Song 12: Beds are burning (Midnight Oil)

Song 12: Beds are Burning (Midnight Oil) 

(Level: B2 to C1 / Upper-Intermediate / ***) 

Midnight Oil
Photo credit: lemonde.fr 

Before watching / listening:


The following notes could be useful: 

Midnight Oil are an Australia rock band (Peter Garett - vocals, harmonica; Rob Hirst - drums; Jim Moginie - guitar and keyboard; Martin Rotsey - guitar and Bones Hillman - bass guitar).
The band issued their first album in 1978 and achieved later more popularity, even in the USA with the release of their 1982 album and well-acclaimed singles (Power and the passion / US Forces). 
They achieved their first Australian number one album in 1984 (Red Sails in the Sunset) whereas they topped Australia's singles chart for six weeks thnks to their subsequent EP album (Species Decreases).
The group then gained worldwide attention with their 1987 album (Diesel and Dust) and its singles (The Dead Heart and Beds are Burning). 
The band continued having global success with the subsequent albums until they disbanded in 2002. They held concerts sporadically during the 2000s and reformed in 2016. 

Lead singer and band leader Peter Garett (born on 16 April 1953) is a musician, environmentalist and politician. He is known to be active in anti-nuclear, environmental and indigenous causes. 

Beds are Burning is their 1987 hit single and the first track of Diesel and Dust. It is a song about giving lands back to an Aboriginal tribe. 

Vocabulary
Bloodwood: in Australia the name refers to distinct groups of trees (eucalypt). The name bloodwood for these trees stems from the dark red to brown gum  that accumulates on wounds on the trunks.

Bloodwood
Picture credit: amusingplanet.com

Bloodwood
Picture credit: pinterest.com

 Cuckatoo:  one of the 20 bird species belonging to the family Cacatuidae. Its name derives from the Malay word for these birds (kakaktua). They are similar to parrots but are on average larger.

Australian cuckatoos

Picture credit: natureaustralia.org.au

While watching / listening:

Watch the music video! Click HERE !

Words you never learn at school (4): American English words you should never use in Britain !

Words you never learn at school (4): American English words you should never use in Britain! 

(Level: B2 to C1 / Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate / ***) 

Photo credit: lbc.co.uk

Before watching / listening:

You are going to watch a lesson by Leila from "Love English with Leila and Sabrah" focusing on some American English words that you can use as long as you are in the USA but that you must absolutely avoid in the UK because they are utterly rude and offensive. 



While watching / listening:

Now listen to Leila explaining what the American words are and what they really denote when used in Britain, causing people to react like Prince Charles in the picture or even worse! 

You can also watch the video by clicking HERE



After watching / listening:

Have a look at the pictures! 

- What do they show in the USA and in the UK?  
- What are the objects called?  What do they denote in both countries? 
- Why mustn't the American counterparts be used in the UK?
- What does "Trump" really mean?


1.

Picture credit: doodletogs.com

2.

Picture credit: 7esl.com

3.

Picture credit: 123rf.com

4.

Picture credit: moss.co.uk

5.

Picture credit: shutterstock.com

6.

Picture credit: france24.com

When you are finished, you can check your answers!

1.
Aux USA: a fanny pack 
En Grande-Bretagne: a bum bag 
  =  un sac banane
a fanny: à éviter en GB puisque le terme est une variante vulgaire pour se référer au sexe féminin...

2.
Aux USA: a period
En Grande-Bretagne: a full stop. 
    = point  (ponctuation) 

Exemple d'utilisation aux USA: I won't help him. Period.  ( Je ne l'aiderai pas. Point à la ligne!) 

L'équivalent anglais n'existe pas.  Donc, on ne dit pas: I won't help him. Full stop. 

En revanche, le terme "Period" au Royaume-Uni se réfère à la période des règles ou la menstruation; ce qui n'est en effet pas censé être un sujet de conversation!  

3.
L'adjectif "thick" utilisé aux USA pour dénoter la morphologie d'une personne plutôt "forte",  "aux formes généreuses ou voluptueuses"..   Tandis qu'il signifie "stupide" ou "bête" en Grande-Bretagne - Connotation très négative; une véritable insulte! 

4.
Aux USA: "pants" = un pantalon
En Grande-Bretagne: "pants" = caleçon ! 
                                "Trousers" = un pantalon



Autres mots
sous-vêtements en général: 
underwear (US/UK): both for men and women
knickers (UK) / panties (US) / lingerie (US/UK - bottom and top) :  for women only 
underwear (US/UK) / (under)pants (UK): for men 
                           
5.
Aux USA: a bum  = a homeless person   (un SDF)
En Grande-Bretagne: a bum = a butt / a bottom / buttocks  (le derrière / fesses / cul) 

Saying "I saw a nice bum" in London  won't have the same effect as in New York! 

6.
Aux USA: "to trump" = to override : dépasser / surpasser
En Grande-Bretagne: "to trump" = to break wind / to fart : faire un vent /péter/ lâcher une caisse...  

Aussi: trump = trump card  (atout au jeu de cartes / carte maîtresse).
What's trumps? = Quel est l'atout?
Diamonds / Hearts / Spades / Clubs are trumps!  (C'est) atout carreau / coeur / pique / trèfle
No trumps: sans -atout

Grammar: all 12 tenses in English

Grammar: all 12 tenses in English 
(Level: A2 to B1 / Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate / **) 

Leila and Sabrah
Picture credit:  Love English with Leila and Sabrah

This lesson is the ultimate grammar guide to all the English tenses! 

Watch, listen and make your personal notes! 


Click HERE to watch the lesson!


Don't forget to have a look at the other lessons in this blog for some practice!  


You can indeed find an interesting recap of all the tenses by clicking    HERE ... 

and a review as well by clicking HERE

Click also on this: 

Song 11: Every Breath You Take (The Police)

Song 11: Every Breath You Take (The Police) 
(Level: B1 / Intermediate / **)

The Police
Photo credit: rfm.fr 

Before watching / listening

The following notes could be useful:

The Police were an English band formed in London in 1977 and consisting of Sting (singer, bass guitarist), Andy Summers (guitarist) and Steward Copeland (drummer, percussionist). The band disbanded in 1986 and reunited briefly in 2007 for a world tour. They released five studio albums that saw critical and commercial success. 

Every Breath You Take was their fifth UK number one hit and first one in the US. It was released on the 1983 and last studio album Synchronicity.

Vocabulary

a bond: a binding element     lien 
to fake: to simulate      
to ache: to hurt    faire mal 
to stake a claim: to claim something      revendiquer quelque chose 
  

While watching / listening

First watch the music video!  Click HERE

Then have a second listen and fill in the gaps with the missing words!

Every breath you take
_________________________
Every bond you break
_________________________
I’ll be watching you

Every single day
Every word you say
__________________________
Every night you stay
I’ll be watching you

Oh, can’t you see
_________________________
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take

Every move you make
_________________________
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I’ll be watching you

Since you’ve gone I been lost without a trace
_______________________________________
I look around but it’s you I can’t replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying baby, baby, please...

Oh, can’t you see
___________________________
How my poor heart aches
With every breath you take

Every move you make
_______________________
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I’ll be watching you

Every move you make
_______________________
I’ll be watching you

I’ll be watching you
I’ll be watching you
I’ll be watching you
   I’ll be watching you...

When you are finished, you can check your answers

Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I’ll be watching you

Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I’ll be watching you

Oh, can’t you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take

Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I’ll be watching you

Since you’ve gone I been lost without a trace
I dream at night I can only see your face
I look around but it’s you I can’t replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying baby, baby, please...

Oh, can’t you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every breath you take

Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I’ll be watching you

Every move you make
Every step you take
I’ll be watching you

I’ll be watching you
I’ll be watching you
I’ll be watching you
   I’ll be watching you...

Words you never learn at school (3) : British expressions to talk about ... sex

Words you never learn at school (3):  British expressions to talk about ... sex
(Level: B2 / Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate / ***) 

Kate Middleton was...  shocked... 
Photo credit: dailymail.co.uk 

Before watching / listening

You are going to watch a lesson by Leila and Sabrah from "Love English with Leila and Sabrah" focusing on some English expressions and words used to talk about sex. 

British people don't like talking about sex because they find that embarrassing. So they use euphemisms to simply replace words referring to any sexual behaviour.

Of course, as was the case in the previous two lessons - "Words you never learn at school (1) and (2) -  the F-word (F**k) is to be totally avoided because it is utterly vulgar! 

Vocabulary

cheeky: audacieux / coquin 
cuddly: câlin
casual: occasionnel  

While watching / listening

Now listen to Leila and Sabrah giving a few typically British English words and phrases used to refer to kissing and having sex. 

They are the sort of words you’ve never been taught at school ! 

Listen carefully and try to remember as much as you can!

You can also watch the video by clicking HERE

After watching / listening

Fill in the sentences with the missing words / phrases! 

How would you translate them in French? 

Write six ways to say: "They had sex the last time they saw each other". 

-
-
-
-

More informal: 
-
-


Write two ways to say: "When I saw them, they were kissing passionately". 

-
-
                                                                         

 Complete: 
Father to child: "It's about time we talk about ..............................................
(= les choses de la vie / les cigognes et les choux) 





When you are finished, you can check your answers.

Five ways to say: "They had sex the last time they saw each other". 
-They had rumpy-pumpy ...   (Ils ont fait une partie de jambes en l'air) 
-They had a nookie ( ... idem)
-They had hanky-panky (Ils ont fait des galipettes)
-They got it on  / they did it  (Ils l'ont fait) 
More informal
-They had a shag / they shagged. (Ils ont tiré un coup / ils se sont envoyés en l'air) 
-They got laid (idem) 


Two ways to say: "When I saw them, they were kissing passionately". 
-...they were having a snog / ...they were snogging   (Ils se bécotaient) 
-...they were having a smooch / ...they were smooching (Ils flirtaient)

Complete: 
Father to child: "It's about time we talk about the birds and the bees. 
(= parler des choses de la vie / de cigognes et de choux) 

Boris Johnson discharged from hospital

Boris Johnson discharged from hospital 
(Level: B1 / Intermediate / **) 

Boris Johnson
Photo credit: time.com 

You are going to watch a BBC breaking news story focusing on Prime Minister Johnson being discharged from hospital.

Before watching

The following words could be useful:

to pay tribute to: to do homage to       saluer / rendre hommage à 

to owe one's life: to be indebted to someone for one's life    devoir la vie à qn.

recovery: the process of becoming well again after an illness or an operation  convalescence 

A ventilator 
Photo credit : cnn.com 

It was of great concern: people felt worried a lot about....    se sentir très préoccupé / inquiet 

the Foreign Secretary: the minister in charge of how the country deals with the foreign nations       le ministre des Affaires Etrangères.  

to deputize:  to appoint / act as deputy ( = a second person in command when the superior is absent)       suppléer / remplacer 

to hold one's breath: to wait anxiously (until the situation gets better)   retenir son souffle 

unlikely: improbable 

to be sitting (for the Parliament):  to be in a meeting      être en session parlementaire 

Chequers: the Prime Minister's country residence
Picture credit: itv.com

Dominic Raab; First Secretary of State and
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Photo credit: standard.co.uk 

While watching

Are the following statements true or false?

Justify your answers! 

1. Boris Johnson was discharged from hospital after he'd spent a week in intensive care.

2. Boris Johnson is now back to 10 Downing Street.

3. He got oxygen treatment on a ventilator. 

4. It takes longer to recover for patients who go on a ventilator. 

5. The First Secretary of State is in charge of the government this week.

6. Boris Johnson's fiancée is six months pregnant.

7. British Parliament is about to gather soon in the House of Commons.

You can also watch the news video on BBC News You Tube by clicking HERE.

When you are finished, you can check your answers.

1. Boris Johnson was discharged from hospital after he'd spent a week in intensive care.
FALSE: He was discharged after one week in hospital and three nights in intensive care. 
Il est resté une semaine à l'hôpital, dont trois nuits passées aux urgences. 

2. Boris Johnson is now back to 10 Downing Street.
FALSE: He is now in Chequers, his country house. 
Il est dans sa résidence secondaire à la campagne (Chequers). 

3. He got oxygen treatment on a ventilator.
FALSE:  He got oxygen treatment but not on a ventilator. 
Il a bien été oxygéné mais n'a pas été placé sur un respirateur. 

4. It takes longer to recover for patients who go on a ventilator. 
TRUE. Patients who go on ventilators are more serious cases although the situation varies from patient to patient. 
Oui, les patients placés sur un respirateur sont des cas plus graves. Mais un cas n'est pas l'autre. 

5. The First Secretary of State is in charge of the government this week.
TRUE. 
D. Raab is First Secretary of State AND Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 
D. Raab est le Premier Secrétaire d'Etat ET Ministre des Affaires Etrangères

6. Boris Johnson's fiancée is six months pregnant.
FALSE. She's seven months pregnant.
Elles est enceinte de 7 mois.

7. British Parliament is about to gather soon in the House of Commons.
FALSE. Due to social distancing, the MPs won't get together in the House of Commons. The sitting will be virtual...  It's not decided yet. 
Le Parlement va se réunir mais certainement pas à Westminster, dans la Chambre des Communes, vu les mesures de distanciation sociale...  
La session parlementaire sera sans doute virtuelle...   Des décisions doivent encore être prises sur la manière dont cela va se passer. 

Coronavirus: six ways the lockdown has changed the UK

Coronavirus: six ways the lockdown has changed the UK
(Level: B2 / Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate / ***)

You are going to read a BBC news article and have a look at some statistics.

A deserted Trafalgar Square
Photo credit: BBC news presenter Sophie Raworth

BBC's Sophie Raworth has been running to work to the BBC building since the beginning of the lockdown and has made pictures of some deserted London landmarks. If you want to see some more of her photographs, click HERE ! 




Before reading

Look at the heading of the article: "Coronavirus: six ways the lockdown has changed the UK" and answer the questions! 

1. How different do you think the UK is now because of the lockdown? What do you think the changes are?

2. What changes have you personally noticed since the beginning of the lockdown in your area / country? 

While reading

The following words could be useful:

places of worship = churches, mosques, synagogues, temples   lieux de culte  
the NHS : National Health Service = the publicly-funded healthcare system in the UK  
to cope: to face / manage / deal with (problems, difficulties)    gérer / s'en sortir

to go sky high: to increase considerably       atteindre un niveau jamais égalé 
flattening / to flatten: to crush / cut down on / stabilize       stabilisation 
to reach record highs:  to reach the highest records ever   atteindre des sommets / un niveau record 
A&E = Accident and Emergency Department     les services d'urgences 
dramatically: considerably / drastically       considérablement / radicalement / fortement  
footfall: the number of people going to shops or businesses at a particular time   fréquentation (de la clientèle) / nombre de clients 
universal credit: money paid to people with no income or very low income in the UK    revenu universel / allocation universelle 
to soar: to rise / to increase very quickly      monter en flèche 
a job seeker's allowance: the money paid to the unemployed people   allocation de chômage 
furlough: a temporary leave from work due to economic conditions e.g. ... chômage technique 
the self-employed: people who don't work for an employer but for themselves travailleurs indépendants
to make redundant: to sack         licencier / mettre au chômage 
the cut-off date: the last date on which it was possible to do something   date limite 
to be eligible: fit or proper to be taken into account    recevable / admissible 
a shortage of...: a lack of        manque de / pénurie 
a fortnight = a period of two weeks
a larder: a pantry / a place where food can be stored  cellier / garde-manger 
to slump: to decrease / to drop suddenly / to collapse   s'effondrer / chuter 
to dip: to slump       chuter   
to mute: to reduce 
to issue a fine / to fine: to impose a fine on     verbaliser  
a surge: an important increase    poussée / envolée  

Now read the article: what are the changes the lockdown has brought about in the UK since it started?  Make notes! 

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


To read the article, click HERE


Does the article mention anything you thought about in the pre-reading  (Before reading) section? 

When you are finished, you can check your answers! 

Suggestions de réponses!

1.
Le confinement et  la distanciation sociale mis en place pour limiter la contamination et aider les hôpitaux à gérer les admissions aux urgences commencent à avoir un impact positif.
Même si on dénombre environ 5000 nouveaux cas par jour, les chiffres ne vont pas à la hausse...

Les Britanniques agissent aussi différemment vis-à-vis de leur système de soins de santé (NHS); ils respectent les consignes données et évitent donc de se précipiter aux urgences...
En revanche, le nombre d'appels au numéro d'urgence (111) explose.

2.
Beaucoup moins de déplacements
Tendance déjà perceptible avant même le déclenchement du confinement quand beaucoup de travailleurs s'étaient déjà mis au télétravail.
Diminution considérable de l'usage des moyens de transport en général (voitures; bus, trains, métro...) : -60%  entre début février et début avril.

3.
Forte diminution de la pollution de l'air
Le niveau du dioxyde d'azote a diminué d'environ 40% à l'échelle nationale par rapport à celui de l'an dernier à la même période de l'année. Dans certaines villes (Brighton; Portsmouth), c'est même 60% de moins!

4.
Forte augmentation des demandes d'allocations "universelles"
10 fois plus de demandeurs en une semaine qu'en tant normal, presque autant durant cette semaine que pendant les trois semaines précédentes (et donc surtout depuis le début du confinement).
Il s'agit essentiellement de personnes qui ne peuvent bénéficier des revenus octroyés par le gouvernement aux indépendants forcés d'arrêter leurs activités ou aux travailleurs en chômage technique...

5.
Chute drastique de la fréquentation des supermarchés / magasins ...depuis le confinement. 
Avant les mesures restrictives: 44% en moyenne de ventes en plus dans les supermarchés (par rapport à la même période l'an dernier) dus aux "incursions" des consommateurs craignant la pénurie de certains produits et les achats massifs pour stocker au maximum...
Depuis deux semaines:  - 7,5% de fréquentation des supermarchés / les gens sortent moins depuis le confinement / les congélateurs et celliers sont remplis /  les marchandises achetées sont plus des produits de longue conservation que des produits frais et raffinés...

Chute vertigineuse des achats de produits non alimentaires / des achats compulsifs.

Augmentation des achats en ligne.

6.
Violence conjugale / intrafamiliale en augmentation
25% d'appels en plus depuis le début du confinement.

Words you never learn at school (2) : swear words

Words you never learn at school (2):  swear words
(Level: B2 / Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate / ***) 

Picture credit: goodmenproject.com 

Before watching / listening

You are going to watch a lesson by Leila and Sabrah from "Love English with Leila and Sabrah" focusing on the use of some English swear words which are ranked as mild or a bit more offensive. 

Since every swear word in the English language has been ranked in order of offensiveness (mild, medium, strong, the strongest), there are definitely words you should never use. 
They are considered to be utterly vulgar, too rude and therefore totally inappropriate ("the strongest" category).

A good example of such a word that you may know is what the Brits call the F-word (F**k). So never use it or its derivatives (motherf****er  or f****ing)! 

Remember: these words should never be used as they are... too vulgar! 

Vocabulary

bollocks / balls:  alternative vulgar words for "testicles".
Fudge: a type of confectionery made with milk, butter, sugar and flavouring... 
  

Fudge
Picture credit: greatbritishchefs.com

While watching / listening

Now listen to Leila and Sabrah giving an interesting array of "socially acceptable" swear words the Brits usually use. 

They are the sort of words you’ve never been taught at school ! 

Listen carefully and try to remember as much as you can!

Click HERE to watch!

After watching / listening

Fill in the sentences with the missing words / phrases! 

They all express how frustrated you are! 

Oh ...............................  !   I forgot my keys at work! 
     ................................ !
     ................................ !
     ................................ !
     ................................ ! 
     .................................!
     .................................! 

........................!  I'm leaving!  (That's enough! I'm fed up with waiting in this queue!)

 We watched a film on TV last night! It was ......................! (It was rubbish!) 
 What a ........................ film that was! 







When you are finished, you can check your answers!


(Oh)  crap!                                                       I forgot my keys at work! 
        bloody hell!
        shit!     shite!

        my God!    my gosh!    my days!
        fiddlesticks!      fudge!
        balls!     bollocks! 
        bugger!   bugger it!             

Sod it! I'm leaving...  

We watched a film on TV last night! It was crap! 
What a crappy film that was!