Backstage with Shakira

Shakira is in the middle of a tour in North and South America, "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry)" and Mark Savage has interviewed the Colombian artist in the backstage of the Miami show for BBC News in the article "My kids are the reason I'm alive: Backstage with Shakira". The report peeps into all the seamstress and laundry work behind an international musical show with an interview to head of wardrobe, Hannah Kinkade, and it also revisits the recent personal upheavals of Shakira and how she has managed to get over every setback and relaunch her career. 

The first half of the article contains very precise fashion & music show vocabulary, colloquial expressions and interesting collocations but the sentences are quite short, so, it can accessible for B2 students and above, who can pick up words like: backstage, bowels, to be taped, on fire, a scrawl, to put on [a stadium tour], sold out, to polish, frayed nerves, a screaming [match], vibe, to stretch, seamstress, to sew, a catsuit, a [guitar] check, tuning, to hang around, a tumble dryer, to plumb in, a venue, wardrobe, a costume, to care for, to stitch, to scrub, an outfit, to scuff [their shoes], to stash [reserves of Gatorade], iced coffee, sticky [Miami heat], a trade-off, the underworld, a set, to stash away, to stud, a [sound] check, [non-]deceitful, to be flanked, a [police] escort, flared, a vest [top], flawless, the crew, to deliver, a quip, a wink, to be [full] out, to figure something out, one way or another, a pan pipe, a riff, a wristband, a workout, [the obsession] to pay off, a parade, a [tribal-knife] routine, to thrash, to howl, to bray, heartbreak, [personal] upheaval, to fall apart, [tax] fraud, to settle [a case], out of court, to prompt, an outburst, a barb, a string [of hits], to rack up [13 billion], streams, furry, a she-wolf, commitment, [to come] off [stage], to put together [a show], to make something happen, to carry you through, to break into [the Western pop market], precarious, humane, to catch up with [the BBC], to christen, a [powerful] statement, to underpin, to span [generations], to bounce around, a tender [ballad], to duet, mixed emotions, stressed out, [to stay] tuned, to tease. 

If you want to watch the Mexico show of Shakira's "Women No Longer Cry" tour, you can click on the YouTube link below:

Camino de Santiago with Manni Coe

The BBC Radio 4 programme "Ramblings" is broadcasting a series of programmes on "Camino de Santiago" (the Way of St. James) where different routes are explored with different pilgrims, guides and hosts. 

The first episode is called "Camino de Santiago with Manni Coe", an author, guide and walker, who went through a deep emotional journey during the "camino" to overcome a personal trauma and find forgiveness. This programme contains a number of relaxed conversations and some descriptions of the landscape, but, as there are no subtitles and it is quite long (23':50"), it can be recommended for C2 students and above. Lower level students could use the following vocabulary list as a listening guide: chilly, crops, brotherly [love], a foundational [month], Down syndrome, to come up with [an idea], to give up, tough, [his] pace, roles reversed, [to open my] consciousness, the scallop [shell], an insignia, faithful,  a [route] to converge, a pungent [smell], to sprout, moss, a [red] tile, a sleepy [village], a [rain] cover, a [recognized] pilgrimage, the tomb [of Santiago], within your means, an upturn [scalop shell], [to collect] stamps, "compostela" (credential), an up-and-coming [route], a [strong] odour [of cows], to rock up, to wing it, St James' appeal, a hermit, "compostela" (field of stars), to hand draw, to rage [down], a drop [of 40 meters], a [single]-arch [bridge], a steep [peak], stonemasons' [insignia], moss & ivy, lichen, to lean over [the balcony], a vocal [dog], a little hamlet, a [raised] [grain-]storage [building], on stilts, grills, stone pillars, to be brought up [in the Church of England], [my faith] to fall apart, the confession, a [public] forum, trauma, [to be] set [at our house], to come up with [the title of the book], to be groomed, to be abused, a vicar, to press charges, to go to court, circumstantial evidence, earthly [father], skewed, to acknowledge [what happened], [a case] to stand up [in court], rage, guilt, to struggle [to forgive], to release [it], shattered, a breakdown, the ramparts [of the castle], to pick up on [the signs], gay, to blame, [for as long as it] takes, to bring them up, fishhooks, to collapse, a gate, to grab [each other], a stream, to flush [them away], baggage, to shed, a healing [process], not linear, a [continuous] mindset, to catch you off guard, thrilled, to catch up.

Other episodes of the series include "Camino Francés with Maggie McLean"  who is a missioner, a reverend canon and one of the first women who was ordained in the Church of England, and "Living on the Camino de Santiago" with Andrea Abbatemarco, who left his life in Milan to run a hostel for pilgrims on the Sanabrés route. Shortly, the episodes "Camino Inglés with Jannine and Sally", "Arriving in Santiago de Compostela with Sharon, Shirley and friends" and "Camino Memories in Penicuik" will be broadcast.

If you want to watch a short, lighthearted video of "El Camino", you can just click on this BBC-2 clip below:

Gloriously Uncrowded Zaragoza

Paul Tierney has just written a detailed description of "gloriously uncrowded" Zaragoza for travellers in The Times, "The northeastern Spanish city with a surprising tapas scene", which mentions some of the tourist attractions of this little-known, unassuming city whose rich history closely mirrors the history of Spain at large. 

The article features a massive display of precise, often humorous, expressions that could be useful for C1 students (and above) trying to expand their vocabulary on the topics "cities, food and tourism", for example: a [surprising tapas] scene, a mighty [baroque church], an under-the-radar [weekend], to loom over [the River Ebro], to go unnoticed, an [architectural] powerhouse, a stronghold, the formidable [Basilica del Pilar], ochre, a dome, to cast [a glow], to glint, the brickwork, to echo, to put to shame, overhyped [Barcelona], cramped, a maze, a local, to jostle, to ooze, garlicky [gambas], to swell, a [flower] offering, the faint-hearted, unvarnished, at a glance, to blend, meandering [cobbled streets], to heave, [party] ephemera, to soak, laid-back, a show-stopper, flanked, backlit, blessed, carved [ceilings], mini-me, Moorish, compelling, a glimpse, layered, granted, an alley, oil-spitting, crowned, parsley, pie, mash, to top, overlooked, a chapel, a soaring [needle], brutalist, beguiling, the draw, to stud, a fruit gum, to flood, a beam, a crib, to grab, the foundations, [to be] tucked, meaty, a gyoza, lacquered, packed, boisterous, a clan, at the helm, wisecrack, to spill [on], a [modern] spin, camp, bric-a-[chic], tiered, car-boot, brasserie, to be lined, vintage, crackly, wholesome [plates], finesse, a cast, to stare at [you], a haunt, starchy, a [gastro-]hub, a bite, [no] frills [low bills], overkill, varnished, unflashy, wallet-friendly, [accommodation] bang, an olive's throw, to sample, sleek, respite, the [urban] sprawl, up to scratch, deftly, to put the world to rights, to haunt, crash pad, [to strew, strewed], strewn, to plunder, goose-bump, to shimmer, to catch up with, a fleet, a jumping off point, a foodie [city]. 

EXAM WARNING: do not try to memorize the most difficult expressions to force them into your monologue in the oral exam, it usually sounds unnatural or just wrong (this article is a written text, people do not talk like that!). Learning vocabulary is a slow process that takes time, involves reading extensively and requires forgetting new words a few times, before they finally get fixed in your active memory. What you can do, perhaps, is to find one or two expressions or collocations that you are already familiar with, but you do not normally use, and improve the precision and richness of your expression in a gentle manner. My favourite expression in the long list of vocabulary above is "to put the world to rights" but I am not sure it will be very useful in an oral exam.

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:

Steve Bannon Predicts a Constitutional Crisis in the U.S. by Summer

 

Steve Bannon is one of President Trump's top allies and his former advisor. He is a political campaigner, a media executive and a leader of the CPAC, a conservative movement that tries to spread Trumpism around the world. Recently, Mr Bannon gave Steve Inskeep, the host of NPR's Morning Edition, an interview, "Steve Bannon praises Trump's strategy, wants DOGE's receipts", where he discusses President Trump's 100 days in office and anticipates "a constitutional crisis" in a "summer like no other". 

This 11-minute-long interview with a script, is rather complex, as it deals with American politics and students won't be very familiar with many references, so it is recommended for C2 students, Experts and teachers, who will find interesting expressions such as: to hurdle, livestream, a [wide] swath [of Trump supporters], a mantel, a drive [to deport people], first off, to rattle, an audit, a high-paying [job], to impose [tariffs] on [China], to back off, to stack up, Bessent, to go in [full] force, to speak out against [elites], to target [top private and public universities], to bleed [the money] back in, a [Chinese] national, tuition, to run up against [judicial resistance], due process, to check [something against the law], to defy [the Supreme Court chief justice], [on his] say so, fentanyl, bookkeeping, to grant [everything you say], to pass a bill, to roll over [to the globalists], to step up [and say], to turf out, to tap along [the president], [disapproval] ratings, [to go] way [down], [I don`t] buy [it], [media] psyop.

If you want to watch the full interview (27':51"), it is on YouTube, or you can just click below. This full video interview is recommended for experts and teachers, as ordinary C2 students will problably get lost at different moments for lack of background knowledge about American politics, history, trade relations and constitutional law:

TikTok, AI and other security threats to the EU

 

The geopolitical tensions in the world are making the European Union think twice about the communication apps that are safe, and those that could be manipulated by foreign powers to eavesdrop on politicians' and high-profile officials' sensitive information, Cynthia Kroet & Romane Armangau report in the Euronews article "From TikTok to AI: What the EU now calls a security threat". 

The article is not difficult to read, but many students will not be so familiar with the topic and with the range of vocabulary, particularly the synonyms it displays, so it is recommended for C1 students, who can pick up expressions like: a burner phone, to ban, stripped-down [laptops], surveillance, to black-list, an [EU] agency, the budgetary watchdog, to gather [data], [to deny] these claims, to compel, alleged, to muddle, to launch [an investigation], to breach [a law], to come under fire, to curb [offences], fraud, promotion of terrorism, [to have] leverage, to hold the keys, encryption, [to impose]   restrictions, disinformation, so-called, to be [AI Act] compliant, to decline [to comment], to be charged, a [corruption] probe, to bribe, a backdoor, critical [infrastructure], build-out, to crop up, ongoing [doubts], to be in line with [regulations], to advise against [using], to comply with [the law], [to flee] fled, [fled], dissatisfied, unchecked, a conspiracy theory, hate speech, to quit, [to find yourself] in hot water, to uncover, a [major security] breach, to track [the movements], a high-profile [official], to deploy.

If you want to learn more about hackers and cybersecurity vulnerabilities, you can watch this long BBC News programme, AI Decoded (20':57") which was published 9 months ago, where some experts discuss AI threats to critical national infrastructure, disinformation and deep fakes. This video can be recommended for C2 students, experts and teachers:

Bike Buses to School in Cardiff, Valencia and Barcelona

 

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

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

Justice, Politics and Money in Wisconsin

Wisconsin, a key swing state in the Midwest, will vote today to choose a state Supreme Court judge, who can tilt the balance of power towards the right or towards the left, and billionaires like Elon Musk and George Soros are pouring millions of dollars to influence voters and get either conservative Brad Schimel or liberal Susan Crawford elected.

Here you can listen to the NPR's Morning Edition story by Anya van Wagtendonk "Out-of-state billionaires donate big money in Wisconsin Supreme Court race" (03':52"), which comes with a script, but, due to the density of the information and the references to American law and political campaigns, this story is recommended for C2 students and Experts, who will find interesting expressions like: to rake in, to be fueled, the tally, to funnel, to back, a non-partisan [Wisconsin Supreme Court], an issue, at stake, a cap, a rally, to spell out, a stake, [President Trump`s] agenda, to take over [Schimel's campaign], a megadonor, to fire back, a boogeyman, an endorsement, an heir, distressed, the fundraising, to hit, a recusal, to chill, to be beholden. 

If you want to do class practice, here you can find a C2 listening, vocabulary and speaking task with the key, based on the Anya van Wagtendonk's radio report above. 

For further background information about the pecularities of this election, you can read the article "The Wisconsin Supreme Court vote is getting national attention and millions from Musk", which can be suitable for C1 students and above, where you will find words like: a rally, a contested [issue], partisan [politics], to play out, voting rights, a court ruling, to redraw [congressional districts], to end up, to pour, to hand out, a [legal] back-and-forth, to bribe, a [democracy] advocacy [group], a swing state, to face off, a seat opening, non-partisan, a justice, the ballot, liberal-leaning [judges], the attorney general, to endorse, a [legal] counsel, a bid, to barrage, an issue, to tee up [issues], on the books, to overturn [the right to abortion], collective bargaining, the ballot, to end up, to deploy, the GOP, transgender [rights], to feature, to side with [radicals], fearmongering, [to run] misleading [adds], a buzzword, a sweepstake, to redraw [the districts], to enforce [the law], the legislature, a matter, to sue, a [car] dealer, a backer.

****

Today, Anya van Wagtendok reports for Wisconsin Public Radio that Susan Crawford has won her judiciary election race and liberals have kept the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the article "Trump and Musk's backing wasn't enough to flip Wisconsin Supreme Court". This story can be read by C1 students and above, who can pick up words like: to back, to flip, endorsement, advocacy, to top, to fuel, a bruising [election cycle], the [national] stakes, a swing state, to cheer, to concede [the race], to take on, to vow, to yell, to cheat, turnout, to supersede [state law], collective bargaining, to end up [redrawing], to sue, a dealership, a private attorney, attorney general, a general counsel, a circuit court [judge], the will [of the people], a megadonor, to endorse, to recuse, to portray, beholden, latitude, to serve [a term of ten years]. 

If you want to take a look at the full election results in Wisconsin, you can check out Wisconsin Public Radio's Election Results 2025 on this link.

Caged Bird

 

"Caged Bird" is one of the most famous poems by Maya Angelou. It talks about freedom through the allegory of two birds, a free bird and a caged bird that have utterly different experiences of life, but, paradoxically, the one who sings of freedom is the caged bird that longs for it from behind the bars. Here is a lesson plan for B2 students and above with listening and speaking tasks and the key, and just below you can find a link to a video from Poems by the Pound where Caged Bird is recited. Some interesting words are: to leap, to dip, to stalk, to be clipped, a trill, a worm, the lawn, a grave. For further information about the poem, you can check the Caged Bird Video Summary by GradeSaver,  and an analysis of the poem: Review of Maya Angelou's Caged Bird by the young poet and Medical Laboratory Science student Chidiebere Sullivan Nwuguru.

Maya Angelou's metaphor of the caged bird has inspired other modern artists. A very good example is American rapper J. Cole in his song "Caged Bird", that talks about the frustration of a young black person who has been jailed and reflects about freedom, about his fellow black inmates, about an unfair society, and about his own mistakes. The rhythm, the rhymes and the alliterations in the lyrics, together with the pathos of the words, contribute to the poignancy of the song -perhaps you can compare this song to Maya Angelou's poem. Here you have a link to the lyrics of Cage Bird (feat. Omen) with the Spanish translation and below you have the official video of the song, which is recommended for C1 students.

Afghan Women under the Taliban

To celebrate International Women's Day, you can watch two reports about life for Afghan women under the Taliban. The first one is a short video titled "Have Afghan women been forgotten. The Taliban's rules for women in Afghanistan" by Al Jazeera, and the second one is the BBC News report "In their own words: Spend one day with Afghan women living under Taliban rule".

The Al Jazeera video below is short (05':37") and has subtitles, so it can be recommended for B2 students and above, who can pick up words like: timid, a cage, [to take] power, to be banned from [a job], a chaperon, a beauty salon, to take a [huge] toll on [their mental health], a surge, a midwife, a health care provider, [against] a backdrop [of an economic crisis], to struggle with [an issue], to flee fled, a breadwinner, the mindset, gender apartheid, on [gender] grounds, to be committed, to spin, to be on board [with the restrictions], resilient.

The BBC News report In their own words: Spend one day with Afghan women living underTaliban rule" is a collection of short contributions from Afghan women: in the first one Freshta, a midwife says her rural colleagues lack higher education, in the second piece Lima, an 18-year-old with a singing talent tells the BBC she feels so isolated, she uses AI as a friend to talk to, you can see videos of Lima singing, photos of Zenat at work, or pieces of Ala's art; there is a third text on how Freshta spends her days without working, another one about what what Lima misses about her life, a fifth story about what Hela hopes to achieve in the future, and there are many more testimonies to read (Iftar feast, Ala again, Arshida, Moska etc). This on-going BBC report can be recommended for B2+ students and above, who can read as many short texts as they please and will  find interesting expressions like: a decree, to bar [them] from [education], a midwife, to scroll  [down], Freshta: a C-section, labour,  Lima: fake [hope], an overthinker, Zenat: mud, a bakery, a set-up, dough, a batch [of dough], Ala: an outbreak, to be deprived of [education], [to hold on to] a glimmer [of hope], Freshta: to strive, to step out, a brand, Lima: a takeover, MMA, kickboxing, numb, Hela: to bless [us with success], to sponsor [us financially], to stand on our own feet, Iftar feast pictures: [to break their] fast, Iftar, Ala: sheer [necessity], to bear the burden, overwhelming, to be weighed down [by traditions], to sorrow, to deem [worthy of], Arshida: to take over, to be trapped, harsh [reality], resilience, to mirror, Moska: to shatter, to deprive of [learning], to resume [my education] etc.

Women are strong and resilient in Afghanistan and all around the world. 

Happy International Woman's Day, 2025!