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Culture Shock - Upper Intermediate Vocabulary

Average: 3.8 (12 votes)

When you are studying English abroad, you are likely to find yourself mixing with lots of different cultures. Therefore, I thought it’d be useful to give you some vocabulary related to culture to help you start interesting conversations. Just match the word to its definition. Good luck!
Lesson by Caroline

1. Value
Example: "The government believes in family values."

Advanced Reading and Vocabulary: 5 Child Prodigies

Average: 3.5 (11 votes)

As I get older, I become more and more depressed with the minute amount I have achieved in my life, particularly when compared to people such as these.

This is an article about 5 child prodigies, but there are some words missing.

I have supplied the words and their meanings.

All you have to do is put them in the correct gaps.

Good luck!
Lesson by Caroline Devane

Comparatives & Superlatives

Average: 2.6 (13 votes)

Adjectives are descriptive words like cold, big, and expensive.

Comparatives adjectives are forms like colder, bigger, and more expensive.

Superlative adjectives are forms like coldest, biggest, and most expensive.

Complete the following ten sentences with adjective > comparative > superlative
Lesson by Amanda Pooley, EC Cape Town English school

Put the sentences into the correct order

Average: 1.8 (347 votes)

Put the following sentences into the correct order to tell the story.
Lesson by Amanda Pooley, EC Cape Town English school

How's the weather where you live?

Average: 3.5 (10 votes)

Read the description of the weather in Portugal, Japan and Canada, and answer the questions below.
Lesson by Amanda Pooley, EC Cape Town English school

Music Listening - Fairytale

Average: 3.9 (20 votes)

A while ago, I wrote a listening lesson based on the Taylor Swift song, ‘Today was a fairytale’ which is a song about romance, love and happy endings.

This song by Sarah Bareilles, is also about fairytales, but looks at them in a new light! Listen to the song and see if you can fill in the missing words.

You don't have to listen to the whole song.

Good luck!

Elementary Birthday Vocabulary

Average: 3.1 (11 votes)

This year I had a lovely time on my birthday. I was taken for lunch by my Mum, fed cake by my flatmate and then went out to party the night away! The next day a few of my friends took me for a huge English breakfast. It was wonderful!
Lesson by Caroline

There’s quite a lot of birthday specific vocabulary. Can you work out which word fits in which sentence?

Driving Idioms

Average: 3.3 (15 votes)

What is satire?

Average: 3.8 (17 votes)

Satire: Witty language to convey insults or scorn. It's a way of criticising people or ideas in a humorous way, or a piece of writing or play which uses this style.

Here is a satirical article about the popular networking website, Facebook.

What do you think the writer’s opinion of facebook is?

Do you think the article is true?

Why do we say 'In A Pickle'?

Average: 3.8 (132 votes)

If you are in a pickle, you are in a difficult position, or have a problem to which no easy answer can be found.

The word ‘pickle’ comes from the Dutch word ‘pekel’, meaning ‘something piquant’, and originally referred to a spiced, salted vinegar that was used as a preservative.

In the seventeenth century, vegetables like cucumbers or gherkins that were preserved took the name.

The ‘in difficulty’ meaning of the expression alludes to the idea of being as mixed up and disoriented as the pickled vegetables in the jar!