Humor4u

Playa de los Cristianos (Tenerife) has been named the best winter sun holiday destination in Europe by Holydo , a holiday rental search engine in the UK. Spain tops the list of winter sun destinations, but other featured destinations are Agios Nikolaos in Greece, Siracusa in Italy, Luz in Portugal and Cala Rossa in France. A list of the sunniest cities in Europe  has also been published by Holydo Magazine , and, surpisingly enough, Zaragoza ranks number 12 in Europe! In this article, which is suitable for B2 students, you can find descriptive adjectives and other interesting words like: average , whopping , dreamy, charming, a coastal [town], to beat , to check out, waterfront [restaurants], nearby [abandoned castles], stunning [streescapes], breathtaking [beaches], impressive [cliffs], turquoise [waters]. If you are already looking for ideas to travel in 2023, or you just want to do a little bit of online travel while it is cold and foggy outside, you can read this article f...

Nasir is a Marketing student from Pakistan who has done an internship in the town of Fitero  for a university project called KiNESIS. In the video below, Nasir explains what the project is about and what he has learnt in the project.  In this entry you can find a listening comprehension task , and you can also find the answer key .  The vocabulary in the video (4': 41") is not really a barrier, and the video is divided into sections, which can help the learner to follow the narration, so the task can be recommended for B2 students, if they are familiar with the Pakistani accent. Otherwise, the task would be more suitable for C1 learners. The video has subtitles, which can be used after the listening exercise for consolidation.  Some of the most interesting words you can pick up while watching this video are: rural development, an impact, mayor, brand, heritage, gastronomy, professors, municipal authorities, a monastery, monks, landscape, to be interlinked, to perform...

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...

Travel + Leisure magazine  has just published the  50 Best Places to Travel in 2022 , for their affluent American readers, featuring Alaska (left) among other national and international destinations.  C1 students can do some virtual travel with the article 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022 , they can look at the beautiful pictures and pick up English words galore, as the text is packed with descriptive adjectives, nouns and verbs like: a far-flung destination, a thrill, travel restrictions galore, albeit, to cross off [destinations], the hospitality industry was hit hard, downtime, to venture, to reap [the benefits], valiant [efforts], to teem with [fresh-air activities], to be raring, to make up for, splashy, hard-hit destinations, buzzy, stateside, to hold back, wellness, farm-to-table living, to stretch, overlooked, unspoiled [villages], picturesque, stunning, sleepy, underdog, harbinger, an eco-lodge, glamping, a [food] hotspot, local produce, an eager [traveler], vast...

Diwali festival celebrates the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil. It is observed by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and New Buddhists all over the Indian subcontinent and in the diaspora, at the end of October or at the beginning of November, depending on the Hindu moon calendar. In 2020 Diwali begins on 13th November and it runs for five days, but the main celebration is held on the second day, November 14th.  Different gods are worshipped in different parts of India, and in the families, houses get spotlessly clean, clay oil lamps are lit, "to symbolize the purification of the mind and to remove negativity, clutter and ignorance" and fireworks and firecrackers are let off in the streets. Other Diwali traditions include playing cards, baking and eating sweets, dressing up in the best attires, and exchanging gifts. Finally on the fifth day of Diwali, brothers and sisters honour their common bond by getting together and sharing food. If you want to ...

This BBC article tells the story of an old stone quarry that has become a new tourist hotspot in Nigeria after it became popular through Twitter.  The article is short and it has very illustrative pictures, so it can be accessible to B2 students. But here you can find a lesson plan which focuses on vocabulary and speaking, basically, for C1 students. B2 learners (and above) will find rich, descriptive vocabulary here, like an abandonded quarry, a tourist hotspot, a cliff, a moss-lined footpath, to shimmer [in the sun], [the views are] breathtaking, on the outskirts, to be thronged, food vendors, a burgeoining community, expatriates, lockdown, to be somewhat bemused, city-dwellers, tiers, a stunning view, sightseers, a winding footpath, the top terrace, [the path] snakes down to the water's edge, the brave, to plunge into, an aquifer, a fracture-prone area, tremors, to warn amateurs against hiking, fun-seekers seemed not to be deterred, chagrin, to put measures in place, to clear up...

This superb BBC description of Galway's "craic" (which is a kind of light-hearted, mischievous approach to life) portrays the atmosphere of the streets, pubs and people in that Western Irish, bohemian town. In only 12 slides and a video, you will come across words like  bustling pubs, freshly poured pints, lilting music, fiddle, mischief, craic, a local, promenade, odd, damp, to strip down to swimsuits, to plunge into, roiling waters, shivering, dripping, wont, to go with the flow, gale-force winds, counterweight, to breed, laid-back spirit, to foster, layout, an out-of-towner, low-key, to pervade, buskers, winding streets, a month goes by, to distil, pretention, uncontrivedness, breakdown, to edge in, to clutch, to connect with other people, to settle for something .  The text is short, but the vocabulary is very descriptive, so it is suitable for C1 students, although B2+ students can also enjoy the pictures and get the gist of the text.

If you want to feel the "craic" of Galway from your own home, even if your level is B1, you can watch this You Tube video of some Galway buskers performing Hit the Road Jack : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUQaf_kcPK0 But if you prefer something more Celtic, this video of Irish folk music and dance is for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t03aMiKnU4A Here, you can find some buskers playing an anthem, Song for Ireland by James Gallagher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4TYvl6xub4 If you like an unpretentious, young, hippy style, try this cover of The House of the Rising Sun : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkn-RfhyFeU More street talent with a fiddle and some Mexican flavour:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKL1EwoIE0 This video shows the largest performance of the song Galway Girl in the streets of Galway in 2016:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNs0vKDvs0g I hope you have enjoyed Galway's "craic" wherever you are,  But if you still want some more, y...

As de-escalation progresses around the world and the economy starts to activate, people are slowly starting to plan their holidays in times of a global pandemic, and the first question is "Is it safe to travel now?" This National Geographic article answers some of the questions people are asking themselves, like "Should I get on a plane?", "Should I head to a national park?", "Should I rent a cottage by the sea?", "Should I stay in a hotel?" "Should I use a public restroom (American English for "toilet")? etc.   This article can be easily read by B2 students. I would like to thank my student María A. for sending me this article. The travel industry is taking a proactive strategy to increase safety standards that can guarantee its customers' health and peace of mind.  This Arab News report explains the new measures that have been introduced by Emirates airline to increase hygiene from check-in to disembarkation.  This ...

The Peugeot family, one of the main shareholders of the PSA group (Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel, Vauxhall) has stated that they are ready to support a new acquisition, if an opportunity presents itself.  Fiat Christler is a candidate for a merger, New Delhi TV reports.   This short article is classified as B2. Reuters reports that shares of Fiat Chrisler jumped 5.2%  yesterday as a result of the Peugeot family announcement while shares of Peugeot also rose 2.7%.  Reuters mentions General Motors and Jaguar Land Rover as other ideal partners in a future merger.   This financial story contains more technical language, so it is classified as C2.

Britain is a paradise for hikers: the green countryside, the hills, forests and lakes, the weather, which is never too hot, allow you to enjoy rambling 12 months a year (always with a mackintosh in your backpack in case it rains).  Here you can find a short BBC article with beautiful pictures about some of the most popular walks on the island: the Lake District, the Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales in the north of England; Snowdonia in north Wales; the Hebrides and north Aberdeenshire in Scotland; Dartmoor and the north Devon coast in the south of England.  But wherever you go, you are certain to find a beautiful walk to relax and breathe. This is a very short and easy text to read, so it is classified as B2.