Transcription
Are you ready to speak and understand English better? Well, strap on your seat belt because I've got some breaking news. Breaking news.
Well, hello all of my students. I hope you're having a fantastic day. My name is Jay and on today's English lesson, I am going to teach you a number of new vocabulary words and phrases because I have an English from the news lesson. If this is your first time here, I am going to read through a news article and explain key vocabulary words that you can begin using now. So, if you're ready for some learning and some laughter, let's dive into today's article.
According to the BBC, Greenland says it chooses Denmark over the US despite Trump pressure. Uhoh. Let's see what we're going to learn today. So, when we talk about choosing something, it has to do with making a choice. So, I might say, "Do you choose the apple or the orange?" Okay.
Despite. Despite means regardless. So, according to the headline, Trump is pressuring Denmark to make a decision. And Denmark is saying, "Regardless of how you are pressuring us, we're going to do what we want to do." [laughter] Let's go on.
Greenland's prime minister. Say that with me. Prime Minister. So, I have a simple definition of a prime minister. A prime minister is the main leader of a government. All right? Prime minister. Now notice the prime minister said in his said his island wants to remain part of Denmark and not become part of the United States. So that's the choice right there. Either remain your own or become a part of the United States. And according to this sentence, the prime minister wants to remain on their own. Let's find out what happens.
Even as US President Donald Trump continues to show interest in acquiring. Acquiring this word here, acquiring. So when you acquire something, you gain control or ownership of something. So you can acquire real estate, you can acquire a new friend, you can acquire things or people. All right. So Trump is showing interest in gaining control of Greenland.
H Nils Nil I can't pronounce this word. Sometimes you bump into names that's difficult for you to pronounce and you do the best you can whether it's in English or another language and sometimes names are challenging for me. Okay. Notice the prime minister made this clear at a joint news conference. Joint. Okay. Now, joint can be a tricky word. Your body has joints. Here is a joint. All right. I have a joint here. But a joint is also a slang word for marijuana. [laughter] they were smoking joints or you might say I bumped my joint. Okay, but a joint news conference in this context means a corporate or a together. So Denmark and the United States they had a meeting together. They joined together. All right. So joint news conference. So when we talk about a conference, a conference is a formal meeting to discuss important topics. Conference. All right. The church had a conference. The doctors had an important conference to discuss insurance. All right? Now, it doesn't necessarily have to be organizations. You can have a conference in your family. So you might say, "Look, this Thursday we are having a family meeting or conference at the kitchen table." Okay, let's continue.
They had a joint news conference with Danish leaders in I can say this one, Copenhagen on Tuesday. He said Greenland would rather keep its current relationship within the Kingdom of Denmark. Okay, the Kingdom of Denmark. So they want to remain separate from the United States.
Notice the next sentence. We face a geopolitical crisis. Now when we talk about something like the word geopolitical, geopolitical has to do with global politics and geography. Okay. So the geography has to do with the kingdom of Denmark now coming under the control of the United States. That's Trump's interest. All right. So that's geopolitical interest. All right. Now, a crisis. Notice this word right beside geopolitical. A crisis. A crisis or crisis depending on how you want to pronounce it. It's just like tomato tomato. Okay? Crisis is a problem, a big problem, a chaotic problem. So for instance, you might say the two gangs had a crisis on the train. Okay? So they probably had a fight, an argument, or some opposing opinions, a crisis. When she found her husband having an affair, there was a brutal crisis at the house. [laughter] Okay. That would definitely be a large problem for a spouse to find their lover cheating on them. All right, let's continue.
We face a geopolitical crisis and if we do not if we have to choose between the US and Denmark here and now, then we choose Denmark. Wow. That is someone that is standing up for their country. Okay. They're saying, "We're choosing us over you."
Okay, here we go. Greenland's cabinet minister. Here's another name. Nah Nathan. I see that's difficult for me. No disrespect. That's difficult for me to pronounce. But it's important more so for me to understand what I'm talking about. All right. So the cabinet minister from Greenland added that the people of Greenland do not want to become Americans and feel alienated by recent American rhetoric. Oh, these are some great words. Even if you don't use these words often, they are common. Alienated and rhetoric. Okay, let's let's define these two words and get a better understanding.
When you are alienated or feel alienated, you feel excluded or pushed away. You feel as if no one wants to have anything to do with you. [snorts] Sometimes in large groups, you feel alienated if you are not friends with anyone in the group. Okay. I was angry at my wife and so I alienated her for five hours. All right. I didn't talk to her. I didn't hug her. I didn't show her affection when she called my name. I ignored her. [laughter] I alienated her. Okay? Made her feel like she was not important. All right? And we do that sometimes.
Now, rhetoric. Rhetoric. All right? Rhetoric is strong or persuasive language used in speech. So there's a lot that has been going on with the United States here in the past few months and basically the cabinet minister from Green Greenland is saying we don't want to have anything to do with your problems, [laughter] your rhetoric. Okay? [snorts] We don't want to have anything to do with becoming a part of your country. All right. Everything that you're talking about, they're basically saying we don't want to have anything to do with it. Okay. Let's continue.
I think we should be able to have a say ourselves in the future of our lives. Okay. So, they're basically saying we want to be responsible for ourselves and not give that controlling power over to you. She told reporters in London.
Although Greenland has been part of Denmark for centuries. Say that with me. Centuries. So a century is 100 years. All right. So Denmark has been Greenland has been a part of Denmark for centuries, a very long time, many generations. All right. political groups on the island aim for eventual independence. Okay, when you aim for something, okay, that is something that you have determined is your goal. Okay, so you might say, what is your aim for 2026? What is your goal? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to do? Now, you can aim a firearm. You can aim an object at someone. I can have a snowball and I'm trying to aim to hit you with it. Okay? [snorts] But aim here has to do with a goal. Actually, let me give you another little fun fact. AIM is also the name of a toothpaste [laughter] here in the United States. I'm not sure if AIM is anywhere else, but I know here we have a toothpaste called AIM. All right, let's continue.
However, the cabinet minister said there is no rush to pursue that step. Notice no rush. Not in a hurry. Okay. I'm not rushing to marry you. Okay. I'm not in a hurry. I'm not rushing to purchase a home because the interest rates are too high. I'm not rushing. I'm not in a hurry. Okay. I don't need to rush to work tonight. I don't have to be there for another three hours. Okay. Rush to hurry. Okay. So, there's no rush to pursue the next step. All right. The next step or that step. Now, you make a step with your feet. But when she says the next step or pursue that step, it has to do with procedures and progress. So you might say, once I sign my name to the contract, what's the next step? Okay, now that you're my girlfriend, what's the next step? [laughter] Now that I've given you $400, what's the next step? Okay, let's take a quick break right here.
I want you to check out something that one of my subscribers said in the comments section. Since I'm talking about pronunciation, notice this comment. Is it grievance with a J sound or not? Please help. So the word grieviance doesn't have a J sound. Grievance. G-g G like in great, good, God, go, get. Okay, grieviance. It doesn't have a J sound. Now, there are some words uh that begin with the letter uh G that may have a J sound, just not in that particular vocabulary word. Okay, let's continue.
She also noted that Greenland is an autonomous territory. Autonomous. Woo, that's a big word. Try saying that. Autonomous territory, which means it runs many of its own affairs even while remaining connected to Denmark. Okay. So, when we talk about something being autonomous, it has to do with having the power to govern itself. Okay. having the power to take care of itself. Okay. Not needing the assistance of outside help.
Trump and his advisors have argued that Greenland is important for US national security because of its location in the Arctic and the presence of Russian and Chinese interests in the region. Okay. So, an advisor, an advisor is someone who gives counsel or advice to someone else. All right. So, basically Trump is saying Greenland is too close to America not to be a part of America. We see China and Russia right across from you [snorts] and you're in between. Trump is basically saying, in my opinion, hey, are you going to be with us [laughter] or are you going to be with them? And Denmark is like, we're not with you. We're not with them. We're with ourselves. All right. We're standing on business. [laughter] That's what the young people say when you're serious about uh yourself and your affairs. Stand on it. Stand on business. Okay, let's continue. We're almost done.
However, Greenland's leaders rejected this view as an offensive suggestion that undermines their right to choose their own future. Now, when something is offensive, now sometimes people say offensive or offensive, it just depends on the person. All right. An offensive suggestion or offensive suggestion. What does this mean? This means it's insulting. Okay. Something that has made a person angry when you offend them. Okay? It can be offensive to talk in a degrading manner to someone. Okay? When you degrade someone, you put them down. All right. Offensive.
Now, when you undermine someone, undermine a compound word. Two words in one. When you undermine someone, you weaken them or you damage them. Okay? You you take away their strength. So, for instance, I might say, "I'm trying to buy my own car, so I'm saving my money." If you did not want to see me with my own car, you could undermine my efforts to get a car by discouraging me. So, you might say, "Well, Jay, you know, cars are expensive." Well, you know, cars have a lot of maintenance. Well, you know, you got to get tires all the time. So, you're trying to undermine or weaken my stance or my belief in what I desire to do. Okay? You try to stop someone's progress. Why are you trying to undermine me? Why are you trying to hurt me? Why are you trying to keep me from being successful or making my own decisions. Undermine. Okay.
Denmark is also preparing to increase military cooperation in Greenland with NATO. NATO partners as regional tensions grow. This includes planning exercises and training to strengthen Arctic security. [laughter] Wow. Even as Greenland insists that it will not be part of the United States. So what does this small paragraph mean right here? Now, Denmark is basically saying, according to this article, we're going to secure our borders. Since you want to come in and interfere, we've got to make sure that we are safe. All right? So, that's what they are doing. Anytime someone shows interest in what you have or what you own, you naturally want to protect it. Boy, it's getting serious out here.
Despite these diplomatic efforts, Trump's renewed push has caused uncertainty among Greenlanders about their long-term political future. Okay, longterm. All right, long-term. When we say longterm, happening over a long period of time. So something longterm could be 3 years away, 10 years away. That's longterm. If we were to say it was four months away, that would be shortterm. Tomorrow, that's immediately. [laughter] All right. Uh six weeks shortterm or we say in the near future. The long term, hey, you have some time. I want to do this within the next 10 years long term. Okay.
Still, the island's leadership said it hopes the planned talks in Washington with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio will bring clarity. So they're looking to get a better understanding once they meet with more US officials. Wow, that is very very interesting. There is a lot going on in the world today and hopefully with me breaking down today's news article, I hope I have helped increase your comprehension and your understanding.
So, what do you think about the long-term stance that Denmark is making? Do you think that they're making a good decision, standing up for themselves, and remaining independent? Do you think it's right for President Trump to be concerned about US security because Greenland is so close to China and Russia? What do you think after listening to today's lesson?
Now, I have given you about 15 different vocabulary words. As always, I want you to pull at least two of them and try to use them in a sentence within the next week. I like conference and acquiring. These are words that are probably more easy to use in a conversation. Acquiring conference, alienated century, aim, no rush, step in the right direction. These are some words that should help you to be more confident in your conversation. So, I want you to try to take two words from today's lesson. If you have to go back and listen to it again to gather two words, make sure you do that. That's a part of research and studying. [snorts]
Also, I encourage all of my subscribers to watch the lessons at least twice. Once with the subtitles and once with the subtitles off. Okay? And this will help strengthen your comprehension when it comes to listening to English.
Well, that's going to do it for today's English lesson. Welcome to all of the new subscribers to the channel. Thank you so much for subscribing. Make sure you turn the notification bell on so you can be notified when I release a new English lesson. Well, as always, I hope your day is filled with rest and prosperity and productivity. If today's lesson has helped you, all I ask is that you share it with a friend that is trying to improve their English. Feel free to let me know where you're watching from and how today's lesson helped you. And I have some subscribers, they like to use one of the words that they've learned in a sentence in a in the comment section. You can do that as well. If you have any questions, there's a link down below that you can use to ask me a question. And with that being said, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and I hope you join me on my next English lesson. I'll see you then.