The Solar Power Boom in Pakistan and the Philippines

High electricity bills, in the current global energy crisis, are driving countries like Pakistan and the Philippines to install solar panels on rooftops massively. 

BBC World Service journalist Jordan Dunbar discusses this trend with climate journalist Jhesset Enano in Manila and renewable energy analyst Zeeshan Ashfaq in Islamabad in the podcast The Solar Power Boom in Pakistan and the Philippines. The latest episode of The Climate Question is quite long (22':58") and has no subtitles, so it is recommended for C2 students as a self-study activity, who can use the following list of words as a listening guide: a rooftop, to pay attention, a power station, a boom, a think-tank, a solar panel, a megawatt, a transshipment [country], a fleet, a [power] rate, to outrank, to outpace, a thorn in the neck, [exorbitant] prices, to grumble about, [monthly] income, soaring [prices], a [Filipino] household, a gut punch, to allocate, to be reliant on [fossil fuels], the [power] grid, to pass on to [the consumers], an appliance, peak hours, LNG, the [solar] rush, a viable [option], to charge [a mobile phone], unreliable [electricity], a peer, diesel [prices], [to feel] the crunch [of electricity bills], a shortage, a blackout, [temperatures] to soar, retrofitted, my takeaway, an [eco-]conscious [decision], the closure [of the Straight of Hormuz], an inquiry, the uptick, a mix, [different] walks of life, the shift, a [solar] loan, a mortgage, the lower-income [Filipinos], to range, to plummet, to pop up, to be shunned, to weather this crisis, [the investment is] out-of-pocket, to miss out, a disruption, from the get-go, to come up with [policy mechanisms], regulations, assets, to overtake, to call on [Congress], [battery] storage, to follow through, to embrace [this solar boom], in the pipeline, to set up. 

Below, you can watch the same The Climate Question podcast, now on the BBC World Service YouTube Channel, under the title The Philippines and Pakistan: Solar power leaders (19':55"). Here, subtitles are available to facilitate comprehension:

A shorter, easier summary the podcast can be found in Jay Hilotin's article Solar boom: Pakistan and Philippines turn to rooftops as power costs soar, recently published in the Gulf News. Here, C1 students can pick up expressons like: a [solar] boom, a rooftop, [power costs] to soar, grid [anxiety], to reshape, [supply chain] disruptions, amid [the Middle East war], a household, a power station, mains [electricity], a [key] trigger, a [rapid] shift, grid [dependence], to account for [80% of global solar-panel production], to rank as [the top two destinations], a [transshipment] hub, a driver, a [power] disruption, an inquiry, to highlight, to surge, LNG [supplies], [climate] concerns, an [energy] security, a tipping point, an [international] shock, [fossil fuel] reliance, to be [heavily] reliant on [imported fossil fuels], an archipelago, to bear the cost [of losses], to arrange [solar panels], highlights, an [electricity-generating] asset, the [fossil-fuel power-plant] fleet, income, a concern over [fuel shortages], a blackout, [to push rooftop solar into] the mainstream, [80%] the share [of global solar-panel production].

Finally, you can find below a shorter YouTube video (2':24") of the Philippines side of the story, High bills, cheap panels drive solar surge in the Philippines. This TRT World video could easily be viewed in class to complement a reading task with the Gulf News story above and a follow-up speaking task, so that C1 students can practise interesting expressions like: to roar, to fuel, volatility, to pursue [a practical edge], to switch to [solar], a power cut, a solar panel, to target a [mix of renewable energy], a bottom-up [phenomenon], [to be] dependent on [oil], a [nationwide] blackout, a scenario, a think-tank, solar adaptation, a trend, to make the switch, the upfront cost, out of reach, to install [the systems], red tape, a strenuous [process], to tap into [solar energy].

The Odyssey (2026): a Classic Epic Movie... and More Books & Films

The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan (2026), is already a classic epic movie, just like Homer's Odyssey is a classic epic book which can only be compared to a handful of books at the very summit of the History of Literature: One Thousand and One Nights, Don Quixote, Hamlet, War and Peace, Moby-Dick, In Search of Lost Time, One Hundred Years of Solitude or Ulysses. 

But, problably, Homer's Odyssey is unique in the influence it has wielded over three millennia on Western writers like Virgil in his Aeneid, Dante in Chant XXVI of his Inferno, James Joyce's in the above mentioned Ulysses, Margaret Atwood in her novella The Penelopiad, Madeline Miller in her feminist view on Circe, Derek Walcott in his Caribbean poem Omeros (you can find a short video of Lit With Charles which explains The Odyssey's influence on Omeros, Xenophon's Anabais and the Penelopiad) and in the Fine Arts, on painters like J.M.W. Turner in his masterpiece Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus, or John W. Waterhouse in Circe Offering the Cup to Odysseus and on sculptors like Auguste Rodin in The Sirens.

If you love music, one of your favourite singers or bands might have written a song inspired by Odyssey, just check this Songfacts list of Songs that reference The Odyssey and you will find Suzanne Vega's Calypso, REM's Lotus, Franz Ferdinand's Ulysses or Loreena MacKeneath's Penelope's Song, among others. But this list is incomplete, for example, singer songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat also wrote a song called Penélope, which can be added to this endless list, for the weight of Homer's Odyssey in Western Art, Music & Literature is, problably, only second to the influx of the Bible,

Back to the movie, Christopher Nolan has managed to tell the complex story of king Odysseus's return to Ithaca with the visual language of modern Hollywood superhero blockbusters, and, at the same time, he has managed to give a 3-hour-lesson in classical Greek literature to teenagers and seniors alike. No small feat! 

The Odissey, has become both a box office and a critic's success. Nicholas Barber and Caryn James rank the movie at No. 2 in the BBC Culture article "The Invite to the Odyssey: 12 of the best films of 2026 so far". This article is recommended for C2 students for its rich and dense language, which includes expressions like: a highlight [of the year], a blockbuster, a farcical [sex comedy], to aim at [grown-ups], to feature, loved-up, to drop in [for dinner], to bicker, a laidback [guest], hilarious, a moving [screenplay], [to lay] bare, pacing, a contender [to the Oscars], hype, beguiling, stunning, a [natural, modern] delivery, a relatable [king], cramped, to intertwine, an enthralling and layered [film], ludicrously [inventive], [to shoot] footage, [two] buffoonish, would-be [superstars], a daft [film], wit, a flock, to steep in [detective story], to set out [to track the clues], a cast, deft, game, a bumbling [police officer], a high-powered [lawyer], childlike [qualities], tender, a standout, a battle-scarred [veteran], a ram, a [comic] romp, cosy, a sequel, gore, a buddy-comedy, a hulking [cannibal], cheeky, eccentric, pitch-perfect [intimacy], the backdrop [of the presidential election], to nullify, loosely, stunningly, to capture, bold [colours], [heartbreaking] coda, fizzily [energetic], conceit, to hop [into a beaver], furry [friends], plotted, an exhilarating [take on the book], artistry, daring, fiery, caustic, to overlook, prettified [period scenes], an enticing [kaleidoscope of colour], to drop in [some comic moments], to be over the top, enduring [passion], class-bound [time], action-packed [set piece], painstaking [research], touching, inspiring, a bleak [narrative], fast-paced, cheerful, goofball [charm], a bracing [drama], a purge, wilfully [to echo], creeping [authoritarianism], [the film] to unfold, eerie [calm], a low-boil [thriller], to circumvent, a harrowing [story], the grip [of a dictatorship], a stranger-than-fiction [true story], to kidnap, a mortgage [broker], [financial] woes, to wield [a shotgun], pathos, a nerve-racking [situation], a romcom, wilfully, dramedy, a sharp [detour], a high-wire [act of a film], a deft [star], jumpy [nerves], a backlash, sheer [Hollywood star power], a thought-provoking [comment], a hot-button [issue].

Next, you can find a conversation class for B2 students and above, entitled "Conversation Questions,  The Odyssey: Classic Books & Movies", which can be added to complete & enhance the reading of the BBC Culture review above or the listening of the short video below 3 Great Books if you loved The Odyssey, by Lit With Charles:

C2 students and experts can watch the video What Three Artists Thought The Odyssey Meant Will Surprise You?!  (12:54) from an Art History YouTube channel called Unframed, which describes three artworks in history, and three different readings of Homer's Odyssey by the unknown ancient Greek "Siren Painter", and the above mentioned painters Waterhouse and Turner.

Finally, for further information about the movie, you can watch the BBC Radio 1 programme The Secret of The Odyssey, where film critic Ali Plumb interviews the director of the film, Sir Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Benny Safdie, John Leguizano and Himesh Patel. This long video below (41':42") is recommended for C2 students and experts. 

The Odissey is fun. Don't miss it!

Slime Matters

 

Scientists at the Max Plank Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany are studying snail slime to understand its various nature, which may lead to medical applications in the future. A short All Things Considered (NPR) story "Sticky or slippery? Snails can change their slime to meet the moment" (3':30") by Ari Daniel gives all the details about this scientific endeavour. The NPR report can be recommended for B2 students with the script or C1 learners without script, who can pick up expressions like: slime, to splatter, tubeworms, hagfish, a bucket, a colloid, an interface, to mesmerize, a brown-lipped snail, to tune, mucus, to seal [a wound], to deliver [a drug], a many hued [wonder], a nuance [of yellow], an array [of mucuses], sticky, slippery, to adhere, to glide, a foam, a pest, a [sticky] glue, a shell, to cling to [everything], the versatility, lichen, to coax, [twin] tweezers, to secrete, to trick, to tickle, stiff, to tweak, a catheter, to synthesize.

If you want to learn more about snail beauty products, you can't miss the Business Insider video report below "Why Snail Slime is a $500 Million Industry" (8':47"), which talks about the industrial expansion of snail farming at the International Institute of Heliciculture in Cherasco, Northern Italy. This video in English and Italian with subtitles, is recommended for C1 students and above. You can also read the article "Top 5 Snail-Inspired Skincare Products" from Character Media Magazine, an English Language Magazine for the Asian American community. This story is recommended for C1 students and above too.

Spain Wins the 2026 World Cup

Spain has won the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a long, hard-fought match against Argentina, the previous World Champion, Emma Smith reports for BBC Sport in her article "Victory for football? Spain beat Argentina to win World Cup", where B2 students can pick up interesting expressions like: trite, cliche, to slam, extra-time, [to slam in/ to score] a winner, endurance, to derserve [the trophy], a [goals] tally, a goalkeeper, a clean sheet, to concede [one goal], metrics, to stumble, out of the gate, the opener, a squad, a spoiler, [commander] in chief, to be booked, to wilt, [Torres'] strike, a save, to somersault,[involved in] scraps, [to throw] a punch, a [BBC] pundit, to outplay, to get in their face, to wind up, to be wronged. [to be] on your back.

Becky Sullivan writes a less critical report of Argentina's performance for NPR in "Spain is the 2026 World Champion, defeating Argentina for its second title", with contributions by Jasmine Garsd and Russell Lewis, where B2 students can encounter expressions, some of them American, like: to defeat, extra time, a squad, to mark, a run, to concede [a goal], [to be] ecstatic, flabbergasted, [Argentina's magic] to run out, back-to-back, [Spain's penalty] box, to hold firm, [Spain's] crosses, [Spain's] attempts, to break up, a shin, a clean, seemingly, a save, to seal [a victory], stoppage time, a tackle [on a player], a midfielder, to flip [into the air], [to earn] a yellow card, dissent, to break through, to knock [the ball] in, nothing short of [unbelievable], an assist, a heart-stopping [semifinal], sencond only to [Kylian Mbappé], to shrug, [to be] ranked [number 1], to be draped [in Spain flags], a bagel, the get-in [price], five figures, to pile [into] the stands, [to be] treated [to a halftime show], a nod [to American audiences].

Finally, you can watch the BBC News report of the match plus the subsequent celebration of Spain's victory in the streets of Madrid in the video "Spain beat Argentina to win 2026 World Cup" (5':42") which can be recommended for C1 students and above:

Chart Watch: Three Upcoming Artists Can Lead the Summer Charts

Three young musicians are coming up the summer charts, according to Stephen Thompson, on the NPR's story "These Three Artists Are Poised to Invade the Top of the Pop Charts": country singer-songwriter Stella Lefty with Boston, rapper Yung Miami with Spend Dat, and singer-songwriter Malcolm Todd with Earrings.  This article is recommended for B2 students and above, who can pick up expressions like: to be poised, to hold [at No 1], K-pop [band], to land, atop, to crash [the chart's] uppermost, reaches, to wait in the wings, to pounce, room [to grow], a sleeper, [to hit] a peak, a hook, a [summery] mood-lifter, word-of-mouth [country hits], to stick around, a rapper, to score, a viral [hit], to float around, solo, duo, [to have] proven, by a mile, a [TikTok] phenomenon, [to hit] a [career] peak, a [chart] mainstay, to debut, to rank [among K-pop's kings of quantity], to dwarf, streaming [numbers], vinyl, a short-timer, [to give] bragging [rights], trivia, prolificacy, [no easy] feat, [to sit] motionless, to slide [to No. 2], a [chart] champ, the [summer] doldrums, a breakout [star], mainstay, to swap [places], a [chart] bump.

Other full-blown artists like Ella Langley with her recurrent number 1 hit "Choosin' Texas", K-pop boy band ATEEZ with their latest album Golden Hour: Part 5, singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo with her album "You Seem Pretty Sad, for a Girl so in Love" or Taylor Swift's "I Knew It, I Knew You" are also mentioned in Stephen Thompson's story. 

Below, you can watch the official video of "Choosin' Texas" the current No. 1 song at the Billboard Hot 100: July 11th, 2026 by the country artist Ella Langley, and a link to the lyrics of this song from LyricFind:

And finally, below you can watch the Boston Live Video by the budding country-pop artitst Stella Lefty. You can also find a fill-in-the gap exercise with the lyrics of Boston and its key on this link. This task is recommended for B2 students and above, who will come across expressions like: to jump the gun, what's up, to be along with [the ride], to head [back to where you come from]. You can also find some facts and an explanation of the meaning of the lyrics of Boston on this link from the Holler platform, which specializes in Country, Americana and Roots music. Enjoy!

Falling in Love with AI

Falling in love with an AI chatbot is no longer science fiction, it is a reality, Brook Silva-Braga reported for CBS Saturday Morning last year, when he told the story of three adults, Chris Smith, Sasha Cagle and Irene, whose lives have been affected by a deep attachment to an AI companion in the TV report AI Users Form Relationships with Technology. This 9':32" clip, whose complex, elliptical structure may cause higher difficulty than its vocabulary, is recommended for C1 students with subtitles and for C2 students without subtitles. Learners can pick up interesting expressions and collocations like: an [emotional] outlet, [to be] on the rise, [to be] set, to envisage, the bass, to engage with [her], to ditch, to embrace, a flirty [personality], shaky [hands], intimate, cariño, to run out of [memory], to cry my eyes out, [to feel] emotional, to propose [to you], to cherish [a memory], connection and affection, [to be] fixated, acceptance, validation, "non-judgement", to date, steamy [chats], a libido, an AI companion, tricky, a truly [mass market product], to open up, tough [times], to monetize, a devastating [future], to suck up [your time], the motherboard, [to grow] deeply [attached], [to have] an issue, to cohabitate, to give it up, to dial [it] back, a flesh-and-blood [wife], elevating, a dealbreaker, to pull back the curtain, to hold [you], to hug [you]. B2 students may want to start by reading first the summary of the story that Rachel Flynn wrote for People magazine: "Man Proposed to his AI Chatbot Girlfriend Named Sol, then 'Cried his Eyes Out', when she Said 'Yes'.

If you want further information about the differences between two popular AI companions, Replika and Character.AI, you can read the report "Replika vs Character.AI: Detailed Comparison (2026)" in the blog "AI Companion Guides", which can suit a variety of levels, from B2 to C2, depending on how much text and detail you try to understand. A balanced discussion about the pros and cons of AI companions can be found in the European Data Protection Supervisor, written by Vitor Bernardo (C2/ C1).  In addition, if you want to read a forum about love stories with AI companions and see some creations with avatars, like the two pictures that illustrate this entry, you can check the reddit thread (B2/ C1): reddit/r/MyBoyfriendIsAI. 

Below, you can find again the CBS Saturday Morning report by Brook Silva-Braga, published on YouTube. 

Classic British Humour: The Sketch Show and The Vicar of Dibley

 

After a long school year, both teachers and students deserve a break, so here you can find a few humorous sketches that, hopefully, will make you giggle. They all come from two British TV shows that were very popular in the early 2000's and in the late 1990's, but whose popularity has increased recently due to their circulation on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.

Firstly, you can watch a scene from the BBC ONE sitcom The Vicar of Dibley, entitled The Pedantic Vicar at a Funeral, which may make some teachers think twice about overcorrecting their students, or you can enjoy Alex and Hugo Wedding, with a hilarious beginning and many sight gags along its 3':47". B2 students can find interesting words in the funeral eulogy, like the word eulogy itself, or the departed, pedantic, namely, to be holding court, to laugh their heads off, a vicar, to fall out [with someone], to put [me] off, to grieve, to lie, and in the wedding scene, ceremonial phrases and expressions like: an impediment, a groom, thee, to worship, a lawful wedded [husband], to have and to hold, till death us do part, insanity, a glimpse, [the power] vested in me, to pronounce you [husband and wife].

B2 students may also enjoy the following clips of the ITV award-winning comedy The Sketch Show: firstly, The Imaginary Friend, with expressions like: to overcome, to pop [next door], [to be] around [ever since], a delusion, rotten [teeth], to keep an eye on [you], a figment of your imagination; then, you can see a teacher and her students in The Trust Exercise, where a couple of expressions come up: [with your arms] outstretched, to let you down; after that, the dark humour sketch The Body Collectors featuring the word darling; then you can go to The Phobia Workshop, with expressions like: an apology, an awkward [silence], borderline, to bark, to snap [a finger]; and finally, you can watch the interaction of a teacher and a headmaster in a classroom in The ABC Lesson with words like: a headmaster, [the rhyme] it goes [like this], to rhyme, to pick on [me], a nursery rhyme.

Remember, laughing is always good for you, but laughing at yourself is really, really healthy!

Below, The Phobias Workshop, from The Sketch Show, on YouTube:

A Tapas Crawl with Chef José Andrés

 

Chef José Andrés offers a tapas guide & crawl in Spain in the BBC News article Chef José Andrés teaches you how to enjoy tapas like a Spaniard, written by Eva Sandoval after the publication of Mr Andrés' book Spain My Way: Eat, Drink and Cook Like a Spaniard. This is a straight-forward report with some food & drink vocabulary, so it can be easily read by B2 students, who may incorporate new synonyms and collocations like: a Spaniard, a Michelin-starred [chef], tapas, a tip, culinary [customs], a restaurateur, an eatery, to be credited, cuisine, a [snack-sized] plate, a Trojan horse, a commitment, a humanitarian, a lively [bar], a bowl of [olives], fine [dining places], an anchovy, to pour [a bottle of wine], a [tapas] crawl, a bite, a snack, to tell somebody how to live his/her life, to pick, a prawn, a spicy [sauce], a croquette, creamy, a gin-tonic, cider, a toothpick, a skewer, the story goes, to check out, an outsider, a mushroom, to set [your destination to a place], to wander, grilled [bread], a bubble, a razor clam, a clam, an artichoke, cured [pork shoulder], crispy, lacy, a fritter, a shrimp.

C1 learners can try Alison Stewart's radio interview on WNYC, Spanish Cooking, José Andrés' Way, where, the always flamboyant Spanish chef talks about the "tapas way of life" for 14 minutes.  As there is no script available, students can use this list of words (some of them in Spanish) as a listening guide: to revolve around, mojo, paella, gazpacho, a churro, baked [bread], sautéd [mushrooms] parsley, a tavern, a cover, to celebrate [life], [hand] motion, a melting pot, ahead of his time, [money]wise, to belong [here], to paraphrase, jamón, a cured [meat], the goodness, preservation, rotten, to slice, delicate, [to act] funny, semiwild, acorn, an oak tree, unique, a bite, iberico ham, a ripe [tomato], a purist, a controversy, over [the years], astonishing, a fried cutlet, a cachopo, beef, floured, crunchy, creamy, a librito, [pork] loin, a butcher, soggy, a crust, olive oil, a pot [of hot oil], croquetas, the leftovers, béchamel, fritters, a pay check, to stretch, [hot] gazpacho, mind-blowing, a launch [party].

Below, C1 students can find a longer video interview (49') and see José Andrés' hand motion when he describes his crush on "ibérico ham" (acorn-fed ham) at 9':34", on "tortilla española" at 16':38", on "fabada asturiana" at 27':53", his views on traditional Spanish cuisine and Ferran Adriá's innovative cooking techniques at El Bulli (36':22") or his description of "gazpacho" at 46':45", among many other interesting explanations. The interview, Spain My Way with Chef José Andrés, by Francis Lan, was released yesterday and is the latest episode of the Minnesota Public Radio show The Splendid Table.