Sleeping on the job

Is it right to sleep at work? Some experts think we work better if we can close our eyes and have a short rest in the office.  So, is it time for bosses to put beds in the workplace?

Rob and Finn discuss the benefits of sleeping on the job.

This week's question

When the former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, was in power, she did her job with very little sleep. Do you know how many hours a night she slept?

a)     Three hours

b)     Four hours

c)     Five hours

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-02102014

Food waste

Many people around the world throw away food that's still good enough to eat. This food waste could feed millions.

Rob and Finn discuss why some of us are tempted to buy more food than we need and what attempts are being made to reduce the amount of wasted food.

This week's question:

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, what percentage of food is wasted?

a)            25%

b)            33%

c)            50%

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-09102014

Laughter is bad for you

Laughing is good for you, isn't it? True, it can reduce anger, anxiety and stress, but according to the BMJ, laughter can occasionally have harmful side-effects for certain people. They reviewed over 700 academic papers and came up with a list of health problems which can be caused by laughing.

Finn and Rob discuss the pros and cons of laughing, and explain some health-related vocabulary.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-141211

42 Languages

Rob and Finn talk about a school in London which has 600 children who speak a total of 42 different languages. Is it difficult for them to learn English? And how does this affect their educational performance? Are they good at other subjects like maths?

Find out about life at this school and learn some vocabulary to do with education:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-141218

Time capsules

A centuries-old time capsule has been discovered in Massachusetts, US. It's thought to have been buried by American revolutionaries in 1795. You can hear Rob and Neil talk about what to include in a time capsule – that’s a device used to keep the memory of a place in time alive – in 6 Minute English:

http://bbc.in/1tCS8RG

What would you put in a time capsule?

15th anniversary of the death of the great poet T S Eliot

Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the death of the great poet T S Eliot. You can hear him read The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, one of his most famous poems, in this video: http://vimeo.com/7602340 
or you can read a selection of his poems here: http://bit.ly/14b6aUe

Webquest: Halloween

This spookily-themed webquest by Luke Vyner includes activities on the history of Halloween, popular traditions, global celebrations and terrifying tales. It is free to all onestopenglish users. Click here.

And you can also visit this website to know more about the history and traditions of Halloween.

BBCLearning English

The English We Speak
The English We Speak is your chance to catch up on the very latest English words and phrases. In under 3 minutes, they help you stay ahead of the pack by giving you must have phrases that you can use in your everyday conversation.

Words in the News
Weekly news video section. In each programme one of the presenters tells you a story from the week's news.
They also teach five useful words and phrases that you can use in daily life.

6 Minute English
Long-running series of topical discussion and new vocabulary, brought to you by your favourite BBC Learning English presenters.

Pronunciation
There is a system of symbols for writing the sounds of English. They have a guide to these symbols and also videos to show how to pronounce each of the sounds.

Source: BBC Learning English. Click here.

Malala: The girl who was shot for going to school

One year ago schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen - her "crime", to have spoken up for the right of girls to be educated. The world reacted in horror, but after weeks in intensive care Malala survived. Her full story can now be told. Click here to read the article.

Huge congratulations to Malala Yousafzai & Kailash Satyarthi - joint winners of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for their incredible work protecting children and their right to education.

Click here to read the article and listen to the videos.

Source: BBC News.

European Day of Languages

Last Friday (26th September) was the European Day of Languages. It celebrated linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe and the importance of language learning worldwide.

Click here and find an exclusive infographic, selection of quizzes and special social surprises dedicated to celebrating Europe and the importance of English language learning!

Source: Macmillan Education