Halloween is celebrated all over the world at this time of year but, with parents complaining that some costumes are too scary, is the festival still just harmless fun? Sam and Neil discuss the topic and teach you related vocabulary along the way.
This week's question
Why did people traditionally dress up in costumes on Halloween?
a) to scare their neighbours as a joke
b) to use up their old clothes
c) to hide from ghosts
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
Vocabulary
trick-or-treating
Halloween tradition where children dress up in scary costumes and go knocking on neighbours' doors shouting 'trick or treat'. If the person who answers the door does not give the children a treat, such a sweets or candy, they play a trick on them
over the top (OTT)
too extreme, unsuitable and therefore unacceptable
the Grim Reaper
imaginary character who represents Death and looks like a skeleton, wearing a long black cloak and carrying a curved cutting tool called a scythe.
race to the bottom
situation in which companies compete with each other to sell products as cheaply as possible; situation in which the standard of something gets worse and worse
halfway house
arrangement which includes features of two contrasting idea; compromise
snowflake generation
way of describing the generation of young people who become adults in or after the 2010s, and who are considered by some to be easily upset and offended
TRANSCRIPT
[Cover: Getty Images]
You can download audio and text here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2022/ep-221027
More 6 Minute English episodes:
Does climate change make you anxious?
https://youtu.be/EiCs_8ZKVJc
Translating recipes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31FjeWvLIxM
Why are prices going up?
https://youtu.be/FKwmUNffu7M
English for dating online
https://youtu.be/WjFQIP8w5Jw
Are you following your dreams?
https://youtu.be/26PrgjTboVQ
Do emojis make language better?
https://youtu.be/jdu6GCU42zU
People who can taste words
https://youtu.be/cr2TXucwjVk
Finding your way in space
https://youtu.be/EBAc4PIQC2Y
#learnenglish #halloween #costumes #halloweencostumes
This week's question
Why did people traditionally dress up in costumes on Halloween?
a) to scare their neighbours as a joke
b) to use up their old clothes
c) to hide from ghosts
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
Vocabulary
trick-or-treating
Halloween tradition where children dress up in scary costumes and go knocking on neighbours' doors shouting 'trick or treat'. If the person who answers the door does not give the children a treat, such a sweets or candy, they play a trick on them
over the top (OTT)
too extreme, unsuitable and therefore unacceptable
the Grim Reaper
imaginary character who represents Death and looks like a skeleton, wearing a long black cloak and carrying a curved cutting tool called a scythe.
race to the bottom
situation in which companies compete with each other to sell products as cheaply as possible; situation in which the standard of something gets worse and worse
halfway house
arrangement which includes features of two contrasting idea; compromise
snowflake generation
way of describing the generation of young people who become adults in or after the 2010s, and who are considered by some to be easily upset and offended
TRANSCRIPT
[Cover: Getty Images]
You can download audio and text here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2022/ep-221027
More 6 Minute English episodes:
Does climate change make you anxious?
https://youtu.be/EiCs_8ZKVJc
Translating recipes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31FjeWvLIxM
Why are prices going up?
https://youtu.be/FKwmUNffu7M
English for dating online
https://youtu.be/WjFQIP8w5Jw
Are you following your dreams?
https://youtu.be/26PrgjTboVQ
Do emojis make language better?
https://youtu.be/jdu6GCU42zU
People who can taste words
https://youtu.be/cr2TXucwjVk
Finding your way in space
https://youtu.be/EBAc4PIQC2Y
#learnenglish #halloween #costumes #halloweencostumes
- Category
- English Languages
- Tags
- learn English, English vocabulary, speak English
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