Thursday, 08 February 2007
On This Day
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Sunday, 04 February 2007
Mini Papers
If you like reading a newspaper on the metro, on your way to or from work, and if you have had enough of Metro or 20 Minutes, then you can try these PDF's from The Guardian. They are updated during the day so your evening paper will be different to your morning one...and (for the moment at least!) they are free.
You can choose from:
Top Stories (UK & World)
Wolrd News
Business News
Media News
Sport News
(You will need Adobe reader installed to open these files. You can download Adobe here.)
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Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Sarkozy in London
Listen here to the Guardian journalist Angelique Chrisafis talk about Sarkozy's trip to London. (Available today only)
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Monday, 29 January 2007
Gaffes tarnish Royal's campaign
Read the article here
Useful Vocabulary
gaffe: a social mistake (a faux pas)
to tarnish: to make sth less attractive
seasoned: experienced
pundit: a political expert
to wax lyrical: to speak a lot
to bring sth to the table: to raise the issue
to falter: to hesitate
quest: campaign
to curry favour: to win favour
in disarray: a mess
prankster: someone who plays pranks (jokes)
gag: joke
to do sth on the hoof: to do sth without consideration
20:26 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this
Tuesday, 23 January 2007
Business Podcast
How Business Saw The Light
Listen to the podcast here and then answer the questions.
1. Who is Takeo Fukui?
2. What did the journalist do "very, very, carefully"?
3. What did Fukui design in 1972?
4. Why does it no pay to be green?
5. What is happening in Arkansas?
6. What is happening in Silicon Valley?
7. How did corporations act in 2006? Why?
8. How much is the worldwide green business market worth?
9. Why is this a "watershed moment"?
10. How can the best companies use the environment?
11. What has, in part, contributed to Toyota's current success?
12. What matters more than one car model?
13. What is the Toyota corporate Philosophy?
14. What has helped them reduce energy use?
15. What is Toyota's worldwide emissions goal?
16. How is "Toyota killing Detroit"?
17. What has Wal-Mart done over the past year?
18. Why does Wal-Mart have power to cause change?
19. How could Wal-Mart help start a "Green Wave" in the U.S. Economy?
20. What makes the transformation of Wal-Mart so remarkable?
21. What did Goldman-Sachs do in 2005?
22. What has GE committed to do by 2010?
23. What revenues did GE report from environmental products in 2005?
24. What is likely to complicate the environmental crisis?
25. What will GE sell more of Wind Turbines or Jet Engines?
26. What is Wal-Mart eager to do?
27. Why are consumers called "Green Hypocrites" in the article?
28. What must we do to avert the worst effects of global warming
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Saturday, 20 January 2007
Script Update
A new version of the grease monkey script for the English In Paris add on has now been posted. Click on the link to the left to download it.
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Great Online Translator
If you don't know it already, take a look at Reverso. It's accurate and translates into other languages too.
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Wednesday, 17 January 2007
Listening Exercise
Listen here to the Time Magazine Podcast and answer the following questions.
Forum: The Future of Newspapers
1. What did Time ask insiders to do?
2. Who was the first person they asked?
3. What is his role?
4. What was the catalyst for the Newspaper Next Project?
5. What occurred to them at this time?
6. What did they create?
7. What was its purpose?
8. How much is the newspaper industry worth?
9. What is his firm belief?
10. What is the challenge in a democratic republic?
11. What 3 attributes make newspapers relevant?
12. What attributes does a newspaper lack?
13. Who is the second person they speak to?
14. How many adults read a newspaper or visit its site every week
15. What does he think there will be advances in?
16. What does he say its "all about"?
17. Who is the third person they speak too?
18. Which company is he from?
19. What two things are growing fastest in his company?
20. How much revenue does his company have?
21. What does he compare the relationship between newspapers to?
22. Why is it harder now than in the eighties?
23. What percentage of people 18-24 read a newspaper regularly
24. Who is the fourth person?
25. What is is role?
26. What is the difference between teens now and teens thirty years ago?
27. What would happen if there was a newspaper strike across America?
28. What is one way things might change?
29. What is the eventual conclusion?
30. Who is the fifth person?
31. What is his role?
32. What is the trajectory of newspaper profit margins?
33. What doesn't translate into profits in the current environment?
34. What does he say is positive about the current situation?
35. What must newspapers do?
Answers will be published here next week.
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Tuesday, 16 January 2007
When Britain and France nearly married
Formerly secret documents unearthed from the National Archives have showed Britain and France considered a "union" in the 1950s.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
unearthed: found, after a search
counterpart: the person who who holds the same position as you, but in a different organisation
to fuel: to encourage
blossoming: growing, flourishing
to be on the boil: to become more intense
in the light of: as a result of
to stammer/ to stutter: to speak with constant breaks
stunned: shocked
17:37 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sunday, 14 January 2007
French right look to 'Emperor Nicolas'
This weekend France's governing party the UMP chooses its candidate for the presidential elections in April and there is only one person on the shortlist: the French interior minister.
The BBC's Paris correspondent, Caroline Wyatt, says his main appeal for the party is that he is popular enough to take on the Socialist candidate, Ségolene Royale.
Listen to the article with a copy of the text here.
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Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Songtime: Boots of Spanish Leather
Read the lyrics here.
Then play the song...
Useful Vocabulary
to sail: to travel by boat
to spoil: to ruin
lonesome: lonely
sorrow: sadness
roaming: moving around from place to place
to take heed: to pay attention
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Sunday, 07 January 2007
Spaniards take on French for foodie crown
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to take on: to contend with
foodie: food enthusiast
crown: winning position
to look down on: to consider badly
to slaughter: to kill
to be up in arms: to be angry
to thumb (ones) nose: to disregard
limelight: attention
tame: not interesting
to trumpet: to promote
staid: boring
00:30 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this
Friday, 05 January 2007
French homeless step up pressure
The plight of homeless families is in the spotlight in France after squatters moved into a vacant office block in Paris and also set up a tent city.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
plight: bad condition
squatters: people who live somewher without the permission of the owner
stock exchange: Bourse
lobby group: a group who put campaign to the government about a specific issue
poised: ready
to spearhead: to lead
makeshift: temporary
02:20 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Wednesday, 03 January 2007
French voters are wooed via the web
France's presidential frontrunners signalled their intention to carry out their political fight via the internet yesterday, firing the opening salvoes of 2007 by posting new year messages on the web.
Read the article here
Useful Vocabulary
to woo: to seduce
frontrunners: the people at the front of a race
salvo: a series of shots from a gun
to steal a march: to get ahead
to catch up: to reach the same level
foregone conclusion: something already decided
13:34 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 29 December 2006
New Second Hand English bookshop in Paris
Click on the logo to find out more.
Click here to read about other bookshops in Paris
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Thursday, 28 December 2006
Paris Link
Paris Link offers news and podcasts to English speakers in Paris. You can also use the website to find a conversation exchange partner. Click on the link below to visit the site.
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Wednesday, 27 December 2006
Bitesize BBC radio
If you don't have the energy to search for the BBC radio programmes that you want to hear, you might like to try the links below. These ten-minute Business and Sports shows are updated weekly and contain a variety of accents to develop your listening skills.
The programmes launch in a browser window like this;
and you need Real Player installed on your system to listen.
Listen to the Business show here.
Listen to the Sports show here.
(Thanks to Emma for the info.)
00:50 Posted in Listening Text | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 26 December 2006
Guardian Unlimited Podcasts
If you don't know what a Podcast is, or you are not sure how they could help you improve your English, read the article here.
The Guardian has long been known for its challenging and intelligent written journalism. Recently the newspaper has branched out into podcasts, producing both weekly shows and one-off specials.
You can find a list of The Guardian's Podcasts here.
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Sunday, 24 December 2006
The Parisian
The Parisian calls itself "the primary resource for English speaking Paris." You can find a whole variety of English articles on Parisian music, literature, shopping and food and drink by clicking on the picture or here.
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Saturday, 23 December 2006
Topical News Lessons
Once a month the website One Stop English publishes a lesson based upon a news article taken from The Guardian Weekly. Each lesson is available in an Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced version and includes vocabulary, grammar and phrasal verb exercises as well as the article.You can find the news lessons here.
Do you have questions about the articles? Email me.
00:00 Posted in Web | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 22 December 2006
Conversation Exchange
Recommended by a friend of mine, these sites seem to be an efficient way to set up a conversation exchange from the comfort of your own study. I haven't tested them myself, but he now happily chats in Thai twice a week, so at least it has worked for him.
Of course, make sure you follow all of the normal safety procedures that you would when using the internet: Don't give out your address, phone number, bank details, etc. But you didn't need me to tell you that.
Have you used Language Buddy or My Language Exchange? Tell me what you thought.
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Thursday, 21 December 2006
Build your Vocabulary
Find the Elementary book here.
Find the Pre-Intermediate book here
Find the Intermediate book here.
(Can't find the texts? Email me)
00:30 Posted in Study Resources | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 19 December 2006
The Best of English in Paris
With another year almost over, I'm heading across the channel (la manche, to you) to spend Christmas with my family. But don't despair. For the next week I'll be publishing some of the long forgotten posts from English in Paris. I hope you enjoy them.
Thank you for visiting English in Paris this year. Merry Christmas!
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Monday, 18 December 2006
High taxes force 'French Elvis' to move to Switzerland
Finally we see the positive effect of all those taxes!
Read the article here
Useful Vocabulary
a bombshell: a devastating shock shock
grizzled: with gray hair
the hereafter: after death
scoop: an exclusive news story
haven: a place where you can find peace
to cause a stir: to cause a commotion
16:43 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Thursday, 14 December 2006
EU summit to reconsider expansion
The heads of the 25 European Union states are expected to make it harder for new members to join, when they meet for their annual summit in Brussels.
Read the article here
Useful Vocabulary
summit: conference
head: leader
key: important / essential
to tackle: to deal with
to stem from: to originate from
to chair: to lead (a conference)
to do sth by the back door: to do sth without following the correct route
09:39 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 12 December 2006
Impressionist insight: a thousand letters to Monet go on sale
· Collection expected to fetch £340,000 at auction
· Cézanne, Renoir and Rodin wrote to painter
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to fetch: to sell for
auction: a public sale where goods are sold to the person who names the highest price
to go under the hammer: to be sold at auction
glimpse: view
to turn over: to give
jottings: a quickly written note
bond: connection
scrawl: writing which is difficult to read
09:26 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 08 December 2006
Now you have no excuse not to watch the news in English!
France 24 has been launched. Visit the English website by clicking on the logo below.
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Wednesday, 06 December 2006
The Economist Podcast
If you want to try listening to English with a business theme you might like to listen to the Economist podcasts, available by clicking on the logo below.
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Sunday, 03 December 2006
France to take on 'le rosbif' TV
News channel to challenge BBC by bringing 'French values' to the world - in English
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to beat sb: to have victory over sb
state-funded: paid for by the state
switch over: change
to counter: to act against
avowal: admission
bias: prejudice
13:20 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 01 December 2006
Sarkozy faces presidential battle
Nicolas Sarkozy, who is leading the right's challenge to retain the French presidency, has reached out to voters in a televised interview, painting himself as the candidate of change, reform and unity while promising to protect the most vulnerable in French society.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to pledge: to promise
to run (in an election): to enter the election race
threat: danger
to wonder: to question
old guard: the long established members of a group
to dwindle: to decline
to hint: to suggest
backers: supporters
staunch: dedicated
the rank and file: the ordinary members
sideshow: distraction
stance: position
10:42 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Tuesday, 28 November 2006
News Round-Up
Here is a selection of the most interesting stories from the week that I have been away. Email me with any vocabulary questions.
City plans rival to Eiffel tower
Paris has unveiled plans for a vast glass-enveloped office block that will become its tallest commercial building and loftiest construction since the Eiffel tower was inaugurated in 1889.
Europe must shoulder its share of the Nato burden
Jacques Chirac: For too long we have relied on our US allies. We must strengthen our national contributions, and boost the EU's role.
Right Mam for the job
Michèle Alliot-Marie could provide her male-dominated party with a female adversary for Ségolène Royal, writes Angelique Chrisafis.
Eurotunnel wins debt plan support
Eurotunnel's creditors have narrowly voted in favour of its latest debt restructuring plan, averting the danger of the company going into liquidation.
France faces up to football hooliganism
French football clubs and the authorities have vowed to clamp down on football hooliganism in France after a lethal confrontation between police and supporters of the Paris Saint-Germain team.
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Sunday, 26 November 2006
Songtime
Dedicated Follower of Fashion by The Kinks
Listen to the song here:
Read the lyrics here.
Useful Vocabulary
to seek: to look for
loud (clothes): lots of colours
square: 60's slang boring
'cause: because
fad:a very short trend
trend: a tendency in fashion
polka-dots: see the picture below
stripes: lines
carnabetian: ATTENTION! An invented adjective about Carnaby Street in London.
to flit: to move quickly (just like a butterfly)
fickle: often changing your opinions
00:20 Posted in Distractions | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, 25 November 2006
English books, cheap at half the price...
While it can be nice to hold, caress and get to know a book before you buy it, if you regularly patronise English bookshops in Paris - particularly if you are looking for new books - then you will be left seriously out of pocket.
English books are expensive, even in England, but I don't know anywhere cheaper to buy them than this site (and delivery is free too):
(A small tip: select to be given the price in pounds and not euros. This way you can save even more!)
If you want to buy second hand books then try the San Francisco Book Company, details here.
But why even buy books? The municipal libraries of Paris have more English books than you could wish for and a searchable online database so that you needn't waste time plodding around the city. Click on the picture below to visit their site.
Another well known library is The American Library, but there is a high membership fee, and unless you read books faster than two or three per month, I wouldn't recommend it.
Finally, and in the spirit of free information that this site promotes, why not try bookcrossing?
Find a book, read it and then release it back into the wild for other people to enjoy...
Read the bookcrossing FAQ here.
Look for books currently at large in Paris here
00:05 Posted in English in Paris | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 24 November 2006
Podcasts
A Podcast is an online radio show that you can download onto your computer and listen to at home, or transfer onto your MP3 player and then listen to in the Metro or at your desk. They are a great way to practice English on the move.
How do I listen to Podcasts?
First you need to download a programme. You can use itunes, but personally I recommend Juice. You can download Juice by clicking on the lemon.
Once you have installed the programme you need to subscribe to the Podcasts that interest you. There are already hundreds and hundreds online. You can find a comprehensive directory of currently available Podcasts by clicking on the egg.
The BBC also has a variety of Podcasts covering News, Business, Technology and World Affairs. Click on the logo to visit the site.
00:20 Posted in Web | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Know English? Know art...
It is well known that English and Americans, in general, have great difficulty speaking any language except their own. As a result, every major museum and gallery in Paris provides an Audioguide facility, as well as a full website, in English for us stubborn monoglots.
Why not spend an afternoon rediscovering the great French collections in English?
"Monet water lilies see light of day again"
Read what the BBC wrote about the re-opening of the Orangerie Museum here.
Museum Websites
The Louvre in English here.
d'Orsay here.
Pompidou Centre here.
Grand Palais here.
Rodin here.
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Thursday, 23 November 2006
BBC Learn English
A fantastic resource for English students from the BBC. Updated every day with articles, exercises, activities and business activities. Click on the logo to begin.
00:05 Posted in Web | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
English Bookshops in Paris
Shakespeare & Co.
Address: 37, rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 PARIS
Métro: Maubert-Mutualité (line 10), St-Michel Notre-Dame (RER B).
Hours: 12 noon - 12 midnight every day.
A legend and an ex-patriot institution, unknown to most locals. As full of history as of books. Friendly, transient staff.
Abbey Bookshop - La Librairie Canadienne
Address: 29, rue de la Parcheminerie, 75005 PARIS
Métro: St-Michel (line 4, RER B), Cluny La Sorbonne (line 10).
Also known as “The Canadian Bookshop”. Prepare to be amazed at how many books one man can fit into one shop. This man also serves you coffee while you look.
Brentano's
Address: 37, avenue de l'Opéra, 75002 PARIS
Métro: Opéra (lines 3, 7, 8), Pyramides (lines 7, 14).
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Galignani
Address: 224, rue de Rivoli, 75001 PARIS
Métro: Tuileries (line 1), Concorde (lines 1, 8, 12).
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The first English bookshop on the continent. A fine selection of literature and press.
The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore
Address: 22, rue Saint-Paul, 75004 PARIS
Métro: Sully-Morland (line 7), St-Paul (line 1).
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
San Francisco Book Co.
Address: 17, rue Monsieur-le-Prince, 75006 PARIS
Métro: Odéon (lines 4, 10), Luxembourg (RER B).
Second-hand books. Good value, indifferent staff. Great!
Tea and Tattered Pages
Address: 24, rue Mayet, 75006 PARIS
Métro: Duroc (lines 10, 13).
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. every day.
Buy books, drink tea. Perfect for old ladies, quite nice for everyone else.
Village Voice Bookshop
Address: 6, rue Princesse, 75006 PARIS
Métro: Mabillon (line 10).
Hours: Monday, 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.; Tuesday - Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
W.H. Smith
Address: 248, rue de Rivoli, 75001 PARIS
Métro: Concorde (lines 1, 8, 12).
Hours: Monday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Sunday 1:00 to 7:30 p.m.
No spirit, massive selection. Use it.
00:05 Posted in English in Paris | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, 22 November 2006
Letter to Daniel
Broadcast on 15th February 1996 on BBC Radio, this letter became one of the most well known pieces of British journalism in the 1990's.
Listen to the letter and answer these questions:
Comprehension
Where is the speaker?
What has happened
What is the speaker's job?
What do you think he means when he says "we are learning a new grammar"?
Opinion
How have the events changed the speaker's view point?
Summarise the story he tells that started 35 years before?
How does the letter make you feel?
Listen Now (RealAudio)
Original Text (Only read this after listening)
(Can't find the article? Email me)
10:00 Posted in Listening Text | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
English in Paris... In London
Have fun, and see you on Monday.
Adam
09:06 Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 20 November 2006
English/French Technical Dictionary
I have had several emails asking about a good English-French dictionary, so I thought I would remind you abut this post from the 21st of May.
The site of the Office québécois de la langue française is home to a fantastic technical dictionary. All of the results are indexed and categorised making it a lot easier to find the term that you need. Click on the logo to try it out.
14:21 Posted in Study Resources | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 17 November 2006
Clear victory for Royal in race to be president
· French socialists give firm endorsement
· Pledge to change the face of country's politics
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
in earnest: seriously
overwhelmingly: very convincingly
old guard: the old, established members of a group
rancorous: vicious
to wrestle power: to take power by force
to side-step: to avoid
aloof: distant
neck and neck: equal
rabble-rousing: to incite passion in the populace
run-down: deteriorated
11:10 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, 15 November 2006
Jarvcast!
If you like the idea of listening to stories, read by Jarvis Cocker, the singer who used to front the British band Pulp, then subscribe to his podcast here.
It's a charming listen!
Ps. If you think you just passed Jarvis on the streets of Paris, you probably did. He has been living amongst us now for some time...
12:21 Posted in Listening Text | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 13 November 2006
Rivals close in as Segolene stumbles
Gaffe threatens to derail the Socialist favourite's route to challenge for French presidency
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to close in: to surround
gaffe: a mistake usu. verbal
to derail: to send on a different course
pundits: political experts
to go to the wire: to be very close
an upset: an unexpected result
to pit sb against: to put sb in opposition to
to garner: to collect
stilted: slow and without fluency
pollsters: people who conduct polls
to moonlight: to have two jobs at the same time
gruelling: physically difficult
12:13 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, 11 November 2006
Spies lost €25m kitty meant to preserve France
French spies have lost a secret war chest of €25m meant to fund a government-in-exile in the event of invasion or nuclear attack.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
spy: secret agent
war chest: government money saved to help during war or other crises
to fund: to pay for
a handful: a few
word of mouth: the verbal transmission of information
to stumble on: to find by accident
whereabouts: where sth is
to raid: to make a surprise search of
racketeer: a person who commits various financial crimes
Ps. Read the Guardian review of the new James Bond film here.
15:49 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thursday, 09 November 2006
Democrats 'to control US Senate'
Democrats are set to win the final seat needed to take control of the US Senate, the Associated Press reports.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
incumbent: the current holder of a position
to blame: to attribute responsibility
thumping: a very hard defeat
to hang on: to continue
to drag out: to delay unnecessarily
to forge: to create
to make up ground: to approach the level of a rival
15:59 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 07 November 2006
English speaker is first to win French literary prize
A US author has made history by becoming the first native English speaker to win France's most coveted literary award, the Prix Goncourt. Jonathan Littell's novel Les Bienveillantes has already notched up sales of 250,000, transfixing readers with the fictional memoirs of a Nazi murderer.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
coveted: desired
to notch up: to achieve
to hail: to praise
to snipe: to make petty criticisms
gruesome: disgusting and bloody
bunker: an underground hiding place
to come to the fore: to come to the front of people's attention
11:34 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Sunday, 05 November 2006
Talk of bribes rocks French book awards
They are the most cultured men and women of possibly the most cultivated country on earth. But suddenly France's critics have found themselves under fire as never before.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
bribe: money given to obtain influence
under fire: heavily criticised
stuffy: dull and boring
barrage: a concentrated attack
60-odd: approximately 60
back-scratching: giving secret favours
to be dubbed: to be called
stitch-up: a competition when the result is known in advance
unrenumerated: unpayed
to break ranks: to break away from the common position
17:41 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, 04 November 2006
Pin-ups, scandal and the American way
The Americanisation of French politics is now obvious, from live televised debates to the invasion of candidates' private lives.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to point to: to indicate
run up: approach
to endeavour: to retrace
passers-by: people passing
gnashers: teeth
eager: enthusiastic
poll: survey
godsend: something needed that happens unexpectedly
snapshot: photo
As requested...
gallivant: to go about in search of pleasure
to learn by heart: to memorise
16:50 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Thursday, 02 November 2006
Revamping the French suburbs' image
Saint-Denis, a bleak northern suburb of Paris, has been trying for years to advertise itself as a good place to do business.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to revamp: to restore
bleak: cold and exposed
sink estate: social housing estate with high levels of crime and unemployment
riot-prone: likely to have riots
prompted: provoked
plush: luxurious
derelict: deserted, abandoned
apace: quickly
crane: a machine used to lift and move heavy objects on building sites
dismal: causing depression
to play up: to exaggerate
19:15 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 31 October 2006
Thousands of students 'join sex trade to fund degrees'
Increasing numbers of young women in France are turning to sex work to help pay the bills while they are at university, according to one of the country's leading students' unions.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to fund: to pay for
stiptease: A performance in which a person slowly removes clothing
to track: to follow
subsidies: government help
to make ends meet: to survive, financially
grant: government money for students
threshold: limit
vice squad: the department of the police that deals with drugs, prostitution, etc.
10:15 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 30 October 2006
The battle for Paris
The squatter art scene in the French capital is so big it's on the tourist trail. But now the riot police are moving in.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
dawn: the first light of day
to blink: to close and open eyes rapidly
props: the objects used in theatre and film productions
to brick up: see picture above
warehouse: large building where items are stored
to kick start: to reinvigorate an activity
to cordon off: to erect a barrier around
crackdown: forceful repression
to stifle: to repress
hip: fashionable
elsewhere: somewhere else
13:02 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sunday, 29 October 2006
French leave that wasn't so fruitful
Farming abroad may look attractive, but you need money - and luck. Jill Insley meets an English family who ran out of both.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
French leave: filer à l'anglaise
to steer: to direct
outright: totally
to come into one's own: to mature well, to reach one's potential
a vested interest: a special interest
under your belt: in reserve
21:58 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, 28 October 2006
Police deployed in Paris suburbs
Extra police have been ordered into suburbs in the French capital, Paris, on the first anniversary of two deaths which sparked riots across the country.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to deploy: to send people (usu. Police, soldiers, etc.)
to spark: to provoke
amid: in the middle of
ablaze: on fire
to trigger: to start
clashes: battles
firebomb: a bomb designed to start a fire
to firebomb: to attack with a firebomb
upsurge: a sharp increase
to drag: to pull with force
10:34 Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 24 October 2006
"Paris syndrome" leaves Japanese tourists in shock
Around a dozen Japanese tourists a year need psychological treatment after visiting Paris as the reality of unfriendly locals and scruffy streets clashes with their expectations, a newspaper reported Sunday.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
a dozen: twelve
scruffy: untidy, badly kept
relapse: to regress into an illness
repatriate: to return sb to their home country
to bug: to equip a room with a concealed electronic listening device.
plot: a secret plan
to lose your bearings: to become disorientated
to dub: to name
to snatch: to take, quickly and with force
10:17 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Monday, 23 October 2006
France fights back against New World wine rivals
In an unprecedented makeover, French vineyards ditch their snobbish past and go user-friendly.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to ditch: to abandon
bewildering: confusing
to baffle: to confuse
aloof: emotionally distant
makeover: treatment to change the image
off-licence: alcohol shop
to pull your socks up: to improve your attitude
14:19 Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, 21 October 2006
French get a taste of Hogarth's beef
The Louvre stages the country's first exhibition of a xenophobic virtuoso.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to gaze: to look intently
borne: carried (inf: to bear)
the Channel: the sea between England and France
wry: dry and humourous
to harrumph: to clear your throat, audibly
bound up with: connected to
to burst: to erupt
in the wake: coming after, under the influence
overseas: abroad
to belittle: to make sth seem inferior
19:28 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 20 October 2006
Ban threatens French lifestyles
After France announced it is to ban smoking in all public places from next February, Emma Jane Kirby tries to imagine the country's citizens without their customary cigarettes.
Listen to the article here. (It is the final story in the programme so fast forward to approx 25min)
Then, read the text here to confrim your understanding.
18:10 Posted in Listening Text | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thursday, 19 October 2006
France's La Poste prepares for battle
A recent report to the French Senate on the state of La Poste made depressing reading...
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
the state: the condition
on a par: equal
venerable: respected
goad: provoke
to loom: to come into view
mounting: growing
double whammy: a double hit
patch: territory
chunk: portion
dread: fear
14:36 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 17 October 2006
Script Update
If you are using the English in Paris Firefox translation tool, you will be interested to know Franck has updated the script. Click here to get the file.
12:58 Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 16 October 2006
Brits abroad
This weekend my father Graham and his partner, Sue, visited Paris. Watch the video in which they talk about their trip and try to answer the questions below. If you want to check your answers, email them to me and I'll get back to you ASAP.
Questions
When did they arrive in Paris?
What did they eat at the restaurant?
What was happening in front of Notre Dame?
What did they do today?
What do they plan to do before they leave?
When do they go back?
10:26 Posted in Video | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sunday, 15 October 2006
Now French right finds a woman to fight Royal
The Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie is being lined up by Chirac supporters to challenge the Socialist Segolene Royal in the presidential election.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to be lined up: to be prepared for sth by others
to press the flesh: to shake hands with sb, usually as self-promotion
smokescreen: a tactic used to avoid being noticed
disgruntled: annoyed
to raise hackles: to provoke annoyance
stance: position
to pour scorn: to savagely criticise
backing: support
asbestos-ridden: full of asbestos
(asbestos: amiante)
to write off: to dismiss
18:31 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, 14 October 2006
French tycoon heads art power list
It features collectors, museum directors, artists, an internet search engine and - at its very top - a French tycoon who made his billions in fashion retail and now spends them on Venetian palaces and pickled cattle.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
tycoon: rich businessman
to pickle: to preserve in vinegar
to sniff: to take air in the nose
to banish: to exclude
to bump: to move roughly
to slip: to fall down
to rally around: to support
fickle: quick to change
to brag: to show off
16:57 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thursday, 12 October 2006
French in Armenia 'genocide' row
The French parliament has adopted a bill making it a crime to deny that Armenians suffered "genocide" at the hands of the Turks, infuriating Turkey.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
row: dispute
a bill: a proposed law
jail: prison
blow: hit
short-sighted: unable to see very far
unfounded: without evidence
to back: to support
to stifle: to suppress
core: central
15:50 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, 11 October 2006
Catch me when you can...
If you are interested in taking English courses, you can now check my availability online by clicking on the button below or to the left of the screen. You will need a Google account to see the information, but these are quick to set up.
My available spots will be marked LESSON AVAILABLE. Remember, if there is nothing convenient for you I know plenty of other teachers in Paris who might have hours to suit you.
01:30 Posted in Courses | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Tuesday, 10 October 2006
Thierry factor scores with British fans of France
Enemies on the battlefield through history, certainly. The butt of cheap jokes, perhaps. But despite the rivalry, many Britons secretly envy the French.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
factor: contribution
butt: victim
to up sticks: to pack up
retirement: the period of your life after you finish working
to dwell: to live
polled: questioned
ale: a traditional British beer
to opt for: to choose
billed: promoted
04:05 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 09 October 2006
France sets date for public smoking ban
France, the country that produced iconic chain-smokers from Jean-Paul Sartre to Jean-Paul Belmondo, will ban smoking in public places from early next year.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to chain-smoke: to smoke cigarettes continuously
ripe: ready
passive smoking: breathing the smoke of others
23:08 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sunday, 08 October 2006
Smith revels in greatest triumph
Manager Walter Smith was delighted to see Scotland defeat France and stay top of their Euro 2008 qualifying group.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to revel: to take great pleasure.
to get stuck in: to apply great effort to sth.
to pin back: to keep back
striker: a forward on a soccer team
banned: prohibited
to work your socks off: to work very hard
11:47 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 06 October 2006
Royal progress
BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell looks at the rise and rise of French socialist Segolene Royal, and asks whether men have to be tall to succeed in French politics.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
horde: a large group
set-out: arranged
tumble: fall
to seethe: to be violently agitated
minder: bodyguard
to wield: to brandish
aptly: appropriately
to yell: to shout
baffled: confused
plain: simple
handful: small number
homespun: unpretentious
to throw a wobbly: to become angry
11:49 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thursday, 05 October 2006
China and India 'top bribe list'
Firms from China and India are most willing to pay bribes abroad to do business, a survey suggests.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to top: to come first in a ranking
(to) bribe: money given to influence or persuade someone with power / the action of doing this
willing: inclined
firm: company
culprit: one guilty of a criime
to pay lip-service: to say that you agree with something without doing anything to support it.
off-the-book: unrecorded
prone: disposed
09:26 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, 04 October 2006
French jobless figure thwarts PM
French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin admitted his disappointment as unemployment rose 0.1% to 9%,or 2.6 million jobseekers, during August.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to thwart: to prevent something happening
blow: disappointment
to stall: to stop working for a short time
seasonal worker: someone who works only for one season
to fuel: to power
elsewhere: somewhere else
to dip: to fall a small amount
09:58 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 03 October 2006
Tycoon plans Paris arts complex
France's richest man has unveiled plans to build a major contemporary arts centre in Paris.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to unveil: to reveal
tycoon: a wealthy businessman
to house: to contain
09:28 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 02 October 2006
Keep up to date with English in Paris
Did you know you could subscribe to the English in Paris RSS Feed so that you can be told automatically when the site is updated?
If you don't already use RSS, read about it on (French) Wikipedia here.
00:40 Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Sunday, 01 October 2006
'I've always liked doing strange things'
Arielle Dombasle is not content with being a model, actress, photographer and the wife of France's favourite philosopher, Bernard-Henri Levy. She can sing, too.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
latest: most recent
whirl: tumult
waist: taille
reckoned: believed
to ditch: to abandon
sorrow: misery
gossip sheets: gossip magazines
to keep under wraps: to hide
to hark back: to return to a previous point
09:39 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 29 September 2006
BB's birthday present: bloody death
Half a century ago an unknown actor called Brigitte Bardot wriggled naked on a Mediterranean beach in the film And God Created Woman and became an overnight star. Yesterday, the legendary siren celebrated her 72nd birthday and demonstrated that she could still seduce an audience.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to wriggle: to turn or twist the body
to seduce: to charm
saviour: a person who saves
to rail: to express objections
clubbed: beaten
to flay: to strip of skin
fur: animal hair
claws: talons
to champion: to promote
wary: cautious
seal: (see below)
11:06 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, 27 September 2006
First zero-gravity human surgery
A team of French doctors are planning to carry out the first operation on a human being under weightless conditions in a specially adapted aircraft.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
trial: experiment
strapped: attached
magnets: a piece of metal that attracts other metal
swoops: A quick, downward motion. Like a bird.
to cope: to manage
to rehearse: to practice
crystal clear: very clear
spin off: results that are not the principal results
09:27 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 25 September 2006
Paris police raid troubled estate
More than 200 police officers have raided a tough housing estate near Paris where two policemen were ambushed and badly beaten up last week.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
tough: severe
ambush: A sudden attack made from a concealed position
beat up: to give a beating
to hurl: to throw
to vow: to promise
prompted: caused
hail: bombardment
bush: a small tree
outrage: anger aroused by a violent or offensive act
to trigger: to provoke
21:26 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sunday, 24 September 2006
'No evidence' of Bin Laden death
The Saudi government has denied a French newspaper report saying France's secret services believe Osama Bin Laden is dead.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to leak: to release unofficially
unsubstantiated: with no evidence to support them
daily: a newspaper that is published every day
gathered: collected
13:51 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, 23 September 2006
Chirac snubs Sarkozy over judges
President Jacques Chirac has backed the French judiciary in a row with Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who said some judges had been too soft on criminals.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to snub: to ignore
to back: to support
judiciary: judges
riot: a violent disturbance created by a large number of people.
row: argument
furore: general commotion
tipped: expected
17:22 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 22 September 2006
TGV marks 25 years
It has woken sleepy provincial towns, shrunk the map of France and even promises to matchmake lonely passengers. France's high-speed train, the TGV, is 25 today.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to shrink: to reduce in size
to matchmake: to find the perfect partner
bout: a period of time
dubbed: named
trainspotters: train enthusiasts
to chat up: to converse in a familiar, possibly seductive, way
backslapping: self-congratulation
better off: wealthier
to stay put: to not move
12:30 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thursday, 21 September 2006
Le Pen launches fifth bid for presidency
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the veteran French far-right leader, launched his fifth presidential campaign yesterday standing on an 18th-century battlefield detested by many of his supporters and revered by many of his enemies.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
shrine: a sacred place
mainstream: representing the popular attitudes
conquer: defeat
perish: die
tamely: calmly
ballot box: the box where votes are deposited, the process of voting
battlefield: the place where a battle happened
mob: a large crowd
to tone down: to reduce
rabble-rouser: a leader who provoked passion in large groups of supporters
to play into sb's hands: to work to sb's advantage
to assail: to attack
18:03 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 19 September 2006
Talented poor get chance to join privileged elite of French society
Lycée agrees to train 30 'disadvantaged' students for entry to the exclusive grandes écoles
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
fortnight: two weeks
would-be: potential
movers and shakers: people who have an effect
a tad: a little
handpicked: selected personally
a stone's throw: a short distance
groom: prepare
stepping stones: the route that permits access
to catch up: to reach the same level as others
laptop: portable computer
20:37 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 18 September 2006
Chirac urges no sanctions on Iran
French President Jacques Chirac has said referring Iran to the UN Security Council is not the best way to resolve a crisis over its nuclear programme.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to urge: to recommend strongly
to halt: to stop
keen: enthusiastic
fruitful: productive
to rule out: to preclude
to seize: (in this context) to stop working
overdue: late
19:55 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sunday, 17 September 2006
Rosbifs make Chirac eat his words
Young Britons love cooking more than the French
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
bustling: excited an noisy activity
nous: good sense
to be savvy: to have a practical understanding of sth
scorn: contempt
nationwide: covering the whole country
poll: survey
a drive: an organized effort
resting on its laurels: to depend on previous achievments
fad: a fashion that exists for a short time
08:59 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 15 September 2006
E-mail tax MEP upgrades website
A French MEP who raised the idea of a tax on e-mails and text messages is upgrading his website after it was overloaded by angry e-mail complaints.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to upgrade: to make stronger, more modern or more powerful
to overload: to fill beyond capacity
blogosphere: the world of blogs
to swamp: to inundate
to backtrack: to retract a statement
lunatic asylum: slang psychiatric hospital
pit: hole
13:15 Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thursday, 14 September 2006
BBC Video Podcasts
I thought that you might like to know that the BBC has started a trial of Video podcasts. (For info about podcasts and how to get them, read the article here.)
There are three to choose from, which you can download onto your computer or onto your portable media device (if it plays video). This is really a very useful and convenient way to practice your English - particularly if you do it at work when your boss isn't watching. You can find links to the podcasts below.
Ten weekly.
Programme Information
To podcast now, click on the logo.
Newsnight
Programme Information
To podcast now, click on the logo.
StoryFix
Programme Information
To podcast now, click on the logo.
01:00 Posted in podcasts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, 13 September 2006
Libération staff in revolt against takeover by financier Rothschild
The future of the respected centre-left French newspaper Libération is being clouded by renewed financial worries and the acrimonious resignation of its most celebrated journalist.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
acrimonious: marked by strong resentment
clouded: obscured
pay-off: money in exchange for departure
daily: a newspaper that is published every day
on the grounds: for the reason
in the wake: in the time after
to founder: to collapse
left-leaning: with sympathies for the political left
08:26 Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 12 September 2006
Swords, sandals and a chariot race: Ben-Hur comes to a French arena
· Veteran impresario to stage live version of epic
· Cast of hundreds will re-enact naval battle
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to re-enact: to reproduce a scene with actors
torments: troubles (usually mental)
fleet: collective noun for a group of ships
to frown upon: to look at something with distaste
in awe: amazed
slapstick: base comedy with chases, collisions etc.
to pack: to fill
hype: excessive publicity
to drag: to pull on the ground
Ps. If anyone wants to invite me to see Ben-Hur, just send me an email.
17:15 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 11 September 2006
Where's the Gray Suit?
As the favorite to lead France's Socialist Party bid for the Presidency, Ségolène Royal is breaking the mold in a land where women still get more honor than power.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
bid: attempt
to break the mold: to be very different from the established pattern.
wonk: slang A student who studies excessively
banter: good-humoured conversation
to yearn: to desire
earnest: sincere
furrowed-brow: lined (wrinkled) forehead
heft: weight
standard bearer: the person who represents a party's views
to spurn: to reject
to duck: to avoid
(N.B. This is a long article and the vocabulary above refers to the first page.)
14:00 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sunday, 10 September 2006
W.H.Smith
As some of you may have read on this site, Paris has a great variety of English language bookshops each of which is good for a different reason. (If you haven't read the article, you can read it here.)
However, as it's the beginning of the new academic year I have decided to remind my readers about W.H.Smith (website and info here.) There you will find the widest selection of academic English books in Paris. If you want to prepare for an exam (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) or if you are looking for a grammar book, or an English reader - a classic story, condensed and rewritten for your level - then this is the place to go.
If you want any advice about which book is good for you, or if you want to take an English exam, please feel free to email me.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Adam
17:58 Posted in English in Paris | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Saturday, 09 September 2006
Destination Londres
A French novelist's love for London is causing a stir in his home country. But could the UK really be turning into La Nouvelle France?
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to cause a stir: to provoke interest
to spoon-feed: to provide (knowledge or information) in an oversimplified way
ramshackle: an old or badly constructed building
mired: to be unable to move
peddler: seller
to fade: to become less bright
to treble: to multiply by 3
to overlook: to intentionally not talk about
22:24 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 08 September 2006
Pompidou apologises over smashed works
The Pompidou Centre has admitted responsibility for the destruction of two works of art that fell off its walls and smashed to pieces. The pieces on loan from America were part of a four-month exhibition of Californian artists called Los Angeles 1955-1985.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to smash: to break into many fragments
on loan: borrowed
irretrievable: impossible to recover
8ft: approx 240cm
5ins: approx 12cm
4ft: approx 120cm
6ft: approx 180cm
to shatter: see "to smash"
12:10 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thursday, 07 September 2006
France 3-1 Italy
France avenged their World Cup final defeat with a deserved victory over Italy in a Group B Euro 2008 qualifier.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to volley: to kick the ball before it touches the ground
scintillating: fast and exciting
to strike: to kick the ball towards the goal
struck: past form of to strike
to draw: to have an equal score
slight: small
to thwart: to prevent sth happening
to clash: to hit
hat-trick: three goals
fingertip: the end of the finger
21:27 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, 06 September 2006
Pourquoi écrire en anglais?
Is it an advantage to write in a foreign language? This month's literary sensation in France is Les Bienveillantes, a 900-page novel about the Holocaust, written in French by an American, Jonathan Littell.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
to worship: to adore, religiously
to grumble: to complain
freak: an abnormal person
to switch: to change
double-edged: complimentary and critical at the same time
enlightenment: éclaircissement
silly: ridiculous
12:49 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Tuesday, 05 September 2006
English in Paris goes high-tech!
Read the following from Franck Depierre, one of my first students and one of the most regular readers of English In Paris
"Depuis quelques mois, Adam Biles fournit chaque jour aux étudiants en anglais, une référence vers un article avec les traductions les plus difficiles. En parcourant les articles référencés, j’ai trouvé pénible le fait de retourner sur la page de son blog chaque fois que j’avais besoin d’une traduction. Pour cette raison, j’ai réalisé un script qui insère les traductions d’Adam dans les articles.
Trouve ci-dessous une procédure aboutissant à l’installation de ce script sur ton ordinateur et comprends que parfois le résultat peut être non abouti."
Dowload the bilingual instructions in PDF format here: instructions.pdf
Download the latest version of the script here
Many thanks to Franck for all of his work. If you have any feedback about this tool, please send me an email.
00:05 Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Monday, 04 September 2006
Fighting us on the beaches: Ryanair's cheap Normandy landings enrage chic Deauville
Direct flights from the UK stir protests from residents fearful of low-cost hordes.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
horde: large group of people
timber: wood used for building
The Channel: The sea between England and France
to strike a deal: to reach an agreement
nickname: a familiar name
to swell: to expand
influx: a mass arrival
regardless: anyway
to brush aside: to dismiss
12:38 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sunday, 03 September 2006
Doubts cloud Sarkozy's sunny day
The French right's hero will make a fresh pitch for the presidency this weekend but is tacking to the centre, reports Jason Burke in Paris.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
pitch: an attempt to promote sth
to tack: to change direction (like a ship)
to stride: to walk assuredly
rostrum: elevated platform for public speaking
to spell out: to clarify
shoot-from-the-hip: direct, like a cowboy
skirmish: a minor battle in a war
pollster: people who conduct opinion surveys
shoo-in: definite victor
12:10 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Friday, 01 September 2006
Belgian town bans school French
The mayor of Merchtem in Belgium has defended a ban on speaking French in the town's schools.
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
ban: prohibition
Dutch: the language of holland
row: argument
premises: land
safeguard: protect
to rule out: to preclude
to lodge: to register
to overturn: to reverse
sphere: area
16:49 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thursday, 31 August 2006
A song for the end of summer...
Have you ever wondered how Jacques Brel would have sounded as an English man?
No? Ok, but listen to David Bowie's version of his classic track Amsterdam anyway.
Read the lyrics here.
Useful Vocabulary
to weep: to cry
willow tree: see picture here
muggy: warm and extremely humid
dawn: the first light of the day
to rot: to deteriorate
to haul: to pull forcibly
belch: to expel gas noisily from the stomach through the mouth
fly: trouser zip
paunch: stomach
to roar: to make or produce a loud noise
slut: (offensive) woman considered sexually promiscuous
whore: prositute
to piss: to urinate
17:48 Posted in Distractions | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Wednesday, 30 August 2006
Disgraced Juppé to return to politics
· Former PM in running for mayor of Bordeaux
· Convicted in 2004 for part in party funding scandal
Read the article here.
Useful Vocabulary
disgrace: loss of honour
fund: a source of money
payroll: the list of payed employees
to groom sb: to prepare sb for a role
barred: forbidden
to pave the way: to make progress easier
dubbed: named colloquially
stint: period in a role
polls: elections
19:04 Posted in News Article | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this