News in Slow English - Episode 6 - Weekly Intermediate English Program

10/19/17 • 7 min

In the first part of our program, we’re going to discuss current events. We will begin with news of the liberation of Raqqa, the Syrian city occupied by the Islamic State. Next, we’ll talk about the results of Austria’s national elections which were held last Sunday. Then, we’ll have a conversation about a study which seems to challenge what we previously believed about the domestication of dogs. And finally, we’ll talk about an Italian woman who was granted the right to earn paid time off in order to care for her sick dog.

City of Raqqa falls to U.S.-backed Syrian forces
Austria shifts to the right following national elections
Domestication has not made dogs cooperate more with each other, when compared to wolves
Italian woman wins right to earn sick pay to care for ailing dog

The second part of our show will be dedicated to American culture and the English language. In the grammar section of our program, we’ll illustrate the use of today’s topic: Plural Nouns. And we’ll conclude our program with another English expression: “Actions speak louder than words.”

City of Raqqa falls to U.S.-backed Syrian forces
Austria shifts to the right following national elections
Domestication has not made dogs cooperate more with each other, when compared to wolves
Italian woman wins right to earn sick pay to care for ailing dog

Previous Episode

News in Slow English - Episode 5 - Learn English through current events

For the first part of our program, we are going to dive into this week’s headlines. We’ll start with the ongoing tension between Catalonia and the Spanish government. Next, we’re going to cover the firing of movie executive Harvey Weinstein last Sunday over allegations of sexual misconduct. After that, we’ll talk about the work of Richard Thaler, a US economist, and the winner of this year's Nobel Prize in Economics. And finally, we’ll discuss the controversial decision by Austrian authorities to fine a man wearing a shark costume, accusing him of violating a new law which forbids people to wear any face covering in public.

Uncertainty continues over Catalan secession
Movie executive Harvey Weinstein fired following sexual allegations
US economist Richard Thaler wins this year's Nobel Prize in Economics
Man in shark costume fined under Austria's 'burqa ban' law

The second part of our show will be dedicated to American culture and the English language. In the grammar section of our program, we’ll demonstrate the use of today’s topic: Units of Quantity -- Most, Almost, and Almost All. And we’ll end this week’s program with a brand new English expression: “To be a stick-in-the-mud.”

Next Episode

News in Slow English - Episode 7

For the first half of our program, we’re going to look at what’s happening around the world this week. We’ll begin with a discussion of China’s most important political event that ended on Tuesday - the Communist Party Congress. Next, we’ll address the results of Czech elections and the nomination of the Populist billionaire Andrej Babiš. After that, we’ll discuss the discovery by scientists from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) of a 30 mile-long cave on the surface of the moon. And finally, we’ll talk about a rumor that has spread throughout social media this week.

Xi Jinping is China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong
Populist billionaire to become next Czech leader
Cave on moon’s surface could serve as shelter for humans
Melania Trump imposter theory captivates the internet

As always, the second part of our show will be dedicated to American culture and the English language. In the grammar section of our program, we’ll illustrate the use of today’s topic: Countable and Uncountable Nouns. And we’ll close this week’s program with a new English expression: “To go back to the drawing board.”