English Lessons (Speaking): "Friendships and Relationships" (B2)

with commonly used phrasal verbs, expressions and idioms.

Questions

1. Who do you consider your closest friend and why?
Sample answer: I consider my colleague Sarah my closest friend because she always has my back.
Explanation: “has my back” = supports or protects me
Follow-up: Can you describe a situation where she supported you?

2. How has your relationship with your friends changed over the years?
Sample answer: We used to hang out every day, but now we mostly catch up online.
Explanation: “hang out” = spend time together casually; “catch up” = talk to share news
Follow-up: What caused the biggest change in your friendships?

3. Do you think it is important to share the same interests with friends?
Sample answer: Yes, sharing interests makes it easier to get along and have fun.
Explanation: “get along” = have a friendly relationship
Follow-up: Can you give an example of a shared hobby with a friend?

4. How do you usually resolve disagreements with friends?
Sample answer: I try to talk things over calmly and work things out together.
Explanation: “talk things over” = discuss something carefully; “work things out” = find a solution
Follow-up: Can you describe a recent disagreement and how it ended?

5. Do you think friendships at work are different from friendships outside work?
Sample answer: Yes, work friendships can be more formal, but some really click.
Explanation: “really click” = form a strong and natural connection
Follow-up: Do you maintain close friendships with colleagues outside work?

English Lesson (Speaking): "Friendships and Relationships" (B1)

Questions

1. Who do you consider your closest friend and why?

Sample Answer: I consider my colleague Sarah my closest friend because she always supports me.

Follow-up: Can you describe a situation where she supported you?

2. How has your relationship with your friends changed over the years?

Sample Answer: We used to meet daily, now we mostly talk online.

Follow-up: What caused the biggest change in your friendships?

3. Do you think it is important to share the same interests with friends?

Sample Answer: Yes, shared interests make activities more enjoyable and conversations easier.

Follow-up: Can you give an example of a shared hobby with a friend?

4. How do you usually resolve disagreements with friends?

Sample Answer: I try to talk calmly and find a solution together.

Follow-up: Can you describe a recent disagreement and how it ended?

5. Do you think friendships at work are different from friendships outside work?

Sample Answer: Yes, work friendships are more professional but can also be supportive.

Follow-up: Do you maintain close friendships with colleagues outside work?

6. How do you usually celebrate special occasions with friends?

Sample Answer: We often have dinners or organize small parties.

Follow-up: Which celebration was the most memorable for you?

English Lesson (Listening): "How People Woke up Before Alarm Clocks" (B1)

Vocabulary
A. knocking - hitting a surface (like a window) to make a sound and get attention (frapper / taper à la fenêtre)
B. pea - a small round green vegetable seed (pois)
C. shooters - tools used to blow or shoot small objects (here, peas) (sarbacanes: “pea shooters” = sarbacanes à pois)
D. roosters - male chickens known for crowing at dawn (coqs)
E. pins - small thin metal objects used here to fall and make a sound (petites tiges métalliques / épingles)
F. circadian rhythm - the body’s natural 24-hour cycle that controls sleep and waking (rythme circadien)
G. over time - gradually, as time passes (au fil du temps)
H. mechanical clocks - clocks that work using gears and moving parts, not electronics (horloges mécaniques)
I. affordable - cheap enough for most people to buy (abordable)

English Lesson (Listening): "Health" (Easy Version)

Vocabulary
A. balance – (equal on both sides) équilibre. Example: She tries to keep a balance between study and free time.
Question: Do you have a good balance between work and rest?

B. snacks – (small food between meals) collations. Example: He buys snacks at the cinema before the movie.
Question: What snacks do you like to eat at the cinema?

C. make a big difference – (change something, have an effect) faire une grande difference. Example: A smile can make a big difference in someone’s day.
Question: Can one kind word make a big difference for you?

English Lesson (Listening): "Fake AI Videos Spread False Stories About Cities" (High B2)

Vocabulary 1
A. Croydon – a large town in South London
B. AI-generated – généré par l’IA – created by artificial intelligence
C. face coverings – masques – something worn over face for protection
D. taxpayer-funded – financé par les contribuables – paid for using public money
E. clip – extrait vidéo – short part of a video
F. deepfakes – deepfakes – realistic fake videos or images
G. falling apart – en train de s’effondrer – breaking down or losing structure
H. platforms – plateformes – online services or social media sites
I. exaggerate – exagérer – make something seem bigger or worse
J. blame – blâmer – say someone is responsible for something
K. urban decline – déclin urbain – worsening conditions in city areas