The article is suitable for B2 students, whereas the radio interview, without script, is recommended for C1 students, especially if you listen to the interview before reading the article.
Here you can find a list of some key words as they appear in the radio interview which can be used as a listening guide if you get very lost, as there is no script: bat, tuft, snarl, crookedly, bound, curl, quirky, cute, so popular, extra-attention, shelter, unadoptable, hoarder situation, human touch, bond, hospice situation, a second chance, caring and nurturing, strange noises, grunt, a diesel truck revving, barks in his sleep, cries, howl, on tour, meet and greet, joy, face lights up, indigenous, Navajo, rez dogs, an incredible resource, kindness, compassion, congrats.
In the writtten article, you will find a wider range of words like: crested, mix, neglect, hoarding, a protruding [tongue], a tilted [head], mohawk [hairstyle], tufted [hair], a snarl, a hound, to promote adoption and rescue, a pooch, to be overlooked, a [dog] shelter, a puppy mill, to be crowned, to get [extra] attention, unadoptable, [neurological] issues, medical care, [psychological] wounds, love and comfort, nurturing, to thrive, joy, to host a meet and greet, to set up, newfound [fame], a rez dog, a stray dog.
If you want to see Mrs Happy Face and all the people involved in the story, below you can watch a video report with subtitles (2:00) from the American TV programme Inside Edition, where you will find a few interesting words like: alibi, to take top prize, to steal the judges's hearts, hairless body, pimply, adorable, to hobble out, cute, the chances are, inner beauty.
Daffodils is one of the most popular poems in the English language, it is full of beautiful images, colours and lights described with gentle, poetic words. The sounds of the English words themselves, consonants and vowels, are worth listening to, even if you do not understand their meaning.
It was composed by romantic poet William Wordsworth on April 15th, 1802, when he was walking with his sister Dorothy around Glencoyne Bay in the Lake District after the death of his brother. It is a poem about the seductive beauty of nature, about loneliness and the power of memory to change our mood. The poem is short, but it is full of literary words, so it is recommended for C1 students. Here you can find a lesson plan for C1 students, a fill-in-the gap task with the key, and a list of links for background information. In the poem, you will find beautiful words like: to wander, to float, o'er (over), a vale, a host, golden, daffodils, to flutter, breeze, to twinkle, the Milky Way, to stretch, never-ending [line], a bay, a glance, to toss [their heads], a sprightly [dance], sparkling [waves], in glee, [to be] gay, jocund [company], to gaze, oft (often), couch, vacant or pensive mood, to flash upon, inward eye, bliss, solitude.
If you enjoy listening to English poetry, you can try this video by Poet's Corner with 50 Classic Poems read by 12 celebrities like Morgan Freeman, Jodie Foster or Gary Sinise. I particularly recommend it as a lullaby to have a delightful summer siesta.
Just a few days earlier than the running of the bulls started in Pamplona, New York City organized its own "running of the goats" in Riversida Park, Manhattan. Families gathered to see the trailer opening its door to release twenty goats that had been brought to the park to eat all the weeds away. Here you can listen to the All Things Considered report on NPR (3':42") that tells the story with a script, which makes it suitable for B2 students. You will come across words like goats, to weed, a sliver, farmland, pretty flat, to slope sharply, invasive plants, porcelain berry, to take over, garden maintenance, a herd of goats, upstate [New York], a trailer, the thick impenetrable bush, hillside, with ease, a beloved ritual, St. Patrick's Day parade, to show up, [dogs] to strain against leashes, to sniff, to poke, dazzling, tawny-colored, horns, to curl in on themselves, poised, a gaze, to commune [with nature], nonprofit rescue service, a fenced area, chill, to drift away, heads down, oblivious, sirens, overhead, to munch thier way down the hillside.
Below you can watch a video with speeches and jokes by the local politicians and the actual running of the goats in Riverside Park. The video with subtitles (26:22) is suitable for C1 students.
Terry Gross is much more than a radio host, she is, problably, the most respected radio journalist in the USA today. She has run and presented "Fresh Air" on NPR for over 45 years, where she has interviewed the very best American actors, directors, musicians, authors, journalists, doctors, naturalists or international relations analysts. Stephen Colbert defined her unique interviewing style as a combination of "a conversationalist, a therapist, and an oral historian" when she was presented with the Peabody Institutional Award (the Pulitzer of radio journalism) on June 6th, 2022. She also received the National Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2015 together with Louise Glück, Wynton Marsalis, Isabel Wilkerson or José Andrés.
"Fresh Air" is a model for oral American English. Personally, listenting to Terry Gross' conversations with her guests has helped me to keep my English alive and kicking here in Spain since digital radio podcasts started to be available 12 years ago or so. Many of its programmes are suitable for experts and teachers (above C2 level), mainly because they require some cultural background knowledge that most Spanish students do not yet possess, but I often select programmes for my C1 students, who truly start enjoying "Fresh Air" interviews, with the support of the script that NPR offers. If you want to listen to her, you just have to download the NPR app on your phone or just click on any of the links to "Fresh Air" on this blog.
Here below, you can find a 4':24" video which was published by WHYY in Philadelphia to celebrate the 35th anniversay of Fresh Air and the Peabody win. This video with subtitles can be suitable for B2 students and above and you will hear words like a full-time staff member, gruelling, an intern, a joy, to condense the brew, a national [radio] show, [our tastes] to overlap [very nicely], to edit the show, to boil [something] down to its essence, to go on tangents, to edit it out, a local [radio] show, to be carefully crafted, to fill in [for somebody else], to get her on invitations [to national shows], the highlights [of my career], the recipients [of an award], an impressive crew, a whole bunch of people, the ribbon, to put work into [the show].
Below, you can also find Stephen Colbert's presentation when Terry Gross and Fresh Air were awarded the Peabody Institutional Award. This 9':03"video with subtitles is accessible for B2 students and above, and you will come across words like WHYY, a national broadcast, an NPR staple, a playwright, a showrunner, a talk show host, to open up [about their work], a sultry [voice], an impish [laugh], effortlessly, to bring out [the unexpected], an attentive probing [and not] intrusive [listener], to display interest, to set [Fresh Air] apart, to eavesdrop on [a cocktail party conversation], to sympathize, to pick on [you], medical care, to strap on, a bulletproof vest, [a bomb] to go off, to fire [shots], worship [of god], to call up [somebody], to have a chat, to cry [my way to the grave], to lie face down, [on the ground], to tie [somebody] up, to beg for [your] life, the epitome [of the coolest], to hit [the mic], a rapper, the dopest Ethiopian, to be honoured, on behalf of [our team], worthy of [an award], a [calm] steady [person], a licensed [therapist], to learn on [the job], incredible terrific [staff], to sweat the details, transcripts, a juggling feat, the roll call, to single out [one], a [total] mench, to give [us] the confidence, to go off script, a caring [colleague],
If you still want some more, here is an in-depth interview to Terry Gross for the BBC Radio 4 documentary "Archive on 4" (2021), where she talks to Dolly Alderton about her interviewing skills, her family background and about some of the most funny, poignant and revealing interviews she has had in her long career. This 57 minute-long radio programme without script is recommended for C2 students.
"Antother Day of Sun" is the opening scene of the Oscar-winning musical "La La Land (2016)", directed by Damien Chazelle, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. The scene was shot "on location in three shots edited with hidden cuts to give the illusion of a single six-minute take", according to Wikipedia. "Another Day of Sun" is a a song of "hope, struggle and pursuing the dream", the story of a provincial girl who leaves her hometown and her boyfriend to chase her dream in Hollywood. The scene begins with a raucous routine traffic jam on the highways of L.A., that the magic of Hollywood turns into an explosion of energy, dynamism and joy of life with a jaw-dropping choreography by Mandy Moore that celebrates racial and cultural diversity at start of a new day in Los Angeles.
Some of the interesting words that appear in the lyrics are: a Greyhound [station, bus], a sweet [boy], to sink [into our seats], to dim out [all the lights], a nickle, to hop [on a bus], brave, insane, a sleepy [town], he'll [sit], [the lights are] down, the heights, to chase [the lights], to let [you] down, to get up off the ground, to roll around, canyons, to fade away, ballads, barrooms, to bang [on every door], [money] runs low, dusty, mic, neon, glow.
Ellen MacArthur has recently won the Princess of Asturias Prize for International Cooperation, The Majorca Daily Bulletin reported last week. In 2005, Ms MacArthur became the first woman to break the world record as a solo sailor around the world and later she started the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to promote the circular economy and design a more sustainable future for the finite world resources. As a result of their campaign, in March 2022 the UN adopted a resolution to negotiate a legally-binding treaty on plastic pollution, which is hoped to be drawn and signed by the end of 2024.
Dame Ellen MacArthur was invited to the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs back in 2009. In this 45' interview she talks about her background, her achievement in sailing, and her charity work. Her English is a perfect model for C1 and C2 students, because it is rich, but not pompous; there are technical terms, but it is not packed with jargon; the colloquial expressions fit naturally in the context because they are genuinely used to clarify ideas, unlike the florid attempts of some C1 and C2 students who force the one or two expressions they have recently learnt in their textbooks to try to impress their examiners. The interview has no script, so it is recommended for C2 students, but this vocabulary list can also be used as a rough listening guide to help C1 students follow the interview:
Castaway, to sail solo, limitless passion, iron-will [to triumph], upbringing, to pour over, to skip [school lunches], dinghy, the finish line, relief, it's over, dock, pitch black, to stumble upon, odd scene, crammed, loo, toilet seat, to step off [a boat], to crave [for normalilty], track, outcast, voyage, to get [somebody] through, multitasking, to fix [the engine], chafing, kettle, a gas stove, gas cilinders, to pour in [the water], fuel, an intolerance [to bread], appetite for [a pint of beer], difficult to be around, a feeling of achievement, adrenaline, to wear off, to have a knack [for fixing things], to grow your own vegs, to go karts, lawnmower, a girly girl, a Cindy, a tomboy, to whittle wood, caring, to change the path, to see [me] off, to wish [me] well, scholarship, to make sure [her children went to university], canteen, an inspiration [to me], dinghy, a cabin, a chart table, a bunk, [my] nan, an instrumental force, to dismantle [my bed], barn, a sleeping bag, sewing machine, a set [of sailing trousers], pocket money, income, school dinner money [change], mashed potato & gravy, meniscus, to pile [the money], the money box, a building society, to hand over [the cash], a pet chicken, reservoir, to make do [with playing in the garden], obsessiveness, achiever, obsessive, break times, focused, [I like] being around people, time runs, survival, a moneyed pastime, Derbyshire Education Committe, a wetsuit, a tracksuit, a pakamac, to make it through [to the end of the week], properly equipped, to pack it in, a telling look, brutally selfish, to spread the wings [and fly], poignantly, a massive challenge, to come your way, to take each day as it comes, to be out there, the sunset, the highlights [of your life], in terms of, to smash the daggerboard to pieces, to sum it up, sponsorship, amassing funds, to cobble together [money], the stakes are higher, miniature, Boots, there is room [for relationships], a beanbag, a net, to flush right through, a fleece blanket, waterproofs, to doze, freezing cold, emotional, cheery [song], to recapture [a solo record], an astounding lap [of the planet], to jar [inside me], everything is looked after, precious, to take [something] for granted, kitchen roll, to tear a square, to hit home to me, an adventurous place, resources, [a moment of] epiphany, to eclipse, to draw a line [on that part of your life], leukemia, a new understanding, to maroon, shelter, to have a good shot [at something], a trust, a luxury, bearable, a worm, slinky, fluffy, goggly eyes.
In the Majorca Daily Bulletin report you will find interesting words like: yachting champ, social entrepreneur, to sail solo, to play a key role, to bring about [a move], to be hailed as a watershed moment, an [environmentalist] campaigner, prestigious, the circular economy, to head, to bear [her name], the jury, a statement, to outlast, to outpace, demanding, to advocate, a sustainable model [of production and consumption], to forge a major legally-binding [international agreement].
Here you can also watch a TED Talk she gave in March 2015 about her sailing experience and what she learnt about the scarcity of resources in the global economy. The talk lasts 15':47", and it has subtitles, so it is accessible to B2 students and above.
If you are still interested in Ellen's sailing, you can watch the documentary "Taking On the World: The Official Story" about her participation in the Vendée Global, 2001. There are no subtitles available, but the little density of the words might make it accessible for C1 students with the help of the images (1h. 10m, 12s.).
Rafa Nadal has made history again. Last Sunday he won his 14th Roland Garros title and his 22nd Grand Slam title, two in a row in 2022. Here you can read the BBC News report on the RG victory, which is suitable for C1 students, and the NPR story, which uses shorter sentences and easier words, and could easily be read by B2 students. If you are keen on tennis, you can watch the highlights of the Roland Garros Final here (11':41"). Some of the most interesting words you can find in the BBC News report are: to beat, back-to-back, to reclaim, straight [sets], [eighth] seed, clay, in a row, to surpass, left-hander, to drop his racquet, to hamper, the rib, nous, a miscue, to take his serve, a vicious forehand winner, a double fault, discomfort, a long-standing [foot problem], groundstrokes, a wide backhand, to target, to save [three break points] to hold, a break point, to pummel, to punch, to hand over [a two-set lead], ruthlessly, to wrap up [the third set], the hallmark, to unleash [his forehand], a runner-up.
This is a short video report called "A day with Rafael Nadal. Roland Garros 2022" (3':47") which is suitable for B2 students, although there are technical words, and this is an extended video of Rafa's Press Conference after RG 2022 final (41':16"), which can problably be followed by B2 students and above, where he talks about the pain he has suffered in his foot, his passion for tennis and for competition, about the match (he talks in Spanish and in Catalan in the second half of the interview). You can also click to listen to Rafael Nadal's interview to CNN (19':04") here, which can be problably understood by B2 students because of Rafa's accent, even though there are no subtitles available.
Rafa Nadal is not only a great tennis player, but a gentle and caring guy. This video, Why We love Rafael Nadal (9':34"), shows why so many people around the world adore him, and below you will find another video "Rafa Nadal Being Hilarious for 10 Minutes Straight" (10':04"), which shows Rafa's great sense of humour.
Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrates 70 years of service to the United Kingdom. Many stories are being written about the longest reigning monarch in the history of the U.K., but this fashion article from BBC News, "Power dressing: The Queen`s unique style", is particularly interesting, as it analyses the role of the current queen as a fashion influencer in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The article contains many technical terms for clothes and fashion, so, it is suitable for C1 students and above. Some of the most interesting words you are going to find in the text are: trendsetting, daring, iconic, brightly coloured [dresses], to pair with [a matching hat], to be accessorised, a signature [square handbang], to be honed, to be steeped, legacy, dazzling, intricate, full-skirted dresses, a nipped in waist, couture, a [fur] stole, a [diamond] tiara, to dazzle [her way through state banquets], a royal tour, tull and satin gowns, to be embelished, seed pearls, crystals, beads, to be down to [necessity], embroidery, workroom, outfit, a crisp understated look, to tailor, day clothes, eveningwear, a flurry, chiffon, floral prints, bow, [to produce] in-house, a bespoke [item of clothing], a [royal] engagement, to sparkle, to step out [in public], fabric, to drape, to stand out [in a crowd], to highlight [her face], sensible block-heeled shoes, handmade, to be worn in, a trim, on standby, the unpredictable [British weather], to get in her way, a uniform-way of dressing, a consistent [presence], to delight, wellies, to be off duty, shampoo and set, the throne, to embrace, a wave curl, firm structured [curls], to host [a crown or a hat], to set [a hair style], [hair] rollers, under a dryer, fashion conscious, trends, gentleness, a top-handled [handbag], the [royal] seal, the ultimate [influencer], to retail for [1,500 GBP], jubilee, no mean feat, pins, brooches, brand statements, a jewelled [gown], a tweed [skirt], a figurehead, a curator, to walk the line, worthy [of royalty], to bedazzle, a subtle nod, an allegiance, a celebrity branding [expert], to stand for, boldness.
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.
In the interview you will come across interesting words like: accountant, kleptocrats, oligarchs, to launder money, to stash [money], ill-gotten [gains], layers of shell companies, to come down to [a pretty basic calculation], chunks, high-end [property], a [giant] safety deposit box, a looting [machine], to dip into, an incredibly tightly controlled dictatorial kleptocratic system, to wage war, the purse strings, the checks and balances, penalties, a state-run business, a knockdown price, to undervalue, to speak out against [Putin], an asset, to stand up to [Putin], unwise, real estate, [to have money] offshore, saving money for the rainy day, to put [money] aside, a current account, a deposit account, to step up, to look hard enough, courtiers, an [information] leak, astonishingly [wealthy], to call on [the wealth of the oligarchs], to scramble around for [funds], [skilled sanction] busters, [Iran has been] tapped, tough [sanctions], severe [sanctions], to circumvent [the sanctions], to end up with, to be reckoned, the sheer [volume], to upend [this calculation], bling, the law-enforcement [system], [shell companies] and trusts, [Putin's] enablers, to poison, to bring legal proceedings [against journalists], to cut [them] off [from the system], to whack-a-mole [individual enablers], to name and shame, to freeze [their wealth, their assets], to seize [money, wealth], to confiscate [money], to be heartened, embargo, boycott [of Russian oil], a [huge] hardship [for their economy], a [real] game changer, revenue stream, to undermine, to rely on [oil for their wealth], budget, to trace back [to 1956], disruptive, a [real] nadir [of British influence], [death] throes, [heavily] indebted, the legacy, [a huge] overhang [of debt], to stand its ground, to stagger along [in a very] diminished way, to thrash around, regulations, to open a hole in the global financial architecture, scrutiny-free, to bypass the onerous system, to single out [an individual oligarch], to sue [journalists who look into the wealth], to repurpose, at the forefront [of my mind], [really] niche, to abide by [certain regulations], [very] perilous, libel laws, to defame [someone], guilty, defamation, data protection grounds, to be on the hook [for millions of dollars worth of costs], to settle [cases against oligarchs], colossal [costs], to face up against [oligarchs], [the costs are] peanuts, vexatious [lawsuits], scary, a chilling [effect], to shut up, to pick [a fight], the cutting room floor, to be hacked, to warn me off, to tarnish [the oligarch's] reputation, a [fairly]-well trodden path, a philanthropist, a high-profile [oligarch], litigious [reputations], risk averse, to shield [oligarchs], to bolster [the system], the feds, dodgy [business], [hilariously] underfunded, to crack down on [dodgy practices], to be outmuscled [by the oligarchs], a scanty measure, offshore shell companies, gimmicky [measures].
The interview has no script, but with this list of interesting words as a guide, it can be suitable for B2 students and above: live events, to host [a village festival], to raise the flag to mark the start of the festivities, blessed [with the weather], brilliant, [quite] a claim, to proof your credentials, [a two-year] hiatus, the highlights, the procession, to parade, [up] the high street, moving, dressed up, floats, a Jubilee related [float], a cannon, to fire, rainbows and brownies dressed up as fireworks, a scout group, to bang pots and pans, theme, the UK Garrison, a charity group, Darth Vader, stormtroopers, Maypole dancing, a fun run, a hog roast, you name it.
In this class students are likely to activate words like: climate
change, greenhouse effect, waste, pollution, overpopulation, ozone-layer
depletion, consumerism, extinction of endangered species, deforestation, destruction of habitats, nature reserves, breeding areas, conservationism, fossil fuels, renewable energy, non-renewable
sources of energy, harmful, toxic, overfishing, to raise awareness, water
management, landfills, solar panels, wind turbines, to tackle the
problem, threats to the environment. Whereas in the video "Plogging Paul" below, they will come across words like trash, plogger, windy (winding) roads, country lanes, bushes, to make the biggest impact, to create a ripple [effect], to start a conversation, to inspire.
The BBC News article and the video below are suitable for C1 students and above. You will find interesting words like: to tackle, ageing, tissues, age-related disease, disorders, to build on [a technique], to clone, super [exciting], to stress that, [scientific] issues to overcome, a critical step forward, to stem from, embryo, [human embryonic] stem cells, worn-out [body parts], to be regrown, to prove difficult, to cut short, a chemical bath, to be confident that, the [human] health span, the lifespan, to speed up [healing], to [part-]fund [the research], the long-stalled [benefits], immune cells, [immune cells become less] responsive, to boost [people's response to vaccination], [a method] of whole-body regeneration, an elixir of youth, an anti-ageing pill, fart-fetched, [scientific] hurdles, a trivial [process], chemicals, a long way off.
You can also watch this short BBC News video with subtitles (2':20"), which tells the story in, perhaps, slightly more colloquial terms:
The invasion of Ukraine has lasted for over a month now. On March 2, the BBC reported on the ongoing battles for Kharkiv, Kherson and Kyiv: the chaos, the rubble, the dispair of peaceful Ukrainians in the bomb shelters, the tears of refugee families parting into exile... This distressing report, which is introduced by Clive Myrie, an experienced BBC foreign correspondent and TV presenter, is suitable for B2 students and above.
You will come across interesting expressions like: "in broad daylight, to leave a trail of destruction, the aftermath of a deadly missile attack, the target [is] an airbase, in the rubble, to keep myself together, shooting, to have captured, sirens wail, [deserted streets] echo fear and dread, [the children made] pistols [to kill the enemy], as war closes in, to put on a brave face in, the national anthem, hit by sustained rocket fire, airborne troops, [planes] shot down, distressing images, [calm] in the wreckage [of people's homes], to hide in basements and bunkers, made a dash, to make it onto a train, to go back and forth, to refuse to be cowed, shoving forward, chaos, desperate to get on board, to swear at [all those who have caused the suffering], to flee abroad, to break down".
In the next BBC News report (29/03/22), Iryna Babich, a refugee English teacher, explains how she has found peace of mind in a Romanian monastery "Only here, at the monastery, I stopped hating. Last Sunday, I even prayed for Putin", Iryna says while she sadly misses her husband who is delivering fuel back in the besieged city of Kharkiv. This short interview can be followed by B1 students and above and you will find expressions like: "a place of retreat, prayer, meditation, my [lovely] van, just to smell [my husband, my house], stayed behind [...] delivering fuel, [a city] under Russian siege, [they can stay] as long as they wish, [I wished Putin] to become wiser, to feel sympathy to Russian troops, sunflowers in the yard, to breathe [this beautiful mountain air], they fled Ukraine, they might be home by Easter, their best hope is by summer".
Previously, she had recorded a video with a statement explaining her protest, which can be seen below, thanks to The Guardian.
Some interesting words you can find in this story are: to be fined, to be released, a live TV news programme, the set, to plead not guilty, a charge, to call on [the Russian people] to protest, to be prosecuted, to ban, the court hearing, to be denied access [to a lawyer], to stress, to come up with an idea, the courthouse, her whereabouts, the placard, to be ashamed, the television screen, this inhumane regime, a blog run by former BBC journalist, to praise her for telling the truth, to launch an effort, hooliganism. This text is suitable for B2 students.
In this dense article, which is full of simple and composed adjectives and adverbs you will find interesting words and expressions for C1 students like: "[a] suspenseful, action-filled [film], wiliness, the film's themes [...] resonate profoundly with social justice movements today, to feature, damsels in distress, [a] dreamlike film, a callow knight, to behead, to stroll, to gasp, bewildering, a smart-mouthed comic sidekick, swirl, stunningly shot, to blur the boundaries between fact and fiction, to reel back, to capture [the novel's] nuance, an entrancing work of art, over-the-top entertainment, giddy, to mess up, a spellbinding drama, endless grievances and yearnings, grief, barrage, bone-crunching violence, grip, to boast, strait-laced, brooding, creepy, sprightly, chilling, a grief-racked, a pared-down drama, a stunner, haunting, a heart-wrenching scenario, a run-down prison, griots, roaming free, to veer into myth, chatty, a heart-rending film, a visually dazzling film, the film is loosely based, from defiant pride to pleading to resilience, a glamourous vermilion gown, outrageous, an uproarious celebration, a piquant warning, subtlety".
Novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first black African to win the prize for almost two decades.
He was born in Zanzibar (Tanzania) but he migrated as a teenager to the UK, escaping from ethnic persecution and eventually became a professor of Post-colonial Literatures at the University of Kent in Canterbury. His novels talk about the experience of colonialism, refugees, migration and individual dignity. In this three minute interview NPR's culture reporter Neda Ulabyis talks about his life and works. You will come across interesting words like: shortlisted, fate, to flee, civil unrest, scholarly work, to be batted around, to track, marquee names, overdue, sprawling, to reconcile cultural chasms with their dreams, a clip, linen, a chubby face, uprooted [people].
Below, you can also watch a 6 minute BBC interview to Mr. Gurnah himself after he learnt he had won the Nobel Prize, which can be heard with subtitles. Both recordings are suitable for C1 students and above.
Pedro Almodóvar released a short (30') film in English, "The Human Voice" in 2020 which was acclaimed by critics all over the world. It is a free and personal adaptation of Jean Cocteau's classic "La Voix Humaine", where a barroque Almodóvar is interested in showing the boundaries of artifice and the connection between cinema and theatre, deceit and sincerity, lies and truth.
The movie is, basically, a monologue, where Scottish actress Tilda Swinton, in a riveting performance, displays her vocal versatility to disclose all the feelings of a woman who has been abandoned by her ex-lover and receives a last telephone call to sort out the last mundane details of their separation: she pretends to be cool and casual at the beginning of the call, until she can't stand her own lies any longer, loses controls and admits to her ex-lover -who is a "dweeb", in Tilda's words, ("an idiot", in Spanish "un memo, un baboso"), that she is just a nervous wreck.
The drama of the monologue is set in the unique atmosphere of Almodóvar's films which is created by the music of Alberto Iglesias and the photography of José Luis Alcaine, the paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi, Vargas, Man Ray, Isabel Quintanilla, Giorgio de Chirico and all the loud colours, objects, circles, shapes and squares of Almodóvar's personal universe.
Below you can watch a facetime interview to Pedro Almodóvar and Tilda Swinton when they presented the film in the the New York Film Festival at the Lincoln Centre in September 2020. The video is very long (1:04:19), but it is interesting to listen to Almodóvar's English, although at some points he turns to Spanish to be translated by a consecutive interpreter (for example when he starts talking about the sets and the scenery of the film at 29:01 and continues talking about the lockdown during the pandemic).
A highlight of the interview is Tilda Swinton's long answer to the question about her character who is in a world that is a mixture of a theatre stage and a cinema set (36:00- 42:11). She explains that the telephone helps her character to create a fabrication of reality, a performance to deceive her ex-lover on the phone, in contrast to the first minutes of Almodóvar's film, where she is silent and we can see her true feelings. Although you can watch the video with subtitles, Tilda Swinton's complex and metaphorical answers are recommended for C1 students and above, whereas Almodóvar's answers in English can be easily understood by B2 students.
In the six minutes of Tilda Swinson's answer you can notice her richness of expression, for example: deception, to dissemble, the predicament, painful, a dignified goodbye, to fall apart, a fabrication, inarticulacy, articulacy, a pose, utterances, the script, an axe, to smash [a glass], frankly, it's overacting, to overdo something, incredibly moving, a trope, a cliche, a soap opera, a set, to fake [it], to throw open your heart, to spill your guts, it's not good taste, a massive meltdown, a dweeb, a twist and turn, to twiddle with [something], vulnerability, fakery.
"The Human Voice" can be watched on Movistar TV beginning on September 3rd, 2021. Recently, Almodovar presented "Parallel Mothers", his latest film, at the Venice Film Festival.
The 275th anniversary of Goya's birth has become an opportunity to bring the underpopulated county of Campo de Belchite and the village of Fuendetodos back to the map.
The Guardian recently reported on the "Territorio Goya" project, which aims to exploit the 200th anniversary of Goya's Black Paintings to "stem the decline of a region where there are just 4.8 inhabitants per square kilometre". In this article, which is suitable for C1 students and above, you can come across words like: to summon, to stem [the decline], to devour, a witches's sabbath, to drown, a printmaker, [to be] appalled, slumber, to cling [to the map], a curator, a resident, [annual] income, a profound pull, to empower, the plight [of Campo de Belchite], the hollowed [Spain], a demographic challenge, [to be] squeezed, to have a project underway, to mark [the 275th anniversary], demolished, [to be] stripped out, canvas, a mock-up [image], to commission, to reintepret, the reworked [paintings], an installation, a casualty, boom-and-bust [cycle], the [perfect] venue, artworks, [to be] displayed, to make the pilgrimage, [the project] is about [ensuring that...], to receive [his] dues, to undertake [a commission], Follies [series], rough [landscape], to be keenly aware of, a lighthouse.
Finally, you can also watch this 20':24" video below, which is a virtual tour of the exhibition with subtitles in Spanish, so, it can be accessible to C1 students and above. The video is a fantastic visual lesson on Goya's artistic production by the curator of the exhibition, Mark MacDonald.
The report also includes a short 2':55" video where some publicans and local customers talk about the closing of pubs on Good Friday in the village of Drumconrath in Co Meath. The video, without subtitles, and with strong local Irish accents is recommended for C2 students.
In the article you will come across words like: to liven it up, uneventful, a foreboding, guilt-ridden [religious observations], the Stations of the Cross, a retreat, repository, a cluster of [interesting observances], to guard against [headaches], to draw [blood], a bald patch, drips, a rafter, disrespectful, to unhook, fltches [of salted bacon], to nail to the timber, blacksmiths, carpenters, idle, a saw, a hammer, to drive a nail, to cleave [cleft], shrubs, bushes, to thrive, to dig [potatoes], seed, to set [their seed potatoes], spud, the cuckoo, cabbages, turnips, to sow, oats, to rot, cattle, tapeworm, to cast off, [to go] barefoot, thorns, bleeding, a sore, clergy, Maundy Thursday, to ward off [sickness], Lenten [fast], [to lay] laid [eggs], to rub, best-before date, to go off, a plea, to have [a plea] granted, the congregation, the altar, black fast, dairy, Lent, cradle, Ash Wednesday, Spy Wednesday, sowens, to soak, oatmeat, mashed potatoes, drab, gruel, nettles, herring, seaweed, shellfish, to carve, carrageen, laver, limpet, droves of [children], the swallow, the heron, the robin, a switch, a remnant, tax returns, to be submitted, liminal, to grab, a spade, verruca, corn, to queue up, a collation, heritage.
The vocabulary is not particularly difficult, some of the words you will come across are: pandemic, to halt [global travel], to host, a wave [of visitors], a surge, packed with [tourists], the occupancy, to be down to [COVID restrictions], to soak up [the sun], asylum seekers, [to play] draughts, apprehensive, to flee [conflict], risky, to starve, to scrape a living, the mainland, to bounce back.
With social restrictions in place because of COVID19, St. Patrick's Day is going to be celebrated differently again in 2021, but, it is still going to be a worldwide online celebration. To join in the fun, and feel the spirit of Paddy's Day, here you can watch a selection of videos and a quiz.
The first video comes from The Economist, and it explains the history and relevance of St. Patrick's Day as a celebration of the brand "Ireland" and "Guinness", Ireland's main export to the world. The video is only 2':22" long, the pace of the narrator's voice is not fast, and there are good subtitles, so it is suitable for B1 students and above.
For a more institutional version of the "Ireland" brand, you can watch this serious 2021 video produced by the Irish Foreign Ministry, which lasts 3':06", and has subtitles, but whose language and background music, make it more suitable for B2 students and above.
And finally, to rejoice your heart, you can tap your foot to the catchy rhythm of an Irish song and enjoy this cute video by Jess Glynn, published in 2014, which can be recommended for B1 students and even for lower levels. Happy Paddy's Day!
On International Women's Day, Rappler, publishes the video "In Contested Cybercrime Laws, Activists and Women Are in Danger" (6':49") about the repression of women's activism around the world. Authoritarian regimes and dictatorships have passed cybercrime laws that punish feminist activists and other dissidents with imprisonment like Loujain-Al-Hathloul in Saudi Arabia, but also in other parts of Asia, like Myanmar, Thailand, Fiji, or the Philippines, where María Ressa, the CEO of Rapplerand winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize for Peace, has been accused of "ciber libel" and has been jailed for writing critical articles against President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal anti-drug policies. At the end of the video, three women activists leave a final message: Momoko Nojo (Japan), Marine Maiorano Delmas (France) and Frida Guerrero (Mexico).
This video with subtitles contains a lot of legal vocabulary, but the subtitles can allow even B2 students to follow it. In the video you will find less frequent words to enrichen your vocabulary like: released [from prison], to be jailed, to fast-track, the lifting of prohibition, the male guardianship system, counter-terrorism law, [sexually] assaulted, a travel ban, vague [laws], dissent, a bill, a military takeover, [a law] to be in place, to stop [the state] from intervening, impinging on [public order], online abuse, a Trojan horse, uncanny [similar provisions], to engage in acts, cyber libel, a conviction, [an act] hotly contested, rendered, a tradeoff, chilling, most targeted groups [for harassment and attacks], [cases] recorded, perpetrated, intimidation, oftentimes, to defame, to rape, outspoken [women], submissive, domesticated, hate speech, sexist remarks, utilized, to assassinate their characters, divergent tactics, crackdowns.
Genevieve Bell has recently presented the line of research in the 3Ai, which brings together experts in the fields of culture, technology and the environment, with the TED Talk below, entitled "6 Big Ethical Questions About the Future of AI". In this 14':48" video with subtitles, professor Bell speaks with a vey clear, educated, Australian accent and she uses academic words which might be transparent to a Spanish learner, but the cultural and engineering concepts she explains make the talk suitable for C1 students and above. I would like to thank my former student Mai L. for sharing this video with us.
Some of the words you can find in the video are: algorithm, to make sense of [something], AI, system.level scale, mechanization, automation, digitization, deceptively, sustainably, to research into existence, to theorize into existence, critical thinkers, critical doers, collaboratively, to frame the questions, to decolonize our imagination, work in progress, a glimpse, to gather, [fish] traps, fish holding pens, remarkable, an inspiration, meaningful, to sustain [systems], [our] legacy, a sense of purpose, a [clear] framework, an approach [of problem solving], question framing, to open up, challenges, autonomy, agency, assurance, interfaces, indicators, intent, to wander [down the street], controls, limits, a keyslot, to override [the system], trust, liablility, explicability, manageability, policy, regulation, the electrical grid, productivity, efficiency, sustainable, to articulate [a conversation], decommission, a [new] path, to draw the boundaries, to convene, a banner, cybernetics, a holistic [system], to reclaim, to accommodate, a physicist, a heady mix, expertise, diverse, to launch, a cohort [of graduates], to range, backgrounds, committed, a lone [inventor], a shared sense of purpose, owners, ceded, sacred, to pay my respects to, to dwell on [what they mean], a protracted [period of time].
