BBC Podcasts

If you need the transcript 👉👉👉 https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/6min/240725_6_minute_english_why_read_books_not_screens.pdf

Vocabulary attention span the length of time that someone can keep their thoughts concentrated and fixed on one thing (do something) for the joy of it do an activity simply for the pleasure of doing it, rather than as a means to gain something else on the surface level quickly and superficially looking at what can be easily understood, rather than understanding the full depth of something analogy comparison between things that have similar features inference guess, opinion or conclusion that you make based on the information you already have skimming reading rapidly in order to get a general overview of the text being read

This week's question How many words does the average person read a day? Is it: a) 50,000 words? b) 100,000 words? or, c) 200,000 words? Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Useful language: ✔️nice - pleasant ✅ Example sentence: That fish was really nice! ✔️tasty - (informal) it tastes nice, you like it ✅ Example sentence: She made us a really tasty pie for dinner. ✔️moreish - a food that you find difficult to stop eating because you really like it ✅ Example sentence: That dessert is really moreish. I've had three servings already! Texture words (what the food feels like) ✔️it's tough - it's difficult to bite into and crush up with your teeth ✅ Example sentence: I didn't like the meat last night: it was much too tough! ✔️it's chewy - you have to keep biting it for a long time to break it up ✅ Example sentence: I've been eating a very chewy sweet; I've still got bits stuck in my teeth! ✔️it's tender - it's soft and breaks up quickly in your mouth ✅ Example sentence: The lamb is very tender - you hardly have to chew it! ✔️it melts in your mouth - it's very tender indeed ✅ Example sentence: This is the best smoked salmon I've ever had. It really melts in your mouth!

Vocabulary: ✔️human guinea pigs - the first people to have something new tested on them ✔️vice versa - used to indicate that the opposite of what you have just said is also true ✔️thread the needle - task which requires extreme skill and precision to do successfully, especially one which requires balancing conflicting interests ✔️the whole picture - a complete description of something which includes all the relevant information and opinions about it ✔️wade through something - spend a lot of time and effort doing something boring or difficult, especially reading a lot of information ✔️on top of (something) - in addition to something, especially something unpleasant

❓❓❓ Which commonly used medicine in particular is harmful for animals but safe for humans? a) antibiotics b) aspirin c) paracetamol Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Republicans have been spotted wearing ear bandages in support of Donald Trump. It's a rapidly growing trend among the crowds at the Republican convention. The reference is to Trump's injury to his right ear after he was shot in an assassination attempt at a political rally in Pennsylvania.

Idiom of the day 👔

The story People in the US have been reacting after an assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Trump as he spoke at an event in Pennsylvania, injuring the former president’s ear. One man in the audience was killed in the attack and two others were seriously injured. Security officers then shot the gunman dead. The exact reason for his attack is unclear. News headlines Trump gunman: An 'outcast' who wasn't let on school rifle team because he was 'a bad shooter' Sky News America is staring into the abyss Financial Times ‘Trump 2.0’ ditches old rhetoric for new mission to unite America The Telegraph Key words and phrases: outcast someone who is not accepted by society The business is treating working mothers like outcasts. staring into the abyss facing a large, dangerous situation The company is staring into the abyss of bankruptcy after four years without making a profit.

The story The US Supreme Court has said Donald Trump cannot be punished for official actions he committed as president. The ruling means that any US president, including ex-president Trump, can't be criminally prosecuted for work they do as part of their job as president, even if it's something considered illegal for everyone else. Some people are worried about this, while others think it is necessary to stop criminal prosecution influencing presidential decision-making. Neil and Beth explain this news story and teach you some useful vocabulary. News headlines Trump asks for conviction to be overturned after immunity ruling BBC News The Supreme Court's Trump immunity decision is a blueprint for dictatorship Vox Biden warns Trump can do ‘whatever he pleases’ if elected as Republicans relish Supreme Court immunity ruling The Independent Key words and phrases immunity protection from legal action She was given immunity from prosecution after confessing the names of other gang members. blueprint a plan to achieve something A scientific study provides the blueprint for a new cancer treatment. relish like or enjoy something My university has courses in Peru. I relish the thought of studying Spanish for a year.