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News in Slow English

24th May 2025 (BBC)

As it's already May, a lot of the part 1 and part 2 topics are changing in the IELTS speaking exam. Let's start with the topic "Describe a positive change you made in your life" with some good idioms which are explained below.

Remember this is just an example answer, and you should never learn example answers off by heart. It's very important to speak naturally in the speaking exam.


Idioms used in the example answer:

Out of shape

If someone is unhealthy or not able to do a lot of physical activity, we can say they are out of shape.

“He drinks and smokes too much, and has become very out of shape.”



In good shape

If you’re in good shape, you are fit and healthy. This  especially refers to the physical condition of your body ( being at a healthy weight, not overweight, getting plenty of exercise)


Run down

If you’re feeling run down, you are tired and lacking energy, usually after a sustained period without enough rest.

“After working late in the office every night for the last 2 weeks, he started to feel very run down.”


Full of beans

Someone who has a lot of energy might be described as full of beans.

“Young children are always full of beans, and love to run around, and play.”


Fit as a fiddle

Fit as a fiddle means ‘in very good health’ and may more often be used to refer to older people.

“My grandfather is 86, but is still as fit as a fiddle, and goes to exercise in the park every morning.”


Picture of good health

To look the picture of health simply means to look very healthy and well.

“Wow! Have you been going to the gym recently? You look the picture of health.


IELTS 85 Speaking

Describe a positive change you made in your life - IELTS speaking part 2

In this episode, I talk about a movie called "I'm Your Man." It's about a scientist named Alma who takes part in an experiment, where she will live for 3 weeks with an android named Tom. Tom was designed to be the perfect life partner for her. This is a German science fiction movie.

Vocabulary:
android: a humanoid robot
humanoid: in the shape of a human, looks human

Learn English with Stories

Movie: I'm Your Man

Сегодня мы читаем статью про то, что дача значит для русского человека.

Слушайте и читайте текст одновременно: 
https://www.shkolazhizni.ru/family/articles/55075/

Если вы хотите обсудить услышанное и подискутировать на эту тему - приходите на урок.


Listen and read

Что значит для русского человека дача? B1-С1

La culpa es de la vaca" ilustra la externalización de la culpa. Un investigador encuestó almacenes en Colombia sobre productos de cuero: precios altos y baja calidad. Los fabricantes culparon a las curtiembres por aranceles. Las curtiembres a los mataderos por mala calidad de cueros. Los mataderos a los ganaderos por poco uso de venenos y marcas en las reses. Los ganaderos a las vacas por restregarse en alambres. Conclusión: ¡las vacas son estúpidas! Esta historia, resumida por Fernando Cepeda en El Tiempo, se basa en investigación del libro "Changing the Mind of a Nation" (Harrison & Huntington), cap. de Michael Fairbanks. © 2002 Jaime Lopera G. y Martha Inés Bernal T.

The Macondo man stories

La culpa es de la vaca

大家晚上好啊，我是丹霞。您现在收听的是中文台词频道，今天的台词出自电影《七月与安生》，由周冬雨和马思纯主演。

        “十三岁到十五岁，是七月和安生形影不离的三年。 有时候七月是安生的影子，有时候安生是七月的影子。她们在书里读到：如果踩住一个人的影子，那个人一辈子不会离开。但是安生说一辈子太长了，她只想活到二十七岁。

        初中毕业，七月考上了最好的高中，安生进了职业学校。用安生的话说，熬了九年终于考进了一所 不需要交作文、没有操行评分的学校，正和她的胃口。”

                                                                                                           ——电影《七月与安生》/<Soulmate>                 

形影不离Xíng yǐng bù lí always together; be after each other like shadows
影子 yǐngzi shadow
踩住 cǎi zhù keep the feet upon; step on
一辈子 yībèizi  all one's life; throughout one's life
职业学校 zhíyè xuéxiào vocational school
熬 áo  to endure
操行 cāoxíng  behavior or conduct of a student
评分 píng fēn  grade; score
合胃口 hé wèi kǒu  be to one's taste


"From 13 to 15 years old, Qiyue and Ansheng have been always together for three years. Sometimes Qiyue is the shadow of Ansheng, and sometimes Ansheng is the shadow of Qiyue. They read in the book: if you keep stepping on a someone's shadow, that person will never leave. But Ansheng said that a whole lifetime is too long, and she only wants to live up to 27.

After graduating from junior high school, Qiyue was admitted to the best high school, and Ansheng entered a vocational school. In Ansheng's words, after nine years hard life, she finally got into a school that doesn't need to hand in a composition and doesn't have a code of conduct. It was just to her taste. "

Chinese Lines 中文台词

01. 形影不离Follow like a shadow——《七月与安生Soulmate》

Masculino y Femenino de los Sustantivos y los Adjetivos
¿Cómo se forma el femenino de los sustantivos y de los adjetivos?

Cuando tengo una palabra masculina (sustantivo o adjetivo) que termina con la “o” en femenino termina con la “a”.
gato – gata (cambio la “o” con la “a”)

simpático-simpática

Pero cuando tengo una palabra masculina (sustantivo o adjetivo) que termina en consonante, por ejemplo, profesor, al pasarla al femenino se le añade una “a”.
profesor – profesora

trabajador-trabajadora

Es muy fácil ¿verdad?





Un bocado de español

MASCULINO, FEMENINO, SINGULAR y PLURAL: género y número en español

你聽過數位排毒(digital detox)嗎？在今天的這一集，我訪問了台北Unplug & Connect的主辦Chia，談談她為什麼會辦這個活動，也歡迎大家來分享數位排毒的經驗喔！
如果你有興趣參加台北的Unplug & Connect，歡迎追蹤Chia的Instagram: Chiachiu.life 
If you'd like to join the next Unplug & Connect in Taipei, follow Chiachiu.life on Instagram!

My podcast is also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!
If you'd like to support me, please subscribe and leave a review on your podcast platform. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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