Thinking in English

Massive protests, the resignation of the government, widespread violence, and Russian-led security forces. What is happening in Kazakhstan? Let’s talk about it on today’s episode of Thinking in English!! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/01/07/127-what-is-happening-in-kazakhstan-massive-protests-explained-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/ You may also like... 126. The Most Unstable Country in the World?: What is Happening in Sudan? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 125. New Zealand’s Smoking Ban Explained!!: Should We Ban Cigarettes? 124. Who was Desmond Tutu?: The Life of an Extraordinary Man Explained!! (English Vocabulary Lesson) 123. Should We Boycott China’s Winter Olympics? (English Vocabulary Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Take to the streets (phrase) - when people take to the streets, they express their opposition to something in public and often violently Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest against food shortages Steppe (n) - a large area of land with grass but no trees, especially in eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia The people have lived for centuries on the Central Asian steppes Landlocked (adj) - Completely surrounded by other countries, with no ocean borders Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country Swathe (n) - a large areas especially of land Huge swathes of rainforest are being cleared for farming and mining To emerge (v) - the become known or develop as a result of something New business opportunities will emerge with advances in technology Consolidated (adj) - made stronger and more certain He was re-elected for another four years and his power was consolidated To rock (v) - If an event rocks a group of people or society it causes feelings of shock The managing director’s resignation rocked the whole company Blackout (n) - an action taken to make certain that information about something is not reported to the public There was a news blackout after the revolution Peacekeeping (n) - the activity of preventing war and violence, especially using armed forces not involved in a disagreement to prevent fighting The UN sent a peacekeeping force to Rwanda --- 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 most unstable country in the world? How about a country with nearly 20 coups since becoming independent? A country with countless wars, massive corruption, and daily protests? A country with a Prime Minister who was appointed, arrested, reinstated, and then resigned in the space of a few months? Let’s talk about this country on today’s episode of Thinking in English!! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/01/05/126-the-most-unstable-country-in-the-world-what-is-happening-in-sudan-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/ You may also like... 124. Who was Desmond Tutu?: The Life of an Extraordinary Man Explained!! (English Vocabulary Lesson) 125. New Zealand’s Smoking Ban Explained!!: Should We Ban Cigarettes? 123. Should We Boycott China’s Winter Olympics? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 122. Ten Years of Kim Jong Un!: North Korea’s Last Decade Explained (English Vocabulary Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List To dissolve (v) - to end an official organisation or a legal arrangement Parliament has been dissolved before the election Coup (n) - a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army Last year Myanmar’s government was overthrown by a military coup Unstable (adj) - not firm and therefore not strong, safe, or likely to last It is a politically unstable country Consensus (n) - a generally accepted opinion, decision, or agreement among a group of people The general consensus in the company is that the manager is a horrible person Civilian (adj) - relating to a person who is not a member of the police or the armed forces The army has been criticised for attacking the unarmed civilian population To reinstate (v) - to give someone back their previous job or position A month after being unfairly fired, he was reinstated in his job Ungovernable (adj) - unable to be governed or controlled; uncontrollable After an economic crisis, the state became ungovernable To mount (v) - to organise and begin an activity or event The lawyers are preparing to mount a defence of their client --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Zealand recently announced a complete ban on cigarette sales for future generations. People born after 2008 will never be able to buy tobacco products in the country. Is this a good idea? Should other countries ban cigarettes? Or are there problems with such an approach? Let’s discuss this and more on today’s episode of Thinking in English! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2022/01/03/124-new-zealands-smoking-ban-explained-should-we-ban-cigarettes%ef%bf%bc/ You may also like... 124. Who was Desmond Tutu?: The Life of an Extraordinary Man Explained!! (English Vocabulary Lesson) Answering Your Questions!! The Future of the Podcast, How to Use the Word ‘Bloke,’ and Where do I Live! 123. Should We Boycott China’s Winter Olympics? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 122. Ten Years of Kim Jong Un!: North Korea’s Last Decade Explained (English Vocabulary Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Upside (n) - the advantage of a situation It’s annoying that I can’t go on vacation this year, but the upside is that I can save up money to go somewhere more expensive next year Prevalence (n) - the fact that something is very common or happens often The prevalence of obesity is increasing in children Ubiquitous (adj) - seeming to be everywhere The mobile phone is perhaps the most ubiquitous of all consumer-electronic appliances To enact (v) - to put something into action, especially to make something a law The government has failed to enact any serious environmental laws To authorise (v) - to give someone official permission to do something I authorised my bank to pay her £3000 Accompanying (adj) - appearing or going with someone or something else Children under twelve require an accompanying parent or guardian to see the movie Take (something) with a pinch of salt (idiom) - to not completely believe something that you are told, because you think it is unlikely to be true You have to take everything you read on Facebook with a pinch of salt Craving (n) - a strong feeling of wanting something I have a craving for chocolate --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Sunday the 26th of December, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, South African anti-apartheid activist, and one of the world’s most loved religious leaders, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, sadly passed away at the age of 90. Today, I want to explain to you all a little bit about his life, what he did, and why he became one of the most respected, revered, and well known international figures. TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/12/29/124-who-was-desmond-tutu-the-life-of-an-extraordinary-man-explained-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/ You may also like... Answering Your Questions!! The Future of the Podcast, How to Use the Word ‘Bloke,’ and Where do I Live! 123. Should We Boycott China’s Winter Olympics? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 122. Ten Years of Kim Jong Un!: North Korea’s Last Decade Explained (English Vocabulary Lesson) 121. How to Start Your Own Country!!! (English Vocabulary Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List To wander (v) - to walk around slowly in a relaxed way or without any clear purpose or direction We spent the afternoon wandering around the market stalls Segregation (n) - the state of keeping groups of people separate due to race, religion, sex, etc The policy has been criticised for allowing racial segregation Discrimination (n) - treating a person or group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people, because of their skin colour, sex, sexuality, etc Disabled people often experience discrimination Routinely (adv) - used for describing what often or usually happens Health and safety rules are routinely ignored To subject (v) - cause or force someone or something to undergo a particularly unwelcome experience or treatment He was subjected to a terrifying ordeal Movement (n) - a group of people with a particular set of aims or ideas The suffragette movement campaigned for votes for women To advocate (v) - to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something She advocates taking more vacation To preside (v) - to be in charge of a formal meeting, ceremony, or trial The judge presided over the official enquiry To pardon (v) - If someone who has committed a crime is pardoned, that person is officially forgiven and their punishment is stopped Large numbers of political prisoners have been pardoned by the new president --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merry Christmas!! Let's practice our English pronunciation with some Christmas inspired tongue twisters!! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/12/24/christmas-tongue-twisters/ You may also like... Most Difficult English Pronunciation Poem!!: The Chaos (English Pronunciation Lesson) Terrifyingly Troubling Tongue Twisters!: A Pronunciation Challenge Tongue Twister Challenge!: English Pronunciation Practice  112. English Accents Explained!: Why do Language Learners Have Accents and Should We Care? (English Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Seven Santas sang silly songs How many deer would a reindeer reign if a reindeer could reign deer? Running reindeer romp ’round red wreaths Kris Kringle clapped crisply Eleven elves licked eleven little liquorice lollipops. --- 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 of Thinking in English, I’m going to answer some of your questions!! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/12/22/answering-your-questions-the-future-of-the-podcast-how-to-use-the-word-bloke-and-where-do-i-live/ You may also like... 122. Ten Years of Kim Jong Un!: North Korea’s Last Decade Explained (English Vocabulary Lesson) 121. How to Start Your Own Country!!! (English Vocabulary Lesson) 120. Bye Bye Queen!: Why Did Barbados Become a Republic? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 88. Why are the Tokyo 2020 Olympics so controversial? (English Vocabulary Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Thinking in English, let's discuss why the boycott has been declared, and if sporting boycotts are ever successful! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/12/20/123-should-we-boycott-chinas-winter-olympics-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/ You may also like... 122. Ten Years of Kim Jong Un!: North Korea’s Last Decade Explained (English Vocabulary Lesson) 121. How to Start Your Own Country!!! (English Vocabulary Lesson) 120. Bye Bye Queen!: Why Did Barbados Become a Republic? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 88. Why are the Tokyo 2020 Olympics so controversial? (English Vocabulary Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List To boycott (v) - to refuse to buy a product or take part in an activity as a way of expressing strong disapproval Many people boycotted the singer’s shows after he was accused of racism Atrocity (n) - an extremely cruel, violent, or shocking act The rebel army is accused of committing atrocities against women and children Sterilisation (n) - the process of having a medical operation to make it impossible to have children Although they discussed sterilisation, in the end they decided to just keep a careful eye on their dog! Tantamount (adj) - being almost the same or having the same effect as something, usually something bad Her refusal to answer was tantamount to an admission of guilt Erroneous (adj) - wrong or false The erroneous belief that the 2020 election was won by Donald Trump has caused a great deal of anger in the USA Apartheid (n) - refers to a past South African system under which people of different races were legally separated and White people were given more political rights, education, and other advantages Nelson Mandela was an important leader in the struggle against the apartheid regime Cover up  (phrasal v) - to keep something unpleasant or illegal secret or hidden The police tries to cover up the truth Isolation (n) - the state of being separate, or kept separate, from other people or things Japan had a policy of isolation until the late 19th century Symbolic (adj) - used to refer to an action that expresses or seems to express an intention or feeling, but has little practical influence on a situation He knelt on the floor as a symbolic gesture --- 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 of Thinking in English, let's learn some of the English words you are probably using incorrectly! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/12/17/english-words-youre-using-wrong-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/ You may also like... “A lot on Your Plate,” “Swamped,” “Up to Your Neck in it”?: BUSY Vocabulary! (English Vocabulary) Most Difficult English Pronunciation Poem!!: The Chaos (English Pronunciation Lesson) 2021 Word of the Year!! ‘NFTs,’ ‘Cheugy,’ and ‘Regencycore’ (English Vocabulary Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 years ago, Kim Jong Un became leader of North Korea after the death of his father. In the following decade, the secretive country and its leader have rarely been out of the news. Let’s discuss what happened during North Korea’s past decade in this episode of Thinking in English! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/12/15/122-ten-years-of-kim-jong-un-north-koreas-last-decade-explained-english-vocabulary-lesson/ You may also like... 121. How to Start Your Own Country!!! (English Vocabulary Lesson) 120. Bye Bye Queen!: Why Did Barbados Become a Republic? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 119. Should 16 Year Olds Be Allowed To Vote?: Voting Ages explained!! (English Vocabulary lesson) 118. What is the Great Resignation?: Why are Millions of People Quitting Their Jobs? (English Vocabulary Lesson) INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Secretive (adj) - If something or someone is secretive, they don’t want others to know anything about them She is very secretive about her age Personality Cult (n) - official organised love for a particular person, especially a political leader Stalin establish a personality cult in the Soviet Union To force (v) - to make something happen, or make someone do something difficult, unpleasant, or unusual, especially by threatening or not offering the possibility of choice I have to force myself to be nice to him Heir apparent (n) - the person with the automatic right to legally receive all or most of the money, property, titles, etc. from another person when they die The Prince of Wales is the heir apparent to the throne of England To purge (v) - to get rid of people from an organisation because you do not agree with them Party leaders have purged the political party of extremists Noticeable (adj) - easy to see or recognize There has been a noticeable improvement in James’s cooking Repressive (adj) - controlling what people do, especially by using force Myanmar was taken over by a repressive military regime Hardship (n) - a condition of life that causes difficulty or suffering The 1930s were a time of high unemployment and economic hardship --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever thought about starting your own country? Maybe you don’t like the government or laws in the country of your birth? Perhaps you want your people to make their own rules? Or maybe you just think it would be cool to be President of your own nation? Well, today I’ll give you a quick introduction on how to found a new country!! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/12/13/121-how-to-start-your-own-country-english-vocabulary-lesson/ You may also like... 120. Bye Bye Queen!: Why Did Barbados Become a Republic? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 119. Should 16 Year Olds Be Allowed To Vote?: Voting Ages explained!! (English Vocabulary lesson) 118. What is the Great Resignation?: Why are Millions of People Quitting Their Jobs? (English Vocabulary Lesson) CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Recognised (adj) - if someone or something is recognised, it is generally accepted that that person or thing has a particular position or is of a particular standard If you decide to study English abroad, make sure the qualifications you receive are from a recognized provider Defined (adj) - clearly showing the edge, shape, or limits of something I have a clearly defined role at work To declare (v) - to announce or express something clearly, publicly, and officially A government declared a state of emergency due to the pandemic Territory (n) - land, or sometimes sea, that is considered as belonging to or connected with a particular country or person The UN is sending aid to the disputed territory Independent (adj) - an independent country is not governed or ruled by another country Belize became fully independent from Britain in 1981 Sovereign (adj) - having the highest power or being completely independent We must respect the rights of sovereign states to conduct their own affairs Eligibility (n) - having the necessary qualities or satisfying the necessary conditions The eligibility rules prevent children from entering the competition Straightforward (adj) - easy to understand or simple Just follow the signs to Milton Keynes - it’s very straightforward --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices