Daft Punk - Instant Crush

Dear students, dear followers, dear English learners,

It's been a while that I haven't had the time to feed this blog and I'm sorry. Life is quite hectic and it's sometimes difficult to accomplish everything we would like to. 

But tonight I felt like I could take a couple of minutes to share a song and its meaning with you : Daft Punk with their song "Instant Crush"

Here's what you should do:

1) Listen to the song and try to get an idea of what they're saying (it's difficult and that's perfectly normal)

2) Listen to the song again and try to fill in the blanks in the lyrics below.

3) Check your answers here.

4) Check the vocabulary here - but of course interpretation is up to you!

4) Listen again and sing along!

I didn't want to be the one to __________

I thought of everything I'd never __________

A little __________ with you is all that I get

That’s all we need because it's all we can __________

One thing I never see the same when your 'round

I don’t believe in him—his lips on the __________

I wanna take you to that place in the “Roche”

But no one gives us any __________ anymore

He ask me once if I'd look in on his __________

You made an __________ for it, then you ran off

I got this picture of us kids in my __________

And all I hear is the last__________that you said

[Pre Chorus]

"I listened to your problems

Now listen to __________"

I didn't want to anymore, oh oh oh

[Chorus]

And we will never be __________ again

'Cause it doesn't __________ every day

Kinda counted on you being a f__________

Can I give it up or give it __________

Now I thought about what I wanna say

But I never really __________ where to go

So I chained myself to a __________

'Cause I know it unlocks like a __________

Some more again

[Verse 2]

It didn't matter what they __________ to see

He thought he saw someone that __________ just like me

The summer __________ that just never dies

We worked too long and hard to give it no __________

He sees right through me, it's so easy with __________

Cracks in the road that I would try and __________

He runs his scissor at the seem in the wall

He cannot break it down or else he would __________

One thousand lonely __________ hiding in the cold

Take it, I don't wanna sing anymore

[Pre Chorus]

"I listened to your problems

Now listen to __________"

I didn't want to anymore, oh oh oh

[Chorus]

I don't understand, don't get __________

I'm not with you

We’re swimming around,

It's all I do, when I'm with you

[Chorus]

Michael McIntyre

Dear students and followers,

I have recently discovered this great British comic and decided to share a short video of him, talking about how having children changes your life.

I constantly tell you how it's important to read and to listen to something at the same time. It's especially true with videos, since we are used to reading subtitles so it's almost zero effort and plenty of improvement. Of course, the subtitles should be in English, otherwise, it's completely useless because the brain cannot  link any written word to their pronounced equivalent. It's easy to do with your DVDs at home, or even on the BBC (teletext page 888), but a bit more difficult with youTube videos like this one. I therefore decided to make the subtitles myself. I hope you will enjoy it, and, if you do have children, I'm almost sure you'll get a good laugh!

Summer TV: 12 shows you can't miss

Those of you who have followed my classes know how many times I have said that doing something we like in the language we want to learn is the best way to learn quickly and effortlessly. In my case, watching series proved to be very efficient as you get entertained at the same time as you train your brain. So here are the 12 series, according to Entertainment Weekly, that can't be missed this summer. Note that if you decide to watch them, you should watch them with English subtitles, as your brain will magically pick up new words, expressions, spellings, and, most importantly, develop your listening skills. For that matter, don't hesitate reading the article while listening the its audio version below.

The vocabulary and questions are available here.

1. Pretty Little Liars

Here is an American teen drama mystery-thriller series based on the novels by Sara Shepard. The story is about the lives of four girls whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their queen bee: Alison DiLaurentis. A year later, they start receiving messages from a mysterious person using the name 'A'. This 'A' threatens to expose their secrets. At first, they think it's Alison herself, until her body is found. Because of the major success of the 10 first episodes of the TV show, the book series was extended beyond the initial eight novels. The 4th season premiered on June 11th, 2013 on ABC Family.

2. True Blood

This one is also an American television drama series and it was created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels written by Charlaine Harries. The story is about the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a small town in northwestern Louisiana. The main character is Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress. The show has been broadcast on HBO since September 7, 2008 and the first 5 seasons received mainly favorable reviews. They also won several awards, including a Golden Globe and an Emmy. 

The sixth season premiered on June 16th, 2013.

3. Franklin & Bash

This is more of a drama-comedy television series, with the two main characters, Jared Franklin and Peter Bash portrayed as unconventional lawyers and longtime friends. In the UK, it was compared to Allie McBeal, but "with balls". It premiered in June 2011 on TNT. After defeating Damien Karp of the prestigious law firm Infeld & Daniels, Jared and Peter are recruited by Stanton Infeld, where they work with their assistant Carmen Phillips, an ex-convict out on parole, and Pindar Singh, a brilliant but agoraphobic attorney and classmate of theirs. The third season began on June 19, 2013.

4. Under the dome

Under the Dome is an American science fiction horror television series based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. The series premiered on June 24, 2013 on CBS. Set in the near future, Under the Dome tells the story of all the residents of the small town of Chester’s Mill, who suddenly find themselves cut off from the rest of the world by a mysterious, impenetrable barrier that surrounds the town. As the town begins to tear itself apart through panic, a small group of people try to keep peace and order, while also trying to find the truth about the barrier and how to escape from it.

5. Dexter

Is it Dexter’s turn to die? For the show’s 8th and final season, all bets are off. Dexter is an Ameican television drama series which debuted on October 1, 2006 on CBS. The series centers on Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter pattern analyst for Miami Metro Police Department, who also leads a secret life as a serial killer. The show’s first season was largely based on the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter, the first of the Dexter series novels by Jeff Lindsay. However, the subsequent seasons have evolved independantly of Lindsay’s work. For this last season, we can expect Miami Metro’s killer to fight with his siter Debra, the arrival of a psychiatrist from his past, the return of his poisonous lover Hanna McKay, and a new Big Bad who steals pieces of victim’s brains. All that leads Dexter to a finale that the producers promise will deliver. «We want to go out as strongly as we came in. It will be scary and thrilling and very touching all at the same time.»

Showtime: June 30, 2013

6. Ray Donovan

This one is a new American television drama series, created by Ann Biderman and its twelve-episode first season is going to debut on June 30, 2013. The story takes place in Los Angeles, California, where Ray Donovan is a «fixer» for the rich and famous. However, he experiences his own problems when his father is unexpectedly released from prison.

7. Get out alive with Bear Grylls

Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls is a new American reality competition hosted by adventurer and survivalist Bear Grylls. The series made of eight episodes is scheduled to start on NBC on July 8th, 2013. Ten teams of 2 people will compete to survive in the wild of New Zealand while performing various tasks and missions. Each week, one team will be eliminated, and the last team remaining will win $500,000.

8. The Bridge

A Texas detective and a charming Mexican detective team up when a dead body is dropped on the bridge connecting El Paso (Tex.) to Juares (Mexico). But the  producers promise the series will be about more than just the hunt for a killer. It’s an American police drama that will debut on FX on July 10th, 2013.

9. Orange is the new black

Based on Piper Kerman’s memoir Orange is The New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison, the original comedy-drama series will premiere on July 11, 2013. It revolves around Piper Chapman, a New York woman, who is sent to a women’s federal prison for possessing a suitcase full of drug money for Alex Vause, an international drug smuggler and a previous lover. She has to serve a 15-month sentence and she must survive the hardships of prison life.

10. Suits

This series is set at the law firm Pearson Hardman in New York City. Specter is looking for an associate and interviews Ross, who is the best candidate for the position and obtains it without having a law degree, and being on the run from a drug deal gone bad... The third season is about to premiere on July 16, 2013

11. The White Queen

Based on a series of best-selling historical novels by Philippa Gregory, this War of the Roses drama centers around King Edward who disobeyed his advisers to marry Elizabeth in 1464 and the rebellion that follows. It focuses on 3 ladies who want the throne. «It’s about how they plot and they maneuver, not on the battlefield but in their homes.» It is a British television drama and it was launched on BBC One on June 16th, 2013.

12. Breaking Bad

Set and produced in Abluquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer at the beginning of the series. He turns to a life of crime, producing and selling methamphetamine with a former student, Jesse Pinkman, in order to secure his family’s financial future before he dies. In this third and last season it’s time to find out if Walter will pay for all the sins he has committed over five dark seasons. It will be aired starting August 11th, 2013.

Source: Adapted from Entertainment Weekly  and Wikipedia

Brazil's protests raise fears for World Cup

Here is the first adapted news article for learning purpose. Read the article one time without stopping and try to have a general understanding of the text.

You can also listen to the audio version of the text: 

Football supporters shoot rubber bullets, the roads into the stadiums are blocked by angry people, mobs are throwing stones at Fifa offices, Confederations Cup signs are being ripped down in the heart of mass protests. These scenes are unlikely to happen in a country that loves football so much and they are the last thing that the organizers of the World Cup wanted to see in Brazil before next year's tournament. However, for the past week, they have happened almost every day and the country's favorite sport has become the focus of the biggest demonstrations in decades. 

More than a million people went in the streets on Thursday night in at least 80 cities. The demonstrations prompt local authorities to request security reinforcements from the national government. The rallies and the violence were not only prompted by the tournament. The initial spark last week was a rise in public transport fares. Public anger has since been worsened by police brutality. Problems that have existed for a long time, such as corruption, dire public services, high prices and low levels of safety are also the target of the demonstrations. But the huge event was the lightning conductor. Many protesters are furious that the government is spending 31 billion reals (£9 billion) to set the stage for a tournament that will only happen once, while it doesn't react to everyday problems.

"I'm here to fight corruption and the expense of the World Cup," said Nelber Bonifcacio, an unemployed teacher who was among the big crowds in Rio on Thursday. "I like football, but Brazil has spent all that money on the event when we don't have good public education, healthcare or infrastructure."

 It was different in 2007 when Brazil was awarded the tournament. Back then, the crowds in Rio were full of joy and Ricardo Teixeira, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, was adulated when he said "We are a civilized nation, a nation that is going through an excellent phase, and we have got everything prepared to receive adequately the honour to organize an excellent World Cup." Football belonged in Brazil. In the home of carnival and samba, it would be a party like no other. But euphoria faded away as the preparations for 2014 have drawn attention to the persistent corruption, cronyism, inequality and public insecurity. Those who appeared to have the Midas touch in 2007 now seem cursed.  

What is going to happen next is difficult to predict. The government changed its mind on the bus fare increase, but it is harder to meet the protesters' demands about the World Cup because the funds are mostly spent and the stadiums cannot be unbuilt. More planned marches are going to take place. In a country where football is almost the national religion, people want to enjoy the World Cup, but for millions, Fifa has become a tainted brand, associated with a distant global elite who profit at the expense of local people.

As a banned held by one protester said on Thursday "We don't want a country that is beautiful only for gringos."

Source - Adapted from The Guardian Online

Now that you have read the text, download the vocabulary and read the text again to answer the questions. Download the pdf file here.

Finally, check your answers here.

Don't forget to comment, to leave a suggestion or to post your questions!