To Cure What Ails You, Bibliotherapists Prescribe Literature

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Transcript

Audio Time: 5 min 8 sec

Level: Upper intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

To ail: to cause pain or trouble for (someone).

To prescribe: to officially tell someone to use (a medicine, therapy, diet, etc.) as a remedy or treatment.

To rouse: to cause (someone who is tired or not interested) to become active.

Prose: writing that is not poetry: ordinary writing.

Solace: someone or something that gives a feeling of comfort to a person who is sad, depressed, etc.: a source of comfort.

To disclose: to make (something) known to the public.

Bedlam: a very noisy and confused state or scene.

Initial: occurring at the beginning of something.

Hooked: very interested in and enthusiastic about something.

Epic: a long book, movie, etc., that usually tells a story about exciting events or adventures.

Headstrong: not willing to do what other people want: very stubborn.

Plucky: having or showing a lot of courage or determination.

Viking: a member of a group of Scandinavian people who attacked the coasts of Europe in the 8th to 10th centuries A.D.

Remedy: a medicine or treatment that relieves pain or cures a usually minor illness.

Discussion questions:

1. Would you ever try bibliotherapy?

2. Do you think works of literature can help cure what ails people?

3. What books have had an important influence on you?

4. Are there any books (or other texts like poems, scriptures, songs) that you like to read often?

5. If you were a bibliotherapist, what books would you recommend to your clients for different ailments (for example, busyness, anxiety, relationship difficulties, problems with work, indecisiveness, lack of purpose)?

German Student Asks Government For Test Questions In Advance

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Transcript

Audio Time: 59 sec

Level: Upper Intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including  Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

In advance: before a future event or time.

Standardized tests: a test that is given in the same form and way to students. Usually many 

students take this test in order to know the skill level of the students.

Highlight: something (such as an event or a detail) that is very interesting, exciting, or important : the best part of something.

Ahead of time: Before the appointed time.

Freedom of Information Request: A request to the government to gain access to governmental documents.

Submit: to give (a document, proposal, piece of writing, etc.) to someone so that it can be considered or approved.

Genius: (slang) a great idea.

A for effort: to receive praise for trying to do something.

Joyful Opera Performed In Nazi Concentration Camp Revived In Chicago

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Transcript

Audio Time: 5 min 9 sec

Level: Intermediate

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Concentration camp: a type of prison where large numbers of people who are not soldiers are kept during a war and are usually forced to live in very bad conditions.

Resistance: effort made to stop or to fight against someone or something.

Occupied: controlled by foreign soldiers or a foreign government.

Run-through: an activity in which you quickly do or read all the different parts of something especially in order to practice or prepare for something (such as a performance).

Chronicle: to describe a series of events in the order that they happened.

Tread: to walk.

Fairytale: a simple children's story about magical creatures.

Conquer: to defeat (someone or something) through the use of force.

Ghetto: a part of a city in which members of a particular group or race live usually in poor conditions.

Scaled-down: to reduce in size.

Smuggle: to move (someone or something) from one country into another illegally and secretly.

Discussion questions:

1. Why does the story call this opera “a symbol of hope and resistance” against ‘Nazi propaganda…during World War II”?

2. Why do you think the Nazis didn’t catch on to the true meaning of the story?

3. How can we help people to remember important historical events like the holocaust (genocide) of WWII?

4. How can humor and satire be a weapon against powerful people and forces in society?

5. What can we do to prevent holocausts like the one in WWII from happening in the future?

6. Can art help us to tell important stories from history more effectively?

For Art's Sake, Minneapolis Man Freezes His Pants

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Transcript

Audio Time: 1 min 13 sec

Level: Intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  To help learners fully understand the audio and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level is provided. Vocab in bold is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8 to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn no more than 8-10 new words a day).

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Sake: (for…sake) the benefit of someone or something — used in phrases with for to say that something is done to help a particular person or thing.

Installation: a work of art that usually has several parts (such as a sculpture, lights, and sound) and that is usually shown in a large space.

Resident: someone who lives in a particular place.

Upright: positioned to be straight up: vertical.

Neighborhood: a section of a town or city.

Freezing your pants off: To feel very cold.

Yep: (informal) Yes.

Vignettes: a short written description, scene, or play.

Submerge: to make (someone or something) go under the surface of water or some other liquid: to cover (someone or something) with a liquid.

Shake: to move sometimes violently back and forth or up and down with short, quick movements.

Fellas: (informal) a male person: fellow.

Challenge: a difficult task or problem: something that is hard to do.

Alongside: along or close at the side.

Questions:

1. What would you think if you saw this art installation?

2. Do you consider this to be art?

3. What is or isn’t art for you?

4.  What kind of art installation would you (or do you) create?

5. Why do people make art?

Play Doesn’t End With Childhood Why Adults Need Recess Too

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Transcript

Audio Time: 6 min 51 sec

Level: Upper-Intermediate and up

Vocabulary:  

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Recess: US: a short period of time during the school day when children can play.

Indicate: to show (something).

Playground: an outdoor area where children can play that usually includes special equipment (such as swings and slides).

Overload: to put too great a load on or in (something).

Stuffed animal: US: a toy in the shape of an animal that usually has fake fur and is filled with soft material.

Grownup: Someone who is fully grown: an adult.

Nonprofit: A nonprofit organization uses whatever money it earns or raises to run the organization and to do the work of the organization. Nonprofit organizations usually do work that helps people or supports something valued by many people in a society (such as art or education).

Resilient: able to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens.

Deprivation: the state of not having something that people need: the state of being deprived of something.

Competent: having the necessary ability or skills: able to do something well or well enough to meet a standard.

Perseverance: the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult.

Laborious: requiring a lot of time and effort.

Discussion questions:

1. Do you agree with the article that play is important? Why or why not?

2. How do you usually play?

3. How did you play as a child?

4. Do you like to play alone or with others?

5. What can play tell us about ourselves or others?

NPR Brazil Correspondent Prepares For Debut In Carnival Parade

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Transcript

Audio Time: 3 min 49 sec

Level: Upper Intermediate and Up

Vocabulary:  

Definitions are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Outlandish: very strange or unusual: extremely different from what is normal or expected.

To rope into: to use clever or tricky methods to get (someone) to do something.

Sparkles: a small flash of bright light; small objects that reflect or shine light.

Maniac: someone who is violent and mentally ill; a person who behaves in a very wild way.

Elaborate: made or done with great care or with much detail : having many parts that are 

carefully arranged or planned.

Hallucinogenic: a substance (such as a drug) that causes people to see or sense things that are not real :a substance that causes hallucinations

Over-the-top:  going beyond what is expected, usual, normal, or appropriate : excessive or exaggerated.

Protrude: to stick out.

Lyrics: the words of a song.

Drought: a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain.

Falsetto Alarm: Neighbor's Screeches Warrant A Police Visit

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Transcript

Audio Time: 1 min 9 sec

Level: Intermediate and up

Police in Amsterdam responded to a call about screams in an apartment. After kicking in the door, they discovered a man singing along to an opera playing on his headphones. Instead of a false alarm, it turned out to be 'falsetto alarm'!