Talking Points
1. Man Dreams His Lottery Win
2. Getting a Car as a Gift
3. Woman Stumbles Onto a Dino Footprint

Listen Up: I break down some of the language we can use to talk about the news stories from today’s edition.

Focus Phrase: Dream [thing]

Executive Edition: One way to sound more assertive or authoritative.

Figure It Out: When would you ask “How are things?”

Talking Points

Three quick news stories to help you start small talk conversations in English. Start your conversation with phrases like:

• I read a story about …

• Did you hear about … ?

• Saw something interesting the other day. …

Man Dreams His Lottery Win

A man in America won $110,000 and claimed he dreamt he would win the night before.

"It's strange because I even dreamed the exact amount that I won,” he said.

Talking points: Do you think he dreamed he would win that exact amount?

Language tips: When talking about other people’s thoughts or claims, phrases like could have, might have, or may have are useful to convey uncertainty.

A Car as a Gift

Can you imagine giving someone a car as a gift? That’s what NY Met’s superstar Juan Soto just did.

Soto gave his teammate Brett Baty an SUV for allowing Soto to keep his jersey number 22. Soto was traded to the Mets in the off-season, and Brett Baty, already a Mets player, had number 22.

Talking points: Can you imagine getting a car as a gift? Or even better, can you imagine being able to give someone a car as a gift?

Language tips: You might use phrases like I can’t imagine, or That must be/feel [adjective] to answer the talking point questions.

A Dinosaur Discovery on the Beach

Can you imagine stumbling upon a dinosaur footprint while walking on the beach? That’s exactly what happened to 23-year-old Lily Taylor in the UK.

After a heavy rainstorm, Lily noticed a massive imprint in the sand. Experts later confirmed it was a 127-million-year-old dinosaur footprint – one of the best-preserved ever found in the region.

Talking points: Can you imagine discovering something that ancient? What would you do if you found a fossil or footprint like that?

Language tips: You might use phrases like I can’t imagine, That must be exciting, or I’d probably [reaction] to answer the talking point questions.