Recommendations of English Materials
Recommendations of English Materials
Suits
The action takes place in a fictional
law firm in New York. The series is
about a tandem of a self-taught
lawyer who pretends to be a Harvard
graduate and one of the best lawyers
in the city.
Stranger Things
The series is set in the fictional town of
Hawkins in the 1980s. The plot follows
a group of kids and teens whose
world is turned upside down when
one of their friends goes missing. The
series is about villains, monsters, and
even another world.
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GLOW
In the center of the plot is a girl
named Ruth, who all her life has
dreamed of becoming a famous
actress. But life gave her only a role
in a series about female wrestlers.
So Ruth finds herself in a world of
bouffant hair, glitter, and spandex.
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Why Women Kill
The series follows the stories of three
women from different decades: a
housewife in the 1960s, a socialite in
the 1980s, and a lawyer in the 2010s.
Times are different, the problem is the
same. Despite the changed role of
women in the world, their reactions to
unfaithfulness remain ambiguous.
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Silicon Valley
This is a comedy about young IT
people who are desperately trying to
come up with a breakthrough startup.
They all live under the same roof of an
eccentric entrepreneur.
House of Cards
The series is about political games,
why a congressman helps a
presidential candidate, and what
happens when one of the parties
violates the agreements.
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Game of Thrones
This is a series with many characters
and several storylines. The first storyline
is dedicated to the struggle of
influential houses for the Iron Throne of
the Seven Kingdoms, the second is
about the descendant of the
overthrown dynasty, an exiled princess
who plans to regain the throne; the
third is about the ancient brotherhood,
protecting the kingdoms from northern
threats. This is a story about human
passions, the lust for power, political
intrigues, and the fate of despotic
rulers.
Black Mirror
The main focus of the series is the
impact of modern technology on
human life. This frightening series is
about what life in a society captured
by gadgets can turn into.
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The Morning Show
What happens behind the scenes of
the everyday shows on TV channels?
In the series, you will find the answer.
There is a battle for ratings, intrigues
of the team, and ambitions of each
character.
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The Crown
The series is a chronicle of the life of
Queen Elizabeth II. It’s about the
political rivalry and behind-the-
scenes intrigues that become part of
the life of the ruler. She is just
beginning her journey in the struggle
for power.
Peaky Blinders
This is the story of one family that runs
the most feared and powerful local
gang and has gained unprecedented
influence not only at their home. It’s a
crime drama with Cillian Murphy
about the life of English gangsters in
the 1920s.
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Friends
It’s one of the best comedy series in
the history of American television. The
plot revolves around six friends who
live in one neighborhood and spend
their free time together. This series has
it all: ridiculous stories, killer jokes,
support, and love.
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And Just Like That…
Continuation of the cult series "Sex
and the City". The events happen in
our time in New York. The main
characters are three friends who are
already over fifty, but age has not
changed them, they are still bright
and self-confident.
Emily in Paris
The plot develops about an American
girl Emily, who goes to work in Paris.
The girl faces the customs of the
French, a different philosophy of their
life and approach to work. It’s a light
series about adventures with new
colleagues, friends, and lovers.
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Sherlock
The heroes of Arthur Conan Doyle’s
works, Sherlock Holmes and John
Watson, were transported to our
world. Unexplained crimes are taking
place in London, the police are
powerless. Sherlock and John help in
solving complicated and confusing
cases.
True Detective
The first season of the series tells the
story of partners who are
investigating a murder in Louisiana.
The second is about police officers
investigating the death of a politician.
In the third season, an aging
detective recalls the circumstances of
the murder which happened in 1980.
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White Collar
"To solve the most intricate crime, you
need to hire the best criminal" — that
phrase perfectly describes the plot.
To catch major criminals, the
policeman asks one of them for help.
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The Walking Dead
The zombie apocalypse is already
here. The world, in its usual form, no
longer exists. This is what the main
character sees when he wakes up
from a coma. Seeing the situation, he
remembers about his wife and child.
Now his goal is to find his family.
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SELECTION OF MOVIES:
Forrest Gump
The main character, Forrest Gump, is
a weak-minded, kind, open-hearted,
and unsophisticated man. The movie
is a story about his life: incredible
stories about how he became a
famous football player, a war hero,
a tennis player, then one of the
owners of Apple and a billionaire. But
the only thing he dreams about is the
mutual love of the girl with whom he
was friends in childhood.
Pretty Woman
It’s a love story between a rich man
and a poor woman. The main
character is left without a roof over
her head and is forced to work as an
easy girl. One day her life changes.
She meets a millionaire who becomes
something more than just a client ...
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The Mask
This bright movie stars the king of
comedy, Jim Carrey. A mask, found by
chance, changes the life of a shy
bank employee. When he puts it on,
he becomes a completely different
person, insane and invulnerable.
The Shawshank
Redemption
The main character is a bank
employee who is mistakenly
sentenced to life imprisonment. To
stay away from prison cruelty, he
starts working in the library at the
prison. After 20 years, he receives
confirmation that he was convicted
by mistake and prepares an escape
plan.
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Groundhog Day
Time in the life of the main character
has stopped. Every day is February 2
and he lives through the same events.
He is trying to reap the benefits from
his comical position and have fun to
the fullest. Now he has one cherished,
simple dream left — February 3.
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The Holiday
It’s the story of two heartbroken
women. They find each other online
and decide to swap their lives by
house exchange. This vacation starts
a new chapter in the lives of both
heroines.
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Love actually
The movie shows nine parallel
storylines a month before Christmas.
Absolutely all the characters and their
stories are intricately intertwined with
each other. The main message is that
love is everywhere. Sometimes it is
love that pushes to rash acts.
The Terminal
This is a story about a man who gets
stuck at a New York airport. The
protagonist's visa is canceled while
he was still in flight, so he cannot go
through passport control, but he
cannot fly back either, because all
flights to his country have been
canceled. Now his home is the
terminal.
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The Matrix
The main character Neo learns that
the world in which people live is just a
computer virtual reality controlled by
machines. Machines keep people in a
state of hallucination in order to feed
on their energy. Neo takes the side of
the fight against Artificial Intelligence
to return freedom to humanity.
Pulp Fiction
It’s a comedy with elements of drama.
The movie tells about two hitmen who,
in between fights, tell each other
stories from their lives. So three stories
are unfolding, each of them is funny
and tragic at the same time.
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Pirates of the Caribbean:
The Curse of the Black
Pearl
The charismatic and desperate pirate
Jack Sparrow sets off on a journey on
the ship the Black Pearl. One day, the
ship is attacked and the daughter of
the local governor is taken prisoner.
Jack Sparrow leads the rescue
operation.
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Click
A workaholic architect works hard to
get promoted, and he has no time for
family. One day, he finds a remote
control that can fast-forward his life.
After playing for a while, the main
character realizes that he did not
prioritize correctly and fast-forwarded
important moments in his life. You'll
have to make up for the lost time.
Marley and Me
A calm life of a young couple, who
have everything planned for years to
come, is disturbed by one event. They
adopted a puppy, not just a dog, but
an uncontrollable labrador. It is the
dog that becomes the main test in
the life of a couple.
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Home Alone
After a fight with his parents on
Christmas Eve, Kevin wishes they
would disappear from his life. In the
morning, the whole family of the boy
leaves for vacation, forgetting to take
Kevin with them. On top of that, the
main character's house becomes the
target of robbers, but Kevin is smart
about it and protects his home.
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WITH OR WITHOUT SUBTITLES?
You can turn on subtitles, but I recommend you watch without
them if possible. Because it is important to follow what is
happening in the scene and not be distracted by the words
below.
Instead of reading lines, take a better look at the actors: watch for
expressions on their faces. After all, in real life, people use body
language, which you will also have to master because charm and
charisma play a key role in building business and friendships. !
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QUOTES FROM TV SERIES IN ENGLISH
In addition, it is convenient to learn a language from TV shows: it is
both being entertained and studying at the same time. You can
also improve your spoken English and learn professional terms.
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• Man are gonna come along and teach you things.
• What are we supposed to do with her?
• There’s hardly a scratch on her.
• It’s a goddamn miracle.
• I doubt she’ll see it that way.
• You understand, dear, your mother’s passed on?
• You know what that means, don’t you?
• It’s interesting, go on.
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• I need to get out of this!
• This network has every right to terminate you.
• Someone else could be in the driver’s seat.
• She is throwing me under the bus.
• We are facing the biggest crisis in
our history.
• I don’t fit the mold.
• It’s barely news!
• Your words spoke to America.
• My life just ended for no good reason.
Well, how many new phrases did you come across? I'm sure you've
never seen at least a few of them before. Below you will find tips
on how to get the most out of a TV show or movie. Keep reading!
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LIFE HACKS AND RULES ON HOW TO
BENEFICIALLY WATCH MOVIES AND SERIES
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Template for new vocabulary from series and movies.
Word/Phrase Meaning in English Example
Task: watch a movie from the selection above and write a review
about it.
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SELECTION OF YOUTUBE CHANNELS
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EDUCATIONAL CHANNELS
The School of Life. The goal of this channel is to help people live
more peacefully. On the channel, you will find videos about how to
understand yourself, improve your relationships and become more
self-confident when you face difficulties.
The Financial Diet. This financial literacy channel won't make you
cry. There you can find everything you need to know about money
and how to live better. It will be clear even for a beginner.
VOX. The channel will help break through the informational noise
and understand what drives the events in the headlines and in our
lives.
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ENTERTAINMENT CHANNELS
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. One more channel with
excerpts of funny moments from the show of another Jimmy:
comedy sketches, musical parodies, interviews with celebrities,
funny games, and backstages.
The Late Late Show with James Corden. The channel has videos
where stars sing karaoke, improvise and play games with the host.
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FASHION AND CULTURE
Vanity Fair. Here you can find talks about people, places, and
ideas that define contemporary culture. The channel broadcasts
about everything in the contemporary world: from art and
entertainment to business, politics, and international relations.
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TECHNOLOGY
Tech Insider. Here you will learn everything you need to know
about technology today: gadgets, manuals, games, digital culture
and much more.
TKOR. The name of the channel stands for "The King of Random".
Videos are dedicated to exploring life through all sorts of life
hacks, experiments, and random weekend projects.
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DIFFERENT TOPICS
High on Life. A channel for those who want to fall in love with life
again. The videos on the channel are devoted to different topics,
but they are similar in one thing — they inspire you to go out and
explore the world.
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SELECTION OF PODCASTS
7 Deadly Sins
Stephen Fry is an English actor, comedian,
and writer. In the podcast, he talks about
the seven sins in a way that will make you
laugh heartily and think about how people
behave.
Gucci Podcast
The podcast will allow you to look into the
inner workings of the fashion house and find
out how the collections are created. Each
episode reveals the inspiration and vision of
the Florentine fashion house.
Great Lives
This is kind of a biographical series in which
famous guests tell the biography of those
who inspired them. You will learn about the
life of John Rockefeller, Nikolo Tesla, Charles
Dickens, and other prominent historical
figures.
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How to Fail
We are taught to win, but not how to accept
defeats. This podcast focuses on situations
where something went wrong. Every week a new
guest tells what his failures taught him and how
they helped him on the way to victory.
Audio series are not audiobooks, where the text is simply read
aloud. They are also not like podcasts, in which different people
meet, discussing topics. The format of audio series is closer to that
of radio shows you might have listened to in childhood. These were
dramatizations of literary works, in which much attention was paid
to audio effects: recording of steps, shots, sounds of nature, and
the noise of cars. Probably, during the development of podcasts,
this genre has been revived and turned into audio series. Only
now, stories and plots are composed from scratch, or, if it is a
documentary genre, they are based on real stories.
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Blackout. A radio DJ from a small town is forced to
protect his family after the town's entire power grid
collapses under mysterious circumstances. The
audio series shows what our world might look like
with only one radio left of all technology.
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Carrier. Raylene is a truck driver. For some reason,
the customer makes strange demands on the
transportation of cargo: the trailer must be cooled
to a certain temperature, and the cargo must be
delivered to Chicago by 5 am. As soon as Raylene
sets off, she begins to suspect that some kind of
creature is hidden inside the trailer.
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SELECTION: WHAT TO READ IN ENGLISH
Books, as well as films, are not strictly divided into levels, but there
are general recommendations. If you want something easy to
read, go with modern novels, classics, or fairy tales, if something
more difficult, then opt for non-fiction, science fiction, and
detective stories. Again, the main thing is to enjoy the process. If
you don’t know what to choose in the bookstore, then use the
selection below.
ENGLISH CLASSICS
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NON FICTION
Asteroids & Meteoroids by Grace Hansen
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepherd
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
NOVELS
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DETECTIVES
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
FANTASY
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings #1) by J.R.R. Tolkien
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Dune by Frank Herbert
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
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STUDYING NEW VOCABULARY
Vocabulary is the foundation of a language. Even if you have just
started learning English and do not understand grammar, it is a
wide vocabulary that will help you make an order in a cafe or ask
for directions abroad. Learning new vocabulary also helps improve
all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In
short, if you want to upgrade your English on all fronts, start by
learning new vocabulary. The cards "1000 words you need to know
at the Intermediate level" will help you with this. They contain
vocabulary that is most often found both in the everyday speech of
native speakers and in print media, films, on television, basically,
everything that surrounds a person. Having mastered these words,
you will upgrade your vocabulary to a confident Intermediate.
Improve your vocabulary and notice how your understanding and
communication in English improve!
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