So, Derek… these are some of my words/expressions for this week. Would you like to do something with them? Rinsing out; to poke; hailing; to entice; rendezvous; lathering up; apropos; the crux; beacon; utterance; espouse; dauntless; fumbling; gallows; twinkle; it strips you down; set somebody up; sputtering; hedgehog; scurrilous; oblivious simultaneity.

A student of mine, Stefania*, surprised me with the story of her family lineage this week. We had been talking about her hometown, the birthplace of a famous Amaretto brand, when she revealed that the brand in question was actually founded by her family. “You must be rich then?” I joked. She gave a little wry smile before lamenting that her side of the family had sold their share of the company a long time ago. Long before the real money was made. This family connection is now so weak that they turned down a job application she once made without so much as an interview. Remarkably, my brother-in-law has almost the exact same story. In his case, his family line sold their share of a now internationally famous honey brand. To an observer from the UK, my brother-in-law would instantly be labelled as ‘posh’ – a term loaded with connotations of class and generational wealth. His pronunciation, vocabulary choices, and even his dress sense act as clues to his background. Stefania would never describe herself as one of ‘them’, but she also occasionally mixes with Italy’s ‘posh’ society. As she tells me in our conversations, the norms of behaviour and morality don’t seem to apply in quite the same way for many of these ultra-wealthy individuals. The thing that impresses me about Stefania and my brother-in-law however, is that they are both such down-to-earth, hard-working, likeable people who have cut their own paths in life. It’s also a pleasure to spend time in their company. But the question I ask myself is this: would they be such good people if they had inherited family wealth? I really don’t know the answer. *Name changed to protect identity.

Here's another 'picture talk'-style story from the comic The Little King (1938). It's quite difficult to find videos suitable for B1 learners, so I thought, I'll just make some of these. Do you find them useful? Remember that you can watch with or without subtitles. There are 2 more videos to come in this mini-series. If you have enjoyed them so far, let me know and I'll make some more B1 content like this.

ACCENTS Voiceover/First speaker: Ireland Male expert: RP (Southern England) Female participant: North West England VOCABULARY & PRONUNCIATION 00:41 – to cloud your outlook (verb phrase) Definition: To negatively influence how you see a situation or the world. Example: Past experiences can cloud your outlook and stop you seeing things clearly. 01:25 – flea market (noun) Definition: An outdoor or informal market selling second-hand or cheap items. Example: I bought an old jacket at a flea market last weekend. 01:43 – to focus on / to focus in on (phrasal verb) Definition: To give attention to something specific. “Focus in on” adds emphasis. Example: She focuses on small details instead of the bigger picture. 02:35 – to devise (verb) Definition: To plan or create something carefully. Example: The teacher devised a new method to help students understand accents. 02:49 – try on (phrasal verb) Definition: To put on clothes to see if they fit or look good. Example: You should try on the jacket before buying it. 06:26 – stewed (adjective) Definition: Cooked slowly in liquid for a long time. Example: We had stewed apples with yoghurt for dessert. 07:29 – talk yourself through something (phrasal verb) Definition: To explain steps to yourself so you can understand or manage something. Example: She talked herself through the process to stay calm. 08:12 – to kick in (phrasal verb) Definition: To start to have an effect. Example: The medicine kicked in after about twenty minutes. 08:23 – to ground something (verb) Definition: To base something on facts or real knowledge. Example: You need to ground your opinion in evidence. 08:42 – to work at something (phrasal verb) Definition: To make a strong effort to improve at something difficult. Example: He’s working at understanding different British accents. 09:26 – to strike a chord (idiom) Definition: To create a strong emotional response or agreement. Example: Her story struck a chord with many viewers.

CHINESE BOOK I started this book back in January, but I probably only pick it up once or twice a week. It's a classic novel written and set in 1930s China about an old upper class family adapting to the new Chinese society. I'm enjoying it, but it's probably a bit above my level to be honest. I think my reading speed is around 100 characters/words per minute. Only 130 pages left, so I think I'll finish it, then switch to something easier. CHINESE SERIES The other day my Chinese teacher recommended a website full of Chinese movies and TV series. I thought this crime drama looked interesting. I have to pause it quite a lot to read the Chinese subtitles, so it probably takes me 90 minutes to watch a 45 minute episode! Not ideal. Unless you're very motivated to watch the movie/TV series, I would normally recommend finding something easier. Anyway, feel free to share what you're reading or listening to these days.