Talking point: Influence of television on our lives

This week's talking point is the influence of television on our lives. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas come to mind more easily the day you get together with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.

Do you spend a lot of time watching TV?
Why do you think watching television is a popular pastime?
Why would people choose to watch these TV programmes?
talent shows
news bulletins
documentaries
sports programmes
comedy series

Do you think young people who watch a lot of violence on TV tend to be violent themselves?
What do you think about advertising on television?
Which type of TV show would be the most popular and would attract more advertisers to spend money on advertising their product?

Does TV have a bad influence on people’s lives? Answer the question in relation to these topics:
Moulding our minds
Time with family
Talking about programmes with friends
Educational programmes
Other leisure activities
Adverts

Is this the best April Fool's ever?

This is the background story to how BBC's Panorama programme deceived Britain on 1 April 1957.

Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below.



1. What does BBC’s Panorama deal with?
2. When was it broadcast?
3. What was the budget Michale Peacock gave to Charles Eager?
4. How had reporter Richard Dimbleby earned his reputation?
5. What metaphor did they use in the film?
6. Why was the spaghetti flexible?
7. Who did they tell about the prank?
8. What did the Director-General say to his wife?
9. How did the Panorama team feel afterwards?

I was anything, producing a very important programme in the BBC called Panorama. Panorama was a major vehicle for current affairs coverage of the major stories of the day.
We had noted in an editorial meeting that April 1st was on a Monday, and Monday was our transmission day. A week or so later Charles Eager, who was a freelance cameraman, came into the office and they pitched the idea of the spaghetti harvest being an April Fool’s joke. I gave Charles a budget of a hundred pounds and then sent him off.
It isn't only in Britain that spring, this year, has taken everyone by surprise. The past winter, one of the mildest in living memory, has had its effect in other ways as well. Most important of all, it's resulted in an exceptionally heavy spaghetti crop.
When the writer’s came back, it was obvious that we had a wonderful film in the making and that we should treat it as a newsreel. The anchor man for Panorama was Richard Dimbleby. Richard was a most respected reporter. He’d earned his reputation as a war correspondent. He knew perfectly well we were using his authority to make the joke work. He loved the idea and then went at it with relic, I’ll put it that way.
Spaghetti cultivation here in Switzerland is not, of course, carried out on anything like the tremendous scale of the Italian industry.
David Wheeler, who wrote it, had been clever enough to use the wine harvest as a metaphor. This gave to those who knew what we were up to a coat-hanger, as it were, to hang their understanding and enjoyment of the film and for those who didn't know anything about spaghetti harvest, it made it more, more credible.
Many of you, I am sure, will have seen pictures of the vast spaghetti plantations in the Po valley. For the Swiss, however, it tends to be more of a family affair.
Spaghetti had been cooked so it was flexible and where they wouldn't stick, they use a bit of cello tape.
Another reason why this may be a bumper year lies in the virtual disappearance of the spaghetti weevil, the tiny creature whose depredations have caused much concern in the past.
We realized that if we told even one person, like my boss, the last thing we wanted was to have the idea getting to the press, so we told nobody.
Many people are often puzzled by the fact that spaghetti is produced at such uniform length. But this is the result of many years of patient endeavour by plant breeders who've succeeded in producing the perfect spaghetti. For those who love this dish, there is nothing like real home-grown spaghetti.
At the end of the item, Richard spoke to camera, said that's all from Panorama this April 1st 1957. I learned that the Director-General had said to his wife, I didn’t know spaghetti grew on trees, and he started to reach for his encyclopaedia, and his wife said, don’t be a fool, of course it doesn’t.
Overall, I mean the press loved the story. There was a huge reaction. Some couldn't understand what was going on. Others loved it. Others hated it for misleading the nation. This is why it worked so well. We all felt very pleased with ourselves, of course.

KEY:
1 current affairs
2 on Mondays
3 £100
4 as a war correspondent
5 the wine harvest
6 because it had been cooked
7 nobody
8 I didn’t know spaghetti grew on trees
9 pleased with themselves

Listening test: Talent shows

Listen to two BBC reporters discuss talent shows and choose the option A, B or C that best completes each sentence. 0 is an example.

Source: BBC 6 Minute English

0 In singing talent shows contestants
A are well-known artists.
B don’t compete with each other.
C want to become famous.

1 According to Neil,
A the format is successful.
B the music is generally bad.
C these shows suit his favourite music.

2 Simon Cowell
A is pleasant to the contestants.
B makes a lot of money out of the shows.
C used to be a successful singer.

3 Putting someone down is
A impolite.
B funny.
C usually done on TV.

4 Producer Pete Waterman believes Simon
A thinks a lot of himself.
B is the biggest talent in the world.
C is obsessive.

5 What motives Simon is
A artistic ambition.
B great music.
C notoriety.

6 According to George Ergatoudis, winners of the show
A are successful for two or three years.
B don’t even have a successful album.
C don’t have a long career.

7 The oldest person to audition for the X Factor was
A 84.
B 94.
C 101.

Photo: BBC 6 Minute English

Kate: Hi Neil.
Neil: Hello Kate
Kate: Well Neil, I know you're quite a big music fan so I wanted to start the programme today by asking you what you know about the TV singing talent shows that everyone seems to be talking about.
Neil: Well, I think you mean shows like 'The X Factor', 'Pop Idol' and numerous others. They are basically singing competitions or talent shows which are aired on TV. Talent shows are events where people compete to show how skilled they are in a particular area – and here it's singing. Many people who are aspiring pop stars or performers try to impress judges with their musical talent in the hope of getting a record deal, fame and fortune.
Kate: Yes, it seems there are a lot of people out there who want to be pop stars! So we know that TV singing talent shows are very popular but what do you personally think of them, Neil?
Neil: Well it's certainly a winning format where people audition and the judges and audience voters gradually eliminate them and until there is just one winner left. This works very well so we can call it a winning format. But although many people seem to find it compelling viewing, I'm afraid I find the music too mainstream, unoriginal, predictable, and accepted by most people. It doesn't interest me at all. The type of music I like I'm afraid doesn't really feature in these shows.
Kate: Well, the man behind one of these shows 'the X Factor' is someone called Simon Cowell and he has sold his winning format to more than 40 countries worldwide including Denmark, Italy, Spain, Russian, Colombia and India.
Neil: Yes, he's been very successful – he is a judge on the actual shows, the owner of the format and the person who profits from the sales of the music after the show has ended. He is also well known for being incredibly rude to the contestants.
Kate: Let's hear an example of how he speaks to people who are auditioning:
You can't sing. Not very good and incredibly annoying
I just think you should give us a chance
But a chance to do what?
To improve.
Yeah - Girls we have weeks not decades
Neil: Comments like these can be called put downs. You can 'put someone down', which means that you are rude them and insult them as a person or their ability to do something. Not a very nice thing to do.
Kate: Now let's hear what one of fellow producers, Pete Waterman says about him:
He's got an ego – the biggest ego in the world. Simple as that. He's driven. He sees an opportunity and he's built it into the world's biggest format. Quite incredible.
Kate: So what is it do you think it is that drives Simon Cowell – money perhaps? The desire to make great music or maybe it's just down to artistic ambition? Let's hear what Pete Waterman says about this:
Artistic ambition! Give me a break – it's about being famous!
Kate: But what about the winners' musical careers after the show has ended? Next we're going to hear from someone else in the music industry. George Ergatoudis, Head of Music at BBC Radio 1. Do the artists or singers go on to have long or fulfilling careers?
Extract 4
A lot of the artists that have come through his show have pretty short lived careers. You know, they have a bright moment following the show perhaps 2 or 3 successful singles or a successful initial album and the story kind of starts to wane….'
Kate: Well this doesn't seem to stop people wanting to take part in the show and watch it.
Kate: And lastly the answer to the question I asked you. What age was the oldest person to audition for the X Factor?
Neil: I said 101.
Kate: I'm afraid they weren't quite as old as that. The oldest person was actually 84 which is still quite good going. That's all for today. Thanks for joining us today. Until next time. Goodbye!

KEY:
1C 2B 3A 4A 5C 6C 7A

Extensive listening: 4 larger-than-life lessons from soap operas

Soap operas and telenovelas may be overdramatic, but as Kate Adams shows us, their exaggerated stories and characters often cast light on the problems of real life.

In this sparkling, funny talk, Adams, a former assistant casting director for "As the World Turns," share four lessons for life and business that we can learn from melodramas.

TED speaker  Kate Adams spends her days dissecting digital communications to find a better way to tell brand stories and connect with customers.

You can read the full transcript here.

Reading test: Time spent online 'overtakes TV' among youngsters

In this week's reading test we are going to practise the grammar and vocabulary multiple choice task, and we are going to use the BBC article Time spent online 'overtakes TV' among youngsters to that purpose.

Read the article and choose the option A, B or C which best completes the gaps 1-14. 0 is an example.

Time spent online 'overtakes TV' among youngsters

Young people are spending more time playing and socialising online (0) … watching television programmes, according to an annual survey tracking children's media behaviour in the UK. Staff at research agency Childwise described it as a "landmark change". Among those watching TV, the Netflix on-demand service was more popular than any conventional television channel. There was also a (1) … in children's ownership of tablet computers, up by 50% compared with last year.  The annual media monitoring report, based on a (2) … of more than 2,000 five to 16-year-olds, has been following children's viewing behaviour since the mid-1990s.

On demand
This year's findings from Childwise are being claimed as a tipping point with children (3) … from conventional television to spending time online. The average time spent online is now three hours per day, compared with 2.1 hours watching television.

Among older teenagers in the survey there is an even more pronounced move away from television, particularly at the time when it is broadcast. Among 15 to 16-year-olds, less than a quarter would typically watch television as it is broadcast, (4) … on a catch-up or on-demand service or through YouTube. Among this age group, 32% had no favourite television programme.
And across the whole age range, none of the programmes identified as favourites, (5) … Hollyoaks and Pretty Little Liars, had been seen by more than 2% of young people in the previous week. Boys had a preference for sport while girls preferred reality shows like Made in Chelsea.

Tablets
Among television services, Netflix emerged as the most popular choice – (6) … all the conventional channels.
The study shows how much young people's lives are immersed in online activity and computer devices and how these forms of media are overlapping. While the average time for online consumption is three hours per day, among 15 to 16-year-olds it (7) … to almost five hours.
The most common way of accessing the internet is the mobile phone, which is described as "near universal" among young people.
But particularly among younger children, there has been a sharp increase in access to tablet computers, now owned by 67% of youngsters, with the iPad by far the most (8) … . Children go online to watch videos, listen to music, play games and (9) … their homework - and older children use it for social networking, particularly among girls.
The study reveals that (10) … young people are accessing the internet, YouTube is the dominant destination. The video-sharing website is used every day by almost half of all five to 16-year-olds, most often through a mobile phone or tablet, to watch video clips, listen to music and use games-related material. They particularly want to see "funny" content (11) … YouTube, but about a third watch "how-to" videos, including how to play computer games.

End of the CD player
Apart from YouTube, other popular online destinations are Snapchat, Instagram, Minecraft and Facebook. The study also suggests the technologies that are disappearing. A (12) … number of young people listen to music via a CD player, with mobile phones now the leading medium.
It also warns that printed magazines are losing their (13) …, with shrinking numbers of regular readers.
Simon Leggett, Childwise research director, said that this year's survey showed that "TV viewing has been redefined". "Growing access to the internet at any time and in any place, and a blurring of television content across channels and devices, brings a landmark change in behaviour this year. "Children are now seeking out the content of their choice. They (14) … find traditional TV programmes engaging but are increasingly watching them online and on-demand or binge watching box sets."

0
a) instead
b) than
c) that

1
a) raise
b) rise
c) uprise

2
a) sample
b) test
c) try

3
a) switching
b) taking
c) turning

4
a) in the place of
b) instead
c) rather than

5
a) as
b) such
c) such as

6
a) overtaking
b) passing
c) winning

7
a) goes
b raises
c) ) rises

8
a) known
b) useful
c) widespread

9
a) investigate
b) research
c) study

10
a) however
b) whatever
c) wherever

11
a) in
b) on
c) with

12
a) diminishing
b) reducing
c) lowering

13
a) appeal
b) charm
c) position

14
a) already
b) still
c) yet

KEY:
1B 2A 3A 4C 5C 6A 7C 8C 9B 10A 11B 12A 13A 14B

Nicole Kidman on a difficult situation in her life

Watch this short video of Nicole Kidman on the Ellen DeGeneres show and answer the questions below about it.



1. Why did Keith, Nicole's husband, travel to Paris at weekends?
2. What do they write to each other when they're apart?
3.  How long have Keith and Nicole been together?
4. What hard situation has Nicole gone through recently?
5. How does Nicole feel about people expressing their condolences?

When I see you and Keith, first of all, I adore Keith. I think he is the greatest, sweetest guy, and the… I think Keith was performing here when you were shooting that movie, and he was doing Idol, he was touring, and he was flying to Europe (1) to see you for a weekend and flying back.
Yeah.
… and I was like, that is amazing. And a lot of a people have a two-week rule...
No.
But for him to fly that… and he writes you love letters every single day?
I write him things too.
All right, well…
Every single day, do you write him things?
No, he doesn't write them every single day. (2) When we're apart, we do that, yeah.
Every single day?
Yeah.
That's really sweet.
Yeah.
That's really adorable.
I have to say… I love saying this, because he should be, you know, just adored, and he has been so good to me, you know, for (3) nine years, but for the last sort of month, which has been a really tough time for me to have, when you have your partner who just literally carries you through a tough time, oh. And he's been amazing to me. (4) I recently lost my father, and to have my husband be just step up, you know, in that way, it makes me cry. He's amazing, so...
It's good for… yeah.
Yeah, there's nothing better than having your pal to hold you up through times like that.
Yeah, and literally, at times… and I don't know, I mean, we all go through terrible things at different times in our lives, but to be literally carried by your partner, physically at times, 'cause I was so devastated… it's just like I would do anything for that man, so...
Well, you would go through anything for each other. I am so sorry for your loss, and I understand that you are so touched when people come up to you and actually say that to you. A lot of people don't want to be approached, but you really… it means something to you.
Yeah. I think, I mean, I've realized we don't talk about it enough in terms of our society, I think, you know, because at some point in our lives, we're gonna go through… everybody loses their parents, and it's awful. I'm sorry to bring everybody down. But I'm, at the same time, trying to navigate through something right now, and (5) I'm amazed when people reach out, because it's an awkward thing at times. But to have people go, I'm so sorry for your loss, the power of that, and even a note or anything, which I've gotten so much love from people.
Just the sharing. I think that is important, because it's love.
So important in this world.
Whenever it's coming from a place of love, it's support, and...
And there's something about when you realize someone else has gone through a similar thing or is going through a similar thing, it really connects you.
And you're not bringing us down, by the way. We are sending you love.
Thank you.
We're sending you a whole bunch of love.

Talking point: Television

This week's talking point is television. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below, so that ideas can flow more easily when you meet up with your friends and you can work out vocabulary issues beforehand.

• How many hours of TV do you watch a day?
• Tell your friends about a programme you love and a programme you dislike.
• Do you ever watch TV programmes on a PC, a tablet or a phone?
• Are there any TV programmes you switch off as soon as they start?
• Are there any TV programmes you only watch because the rest of your family like them?
• Do you ever watch cartoon series on TV? If so, which one(s)? What do you think of them? And when you were a child?
• Is there a TV series that everyone is watching in your country? Have you seen it? What is it about?
• Are you hooked on TV series? Do you know anyone who is?
• Have you ever binge-watched a TV series?
• How popular are American series in your country? What's the reason for their success?
• Do you know any internet sites where you can watch TV series and programmes from other countries?
• Do you think there are enough quality TV programmes to fill all the channels available?

To illustrate the point watch this video about three very famous scenes of Mad Men.



scene 1
Advertising is based on one thing, happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It's freedom from fear. It's a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay.
It’s toasted. I get it.

scene 2
But there is a rare occasion when the public can be engaged on a level beyond flash – if they have a sentimental bond with the product. My first job I was in house at a fur company, with this old pro of a copywriter, a Greek, named Teddy. Teddy told me the most important idea in advertising is “new.” It creates an itch. You simply put your product in there as a kind of calamine lotion. He also talked about a deeper bond with a product: nostalgia. It’s delicate, but potent. Sweetheart. Teddy told me that in Greek, nostalgia literally means the pain from an old wound. It’s a twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn’t a space ship, it’s a time machine. It goes backwards, forwards. It takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It’s not called a wheel, it’s called a carousel. It lets us travel the way a child travels. Round and around, and back home again. To a place where we know we are loved.

scene 3
Client: Is that all?
Don: You're a nonbeliever. Why should we waste time on kabuki?
Client: I don't know what that means.
Don: It means that you've already tried your plan, and you're number four. You've enlisted my expertise and you've rejected it to go on the way you've been going. I'm not interested in that. You can understand.
Client:     I don't think your three months or however many thousands of dollars entitles you to refocus the core of our business —
Don: Listen. I'm not here to tell you about Jesus. You already know about Jesus. He either lives in your heart or He doesn't. Every woman wants choices. But in the end, none wants to be one of a hundred in a box. She's unique. She makes the choices and she's chosen him. She wants to tell the world, he's mine. He belongs to me, not you. She marks her man with her lips. He is her possession. You've given every girl that wears your lipstick the gift of total ownership.
Client: Sit down.
Don: No. Not until I know I'm not wasting my time.
Client: Sit down.

Don’t buy stuff you can't afford

This is a Saturday Night Segment featuring Steve Martin about the dangers of consumerism and running into debt that many people are falling into today.

Self-study activity:
Watch the video and complete the missing sentences in the transcript. This activity is kind of dictation-like, so you will have to stop the video to write the sentences.

The activity is suitable for intermediate 2 students.



Ah, I just can't get these numbers to add up.
It's like we're never going to get outta this hole.
Credit card debt, does it ever end?
Maybe I can help.
We sure could use it.
We've tried debt consolidation companies.
We've even taken out loans to help make our payments.
Well, you're not the only ones. Did you know millions of Americans live (1) ... ? That's why I developed this unique new program for managing your debt. It's called "Don't buy stuff you cannot afford".
Oh, let me see that. If you don't have any money (2) ... . Hm, sounds interesting.
Sounds confusing.
I don't know, honey. This makes a lotta sense. There's a whole section here on how to buy expensive things using money you save.
Give me see that. And (3) ...?
I tell you where and how in chapter three.
Ok, but what if I want something but (4) ... ?
You don't buy it.
Well let's say I don't have enough money to buy something. (5) ... ?
No.
Now I'm really confused.
It's a little confusing at first.
Well, what if you have the money. Can you buy something?
Yes.
Now, (6) ... . Same story?
Nope. You shouldn't buy stuff when you don't have the money.
I think I got it. I buy something I want and then (7) ... , right?
No. You make sure you have money, then you buy it.
Oh, then you buy it. But shouldn't you buy it before you have the money?
No,
Why not?
It's in the book. It's only one page long. (8) ...  and the book is free.
Wow! I like the sound of that.
Yeah, we can (9) ... .
So get outta debt now. Write for your free copy of "Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford". And if you order now you'll also receive "Seriously If You Don't Have The Money Don't Buy It" along with a twelve month subscription to "Stop Buying Stuff Magazine". So order today.

Key:
1 with with debt they cannot control
2 you should not buy anything
3 where would you get this saved money
4 I don't have any money
5 Should I buy it anyway
6 take the money away
7 hope that I can pay for it
8 The advice is priceless
9 put it on our credit card

America's Got Talent

This is Kenichi Ebina's performance in America's Got Talent back last year.

Self-study activity:
It is a much more light-hearted activity today, where English almost plays a secondary role. Watch the video up to 00:40" and note down Heidi Klum's questions to Kenichi. Watch the same excerpt again and note down Kenichi's answers.

After the performance, write down the adjectives and remarks the panellists use to describe Kenichi's performance.



Hi there.
Look at you.
Hello.
What’s your name?
My name is Kenichi Ebina.
What is your act?
Um, my act is a dance-ish performance.
Dance-ish?
Ish, yes.
Okay. How did you get into dance-ish kind of performing?
Um, I knew only the one step called the running man. Like... and when I did it, people got loud and I said, yeah and so I was like, oh, I feel good.
All right. Good luck. Have fun.
Thank you. Thank you.
Oh, my god!

Ouch!
Yeah, I’m good.
Wow.
Wow.
That was crazy! There you go! Wow!
It’s amazing!
Wow!
Kenichi, that was pretty awesome.
Thank you.
I loved it. The stuff that you did, I haven’t seen anything like it before. You have a control over your body that is unbelievable.
Thank you, thank you.
Being the youngest judge on the panel, I can say, that was off the chain!
Thank you.
Honey, you’re no spring chicken. What are you talking about?
Oh, I am. I thought your head had come off your body. It was that convincing.
We see a lot of guys who come on stage who try to do what you do. They can’t do it. And you have a story to tell, you know you were doing the Matrix there. That was the whole movie, all in 90 seconds.
It was awesome.
It was magnificent. I could watch you all day.
Me too.
Thank you.
Right?
Yes, Howie?
I’m telling you that is the best dance we’ve seen in Chicago. It’s the best dance I’ve seen in a long time.
Thank you.
You told a great story.
Yeah, you were wonderful.
Thank you. Yes.
Let’s vote guys. I’m gonna start it off with a big yes!
Thank you!
I like what Heidi does with her eyes when she votes. It’s a yes.
Now, it’s a yes from me, you really would.
Thank you, thank you.
And my vote is yes-ish.
Thank you.
You’re going to Vegas!
Thank you!

Extensive listening: Who do you think you are- JK Rowling

As Wikipedia points out, "Who Do You Think You Are? is a British genealogy documentary series that has aired on the BBC since 2004.  In each episode, a celebrity goes on a journey to trace his or her family tree."

The episode on JK Rowling belongs to the 8th season (2011), and we can see JK Rowling setting out to investigate her French roots. Jo has always been intrigued by her late mother's French ancestry, but knows very little about it. Beginning her journey in Edinburgh, Jo's search takes her from The Savoy in London, to once-bloody battlefields and the back streets of urban Paris.

You can read the transcript for the first ten minutes of the programme here.

Madrid Teacher: TV Cruelty (Joe Millionaire)

In our Madrid Teacher series this week, four teachers discuss reality TV shows that humiliate contestants. The teachers' conversation gives us an opportunity to revise and get acquainted with some features of spoken English.

First of all, watch the video through to get familiar with the topic of conversation.
Now watch the video more carefully, paying attention to the following features the speakers use in their speech:

• Fillers to get thinking time: erm; well
• Use of so as a linking word.
• Reacting to information you have just heard: Oh; Oh, my God
• Use of like for an approximating quantity instead of the precise number. 
• Use of like to introduce an example.
• Showing agreement: Yea; Yeah, that’s true; I think so too
• Use of really to emphasize the verb.
• Use of I reckon to introduce our opinion and not sound too categorical.
• Use of quite to emphasize the verb.
• Use of I mean to rephrase what we have just said and make ourselves clear.
• Use of vague language: this kind of thing
• Use of auxiliary verb in an affirmative sentence for emphasis: this guy does have

Now it's over to you. If possible, get together with a friend or relative and discuss reality TV shows. What reality TV shows are popular in your country? What other reality TV shows do you know? Do some of them really humiliate contestants? If so, how? Do you agree with the ideas expressed by our Madrid Teachers? Don't forget to use some of the features of spoken English we have dealt with today.


Sophia: Have, have any of you seen Joe Millionaire?
Vicky: I’ve seen an episode, I’ve seen one or two episodes I think.
Sophia: It's a, it's a reality TV show, you have single women who are looking for the man of their dreams and they go on, on dates to, erm, find, well, they get introduced to a man that’s, erm, a millionaire…
Louise: Aha.
Sophia: …so, erm, so he, he meets these women and they get to know each other and, then at the end of the show you find out that he hasn’t got any money…
Louise and Vicky: Oh.
Sophia: …and then she has to decide whether she wants to stay with him or not.
Thomas: Oh, my God.
Sophia: Yeah.
Vicky: But it’s worse. Aren’t there like 20 women all competing for the same man plus these 20 women have to live and eat, and…
Louise: Yeah.
Vicky: …be together all the time.
Louise: And be filmed in their bikini in this bar and all this kind of thing.
Vicky: Yeah.
All: Ha, ha, ha.
Vicky: And they’re trying to impress the same guy. Ha, ha, ha.
Louise: Yeah.
Thomas: But you can’t really run it for more than one season ‘cause nobody will be tricked after that, will they? Well, maybe like this guy does have a million dollars, I will stay on the show for it.
Vicky: I reckon they earn money to go on, I reckon that every single contestant gets paid…
Thomas: I’m sure.
Sophia: Probably.
Vicky: …quite a considerable…
Louise: It s probably true.
Vicky: …amount to do it.
Louise: Other, otherwise what’s the incentive for going on those shows and humiliating yourself? I don’t quite understand.
Thomas: Maybe it’s the, the possibility of becoming famous.
Louise: Yeah.
Thomas: I mean there really is a, now becoming a track record of people who become famous just for being on reality TV.
Louise: Yeah, that’s true.
Vicky: Yeah.
Thomas: They have these shows in the States similar to, like, dating, finding the person out of the whole group and somebody can be really obnoxious, they actually, erm, make themselves really obnoxious. Then next year, they have their own show.
Louise: Yeah, that’s true.
Vicky: Yeah, yeah.
Louise: That’s true.
Sophia: But, but it’s very, it’s very cruel, it’s very cruel. I mean the way, the way the, hmm, the people are just pushed there and laughed at basically by the public.
Louise: And the presenters can be so cutting the way they…
Vicky: Oh yeah.
Louise: …speak to them.
Sophia: Let’s not talk about the X Factor then.
Louise: Yeah, this kind of thing, Simon Cowell and nasty comments.
Vicky: Yeah, there is such a thing as constructive criticism…
Louise: Yeah.
Vicky: …which is important for everyone in public situations but…
Thomas: Ha, that’s not what the TV viewing public wants.
Vicky: yeah, man.
Sophia: It’s very nasty.
Vicky: It’s just nasty, ha, ha, ha.
Louise: Yeah, it is, it is. They switch, people are switching on the TV to see one smart-alec guy humiliate one poor person. It’s gotta be a fabulous scene. It’s awful.
Thomas: It’s gotta be.
Sophia: But some of them go on the show to audition and they, they should know that their voices are terrible
All: Ha, ha, ha.
Thomas: Oh, yeah.
Sophia: Why hasn’t someone said anything?
Vicky: But everyone has a bad day, sometimes.
Louise: Yeah, that’s true.
Sophia: But some, some of them are really awful so.
Thomas: This is why I don’t own a TV.
Vicky: Hmm, very sensible. Ha, ha, ha.
Louise: I think so too.

Jennifer Lawrence, her Mom and the Oscars

Jennifer Lawrence tells a funny anecdote on the Ellen Show that involves the Oscars and her mom.

Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below.

The activity is suitable for intermediate 2 students.



1 What does Kentucky refer to?
2 What's exciting for every actor?
3 What hilarious thing did Jennifer's mom do?
4 What did Jennifer fear after what her mom did?
5 Why did Jennifer herself have to do the same thing again?
6 What did Jennifer and her mom disagree on?

You can self-correct the activity by reading the transcript below.

Where you from originally (1)?
Kentucky.
Kentucky. And how is your mother enjoying your success?
Oh, she is very happy. She has more fun than I do. She called me one time. Recently I’ve just got into the academy, which was really exciting for me, that’s exciting for any actor (2). And then my… I get a call from my mother while I was in England and she goes, ‘I did something hilarious’. And I was like, ‘what?’ She was like, ‘I voted’. And I was like ‘you voted for what?’ ‘The Oscars’ (3) And I was like, ‘you voted for the Oscars, what do you mean?’ She was like, ‘the ballot came here, and I voted’. Because she thought I’d be like, that’s a hilarious, I’m gonna get kicked out of the academy (4).
Right.
Fortunately, she did a wrong, and mailed it. I think she mailed it back to herself (5). So, I got to do it again.
That’s… it’s horrible. So, she just thought anybody who receives the ballot can vote? Like it’s the People’s Choice Awards, or something like that.
Exactly. But I’m one of the people.
You have to be in the academy.
Yeah.
Wow. So, did you see who she voted? Did you do agree with who she awarded for (6)?
No.
Okay.
No, I didn’t

Reading test: Overload of screen time ‘causes depression in children’

In the last few weeks we have received a few emails from students asking us whether we intend to continue posting exam preparation activities throughout summer time. Specifically they were interested in finding out about the reading comprehension activity that we publish every other Saturday.

This has been a new feature during the last school year which has proved to be quite popular. So, the answer is yes, we'll carry on with our reading tests throughout summer and next school year too.

Today, we are going to deal with a different type of reading comprehension activity. In the text below, Overload of screen time ‘causes depression in children’, taken from The Independent, 14 words or phrases have been taken out. Choose the word or phrase from the list A-Q that best fits into each gap. There are two words you do not need to use. 0 is an example.

British children who spend most time in front of televisions and computer screens have lower self-esteem and greater emotional problems, (0) … a study published today by Public Health England.
The report found that excessive “screen time” – more than four hours a day – was (1) … to anxiety and depression and was responsible for limiting a child’s opportunity for social interaction and physical activity.
“The greater the time spent in front of the screen, the greater the negative impact on both behavioural and emotional (2) … relating to the child’s development,” said Professor Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing at PHE. Professor Fenton said that too much screen time limited a child’s opportunities for physical activity and (3) … social interaction with friends and family, which are (4) … factors in reducing childhood anxiety.
British children spend disproportionately large amounts of time in front of screens, (5) … to counterparts in other Western European countries, the report observed.
“In the UK, 62 per cent of 11-year olds, 71 per cent of 13-year olds and 68 per cent of 15-year olds report watching more than two hours of TV a day on weekdays, whereas in Switzerland the figure is less than 35 per cent across all three (6) … groups.”
Professor Fenton said there was a clear “dose-effect” in the impact of screen time on a child’s emotional state, and that “each additional hour of viewing increases children’s (7) … of experiencing socio-emotional problems and lower self-esteem”.
The report, titled 'How healthy behaviour (8) … children’s wellbeing', found that: “Higher levels of TV viewing are having a negative effect on children’s well-being, including lower self-worth, lower self-esteem and lower levels of self-reported happiness.”
The amount of time British children spend in front of televisions, computers and other screens is also increasingly rapidly, driven by the popularity of computer games. Between 2006 and 2010 “the proportion of young people playing computer games for two hours or more a night during the week (9) … from 42 per cent to 55 per cent among boys and 14 per cent to 20 per cent among girls”, the report said.
The study was based on (10) … conducted by the Children’s Society among 42,000 eight to 15 year olds, and on other data. Lily Caprani, its director of policy, said that the children who were least likely to be happy with their lives tended to be the ones who spent longer in front of screens.
She said that social interaction via a computer or mobile phone did not deliver the same benefits in emotional well-being. “It’s nowhere near,” she said. “You have to be physically present with your friends to get the benefits of social interaction. Texting, Facebooking or even (11) … on the phone has a remoteness that means you lose a lot of the positive impact.”
But the television industry last night (12) … the idea that it impacts negatively on  children. “We are proud that there is so much carefully created and curated TV content for children – to watch alone or with their families – that excites and inspires them. That might be watching Professor Brian Cox, Dora the Explorer or Hannah Cockcroft,” said Lindsey Clay, Managing Director of industry body Thinkbox.
“Watching professionally made TV content is one of the most beneficial uses of the many screens that children now have access to, and the (13) … level of children’s TV viewing is totally compatible with a physically and emotionally healthy lifestyle.”
She added that TV is “one of the main (14) … of learning what exactly constitutes a healthy lifestyle.”

A-according to
B-age
C-average
D-chatting
E-compared
F-face-to-face
G-increased
H-issues
I-key
J-likelihood
K-linked
L-raised
M-refused
N-rejected
O-research
P-sources
Q-supports

Photo: The Independent and Getty Images, Rex Features

Key:
0 (A) according to; 1 (K) linked; 2 (H) issues; 3 (F) face-to-face; 4 (I) key; 5 (E) compared; 6 (B) age; 7 (J) likelihood; 8 (Q) supports; 9 (G) increased; 10 (O) research; 11 (D) chatting; 12 (N) rejected; 13 (C) average; 14 (P) sources

Madrid Teacher: Cooking shows

In this week's Madrid Teacher series we are dealing with cooking shows on TV. Four Madrid Teachers, Thomas (USA), Louise (Australia), Vicky (Scotland), Sophia (England), are having a discussion about whether they like cooking shows or not, and what their favourite cooking shows are. Their conversation gives us a great opportunity to revise some key features of spoken English.

Watch the video through to get the main ideas of what they teachers are saying.
Watch the video again. This time pay attention to the following:

• Asking for clarification: What do you mean by that?
• Using really for emphasis.
• Showing surprise: Oh my lord!; Really?
• Showing agreement: Yeah I agree; Oh yeah; Yeah, exactly; It’s true.
• Showing understanding: Oh, I see.
• Using vague language: and things; or something like that; kind of
• Using fillers to gain thinking time: Wel; erm
• Hedging: Softening our ideas so as not to sound categorical or because we're not sure of the information we are giving: [I] think
• Using so as a linking word
• Using like as a linking worl
• False starts: There are, there are
• Reacting to what the speaker is saying: That’s, that’s interesting.
• Using I mean to make yourself clear.
• Using actually to introduce some surprising information.

Finally get together with a friend or relative and discuss the topic of cooking shows. Try and use some of the features of spoken English when you talk.




Thomas: What is your favorite cooking show?
Louise: None? Ha ha ha.
All: Ha ha ha.
Thomas: What? What do you mean by that?
Louise: I really hate cooking shows.
Thomas: Oh my lord!
Louise: I just find them so boring. I think TV executives have to come up with a more interesting way to entertain us.
Thomas: There’s nothing more interesting than food.
Louise: Really?
Thomas: No I’m teasing but…
Vicky: Ha ha ha. Eating food, not watching food being made though.
Joyce: [Essential for survival!]
Louise: Eating food… yeah. Yeah I agree.
Thomas: Oh, I see. So in that way it can be a bit, er, torturous. But I find them so engrossing.
Louise: Really?
Thomas: Oh yeah! Some, like Iron Chef, the competitions and things, when they, watching
these guys cook with the knives…
Vicky: Oh…
Thomas: That’s one way of, that’s… Well, what other cooking shows… Does anybody like cooking shows? Am I alone here?
Sofia: I, I, I, I like them. There’s one that comes on on the BBC with… [I] think his name’s James Martin or something like that. And he actually has people come in and talk about the food they like, and so they have a discussion and then you watch him cook things but, they’re talking about things in general so it’s not just a cooking show but it’s nice entertainment as well.
Thomas: OK.
Sophia: So I like that, and… Gordon Ramsey, do you all know him?
Thomas: Oh, of course. Hell’s Kitchen, or something?
Vicky: Yeah, Gordon Ramsey’s.. yeah he’s quite entertaining, I suppose. But that’s his horrible character that’s entertaining to the public, it’s not…
Louise: Yeah, it’s not his skill as a cook.
Vicky: …the process. Yeah, exactly.
Louise: Yeah.
Thomas: That’s what the media has marketed, and, and turned into his celebrity, er, appeal, but…
Vicky: Mr. Nasty, ha ha.
Louise: Yeah.
Thomas: There are, there are other chefs where it is about the cooking. There’s one in the States where, erm, this guy, it’s called The Take Home Chef, and he kind of assaults people in a way in the, er, market and says, “how about we pay for all the food, go to your house with you, and cook something together?” And then the crew actually follows the person food shopping for their family into their home, and this guy does a, stages a cooking show in a different home each time.
Vicky: Oh OK, that sounds…
Sophia: That’s, that’s interesting.
Thomas: I mean it’s cool because, what’s cool about that is that you see how to cook, erm, with what you have around the house, and, like what ingredients to get in the market. Where, as opposed to these other ones where it’s like, “well we have this saffron that you can only get at midnight in Andalucía.” People in LA are like, “well…OK. Can I use… garlic, salt?”
Vicky: [Yeah, ha ha. At this market.] I think that’s one of the things I find frustrating, actually. When you watch a cooking show, everything’s so… clean, organized, perfectly prepared. Which is obviously your ideal kitchen, but I live with seven other people and it’s never like that. Ha ha ha, you know?
Louise: Yeah, you never have everything pre-chopped that you can just throw into the saucepan, it’s always…
Vicky: No. Exactly.
Sophia: But if it wasn’t like that, imagine how disorganized the show would be. “Oh, does anyone have an onion? Oh well go to the neighbour and get an onion from the neighbour.” Ha ha ha. It has to be like that, it’s TV.
Vicky: Ha ha ha. It’s true.
Thomas: Maybe that would be another direction that they could, er, take them in.
Sophia: Yeah. Real, real-life kitchens.

Girl gets a surprise by Ellen Degeneres

This is a story of gratitude at the Ellen Degeneres Show.  It might seem a bit daunting to you but I think intermediate students can give it a try. Don't be put off by what you don't understand. Just focus on the questions and use them to keep track of the interview.



1 What does the girl, Sarah, do for a living?
2 How old is she?
3 Who does she live with?
4 Is she married?
5 Does she have any children?
6 When did the story happen?
7 Who were the customers?
8 What did Sarah do for them?
9 How has 'the world' learnt about Sarah's action?
10 How much money did Sarah make on that day?
11 How much was the bill?
12 Why can't Sarah watch Ellen's show?

You can check the answers with the transcript below.

I always end each show by saying, “Be kind to one another.” And our first guest is a waitress from Henniker at New Hampshire, who did just that. Please welcome, Sarah Hoidahl. You are a server, a waiter?
Yeah, and as a bartender.
And bartend at…?
At Ruby Tuesday’s – I used to be work on one shifts.
And where is it – let’s give it a plug. Ruby Tuesday is where?
Concord, New Hampshire.
Okay. So – and how old are you?
I am 22.
22 years old and you live with your mom?
I do.
And you’re a single mom?
I am.
All right. So that’s how you’re making your money? You’re making money of the tips and things like that.
Yes.
And explain to everyone what you did?
All right well, it was a regular Wednesday, lunch shift, I went in and two women National Guard, they were in their uniforms and everything. They came in for lunch and they were trying to decide what to get, they were looking through the menu. They said, they were trying to keep it light, they mentioned with the government shutdown that they were furloughed and they are not getting paid. That just got me thinking I was like, jeez that’s really difficult. I’m a waitress, single mother, I know how hard that is. And I just decided, I’m going to do something good today, I’m going to buy their lunch for them.
You’re going to buy their lunch?
Yeah.
So instead of the bill, I think we have a copy of the note. But it says, “Thanks to the government shutdown. People like you that protect this country are not getting paid, however, I still am. Lunch is on me. Thank you for serving ladies. Have a good day.” That’s what you left?
That’s what I left.
And then they posted this on Facebook and then it’s just taken off everybody found out about it.
Yeah.
And I mean that’s amazing, just one good deed that you were just helping those two women and look at what happened?
Yeah, it’s crazy. It’s mind-blowing and now I’m on Ellen.
Yeah. Yeah.
Oh my God! It’s mind-blowing. My mind is still blown.
So how much – how much did you make that night? What did you go home with?
I walked away with that – with $8.
$8, because…
Isn’t even enough to cover my gas.
Right. So that’s – that’s amazing that you know that you have a son. How old is your son?
He is 15 months.
15 months; what’s his name?
Ashton.
Ashton; so you – you’ve taken care of Ashton, precious little boy.
That’s my baby.
That’s your baby, that’s adorable and that’s tough, I mean you’re living at home with your mom and I want to – how much was the bill, because I’m going to pay you back and then how much was the bill?
I like it. I like the cats.
But I have so – I carry on so much stuff in my purse. Here it is, okay. How much?
That bill was $27.75.
$27 – one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, well there is $27 – $27.75, $0.25, $0.50, $0.60, well just keep it, whatever that is.
Thank you.
And then – first of all, so you paid back on that. And then I heard that you can’t watch my show. The most important thing here, this is why I have you here. Your television is broken. So you’re not able to watch me and that’s unacceptable. So I got you a brand new 50-inch Insignia television, yeah.
Oh my God, thank you.
And you get two of those and put them next to each other, you can put it on your lawn. Then it’s were like a million. And then I am completely out of cash now and I got to make it home myself. Can – Andy, can you bring mama, her checkbook please, I need. All right, here we go thanks. I’m going to make you a check right now. That’s for you. That’s because you’re amazing. You’re a good person. You’re a good person.
Thank you so much.
We’ll be back.
Oh my…

Madrid Teacher: For and against television debate

Television is a recurrent topic in the English class, so most students at an intermediate level and above will be no strangers to this three-minute debate on TV, where two Madrid Teachers hold opposing views, one in favour of TV and the other one against it.

Once again, these Madrid Teacher videos give us the opportunity to get acquainted with the conversational strategies native speakers use in conversation. Watch the video through and pay attention to the following:

Expressing disbelief in what the other person is saying
You’re kidding right?
Are you kidding me? 
Really?

Showing the speaker that you are paying attention
Ok.
Right.
Uhum.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, true.

Involving the listener in the conversation
What do you think?

Explaining yourself more clearly
I mean

Introducing contrast, change or hesitation
Well

Introducing a change or a request for clarification
So



Remember that if you want to understand everything that is being said in the conversation, you can activate the CC subtitles on the lower side of the YouTube videoplayer, which will give you a very accurate transcription.

English students very often find 'for and against topics' (like TV, mobile phones, social networking sites, living in a big city, living in a flat, sharing a flat, being an only child) in the writing paper of exams. These composition tasks have a clear-cut structure that students must follow.

The topic in the composition below is 'advantages and disadvantages of university students living on campus'. Pay attention to the four-paragraph structure and the connectors or linking words that join ideas and which are highlighted in blue.

Paragraph 1: Introduction
In recent years, the number of British students living on campus has increased dramatically, but is this the most suitable form of accommodation for young people who are preparing to obtain a degree and who also have their first opportunity to learn about life?
 
Paragraph 2: List of advantages (usually two or three)
I will start by looking at the advantages of living on campus. For a start, life is usually cheaper. For example, food and accommodation are often subsidized by the university and students who live off campus have to pay normal prices for everything. Moreover, you don’t have to deal with things that go wrong in rented accommodation, such as washing machines breaking down or gas cookers that don’t work properly. The most important reason is the time you save being so close to places like the library. Consequently, you have much more time to study.

Paragraph 3: List of disadvantages (usually two or three)
However, there are some disadvantages too. First of all, it is easy to spend all your time on campus and because of that you can lose contact with the ‘real world’. What is more, you don’t have as much independence or freedom on campus as off. For instance, you normally can’t choose what and when to eat. Finally, if you live on campus, it isn’t necessary to develop the same life skills as you would if you lived off campus –skills like managing the day-to-day running of a house.

Paragraph 4: Conclusion
To sum up, we must bear in mind that the main reason for being at university is to study. Although it has some obvious drawbacks, living on campus allows students more time to study without the distractions and responsibilities of rented accommodation. As a result, I would recommend people to live on campus if they have the chance.

Suggested activity:
Write a for and against composition on the advantages and disadvantages of television. Write about 160 words.

So, much that is on television is just absolute garbage, trash. I think television has been getting worse, worse, and worse every year. It’s a . . . Really.
You’re kidding right?
No, I think the best thing for reading and literature is television.
Really?
Actually, yea, true, that’s true.
You’re kidding?
No, I’m not. Look “Big Brother”
What about it?
It’s, it’s garbage.
Ok.
It’s cheap trash, and what, children are watching that! People are watching that, and emulating that, copying that.
Right.
I mean they’re copying everything off that boob tube. They are copying the violence, a lot of criminals are actually learning. They’re getting an education there on how to be better criminals.
Uhum. . .
It’s an absolute waste of time. Instead of getting an education, children are watching three hours of TV a day, and as an added bonus they are gaining weight. They’re getting overweight watching television.
Are you done?
No, but go ahead. What do you think?
Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Are you serious? You really believe that all the problems in society have to do with television?
Mmmmm. . .. yeah!
Ok. So, where does parenting come in to all this?
Well, I think parents are delegating their responsibilities to television.
Ok. So, it’s not television the problem, it’s the parenting. Society not doing their job.
Well, if they didn’t have television, if they didn’t have television, they would find something else like take their children out to the park.
Oh, yeah. . .
But they can’t take their children out to the park, because, what! All the other children are watching television.
Well, that has nothing to do with it. People, to begin with. . . many. . . centuries, centuries, centuries ago... people were still violent, and you know. . . what, Hey! Look at the French Revolution. They were chopping people’s heads off left and right. What television was to blame then?
Well, thankfully, they didn’t have television, because...
So, who are you blaming then?
Well, if they’d had television, it would have been even worse.
Society is just screwed up! Society is screwed up because we’re, in… we’re usually just thinking about ourselves, and very selfish, and not only that, we have beast traits to us.
Yeah, true, but television is not helping anything out, it’s making it worse.
Oh, wow, so, what, making it worse? They were still being violent back then when there was no television. So, what, what, what are you saying now? Now, it’s just, the reason now that we know about all this violence is because of television, because now television serves as double. . . okay, a “double edged” sword. I’ll give you that, because before people did not hear about it, because they were in a mountain. Far and off, off, off away. And then so, who told them there was being killed or murdered or raped? No one! But now we have this beautiful world called. . . you know Media, and television, and we get images and then people are shocked, but this has been happening for centuries.

Madrid Teacher Series: Do TV prank shows go to far?

Four people are discussing TV prank shows in today's installment of our Madrid Teacher series.

I find the conversation really interesting because it has a spontaneous ring to it, it's both conversational and entertaining, and help us focus on specific characteristics of spoken English.

Two weeks ago we paid attention to two features of spoken language on our entry Office Crime, 'You know?' (for the speaker to gain thinking time) and the listeners' reactions (with an aim to showing the speaker that they are listening). Pay attention to both features in today's video, although there are many more examples of the latter.

Today, in the first part of the video, the person telling the first anecdote wants to check that her audience understands what she's saying, and she uses the expressions 'Ok?', 'yeah?', 'alright?' to that purpose. We can also use some other expressions to check that our audience is paying attention to us or understands:
Is that clear?
[Do] you see what I mean?



Here it is the video clip the first speaker is talking about. A picture is worth one thousand words.
Blind man's dog takes nun's skirt



As a matter of fact, Just for Laughs, the Canadian TV show, is wonderful for English learners. Find a clip of your liking by typing in Just for Laughs in the search box on YouTube and describe it in as much detail as possible.

What TV shows featuring pranks are shown in your country?
Do you remember any specific pranks? Can you describe them?
What practical jokes are typical on April Fool's Day or on the Holy Innocents' Day?
Do pranks sometimes go too far?

Lesson idea:
Pair off students with one student in each pair with their back to the TV. Play a Just for Laughs video clip and the students watching the video are to describe it to their partners (you may pause it several times so that students can describe it as accurately as possible).

Vicky: I saw a TV show last night. I think it was called Just for Laughs, OK? And they had a trick where a blind man is walking his dog in the park. And as he approaches some toilets, some porta-loos, he asks a by-passer to take care of his guide dog for a moment while he uses the bathroom. So he gives the stranger his guide dog and his coffee, and disappears, OK? Erm, no sooner has he gone in, A nun walks past.
Bill: Oh dear, oh dear.
Barbara: Oh no!
Vicky: She gets perhaps twenty meters past the dog, and all of a sudden, it escapes from the harness, because the harness isn’t attached, runs straight off up to the nun, bites her, well, “bites” her. And on her habit, yeah? On the nun’s clothing, on her habit. As it does this, the nun goes, “Ooh!” and turns around with her hands in the air, and the habit comes off of her, in the dogs mouth. So she’s left standing with her underwear in the middle of the park, alright? Obviously, it’s a candid camera show. So the main focus at this point is looking at the person holding the dog, or not holding the dog anymore, ha ha…
Barbara: Should have been holding the dog.
Vicky: Ha ha ha, who was holding the dog, briefly, to watch their facial expressions. And usually it’s, I find it really, really funny because the person just ends up going…coffee, escape, toilet.
Barbara: [Yeah, some of them are really good.]
Bill: [Terror.]
Vicky: Ha ha ha, yeah. Have you seen any good shows, like that? Or got any good examples?
Bill: I remember The Beatles About. Do you remember that one, in the UK? Beatles About?
Vicky: Oh yeah!
Barbara: Oh, I don’t know that one. What’s that?
Bill: They… they do all sorts of pranks and jokes. And I remember one particular one. Er, a guy had a brand new car. And then he was called over whilst some people were working on a construction site and there was a large pile of bricks above his car, and they dropped them onto his brand new car.
Barbara: Oh no!
Bill: But it was a fake car. But he was going crazy. Terrifying.
Vicky: I bet he did.
Bill: Horrible. But funny!
Maria: Yeah. I think these programs are very, really funny but sometimes they can be a bit annoying for people. If… I don’t know, if the jokes are, erm, too hard. Mm, I don’t know.
Barbara: Well you mentioned one just before, when you were mentioning Japan, I had never
 heard of that one about…
Vicky: That’s right.
Barbara: Some sniper attack or something. Like some guy pretending that he’s killing people, and I guess they’re like fake bullets, but it must be like in the movies when there’s like blood coming out or something. Paintball or I don’t know what they’re using.
Vicky: That’s right.
Barbara: And like, and some people are there and like watching these people getting killed, and probably thinking, “Oh my God, am I next?” You know? Like that’s like, that’s not funny. I mean, the nun thing is funny, you know, or the construction guy, but I mean that is a bit in bad taste, I think, yeah.
Vicky: Yeah. Well it’s interesting you say that, actually, because some people think that these prank shows should be banned altogether.
Maria: Why?
Vicky: Well I imagine it’s because of examples, such as you’re saying, where the jokes go further than everyday humour, than set-up jokes.

Ashton Kutcher on Steve Jobs

Watch this excerpt of the interview to Ashton Kutcher in Jay Leno's The Tonight Show on his role in the film Jobs, and answer the questions about it.

The activity is suitable for intermediate 2 students.



1 What does 'six' refer to?
2 Why couldn't  Ashton meet Steve Jobs?
3 What was Ashton doing when he heard the news of Jobs death?
4 What had Ashton 'taken for granted'?
5 What moment of the film does the video clip they show refer to?
6 When was the film released?

To check your answers you can read the transcript below.

Did you ever meet him?
I didn’t. I you know, I had an opportunity to meet him about six months before he passed away. And I was working that day and couldn’t go. In hindsight, I look back and I think, I had an opportunity to meet the Leonardo da Vinci of our generation and I missed it. That really affected my decision to take on the role, because it was actually you know, the day that he died, it was... for me it was almost like, I hear people talk about they knew where they were the day Kennedy died.
Sure, sure.
And for me, I’ll never forget the moment I heard that he died. And I pulled my car to the side of the road, and kind of took a moment. I got home and I realized, I sat down on my computer and started doing some work and I realized that all the relationships I have in my life are held together by glue that he laid down. And all the work that I do, in whatever capacity I do it, and the entertainment I consume. Here I have my Apple computer and my iPhone and all these things, and I realized that I'd taken him for granted… And taken for granted the contributions that he actually gave to society, and I actually had a real emotional moment that day. I actually reached out to a couple of my friends that I do a lot of work in the tech venture space, and they had the same response. And so when I got the script I felt like I wanted to ensure that his legacy was told from someone who admired him.
Well, you really captured. Let’s show a clip. Here’s a scene from the movie. That’s up. This is way they try to take the company away from you. Take a look.
Yeah.

Your perfectionism, they are looking at losses in the million before this thing even gets off the ground.
They’re not seeing the big picture.
That’s right, the shareholders don’t see past their own shadows. They’re only concerned about the here and the now. And the Board has got blinders on. They could see, they take them off, they’d see you the way I see you. The way your employees sees.
It’s my project. It’s mine, and they’re taking it away from me? You’re letting them take it away from me.
Bullshit Steve, you know, that’s not true.

Jobs highly recommended August 16th. Good job Ashton.
Thank you.
Good job.

Best TV shows for learners of English

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of International House, EFL experts have  shared their favourite TV shows for learners of English.



I like television shows that are funny and which also kind of show what is like to be slightly an outsider in a different culture, and there’s a television show from the 1980’s I think which is called Third Rock from the Sun with John Lizco and is about aliens who arrive in an American town, and they look like Americans but just don’t understand a lot of what is going on and is very funny, this kind of cultural problems they have. So I think as a learner that could be kind of amusing, it’s not difficult.

I think the best, one really good, good idea for students who want to learn English in their own free time is to look at situation comedies or sit-coms. From the old classic like Friends to a newer version like for example Thirty Rock situation comedies, are really useful because they are cultural, they give some cultural ideas about, you know, the US or wherever the situation comedy is based, they are also current, contemporary and they are very good because they are quite evident, so it’s not so difficult, anybody with a level, for example, intermediate level upwards can understand the situation without having to understand all the words, plus they are good fun.

The thing that I would like to talk about is a TV series called The Office which I opened for myself very recently. This is a British comedy written and directed and played actually by Ricky Gervais, who is a very popular comedian at the moment, very controversial figure, but I’m not a native speaker, but for advanced learners I would highly recommend this because they are using the real language, lots of slang, lots of phrasal verbs, whatever it is very, very useful from the learners’ perspective.

Myself as a language learner in French I find watching the news the best thing for acquiring language. First of all, you probably watch the news in your own language, you know what’s going on, you can have known the information beforehand, maybe you have even watched the news in your own language and then to go and watch in English, for example on the BBC or any English language news channel, so you know, CNN if you want American English, it doesn’t matter, you can have known what they are talking about so the images in this case are helping you understand, they are not too distracting, you’ve got little snippets of information in the little subtitles that they use every now and again, and you can also watch it again of course if you go online. You can watch the news several times. So for me it’s the news. Every day.

If there’s a TV show you love and like, watch it. In the 1990’s or noughties there Friends was a huge show that people from all over the world watched in English, and why did they watch it and why did they learn English? Because they liked it, they got the jokes, and it was funny. People still watch a TV comedy series from the 1970’s or 80’s called Fawlty Towers because it’s still funny, even though it’s very old-fashioned and it’s easy to understand. It’s very difficult to say whatever is something that you want to watch, then you watch it and try to work out what I means, and if you can’t really understand what it means, go on the internet and find discussions what it is all about, and then watch it again, and then watch it again, and then watch it again.

How to clean the world's tallest windows

Supersized Earth is a BBC programme that explores the way  we have redesigned our planet to build the modern world.

Dallas Campbell, the show's host, goes up to the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which has the world's highest windows. He joins the team whose job is to clean them.

Self-study activity:
Watch  the four-minute video clip and answer the questions about it.

The activity is suitable for Intermediate students.



1 How far below is the next platform?
2 What would happen if Derek dropped anything?
3 What two factors are really important to build buildings this high?
4 What is the main danger for tall buildings?
5 Can you explain what 'confusing the wind' is?
6 How long does it take to clean all the windows?
7 How many windows are there?

To check your answer you can read the transcript below. Remember you can double click on any word to find out its meaning.

Today, I’m going to join the team whose job it is to clean the outside of the world’s highest windows.
Just pull a little slack free. Just pull up on this one. A little bit more.

Okay, now lock the handle off.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay. Okay, just lean back, just lean back. You’re okay, you can’t go anywhere.
Okay.
I need the bucket.
Yeah, hang on a second. Take this…
Dry mouth.
Do you get nervous at all?
Yes. Scared – little bit scared? Yeah. I haven’t looked down yet. Now I’ve looked down!

It’s almost inconceivable how high these windows are. I’m 60 meters above the next platform below, which is, in itself, 600 meters above the ground higher than the previous world’s tallest building. At this height, if I dropped anything, it could do serious damage.
Building height, is a load of factors you’ve got to take into consideration. One of them obviously is gravity, which I’m feeling right now. The thing about gravity is it’s very predictable. It’s a force that’s going one way. The thing you’ve really got to worry about is wind, because by its very nature it’s unpredictable, it swirls around and it can affect the building, as well as window cleaners.
Surprisingly, very tall buildings aren’t in danger of being blown over, but of being sucked over. As wind hits them, it can form small whirlwinds, called vortices. This swirling air can create low-pressure areas that tug at the building. And if enough of them combine up the tall straight sides, they could make the tower rock from side to side. So why doesn’t this happen to the Burj Khalifa? Well, it’s taken some careful aerodynamic design. By stepping the building in as it rises and introducing angles and curves, the Burj Khalifa breaks up the desert wind, preventing the vortices from combining dangerously. The designers call it ‘confusing the wind’, and they reckon it’s the only way to build this high.
It strikes me, being out here, that even though we are in such a technically advanced building, that – in order to keep it nice and clean, you still can’t beat a man with a squeegee and a bucket. It takes three months to clean all 24,000 windows, and when they finished, the team has to start all over again.

If you are going to build a building that’s truly iconic, you’ve got to make it look nice.
And keep it looking nice!
And keep it looking nice, exactly, yeah.
Keep going, you’re all right. Keep going, lovely.
Wow, that was intense! I don’t know how those guys do it every day. That was intense, but good.