Live · Sep 11, 2026

Vol. 12 · Nº254Friday Edition

Learn English with attitude

Current Affairs English

Nothing is normal — question everything

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Listen to the full report

Audio

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§ 02

Audio Word Matching

2 sets

Want a vocabulary drill from this episode? Finish the Audio Quiz to unlock the transcript — the gap-fill drill is underneath it.

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Audio Quiz

9 questions

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Audio Transcript

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Finish the Audio Quiz to read the transcript.

Answer all the audio questions to read the text of the audio.

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0 of 9 answered

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Audio Grammar

4 forms

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Audio Discussion

5 questions

Discussion Questions

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01

The audio suggests that the CIA deliberately deceived President Eisenhower about the U-2 pilot to sabotage peace talks. Do you believe it is ever acceptable for an intelligence agency to lie to its own president? What would you say to someone who argues that national security sometimes justifies deception at the highest levels of government?

02

The speaker asks, "Sound familiar?" when describing how security agencies and major media worked together to portray an enemy as an irrational monster. Do you think this kind of narrative management — where governments and media collaborate to shape how the public sees a foreign threat — still happens today? Can you think of any examples that made you question the official story?

03

According to the audio, JFK was assassinated after trying to reduce the CIA's power. Do you think powerful institutions — whether intelligence agencies, the military, or major corporations — are capable of removing leaders who threaten their interests? What would make you believe or doubt that kind of claim?

04

The audio ends with the question: "When a security state stops answering to elected leaders, is it even a democracy anymore?" Do you agree that a country can call itself a democracy if parts of its government operate without any real accountability? Where do you draw the line?

05

Jeffrey Sachs is an economist, not a historian or a former intelligence officer. Does it matter what kind of expert is making these claims? Do you think the source of an argument affects how seriously we should take it — and if so, why?

Here is the source material upon which this exercise is based. Feel free to dive deep, to get a better understanding.

§ 07

Watch the video

Video

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