Thinking in English

Where is the happiest country in the world? How can we measure happiness? Is happiness a good way to compare countries? Has the ongoing pandemic affected people's happiness all over the world? These questions might seem a little complicated to answer, but fortunately for us the World Happiness Report 2021 was released last week! In this episode we’ll talk about the results of their rankings and discuss their findings on global happiness! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/03/22/61-what-is-the-happiest-country-in-the-world-2021-world-happiness-report-english-vocabulary-lesson/ https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2021/ Democracy Rankings - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/03/08/57-is-democracy-dying-freedom-house-2021-report-english-vocabulary-lesson/ Most Languages? - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/13/42-which-country-has-the-most-languages-english-vocabulary-lesson/ What is the most expensive city? - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/06/40-what-is-the-most-expensive-city-in-the-world-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Vocabulary List Corruption (n) - illegal, bad, or dishonest behaviour, especially by people in positions of power Political corruption is widespread throughout that country Obsessed (adj) - unable to stop thinking about something; too interest in or worried about something Why are people so obsessed with money? Evaluation (n) - A judgment or calculation of the quality, importance, amount, or value of something Student evaluations of the class will be collected next week Mutual (adj) - (of two or more people or groups) feeling the same emotion, or doing the same thing to or for each other Their partnerships was based on mutual trust, respect, and understanding Stringent (adj) - having a very severe effect, or being extremely limiting We need to introduce more stringent security measures such as identity cards To buffer (v) - to provide protection against harm People’s concerns were buffered by the government’s strong actions Morale (n) - the amount of confidence felt by a person or group of people, especially when in a dangerous or difficult situation A couple of victories would improve the team's morale enormously Frequency (n) - the number of times something happens within a particular period Complaints about the frequency of buses rose in the last year Solidarity (n) - agreement between, and support, for the members of a group The purpose of the speech was to show solidarity with the country’s leaders --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I want to talk about St Patrick’s day! St Patrick’s day is an incredibly popular celebration of Ireland and Irish culture with events taking place around the world. However, the history of this holiday is incredibly surprising. Let’s learn about the life of St Patrick, the history of the festival, and some of the myths surrounding the events!! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/03/17/60-st-patricks-day-explained-english-vocabulary-lesson/ Similar Episodes! What is Halloween? - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/10/30/14-what-is-halloween/ Bonfire Night! - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/11/06/bonfire-night-a-unique-british-festival-with-an-explosive-history/ Christmas! - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/23/36-christmas-special-christmas-idioms-phrases-and-sayings-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Enthralling (adj) - keeping someone’s interest and attention completely I found your book absolutely enthralling! Festivities (plural n) - the parties, meals, and other social activities with which people celebrate a special occasion If you’re in Europe during winter, you should join in with the Christmas festivities! Advocate (n) - someone who publicly supports something He’s a strong advocate of human rights To inhabit (v) - to live in a place These remote islands are inhabited only by birds To convert (v) - to change to a new religion, belief, opinion, etc., or to make someone do this He converted to Catholicism when he got married Mythology (n) - a popular belief that is probably not true There is a lot of mythology surrounding the origin of that country To banish (v) - to send someone away, especially from their country, and not allow them to come back He was banished to an uninhabited island for a year To flee (v) - to escape by running away, especially because of danger or fear In order to escape his enemies, he fled to the mountains Misconception (n) - an idea that is wrong because it has been based on a failure to understand a situation I’d like to clear up the common misconception that older workers don’t know how to use technology --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reading is an incredibly important skill to learn and improve for all language students. You can build your vocabulary and grammar knowledge, discover new facts about different cultures and history, and enjoy yourself at the same time! It can be scary and frustrating when trying to choose your first English book, so in this episode I’m going to give you 5 classic novel recommendations that are all available as graded readers designed for English learners! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/03/15/59-5-books-recommendations-to-improve-your-english/ Recommended Books The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - https://amzn.to/30ONvgp (PAID LINK) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Graded Reader) - https://amzn.to/38Ehcp7 (PAID LINK) Animal Farm - https://amzn.to/3czhe2D (PAID LINK) Animal Farm (Graded Reader) - https://amzn.to/3bLQRr9 (PAID LINK) The Night Manager - https://amzn.to/3co1BL6 (PAID LINK) The Night Manager (Graded Reader) - https://amzn.to/3rRKoQU (PAID LINK) Great Expectations - https://amzn.to/3bKlJYQ (PAID LINK) Great Expectation (Graded Reader) - https://amzn.to/3bLeAHO (PAID LINK) Moby Dick - https://amzn.to/3vnwkk9 (PAID LINK) Moby Dick (Graded Reader) - https://amzn.to/2OXkPzu (PAID LINK) (I get commissions for purchases made through these links) CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Vocabulary List To underestimate (v) - to fail to guess or understand the real cost, size, difficulty, etc. of something They’ve seriously underestimated the cost of the building project Rewarding (adj) - giving a reward, especially by making you feel satisfied that you have done something important or useful, or done something well Teaching is a really rewarding career Accomplishment (n) - something that is successful, or that is achieved after a lot of work or effort There’s a feeling of accomplishment from having a job and all that goes with it To simplify (v) - to make something less complicated and therefore easier to do or understand He tried to simplify the story for the younger audience To grade (v) - to separate people or things into different levels of quality, size, importance, etc. The fruit is washed and then graded by size Satire (n) - a way of criticizing people or ideas in a humorous way, especially in order to make a political point, or a piece of writing that uses this style Her play was a satire on life in the 1980s Undoubtedly (adv) - used to emphasize that something is true She was undoubtedly the best candidate --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake struck the Asian country, causing a massive and destructive tsunami.  On this episode of Thinking in English, I want to talk about the events of March 11th 2011, and look at the Fukushima nuclear disaster in more detail. Finally, I will discuss the future of nuclear power, as well as its pros and cons! Transcript - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/03/10/58-the-future-of-nuclear-power-10-years-after-the-great-east-japan-earthquake/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List  To trigger (v) - to cause something to start Some people find that certain foods trigger their headaches To breach (v) - to make an opening in a wall or fence, especially in order to attack someone or something behind it Their defences were easily breached Reactor (n) - a large machine in which atoms are either divided or joined in order to produce power How many nuclear reactors does your country have? Epicenter (n) - the point on the earth’s surface directly above an earthquake or atomic explosion Those islands are close to epicenter of the earthquake To expose (v) - to put someone at risk from something harmful or unpleasant It is feared that people living near the power station may have been exposed to radiation To evacuate (v) - to move people from a dangerous place to somewhere safe The police evacuated the village shortly before the explosion Radioactive (adj) - having or producing the energy that comes from the breaking up of atoms Uranium is a radioactive material Footprint (n) - a measurement of the size, effect, etc. of something We took the decision to invest in new countries and grow our global footprint To pose (v) - to cause something, especially a problem or difficulty Nuclear weapons pose a threat to everyone --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is democracy dying? According to a recently released report, the answer might be ‘yes.’ Freedom House’s democracy rankings for 2020 were released last week, and the findings were shocking! In this episode we’ll talk about their conclusions, how Freedom House is able to assess democracy, and discuss why democracy might be struggling! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/03/08/57-is-democracy-dying-freedom-house-2021-report-english-vocabulary-lesson/ 2021 Freedom in the World Report - https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2021/democracy-under-siege What is Democracy? - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/11/08/18-what-is-democracy-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List To collapse (v) - to suddenly fail, be unable to continue or work correctly The Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s Unprecedented (adj) - never having happened or existed in the past Unemployment has reached an unprecedented level Reliable (adj) - someone or something that is reliable can be trusted or believed because he, she or it works or behaves well in the way expected Is your watch reliable? Or is it a little slow? Unstable  (adj) - not solid and firm and therefore not strong, safe, or likely to last That chair looks really unstable! Deterioration (n) - the fact or process of becoming worse We’ve seen a deterioration in relations between the countries Secretive  (adj) - people or organisation who are secretive hide their feelings, thoughts, intentions and actions from other people He’s being very secretive about his new girlfriend Surveillance (n) - the careful watching of a person or place, especially by the police or army, because of a crime that has happened or is expected to happen More banks are now installing surveillance cameras To enforce (v) - to make people obey a law It isn’t always easy for the police to enforce speed limits Bribery (n) - an attempt to make someone do something for you by giving the person money, presents, or something else that they wanted Some cultures consider tipping waiters bribery, while in others it’s considered an insult if you don’t leave a tip --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the lowest wage a company should be able to pay someone? This is not an easy question to answer. Higher wages might help workers but hurt companies, while low wages will hurt those workers but help the businesses. Should we have a minimum wage, and if so, what should that minimum wage be? This episode of Thinking in English will look at the history of minimum wages, and then investigate a few arguments for and against higher minimum wages! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/03/03/56-the-minimum-wage-debate-explained-english-vocabulary-lesson/ Most Expensive Cities Episode -- http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/06/40-what-is-the-most-expensive-city-in-the-world-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Legally (adv) - as stated by the law Children under 16 are not legally allowed to buy cigarettes in the UK Poverty (n) - the condition of being extremely poor Two million people in that city live in poverty Entitle (v) - to give someone the right to do or have something Being unemployed entitles you to government support To spur (v) - to encourage an activity or development or make it happen faster A huge new factory spurred economic growth in the entire region Necessity (n) - something that you need, especially in order to live Eating is a biological necessity Devastating (adj) - causing a lot of damage or destruction The missile strike was devastating - the target was totally destroyed Market (n) - the business or activity of buying and selling a particular product or service Many companies are waiting to enter the Chinese market! To exploit (v) - to use someone or something unfairly for your own advantage Laws exist to stop companies exploiting their employees --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

British English or American English: which one is better? I’ve been asked this question hundreds of times. It can be confusing and frustrating for language learners when the vocabulary they have spent years learning is different to that of their British or American friends’. So on this episode, I want to introduce a few of the key differences between the two dialects, explain why there are some variations, and finally offer a little advice on which you should focus on! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/03/01/55-british-english-vs-american-english-which-is-better/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List To frustrate (v) - to make someone feel annoyed or less confident because that cannot achieve what they want It frustrates me that I’m not able to put any of my ideas into practice Dialect (n) - a form of language that people speak in a particular part of a country, containing some different words and grammar The poem is written in a southern dialect Variation (n) - something that is slightly different from the usual form or arrangement Her movies are all variations on the same theme Distinction (n) - a difference between two similar things There’s a clear distinction between the dialects spoken in the two regions Noticeable (adj) - easy to see or recognise There has been a noticeable improvement in Tim’s cooking Straightforward (adj) - easy to understand or simple This recipe is so straightforward - you just mix all the ingredients together To occur (v) - to happen The incident occurred shortly after the plane took off Fashionable (adj) - popular at a particular time Celebrities are always eating at that fashionable restaurant Responsible (adj) - to be the person who caused something to happen, especially something bad Last month’s bad weather was responsible for the crop failure --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode I want to talk about conversations and how to have better ones! English learners often really want to start having conversations in English, but at the same time can be nervous and anxious. Don’t worry though! If you follow the tips in this episode you will be having conversations like a professional in no time! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/24/54-how-to-have-better-conversations-english-vocabulary-lesson/ Related Episodes! George Orwell's tips for writing! (http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/01/47-how-to-improve-your-written-english-according-to-the-great-writer-george-orwell/) How to improve your writing skills! (http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/21/35-how-to-improve-your-writing-skills/) How to ask excellent question! (http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/14/how-to-ask-excellent-questions-english-vocabulary-lesson/) CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Light-hearted (adj) - happy and not serious We had a fairly light-hearted discussion Anxiety (n) - an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future Children normally feel a lot of anxiety about their first day at school Awkward (adj) - embarrassed or nervous He seemed a little awkward when i first met him Favour (n) - a kind action that you do for someone Could you do me a favour - would you feed my cat this weekend? Uncomfortable (adj) - not feeling comfortable and pleasant, or not making you feel comfortable and pleasant The boy looked uncomfortable and out of place among the adults Interaction (n) - an occasion when two or more people or thing communicate with each other Language games are usually intended to encourage student interaction Curious (adj) - interested in learning about people or things around you Babies are curious about everything around them Naturally (adv) - having an ability or characteristic from birth He’s naturally funny - he doesn’t even have to try --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Australian Facebook users realised last week that they could no longer read, access, or share news articles on the social media platform. Facebook, the world’s largest social media site, has banned news in Australia. This episode will look at why this happened, and what some of the consequences could be! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/22/53-why-has-facebook-banned-news-in-australia-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List To rival (v) - to be as good, clever, beautiful, etc. as someone or something else At the moment, no one can rival China as the world's biggest luxury goods market! Drastic (adj) - (especially for actions) severe and sudden or having very noticeable effects Many employees have had to take drastic cuts in pay Consequence (n) - a result of a particular action or situation, often one that is bad or not convenient Failure to do proper safety checks may have serious consequences. Publisher (n) - a person or company that produces and sells books, magazines, newspapers, software, etc. He is both the publisher and editor of the local newspaper To host (v) - to provide the computer equipment, technology and software for a website or advertisement to be available on the internet The Thinking in English blog is hosted by WordPress Determined (adj) - wanting to do something very much and not allowing anyone or any difficulties to stop you She will get the job she wants - she’s a very determined person Inquiry (n) - an official process to discover the facts about something bad that has happened Citizens have demanded a full inquiry into the government’s handling of the epidemic Unintended (adj) - not intended The group argues that many of the proposed reforms will have unintended consequences To generate (v) - to cause something to exist Her latest film has generated a lot of interest! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Missions from China, the UAE, and the USA have all arrived on, or near to, Mars. This is the first time three different countries have sent missions to the planet at the same time. Why? This episode will look at the reasons behind each of the three current missions, investigate why we want to travel there at all, and what the future holds for Mars and humanity! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/17/52-the-missions-to-mars-why-are-the-usa-china-and-uae-all-heading-to-the-red-planet-english-vocabulary-lesson/ Venus Episode - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/10/08/life-on-venus/ China and the Moon - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/03/china-lands-on-the-moon-are-we-on-the-verge-of-a-new-space-race-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST Humanity (n) - people in general In the war they committed many crimes against humanity! To glimmer (v) - to shine with a weak light The lights of the village were glimmering in the distance To orbit (v) - to follow a curved path around a planet or star On this mission the shuttle will orbit the Earth at a height of several hundred kilometers Mission (n) - a group of people or objects sent somewhere to investigate or achieve a goal This is their third mission to the Moon! Exploration (n) - the act of traveling to a place or searching a place in order to learn about it Space exploration is one of the main goals of his government! Atmosphere (n) - a mixture of gases that surrounds any planet We are searching for a planet with a breathable atmosphere To replicate (v) - to make or do something again in exactly the same way Researchers have tried many times to replicate the original experiment Colony (n) - a country or area controlled politically by a more powerful country that is often far away Australia and New Zealand are former British colonies --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices