Is it possible to get in to the Christmas spirit thousands of miles away from Lapland ???
In this Vblog Chris and Sue take you on a fun trip around Toulouse to soak up the Christmas atmosphere in South West France. There are only blue skies, no snow in sight but a lot of French cheese, cakes, chocolate, Canadian whisky and even a Christmas flamingo !!
You’ll see how Sue tries to get Chris into the Christmas spirit in a city a far, far away from Santa’s grotto.
What do you think? Is Christmas too commercial or just an excuse to have some fun in winter?
Click here to go to Now Toulouse YouTube channel and see beautiful Toulouse at Christmas time…in the sun.
Wherever you are in the world, hot or snowy climes we wish you a very Happy Christmas!
In this podcast, Sue asks Chris about his trip to Santorini. He loved it. You can also see the video he took for his travel YouTube chanel, Now Toulouse.
Welcome back to English-Podcasts. We are travelling again! This time Chris takes us on his trip to Santorini, and not only will you hear about the usual tourist spots but also about off the beaten track places.
Notes
Santorini is one of the most breathtaking islands in the Mediterranean, known for its dramatic landscapes, whitewashed buildings, and deep blue seas. Formed by a powerful volcanic eruption thousands of years ago, the island features steep cliffs that overlook a submerged caldera, creating views that feel almost unreal. The towns of Oia and Fira are especially famous for their narrow streets, charming houses, and iconic blue-domed churches that glow under the Greek sun.
Beyond its beauty, Santorini offers a rich cultural experience. Visitors can explore ancient ruins such as Akrotiri, a well-preserved archaeological site that provides insight into a sophisticated prehistoric civilization. The island is also known for its unique beaches, with volcanic sand in shades of black, red, and white, offering a striking contrast to the turquoise waters.
Santorini’s cuisine reflects its history and environment, featuring fresh seafood, local wines, and traditional dishes made with ingredients grown in its volcanic soil. As the sun sets, the island transforms into a golden paradise, with sunsets considered among the most beautiful in the world. Santorini is truly a destination that captures both the imagination and the heart.
Language Focus
Can you answer these questions?
What time of the year did Chris go to Santorini?
How big is Santorini?
What is an ATV?
What is Sue’s recollection of Greek food?
What was the accommodation where Chris stayed?
What did Chris say about Backgammon?
What does Chris say “he’s not into”?
Chris gave some recommedations for restaurants and hotels, what was the exact word he used?
In Sue and Craig’s opinion the Oscars 2021 are a bit of a wet weekend; rather dull, depressing and boring !
Chris is not really up to date with the current batch of films but listen out for what he says about them.
Your language challenge is hearing 3 native speakers discuss films in a natural, unscripted way.
Listen out for the vocabulary they use to describe boring films.
What does Craig mean when he says:
“it’s difficult to get behind the Oscars this year”.
“The oscars are perfect if you want to doze off“.
He finishes by saying that “the Oscars sum up 2020 in a nutshell“.
And so we turn to other films…
Listen as Craig talks about what makes a good film for him. Is it the sound track, the special effects to the plot ?
What does he say about Star Wars?
What is Sue’s favourite film ? Why does she say this?
What does Chris say about his favourite film. What does he mean when is says the film might be a bit “marmite”? How do you interpret the silence when he mentions the name ?
If you are a teacher try some of these ideas:
Ask students to describe a film scenario and the other have to guess what it is. Pay attention to sequencing vocabulary, grammar tenses etc.
A group of students could act out the dialogue from their favourite scenes. The others have to guess the film. 1000s of free film scripts are available at Simply Scripts.
Ask your students to draw up a list of their best films and explain way. The quiz could help them to formulate ideas.
Show a film clip and ask students to list as many emotions as possible.
You can check out other classic films on Craig’s Instagram page @EIGuiriCine
In a previous podcast Effective Presentation Skills we talked about warming up before doing a presentation or speaking in public.
But what does “warming up” actually involve ?
In this podcast Chris explains the importance of breathing and focus in order to reduce stress, and Sue gives some diction exercises which help with articulation and problem sounds for different nationalities.
These exercise are not intended to make you worry about a perfect English (British) accent but they are aimed at helping you move your mouth in certain ways to help you get the best pronunciation you can.
Remember that as a non-native English speaker having an accent is quite normal but when speaking in a professional situation always try to speak clearly with a good beginning and a crisp ending to words. In more informal settings you don’t need to be so particular.
Here are the exercises:
1.Blue blood, black blood. Black bug, blue bug.
2. Down the deep damp dark dank den,
3. Four furious friends fought for the phone,
4. Hotdog, Hamburger
In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire hurricanes hardly ever happen,
5. Kiss her quick, kiss her quicker, kiss her quickest.
6. You know New York, You need New York, You know you need unique New York.
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If you are a teacher try some of these ideas:
