Talking Points
1. More Sun, More Bills
2. Minecraft Makes More Than Games
3. Chicago Greener Than Most US CIties

Listen Up: How to use comparative structures.

Focus Phrase: On par with

Executive Edition: How to use the first conditional.

Figure It Out: Why set short-term goals?

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April Brings More Sun and More Bills

In the UK, April means longer days and more sunshine. But it also means higher household bills for many families.

Energy prices, water costs, and phone charges have all gone up. So while people enjoy the warmer weather, they’re also spending more money than before.

Talking Points: Are the bills in your area higher or lower than they were last year?

Language Tip: We add -er to short adjectives like high and long to make higher and longer. We use more + [adjecitve] for longer adjectives like expensive and believable.

Minecraft Makes More Than Games

The new Minecraft movie made a lot of money on its opening weekend. It earned more than all other Hollywood films this year.

People around the world love the Minecraft brand. The movie’s success shows how powerful the gaming world has become. The gaming industry is bigger than the music and movie industries combined.

Talking Points: Why do you think video game movies like Minecraft attract so much attention compared to traditional films?

Language Tip: When comparing one item to a group, we use structures like "A is bigger than B and C combined." This helps us express how one thing exceeds several others in a clear and simple way.

Chicago Goes Greener Than Ever

Chicago now powers all of its city buildings with renewable energy. That means places like city halls, schools, and libraries run on wind and solar power instead of gas or coal.

Other cities are working on clean energy too, but Chicago is ahead of most of them. It’s using more renewable energy than many other cities around the world.

Talking Points: Do you think your city is doing better or worse than Chicago when it comes to clean energy?

Language Tip: A slightly more advanced way of comparing two things is using phrases like ahead of and behind. They aren’t comparatives like higher and more expensive. But they talk about how two things relate to one another. Listen to this week’s audio for a more detailed explanation.