As far as months go, this one has not been brilliant. I'm not sure whether it's just me, or the month of May in particular, or perhaps a combination of the two, but either way, it could have been a lot better, a lot shorter, and a lot less tiring. And, while we're at it, a lot less windy.
Twiggy is one of the most famous British UK supermodels. Now in her sixties, she has achieved iconic status. Here is an interview with her that appeared in UK newspaper The Guardian earlier this year. All you need to do is match the interviewer's questions with her answers.
I bet all our students in the UK are enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having. Hopefully, the sunshine will stay around for a while, so why not take your books outside and go and study in one of our parks or at the seaside? Not only will you feel happier, you’ll also be healthier! Read this article about the benefits of time in the sun and try to complete the gaps with the missing words. Enjoy!
Lesson by Caroline
Quite a few of our schools are located near beaches, so you may find this vocabulary very useful! Read this short text about my recent trip to the beach and try to complete the gaps with the correct vocabulary. How many of you are studying near a beach? What is your favourite beach? There is a town in Spain called 'Nerja' and they have the most beautiful beach, I wish I could go there for a few days now. Enjoy!
Lesson by Caroline
The famous coffee chain, Starbucks, is starting a new scheme that they think will make their cafe a friendlier place to be. Starbucks employees want to know your first name and will call it when your drink is ready. This is already common practise in America, but very unusual in the UK. Personally, I don’t really want to chat when I go to a coffee shop, I usually go to work! I think I must be very British!
Read the following conversation and pay attention to the idioms in orange:
Hank: Surprise, Jenny! I heard about you being bedridden. I came to cheer you up.
Jenny: Wow, thanks for coming by. You’ve totally brightened up my day!
Hank: Oh, I almost forgot. I also brought you a pint of your favourite ice cream!
For years now, women have been fighting to be given the same level of responsibility and the same wages as men. In fact, in the UK a female executive doing the same job as a male gets an average of £10,000 less per year.
Last night, after I fell asleep, someone broke into my house, crept up to the bedroom, and spent a good five hours jumping up and down on my spine in steel-toed workboots before attempting to throttle me with my own tongue. At least, that's what it felt like this morning when I woke up.
I'm sick.
It can be difficult to move and live in a new environment, especially when this new environment is a foreign country. In an unfamiliar setting you are likely to feel insecure and disoriented. You have to deal with different values, behaviors, and social customs of a different culture.