Sirat: a Gripping Road Movie to Hell

Sirat is a Spanish film that is competing for the Oscars (Best International Feature Film & Best Sound), after having won the Jury Prize of the Cannes Film Festival. Here you can listen to an 8-minute review of the film by NPR & The New Yorker critic Justin Chang.

Film reviews often feature a dense, florid prose, which can prove really tough for EFL students, and indeed, Justin Chang's review is rich in synonyms and precise with collocations, yet, it does not go over the top with cinema or literary references, so the text can be recommended for B2 students, who can expand their lexical base, whereas the audio version is more suitable for C1 students, who can pick up interesting words and collocations like: a gripping [film], a raver, a fitting [title], exhilarating, devastating, an unlikely [traveling companion], to make your way [through a godforsaken stretch of the Sahara Desert], the setting, derivative, a reveler, a dystopian [thriller], to sweep [you up], the propulsive [beat], an unruly [desert], a bacchanal, to vanish, to show up, to break up [the party], the ensuing [chaos], to drive off, bound [for another rave further south], to chronicle, a perilous [journey], the cast, mesmerizing [ability], to feel for [somebody], an off-the-grid [daredevil], a [dangerous] trek, a camper van, treacherous [terrain], reluctantly, to tag along, to help [each other] out, to ford [a small river], a steep [mountain road], an overwhelming [experience], propelled [by that thrillingly percussive score], to strike, a nail-biter, wary, mistrustful, at his bleakest [moments], [his driving skills] to come in handy, tenderness, unrelenting [in its ferocity], [apocalypse] to loom, a pitiless [world]. 

You can watch the official trailer below:

For futher information, you can read the Wikipedia entry for Sirat, which includes its locations in La Rambla de Barrachina (Teruel), in Er-Rachidia and in Erfoud (Morocco). Below, you can also watch director Oliver Laxe talking to Dennis Lim at the 63rd New York Film Festival and actor Sergi López struggling with English to explain his trade with the help of an interpreter. This conversation is recommended for C2 students:

How Rich is Donald Trump?

While the world is talking about President Trump's military action in Venezuela, and his threats over Greenland, there is a question that not many journalists are covering anymore: 

What is Donald Trump's net worth?

Forbes has been calculating Trump's fortune, and last September they gave the figure of $7.3 billion in the article "The Definitive Net Worth of Donald Trump", as his fortune shot up in the first nine months of his presidency with $3 extra billions made on his cryptocurrency ventures, his legal team successes and the licences his branding company has sold to foreign developers. The report includes some personal and family data, like his pension fund ($2 million) and the $50,000 annual interest that his three eldest children pay him for loans that amount to $5 million.

If you want to find out the details of Trump's assets and liabilities, you can read the Forbes article, "The Definitive Net Worth of Donald Trump" which is short, but it is recommended for C2 students for its abundant business & finance vocabulary, where you will encounter interesting American-spelt expressions like:
a tally, to leverage [the presidency for profit], to stall out, a [court] judgement, dormant, a licencing [business], to surge, to clamor, to drop off, a liquid asset, net value, [to be] flush with cash, a stockpile, a memecoin, a token, the buzz, [a coin] to unlock [value], to get off to a [rocky start], to snap up, a pile, to lock up, a stablecoin, to tie [to the dollar], to mint [a stablecoin], to drive [adoption], a venture, a [crypto] exchange, a bundle, a bunch [of cash], a stake [in a firm], from [a financial] standpoint, a net loss, revenue, to bid up [shares], head-scratching [prices], a liability, [Trump's golf game] to take off, a profit, to foreshadow, an indebted [golf resort], [to put it] underwater, [business] to pick up, real estate, a leasehold, retail, to wound, glitzy, to oversee, to refinance, to hedge [a variable interest rate], [a portion, a stake] to float, a condo, a penthouse [apartment], to helm [a business], to boast, to leverage [its network], to pay off [a debt], to unburden [a property], a [residential] lot [of land], a winery, to terminate [a loan], to offload, a shell company, a co-op [unit], to disclose [a price], to list [it for sale], to slash [a price], vacant land, a storage unit, a licencing [business], a branding [business], a tax return, sweetheart, a [legal] liability, an appellate court, to throw out [a €500 million court judgement], to stem [from], [to remain/ to be] on the hook, [interests] to accrue, to keep score.

If you want to do some listening, you can watch the Forbes video below, President Donald Trump's Net Worth Revealed, April 2025, which shows slightly different figures to the September article above, but allows students to hear the pronunciation of a very similar text -this video is also recommended for C2 students. For more background information, you can also read the lengthy Wikipedia entry Wealth of Donald Trump, which is recommended for teachers and experts.

Trump vs the BBC: Litigation and Freedom of Speech in the US

Donald Trump has sued the BBC over the Panorama edit of his speech to the mob that assaulted the Capitol on January 6th, 2021. 

This follows a string of lawsuits to intimidate media outlets that have published critical articles of President Trump, like the "meritless" lawsuit against ABC News, and CBS that ended with out-of-court settlements to fund Donald Trump Library. The Conversation described these lawsuits as "a Corleone-style approach toward media relations" that "will produce a chilling effect in investigative reporters" and could "install a form of internal self-censorship" to appease the would-be editor in chief, Donald Trump: "ABC's and CBS's settlement with Trump are a dangerous step towards the commander in chief becoming the editor in chief"

In addition, Mr. Trump favours the sale of CNN to Skydance, as part of the Warner Bros. merger, Politico informs.  CNN has been critical of Mr. Trump's policies, whereas Skydance is owned by Trump's loyal ally David Ellison, the son of Oracle's boss Larry Ellison, who have played a key role in Trump's media policy since the Skydance acquisition of CBS's parent company, Paramount, as the BBC reported in "Move over Murdoch's -a new family dynasty is shaking up US media".

For futher information about freedom of expression under the Trump administration, you can read the book "Murder the Truth", by the New York Times investigative deputy editor, David Enrich, or listen to this NPR's interview where Mr. Enrich talked about his investigation into the current threats to freedom of speech in the US.

The BBC report on Trump's defamation lawsuit on the Capitol assault is recommended for C1 students who will find legal vocabulary like: defamation, to file a lawsuit, a claim, deceptively, ongoing [legal proceedings], to sue, to cheat, a riot, to leak, malice, to allege, libel, to stand up for [the BBC], shadow [culture secretary], a fee [payer], the Bar, litigation, to cough up [the money]. 

The Conversation story is also suitable for C1 students, who can learn interesting expressions like: a settlement, commander in chief, a surrender, to foresee, seemingly, meritless, a shareholder, liable, the pursuit, to seek [to apply editorial pressure], unrelenting, biased [TV coverage], a newscast, to air, to trade [away the trust], [to break] a scoop, to hold [power] to account. 

The BBC article on the Ellison family's media interests (C2) includes words like: to shake up, to take on [a new dimension], to pursue [deals], to pave the way, to bless [the dealings], to rank, to skew, a [Republican] megadonor, a fundraiser, to broker [a deal], to be poised [to become], a foray, a flop, a takeover, a [significant] leap, a sprawling [operation], a sign-off, anti-bribery [laws], in compliance with, to duck [questions], to sway [news coverage], the kernel, to get your head around [that], a tie-up, a would-be [media] mogul, to go in flames. 

And finally, the long and complex NPR's (Fresh Air) interview to David Enrich, which is recommended for C2 students and Experts, contains words like: a gathering, to overturn [a court decision], a landmark [case], a [media] outlet, the campaign trail, libel, a stump speech, high-power [lawyers], to linger, reckless [disregard for the accuracy], malice, to set out, a rocky [start], to bash [the media], nuanced [understanding of the issue], shoddy, oblivion, to pop up, saber-rattling, the wherewithal, to flinch, to dig into, to chip away [around the edges], kooky [stuff], to mastermind [this campaign], hand-wringing.

You can watch a YouTube interview to David Enrich on Democracy Now! This video with subtitles is also recommended for C2 students and Experts:

Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall (1934- 2025) was a primatologist, an anthropologist and an adventurous woman who pioneered the observation of apes in their own habitats, when young English women were thought to be too fragile to expose themselves to the dangers of the jungle. She died last October at the age of 91.

Here you can listen to parts of two interviews she gave to Terry Gross (Fresh Air, NPR) in 1993 and 1999 where she talks about how she managed to make a career for herself to become the world-leading chimpanzee expert with no previous scientific training but with a passion for wild animals, starting in the 1950's as a secretary to palaeontologist Louis Leaky in Tanzania. She also talks about the complex social interactions of chimpanzees she observed and the similarities she found to human behaviour: how chimps communicate, how they make their own tools, how they bring up their infants, how they make war against rival groups etc. This long interview (37') has a script, so it can be recommended for C1 students and above, who will come across interesting expressions to learn or to activate like: a conservationist, groundbreaking [observations], mating [patterns], a host of [awards], to tackle [problems], offspring, to charge, bristling [hair], to drag [branches], to stamp [on me], to push, a baboon, a bush pig, dull [eyes], to get on with their lives, to lean [away from the microphone], striking, to embrace, to pat (one another on the back) to swagger, to tickle, a Band-Aid, Epsom salts, the undergrowth, a queer (white-skinned ape), to run off, oil [nut] palm, to groom, to peer, involvement, a wimp, a [return] fare, to be impressed, a gorge, a track, a trail, a scheme, to tramp [off], the bush, to stamp, to snort, to be charged [by a buffalo], a close call, a bully, rugged [ground], to knock [me] over, to charge, to drag, to crack [open] [my head], [to get] mad [at him], to squat, a twig, [to seem] unlikely, a mound, to crunch [them] [up], uproar, mothering, attentive, supportive, harsh, a toddling [child], a raid, a splinter [group], to twist, a limb, a prey, [primate] heritage.

For further information, you can watch the following National Geographic documentary (1h:30') Jane Goodall, an Inside Look, by Brett Morgen on YouTube, which can be watched with subtitles and is recommended for B2 students and above: 

Rosalía talks about "Lux"

Rosalía talks to New York Times critics Jon Caramanica and Joe Cascarelli on Popcast about her latest avant-guard pop album, "Lux" and her creative process to produce innovative sounds in flamenco, reggaeton or in pop music. In Lux, Rosalía sings about spirituality, feminine sainthood, words and poetry in 13 different languages. "There has to exist another way of making pop", Rosalía claims.

The New York Times Popcast is very long (1':30"), so it is recommended for C2 students (machine subtitles are available). Some interesting expressions you can come across along the conversation are: to butter [you] up, to break out, lush [string arrangements], to swerve, a [white] canvas, an abyss, to honour, to relate [to an idea], realm, to wrap your head around, hagiography, a [blank] slate, to crave, to haunt, back and forth, [cultural] appropriation, to pursue, to jot down, to anaesthetize [my pain], a relic, to kick up, a rigorous [task], to hang out with, brutalist, breakthrough, to hit a wall, auteur, fair enough, [to lead me] astray, picky, train of thought, haiku, to have an impression, duende, to commit [yourself], to flip [it], a bodega, to grab, a pantry, a wafer, a raspberry, a nuance, puffy, mealy.

Lux is coming out on November 7th, you can also watch the official video of her lead single Berghain.

The Worst Wildfire Season in Spain & Portugal

 

BBC News reports on the worst wildfire season ever in the EU, led by the blazes in Spain & Portugal. In total, one million hectares have burnt in the whole of Europe, due to climate change and an unprecedented heat wave. 

The article contains a few technical terms, so it can be recommended for B2 students who can pick up expressions like: a wildfire, on record, to scar, to scorch, a severe [fire], a forested [area], pilgrimage, to trigger, a vicious cycle, to release [CO2], to surge, a blaze, [fire]-prone, flammability, [rural] depopulation, to be overgrown, a fire break, [fire]-hardy [ecosystems], to struggle, a hare, a cork oak, [to keep] in check, to offset, a [climate] feedback loop, to pose [a threat], soil [erosion], ash, a reservoir.

Below you can also watch a longer report (11:27) broadcast by DW News nine days ago during the worst moments of struggle against the blazes, which is recommended for C1 students:

Jaialdi/ San Inazio, the Basque Festivals in Idaho

Jaialdi is a major Basque Festival held in Boise, Idaho, every five years. Thousands of Basques migrated to the Western states of the U.S. in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, to work as shepherds or farm labourers in the cattle ranches. In 1987, the first Jaialdi festival began to celebrate Basque heritage in Boise and now it is the largest and most popular festival in the Basque diaspora. San Inazio is a smaller festivity that takes place every year, both events are organised by the Basque Center in Boise.

Jaialdi 2025 runs from July 29th to August 3rd. B1 students can read the article "Drinks and dancing though the decades: Boise's Basque Festival Jaialdi returns this week" written by Jaime Gear on Boise State Public Radio, and they will find interesting expressions like: to chop, an attendee, a [basque] staple, the Gold Rush, a tight-knit [community], a garb, buoyant, to toss, a hay bale. For B2 students, George Prentice's story "Dancing, wagon lifting, chorizo and kalimotxo. Hey Boise, here's your Jaialdi 2025 preview" is more suitable, as the text summarizes a more complex (13':06") radio interview to Lael Uberuaga in "Morning Edition" (C1 level). Some of the expressions in the article are: an overstatement, to skip, to date back [to 1987], a footprint, to stretch, naively, to reconvene, to gather, a vendor, to get underway, an attendee, to ramp up, to dub, herri kirolak, a hay bale, to hoist, an anvil, to be hard-pressed.

If you want further information about Basque culture in Idaho, you can check The Basque Museum and Cultural Center (BMCC) in Boise, which includes Esther Ciganda's The Immigrant All Around podcasts -where Pedro Ciganda's bilingual account of how he picked up English and how he adjusted to the American way of life, is highly recommendable, and the BMCC Oral Histories, a library of interviews to numerous Basque migrants like José Ramón Larrea, or their desendants like Juan Pablo Aramburu who talk about their experiences in the U.S.A. You can also watch a Visit Idaho video about the Basque Block in Boise or another short video from Idaho News 6 about San Inazio 2024, the smaller festival which is held annually.

Finally, C1 students can watch the KTVB report with subtitles below about Jaialdi, where they will find expressions like: a gamut, a thunderstorm, to honour [the culture], to head [to], a closure, to check out, to shape, seating.

England Wins the Women's Euro Title, 2025

England beat Spain in the penalty shootout to retain the title at Euro 2025, Emma Sanders reported for BBC News. The match ended 1- 1, and then England scored 3 goals in the penalty shootout, whereas Spain scored 1. 

The report contains many football technical terms, so it is recommended for C1 students who will find interesting expressions like: the score, a fixture, an assist, a venue, stunning, penalty-shootout, the winner, a spot-kick, to seal, [to miss three] in a row, to save, soil, [single-]legged, comeback, to trail, to concede, [a] knockout [match], feeble, a header, to dampen, unwavering [belief], to come on, struggling, the build-up, a [whipped] cross, to pick out, to dig [deep], to have what it takes, to bounce back, to backfire, resilience, the limelight, to whirl, the wake, sexual assault [case], to stumble, free-flowing [football], to pull away, to prove [costly], a stumbling block, to stand out, a [long-ball] outlet, the backline, to dribble, to set up [a goal], to slot [back into team].

Below you can watch the highlights of the match and the penalty-shootout:

Azizam and the Best 2025 Summer Songs in USA

 

Which is your summer song this year? No ideas? Well, here you have a couple of lists to help you decide. First, you can check the American Top 40 chart July 12- 19 and look around if any tune sounds fun. A alternative/ indie/ electronic list was drawn up by Hazel Cills, Sheldon Pearce and Robin Hilton for NPR on July 1st, 2025's best songs (so far).

I have compiled a short-list of YouTube links to the songs that, one way or another, have struck a chord with me: Relationships by Haim, It's a mirror by Perfume Genius, Room of fools by FKA twigs, Gold rush by Lucius. Sabrina Carpenter has three hits on the charts, Taste, Bed Chem and Manchild- and, furthermore, the latter has been positively reviewed by Hazel Cills in Sabrina Carpenter can crack a joke, while Billie Eilish has two songs, Birds of a feather and Wildflower. Other international hits are Messy by Lola Young, Die with a smile by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Nice to meet you by Myles Smith, APT by Rosé & Bruno Mars, Too sweet by Hozier, and, last but not least, All the Way, by BigXthPlug, feat. Bailey Zimmerman, an original blend of rap and country music.

Azizam by Ed Sheeran is a catchy summer song that mixes British pop with Persian influences and has been a number one hit in many countries around the world, as you can read in the Wikipedia entry for Azizam. Here you can find a listening task for B1 and B2 students with the key for self-study, and a few interesting words that come up in the song: azizam, floor, wrapped, careless, [do it our] way.

Relationships, by Haim talks about the complexity of inner feelings, when reading the lyrics, B1 students can pick up expressions like: to be through, to be cought up in [something], to end up, to blame, guilty, averse to [conflict], to bring [you] down.

Listen, dance and enjoy your summer!

Toxic Mushroom Murder Trial in Australia

Erin Patterson was found guilty of murdering her in-laws by serving them poisonous mushrooms in a family dinner. The case has gathered huge media attention in Australia and all around the world for the jury had to weigh up the evidence and the lies, to decide if the poisonings were deliberate or not, and for the family relationships between the victims, the murderer and her estranged husband.

B2 learners who are not familiar with the story will find it difficult to understand the details at first, so I recommend them to read Rachel Treisman's report for NPR first, An Australian woman is found guilty of murdering her in-laws by toxic mushrooms, where they will come across interesting words like: death cap mushrooms, guilty, estranged [husband], beef Wellington, a paste, [finely] chopped [mushrooms], [multiple organ] failure, a witness, a twist and turn, a prosecutor, a motive, to plead [non-guilty], [three] counts [of murder], to forage [mushrooms], to cover up [her actions], to prove [her guilty], a recap, a split, an amicable [relationship], to pull out, a quirk, amanita phalloides mushrooms, to be discharged, scrutiny, back and forth, to throw up, to acknowledge, a grocery store, to dispose of [something], the stand, to dump, a knee-jerk [reaction], to dig [deeper], to cover her tracks, a deception, a fabricated [cancer claim], to plant the seed, a lump, to spark [a search for death cap mushrooms], to cherry-pick, a ruse, to take a leap, 

After reading the text, C1 students can listen to a 3-minute NPR radio report and check how much they understand the American accent, where they can pick up words such as: to grip, a suburban [mom], to pass up, an estranged [husband], death cap mushrooms, the leftovers, bizarre, to fake [a cancer diagnosis], to forage for [mushrooms], to chalk it up, a [kitchen] mix-up, devastated, on [pretty] decent [terms], to pull out, to recap. To fully understand all the words in the report, C1 learners will problably have to use the transcript after listening a couple of times.

For further information, students can read the following Wikipedia entry, 2023 Leongatha mushroom murders, watch this 9News story to test their understanding of Australian accent (C2 level) or watch the shorter ABC YouTube video below, also in Australian English:

The Listening Planet by Martyn Stewart

Martyn Stewart is a world leading audio naturalist, who has spent more than 55 years capturing the sounds of over 3,500 species of birds, amphibians and mamals as well as other natural phenomena in 60 countries. He has created the project The Listening Planet, a unique library of natural noises which is available to researchers, artists and the general public free of charge. Martyn Stewart has also collaborated with singers, poets or music producers like Robert Shields, also known as ONR, to create the music album Imperfect Cadence with sounds captured in Scotland, which can be heard on Spotify at The Listening Planet on Spotify.

Rob Schmitz did a story for NPR in 2024, "Wildlife expert, who records sounds of a changing planet, adds music to the mix", about Martyn Stewart's album "Imperfect Cadence". The radio report has a transcript and is recommended for C1 students and above, who may pick up expressions like: the wilds, the [Scottish] highlands, a skylark, a curlew, a moor, a low, a haunting [place], humbleness, to engulf, a cliff [top], pristine, to mess, [all] over the top [of it], a canvas, to pave the road, a loch, a lapwing, bleak, desolate, to eke [into the audio], [the wind] to howl, elated, a hedgerow, a disruptive [family], [there wasn't food]on the table, bluebell [woods], to jam, a blackbird, a thrush, a wren, a chiffchaff, rusty, a hinge, to be blown away, stunning, to blow it out, the cherry on top of the cake.

Martyn Stewart's bio can be watched in the atmospheric video without subtitles "A Portrait of Martyn by Mike Figgis" (07':54"), which can be recommended for C2 students, who will find interesting expressions like: a struggle, a heartache, a dysfunctional [family], hooked, talented, a [naturalist] at heart, to crawl, a shit [singer], to nick [his microphone], pleasing, bluebell [woods], a thursh, a skylark, a blackbird, a wren, a nuthtach, a songster, the [dawn] chorus, the Geordie, the "Liverpoolie", a tuner, to layer, self-effacing, extinct, an archive, [to put your life] on the line, leukemia, to go through, urgency, visceral, hands-on, to give [the animals] a voice, precious, to give up on [something].

Below you can watch a 2021 video interview to Martyn Stewart by Mark Savage on BBC Radio 4 "Martyn Stewart and the Listening Planet" (04':52"), which has subtitles and can be accessed by C1 students. Some intereting words are: a howler [monkey], a wren, an archive, extinct, mesmerized, a council estate, a [Eurasian] blackbird, a hard drive, remarkable, a legacy, to crush, fortunate, a performer, to capture.

Finally, you can watch a longer video tutorial (18':34") "Recording nature sounds" with a gorgeous "dawn chorus" of birds and a further workshop about Martyn's recording tools and techniques: