Thinking in English

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

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