Thinking in English

At the beginning of October, English football club Newcastle United were taken over by a Saudi Arabian supported investment fund, and over night became one of the world’s richest sport teams. But why do authoritarian governments like to buy football clubs? Let’s discuss this, and learn some new vocabulary, on today’s episode of Thinking in English! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/18/110-why-do-authoritarian-countries-buy-football-clubs-saudi-arabias-purchase-of-newcastle-united-english-vocabulary-lesson/ You may also like… 85. Football English: All the Vocabulary You Need to Watch the UEFA European Football Championship in English! (English Vocabulary Lesson) 69. The European Super League: Explained! (English Vocabulary Lesson) 57. Is Democracy Dying?: Freedom House 2021 Report (English Vocabulary Lesson) CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Takeover (n) – a situation in which a company gets control of another company by buying enough of its shares The company has decided not to go through with the takeover of its smaller rival Dispute (n) – an argument or disagreement, especially an official one India and Pakistan nearly went to war over a border dispute Rumoured (adj) – used to describe an unofficial, interesting story or piece of news that might be true or invented, and that is communicated quickly from person to person The rumoured plan to sell the company never actually took place Asset (n) – something valuable belonging to a person or organization that can be used for the payment of debts A company’s assets can consist of cash, investments, specialist knowledge, or copyright material To diversify (v) – to start producing a range of different types of products or services, or to invest in a range of different investments, in order to reduce risk Farmers are increasingly diversifying into other activities to supplement their incomes Piracy (n) – the act of illegally copying a computer program, music, a film etc, and selling it Record companies have tried to combat internet piracy Distract (v) – to make someone stop giving their attention to something Stop distracting your sister from her studies! Authoritarian (adj) – demanding that people obey completely and refusing to allow them freedom to act as they wish That country has struggled economically under an authoritarian leader Oligarch (n) – one of a small group of powerful people who control a country or an industry The story of how new Russian oligarchs amassed enormous fortunes when the Soviet Union broke up is fascinating --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you “Have Egg on Your Face"? Have you “Put Your Foot in it"? Do you feel “Sheepish”? In this episode of Thinking in English, let’s learn some other useful idioms and phrases to describe embarrassment!!  TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/15/have-egg-on-your-face-put-your-foot-in-it-and-sheepish-idioms-and-phrases-for-embarrassing-situations/  You may also be interested in...  “Feeling blue,” “Crying Crocodile Tears,” and “Down in the Dumps”: Excellent Sadness Idioms!! (English Vocabulary Lesson)  Are You ‘Bursting with Joy,’ ‘Over The Moon,’ or ‘On Cloud Nine’?: Idioms and Phrases to Describe Happiness!!  “When pigs fly:” Essential English Idioms, Expressions, and Proverbs! (English Vocabulary Lesson)  ‘Fat Cats,’ ‘Cat Naps,’ and ‘Doggy Bags’: Dog and Cat Idioms!  CONTACT ME!!  INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)  Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog  Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com  To have egg on your face - “Oh no! My boss found out my mistake and now I have egg on my face!”  Make a fool (out) of (someone or oneself) - “I’m not going to dance at the work party because I don’t want to make a fool out of myself”  Put your foot in it - “My Dad put his foot in it when he brought up the topic of politics at a friend’s party!”  Can’t look (someone) in the eye/face - “I couldn’t look him in the eye after crashing his car.”  Sheepish - “He looked a little sheepish when he answered her question!  Red faced - “The boy was red-faced when the teacher made him speak in front of the whole school”  Wish the ground would open up and swallow me - “I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole when I forgot the words to my speech”  Want to curl up and die - “I wanted to curl up and die when I accidentally walked into the girl’s bathroom!”  Swallow your pride - “She is very independent, so it was difficult for her to swallow her pride and ask for help!” --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last few weeks, the winners of this year's Nobel Prizes have been announced. The Nobel Prizes are perhaps the most prestigious and well known awards around the world. On this episode of Thinking in English, let’s talk about how you win a Nobel Prize, the origins of the awards, and this year's winners! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/13/109-nobel-prizes-explained-history-context-and-current-state-of-the-worlds-most-famous-awards-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/ You may also like... 108. Should We Bring Extinct Animals Back To Life?: De-Extinction Explained! (English Vocabulary Lesson) 107. Insects, Artificial Meat, and Microbes: What Is The Future of Food? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 100. How Many Oceans Are There? How Many Continents Are There? (English Vocabulary Lesson) CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Field (n) - an area of activity or interest He is well known in the field of medicine To confer (v) - to give an honour, official title, or ability to someone The US constitution confers certain powers on the president Accolade  (n) - praise and approval He has been given the ultimate accolade - his face on the $10 bill Prestigious  (adj) - very much respected and admired, usually because of being important She goes to a prestigious university To nominate (v) - to say officially that a person, film, song, programme, etc, will be included in a competition for a prize The film was nominated for an Academy Award Dependable (adj) - if someone or something is dependable, you can have confidence in him, her, or it My car is not very dependable Dynamite  (n) - a type of explosive The cartoon character used dynamite to blow up a building! Will (n) - an official statement of what a person has decided should be done with their money and property after their death She left me some money in her will Obituary (n) - a report, especially in an newspaper, that gives the news of someone’s death and details about their life His obituary was reported in every national newspaper --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently, it has been announced that a group of researchers in the US are planning to bring back the woolly mammoth from extinction. While some scientists think there could be benefits to doing this, others are worried about the potential risks and negative consequences of de-extinction! So, should we bring extinct animals back to life? Let’s discuss it on today’s episode of Thinking in English TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/11/108-should-we-bring-extinct-animals-back-to-life-de-extinction-explained-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/ CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com You may also like... 107. Insects, Artificial Meat, and Microbes: What Is The Future of Food? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 99. Should We Colonize Space? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 34. Should Zoos Exist?: A Discussion of the Benefits and Controversies Surrounding Zoos (English Vocabulary Lesson) Vocabulary List Extinct (adj) - not now existing There is a concern that the Asian elephant will become extinct! Species (n) - a set of animals or plants in which the members have similar characteristics to each other and can breed with each other Over a hundred species of insect are found in this area To raise (v) - to raise money is to succeed in getting money I want to start my own business if I can raise enough money Gene (n) - a part of the DNA in a cell that controls the physical development, behaviour, etc, or an animal or plant and is passed on from parents The illness is believed to be caused by a defective gene Hybrid (n) - a plant or animals that has been produced from two different types of plant or animal, especially to get better characteristics The animal looks like a hybrid of a zebra and a horse Embryo (n) - an animal that is developing either in its mother’s womb or in an egg Between the eighth week of development and birth a human embryo is called a foetus Tundra (n) - part of the very large area of land in North Asia, North AMerica, and Northern Europe where, because it is cold, trees do not grow and ground below the surface is permanently frozen Reindeer roam the tundra in large herds Ecosystem (n) - all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the environment Pollution can have disastrous effects on the delicately balanced ecosystem --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are You “Feeling blue,” “Crying Crocodile Tears,” or “Down in the Dumps”? In this episode of Thinking in English, let’s learn some other useful idioms and phrases to describe sadness!! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/08/feeling-blue-crying-crocodile-tears-and-down-in-the-dumps-excellent-sadness-idioms-english-vocabulary-lesson/ You may also be interested in... Are You ‘Bursting with Joy,’ ‘Over The Moon,’ or ‘On Cloud Nine’?: Idioms and Phrases to Describe Happiness!! “When pigs fly:” Essential English Idioms, Expressions, and Proverbs! (English Vocabulary Lesson) ‘Fat Cats,’ ‘Cat Naps,’ and ‘Doggy Bags’: Dog and Cat Idioms! 45. Eight More Business English Idioms!! CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com To Feel Blue - “I was feeling blue earlier today, but after taking a long walk I feel much better!” To Be Down In The Dumps - “Jim is down in the dumps today because he broke up with his girlfriend” To Cry Crocodile Tears - “The boy cried crocodile tears after fighting with his sister”   To Have A Lump In One’s Throat - “Every time I watch the movie Gladiator I get a lump in my throat” To Fall Apart - “After Sarah’s husband died, she fell apart” To Take Something Hard - “I took it hard when I was rejected from my dream job’ To Feel Out Of Sorts - “I think something is wrong with John, as it seems as though he feels out of sorts” To Be Bummed Out - “My son is really bummed out after hearing his favourite band is breaking up” --- 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 future of food? If we do not change the way we eat and produce food, we are going to struggle to feed the entire planet in the future and cause damage to the environment. So what can we do? Let’s discuss this issue in today’s episode of Thinking in English! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/06/107-insects-artificial-meat-and-microbes-what-is-the-future-of-food-english-vocabulary-lesson/ You may also like... 81. The End of Coffee!!: How can we save the world’s coffee industry? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 23. UK Bans New Fossil Fuel Vehicles… by 2030 (English Vocabulary Lesson) CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Motivating (adj) - able to influence someone to behave in a particular way The motivating factor behind our company’s success is concern for customers Cattle (n) - a group of animals that includes cows, buffalo, and bison, that are often kept for their milk This farm really cares a lot about their dairy cattle To graze (v) - to eat grass The cows were grazing Sustainable (adj) - able to continue over a period of time That sort of extreme diet is not sustainable over a long period Efficient (adj) - working or operating quickly and effectively in an organized way without any waste They are building more fuel-efficient cars to save gas Delicacy (n) - something especially rare or expensive that is good to eat In some parts of the world, sheep brain is considered a great delicacy To accommodate (v) - to have or provide the space that someone or something needs The centre can accommodate up to 220 students Microbe (n) - a very small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope It is microbes that create the unique flavour and smell of blue cheese --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, I'm going to give you five challenging riddles to try and solve! Use your English skills to find the answers! TRANSCRIPT!! - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/04/5-challenging-english-riddles/ You might also like... 3 English Riddles  Terrifyingly Troubling Tongue Twisters!: A Pronunciation Challenge Awesome English Riddle Challenge!! CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com What gets wet while drying? I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I? People make me, save me, change me, raise me. What am I? What word is pronounced the same if you take away four of its five letters? What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it? If you want to check your answers, message Thinking in English Podcast on Instagram. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are You ‘Bursting with Joy,’ ‘Over The Moon,’ or ‘On Cloud Nine’? In this episode of Thinking in English, let’s learn some other fascinating idioms and phrases to describe happiness!! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/01/are-you-bursting-with-joy-over-the-moon-or-on-cloud-nine-idioms-and-phrases-to-describe-happiness/ You may also be interested in... “When pigs fly:” Essential English Idioms, Expressions, and Proverbs! (English Vocabulary Lesson) ‘Fat Cats,’ ‘Cat Naps,’ and ‘Doggy Bags’: Dog and Cat Idioms! 45. Eight More Business English Idioms!! CONTACT ME!! 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

Are you thinking about taking an English proficiency test to check your language level? Or do you need the result for a job, to move to another country, or start university? Two of the most important, well respected, and popular exams are TOEFL and IELTS. Which one should you take? Let’s talk about it in this episode of Thinking in English! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/09/29/106-toefl-vs-ielts-which-one-should-you-take-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/ You may also like... 76. Conversational English vs Business English vs Academic English: What’s the difference? (English Vocabulary Lesson) 55. British English vs American English: Which is Better?? CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List To naturalise (v) - to make someone a legal citizen of a country that they were not born in My sister is a naturalised US citizen Acronym (n) - an abbreviation consisting of the first letters of each word in the name of something, pronounced as a words IELTS is an acronym for “International English Language Testing System” Specific (adj) - relating to one thing and not others; particular The virus attacks specific cells in the brain Proficiency (n) - the fact of having the skill and experience for doing something That organization requires employees to have proficiency in at least two different languages In a nutshell (idiom) - very briefly, giving only the main points “What went wrong?” “In a nutshell, everything” To type (v) - to write using a machine, either a computer keyboard or a typewriter She asked me to type a couple of letters Contrasting (adj) - very different That artist likes to use contrasting colours in his paintings Airport fiction (n) - airport fiction is a genre of literature that is a fairly long and fast paced; you read it for the plot and the fast pace, not for the style of writing She only likes to read airport fiction To reiterate (v) - to say something again, once or several times She reiterated that she had never seen him before --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A mission to recruit Nazi war criminals? CIA mind control experiments? A President trying to steal important documents? These might sound crazy, but they are just a few examples of conspiracy theories that were actually true! Let’s talk about conspiracy theories and more on this episode of Thinking in English! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/09/28/105-crazy-conspiracy-theories-that-were-actually-true-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT ME!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Plot (n) - a secret plan by several people to do something that is wrong, harmful, or not legal, especially to do damage to a person or government The police stopped a plot to assassinate the president Uncertainty (n) - a situation in which something is not known, or something that is not known or certain Life is full of uncertainties Sociopolitical (adj) - used to describe the differences between groups of people relating to their political beliefs, social class, etc The report recommended new policies due to sociopolitical changes over the years Evildoer (n) - someone who does something evil The government has blamed the protests on a handful of evildoers Obscure (adj) - not known to many people He moved to an obscure island in the Pacific Blatantly  (adv) - in a way that is very obscure and intentional, when this is a bad thing It was blatantly obvious that she was telling a lie To cover up (phrasal v) - to keep something unpleasant or illegal secret or hidden He accused the men of covering up a crime Scandal (n) - (an action or event that caused) a public feeling of shock and strong moral disapproval Their affair caused a scandal in the office --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices