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".
Love is the driving force that moves our hearts and inspires our mind. There are thousands of songs and poems that talk about the miriad of emotions love can arouse.
Here you can find a short text about heartbreak and hope, written by Teresa M., who won one of the awards in the 2021 Valentine Competition at the E.O.I. nº 1, Zaragoza, and below you can find two very different love songs: the video "Break My Heart" by Dua Lipa released in 2020 and a 1960 hit by Etta James, "A Sunday Kind of Love".
The vocabulary is quite easy and the songs can be heard with subtitles, so this post is suitable for B1 students and above. The less frequent words you will come across are: skylight, a letdown, to grip [my heart], relief, serenity, to get it wrong, to know for sure, letting you go, love at first sight, on the square, scheming, to enfold [someone] in my arms.
I hope you can feel Cupid's arrows deep in your heart. Enjoy Valentine's Day!
IS A MATTER OF TIME
by Teresa M.
It is dark now...
I will open an skylight in my head
to let the black clouds out.
You hurt me.
You lied to me.
A deep letdown gripped my heart.
The further you go, the closer my happiness gets.
Spring is coming.
Relief, serenity.
Dua Lipa's "Break My Heart" (2020) ...
... and Etta James's "A Sunday Kind of Love" (1960).
The C1.1 students became gossip reporters last week, when they had to find a story about celebrities, their relationships and personal lives. Five stories were voted in the four mini-groups as the best:
María B. presented "Did Kanye West Cheat On Kim with Jeffree Star?" after reading the story in Dazed Digital.
These texts are suitable for B2 students and above. You will find words like: to cheat on [Kim], to file for [divorce], to be done, the bar exam, shit, to storm [the US Capitol], a coup attempt, to be unfaithful, alledgedly, a [beauty] guru, to hook up, to claim, to fuel the fire, to tweet, a make-up artist, celebs, the [eternally] spurned mistress, a long-running affair, to break off [an affair], a thrill, the scruciating [Weeping Woman], to depict, an atrocity, politically engaged, to be devastated, [to suffer] a breakdown, to be overlooked, portraits, [to get] engaged to, a toy boy, paparazzi, a bitter divorce, to have a jinx, an earthquake.
These two texts are recommended for C1 students, as the vocabulary is very rich in colloquial American slang. Some of the less frequent words you will find in the dating and texting article are: nerve-wracking, to feel a spark, super cheesy, flirty, cute, to ghost your date, to hang out with friends, to hit it off, to get the hint, whereas in the second story you will read frazzled, tardiness, phubbing (which is a new coinage), a self-fulfilling prophecy, to feel upbeat/ over-the-top, to moan about, to whine, to brag, a faux-pas, daunting etc. A full list of the most interesting words in these two articles can be found in the "Glossary of the Blog".
You can also read a recent history of dating since the 1970's in 25 Ways Dating Has Changed in the Last 50 Years, published on Stacker.com, a website that "transforms expert analysis into digestible stories": the contraceptive pill, feminism, the romantic mixtape, LGBTQ+ rights, new technologies, speed dating or even the "Engagement Chicken" recipe have shaped dating into what it is today, so, if you want to find out, please click on the link above and you may add some dating words to your own personal lexicon, like "a hook-up", "catfishing", "ghosting" or "breadcrumbing". This reading can also suit C1 students.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the USA which is observed on the third Monday of January (the 18th of the current month in 2021), as Dr. King's birthday was on January 15th. His speech, "I Have a Dream" has inspired several generations of civil rights activists to fight peacefully but unyieldlingly for justice and against any kind of discrimination. American Rhetoric.com ranks "I Have a Dream" as number one in the list of the most influential speeches in the USA, it is powerful, moving, rich in literary and biblical references and very rhythmical -a well-crafted mixture of political speech and Baptist sermon. You can also watch the whole speech on the YouTube video below.
The text contains a lof of legal terms in American English. Some of the less frequent vocabulary students will come across is the following: facilities, [a court] to rule, literacy, to file a suit, a plaintiff, to overturn a decision/ a court ruling, a melting pot, to flirt, to dispose of, casket, to rally support, to acquit of a crime, double jeopardy, outrage, to spark, a standoff, a [lunch] counter, to pledge, bail, a restroom, to flee, to cram, turmoil, a stance, to enforce [a law], to skip school, restraint, upheaval, to gather, to fulfill [a requirement].
This year has been particularly tough, but if you look back you will surely remember wonderful moments, lessons you had never learnt before, and, perhaps, a song, a book or a film that will stay with you long after 2020 has gone by. It's time to take stock, and here you can find several lists of the best in 2020: the 100 Best Songs of 2020 by NPR,with their official video and an extract from a review, and NPR's Best Books of the Year 2020, with a mini review at one click.
The vocabulary of cultural reviews is incredibly rich: literary, technical and slangy at times, so it is very suitable for C2 students, but C1 and even B2 learners can still enjoy the music of the songs and understand the gist of the texts. Here is some of the less frequent vocabulary you will find:
In the first 5 entries of NPR's 100 Best Songs: whopper, a mixtape, to drop, crappy, shred, jam, at a loss for words, buoyant, to be stuck, [the] forseeable [future], [silver] lining, to craft, relentless, chart-topping, juggernaut, hashtag-ready [exclamations], truly sublime, damned it, to work wonders, desperado, sounds at home, bluegrass, string band album, sardonic, trippy, cryptic, an [ambitious] go-getter, to pray, to live lean, to come off as a fluttering, ethereal ode to newfound [love], a lens, to shed light on, self-confidence, gaze, debut, thereafter, cataclysmic [events], [an eight-year] hiatus, to feature, [the] sole [appearance], [the] grim [theme], uplifting [beats], the soundtrack, a funk-rock house party, to throw [a party], [its] opening [song], a mildly psychedelic welcome mat, bassist, to settle into a groove, wandering [voice], off-kilter synth riffs, to hum etc.
In the NYT's Best Movies of 2020: the screening rooms, blockbusters, in storage, to bleed, to doomscroll, to prompt, to put down [my phone], to tether [me to the world], our preferred [movies], first- and second-run cinemas, art houses, cinémathèques, sightlines, moviegoing, it was instrumental to, texture, to clock [many hours], unmoored, classy, shades, to tape [shopping bags], to figure out, to soak up, the stream [of faces], devastating [Trump] performances, skateboarding, sneezes, coughs, to settle [into a new home], to march [for Black lives], to mourn [the deaths], joyous, enlivening, to grow fond of [people], well-being, [a] shameful [day], discrete [pleasures], [the] seemingly [endless], fleeting [Instagram stories], GIFs, to bypass, to blur [time], respite [from the clock-and-capitalism-determined flow of everyday life], every so often, I haven't a clue, [my] conviction, to weather [the crisis], streaming, to morph, to outlive, time will tell, [a brilliant] take, to embrace, bootstraps, sow, rambunctious litter [of piglets], [a] one-legged [chicken], to roam blissfully, exhilating genre-buster, to upend, weird, deeply [political], a rebuke to rugged [individualism], rage, to waft [off the screen], gripping, to track the aftermath, a floundering playwright, to stake a claim, wit, rap, a burst [of glorious colour], dazzingly, a heartbreaker.
In the BBC Best Books article: [a] bumper [year], dystopian [fiction], a memoir, to round up, [BBC Culture's] picks, to deliver, to burrow down, his outlook, the hotly-anticipaped sequel, to embark on [a new quest], vaults, to be hooked, a playful [viewpoint], afterlives, hyperreal, surreal, a mind-bending [collection], multifaceted [scariness], her struggles [and dilemmas],[to be] relayed, revealing [moments], poignant, to unpick [society's racist structures], hidden [histories], to home in on [the role of white patriarchy], to uphold [a system], to disenfranchise etc.
A simple lesson plan for a distance class: There is plenty to read, listen and learn on this post. If you want to activate some of those words, and you already have your "distance speaking partner", you can give them a call or make a videoconference and talk about what you have discovered in these lists, or just anwer these simple questions:
What is the best song you have heard in 2020? Why do you like it?
What is the best book you have read in 2020? Why do you like it?
What is the best film you have watched in 2020? Why do you like it?
It is really hard to choose one song among 100, as the best of 2020. #69 Joy Oladokum's "I See America" captures this year's spirit of despair and hope; #56 Steady Holiday's "Living the Life" oozes simple beauty; # 75 Mireya Ramos' version of "Angelitos Negros" is just amazing; #63 Lido Pimienta's "Eso Que Tu Haces" discovers the power of the new Latino woman; #43 RMR's video is really striking with its blend of images and melody; #39 Dua Lipa's "Break my Heart" is so much fun to celebrate the coming of the New Year; #38 singer-songwriter Soccer Mummy's "Circle the Drain" is a matter-of-fact description of the pains of mental illness which chills your heart; #37 Sun-El Musician's "Uhuru" brings some authentic African flavour to this year's music crop; #28 Stephanie Lambring performs in "Joy of Jesus" a beautifully-crafted Christian country song; #24 Fiona Apple "I Want You to Love Me" is fresh, original, bold and perfect in its rendition; #19 Joshua Reman's, Brad Mehldan, Christian McBride and Brian Blade's "Right Back Round Again" shows that the jazz tradition is alive and kicking; #7 Bob Dylan's "Murder Most Foul" is a tour de force and a musical master-class by the old bard and #4 Mickey Guyton's "Black Like Me" is a distressing and compelling anthem about the everyday racial tensions in a small American town.
There are many other wonderful tunes which haven't been included in this shortlist (#98, 36, 33, 22, 17, 16, 13, 12, 10, 9, 6, 2, 1 among others), but to top the list of the best song of 2020, I would like choose #55 Shemkia Copeland's blues"Walk Until I Ride" 'cause it has the beat, the lyrics and the faith to touch my heart, my brain and to move my feet. Keep healthy and happy in 2021.
December is a good month for oral presentations. Students have a long bank holiday in Spain and not many university exams yet, so they can prepare a short, five-minute presentation about a topic of their choice. This activity takes only three lessons, one to give them encouragement and basic guidelines and two lessons for the presentations themselves, all in all, from 5/ 6:30 hours of classroom time and the results are always impressive.
Some of the words you will find in the Interacative Exercise Key are: to churn, to wring [wet], to spell disaster, to dispel, the flow [of your points], setting, reservations to overcome, the adrenaline rush, to tighten, self-defeating, to discard, time constraints, time slot, to disrupt, an issue, to undermine, to strive [for comfort], a cap with a bill, overly loose clothing, blousy sleeves, smooth, to mar [the flow of speech], to interject, to stare, to scan, to dwell, the prevailing [norm], to avert from [direct eye contact], to pace [back and forth], to sway [to and fro], the culprit, to set up [a display table], a slide show, to enhance [my presentation], to engage [the audience], a rule of thumb, the razzle and dazzle, a back up [plan], a [computer] crashes, a bulb blows, overhead [transparencies].
In the challenging economic scenario of a global pandemic, which has brought about confinements, telework, shop closures, furlough schemes, but also new business opportunities for pharmaceutical or computer companies, what are the top job skills that thriving companies are seeking in their new recruits? Here you have a collection of four articles that list the most highly demanded soft and tech skills in the corporate world.
You will come across words like, self-driving cars, quantum computing, on the cusp of [the Fourth Industrial Revolution], lightning speed [advancements], [a] mind-bloggling [change], to earmark, genomics, to thrive [in this brave new world], to survey, leading [companies], to strap yourself, to rev up, flux capacitator, a balance beam, to swing, to leap, to twirl, back and forth, limber, to shed [new] light, nimble, to flex [our cognitive muscles], to take up, try your hand at [an art class], to glaze over, the comfort zone, to embrace, to flag, for the time being, to be high up [on the list], to shine a spotlight on [consumers], carbon footprint, food safety, labour standards, a grip on [service oritentation], to step into [the minds], the knack [for strong decision-making skills], to nab [seventh spot], sheer [volume], to amass, to sift through, to figure out, to set aside [time], overwhelming, skillsets, to give a boost, to play off, to piggyback, artsy, seemingly, to unleash, on a regular basis, to wander, to weigh up [the pros and cons], savvy, to give [humans] a run for their money, to top [the list], settings, in a nutshell, at breakneck speed, core [skills], to zero in, to be honed, the holy grail, to keep apace [with the changes].
Here, you will find words such as [IT] openings, fierce [competition], high-paying [jobs], [the most] sought-after [tech skills], to grab [top-paying jobs], in-demand, pegged, core, to mine [data], insights, pro, neural networks, natural language processing, robotics, deep learning, chatbot, in the wake of [pandemic recovery], [top technology] trends, to range from, ethical hacker, a prospective [employer], a sexy [job], to rule the roost, to rely on [data], highly valued, to crown as [the top emerging in-demand role], data wrangling, k-means clustering technique, software developers, shortcomings, latency, edge computing, to bypass, the Internet of Things (IoT), to fit in, versed in, embedded systems, rampant, to focus on, scrum, to pursue [excellence], to reckon, to pair, to advance [a career], to open up, back-end [framework skills], the job [outlook], to spruce up, double-digit [growth], to qualify [for a position], to upgrade, to match [your career goals],
In this article you will find words and expressions like: to surface, timely [data], in-demand, to stand out, to unlock, to hone, highly sought after [skills], to dive into [the list], to make or break, to take on [new opportunities], to top [the list], soft skills, [top] spots, evergreen, to gravitate towards, to fall off [the list], to advance [your career], to brush up, stakeholders, [follow your] lead, to embrace [reality], to show up, stressful, to underscore, blockchain, to highlight, workforce, asset, to be run, [to uncover] insights, to augment, to harness [the power of AI...], the [average] attention span], expertise, a must-have [hard skill], to leverage, [to be] hyper-targeted, to be hard pressed, [the sales] funnel, insatiable [appetite for video content], to cultivate [essential soft skills], to be empowered,
In this article, you will encounter words like: to reskill, to top [the list], resilience, to require, double-disruption, to take hold, to map, to track, at our disposal, the bounty, to be leveraged, to unleash, to upskill, to deploy [safety nets], to be displaced, destitution, bespoke, to thrive, to estimate, a shift, in-demand [skills], gaps, core [skills], to track, granularity, cross-cutting [skills], to pick up [new skills], a sharp [rise], trend, a fourfold [increase], to seek out [opportunities], fivefold, ninefold, funding, to purse [new opportunities].
You will come across words like: to check out, proper, at face value, eccentric, to flex muscles, a gut instinct, to spot, hands-on, to give away, to have a hard time, to excel, to crave, [to be] in the spotlight, to dive deep, reluctant, willing, to thrive, to carve, to forge, insightful, to see right through [it], mundane, to shy away from [something], charismatic, talented, jolly, reckless, laid-back, reliable, bigoted, deceitful, fickle, loutish, stingy, clumsy, shrewd, withdrawn, smug, naive, sluggish, touchy, bold, rebellious, gullible, committed, off-putting, articulate, fussy, trusting, trustful, trusworthy, wilful, thorough, rash, ruthless, gloomy etc.
You will come across words like: disposablility, chic, a host of big brands, joy, upcycling, the cover [of a magazine], to feature, to debut, newsstands, a plus-size model, inclusivity, glossy shoots, vintage, secondhand, thrifted, pre-loved, for resale, a stream of [mostly] on-line shoppable [content], collectible, sustainable, [upcycled] apparel, 18-karat gold, to scour flea markets [for inspiration], to embrace, to tweak, to refashion, to jazz up, to unveil, a buyback [program], denim, to follow the footsteps, garments, charity shops, to deconstruct, to rework, to double down on [the idea], to come in the wake of, pioneer, attire, partnership, second life store, samples and pieces, to gather [dust], closet, to sell off, embellishment, tags, one-off, quasi-couture, to plot, to reissue, a cape, premier, to put the spotlight on, conventional wisdom, to addle [their senses], to risk [losing their attention], [wallet] share, to turn out, short term, to reek of [insecurity], to rely on [freneticism], white noise, to boost sales, a glut [of stuff], the value proposition, to hang on to [a garment], to be done with [something], to grapple with [the impact of..., the problem], [systems] weren't in place, housedress, leftover fabric, pandemic, lockdown, mills, deadstock, to prompt [Farfetched to expand], on-site [credit], the landfill [problem], to bolster, the [much] heralded [growth], to hit [$ 6 billion], to turn away from, to price out of [something], accessories, to co-opt, to gross out, to move on, to open a new realm [of possibility].
Poet Louise Glück has just been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Poetry must be read out loud to appreciate its sound and its music, the unique sound and music of a language, in this case English, which cannot be faithfully translated into any other language.
Below you can watch a YouTube video of Louise Glück reading out loud several of her poems at a Lannan literary event. After an introduction by Peter Streckfus, the poet reads "Mock Orange" (10:17), then two poems from her book "The Wild Iris" (10:29). Next, two more poems from "Averno" (14:03): "Telescope" (14:27) and "Landscape", which is introduced at 15:50 and recited at 17:26. Then, Ms Glück goes on to read two poems from "A Village Life" (29:24), and. finally, the poetic rendition ends with two texts form "Faithful & Virtous Night" (43:11).
You can read the words of "Landscape" while you listen to the poem on this link from "The Threepenny Review", you should listen to the poem several times before you can glimpse some kind of meaning. Nevertheless, poetry is more than a factual message, poetry is the sound of words, poetry is tempo, so, you can enjoy, straightaway, the rhythmical patterns of English, the articulation of consonants, the quality and length of the vowels that the poet recites, slowly and carefully -which we tend to turn a deaf ear to, when we are engaged in our everyday communication exchanges- and that auditive perception is worthwhile in itself, even more so, if you are a mystified learner of a foreign language. After listening to the poet, you can try to recite the poem yourself, paying mindful attention to the pronunciation of phonemes, words and sentences -a pronunciation class in quest for poetic beauty! This poem is accessible to C1 students for the lexis is rather easy: [the sun] sets, bare, chestnut, quilt, damp, to trail, to rush, to strain the leash, path, sunset, precipice, to call out, faintly, twilight, to untie [his horse], to stir, to float, propitious [time], demure inviting [sounds], to vanish, to bleach, [an image] to fade, to set fire to [a field], wheat, tinder, for [the farmer's] sake, char, [a field] parched, failure, abiding, a memento, soil, a slot, complacent, harsh, obsolete, shallow, to soothe, the earth, to defeat, accurate, shelter, thickly, steadily, [sure] footing, a premonition.
On Tuesday November 3rd 2020, Americans will vote for the next President of the USA, but the battle between the two candidates, President Trump and Vice-President Biden is fought particularly fiercely in the "swing" states, where there race is very close. The reason is that the Presidential election is an indirect election: voters choose an Electoral College first, and then, the elected members of that Electoral College vote for the President, so the popular vote does not always decide the President, but the number of "electoral votes" -a minimum of 270- that each candidate has won in each of the 50 states of the Union -the winner in each state carries all the votes from that constituency. Some states are clearly Republican, so they are called "red states", basically, the Mid-West and the South, other states usually vote for the Democrats, they are called "blue states", mainly on the West Coast and in New England, but there are "purple states", which "swing" or change sides in sucessive elections, like Florida (29 electoral votes), Ohio (18 votes), Iowa (6 votes), and, in the last two elections, Pennsylvania (20 votes), and they become the real battleground for Presidential elections.
This article from the Los Angeles Times reports on the latest polls in the "battleground states" of the 2020 Presidential election. The vocabulary is rather technical, so, the reading is recommended for C1 students and above. You will come across words like: polls, battleground states, a tight [race], former, to butt [heads], to bar, blue states, red states, a high-profile [event], too-close-to-call [states], a flurry [of polls], backdrop, to trail, worrisome, key states, the industrial belt, an aberration, a realignment, [non-college-educated] working-class [white] voters, [Republican]-leaning [Ohio], on a knife's edge, a dead heat, [his] edge, coveted [Pennsylvania], a lead, likely [voters], survey, a split, to beat, to trend for [Trump], [to remain] close, a snapshot, pollsters, to flip [for Biden].
If you want to follow election polls, The Guardian Polls Tracker collects reliable national and state polls results in 8 swing states and gives you the average in the last 14 days, or you may check the Politico US Election Forcast, with charts, the latest news and a map of the "solid", "likely" and the "lean" states, together with the "toss-up" states, which are the most undecided.
This 37 minute long interview can be accessible to B2 students, as long as they have the support of the transcript, but it could be heard by higher level leaners while commuting, walking or doing housework. The interview might prove extremely interesting for examiners of English, as a genuine example of interlanguage from a bilingual Spanish speaker of English, who has a good command of his second language in terms of oral fluency, vocabulary range and an ability to explain complex ideas in detail and with touches of humour, but who still shows traces of L1 interference in some aspects of phonetics, word order and even in verb tenses.
In the vocabulary, you will find, among other words, quite a few examples of cinema and medical jargon, like screenwriter, ulcers, reflux, to star [in a film], rehearsals, the shooting [of a film], to dig up [deep into memories], a falling out, to overdo, to be bigger than life, the framing, to be measured [with the actors], [colours] clash or match, [it] is unheard of, swell (American English), a warehouse, stents, to be right on, a crier, a tough guy, teary, vulnerable, laundering money, to rule [a country], restraints, the counterculture, eerie, to prove [ourselves], anathema, on the screen, a scandal, there's something wrong, to usher [a new era of freedom], trans and straight characters, a gasp, to be under the political boot, customs, to be compromised, to grow up [in Spain], chutzpah (colloquial for "nerve" or "daring"), perseverant, a movie based on a novel, to fake, to do a screen test, to learn [your lines] phonetically, the exception to the rule, to comprehend English, to be out, to reassure [somebody on something], to label [somebody], a crane, a stunt guy, a harness, to rehearse, CGI (computer-generated imagery), grenades, a conflagration, excellence.
The interview is long and the language includes some colloquial, American slang, so it is suitable for C1 students. You will surely find new words and expressions like: Hot dog!, harassment, prejudice, a sweatsuit, athleisure, a bra, knickers, snappy, personable, pals, cosy, lockdown, a homebody, downtime, to snuggle, to wipe, to scrub, to account for, to make up the top 100 grossing films, far-fetched, endeavour, to focus on, to launch, a toddler, her jaw dropped to the floor, gender bias, a dwarf, to gather data, mainstream industry, misogynistic, ennui, in the wake of [#MeToo], to wash away, to retrench, to read up on [a topic], pluckiness, to be let down, a slash, a hit, to go by, a lap, an audition, a [film] set, to fall off the cliff, blithely, femalecentric, tippy-top, high profile, a cameo appearance, a trailer, a showgirl, an outfit, rhinestones, high-powered women, onscreen, lingerie, to start out, to bat a question away, to land a role [or a job], a flop, shattered, to starve, to gasp, to live up to your expectations, to shrink, to vanish.
Padma Lakshmi is an international model, the host and executive producer of the TV show "Top Chef" in USA, and now she is the host of the new food and travel programme, "Taste the Nation" on Hulu, a leading Disney video service, where she visits chefs in immigrant communities who have contributed to the American culinary heritage.
The interview lasts 41 minutes, so it can be used by C2 students and experts as background listening while you are doing something else, like walking, gardening or ironing. There is a full script which helps to pick up unintelligible words, or to do a reading and listening exercise with C1 students. You can also find a text that summirizes the highlights of the interview.
The interview contains many new words, including cooking ingredients: to acknowledge, cages, backbone, to pick up, to leave off, to be vilified, insight, a diner, to get heckled, [to sneak] snuck snuck, to take somebody to task, a rocking chair, dosa, lentil, crepe, batter, upma, sauteed, sooji, rava, couscous, quinoa, to streamline, carnivorousness, pepperoni, baloney, cold cuts, squeamish, tripe, offal, brewers, to be spotted, audition, legit, booker, mortified, a rocky start, outsider, appeal, scar, to dawn on me, cachet, S & M, pose, to squander, knickers, stockinged, cleavage, duster jacket, keloid, whole-hog, grunge, billboards, self-loathing, to admonish, to rear-end, embankment, jaws of life, windshield, ribs, home-bound, penance, secular, to have a career in [food], a major in theatre, to pay off, collage loans, premiere, cookbook, a spiral notebook, to jot down, splash, ploy, freak, compound, a knitted blanket, a crocheted blanket, to sling slung slung, a platter, gosh, to dress up, guilt, to make waves, sexually assaulted, op-ed, to be challenged [in court], unwillingness, it weighed on me, date rape, taxing, to rip off, to cherish, chronic pain, to crumple in bed, a heating pad, the period, to handle, to dispel, to wreak havoc, lining, leftover tissue, memoir, to instil in [somebody], cuddly, siblings, hem, sari, a well-read person, verbatim.
This is a "human interest" story from Humankind, a USA Today video channel on YouTube and Facebook that features "uplifting stories about kindness, triumphs and special relationships".
Sam Giambalvo is a travelling nurse who tells an emotional story at the 7:00 clap back in June 2020. She speaks fast, standard American English, but there are subtitles, which can be very helpful. You will hear lots of expressions related to feelings, for example: sirens, applause, honoring, frontline workers, to pass away, ER, to follow your feelings, comforting, I lost it, let me be upset, a split second, to get me through the shift, to give a hug, to look forward to something, a terrace, a storey, to hold a sign, to wave for you, to point at you, he fist pumps, he'll blow kisses, sirens wailing, joyous, appreciation, to sprint out there, to show up, God is blessing us, break, upbeat music.
This video can be recommended to C1 students (with the subtitles).
Morgan Bullock is a 20-year-old African American from Richmond, Virginia, who uploaded an Irish dance version of Beyoncé's "The Savage Remix" on Tik Tok, which went viral. Many people loved her artistic performance, but there were some who accused her of "cultural misappropriation". If you want to find out the end of the story you can click on the following BBC link to watch a 4:15 video of the story with subtitles, which could be accessible to B2 students: bbc.in/30p2Y6w
But if your level of English is higher, you can try the full BBC video report below, which is 10:51, and has no subtitles
The vocabulary level of the reports is challenging, though, and you will find words like "sneaky tricks, whistles, animal calls, creaks, gunshots, groans, howls, hip, a raucous sound, avant-garde, to be off-and-running, choirmaster, the score, to pay off, to win a prize".
I would like to thank my student Cristina T. for sending me the video of this song.
In 2015, one month after Lesley Gore died, the Australian singer song-writer Grace released a cover of the song which was a hit in the music charts of Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Here, you can find a link to Grace's video and compare the two versions of the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEt7bnuO5y0
