Thinking in English

On today’s episode, let's talk about money. Whether you love the idea of money, or hate it, money is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of our modern world! As an important part of our culture, money has obviously impacted our language. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different ways to refer to or talk about money; although I can't introduce you to all of these, this episode will give you a few interesting alternatives to add to your vocabulary. I’ll also suggest a few money-related idioms you could try to use! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/28/37-money-essential-english-vocabulary/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST Good (n) - things for sale, or the things that you own There is a 25 percent discount on all electrical goods until the end of the week To barter (v) - to exchange goods for other things rather than for money He bartered his stamp collection for her comics. To negotiate (v) - to have formal discussions with someone in order to reach an agreement with them I’m negotiating for a new contract Currency (n) - the money that is used in a particular country at a particular time 19 European countries use the Euro as their currency Slang (n) - very informal language that is usually spoken rather than written “Chicken” is slang for someone who isn’t brave Colloquial (adj) - (of words and expressions) informal and more suitable for use in speech than in writing English is full of colloquial terms and phrases Simultaneously (adv) - in a way that is simultaneous (= happening or being done at exactly the same time) Two children answered the teacher’s question simultaneously Budget (n) - the amount of money you have available to spend The school budget is going to be cut again Mainstream (adj) - considered normal, and having or using ideas, beliefs, etc. that are accepted by most people This is the director’s first mainstream Hollywood film COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS Q. What currency does Ireland use? A. Euro Q. “I have no money” - What idiom would describe me? A. Broke/Short on money Q. “I am rich” - What idiom would describe me? A. Loaded/Filthy rich --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello and Merry Christmas! This episode is probably being released on Christmas eve, so there is no better time to learn some Christmassy words!! Learn some festive themed idioms, phrases, and sayings to boost your Christmas vocabulary! TRANSCRIPT!! - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/23/36-christmas-special-christmas-idioms-phrases-and-sayings-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary list Intrinsic (adj) - being an extremely important and basic characteristic of a person or thing Maths is an intrinsic part of the school curriculum To associate (v) - to connect someone or something in your mind with someone or something else Most people associate this brand with good quality Ecstatic (adj) - extremely happy The new president was greeted by an ecstatic crowd Loosely (adv) - not exactly The film is loosely based on a novel by John Smith Illogical (adj) - not reasonable, wise, or practical, usually because directed by the emotions rather than by careful thought It is an illogical statement, because if one part is true, then the other must be false Insignificant (adj) - small or not noticeable, and therefore not considered important Why bother arguing about such an insignificant amount of money? Intention (n) - something that you want and plan to do I’ve no intention of changing my plans just to fit in with his --- 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'm hoping to give you some tips to improve your writing skills! Writing is one of the key language skills, and often students want to know how they can get better! We’ll look at some of the reasons writing is important to practice, and then I'll offer some advice on how to improve! Transcript - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/21/35-how-to-improve-your-writing-skills/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST To reinforce (v) - to make something stronger The pockets on my jeans are reinforced with double stitching Aspect (n) - one part of a situation, problem, subject, etc. Which aspects of your job do you most enjoy? Element (n) - a part of something The movie has all the elements of a blockbuster Flow (n) - if discussions or ideas flow, people talk and exchange information in a relaxed way Ideas flow more easily in an atmosphere of trust Factor (n) - a fact or situation that influences the result of something People’s voting habits are influenced by political, social, and economic factors Perfection (n) - the state of being complete and correct in every way In his quest for physical perfection, he spends hours in the gym To express (v) - to communicate what you think or feel, by speaking or writing, or in some other way Children often express themselves in painting To analyse - to study or examine something in detail, in order to discover more about it Researchers analysed the purchases of 6,300 households --- 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 we are going to discuss the controversy and debate surrounding zoos! Are zoos vital organisations because they promote scientific research and public education, and save animals on the verge of extinction? Or are zoos terrible prisons with no educational value that damage animals physically and psychologically? TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/16/34-should-zoos-exist-a-discussion-of-the-benefits-and-controversies-surrounding-zoos-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com VOCABULARY LIST Controversial (adj) - causing disagreement or discussion The book was very controversial To struggle (v) - to experience difficulty and make a very great effort in order to do something I’ve been struggling to understand this article all afternoon Logistically (adv) - in a way that involves the careful organization of a complicated activity In theory, this is a great idea, but logistically, it's a nightmare Aristocrat (n) - a person of high social rank who belongs to the aristocracy Many aristocrats were killed in the French Revolution Conservation (n) - the protection of plants, animals, and natural areas from the damaging effects of human activity Wildlife conservation is an important idea in a number of African countries Biodiversity (n) - the number and types of plants and animals that exist in a particular area in the world, and the problems of protecting this Much of this area’s biodiversity is threatened by climate change Captive (adj) - (of a person or animal) having limited ability to move or act freely because of being kept in a space If it is successful, releasing captive animals into the wild could restore the population to over 500 this year! Habitat (n) - the natural environment in which an animal or plant usually lives With so many areas of forest being cut down, a lot of wildlife is losing its natural habitat Detrimental (adj)- causing harm or damage These chemicals have a detrimental impact on the environment Comprehension Questions Q. Why was Calgary zoo struggling to feed its pandas? A. They could not buy/import enough bamboo!’ Q. Where is the world's oldest operational zoo? A. Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Austria Q. What is the leading cause of death of gorillas in captivity? A. Heart disease --- 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, we are going to look at how to ask great questions! Asking questions is one of the most important skills in daily life, but most people do not realise we can practice and improve! I’ll look at why questions are important, the mistakes we often make when asking questions, and then some tips on how to improve! TRANSCRIPT - https://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 To clarify (v) - to make something clear or easier to understand by giving more details or a simpler explanation Could you clarify the first point please? I don’t understand it completely. Tremendous (adj) - very great in amount or level, or extremely good They were making a tremendous amount of noise last night respective (adj) - relating or belonging to each of the separate people or things you have just mentioned Everyone would walk to school together then afterwards we’d go to our respective classes To fuel (v) - something that fuels a feeling or a type of behaviour increases it or makes it stronger The president’s speech fuelled speculation that she is about to resign eager (adj) - wanting very much to do or have something, especially something interesting or enjoyable He is very eager to meet you apathetic (adj) - showing no interest or energy and unwilling to take action, especially over something important Young people today are so apathetic about politics To bias (v) - to cause someone or something to have a bias (bias is the action of supporting or opposing a particular person or thing in an unfair way, because of allowing personal opinions to influence your judgement) I don’t want to bias your judgement! Intrusive (adj) - affecting someone in a way that annoys them or makes them feel uncomfortable The journalists intrusive questioning made me uncomfortable transparent (adj) - open and honest, without secrets We are committed to being totally transparent about our decisions --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, i want to introduce you to some of the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2020 words of the year. For the first time ever, the Oxford Dictionary was unable to choose one single standout word from the previous 12 months. Instead, as a consequence of the unprecedented events of 2020, they have highlighted a number of highly significant developments in our vocabulary! So I’m going to introduce you to some of the words and phrases included in the “Word of the Year” report! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/10/32-the-oxford-dictionary-words-of-the-year-2020-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Unprecedented (adj) - never having happened or existed in the past This century has witnessed environmental destruction on an unprecedented level Prominent (adj) - very well known and important He is a prominent politician in his country Lexicographer (n) - a person whose job is to write dictionaries My friend wants to be a lexicographer momentous (adj) - very important because of effects on future events Whether or not to move overseas was a momentous decision for the family To encompass (v) - to include different types of things The festival is to encompass everything from music, theatre, and ballet to literature, cinema, and the visual arts Linguistic (adj) - connected with language or the study of language She is researching the linguistic development of young children Epidemiologist (n) - someone who studies diseases and how they are found, spread, and controlled in groups of people They are epidemiologists studying the causes of diseases To impeach (v) - to make a formal statement saying that a public official is guilty of a serious offence in connection with their job, especially in the US The governor was impeached for wrongful use of state money --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we will discuss the failure of Quibi! I guess many of you are asking, “what is Quibi?” You’re probably not alone. Quibi was supposed to be the next big thing in online videos, attracting billions of dollars in investments before it launched earlier this year. On the 1st December, however, Quibi ended for ever. We’ll look at the history of Quibi, its unique selling points, and talk about why it failed. TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/08/the-downfall-of-quibi-the-story-of-an-expensive-failure-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Platform (n) - a method of communication or entertainment like television, radio, or the internet This podcast is available on a number of podcasting platforms, including Apple podcasts, Spotify, and Google podcasts! content (n) - the information and experiences that are directed to an end-user or audience She has been producing Youtube content for 5 years! To tailor (v) - to adjust something to suit a particular need or situation Their services are tailored to client’s needs amalgamation (n) - the action or process of uniting or merging two or more things Opera is an amalgamation of singing, acting, and stagecraft Orientation (n) - arrangement or direction The building has an east-west orientation To consume (v) - to use something such as fuel, energy, money, content or time, especially in large quantities This device will monitor how much energy your household appliances are consuming at any time To break down (Phrasal v) - to break down something such as idea or statement means to separate it into smaller parts in order to make it easier to understand or deal with The report breaks down the results region by region Up-and-coming (adj) - likely to achieve success soon or in the near future She is an up-and-coming actress Comprehension Questions Q. What two words were combined to make the name Quibi? A. Quick Bites Q. How much money did the company raise? A. $1.8 billion Q. How many subscribers did Quibi have when it shut down? A. 400,000 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much do you know about the history of your languages? Where do the words come from, and why do we use them? Today’s episode will look at the recent news Germany is removing some words of Nazi origins from its phonetic alphabet. Although most German’s were unaware of the history of these terms, the regular use has been considered problematic. Are there any words in your languages that have offensive origins? Transcript - http://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/06/30-germany-removes-nazi-words-from-the-german-phonetic-alphabet-how-much-do-you-know-about-the-history-of-your-vocabulary-english-vocabulary-lesson/ Contact Us!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary List Take… for granted (Phrasal V) - to believe something to be the truth without even thinking about it I didn’t realise you hadn’t been to college -I suppose I just took it for granted Quirk (n) - an unusual habit or part of someone’s personality, or something that is strange or unexpected There is a quirk in the rules that allows you to invest money without paying tax Mutually (adv) - felt or done by two or more people or groups in the same way It will be a mutually beneficial project Unintelligible (adj) - not able to be understood He muttered something unintelligible Despicable (adj) - very unpleasant or bad, causing strong feelings of dislike He’s a despicable human being Phonetic (adj) - using special signs to represent the different sounds made by the voice in speech Pronunciations are shown in this dictionary using the International Phonetic Alphabet Bureaucratic (adj) - relating to a system of controlling or managing a country, company, or organization that is operated by a large number of officials The company was inefficient because it was highly bureaucratic Notorious (adj) - famous for something bad The company is notorious for paying its bills late --- 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 we are going to discuss the news that China has landed another probe on the surface of the moon. The Chinese mission intends to collect rock samples to bring back to Earth; the first time this will happen for over 40 years. Why is China interested in space exploration? Are we on the verge of a new space race? What is the scientific importance of moon rocks? We’ll look at all these questions and more on today’s episode! TRANSCRIPT: https://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 Ensuing (adj) - happening after something and because of it An argument broke out and in the ensuing fight someone got hurt Proxy war (n) - a war fought between groups or smaller countries that each represent the interests of other larger powers, and may have help and support from these The USA and USSR fought a proxy war in Korea Capability (n) - the ability to do something These tasks are beyond my capabilities Probe (n) - a small spacecraft, with no one travelling in it, sent into space to make measurements and send back information to scientists on earth There is currently a space probe heading towards the sun! To analyse (v) - to study or examine something in detail, in order to discover more about it Researchers analysed the purchases of 6300 households Volcanic (adj) - of, or relating to, or made by a volcano They were not expecting the volcanic eruption Overdrive (n) - a state of great activity, effort, or hard work The cast of the play was in overdrive rehearsing for the first performance Lunar (adj) - of or relating to the moon The lunar eclipse was beautiful Comprehension Questions Q. How much material does the Chinese probe hope to bring back to Earth? A. about 2kg Q. Where on the moon is China planning to land? A. Close to an area known as Mons Rümker Q. What private companies are involved in space exploration? A. Space-X, Virgin Galactic, and Boeing --- 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 we are going to discuss the news that Tesla is now worth over $500 billion! This is considerably more than any other car manufacturer! Is Tesla really worth $500 billion? Why has the company's value increased so much over the last year? How can a company that produces few cars be worth more than many of its competitors combined? TRANSCRIPT!!! - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/01/28-is-tesla-really-worth-500-million-english-vocabulary-lesson/ Contact Us!! INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/) Twitter - @thinkenglishpod Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com Vocabulary list Gruelling (adj) - extremely tiring and difficult, and demanding great effort and determination Runners are taking part in a gruelling 100-mile race in the mountains Value (n) - the amount of money that can be received for something. Also included in this episode are the verb ‘to value’ (meaning to give a judgement about how much money something should be sold for) and the noun ‘valuation’ (which is the act of saying how much something is worth) The value of the pound fell against other currencies Profitable (adj) - making or likely to make a profit Over the years it has developed into a highly profitable business Quarterly (adj,adv) - done or produced four times a year The magazine will be produced quarterly Consecutive (adj) - following one after another without interruption We’ve had five consecutive days of rain -fold (suffix) - multiplied by the stated number - if i start with $5, then it increases threefold, i now have $15! In the last 50 years, there has been a 33-fold increase in the amount of chemicals used in farming To deem (v) - to consider or judge something in a particular way The area has now been deemed safe Consistently (adv) - in a way that does not change The president has consistently denied the rumours To fluctuate (v) - to change, especially continuously and between one level or thing and another Vegetable prices fluctuate according to the season Irrational (adj) - not using reason or clear thinking It’s totally irrational, but i’m frightened of mice Comprehension Questions! Q. What are the three companies I mentioned listed on the S&P 500 index? A. apple, Microsoft, and Amazon Q. How much was a Tesla share in January? How much are they now (at the time i’m writing)? A. $86 in January. Almost $550 now! Q. How many cars did Tesla sell in 2019? A. 367,500 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices