Vau Classroom - A ten-point exercise

Lesson 91

6 Minute English - Tiny monsters of the Highlands

Learn and practise useful English language for everyday situations with the BBC. Your weekly instruction manual for saying or doing something in English is published every Wednesday. Each programme is six minutes long and contains examples and explanations to help you improve your knowledge of the English language across a wide range of topics.

This week:

Tiny monsters of the Highlands - Callum and Finn discuss the Scottish Highlands and the 'tiny monsters' that live in the area and like to dine on tourists.

You raise me up - Secret Garden

Another amazing song by this Norwegian group.



Lyrics

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up, To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up, To more than I can be.

There is no life no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up, To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up, To more than I can be.

Pronunciation tips - Voiceless Consonant Sound 6

A video from the BBC which shows us how to produce this voiceless consonant sound.

Practice your listening 32

The Break Up
George gives Crystal advice on how to break up with someone you like.
Click on the image to go to the exercise:

6 Minute English - Quarter-life crisis

Learn and practise useful English language for everyday situations with the BBC. Your weekly instruction manual for saying or doing something in English is published every Wednesday. Each programme is six minutes long and contains examples and explanations to help you improve your knowledge of the English language across a wide range of topics.

This week: 

Quarter-life crisis - Callum and Kate learn about the expression "quarter-life crisis" and how it compares to the more well-known "mid-life crisis".

Are they the same thing or do the young have different crises to the middle-aged?

Sometimes a prayer will do - Secret Garden

I've just discovered the last CD from this Norwegian group (Secret Garden). Their music is absolutely amazing and I couldn't help it... I thought to myself "I need to share this with all this blog's readers". I hope you like it as much as I do.



Lyrics

Sometimes A Prayer Will Do

Sometimes we stumble
Sometimes we even fall
And we can't find a friend
Can't comprehend it all
And we are lost
With nothing to hold on to

When we can't find the answer
Sometimes a Prayer will do
And though we wonder
Uncertain if we will get through
To face the future
Sometimes a prayer will do

Sometimes we reach
For what's not really there
Sometimes we lose our grip
Come tumbling through midair
And we are searching
For something to hold on to

When we can't find the answer
Sometimes a Prayer will do
And though we wonder
Uncertain if we will get through
To face the future
Sometimes a prayer will do

Then we are stronger
Somehow we know we will get through
To face the future
Sometimes a prayer will do

Yeah, we are stronger
Somehow we know we will get through
To face the future
Sometimes a prayer will do
Sometimes a prayer will do

Pronunciation tips - Voiceless Consonant Sound 5

A video from the BBC which shows us how to produce this voiceless consonant sound.

Just incredible!!!

The male opera singer who sings like a castrato

Jacek is rehearsing the role of Anfione in Niobe at the Royal Opera House

Jacek Laszczkowski is one of a tiny handful of men who can sing the parts originally performed by castrati, male singers castrated before puberty.

In 17th and 18th century Italy, about 4,000 boys were castrated each year, from the age of eight upwards, to fill the demand for opera singers and soloists with choirs in churches and royal palaces.
The practice was made illegal in Italy in 1870.
However, Jacek Laszczkowski's natural soprano voice happens to have the same quality as the castrati.
The BBC's Claire Bolderson asked him to define the way he sings.
Go to this link to listen to him singing... It's difficult to believe it's a man who's singing...

Practice your listening 31

Class Crush
Crystal gives George female advice on how to ask out a woman he likes.
Click on the image to go to the exercise:

6 Minute English - Collecting football stickers

Learn and practise useful English language for everyday situations with the BBC. Your weekly instruction manual for saying or doing something in English is published every Wednesday. Each programme is six minutes long and contains examples and explanations to help you improve your knowledge of the English language across a wide range of topics.

This week: 

Collecting football stickers Kate and Rosie discuss collecting things and in particular the current craze for collecting World Cup football stickers. Is this strictly a pastime for young children or is it suitable for adults too?

Pronunciation tips - Voiceless Consonant Sound 4

A video from the BBC which shows us how to produce this voiceless consonant sound.

Practice your listening 30

Touchy Topics
Greg asks Todd why elllo has so few controversial topics.
Click on the image to go to the exercise:

6 Minute English - Elizabethan banquet

Learn and practise useful English language for everyday situations with the BBC. Your weekly instruction manual for saying or doing something in English is published every Wednesday. Each programme is six minutes long and contains examples and explanations to help you improve your knowledge of the English language across a wide range of topics.

This week:

Elizabethan banquet In 1575, the love of Queen Elizabeth I's life put on a banquet of 300 desserts at his home in her honour. Recently, that banquet was recreated - but would all the desserts be suitable for modern tastes? Join Yvonne and Kate as they discuss some of the dishes on offer.

Literature - Storytelling - Culture vultures 6

How important is storytelling for human being? What are the necessary things that a story must have to become a really good story? Learn about it in this episode.
click on the image to go to the video.

Pronunciation tips - Voiceless Consonant Sound 3

A video from the BBC which shows us how to produce this voiceless consonant sound.

Practice your listening 29

Aikido
Mark talks with Mike about how he got into the martial art of Aikido.
Click on the image to go to the exercise:

Vau Classroom - Since

Lesson 96

6 Minute English - Hen and stag parties

Learn and practise useful English language for everyday situations with the BBC. Your weekly instruction manual for saying or doing something in English is published every Wednesday. Each programme is six minutes long and contains examples and explanations to help you improve your knowledge of the English language across a wide range of topics.

This week: 

Hen and stag parties As the wedding season comes to an end in the UK, many newly weds will be thinking about the money they got and the money they have to pay back. But weddings can be expensive for guests too, for example, for the hen party or the stag party. Yvonne and Kate discuss what they are!