Learn English with the News: “Give me a hug!”

Hi!

Today’s news report is about hugging. When we’re sad, getting a hug is one of the best ways to make us feel better.

Have you ever heard of the Free Hugs Campaign? It’s a fun social movement that involves offering people hugs. Members stand in the street with posters that say “FREE HUGS” and if you want, you can go up to them and ask for a hug. It was started in 2004 by an Australian man and it became famous two years later with this music video:

We love it! If everyone hugged more, there would be less problems in the world, don’t you agree?

*ABA English hugs you all virtually*

Well, on the 16th of February in Ayacucho in Peru, over 10000 people got together and beat the World Record for biggest hug.

Ayaucho is a town in the centre of Peru, famous for having 33 churches: one to represent each year of Jesus’ life. Unfortunatly, they also have a history full of wars and conflict. They have only known peace for the last 15 years, and so decided to celebrate by having a big hug.

1. First read the text
2. Understand the vocabulary
3. Watch the video

Text

“Ten thousand three hundred and forty Peruvians break the Guinness World Record for the largest group hug.

In a special Valentine’s day challenge, the town of Ayacucho hoped to show that the region had moved on from a violent past as a base for a guerrilla group. And the local mayor thinks they’ve succeeded.

– It is about showing that Ayacucho is a not of violence, but of peace, of brotherhood, where we all have a desire to solve our problems by talking with friendship, harmony and joy.

Giving residents some optimism to cling to.”

Vocabulary

Break – We all know break means to separate something by force. But in this case it also means: to do better than (a record).

Challenge – a difficult task or problem : something that is hard to do.

Moved on – to go on to a different place, subject, activity. To leave a situation in the past and start anew.

Base – the main place in which a person works or lives or a business operates.

Guerrilla – a member of a usually small group of soldiers who do not belong to a regular army and who fight in a war as an independent unit.

Brotherhood – feelings of friendship, support, and understanding between people.

Residents – someone who lives in a particular place.

Cling to – to hold onto something or someone very tightly.