coalitions vying for power, the right-wing NDA, lead by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the multi-party INDIA alliance, led by the Indian National Congress (INC). Election results are being declared on June 4th, you can follow the tally on "Lok Sabha Election Results", a web page in The Times of India, which includes a short video (3:12) "Lok Jabha Elections 2024: BJP, INDIA Bloc Chase Kingmakers's Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu",

 

where C2 students will come across interesting words like: to write [someone] off, a pundit, [against] the backdrop, a kingmaker, a [political] camp, the run-up, to fall short of [a majority], infamous, to reach out [to somebody], steadfast [support], to have a say, a portfolio, to implement [key policy changes]. You can also take a look at the New York Times page India Live Election Results and Map 2024, where you will find a national map with the winning coalition in each constituency. Finally, you can check the latest updates like the BBC News article "Modi declares victory in close-than-expected Indian election" or, for a full coverage of the election results and analysis from an Indian perspective, you can check out the news website The Wire.

 

 

AP News covers the elections in Mexico with several articles under the headline "Mexico elections update: Claudia Sheinbaum set to become president". In one of the stories, signed by Sara España, Mexico will have its first woman president, what will that mean?", B2 students and above can find expressions like: a ruling [party], to concede, to break through [200 years of male governments], to go down in history, to break [a longstanding] ceiling, harsh [conditions].

In South Africa a new era began after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its overall majority for the first time in 30 years. The ANC won 40.2% of the vote, down from 58% in the pervious election, and it will have to negotiate a coalition government with other parties, which opens an unprecedented political scenario since democracy started with Nelson Mandela's presidency after apartheid. Mohammed Haddad writes a comprehensive account of the vote in South Africa election results. What happens next?" for Aljazeera, which could be accessible to B2 students and above with 

key election vocabulary like: to surpass, a ballot, ruling, short of [a majority], turn out, to cast [a vote], allocation, a [Parliament] seat, [members of Parliament] to be sworn in, the speaker [of Parliament], to ensure, smooth [transition of power], poor [performance], to rule out [a coalition], to sack, a crackdown, to step down, to appoint, to take over, impeachment, to make up, remaining, to comprise.

If you need some background information about South Africa, you can read Damian Zane's, Dorothy Otieno & Olaniyi Adebimpe's article "South Africa in eight charts ahead of crucial vote", published in BBC News on May 22, where C1 students and above will come across key words like: 

 

[to go to the] polls, a power cut, an opinion poll, to herald, to fall steadily, a high water mark, a survey, to drop below [50%], GDP [per capita], a downward [trend], income, well-off, to mismanage, to be buffeted, a spike [in prices], a household, a driver [of inequality], to hit [young people] hard, to pledge, to tackle [crime], an assault, rape, to wage [a war against women], load shedding, a respite, to blight, outage, to disrupt, a draw, to target, a scapegoat, to demonise.

The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022

Travel + Leisure magazine has just published the 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022, for their affluent American readers, featuring Alaska (left) among other national and international destinations. 

C1 students can do some virtual travel with the article 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022, they can look at the beautiful pictures and pick up English words galore, as the text is packed with descriptive adjectives, nouns and verbs like: a far-flung destination, a thrill, travel restrictions galore, albeit, to cross off [destinations], the hospitality industry was hit hard, downtime, to venture, to reap [the benefits], valiant [efforts], to teem with [fresh-air activities], to be raring, to make up for, splashy, hard-hit destinations, buzzy, stateside, to hold back, wellness, farm-to-table living, to stretch, overlooked, unspoiled [villages], picturesque, stunning, sleepy, underdog, harbinger, an eco-lodge, glamping, a [food] hotspot, local produce, an eager [traveler], vast, towering snow-capped [peaks], pristine [wilderness], to roll out [itineraries], to launch [new ships], myriad, a gathering, easy-going, to resume [service], a fleet [of jets], a sprawling [resort], perks, butler, to debut, a shutdown, a compelling [reason], seals, heli-hiking, a craps table, to skip, crystal-clear waters, [50 miles] off the coast, a day pass, to be whisked away, to indulge [in local food], conch, stew, rock lobster, hiatus, to keep an eye for, junkanoo, an all-inclusive [stay], vibrant, a spa, hammam [treatment], vendors, to stroll down, a boardwalk, ocean-front [food], rainforests, diver, a barrier reef, abundance, casual [spots,], luxe [resorts], an oceanfront [villa], a nonstop [flight], charm, a shining [example], a rooftop [library], an oenophile, unassuming, a wine cellar, draped, a estate, resilience, on tap, hilltop [suites], to glimpse, glitzy, to unveil, [room] renovations, an outpost, a mogul, to snag [the term], a venue, a low-key [escape], stunning, white-washed [buildings], to lust after, cerulean blue, to peruse, to seek out, to hop [aboard], to wield [lightsabers], to brush shoulders with, to be slated, to encapsulate [a definition], a [steel] monolith,

to be buzzing [with energy], to bolster, to carve out a name, the [luxury travel] realm, riesling [wine], to knock, a lighter-bodied [red wine], a [foodie] draw, festival roster, to grasp onto its charms, quaint [downtown], chock-full, storefronts, lining, sidewalk, [race] riots, a winery, a rock quarry, a quirky-cool [enclave], brand-new, a lush [setting], rolling [hills], nourishing [food], to be raised, to be foraged, bustling, to tack on [to], a [presidential] decree, to seek [to combat], amenities, a carbon-neutral footprint, to kick its signature into high gear, a cue, to soak, hot springs, a speakeasy [bar], a budding [surf scene], a state-of-the art [wave pool], a [wave] lagoon, pending [city approvals], a splash zone, a craft beer hotspot, a [biking] trail, alum, to grab [headlines], to make strides, to showcase, jetty, wary [of travelling], solace, to hop on [a flight], to straddle [three regions of Zambia], a hot air balloon, a sundowner, a lofty [resolution], to commence, sparkly [new] digs, to [venture] off the beaten track, snorkeling, scuba diving, to top, to splash out on [dinner and a show], to wrap [a project], a racetrack, the attendees, a medley [of cultures], a smattering [of terrain], verdant [rain forests], to blend, hawker food stalls, a coveted [resort], turquoise, an overwater [villa], primed for [snorkeling], zip-lining, to meld, sleek,

available for charter, a slew of [hotel openings], a [cocktail] curator, to set sail, a tagline, a suspended bridge, an all-nighter, high-end, alluring, otherworldly, cloud-shrouded, an uptick, to partake, volcanic terroir, a grueling [hike], ample [opportunities], a humpback [whale], an orca, to spot, nuanced, a gateway, to tag [a turtle], a hideaway, to put [an area] on the radar, a hub, moss-draped [streets], slick, hazy [ales], sours, a taproom, luster, to garner, cooped-up [city dwellers], to be enthralled, vortex, stargazing, to follow suit, revamped, glitz, to flock, skijöring, snowkiting, tobogganing, to pop up, rugged [land], a penthouse [room], over-the-top [hotels], a flagship [hotel], a stretch [of a path], a hillfort, [gourmet Mexican] fare, boho-chic [lodgings], a beachcomber, to lift off, to ramp up, a jaunt, the edge [of space], a dealbreaker. 

If you prefer urban travel, you can look at the pictures of the 25 Best Cities to Travel in 2022, also from Travel + Leisure magazine, which puts Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende (Mexico) at the top of this inventory and Ubud (Indonesia) ranking 3rd. The Spanish city of Seville is also included in this year's list at number 11. 

Art and Feminine Power

The British Museum has recently opened the exhibition "Female Power: the Divine to the Demonic" which shows how women have been represented throughout history in various mythologies around the world.

Here you can find a 3 hour lesson plan about Art, which complements unit 7B of English File C1.1, O.U.P.  The first lesson includes some speaking activities to discuss Art, exhibitions and Public Art; a power point presentation of local Public Art in Zaragoza and an intensive listening comprehension task with the key, based on a clip of Today programme on BBC Radio 4 (17/05/22), which is more suitable for C2 students.  The second lesson is focused on Street Art and it includes some conversation questions about Art, education etc., and another power point presentation about Street Art in Zaragoza. You can access the list of key words below in Word format here and the 5' clip of the Today radio interview here.

Some of the key words you will come across in the recording are: a goddess, a she-devil, a saint, a witch, to be betrayed, a blood-thirsty warrior, divine, demonic, to be installed, a gargoyle, a bronze [sculpture], to crawl, [about] to pounce, attached to [the wall], [female] defiance, [to refuse] to submit [to Adam], the Garden of Eden, happily ever after, to rebel depiction, faiths and mythologies, a [painted] terracotta, dating [from 500 BC], snake-like [hair], fangs, to stick [her] tongue out, to have [someone] round for dinner, to reassess [things after Me Too], a survivor [of rape], [female] rage, a statement [of power], to be rageful, [to be sexually] assaulted, a male-dominated [industry],an all-boys [club], gratitude, to put up with [a lot of stuff], to range from, an orgasm [machine], to impress [my bosses], [everyday sexual] harassment, micro-aggressions, an admission price [to being a woman], stepped into [my rage], bulbous [eyes], [to die in] childbirth, to be engaged [in a battle], to long for [children], yearning and shaped [by her lack of children], to open up [about a personal failure], [universal] resonance, my soul, [millennia of] patriarchy, to strive [against that], a cohesive narrative to [this exhibition].

If you want to read some stories of fascination and fear of the deites shown in the exhibition, you can check this article from BBC Culture and learn about Sulis (England), Minerva (Rome), Sekhmet (Egypt), Kali (India), Kannon (Japan), Coatlicue (Mexico), Inanna (Mesopotamia), Athena (Greece), Venus (Rome), Lamashtu (Sumeria), Cihuateteo (Mexico), Lilith (Israel), Persephone (Greece), Shri-Lakshmi (India), Sati (India) and Circe (Greece),