Humor4u

Meghan Markle has recently launched Archetypes , an original podcast on Spotify.  In the first episode, the Duchess of Sussex has a casual chat to her friend and tennis champion Serena Williams about ambition in women . The conversation, in very natural American English, is quite long (57:28), so it is recommended for C1 students and above. There seems to be no operating link to the script on the web page, so, you can use this list of interesting and salient words as a listening guide:  a commercial, greasy, pots and pans, to belong in the kitchen, to reach out to, triumph, to have a ripple effect, an awakening, to box women, to make a difference, diva, the "b" word, slut, harsh, abrasive, to suck around, bitch, mortified, dumb, dragon-lady, household names, to bear the brunt of [something], label, to open up, competitive, an order [of nuns], the sisters, to renounce [their] vows, to behold to a system, to be raised [Catholic], to trickle down, limitless, to date [my now husb...

Arctic sea ice extent was 5.88 million km² on August 21, 2022, larger in extent than in any of the years from 2010 through 2021 at this time of year, as illustrated by the NSIDC image below.  At first glance, one might think that this relatively large extent was a sign of healthy sea ice. After all, the larger the sea ice, the more sunlight gets reflected back into space. At the same time, however, the situation is very dangerous, as there is a growing risk that large eruptions of methane will occur from the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean. Why is the situation so dangerous? There are many contributors to the danger, three of them are: 1. Ice acts as a seal Ice acts as a seal, insulating the soil from warmer air and holding the soil together, like a glue. A 2022 study by Elizabeth Webb et al. concludes that rainwater carries heat into the soil and accelerates permafrost thaw, and the glue that holds the soil together disappears. This can open up underground channels that drain the s...

Brad Pitt has just starred a new action comedy film, "Bullet Train" , which has become a box-office success in Spain. Most film critics have panned the movie, though. Here you can read the review of "Bullet Train" in Esquire where Charles Taylor says that  Even Brad Pitt's Endless Charm Can't Save  Bullet Train . whereas Wendy Ide, in The Guardian , says that Brad Pitt Goes Second Class in a Brainless Action Movie .  With a more positive perspective, Caryn James, in a BBC Culture article, revisits Brad Pitt's career and personal life and describes him as " The Ultimate Star of the 21st Century ", "not an Instagram celebrity or influencer". In this long article, whose rich, descitptive vocabulary makes it suitable for C2 students, you will find many interesting words like: ultimate, to display, wry [self-referential] humour, to earn an enduring status, hunky, a toy toy, a heartthrob, lookalike, off-screen, tabloids, to overshadow, perf...

Alt.Latino is NPR's music programme dedicated to alternative and rock music in Spanish, hosted by Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd .   Last July 3rd, Alt.Latino summer intern,  Vita Dadoo , hosted and produced the show " Flamenco, Rock and Songs of Rebellion from Spain ", a monographic episode, which compiles interviews, songs and narrates the influences on alternative music from Spain, featuring Sylvia y Los Caminantes, Martirio, Pedro Iturralde (with Paco de Lucía), Antonio Lizana, Camarón de la Isla, and Ángeles del Infierno. This 32 minute radio show , which includes a bilingual interview to flamenco saxophonist Antonio Lizana, can be acessible to B2 learners and above, since the cultural references are close to Spanish listeners.  There is no transcript, but you can follow the show with the notes below of the most salient and interesting words, as a listening guide:  Hiatus, to rethink, to dig around, 2017, 2014, 2011, to cover [music], earbuds, whether,...

Ocean currents keep pushing heat toward the Arctic Ocean Arctic sea ice is getting very thin, as temperatures keep rising and ocean currents keep pushing heat toward the Arctic, as illustrated by the  NOAA image  below that shows sea surface temperatures as high as 33°C or 91.4°F on August 13, 2022.  The Gulf Stream is an ocean current that extends into the Arctic Ocean, as pictured below and discussed at this page . This ocean current is driven by the Coriolis force and by prevailing wind patterns.  [ from  earlier post  ] This ocean current contributes to the stronger and accelerating warming of the Arctic (compared to the rest of the world), which in turn causes deformation of the  Jet Stream  that can at times cause strong winds to speed up this ocean current. The image below shows the Jet Stream over the North Atlantic, where the ocean current dives under the sea ice. Sea surface temperature anomalies are much lower over the area where...

Summer, together with February, is Carnival season.  You may be out there, enjoying the carnivals of your hometown, or not.  In that case, perhaps you can make a virtual trip to the Caribbean and enjoy the colour and the fun here, in this  National Geographic article about carnival in the Caribbean islands . In the text , which can easily be read by C1 students, you will come across interesting words like: lesser-known [islands], to ring, lure, flamboyant, costumes, Lenten, Mardi Gras, debauchery, a masquerade ball, to enslave, to tap into, to drum, a [rebellious] chant, to mock, a [colonial] master, defiance, slavery, to spill [onto the streets], to bear [similarities], distinct [traditions], craftmanship, to honour [their ancestors' resistance], fellowship, a whopping [$124bn], performers, on display, iconic [carnivals], to be dubbed ['the mother of all carnivals'], to draw [visitors], to purchase, to join in, a parade, the entire [country], masqueraders, to gather, m...