Thinking in English

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192. Should the UK Return Stolen Historical Artefacts?: The Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles, and Benin Bronzes! (English Vocabulary Lesson) Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/12/12/should-the-uk-return-stolen-historical-artefacts/

The British Museum is full of controversial artefacts. Should the UK return these historical objects? Let’s discuss this question today!

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Vocabulary List

Artefact (n) - an object that has been made by a person, such as a tool or a decoration, especially one that is of historical interest

The museum's collection includes artefacts dating back to prehistoric times.

Exhibit (n) - an object that is shown to the public in a museum

Let's go see the new dinosaur exhibit

To repatriate (v) - to send or bring something back to the country that it came from

The government repatriated him because he had no visa

Plaque (n) - a flat piece of metal, stone, wood, or plastic with writing on it that is attached to a wall

There was a brass plaque outside the door listing the owners’ names

To loot (v) - to steal from shops and houses

During the riot shops were looted

Collection (n) - a group of objects that someone has collected

That museum has a great collection of stamps

Hieroglyph (n) - a picture or symbol that represents a word, used in some writing systems, such as the one used in ancient Egypt

Hieroglyphs cover the walls of pyramids in Ancient Egypt

Sculpture (n) – a work of art made by creating objects out of material such as wood, clay, metal, or stone

In the ruins they found ancient stone sculpture

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191. England vs France: An Historic Rivalry! (English Vocabulary Lesson) Dec 07, 2022

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/12/07/england-vs-france-an-historic-rivalry/

On Saturday, 10th December, England will play France in the World Cup quarter final. The rivalry between England and France is one of the longest and most influential in Europe – it has led to wars, battles, arguments, and much more. Let’s discuss the history of French and English relations and talk about why there is such a rivalry!

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190. Why are People Protesting in China? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

189. Why is Scotland in the UK? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

188. Should We Boycott the Qatar World Cup? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

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Vocabulary List

Rival (n) - a person, company, product, etc. competing with others for the same thing or in the same area

He beat his closest rival by 25%

Rivalry (n) - a situation in which people, businesses, etc. compete with each other for the same thing:

There is a rivalry between the three brothers

Conquest (n) - taking control or possession of foreign land, or a group of people, by force

The Norman conquest of England introduced French vocabulary to Britain

Victorious (adj) - having won a game, competition, election, war, etc

The victorious team were loudly cheered by their fans.

To invade (v) - to enter a country by force with large numbers of soldiers in order to take possession of it

The Mongolians tried, and failed, to invade Japan twice

Ally (n) - a country that has agreed officially to give help and support to another one

During the First World War, Turkey was an ally of Germany.

To veto (v) - to refuse to allow something

In 1961, President De Gaulle vetoed Britain's entry into the Common Market

Favourite (n) - the person, team, or animal most people expect to win a race or competition

France are one of the favourites to

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190. Why are People Protesting in China? (English Vocabulary Lesson) Dec 05, 2022

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/12/05/why-are-people-protesting-in-china/

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in China, chanting slogans and holding pieces of white paper. Why are people protesting? What has caused the anger? And what is going to happen next? Let’s discuss these questions while practicing some useful English vocabulary!

Vocabulary List

To demonstrate (v) - to make a public expression that you are not satisfied about something, especially by marching or having a meeting

Thousands of people gathered to demonstrate against the new proposals.

Lockdown (n) - a period of time in which people are not allowed to leave their homes or travel freely, because of a dangerous disease

The government has been attempting to eliminate the virus by imposing a lockdown

To crush (v) - to defeat someone completely

The government crushed the protests last week

To embrace (v) - to accept something enthusiastically

I embraced the opportunity he gave me

At the expense of (idiom) - If you do one thing at the expense of another, doing the first thing harms the second thing

The company prioritised speed at the expense of safety

To trigger (v) - to cause something to start

An incident of police violence triggered protests across the country

To censor (v) - to remove parts of something, such as a book, movie, or letter, that you do not want someone to see or hear

They censored the movie before releasing it in China

Underlying (adj) - real but not immediately obvious

We need to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and suffering

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189. Why is Scotland in the UK? (English Vocabulary Lesson) Nov 30, 2022

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/11/30/why-is-scotland-in-the-uk/

What is the difference between the UK, Great Britain, the British Isles, and England? What is the United Kingdom? And why did Scotland join the UK? Let’s discuss these topics, and practice some vocabulary, on today’s episode of Thinking in English!

Vocabulary List

Interchangeably (adv) - in a way that can be exchanged without making any difference or without being noticed

Figs can be used interchangeably with dates in this recipe

Kingdom (n) - a country ruled by a king or queen

They visited many kingdoms while travelling

Union (n) - a political unit made up of two or more separate units such as states

The United Kingdom is a union of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

To conquer (v) - to take control or possession of foreign land, or a group of people, by force

The English were conquered by the Normans in 1066

Sovereign (adj) - having the highest power or being completely independent

We must respect the rights of sovereign states/nations to conduct their own affairs.

Bankrupt (informal adj) - having no money

I’ll go bankrupt if you keep asking me for money!

Devolution (n) - the moving of power or responsibility from a main organization to a lower level, or from a central government to a local government

The majority of people in the region are in favour of devolution.

Referendum (n) - a vote in which all the people in a country or an area are asked to give their opinion about or decide an important political or social question

We will hold a referendum on independence next year

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I Moved Country (Again)!! Nov 28, 2022

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/11/28/i-moved-country-again/

After a year and a half living in Tokyo, Japan, I have returned home to the UK! As I didn’t have enough time to write a normal Thinking in English episode for today, I thought I would do something a little different and talk about why I left Japan, my journey back home, how I’m feeling, and what is next for me! And, at the same time, we can learn and practise our English vocabulary!!

Vocabulary List

To boycott (v) - to refuse to buy a product or take part in an activity as a way of expressing strong disapproval

People were urged to boycott the country's products.

Controversial (adj) - causing disagreement or discussion

The book was very controversial.

To award (v) - to give something valuable, such as money or a prize following an official decision

Their company was awarded a contract worth $40 million by the government.

Bid (n) - an offer to do something when you are competing with other people to do it

Sydney made a successful bid to host the Olympic Games

Corruption (n) - illegal, bad, or dishonest behaviour, especially by people in positions of power

Political corruption is widespread throughout the country.

migrant worker (n) - a person who moves to another country or area in order to find employment, in particular seasonal or temporary work

The food industry is heavily dependent on migrant workers from other countries

To undermine (v) - to make something weaker

Scandals have undermined the government over the past year.

Appalling (adj) - shocking and very bad

Prisoners were kept in the most appalling conditions

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187. Who is Elon Musk? (English Vocabulary Lesson) Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/11/21/who-is-elon-musk/

He is probably the most famous person in the world right now. One of the world’s richest people, the CEO of the world’s most valuable car manufacturer, and now the new owner of Twitter! But who is Elon Musk?

Vocabulary List

Estranged (adj) - If you are estranged from your family or friends, you are no longer friendly with them

It's sad to see someone estranged from their parents

Booming (adj) - increasing or becoming successful and producing a lot of money very quickly

Business is booming at the moment.

To pocket (v) - take or receive (money or other valuables) for oneself

The politician pocketed around $10,000 for a 20-minute speech

To found (v) - to bring something into existence

She left a large sum of money in her will to found a wildlife sanctuary

Board (n) - the group of people who are responsible for controlling and organizing a company or organization

Every decision has to be approved by the board

Bot (n) - a computer program that works automatically, especially one that searches for and finds information on the internet

Criminals create networks of bots that roam the internet infecting PCs with viruses

Hardcore (adj) - denoting an extreme or intense example of something

We performed 60 concerts in 60 days – it was hardcore

Town square (n) - An open area commonly found in the heart of a traditional town, used for community gatherings

Elon Musk wants Twitter to become the intern

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186. What is Thanksgiving?: The REAL Story Behind America’s Most Famous Holiday (English Vocabulary Lesson) Nov 16, 2022

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TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/11/16/what-is-thanksgiving/

What is Thanksgiving? Children in the US are taught it is a day to celebrate the friendship between Native American tribes and the first English settlers. Today, I want to talk about the real history – the dark story of war, disease, and the destruction of Native American society. So… let’s discuss the story of Thanksgiving and learn some new vocabulary at the same time!

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185. Who is Responsible for Climate Change? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

184. Should Performance Enhancing Drugs Be Banned in Sports? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

183. “The Signal-Man” by Charles Dickens (Halloween Special)!

182. Bolsonaro vs Lula: The Brazilian Election Explained! (English Vocabulary Lesson)

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Vocabulary List

To celebrate (v) - to take part in special enjoyable activities in order to show that a particular occasion is important

We always celebrate his birthday by going out to dinner

Ubiquitous (adj) - seeming to be everywhere

Mobile phones are now ubiquitous across all ages

Myth (n) - a commonly believed but false idea

Statistics disprove the myth that small people are angrier

Pilgrim (n) - a member of the group of English people who sailed to America and began living in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620

The Pilgrims left England in search of religious freedom

Feast (n) - a special meal with very good food or a large meal for many people

The King held a feast to celebrate his victory

Alliance (n) - an agreement to work with someone else to try to achieve the same thing

The two groups formed an alliance against the government

Devastating (adj) - causing a lot of damage or destruction

The drought has had devastating consequences

To re-evaluate (v) - to judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount, or value of something again, for a second, third, etc. time

The company is re-evaluating its decision to allow workers flexible hours

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185. Who is Responsible for Climate Change? (English Vocabulary Lesson) Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

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TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/11/14/who-is-responsible-for-climate-change/

Who is responsible for climate change? Is it the countries with the highest pollution right now? Or is it the wealthy countries who had the highest emissions in the past? How about the fossil fuel companies? Or is it normal people? Let’s talk about it today!

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184. Should Performance Enhancing Drugs Be Banned in Sports? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

183. “The Signal-Man” by Charles Dickens (Halloween Special)!
182. Bolsonaro vs Lula: The Brazilian Election Explained! (English Vocabulary Lesson)

181. Why Did Liz Truss Resign? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

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Vocabulary List

Mitigation (n) – the act of reducing how harmful, unpleasant, or bad something is

We need effective mitigation of climate change

Adaptation (n) – the process of changing to suit different conditions

The team’s adaptation to the speed of the premier league is surprising

Developing (adj) – A developing country or area of the world is poorer and has less advanced industries, especially in Africa, Latin America, or Asia

This scholarship is for people from developing countries

Reparation (n) – payment for harm or damage:

The company had to make reparation to those who suffered ill health as a result of chemical pollution.

Emission (n) – an amount of a substance that is produced and sent out into the air that is harmful to the environment, especially carbon dioxide

These health risks are caused by vehicle emissions.

per capita (adv/adj) – If you express an amount per capita, you mean that amount for each person

The per capita income is very low

carbon footprint (n) – Someone’s carbon footprint is a measurement of the amount of carbon dioxide that their activities produce

Flying to Japan increased by carbon footprint

To offset (v) – to pay for things that will reduce carbon dioxide in order to reduce the damage caused by carbon dioxide that you produce

We offset all our long-haul flights.

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