Wickedly Wonderful Words (1)

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1️⃣ BEARABLE (adj) Something that can be endured, tolerated, or handled without too much discomfort, pain, or difficulty.  (soportable)

🌞 Having a friend by my side made the long wait much more bearable. (llevadera)

🌞 The pain after the surgery was bearable with the help of medication.

🌞 The loud construction noise became unbearable after a few hours. (insoportable)

🌞 The tension in the room was unbearable as everyone waited for the results.

🌞 It's been unbearably hot this summer.

Some 🐻 expressions: 

A 🐻‍❄️ binomial:


🌞 Answer any of the following questions: 

🪭 What kind of weather do you find bearable? And what weather is unbearable for you?

Juanmi: For me, sunny and cool weather with a little wind is totally bearable. And without doubt humid is unbearable.

Graham: I agree. Humidity is unbearable. The heat is much more bearable in Madrid than it is in Rome.


🛌 Do you think waking up early is bearable or unbearable? Why?

Juanmi: It depends on the day, for instance Saturday is absolutely bearable if after the waking up, you have a coffee with a toast. 

Graham: Absolutely bearable sounds strange. We use absolutely with extreme adjectives - bearable is not one though unbearable is (so absolutely unbearable is fine). Instead, I'd say - It depends on the day. For instance, Saturday is perfectly bearable if after waking up, you have a coffee with toast.

I can't function in the mornings without a proper breakfast.


👃What food smells are unbearable for you?

Juanmi: Broccoli is the worst smells and not unbearable if you have a visitor at home while you are cooking.

Graham: Broccoli is the worst smell and unbearable if you have a visitor at home while you are cooking. 

I love cabbage (even when I was a kid, I loved it) but it stinks. I think cabbage trumps broccoli in the league of awful smells.


🚇 Do you find public transport bearable during rush hour? Why or why not?

Juanmi: Public transport during rush hour is bearable if you have a good playlist of Metallica. But it’s unbearable when it’s too crowded and noisy.

Graham: I haven't used public transport for ages. It'd be difficult to get used to it again.


😶 Can something be bearable for one person but unbearable for another? Give examples.

Juanmi: Running a marathon is bearable for people like Graham, but unbearable for someone like me.

Graham:  It's amazing what you can do when you put your.mind to it.



🖥️ Do you think modern technology has made life more bearable or more unbearable? Why?

Juanmi: It’s not debatable for me that modern technology has made life more bearable. Because it helps to democratize the information access to the information to the people.

Graham: It’s not debatable for me that modern technology has made life more bearable. Because it helps to democratise information access to the people.

I think we lived perfectly happy lives without it.


Augusto: (voice message)

Graham: I think modern technology makes many things more better. 😡

I think modern technology makes many things better. 😍

The idea of technology is to make life easier and save time. However, I seem to spend a lot of time trying to solve problems created by technology.


🛜 Imagine living without the internet for a month — would that be bearable or unbearable for you?

Juanmi: If only its a month could be bearable for me 🤣.

Graham: If it is only for a month, it could be bearable for me 🤣.


Augusto: During the month of August the heat in Madrid is unbearable. 😍

Augusto: That schoolmate was more unbearable than a toothache.


2️⃣ SHRUG to raise your shoulders slightly, often to show that you don’t know something, don’t care, or aren’t sure about something. (encogerse/encogimiento de hombros)

🌞 "I don’t know," she said, and shrugged.

→ “No lo sé”, dijo, y se encogió de hombros.

🌞 He just shrugged his shoulders when I asked about the homework.

→ Solo se encogió de hombros cuando le pregunté por la tarea.

🌞 "Are you coming to the party?"

→ "¿Vas a venir a la fiesta?"

"Maybe," he said with a shrug.

→ "Quizás", dijo con un encogimiento de hombros.

🌞 Sometimes people shrug when they don’t want to answer.

→ A veces la gente se encoge de hombros cuando no quiere responder.


🌞 Create some example sentences of yor own and/or answer any of the following questions:

🤷 When was the last time you shrugged because you didn’t know the answer?

🤷‍♀️ How do you feel when someone just shrugs instead of answering you?

🤷‍♂️ How often do you shrug your shoulders? Is it a bad habit?

🤷 Give an example of when someone shrugged to show they didn't care.


Augusto: He was so drunk that he shrugged when the police asked him his name.


3️⃣ SETBACK (noun): a problem, difficulty, or delay that makes it harder to achieve something you want. (🇪🇸 contratiempo / revés)

🌞 We had a small setback when the computer stopped working.

→ Tuvimos un pequeño contratiempo cuando la computadora dejó de funcionar.

🌞 Failing the exam was a real setback, but I’m going to try again."

→ Suspender el examen fue un verdadero revés, pero lo voy a intentar de nuevo.

🌞 Don’t worry! This is just a minor setback. We’ll still finish on time.

→ ¡No te preocupes! Esto es solo un pequeño contratiempo. Aún terminaremos a tiempo.


🌞 Create some example sentences of your own and/or answer any of these questions:

📖 Have you ever had a setback while studying English? What happened?

👟 Imagine you’re training for a marathon but get injured. How would you describe this setback?

🛟 Do you think setbacks are a normal part of life? Why or why not?

😵‍💫 What setbacks have you suffered with your plans?

💡 Every setback is a chance to learn, grow, and come back stronger! 💪✨

 

Augusto: We had a big setback when our car ran out of gas. 

Graham: That's one thing I haven't done is run out of petrol. (🇬🇧 - petrol, 🇺🇸 - gas)

Augusto: We had a big setback when we missed the plane that was supposed to take us to Inverness.

Graham: I've suffered this setback countless times over the years.


Helena: What a big setback to have missed the bus!

Graham: There'll be another one along soon.


Augusto: It was a big setback when it started pouring with rain and I didn't have an umbrella.

Augusto: It was a big setback when I met that math teacher who was a huge pain.

Graham: math 🇺🇸 maths 🇬🇧

Augusto: It was a big setback when my car stopped across the street.

Graham: ... when my car broke down in the middle of the street.

Augusto: It was a big setback when I was eating a steak and suddenly my tooth broke.

Helena: Yes  that's a really big setback because in August most of the dentist clinics are closed.

Graham: It's great to see all these examples though don't use setback interchangeably with problem. A setback is a problem that makes it harder to achieve something. ( 🇪🇸  contratiempo, revés )


Augusto: What a big setback when I fell off the bike twice during my first practical lesson.

Augusto: It was a big setback for me the first time I went to boarding school.

Graham: Even after all these setbacks, I'm still not sure if you have got the hang of the word. What did you find harder to achieve by going to a boarding school?


Helena: Is a setback @⁨Graham⁩ a little problem? Or can we say that politicians are a setback in our lives?

Graham: It's a problem that stops your progress in achieving something. The example you give sounds strange.


Juanmi: Videocalls with Graham used to setback (not now 🤣), but we managed to recover quickly.

The blackout we suffered in Spain a few months ago was a setback, but it was funny to see the bars fully with people

Graham: I think I get what you mean - loss of connection, delay in seeing the image etc. 

We used to have a few setbacks with our video calls but we managed to sort things out quickly.

The blackout caused many setbacks but it was funny to see the bars full of people.


4️⃣ HUM (verb): 

- to make a sound with your lips closed, usually when you’re singing a tune quietly. 🎶 

- to make a continuous, low sound (like machines or bees). 🐝

(🇪🇸 tararear / zumbar)

🌞 She likes to hum her favourite song while cooking.

🌞 I couldn’t remember the lyrics, so I just hummed the tune.

🌞 I can hear the fridge humming during the night.


☺️ Do you ever hum when you’re happy? When?

🎵 What song do you usually hum when you can’t remember the lyrics?

🏠 Can you think of something in your house that is always humming?

José: Years ago, I used to hum "Maria Isabel " by Los Payos and author Josele.

Graham: It's not the first time that I've heard this song. It must be one of the first songs of the summer. It is catchy. I'll be humming it over the next few days now.

José: At my home, every night I hum the fridge and the dog of my neighbour.

Graham: I can't figure this one out. I suppose you mean (but I could be completely wrong):

At home, every night I hear the humming of the neighbours' fridge and their dog barking. (Dogs don't hum)

José: I'm afraid when a bee is humming around my head.

Graham: I like to see bees humming around the garden. 

It's the wasp that is the real baddy. I remember the chaos when a wasp entered the classroom, I was frozen with fear and they always came for me. Apparently, they can detect fear in people and will attack the scaredy-cat.

Helena: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Helena: I highly recommend you all to listen to this song and hum it when you are sad...

Graham: I highly recommend you all listen to this song.

It's a difficult tune to hum. As for the lyrics, 😮 ... It's not my cup of tea.

I prefer José's choice of tune.

Helena: 🤣🤣🤣


Juanmi: He always hums in the shower, even in the morning.

Sometimes I hum when I walking in a rainy morning.

Graham: I suppose if someone is humming, it means they are in a good mood.

... when I walk about on a rainy morning.

Just like Gene ☔ ⛈️


 5⃣  LIMELIGHT (noun) - being the centre of attention or fame (🇪🇸 estar en el candelero/ estar en el centro de atención)

🌞 After winning the award, she was suddenly in the limelight.

🌞 Some people love the limelight but others avoid the attention.


👀Would you like to be in the limelight? Why or why not?

👀 Can you name a celebrity who loves the limelight?

Compare to spotlight:

Augusto: Cassius Clay was always in the limelight throughout his career.

Graham: Muhammad Ali - The Greatest


Helena: And you dear @⁨Graham⁩ are in the limelight of English teachers.

Graham: I don't like being in the limelight but I still stand out.  I prefer to go under the radar.

Helena: To go under the radar is to be unnoticed?, not in the limelight? 😍


José: I don't need to be the limelight because I'm an ordinary people. If I would want to be the limelight, I couldn't. I don't have stood out anything in my live.

I don't dismiss that I could be the limelight any day. In this case, it would like to be limelight  because I would stand out about good thing.

Graham: I don't need to be in the limelight because I'm an ordinary person. If I had to be in the limelight, I'd find it tough going. I haven't stood out for anything in my life. 

I wouldn't discount being in the limelight one day. If it were to happen, I hope it would be for something positive.

José: I remember Adolfo Suárez, famous people, who didn't like the limelight.

Graham: There are some well-known people who don't like the limelight.

However, one of the problems of the modern world is that ordinary people crave to have their fifteen minutes of fame.

 

Juanmi: Belén Esteban is used to the limelight. 😍

He does not like the limelight. 😍

She prefers working behind the scenes than being in the limelight. 😍

Graham: 


Is Belén still in the limelight? I have seen the People's Princess for ages.

Juanmi: No, she is not on TV now, but I think they're making a series about her.

Graham: Oh that's something to look forward to. 🙄

Juanmi: She is the princess of the people (pueblo) as you know.


Newspaper Headlines:

Rents Reach Unbearable Levels for City Residents

Long Commutes Becoming Bearable Thanks to Remote Work

Markets Shrug Off Inflation Fears After Strong Jobs Report

Public Shrugs at Another Ministerial Apology

Government Faces Major Setback in Budget Talks

Injury Setback Delays Star Striker’s Return

Crowds Hum Along as Singer Opens Surprise Street Performance

Residents Complain of Constant Hum Disrupting Sleep

From Obscurity to Limelight: The Rise of a Local Hero

Minister Back in the Limelight Amid Fresh Allegations


WORKPLACE DIALOGUES

(Un)bearable:

Employee: “These meetings used to be unbearable.”

Manager: “Better now?”

Employee: “Much. Shorter agendas make them bearable.”


Shrug:

Employee 1: “Did you see the new policy update?”

Employee 2: “Yeah. Everyone just shrugged.”

Employee 1: “That’s how it goes around here.”


Setback

Manager: “The supplier pulled out this morning.”

Team Lead: “So that’s a setback, but not a disaster.”

Manager: “Exactly. We regroup and move forward.”


Hum

Employee 1: “Can you hear that hum?”

Employee 2: “Yeah, it’s been driving me crazy all day.”

Employee 1: “I thought it was just my computer.”


Limelight

Colleague: “You’re in the limelight now after that presentation.”

Employee: “I know—and I really didn’t ask for it.”

Colleague: “Well, enjoy it while it lasts.”


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