Humor4u

The Oxford Word of the Year 2022 has been chosen by popular vote for the first time in its two decades of existence from a short list of three finalists:  1) Metaverse; 2) #IStandWith; 3) Goblin Mode. The media has reported widely on the winning word, you can watch  this video report by Al Jazeera , which is copied again below. The video is short (2:41), and you can read the subtitles, so, it can be accessible to B2 students. You will find interesting words like: metaverse, #IStandWith, goblin mode, a short list, hashtag, unapologetically, self-indulgent, greedy , slovenly , to take off, a lockdown, usage, gleeful ness, goblin , gargoyle, to burst forth, gaslighting , permacrisis , to vote with your feet , cold and miserable, pithy , thought-provoking, churros . If you are a teacher or you are really interested in this topic, you can watch the  Oxford Word of the Year Launch Event , a long video (57':56") with subtitles, where a panel of experts discuss the candid...

The Mid-term elections are the real test to gauge political trends across the USA every four years. In Washington, the focus is on the control of Congress, that is, the House of Representatives and the Senate, the legistative branch of the constitution. In 2022, the key political issues were democracy and abortion rights for the Democrats, and the economy and crime for the Republicans, but what was really at stake was the political fight to control key local offices across the country, like state attorneys and governors of swing states like Georgia, Pensilvania, Arizona or Nevada, which will oversee the fairness of the next presidential election in 2024,  The New York Times editorializes  in this opinion article. The results of the Mid-term elections show a country that is split into two halves, with minimum gains for the Republicans in the House of Representatives (please, google "Midterm Elections 2022 Results" for the latest update). The Democrats keep control of urban are...

Halloween is right there, so if you are planning to go to a party and you want some ideas to dress up, you can't miss this Cosmopolitan link:  50 Cheap Halloween Costumes That You Can Easily DIY  . This article is suitable for C1 students. Halloween is an old tradition, whose origin can be traced to Roman and Celtic times, but it is deeply rooted in the Catholic tradition too, as Mary Reed Newland points out in her article, All Hallow's Eve  (for C2 level) . Halloween marks the beginning of winter, the season of cold and darkness, where misty figures stir people's imagination to inspire spooky tales of terror. You can find lots of Halloween folk stories, for example, on  American Folklore  there is a long list of creepy short stories that can be read in class to swop stories and do an information gap task. I have chosen  Jack and the Devil  and  The Lady in the Veil   , while other stories can be just played for fun, to listen to the sound ef...

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...

After the Lionesses, England's female football team, won the European Cup last Sunday, there has been a national celebration of soccer and female empowerment. The media have reflected the historical moment by flooding the waves with words of praise and joy for the victorious women athletes. BBC Radio 4 programme Today is a good example of this shared communal enthusiasm, and on August 1st, Today devoted several slots to cover the different angles of the the story during the 3 hour programme (that podcast is available on line for 29 days, and it is suitable for C2 students). A compilation of the different interviews can be heard on Best of Today , a podcast that is only available on line for 6 days, also suitable for C2 students. In the podcast 5 Minutes On , you can hear a short summary of the story for a whole year (C1). Below you can watch a Sky Sports News video, where the England players interrupt the press conference that coach Sarina Wiegman was giving by singing the song ...

  Terry Gross is much more than a radio host, she is, problably, the most respected radio journalist in the USA today. She has run and presented " Fresh Air " on NPR for over 45 years, where she has interviewed the very best American actors, directors, musicians, authors, journalists, doctors, naturalists or international relations analysts. Stephen Colbert defined her unique interviewing style as a combination of  "a conversationalist, a therapist, and an oral historian" when she was presented with the Peabody Institutional Award (the Pulitzer of radio journalism) on June 6th, 2022. She also received the National Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2015 together with Louise Glück, Wynton Marsalis, Isabel Wilkerson or José Andrés.  " Fresh Air " is a model for oral American English.  Personally, listenting to Terry Gross' conversations with her guests has helped me to keep my English alive and kicking here in Spain since digital radio podcast...

Ellen MacArthur has recently won the Princess of Asturias Prize for International Cooperation, The Majorca Daily Bulletin reported last week . In 2005, Ms MacArthur became the first woman to break the world record as a solo sailor around the world and later she started the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to promote the circular economy and design a more sustainable future for the finite world resources.  As a result of their campaign, in March 2022 the UN adopted a resolution to negotiate a legally-binding treaty on plastic pollution, which is hoped to be drawn and signed by the end of 2024.  Dame Ellen MacArthur was invited to the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs back in 2009. In this 45' interview she talks about her background, her achievement in sailing, and her charity work. Her English is a perfect model for C1 and C2 students, because it is rich, but not pompous; there are technical terms, but it is not packed with jargon; the colloquial expressions fit natur...

The 275th anniversary of Goya's birth has become an opportunity to bring the underpopulated county of Campo de Belchite and the village of Fuendetodos back to the map.   The Guardian recently reported on the " Territorio Goya " project, which aims to exploit the 200th anniversary of Goya's Black Paintings to "stem the decline of a region where there are just 4.8 inhabitants per square kilometre" . In this article, which is suitable for C1 students and above, you can come across words like: to summon, to stem [the decline],  to devour, a witches's sabbath, to drown, a printmaker, [to be] appalled, slumber, to cling [to the map], a curator, a resident, [annual] income, a profound pull, to empower, the plight [of Campo de Belchite], the hollowed [Spain], a demographic challenge, [to be] squeezed, to have a project underway, to mark [the 275th anniversary], demolished, [to be] stripped out, canvas, a mock-up [image], to commission, to reintepret, the rewor...

  Good Friday and Christmas were the only days of the year that pubs closed in Ireland until legislation was passed in 2018 to allow pubs to open.  In this The Irish Times story, you will learn about some of the old traditions associated with Good Friday , a text which is recommended for C1 students and above.   The report also includes a short 2':55" video where some publicans and local customers talk about the closing of pubs on Good Friday in the village of Drumconrath in Co Meath. The video, without subtitles, and with strong local Irish accents is recommended for C2 students. In the article you will come across words like: to liven it up, uneventful, a foreboding, guilt-ridden [religious observations], the Stations of the Cross, a retreat, repository, a cluster of [interesting observances], to guard against [headaches], to draw [blood], a bald patch, drips, a rafter, disrespectful, to unhook, fltches [of salted bacon], to nail to the timber, blacksmiths, carpent...

Christmas is a commercial and religious family holiday which is celebrated in many countries around the world, including Spain and the UK. It is also a school holiday and each student always has something to say about Christmas: whether they find it exciting and uplifting, or gloomy and depressing, Christmas is always a very productive conversation topic in EFL and there are so many carols and songs that is very easy to find some music to bring to class.  Here, you can find a lesson plan for a B1 conversation class which includes a Learn English with Ben video which compares British and Spanish Christmas , one of the most popular Christmas carols,  Silent Night, in Tori Kelly's a capella voice , with a fill-in the gap listening task and the full lyrics to serve as the key , this link to Dougie MacLean's version of Auld Lang Syne , which is mentioned in the video.  In addition, you can listen to this BBC 5 Live podcast with an exculsive interview to Father Christmas...

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. The first article comes form HR Vision, it quotes the recently published World Economic Forum report, " The Future of Jobs ", which predicts that by 2025, in the summit of a digital and biological revolution -the 4th Industrial Revolution- companies will be seeking candidates with communication and interpersonal skills, the so-called "soft skills", like "complex problem solving", "critical thinking", "creativity", "people management" or "emotional intelligence" to outperform robots and get things...

Lewis Hamilton recently won his 7th F1 title in Turkey, matching Michael Schumacher's all time record. This feat has prompted the British media to relish a debate about Lewis Hamilton's place in the history of F1 and British sport in general. Here you can listen to a BBC Radio 5 Live programme, " Chequered Flag ", where a panel of 3 journalists, Rebecca Clancy, from The Times , Scott Mitchell from The Race and Saith Hardy, a freelance reporter from the USA, talk about the most popular sportsperson in Britain nowadays: his recent victory in the Turkish Grand Prix,and his leading role as an activist in various social causes, including racism.  The podcast lasts 53':48", and there is no script, so it can be suitable for C2 students. Below you can find the glossary and here, on this link, a list of the different sections of the interview which can be used as a supplementary listening guide for the students who might need that kind of written support. If you want...

"Food allergies have risen to an absolutely crazy extent", according to Grahan Rook, emeritus professor of medical microbiology at University College London, and hospital admissions figures in the US, Australia and Europe, are part of the data that prove that strong statement. This BBC Future article discusses two hypotheses -the hygiene hypothesis and the dual-allergen exposure theory- that try to explain this sharp increase in food allergies around the world, and the environmental factors that affect the response of our immune system to certain products. The length, technicality and textual complexity of this article, make it suitable for C2 students. The more interesting new words you will come across in this article are: on the rise, risky, a minor reaction, itching, swelling, a mild, severe [reaction], anaphylaxis, a state of shock, wheezing, dizziness, vomiting, pulse, blood preasure, to drop, airways, hospital admissions, [increased] threefold, to see [a 72%] rise in...

Display Copy is a new fashion magazine that just features vintage and thrifted items from second hand and charity shops like eBay, Etsy or the Salvation Army, but pictured by top-notch models and photographers. "The idea was to make used clothes desirable", says Brian Hemingway, editor of the magazine.  The New York Times reports that "upcycling" is gaining momentum in the fashion industry, and well-established brand names like Miu-Miu, Levi's, Maison Margiela, Patagonia, Gucci, Stella McCartney or Burberry have launched collections of recycled clothes and have set up second life stores.   This article is suitable for C1 students. 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, [upc...

  This article from The Irish Times draws up a list of the 50 best Irish films ever made.  After an introduction that discusses what can be considered an Irish film and what not, the critic describes briefly the plot or the performance of the actors in each film.  The density of information and the rich vocabulary give little context for the English learner to understand new words, so this text is recommended for C2 students.   You will come across words like sane, to claim, a parlour game, to be set, fanciful, loose(r), to score, jerry-rigged, to shoot a film, it gets you a long way down the road, stand-in, to be up for [consideration], to lure, to settle, to play hardball, a fleeting mood, to qualify [for this list], a bunch, to make [Irish films] happen, a space probe, weed, a peddler, offload, to pit [them] against, a kingpin, unabashedly, thrall, interweaving [urban stories], abrasive, to buzz about, heighthened, to snatch, a toddler, unsettling, to light out, ...

Geena Davis became a household name with the film " Thelma & Louise " back in 1991. Since then, she has had a long career in the movie industry and as an activist to denounce gender inequality in Hollywood.  In this interview, she talks to  The Irish Times  about The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media , which she launched and has successfully managed for two decades; about sexual harassment and the #MeToo movement; about being a mother in her 40's and about her career in general.  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, g...

Jaden Wolfiez Ashman is a 15-year-old gamer from Essex who won $1,000.000 playing the Fortnite World Cup Finals.  He promised to buy his mum a house, and one year later he has fulfilled his promise.  The BBC Newsbeat video on this link tells us the story .   Wolfiez talks with a teenager's working-class intonation and he uses colloquial words, which makes it a bit more difficult to understand him despite the subtitles, so this video is suitable for C2 students.  You will come across new words like: "e-sport, chill, quid, set-up, too fancy, step, mortgage, to frame, logo, to be plastered, to take pressure off me, childminder, living day-to-day, you are clock watching, to moan, to strive to do something" . If you want to watch an interview to Wolfiez and his mum one year before when he had just won all that money, you can click below on this " Good Morning Britain " video on ITV , which has subtitles and it is also suitable for C2 students because of their accent:...

The BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Disc  marked its 75th anniversary with this interview to David Beckham where he talks about his football career in Manchester United, Real Madrid, Milan, PSG etc.  He also talks about his relationship to Victoria Beckham, the "Posh Spice Girl", his family and his charity work. The programme is 52 minutes long and there is no script, so it is recommended for C2 students, but it can be used as "background conversation" to expose learners to the rhythm of English language, while attention is elsewhere: walking, running, ironing, gardening etc (see "How to use this blog"). The interview contains several examples of the use of "would" for past habits. In the conversation, David mentions the letter  "Love at First Sight Exits"   that Victoria Beckham wrote for Vogue magazine in 1996. Here you can read an article in Hello magazine that reports about that "candid" letter, where Victoria describe...

The Long Read is a feature section in The Guardian, a prestigious liberal/progressive newspaper in Britain.  They are long investigative reports about a variety of topics. Recently, The Guardian has compiled 25 stories to share them with its readers in lockdown, who now have more free time to read.  The vocabulary and grammar they use is first class, there are many descriptive words that advanced students need to become familiar with little by little.  In this list of 25 articles, there is a wide range of stories: the recycling of oil rigs, the work of a special sound effects engineer in Hollywood, the Fifa video game, a real spy story, ethical wine making, the first sex robot, the casting director of "The Game of Thrones"...  Some of these reports can be heard on an audio podcast. As the articles are long, rich in language and very thorough, this reading could be classified as C2. I would like to thank my colleague Isabel A., who passed me the link.

Shoppers in the UK are rushing to the supermarkets to stockpile toilet paper, hand sanitiser, tinned food or pasta as fears to the spread of coronavirus grow (B2 level).  If you want to find out more about the pychology of panic buying, and how it has been observed in different crisis and natural disasters all over the wold, you can read this longer article (C2 level).