Learn English with the News: “Spelling Bee”

Hello everyone!

How are you today? Ready for some English? We’re going to learn what the Spelling Bee is and find out who the youngest person to win is!

The spelling bee is a competition held in Britain and the US where children are asked to spell out English words – they increase in difficulty each level.

1. Read the text
2. Understand the vocabulary
3. Watch the video

Text

Lori Anne Madison prepares to hear her first word in the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition. At six years old, she’s the youngest ever qualifier in the contest and one of 278 competitors.

Spelling Bee is a big deal in the U.S. and for some, the anxiety is palpable. But others have learned to take the angst in their stride.

– I am a little nervous, only because I don’t know which word I’m going to get, but once I get the word, I’m very calm, I think of the word in my head and I say it letter by letter.

– I just try to help make myself relax before I spell my word and take a deep breath and then after I spell it, and I get it right then all the nervousness goes away.

In the end, it was the crop of a bird that got the better of Madison. The champion speller will walk off with $30,000 in cash and other lucrative prizes.

Vocabulary

Palpable – obvious and noticeable.

Angst – a strong feeling of being worried or nervous : a feeling of anxiety about your life or situation.

Take something in your stride – to deal with (something difficult or upsetting) in a calm way.

Lucrative – producing money or wealth.

Video