INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH STORY | Moving to the Highlands🌳 B1 - B2 | Level 5 | English Listening Practice

Lovely English Stories

16 Sept 202414:52

Summary

TLDRThis story follows Lucy and Tom, a couple who decide to leave the bustling city life of Glasgow for the tranquility of the Scottish Highlands. They embrace remote work, Lucy as a writer and Tom as a content creator, while enjoying their peaceful surroundings. The local community welcomes them, and their new environment becomes a source of inspiration for their work. Though they occasionally miss their old life, the beauty and peace of the Highlands bring them joy and productivity. Their journey captivates others through social media, reflecting their idyllic lifestyle.

Takeaways

🌄 Lucy and Tom moved from Glasgow to the Scottish Highlands to pursue a more tranquil life while working remotely.
🏡 They settled in a remote village, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, far from the hustle and bustle of city life.
💻 Tom worked as a digital content creator and web designer, while Lucy focused on writing stories about their surroundings.
🌿 The couple's new home was a small whitewashed cottage with a garden full of wildflowers, offering peace and quiet.
👫 They quickly became part of the local community, learning about the area's wildlife, history, and culture.
📸 Lucy and Tom documented their new life through photos, videos, and stories, growing a following on social media.
🌱 Working remotely in the Highlands helped them feel more connected to their jobs and led to increased productivity.
🌍 Despite missing Glasgow, they stayed connected with family and friends through regular visits and hosted guests in their new home.
📖 Vocabulary explanations at the end of the story helped learners understand key words such as 'agency,' 'ancient,' 'appreciate,' and 'fascinated.'
📚 The story encouraged English learners to improve their skills by listening and engaging with the content, while also promoting channel subscriptions and productivity packs.

Q & A

What was Lucy and Tom's original lifestyle in Glasgow?
-Lucy and Tom had spent their entire lives in Glasgow, enjoying urban life and working in digital marketing and graphic design.
Why did Lucy and Tom decide to move to the Scottish Highlands?
-They craved something different from their urban lifestyle and saw an opportunity to work remotely as content creators in the countryside.
How did they prepare for the move to the Highlands?
-They spent hours researching remote jobs, locations, and the costs involved in moving before deciding to make the leap.
What was the landscape like as they approached their new village in the Highlands?
-The landscape was breathtaking, with an endless stretch of green hills, rugged cliffs, and ancient forests.
What kind of house did Lucy and Tom move into in the Highlands?
-Their new home was a small, whitewashed cottage with a thatched roof and a garden full of wildflowers.
How did Lucy and Tom's work change after moving to the Highlands?
-They found themselves more productive and connected to their jobs, creating content that reflected their new life in the countryside.
What was the local community in the village like?
-The local community was small but welcoming, and Lucy and Tom quickly became friends with their neighbors.
How did Lucy and Tom's social media following grow?
-Their social media following grew as people became fascinated with their journey and the idyllic life they had created in the Highlands.
What did Lucy and Tom miss about their life in Glasgow?
-They sometimes missed Glasgow, their friends, and family, but they made sure to visit at least once every two months.
What new vocabulary words were introduced in the story related to the couple's move?
-Words like 'agency', 'ancient', 'approached', 'arranged', 'common', 'connection', 'create', 'designing', 'excitement', 'involved', 'appreciate', 'breathtaking', 'clients', 'endless', 'entire', 'fascinated', 'inspiration', 'overlooking', 'reality', 'remote', 'stretch', 'surroundings', 'urban', 'landscape', 'local', 'nearby', 'nearest', 'opportunity', 'outdoors', 'phrases', 'homesick', 'plenty', 'social'.

Outlines

00:00

🏞️ Moving to the Highlands

Lucy and Tom, a couple from Glasgow, decided to leave their urban life for the Scottish Highlands. They had been working in digital marketing and graphic design but desired a change. With the rise of remote work, they saw an opportunity to fulfill their dream of becoming content creators in a rural setting. After extensive research on remote jobs and moving costs, they took the leap. Their new home was a charming whitewashed cottage surrounded by nature. They found the tranquility and slower pace of life in the village refreshing and were quickly embraced by the local community. Their productivity increased as they found inspiration in their new surroundings, creating content that resonated with their growing social media audience.

05:03

📚 Vocabulary from the Story

This section reviews the vocabulary used in the story about Lucy and Tom's move to the Scottish Highlands. Key terms include 'agency', which refers to an organization providing specific services, and 'ancient', indicating something very old. The term 'approached' means to come closer to something, while 'arranged' means to plan or organize in advance. Words like 'common', 'connection', 'created', 'designing', 'excitement', 'involved', 'appreciate', 'breathtaking', 'clients', 'endless', 'entire', 'fascinated', 'inspiration', 'overlooking', and 'reality' are also explained. Each word is defined and contextualized within the story, helping viewers understand their meanings and usage.

10:06

🌲 Life in the Highlands

In this part of the script, the focus is on the couple's life after moving to the Highlands. They enjoyed the remote areas and the beautiful landscapes, which inspired Lucy to write stories and Tom to create videos. The local community was welcoming, and they learned about the wildlife and local phrases. The couple felt a sense of peace and opportunity in their new environment. They occasionally missed Glasgow and their loved ones but maintained a regular visit schedule. Their social media following grew as people were fascinated by their idyllic life. The script concludes with a call to action for viewers to support the channel, subscribe, and check out language learning resources.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Remote work

Remote work refers to the ability to perform job duties from a location outside of a traditional office environment, often facilitated by technology. In the video, Lucy and Tom take advantage of this trend, allowing them to move to the Scottish Highlands while continuing their work in digital marketing and content creation. The concept of remote work is central to their ability to pursue a quieter, rural life without sacrificing their careers.

💡Highlands

The Highlands refers to a mountainous region in Scotland known for its stunning natural landscapes, including green hills, rugged cliffs, and serene lochs. In the video, Lucy and Tom relocate to the Highlands, finding peace and inspiration in the remote beauty of the area. This environment is a stark contrast to the busy urban life they left behind in Glasgow.

💡Content creators

Content creators are individuals who produce digital material such as blog posts, videos, and social media updates. Lucy and Tom transition to life in the Highlands while continuing their careers as content creators, with Tom focusing on web design and Lucy on writing. Their new lifestyle fuels their creativity, and they start producing content that reflects their experiences in nature.

💡Community

Community refers to a group of people living in the same area or having shared interests. In the video, Lucy and Tom are welcomed into the small village community in the Highlands, where they learn local phrases and history. The sense of belonging and support from their neighbors plays an important role in their adjustment to rural life.

💡Nature

Nature refers to the physical world, including landscapes, flora, and fauna, as opposed to urban environments. In the video, the natural beauty of the Highlands becomes a central theme, inspiring Lucy and Tom's content creation and providing them with a sense of peace. The serene lochs, green hills, and ancient forests serve as a backdrop to their new way of life.

💡Tranquility

Tranquility means a state of peace and calm. Lucy and Tom experience tranquility in the Highlands, a stark contrast to the noise and busyness of Glasgow. Lucy, for example, enjoys writing in her garden, finding solace in the quietness of the outdoors. This sense of peace is a key factor in their decision to move and is woven throughout the story.

💡Homesickness

Homesickness refers to the emotional discomfort and longing for one's home or familiar surroundings. Despite their love for their new life in the Highlands, Lucy and Tom occasionally feel homesick for Glasgow and the friends and family they left behind. They alleviate these feelings by visiting Glasgow regularly and welcoming visitors to their new home.

💡Urban life

Urban life refers to living in a city or densely populated area, characterized by a fast-paced lifestyle, modern amenities, and noise. Lucy and Tom leave behind their urban life in Glasgow, where they lived in an expensive flat. The contrast between their former city life and their new rural existence highlights the theme of seeking change and a slower, more meaningful pace of living.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration refers to the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something creative. The natural landscape of the Highlands becomes a daily source of inspiration for Tom and Lucy. Tom, for example, sets up his workspace by a window overlooking a loch, and the view fuels his creativity for designing websites and digital content. Lucy, similarly, finds inspiration in the tranquil surroundings for her writing.

💡Idyllic life

An idyllic life refers to a life that is peaceful, perfect, and free from hardship. Lucy and Tom strive to create an idyllic life in the Highlands, embracing the slower pace, natural beauty, and close-knit community. Their social media following grows as people become fascinated with the peaceful and picturesque life they are documenting.

Highlights

Lucy and Tom moved from Glasgow to the Scottish Highlands for a change of lifestyle.

They worked in digital marketing and graphic design, seeking a new challenge.

The couple researched remote jobs and moving costs before making the decision.

They chose a village deep in the Highlands for its serene and picturesque environment.

Their new home was a small, whitewashed cottage with a thatched roof and a garden.

Tom found daily inspiration for his work designing websites in their new surroundings.

Lucy, a writer, enjoyed the tranquility of the outdoors and wrote for hours in their garden.

They built a working shed in the garden for Lucy, complete with internet and electricity.

The local community was small but welcoming, teaching them about the area's wildlife and history.

Lucy and Tom's productivity increased as they adapted to their new, distraction-free environment.

They began creating content that reflected their new life in the Highlands.

Their social media following grew as people were fascinated by their journey and lifestyle.

Despite missing Glasgow, they maintained connections with friends and family by visiting regularly.

They also received many visitors, alleviating any feelings of homesickness.

The story introduces various vocabulary words related to their new life and experiences.

An 'agency' is defined as an organization that provides specific services.

The term 'ancient' is used to describe something very old.

The word 'approach' means to come closer or move towards something.

To 'arrange' is to plan or organize something in advance.

The word 'common' is used to describe something that occurs frequently or is shared by many.

A 'connection' is a link or relationship between things or people.

To 'create' means to make or bring something into existence.

The word 'excitement' describes a feeling of great enthusiasm or eagerness.

To be 'involved' means to take part in or have a role in something.

To 'appreciate' means to value or recognize the worth of something.

'Breathtaking' is used to describe something extremely beautiful or astonishing.

The word 'clients' refers to people who use professional services or products.

The term 'endless' is used to describe something without limits or end.

'Entire' means whole or complete.

To be 'fascinated' means to be extremely interested or captivated by something.

The word 'inspiration' is used to describe something that motivates or encourages creative action.

To 'overlook' means to have a view from a high position.

'Reality' refers to the state of things as they actually exist.

The term 'remote' means far away from popular areas.

'Stretch' refers to an area of land or space that extends over a distance.

The word 'surroundings' describes the environment or area around a place.

'Urban' relates to a city or a town.

A 'landscape' is the visible features of an area of land.

The word 'local' relates to a particular area, usually nearby where you live.

'Nearby' means close to a particular place.

'Nearest' means closest in distance.

An 'opportunity' is a chance or set of circumstances that make something possible.

'Outdoors' is the open air or natural environment.

A 'phrase' is a small group of words that work together as a unit within a sentence.

To be 'homesick' is to long for home when you have been away from it.

'Plenty' means a large or sufficient amount of something.

The word 'social' relates to the interaction of people or communities.