There’s a quandary I hear people talk about a lot in the self-improvement world which goes something like this: “Should I keep trying to change, or should I just learn to love myself?” The people posing this question almost invariably feel terrible about themselves, and further, they assume that’s par for the course. It isn’t. In fact this whole “self-love vs self-improvement” thing is a…
One of my favorite pieces of ancient wisdom comes from the Stoic philosopher Epictetus: We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. Sure, that may not be the real reason we have two ears and one mouth, but it reveals a useful pattern that we see repeated in communication in general. Communication essentially has two parts: transmission and…
Click on the image to download the pdf My summer has begun with a relaxing day with the family down in La Rioja says ECP coach Darren Lynch Before you read the complete article, look at this vocabulary and find it in the text: unwind: relax immediate family: mother, father, sister, brother extended family: uncle, aunt, cousins etc. founded: establish or originate commonplace: customary, a…
Click on the image to download the pdf In Recognition… The UK Honour System Explained and Criticised Before you read the complete article, look at this vocabulary and find it in the text: hand out: distribute, give out patronage: support given by a patron fostered: encourage and support gongs: common term for medal or award deed an act, usually brave gaudy: bright, extravagant, usually tasteless vowed: to…
Click on the image to download the pdf The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be the 21st FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place in Russia from 14th June to 15th July 2018 Before you read the complete article, look at this vocabulary and find it in the text: Gibraltar: a British overseas territory near the southern tip of Spain Kosovo: an autonomous area in the Balkans, formerly part…
Click on the image to download the pdf Rescue services spent the night trying to find the Estonian tourist who, following a party, showed up at a restaurant 2,400 metres up a mountain Before you read the complete article, look at this vocabulary and find it in the text: upon: at the moment of blazer: a thin formal jacket to head: to go (in…
Click on the image to download the pdf Scientists record an orca saying “Hello”, “Bye bye” and “One, two”. Before you read the complete article, look at this vocabulary and find it in the text: to carry out: to complete a task or job pod: a small group of marine animals to match (something): to make harmonious or equal, to correspond with to mimic: to imitate…
Click on the image to download the pdf Maybe you are already running decent times but improving your technique will make you even quicker and less injury prone* Before you read the complete article, look at this vocabulary and find it in the text: *prone: likely to do, get, or suffer from something second nature: a habit that has become characteristic or instinctive wince: to show…
Click on the image to download the pdf Modern life is fast. Technology connects everyone ALL the time and consequently many people suffer from stress Before you read the complete article, look at this vocabulary and find it in the text: stressed out: worried and nervous mishap: an unlucky accident deadline: the latest time or date when something should be completed procrastination the action of delaying…
Click on the image to download the pdf Alex Hern (technology writer for The Guardian) explains that if you haven’t started a new language by the age of 10, you have no chance of achieving perfect fluency. But don’t despair, help is at hand! Before you read the complete article, look at this vocabulary and find it in the text: futility: something pointless, hopeless or useless…
