Intermediate Lessons

In some countries, particularly the U.S., a university education has become so expensive that some wonder if it is even worth going to college at all, any more. Let’s start with a conversation. Then we’ll come back and look more closely at some key vocabulary.

It’s holiday season, a time of year when we might discuss a film or TV series we’ve seen. That’s the subject of our conversation this time. First, let’s talk about a French production called ‘Spiral’.

The coral reefs of the world’s oceans are in mortal danger but, as is often the case with environmental concerns, few people seem to appreciate that the dangers are imminent. That is the focus of our lesson this time.

Digital tablets in the classroom were recently described as a 60 billion dollar hoax. Despite these strong words, it seems we’re on an inexorable drive to place a screen in front of every child in the classroom. But to whose benefit? That’s the subject of our conversation in this lesson.

This lesson is inspired by our having heard about Norway in Michael Moore’s latest satirical documentary. Now, no country is perfect but Norway certainly seems to have a lot going for it. Let’s start with a conversation.

A listener asked about ‘tu’ and ‘vous’. In English, we simply use the pronoun ‘you’ but, in French, things are more complicated. In this conversation, we talk about when to use ‘tu’ and ‘vous’… and how to ‘make the switch’ between the two when our relationships have evolved over time. Let’s listen.

A listener asked said he had recently been in France and had heard a few slang words used frequently. In this lesson, our dialogue makes use of a variety of slang words, some of which are very common. Let’s listen…

He was the world’s most famous boxer. But, to many, he represented much more than a particular sport. In this lesson, let’s talk about Mohammed Ali.

AirBnB has rocked the hospitality industry. For holiday-makers it has proved a boon but hoteliers are up in arms. We discuss the new rental model provided by AirBnB in this lesson.

What exactly does the word ‘education’ mean to you ? Sur le chemin de l’école is a provocative and inspiring documentary from Pascal Plisson. It depicts vividly the insatiable thirst for learning of children in some of the world’s most remote corners. Let’s listen to a dialogue.