Nan's story

BBC: Did a civilization exist on Earth before humans?-2

NJChoi — Sun, 4 Jan 2026 12:06:25 +0900

I think it is. I asked you, " How old do scientists think the Earth is?" You said, "5.5 billion years." and I'm afraid you were wrong, Phil. It's 4.5 billion years. OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learnt, starting with the idiom my jaw dropped, which is used to say someone looks very shocked and surprised.

A hypothesis is a suggestion that's proposed to explain something, which can then be tested to see if it's true.

Fossils are the remains of prehistoric plants or animals that have been preserved in rock for a very long time.

A tiny fraction of something is a very small amount of it.

The idiom the blink of an eye means a very short period of time.

And finally, a consensus is a general agreement.

26년, 새로운 해

NJChoi — Sat, 3 Jan 2026 16:18:43 +0900

새로운 한 해가 시작되고 며칠간 강추위가 계속 되었다.

한 해 중 가장 추운 달, 1월.

좋은 뜻을 너무 무겁게 가지고 가지 말고, 재미있게 가볍게 가지고 다녀야 함을 배워간다.

정법공부를 재밌게 하며 가볍게 웃으며 일상을 살아 가기를...

BBC: Did a civillization exist on Earth before humans?

NJChoi — Sat, 3 Jan 2026 16:02:45 +0900

Do you believe there's life on other planets?

Well, theer's a lot of other planets, so yeah, I think there must be.

Yeah, I agree. Well, it's a question that interests American astrophysicist Adam Frank, who discussed it with his clleague Gavin Schmidit, director of Nasa's Institute for Space Studies. Here, Adam recalls their conversation for BBC World Service programme CrowdScience.

We know that there's been no other civillization on Earth, and he stopped me and said, "How do you know that?" And my jaw just dropped down to the floor.

Adam's jaw dropped- an idiom for when someone looks shocked and surprised. Could there have been a technologically advanced civilization before us, here on Earth?

It may sound weird but this idea has a scientific name. Here is Caroline Steel, presenter of BBC's CrowdScience, to explain:

The Silurian hypothesis proposes that if there was a technologically advanced civilization hundreds of millions of years ago, we wouldn't be able to find traces of it.

A hypothesis is an idea which explains how something happens and can be tested to find out if it's correct. In this episode, we'll be discussing the Silurian hypothesis- the idea that a technologically advanced civilization existed before us on Earth but vanished without leaving a trace. As usual, we'll be learning some useful new words and idioms, and remember- you'll find all the vocabulary on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.

But first, I have a question for you, Phil. Human civilization is thousands of years old, but the planet itself is much older. So, how old do scientists think the Earth is? Is it:

a) 3.5 billion years b) 4.5 billion years or c) 5.5 billion years?

I'm going to guess c) 5.5 billion years.

OK, well, we will find the answer out later in the programme. To believe a technologically advanced civilization existed on Earth hundreds of millions of years ago, most people would probably want evidence. We have evidence about other species from the past, such as the dinosaurs, from fossils- the remains of prehistoric plants or animals that have been preserved in rock for a very long time.

But according to Adam Frank, fossils won't help prove the Silurian hypothesis, as he explains here to BBC World Service programme, CrowdScience.

Most things are not fossilised. It's only a tiny fraction of Earth's life that has ever become fossilized. So, imagine that you have a 10,000-year-long civilization, which is a blink of the eye for geology- that's too short to really create a lot of fossils.

Adam argues that only a tiny fraction- meaning a very small amount- of life on Earth has turned into fossil.

In geological time, even a 10,000-year-old civilization is the blink of an eye- an idiom meaning a very short period of time. In other words, older civilizations might have existed on Earth, but not for long enough to leave fossilized evidence.

However, not everyone is convinced by Adam's ideas. Evidence of our own civilization, including plastics and man-made materials like concrete, is already being layered into the Earth's crust, and these are going to last a very long time. So, surely a technologically advanced civilization from prehistory would have left similar marks.

Well, here's Adam Frank again, answering these objections on BBC World Service programme, CrowdScience.

What happens is somebody else will pick up on their work, either affirming it and showing new evidence for it or pushing back on it, and once you get to, like, 20, 30 or 40 papers, then you have a consensus. You're like, "OK, We've really, really looked at this and now we know."

Adam welcomes new evidence, even evidence which contradicts his ideas, as part of teh scientific method needed to prove a hypothesis right or wrong. It's how scientists form a consensus- meaning a general agreement- about the issue.

Personally, I think the idea of prehistoric civilizations on Earth is so mysterious, it's OK to keep an open mind. Now, isn't time you revealed the answer to your question, Beth?

BBC: Crowds-2

NJChoi — Sat, 3 Jan 2026 15:23:58 +0900

I guessed it was to vote in an election. Was I right?

You were wrong. I'm afraid, Neil! In fact, the biggest crwod in hisory had gathered for a Hindu religious festival, the Kumbh Mela, which 220 million people attended over fifty days. OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned from this programme on crowds- large number of people who gather together for a shared reason.

To regress means return to less advanced, more primitive behaviours. Regress is the opposite of 'progress'.

Someone who is gullible is easily tricked, and will believe anything people say.

The phrase, mob mentality describe the tendency of people in a group to behave in ways that conform with others in the group rather than as individuals.

A correlation is a connection or a link between two things.

And finally, the flip side of something means those aspects of it which are less obvious, good, or pleasant. The flip side of this programme is that, once again, our six minutes are up!

BBC: Crowds

NJChoi — Thu, 1 Jan 2026 12:22:36 +0900

There was a huge crowd of people waiting at the train station this morning, Neil. When the train finally arrived, everyone rushed in and I couldn't find a seat! I hate crowds!

But you love going to the football match on Saturday...

Ah, that's different- more like a big group of friends...

Well, whether it's sporting events, train stations or political protests, crowds- that's large groups of people who gather together for a shared activity, are a feature of like. For some, crowds create feelings of excitement and a sense of community, while for others they feel uncomfortable, confusing, or even dangerous. So why is that?

In this programme, we'll be discussing the role of crowds in modern life, asking why they evolve different reactions in people. And, as usual, we'll be learning some new vocabulary as well. But first, I have a question for you, Neil. The biggest crowd in history happened in 2019 when over 200 million people gathered in the northern Indian city of Allahabad. But what did so many people come together for? Was it:

a) cricket match b) a religious festival or c) an election?

Well, I know Indians love cricket, but I doubt 200 million people would fit into a stadium! I'll guess it

s c) an election.

OK, Neil. We'll find out the answer later in the programme. People gathering for a cricket match, or a music center are usually happy events. But crowds can have a darker side as well- they can become out of control and sometimes even violent. Here's, psychologist, Professor John Drury, discussing this idea with, Anand Jagatia, presenter of the BBC World Service programme, appropriately named, CrowdScience.

When people get together in a crowd, they regress psychologically, their thinking is more primitive, they become more gullible, and that's also associated with the supposed tendency towards violence as well.

But according to John, the idea of mob mentality, that people in crowds are irrational and rone ot destructive behaviour, just isn't backed up by research.

One view is that when people get together in a crowd, they become irrational. Psychologically speaking they regress- they return to a less advanced, more primitive way of behaving. They may also become more gullible, an adjective meaning easily tricked or willing to believe everything someone says.

Connected to this is the phrase mob mentality- the tendency of people in a group to behave in the same way as others in the group rather than as individuals. In crowds, people may do things they would never do alone, like steal or use violence. But according to Professor Drury, in reality it's not mob mentality and violence, but rather feelings of safety and togetherness that actually characterise crowds. And according to Dr Anne Templeton, another expert on crowd psychology from the University of Edinburgh, that's especially true when you identify with the other people in a crowd. Here is Dr Templeton explaining more to BBC World Service programme, CrowdScience.

The more peopel feel like they are part of a group with others in the crowd, the more enjoyable experience they have. There's a correlation between having that social identification and feeling safer. So often if we feel like we are in a group wiht others, we expect them to look after us.The flip side of that is when you don't feel as much part of the group, and you're not having a positive experience.

Dr Templeton there is a correlation- that's a connection, or a link- between being among people who share your values, and feeling safe. Football fans cheer their team on by wearing the same colors, and singing the same songs, and this works as a kind of glue, bonding the crowd together and making them feel safe.

The disadvantage of this, however, is when you don't feel part of teh crowd you're with. Dr Templeton calls this the flip side- the opposite, less good or less pleasant aspects of something.

In today's world, crowds are important because of the feeling of power they give us. It's one thing sitting alone shouting at the news on television, but it's something else altogether to march on a political protest with hundreds of demonstrators, feeling that together you could change the world. Maybe that's what everyone was doing in 2019, Sam?

BBC: Was Christmas better in the past?-2

NJChoi — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 20:00:49 +0900

In fact, Catherine says that how we frame a memory doesn't matter. Frame can be used a verb to mean how we think of or describe something, like a memory.

So, our nostalgia about Christmas memories might not be based on what things were actually like in the past, but we shouldn't worry too much! And I think it's time I revealed the answer to my quiz question, Beth. I asked what has become a traditional food to eat in Japan at Christmas time?

And I said fried chicken, was I right?

You are absolutely correct.

Let's recap the vocabulary we've learnt, starting with nostalgia, a feeling of happiness and alos some sadness when you think about a thing that happened in the past.

The phrase indeed followed by the present simple form of do can be used informally instead of answering yes. For example, Beth, do you enjoy eating Brussels sprouts at Christmas?

Indeed, I do!

Dying for something is an informal phrasal verb we use to say that we really want something.

Rose-tinted means seeing only the positive parts of something, and not the bad parts.

Function means the purpose of something.

And frame can be used as a verb to mean how we think of or describe something.

Once again, our six minutes are up.

BBC: Was Christmas better in the past?

NJChoi — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 20:27:42 +0900

Now, it's Christmas time in the UK at the moment. And like with celebrations around the world, lots of people have many happy memories about Christmas. Beth, do you have any happy Christmas memories?

I have a lot. Um, my cousins and I used to always put on a Christmas performance for the family. That was always fun. What about you?

Christmas was magical. I lived in Canada when I was a kid and it was always snowing, so it just felt perfect.

Amazing. Well, at this time of year, we might look back at the Christmass from the past, from our childhood, and feel like they were happier or more magical than Christmas feels today.

Yes, thinking about the past can make us feel happy and sad at the same time. It's a strange feeling we call nostalgia. And we're going to be talking about nostalgia today as well as Christmas memories and traditions.

And as usual, we'll learning some useful new words and phrases. You can practice these with the quiz and the worksheet on our website. Go to bbclearningenglish.com.

First, Beth. I have a question for you. In the UK, the most popular Christmas meal is a roast turkey.

Ooh yes, and all the roast potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

That's right, yes. But which of the these has become a popular food to eat at Christmas time in Japan?

a) turkey ramen b) fried chicken or c) takeaway pizza

I think the answer is fried chicken.

Well, we'll find out at the end of the programme. Now, at Christmas people often create family traditions that they repeat every year. Common traditions in the UK including putting out a snack for Father Christmas, that's Santa Claus, who delievers presents for children.

Well, here is host of BBC 4's All in the Mind, Claudia Hammond, talking to psychology professor Daryl O'Connor about his Christmas traditions.

Hello Daryl, I wonder whether you think nostalgia for Christmas past influences your Christmas present plans?

Well, indeed it does, Claudia. So, actually, I look back on my childhood Christmass with lots and lots of nostalgia. So, when I was a child, every singlg Christmas morning we would have to queue up on the stairs, and my father would go in the front room of the house, just to double check, just in case Santa Claus was still there, and then we had to wait. And then of course, I have repeated that exact same thing for my children.

They line up on that stairs as well? How sweet. Dying for their presents!

When Claudia asks Daryl whether nostalgia influences his present-day Christmases, Daryl responds, indeed it does. This is a common conversational way to say yes, or agree with someone, we say indeed, followed by do in the present tense.

On Christmas morning, Daryl asks his children to queue up on the stairs so he can check for Santa Claus, just like Daryl's father did when he was small. And Claudia likes this tradition, imaging the children waiting on the stairs, dying for their presents. We use the phrase dying for informally when someone really wants something.

Now, when we remember Christmas from the past and feel nostalgia, we often remember things in a very positive way. But was the past definitely better? Are we remembering correctly?

This is whart Claudia Hammond asked Catherine LKoveday, who's a professor of cognitive neuroscience, on BBC Radio 4 programme, All in the Mind.

How accurate are nostalgia memories? Are they accurate?

Well, they're often going to be rose-tinted and made more positive of course, and that's what we do with our past generally, but it doesn't really matter. I mean, in our work we've just shown that the function of memory is not about accuracy. It doesn't matter if some of the details are wrong, it doesn't matter how we frame it. In fact, it's actually better for us in a way to reframe our memories and to slightly adjust them to suit who we are now.

Catherine says that our memories are often rose-tinted. If a memory is rose- tinted, we only see the positive things about it, and don't remember any of the bad parts.

But, according to Catherine, it doesn't always matter. She says the function of memory is not accuracy. Function means the purpose of something.

BBC: The face of the real Santa Claus-2

NJChoi — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 20:20:52 +0900

This is Learning English from the News from BBC Learning English. We're talking about scientists revealing what the real Santa looked like.

So, we know that St Nicholas lived a long time ago.

Yes, in fact he lived 1,700 years ago, which is getting close to 2,000 years.

And we're going to explain some vocabulalry in our next headline, which is used to describe thousands of years.

Yes, this one's from GB News. Santa's true face uncovered as scientists recreate facial features nearly two millennia later.

And that headline again from GB News, Santa's true of face uncovered as scientists recreate facial features nearly two millennia later.

This headline tells us that scientists have recreated this face nearly two millennia later.

And that's the word we're interested inm millennia.

Yes, as we've said, Saint Nicholas lived almost 2,000 years ago. And in this headline, They've used a Latin word connected to numbers. It's millennia, which means thousands.

Thousands. So is it plural?

Yes, it is. And it's confusing because I'm sure everyone knows that the usual English way of making a plural is adding an s.

So what's happening here, Neil?

Well, in some words, some people still use Latin plurals. And this is an example. So, people may remember the year 2000 and there was a lot of talk about the millennium because we were entering a new thousand years. So millennium there ending in M means a thousand singular.

So can we say millenniums, Neil?

Well, yes. Millennia is correct according to the rules of Latin grammar. But because the language we are speaking, Pippa, is English, many people will use the English plural form millenniums. Both are considered correct.

And are there any other examples, Neil?

Yes, the word stadium.

What do you think the possible plurals could be there?

Well, I would say stadiums.

Yes, but you will also hear stadia, which follows that same Latin plural rule.

Yeah, and another one which is a plural is bacteria. That ends in the a. We don't really hear people say bacteriums.

We had millennia thousands and it's the Latin plural form of millennium.

For example, the last ice age was several millennia ago.

That's it for this episode of Learning English from the News. Don't forget, if you want to see an image of the real Santa, you can find one on our website at bbclearningenglish.com.

대한민국사회부모클럽

NJChoi — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 13:26:03 +0900

대한민국 사회부모 클럽에 가입을 했다.

살만한 세상이 되지 못하는 지금의 세상.

많은 소중한 생명들이 스스로의 생을 마감한다.

이 생을 함께 살아가는 사람으로서 나는, 우리는 사회의 부모로서의 역할을 생각해야 한다.

홍익인간으로서 사회적 책임을 다하게 되기를...

BBC: The face of the real Santa Claus

NJChoi — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 12:59:45 +0900

In thie programme, revealing the face of the real Santa Claus.

And in this programme, we normally look at a big, important, serious news study, but it's Christmas. So we're going to have a little bit of fun, but also teach you some vocabulary.

Yeah, and you can find all the vocabulary and headlines from this episode as well as a worksheet on our website bbclearningenglish.com.

OK, let's hear more about our story.

Reseachers have used forensic methods, that's scientific methods, to produce imgages of the man who Santa Claus is based on.

Yes, so Saint Nicholas of Myra lived over 1700 years ago. Now, according to accounts of his life, he was a very kind and generous person and this inspired the idea of Santa Claus, the man who delivers gifts to children all around the world at Christmas time.

And scientists have created 3D images of St Nicholas's face using data from his skull. And you can see one of the images on our website bbclearningenglish.com.

So let's have our first headline. This is from MSN and it is. Face of ral Santa Claus reconstruted with 3D tech after 1,700 years.

And that headline again from MSN.

Face of real Santa Claus reconstructed with 3D tech after 1,700 years. Feifei So this headline tells us that the face of what they call the real Santa was reconsturcted using 3D technology. The word we're looking at is reconstruct.

Neil, yes, so Let's break that word reconstruct down. The main part of it is construct.

What's consturct, Pippa?

Well, it's another word for build. We construct buildings. But this word starts with re. It's reconstruct.

Yes. And the prefix re means again. So reconstruct means build buildings. Again, and it's often used to talk about buildings. For example, recently Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was reconstructed after a fire a few years ago.

But we also use the word reconstruct to talk about faces.

Yes, in the story we're talking about an image, but we also use reconstruct when talking about surgery to repair a damaged face or another body part.

Yes, and in this case it's often used as an adjective, so we'll hear reconstructive surgery. Somebody might have reconstructive surgery after an accident.

And we can also use reconstruct as a noun, so a reconstruction, to talk about something that is a new version of something that used to exist, or to talk about an event. For example, police sometimes make a reconstruction of a crime to help people remember what happened.

We had reconstruct build something again.

For example, they reconstructed the destroyed building after the news.

This is Learning English from the News, our podcast about the news headlines. And today we're having a bit of fun, we're talking about the face of the so called real Santa Claus, which scientists have recreated, based on the skull of Santa Nicholas.

As we've heard, the legend of Santa Claus is based on a man called Saint Nicholas of Myra, who wa an early Christian.

Saint Nicholas lived in what is modern day Turkey.

His reputation as a kind and generous man led to the Dutch folk figure called Sinterklaas, and this name later became Santa Claus.

There was another similar folk figure in England clled Father Christmas, but Santa Claus and Father Christmas eventually merged and they are now considered the same person. You can say Santa Claus or you can say Father Christmas and you're talking about the same guy.

Let's have another headline. This one's from The Mirror, a newspaper in the UK.

Real Santa Claus unmasked as Father Christmas face is shown for first time in 1700 years.

That headline again, Real Santa Claus unmasked as Father Christmas's face is shown for first time in 1,700 years. And that headline is from The Mirror.

So this headline again talks about the real Santa Claus.

And it also refers to Father Christmas, another name for Santa, though they used to be different characters in the past before they merged.

Merged means became the same thing.

And the word we're looking at is unmasked. We can hear the word mask in there. So what's a mask, Neil?

Well, a mask is a face covering and you might wear one if, for example, you want to hide your identity, maybe you're at a party, um, or you can wear one as a disguise. But alos people wore them a lot during the Covid pandemic.

And if you take a mask off, it means you reveal your true identity, you show your face.

Yes, so the un in unmask means remove a mask, and it means to display something that was previously hidden.

So are we saying that Santa was wearing a mask, Neil?

No, not literally. But we didn't know what he looked like, so it's as if he was wearing a mask. And so here unmasked is used in a metaphorical sense.

We've had unmask reveal something previously hidden.

For example, the superhero was unmasked when someone saw him putting his cape on.