Saturday, April 26, 2025

LISTENING - Learning English

POPE FRANCIS DIES
(Upper intermediate level)


Episode 250423
Apr. 23, 2025

Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images



THE STORY
Pope Francis died on Monday morning, aged 88, after leading the Roman Catholic Church for more than a decade.
His funeral will take place on Saturday and will be attended by leaders from around the world.
Pope Francis was the first non-European Pope in centuries and the first to come from the Americas.
His death now starts a political process for the Catholic Church to select a new leader. A group of the Catholic Church’s most senior officials – cardinals – will vote for a new Pope in an election known as a conclave.


NEWS HEADLINES
  • The Down-to-Earth Pope: Pope Francis Has Died at Eighty-eight (New Yorker)
  • Crowds gather to pay respects to Pope Francis in Buenos Aires (Sky News)
  • The Next Pope: Who Are The Frontrunners to Succeed Pope Francis? (News Week)

KEY WORDS AND PHRASES
  • down-to-earth: humble and modest
The company’s CEO is very down-to-earth. He always asks me about my family.
  • pay respects: acknowledge and honor someone who has died
She laid flowers at her mother’s grave to pay her respects.
  • frontrunner: someone who is likely to win something like a competition or election
She’s the frontrunner in the presidential race – everyone thinks she’s going to win.


Adapted from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2025/250423. Accessed on April 25, 2025. Copyright © 2025 BBC.

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