Thinking in English

In this episode of Thinking in English I want to talk about Clubhouse. Clubhouse is a social media application that has become incredibly popular over the last few weeks. Entrepreneurs, investors, and creative people are using the site to host discussion and conversations for thousands of listeners. However, it is an exclusive platform and all users need to be invited before they can join. What is Clubhouse? Why is it so popular at this moment? What does the future hold for the application? TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/15/51-what-is-clubhouse-the-social-media-app-taking-the-world-by-storm-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST To take (something) by storm (phrase) - to be very successful in a particular place or among a particular group of people Jazz took London and Paris by storm in the 1920s Exclusive (adj) - limited to only one person, a few people or a group of people This room is for the exclusive use of guests Moderator (n) - someone who makes certain that a formal discussion happens without problems and follows the rules He was the moderator for the presidential debate! To gossip (v) - to talk about other people’s private lives Stop gossiping and do your work Entrepreneur (n) - someone who starts their own business, especially when this involves seeing a new opportunity He is a talented entrepreneur who has started over one hundred businesses! Nuanced (adj) - a quality of something that is not easy to notice but may be important The actor gives a beautifully nuanced performance in a tricky role Dialogue (n) - a serious exchange of opinion, especially among people or groups that disagree We have held a number of meetings, and the dialogue is ongoing Capacity (n) - the total amount that can be contained or produced The stadium has a seating capacity of 50,000 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coronavirus is not the first disease to kill millions of people and impact our lives. Throughout history, smallpox destroyed countless lives and devastated entire communities. It was incredibly infectious and incredibly deadly. However, smallpox is also the only disease to ever be completely eradicated by humans. This episode will look at the history of that deadly disease, investigate how we got rid of the virus, and consider the lessons we can take from the time! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/10/50-the-history-of-smallpox-how-did-we-eradicate-the-disease-and-what-can-it-teach-us-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST To infect (v) - to pass a disease to another person The hospital is full of people infected with coronavirus Precaution (n) - an action that is done to prevent something unpleasant or dangerous happening They failed to take the necessary precautions to avoid infection Infectious (adj) - an infectious disease is able to be passed from one person, animal, or plant to another; an infectious person is someone able to pass a disease After the 21-day isolation period, survivors are no longer infectious To devastate (v) - to destroy a place or thing completely or cause great damage The town was devastated by a hurricane in 1928 To eradicate (v) - to get rid of something completely or destroy something bad Hopefully we will eradicate coronavirus soon! To contract (v) - to catch or become ill with a disease He contracted a rare illness while he was travelling Immunity (n) - a situation in which you are protected against disease The vaccination gives you immunity against the disease for up to six months Bulletproof (adj) - cannot be corrected, altered, or modified The lawyer made a bulletproof argument in front of the judge! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We drink millions of bottles of water every year. However, in some countries, including mine the UK, our tap water is perfectly safe! We don’t really need to buy bottled water! There are environmental, financial, and health costs connected to bottled water. Should bottled water be banned? TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/08/49-should-bottled-water-be-banned-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST Optician (n) - Someone whose job is examining people’s eyes and selling glasses or contact lenses to correct sight problems The optician recommended I choose a different pair of glasses! Beverage (n) - a drink of any type Hot beverages include tea, coffee, and hot chocolate Roughly (adv) - approximately or about We have roughly similar tastes! Source (n) - the place something comes from or starts at, or the cause of something Experts are trying to track down the source of the contamination in the water supply Stringently (adv) - in a way that is strict, severe, or limiting Fire regulations are stringently enforced in all our factories Defect (n) - a physical condition in which something is wrong with a part of someone’s body The drug has been shown to cause birth defects Consumption (n) - the act of using, eating, or drinking something: This programme is designed to increase the consumption of vegetables by children! Carbonated (adj) - a carbonated drink is fizzy because it contains bubbles of carbon dioxide Although I love carbonated sodas, I really dislike carbonated water! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On February 1st, the military of Myanmar staged a coup and took control of the country. They arrested elected leaders including the famous Aung San Suu Kyi, and there are worries they will damage Myanmar’s democracy! In this episode we’ll look at what happened, why it happened, and what will happen in the future! TRANSCRIPT: https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/03/48-myanmar-military-coup-what-is-happening-and-why-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST Independence (n) - freedom from being governed or ruled by another country Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821 Coup (n) - (or a coup d’etat) a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army The military took control in a coup! To restore (v) - to return something or someone to an earlier good condition or position After a week in bed, she was fully restored to health Allegation (n) - a statement, made without giving proof, that someone has done something wrong or illegal Allegations the president was receiving money from criminals have caused a scandal To file (v) - to officially record something, especially in a law court The police filed charges against the two suspects Fraudulent (adj) - dishonest and illegal; or intended to deceive The company was fined for fraudulent advertising To threaten (v) - to tell someone that you will hurt or harm him or her, esp. if the person does not do something in particular They threatened to drop him from the team if he didn’t come to practice Straightforward (adj) - easy to understand or simple Just follow the signs to London - it’s very straightforward! Sanction (n) - an official order, such as the stopping of trade, that is taken against a country in order to make it obey international law Many nations have imposed sanctions on the country because of its attacks on its own people --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Orwell is one of the most famous and talented writers of the last hundred years. Fortunately for us, Orwell left a list of rules for writers to follow and questions to consider which will help you to improve your written English. Writing is an essential skill, and something we can always improve! Hopefully you will find Orwell’s tips and tricks useful! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/01/47-how-to-improve-your-written-english-according-to-the-great-writer-george-orwell/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST To convey (v) - to express a thought, feeling, or idea so that it is understood by other people I tried to convey in my speech how grateful i am for everyone’s help Passionate (adj) - having very strong feelings or emotions Joe is passionate about baseball Imitation (n) - when someone or something imitates another person or thing Ten-years-olds have started wearing lipstick and make-up in imitation of the older girls Worn out (adj) - Something that is worn out can no longer be used because it is so old or because it has been damaged by continued use My jeans are almost worn out because I’ve worn them so much To emphasise (v) - to show that something is very important or worth giving attention to I’d like to emphasize how important it is for people to learn foreign languages Jargon (n) - special words and phrases that are used by particular groups of people, especially in their work Business people use jargon all the time Abbreviation (n) - a short form of a word or phrase “BBC” is the abbreviation for “British Broadcasting Corporation” Compulsory (adj) - If something is compulsory, you must do it because of a rule or law Swimming was compulsory at my school --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Archaeologists recently discovered the world’s oldest cave paintings of animals, in an isolated cave in Indonesia. This has challenged the way scientists think about our history, and provided evidence for people in Asia tens of thousands of years ago! Let’s learn about this topic, while studying English vocabulary! Transcript -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/27/46-worlds-oldest-cave-paintings-discovered-in-indonesia-english-vocabulary-lesson/# CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary Archaeologist (n) - someone who studies the buildings, graves, tools, and other objects of people who lived in the past Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an Anglo-Saxon settlement Remote (adj) - far away in distance; a long way from any towns or cities They live in a remote mountain village, miles from the nearest shop Characteristic (n) - a typical or noticeable quality of someone or something A big nose is a characteristic in my family Capacity (n) - someone’s ability to do a particular thing She has a great capacity for hard work To date (v) - to say how long something has existed or when it was made Archaeologists have been unable to date these fossils Artefact (n) - an object that is made by a person, such as a tool or decoration, especially one that is of historical interest The museum’s collection includes artefacts dating back to prehistoric times Reasonable (adj) - based on or using good judgement and therefore fair and practical If you tell him what happened, I’m sure he’ll understand - he’s a reasonable man! Sophisticated (adj) - intelligent or made in a complicated way and therefore able to do complicated tasks I think a more sophisticated approach is needed to solve this problem Pigment (n) - a substance that gives something a particular colour when it is added to it Pigment is mixed into oil, glue, egg, etc. to make different types of paint Comprehension Questions Q. What animal was painted in the cave? Q. When did humans arrive in Australia? Q. Where was the oldest human produced art discovered? --- 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 am going to introduce eight idioms that are commonly used in business situations. One of the major problems language learners face when working in a native English environment is recognising and comprehending idioms. Even if you are not interested in business, these idioms are used in many different situations and contexts! Whether you are studying, working, living, and or just enjoying English, these idioms will be perfect for you! TRANCRIPT: https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/25/45-eight-more-business-english-idioms/ Previous Episodes! http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/11/29/incredibly-useful-english-idioms-ideal-for-business-english-ielts-study-abroad-and-more-english-vocabulary-lesson/ http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/11/11/19-eight-useful-business-english-idioms/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST Frequently (adv) - often The buses run less frequently on Sundays To originate (v) - to come from a particular place, time, situation, etc Although the game originated in the UK, it has become an international sport Elaborate (adj) - containing a lot of careful detail or many detailed parts They are making elaborate preparations for their wedding Flaw (n) - a fault, mistake, or weakness, especially one that happens while something is being planned or made, or that causes something not to be perfect This report is full of flaws Dependent (adj) - needing the support of something or someone in order to continue existing or operating It’s very easy to become dependent on sleeping pills To concentrate (v) - to direct your attention or your efforts towards a particular activity, subject, or problem Many wine producers have concentrated their efforts on producing higher quality wine Bureaucracy (n) - a system for controlling or managing a country, company, or organization, that is operated by a large number of officials employed to follow rules carefully I had to deal with the university’s bureaucracy when I was applying for financial aid --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone has binge-watched a TV show. Only a few weeks ago, I watched the Netflix show the Queen's Gambit in only 3 days. However, is binge-watching actually bad for you? In this episode, of thinking in English, we will look at what binge-watching is and then think about the benefits and consequences of doing it! Hopefully, by the end of the episode you will be able to express your own opinion on the topic. TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/20/44-is-binge-watching-bad-for-you/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST Sitting (n) - a limited period of time during which you sit and do a particular activity I read that book in one sitting Cliffhanger (n) - a story or a situation that is exciting because its ending or result is uncertain until it happens Many of Hitchcock’s films are real cliffhangers To indulge (v) - to allow yourself or another person to have something enjoyable, especially more than is good for you I love champagne but i don’t often indulge myself To admit (v) - to agree that something is true, especially unwillingly She admitted making a mistake Perspective (n) - a particular way of considering something Her attitude lends a fresh perspective to the subject Beneficial (adj) - helpful, useful, or good A stay in the countryside will be beneficial to his health Excessive (adj) - too much Excessive exercise can sometimes cause health problems Insomnia (n) - the condition of being unable to sleep, over a period of time She suffered from insomnia caused by stress at work Fulfilling (adj) - making you feel happy and satisfied Nursing is hard work, but it can be very fulfilling --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the 20th January, Joe Biden will officially replace Donald Trump as the President of the United States of America. This process is very traditional, and therefore uses traditional and specific vocabulary. Today’s episode will introduce some of the events that will take place on the 20th, and highlight some of the essential vocabulary you might notice! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/18/43-inauguration-day-all-the-essential-vocabulary/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List To reverse (v) - to cause something to go in the opposite direction, order, or position The Court of Appeal reversed the earlier judgment. Restriction (n) - an official limit on something I can’t wait for the coronavirus restrictions to be over -elect (suffix) - used after the title of an official job to refer to someone who has been chosen by vote to do that job, but who has not yet started doing it: Mr Theroux is chairman-elect of the Promotion Marketing Association. To deliver (v) - to give or produce a speech The President is scheduled to deliver a speech on foreign policy Address (n) - a formal speech She gave an address to the Royal Academy Long-standing (adj) - having existed for a long time It’s been our long-standing policy not to allow pets at the hotel To honour (v) - to show great respect for someone or something, especially in public I would be honoured to meet him Parade (n) - a large number of people walking or in vehicles, all going in the same direction, usually as part of a public celebration of something: To serve (v) - to work for; to do your duty to He served in the army for 22 years Oath (n) - a serious promise that you will tell the truth or that you will do what you have said --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are thousands of languages in the world. Some are spoken by billions of people, others by less than one hundred! Which country has the most languages? In this episode I’ll answer that question, look at some of the languages spoken in that country, and try to explain why there are so many! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/13/42-which-country-has-the-most-languages-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST Diversity (n) - a range of different things or people The wonderful diversity of our country’s wildlife is now under threat Inhabitant (v) - a person or animal that lives in a particular place That city has 5 million inhabitants Linguistically (adv) - in a way that is connected with language or the study of language Apparently Silicon Valley has become one of the most linguistically diverse places in America Dialect (n) - a form of a language that people speak in a particular part of a country, containing some different words and grammar, etc. The poem is written in northern dialect Descend from (Phrasal v) - if one thing descend from or is descended from another, the later thing develops from the earlier thing Romance languages are directly descended from Latin Ancestor (n) - a person related to you who lived a long time ago There were portraits of his ancestors on the walls of the room Indigenous (adj) - existing naturally or having always lived in a place; native The Navajos are among the indigenous people of North America Colonist (n) - someone who lives in or goes to live in a country or area that is a colony The first American colonists arrived in the 17th century Creole (n) - a language that has developed from a mixture of languages Many Afro-Caribbean Englishes are creoles Tribe (n) - a group of people, often of related families, who live together, sharing the same language, culture, and history, especially those who do not live in towns or cities The Masai tribe live in Africa COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS Q. Apart from English, what languages are native to the UK? A. Welsh, Gaelic, Scots, Ulster scots, Irish, and Cornish! Q. How many languages are spoken in Papua New Guinea? A. About 850 Q. Why are there so many languages in Papua New Guinea? A. The geographical conditions, isolated tribes, and a long history are the perfect ingredients to create a huge range of languages. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices