Cats can talk

Cats can talk
(Level: intermediate to upper-intermediate / B1 to B2 / ** to ***)

According to recent research, cats can communicate with humans. They would indeed use different "methods" so that they let humans know what their specific needs are. 

You are going to watch and  listen to an interview with a vet who was invited in the BBC studio with Bruce the cat to explain more. 

Two of my own cats

Before watching

The following words could be useful:
a vet: a veterinarian             vétérinaire 
to purr: to emit a soft vibrant sound        ronronner    
to be chatty: to be inclined to chat; to be friendly and talkative        bavard; disert   
the surgery: (here) the veterinarian's office          cabinet vétérinaire   



While watching

Watch the interview and answer the following question:

How can cats communicate and what for?

You can also watch the interview on the BBC website by clicking HERE











When you are finished, you can check your answers:

Les chats utilisent des vocalises spécifiques pour communiquer avec les humains. Mieux encore: ils adaptent ces vocalises afin de nous faire réagir en fonction de leurs besoins spécifiques (nourriture; caresses...). 
Si le chat "voit" que son maître réagit positivement à la stimulation engagée avec ce dernier, il aura "compris" que c'est le langage ou le code langagier spécifique à adapter avec son maître dans un contexte bien défini pour lui  (par exemple pour assouvir un besoin bien particulier...).

Il y a aussi le ronronnement: autre outil de communication utilisé par le chat pour exprimer soit une satisfaction, soit une recherche d'apaisement (pour lui mais aussi pour son entourage) dans une situation de stress par exemple... 

New royal baby

New royal baby
(Level: intermediate / B1 / **)

The royal couple presenting their newborn daughter
Photo credit: www.cnn.com

The royal couple gave the press and the crowds of well-wishers a brief glimpse of their new daughter a few hours after the Duchess of cambridge gave birth to her.

You are going to watch a short report by the BBC. 



Before watching

The following words could be useful:
the cheers: shouts of encouragement; congratulations; shouts of enthusiasm from the crowd       acclamations   
a shawl: piece of fabric worn around the shoulders e.g. or (here) wrapped around a baby    châle    
the well-wishers:  people who show benevolence or sympathy; people who wish well to another person...; fans        admirateurs; sympathisants     

You can also watch the report on the BBC website by clicking HERE

Baby miraculously rescued after 22 hours in rubble

Baby miraculously rescued after 22 hours in rubble
(Level: upper-intermediate / B2 / ***)

A miraculous rescue
Photo credit: www.dailyrecord.co.uk

The destruction due to the earthquake is immense and the death toll continues to climb dramatically in Nepal but some small happy endings may occasionally occur like the miracle rescue of a baby from the rubble he was trapped in for hours. 

You are going to watch a CNN report focusing on the baby's and his sister's miracle rescues from the rubble of their home. 

You can also watch the report on the CNN website by clicking HERE

Nepal: more survivors now unlikely

Nepal: more survivors now unlikely 
(Level: intermediate to upper-intermediate / B1 to B2 / ** to ***)

Earthquake in Nepal
Photo credit: www.bbc.co.uk

It has been one week since the most devastating earthquake in decades hit Nepal; officials there say it has now become unlikely any more survivors can be found. 

You are going to watch a BBC report focusing on the situation now in Nepal one week after the earthquake hit the region.

Map credit: www.bbc.com

Before watching

The following words could be useful:
the rubble: broken pieces of stone, brick... from walls or buildings that have collapsed; the debris       décombres 
the aftershocks: smaller earthquakes occurring after a large one        répliques   
makeshift: temporary; of low quality; just there for a time because of an emergency     de fortune    
a milestone:  a significant event        étape importante; tournant décisif   
grim: depressing; gloomy        lugubre; macabre    
to rule out: to leave out ; not to consider      exclure    
unaccounted for:  missing         porté disparu   
a glimmer of hope: slight chance that anything positive might happen      une lueur d'espoir

Earthquake in Nepal
Photo credit; www.bbc.co.uk

While watching


Watch the BBC report and answer the following question:

What has the real impact / outcome of the disaster been like so far in Nepal? 

You can also watch the report on the BBC website by clicking HERE










When you are finished, you can check your answers:

• Une bonne partie de Katmandou est méconnaissable; ce ne sont plus que des amas de ruines...
• Les gens qui ont encore une maison ont peur d'y retourner à cause des répliques;
• les autorités ont exclu à ce stade toute possibilité de retrouver encore des survivants;
• 500.000 habitations détruites; seule option pour les sinistrés: séjourner dans des camps de fortune  (+ parmi les sinistrés: frustration due au manque de nourriture et sentiment d'avoir été abandonnés par les autorités);
• selon les estimations: 6.600 morts et 14.000 blessés;
• des milliers sont encore portés disparus (+ parmi ceux-ci: un millier d'Européens partis en randonnée dans l'Himalaya)
• ...

How to make the perfect fish and chips?

How to make the perfect fish and chips?
(Level: upper-intermediate / B2 / ***)

You are going to watch part of a course given by a training coordinator from the National Federation of Fish Friers (*) to students about how to cook fish and chips. 

(*) The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) is an official UK organisation representing the interests of fish and chip shop operators in the UK.
For more details (official website): click HERE



Watch the BBC video and find out how the perfect fish and chips should be made. 

No questions this time!

You can also find the video on the BBC site by clicking HERE



In a next blog entry, you will read about the probable origins and various effects of the fish and chips.

Is fish and chips in danger?

Is fish and chips in danger? 
(Level: intermediate to upper-intermediate / B2 to C1 / ***)

Fish and chips - one of the most favourite takeaways in the UK
Photo credit: www.theguardian.com

Fish and chips remains one of the favourite dishes in the UK but with a warmer climate due to global warming, it is feared the leading components (cod or haddock) may be endangered.  

Does that mean that the Brits will have to change their fish and chips habits? 

You are going to watch a BBC report focusing on that issue. 

A fish and chip shop
Photo credit: www.visitlondon.com

Before watching


The following words could be useful:
battered:  covered in a mixture of flour, egg and milk (or water or beer) and fried   pané / enrobé de pâte à frire  
batter: mixture of flour, egg, milk (or water or beer) used as a coating for food (such as fish) about to be fried       panure / pâte à frire  
a dash of... (salt / vinegar): a little... / a small quantity of...    une pincée de ... (sel) / un filet de ... (vinaigre)
cod:  a marine fish species      morue / cabillaud 
haddock: a fish species of the cod family     aiglefin / cabillaud  
a firm favourite: essential / unavoidable         un incontournable 
to hot up: to heat up       se réchauffer   
gurnard: marine fish species                grondin      
cuttlefish: a cephalopod mollusc similar to a squid         seiche    
meaty: having the flavour or character of meat         charnu / ferme (comme de la viande) 
to put... off:  to repel          rebuter  
chewy: tough       coriace  

A cod
Photo credit: www.theguardian.com

A gurnard
Photo credit: www.sea-ex.com

A cuttlefish
Photo credit: www.bbc.co.uk

While watching


Answer the following questions:

1. What type of experiment is being made in the report? Why?
2. What is the result of that experiment?

You can also watch the BBC report on the BBC News site by clicking HERE












When you are finished, you can check your answers:

1

Un tenancier d'un Fish and Chips tente de remplacer le poisson traditionnel (morue / cabillaud) par des espèces originaires des mers plus chaudes (comme la seiche ou le grondin) et les fait goûter à quelques-uns de ses habitués.

Pourquoi? 

Des experts ont prédit la disparition des poissons traditionnels des eaux anglaises qui entrent dans la composition d'un plat de Fish and Chips en raison du réchauffement climatique. Ces poissons ne vivent que dans des eaux plus froides. Or, la Mer du Nord se réchauffe inexorablement, quatre fois plus qu'ailleurs; ce qui provoque la migration de ces poissons toujours plus vers le nord (et leur disparition progressive) - d'où la nécessité d'envisager à terme d'opter pour des espèces de substitution!

2

Les goûteurs semblent ravis de l'expérience; ils ne seraient a priori pas déçus s'il fallait se détourner des espèces classiques.

Le cuistot privilégie le grondin et pas la seiche qu'il trouve trop coriace. 

Too much migration in the Mediterranean

Too much migration in the Mediterranean 
(Level: intermediate to upper-intermediate / B2 / ** to ***)

Crossing the Mediterranean Sea
Photo credit: www.mashable.com

More than 10,000 migrants have been rescued by the Italian authorities in the past week alone. Thousands more are ready to risk their lives to get to Europe and to flee war, misery and instability in their respective countries. 

The situation has prompted a real crisis in Italy so that the Italian Prime Minister has urged Europe to do something. 

Mediterranean migration routes
Map credit: www.bbc.com

You are going to watch a BBC programme focusing on that issue. 




While watching

Answer the following questions:

1. How different is the situation now in the Mediterranean Sea from what it was before (2014 e.g.)?
2. What is the EU's role like in the region?
3. What is the Italian PM's request?

You can also watch the video on the BBC News site: click HERE

When you are finished, you can check your answers.

1

Entre janvier et avril 2014: 17 candidats à l'exil ont péri en voulant traverser la Méditerranée / Un an plus tard et pendant la même période, ce sont au moins 950 victimes qu'il faut déjà déplorer! 

2

L'UE "se contente" de débloquer des fonds (équivalent de 90 millions de dollars US) pour protéger ses frontières et contrôler ses eaux territoriales - et non pas pour sauver la vie des réfugiés en mer. 

3
Le premier ministre italien souhaiterait que l'Europe intervienne davantage financièrement pour lutter contre la traite des êtres humains / les réseaux des passeurs. 
Et il faudrait éviter que la Méditerranée ne devienne un véritable cimetière!