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Iranian women swim to freedom in Toronto play - BBC News

Video vocabulary

the

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US / ðə /

UK / ðə /

A1
  • article
  • Used to refer to something already mentioned
  • Used to show there is only one of something
  • determiner
  • Used to describe all of a family

aspect

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US / 'æspekt /

UK / ˈæspɛkt /

A2
  • noun
  • Way something looks or seems to be
  • An element, feature, or quality of something

drown

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US / draʊn /

UK / draʊn /

B1
  • verb
  • To kill something by putting it under water
  • To make something very wet or cover it completely

make

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US / meɪk /

UK / mek /

A1
  • noun
  • Product made by a particular company; brand
  • verb
  • To arrange or prepare something e.g. dinner
  • To get to (a place) on time
  • To gain the status of (teacher, lawyer, etc.)
  • To create something by putting things together
  • To earn a certain amount of money at a job
  • To cause or force a person to do something
  • To cause something to happen or be formed

imagination

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US / ɪˌmædʒɪˈneɪʃn /

UK / ɪˌmædʒəˈneʃən /

A2
  • noun
  • Ability to creates new ideas and mental images

three

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US / θri: /

UK / θri /

A1
  • number
  • Number 3

one

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US / wʌn /

UK / wʌn /

A1
  • pronoun
  • You; we; people in general; someone
  • The thing or person previously referred to
  • adjecitve
  • Used to refer to people generally
  • Being a strong example of (something mentioned)
  • number
  • Number 1

free

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US / fri: /

UK / fri /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Living, happening without being controlled
  • Costing no money
  • Not working; not busy
  • verb
  • To release (e.g. bird) from a cage or prison

may

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US / meɪ /

UK / me /

A1
  • noun
  • 5th month of the year
  • other
  • Used to express a desire
  • Expresses permission, possibility or probability
  • Used to show that a thing could be true

play

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US / pleɪ /

UK / pleɪ /

A1
  • noun
  • Loose, free movement between two objects
  • Single action in a sports game
  • Performance in which people act in a theater
  • verb
  • To act as a character in a movie, or on stage
  • To perform music on an instrument
  • To use a device, e.g. a video game
  • To do something for enjoyment and fun
  • To do or perform a game or sport

this

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US / ðɪs /

UK / ðɪs /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Used to indicate something already been discussed
  • Used to indicate something happening around now
  • adverb
  • An indication by a physical motion or gesture
  • A specific amount of
  • determiner
  • Person, thing, or idea near you
  • pronoun
  • Person, thing that has already been discussed

live

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US / lɪv /

UK / liv /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being broadcast as events happen, not recorded
  • Carrying electric current; able to give a shock
  • Glowing because burning; hot
  • Not yet killed (for food)
  • adverb
  • (Music, drama) as it is performed
  • verb
  • To be alive
  • To experience a particular type of life
  • To make your home in a house or town

roya

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US / /

UK / /

A1

you

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US / jʊ /

UK / ju /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Person someone is speaking or writing to
  • Person or people in general

woman

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US / ˈwʊmən /

UK / ˈwʊmən /

A1
  • noun
  • Adult female human being

pool

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US / pu:l /

UK / pul /

A2
  • noun
  • Amount collected, e.g. money, for some purpose
  • Small body of still water
  • Game of hitting balls on a table with long sticks
  • Small area of water for swimming bound by walls
  • verb
  • (Of a liquid) to collect into a small area
  • To make a collection of (resources, money etc.)

fight

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US / faɪt /

UK / faɪt /

A1
  • noun
  • An argument or quarrel
  • Act of trying to hurt someone by hitting them
  • A struggle to do a difficult task
  • verb
  • To argue or quarrel with someone about something
  • To try to hurt someone by hitting them
  • To struggle to do a difficult task

about

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US / ə'baʊt /

UK / əˈbaʊt /

A1
  • adverb
  • To be ready to; going to
  • Nearly; approximately; roughly
  • Near; next to; close to
  • In every direction; in the area of
  • preposition
  • Concerning or of (a topic)

even

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US / 'i:vn /

UK / ˈivən /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being equal in influence, power, possibility etc.
  • Being divided equally or fairly
  • (Of teams/contest) with similar chances of success
  • Smooth, level, or regular
  • Can be divided by 2; ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0
  • At a regular, equally steady manner
  • Remaining steady and unchanging
  • adverb
  • (When this is surprising) as well; too
  • (Used to compare two things/stress the difference)
  • verb
  • To make something level; to flatten
  • To make something equal

that

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US / ðæt /

UK / ðæt, ðət /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • The person or thing being talked about
  • Used to identify something both the speakers know
  • adverb
  • Used to reinforce adjectives and adverbs
  • To such a degree
  • conjunction
  • Used to connect a noun clause
  • Used to introduce an adverbial clause
  • Used to introduce a noun clause
  • determiner
  • Used as a noun to refer to something
  • pronoun
  • Referring an object far away
  • Used to refer to the relative pronoun ‘which’

what

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US / wɒt /

UK / hwɑt, hwʌt, wɔt, wʌt,hwət, wət /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Thing or things that; the same kind as
  • Used to emphasize something you are about to say
  • adjecitve
  • Used to refer to a particular amount, or number
  • Used to place emphasis on a particular quality
  • adverb
  • To a certain degree
  • determiner
  • Question words used for asking for information
  • exclamation
  • Used to express excitement, shock, or surprise
  • Used to ask people to repeat something they said

sing

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US / sɪŋ /

UK / sɪŋ /

A1
  • verb
  • To make musical sounds with your voice

iranian

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US / ɪ'reɪnɪən /

UK / ɪˈreniən, ɪˈrɑ-, aɪˈre- /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning the culture and people of Iran
  • noun
  • Person from Iran

right

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US / raɪt /

UK / raɪt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Correct or true
  • The south side of you looking at the rising sun
  • adverb
  • Exactly in a place or time
  • Being appropriate for a particular event
  • In a straight or direct manner
  • noun
  • Something you are legally or morally allowed to do
  • Ideal of what is just and good
  • Political view based on conservatism
  • verb
  • To fix something previously wrong or unjust
  • To make upright, as a boat that has turned over

she

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US / ʃɪ /

UK / ʃi /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Female person or animal mentioned before
  • (Refers to female person mentioned before)

slowly

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US / ˈsləʊli /

UK / ˈsloʊli /

A1
  • adverb
  • In an unhurried or not speedy manner

own

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US / əʊn /

UK / on /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Belong to oneself
  • determiner
  • Yours, his, hers, etc.; not belonging to another
  • pronoun
  • (Something) belong to myself
  • verb
  • To have something as your property

place

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US / pleɪs /

UK / ples /

A1
  • noun
  • Particular location, area or region
  • verb
  • To put someone in a particular type of situation
  • To put something in a certain location or position

all

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US / ɔ:l /

UK / ɔl /

A1
  • adverb
  • Completely; totally
  • determiner
  • Being every one of something
  • pronoun
  • 100% of something; the complete amount

its

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US / ɪts /

UK / ɪts /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Referring to or belonging to ‘it’
  • determiner
  • Of something; belonging or related to something
  • other
  • Possessive form of “it”

everything

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US / 'evrɪθɪŋ /

UK / ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ /

A1
  • pronoun
  • All of the things mentioned

pursue

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US / pə'sju: /

UK / pɚˈsu /

B1
  • verb
  • To follow and try to catch, or to reach a goal
  • To try to achieve or get something over time

they

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US / ðeɪ /

UK / ðe /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Two or more people, animals, or things

topic

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US / 'tɒpɪk /

UK / ˈtɑpɪk /

A2
  • noun
  • Subject or issue people talk or write about

very

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US / 'verɪ /

UK / ˈvɛri /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning a large degree or amount
  • adverb
  • A lot; much; many
  • Used to stress or emphasize a noun

believe

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US / bɪ'li:v /

UK / bɪˈliv /

A1
  • verb
  • To think or accept that something is true
  • To have a particular opinion about something

swimming

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US / ˈswɪmɪŋ /

UK / ˈswɪmɪŋ /

A1
  • noun
  • The act of moving through water
  • verb
  • To move through water by moving parts of the body

show

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US / ʃəʊ /

UK / ʃo /

A1
  • noun
  • False display of love, emotion or action
  • An event for displaying or promoting goods
  • Play, opera or theater production
  • Presentation that is broadcast on TV or radio
  • verb
  • To be easily seen or displayed
  • To display your emotions or feelings
  • To let someone see something; display
  • To explain or teach how something is done
  • To lead someone somewhere; point them to something
  • To prove something to be true, correct
  • To reveal or allow something to be seen

main

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US / meɪn /

UK / men /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Most important; most often used

movement

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US / ˈmu:vmənt /

UK / ˈmuvmənt /

A2
  • noun
  • Part of a piece of classical music
  • Group with a shared interest or goal
  • Group sharing the same idea to change society, art
  • Action you do when exercising, e.g. in a gym
  • Part of a piece of music

their

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US / ðɛː /

UK / ðer /

A1
  • determiner
  • Belonging to them

too

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US / tu: /

UK / tu /

A1
  • adverb
  • In addition, also; with emphasis
  • Say that something is more than you want

imagine

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US / ɪ'mædʒɪn /

UK / ɪˈmædʒɪn /

A1
  • verb
  • To think creatively about; form mental picture of

inside

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US / ˌɪn'saɪd /

UK / ɪnˈsaɪd, ˈɪnˌsaɪd /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Being in something
  • Being in a building
  • adverb
  • Into a house; indoors
  • noun
  • Inner part or surface of something

actually

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US / ˈæktʃuəli /

UK / ˈæktʃuəli /

A1
  • adverb
  • Used to add new (often different) information

babe

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US / beɪb /

UK / beb /

B2
  • noun
  • Romantic term often used to your lover; darling

realize

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US / 'ri:əlaɪz /

UK / ˈriəˌlaɪz /

A1
  • verb
  • To become aware of or understand mentally

always

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US / 'ɔ:lweɪz /

UK / ˈɔlwez,-wɪz,-wiz /

A1
  • adverb
  • For a very long time
  • At all times; in every situation
  • For ever

team

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US / ti:m /

UK / tim /

A1
  • noun
  • Group of people working on a task together
  • Group of people playing a sport together

swim

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US / swɪm /

UK / swɪm /

A1
  • noun
  • Act of swimming in a pool or ocean
  • verb
  • To move through water by moving parts of the body

valley

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US / 'vælɪ /

UK / ˈvæli /

A2
  • noun
  • Area between mountains with river running through

end

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US / end /

UK / ɛnd /

A1
  • noun
  • The point where a process or activity stops
  • A point that marks the limit of something; finish
  • Goal or desired result
  • The tip, edge or limit of something
  • verb
  • To be the last part of something

clear

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US / klɪə(r) /

UK / klɪr /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Empty; without anything in it or on it
  • Being certain and without doubt
  • Being without any streaks, spots, or cracks
  • Easy to understand; well-explained; obvious
  • adverb
  • Completely; entirely; through the whole of
  • Away from; free from
  • verb
  • To recover from or remove a problem
  • To get rid of the entire contents of
  • To give permission for something to happen
  • To make a place or surface empty by removing
  • To prove that someone is not guilty or to blame

freedom

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US / 'fri:dəm /

UK / ˈfridəm /

B1
  • noun
  • State of being free, not being controlled

mind

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US / maɪnd /

UK / maɪnd /

A1
  • noun
  • One's opinion or way of thinking about something
  • Part of humans that allows us to think or feel
  • verb
  • To be bothered or upset by something
  • To take care of someone e.g. as a bodyguard

wear

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US / weə(r) /

UK / wer /

A1
  • noun
  • Clothing designed for a purpose e.g. skiing
  • Damage from continual use over a long period
  • verb
  • To have clothes, glasses, shoes etc. on your body
  • To display an expression or emotion on the face
  • To become weaker or damaged from continued use

have

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US / həv /

UK / hæv /

A1
  • verb
  • To drink, smoke, eat or use something
  • To experience the effects of something
  • To organize an event, or join in an activity
  • To own, possess, or hold something
  • To cause to happen or produce a particular effect

with

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US / wɪð /

UK / wɪð, wɪθ /

A1
  • preposition
  • As an employee of a certain company
  • Against something or someone
  • By using something as a means
  • Due to; because of
  • Including
  • Possessing as a feature
  • Related to
  • (Of the manner/attitude by which you do something)
  • Used to express that people or things are together

water

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US / 'wɔ:tə(r) /

UK / ˈwɔtɚ, ˈwɑtɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Clear liquid that forms the seas, rivers and rain
  • Large area such as an ocean or sea
  • verb
  • (Of the eyes) to produce tears
  • (Mouth) to become wet at the thought of nice food
  • To pour liquids onto a plant to keep it alive

signify

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US / ˈsɪgnɪfaɪ /

UK / ˈsɪɡnəˌfaɪ /

B2
  • verb
  • To mean something; be a symbol of something
  • To show or express something through your actions

for

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US / fə(r) /

UK / fɔr,fə /

A1
  • preposition
  • Used to show the purpose, or need of something

door

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US / dɔ:(r) /

UK / dɔr,dor /

A1
  • noun
  • You walk through this when you go in a room

start

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US / stɑ:t /

UK / stɑrt /

A1
  • noun
  • First time or place that a thing exists; beginning
  • First opportunity to achieve something, e.g. a job
  • Sudden action or movement because you are scared
  • other
  • Beginning of something in place or time
  • verb
  • To do, be or happen for the first time; begin
  • To turn something on

fact

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US / fækt /

UK / fækt /

A1
  • noun
  • Something that is known or proved to be true

much

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US / mʌtʃ /

UK / mʌtʃ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Very; to a high level or degree
  • adverb
  • A lot; large amount; a high degree of
  • Nearly; basically
  • On many occasions; often
  • noun
  • A large amount; a great quantity

freeze

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US / fri:z /

UK / friz /

A2
  • noun
  • Sudden stop to prevent increase or decreases
  • Period of very cold weather under zero degrees
  • verb
  • To harden to a solid below zero degrees
  • To store an item of food in a cold place
  • To make someone to not want to communicate
  • To stop moving and be still; stay the same

imaginary

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US / ɪ'mædʒɪnərɪ /

UK / ɪˈmædʒəˌnɛri /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Not real; existing only in your imagination

but

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US / bət /

UK / bʌt,bət /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used before you say something different, opposite

river

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US / ˈrɪvə(r) /

UK / ˈrɪvɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Flowing water that runs from mountains to the sea

dream

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US / dri:m /

UK / drim /

A1
  • noun
  • A wish or hope for something to happen
  • Imagination or image of something you want
  • Images, thoughts, feelings experienced when asleep
  • verb
  • To wish for something to happen
  • To experience thoughts, images while asleep

prevent

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US / prɪ'vent /

UK / prɪˈvɛnt /

A2
  • verb
  • To stop something from happening or existing

really

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US / ˈri:əli /

UK / ˈriəˌli, ˈrili /

A1
  • adverb
  • Used to stress something that is said; definitely
  • In a true or accurate manner
  • Very

would

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US / wʊd /

UK / wʊd /

A1
  • other
  • Used to indicate something imagined
  • Used to ask or request something politely
  • Verb used to indicate possibility, request etc.
  • Used to indicate a preference
  • Used to indicate a reaction
  • Indicates something that occurred repeatedly
  • Used to indicate willingness or ability to do

can

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US / kæn /

UK / kən,kæn /

A1
  • noun
  • A metal container for storing food
  • other
  • Able to; have the skill to; have the time to
  • verb
  • To have permission to
  • To be possible to do
  • To preserve food by sealing it in a metal container

towards

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US / tə'wɔ:dz /

UK / 'təuədz, twɔ:dz /

A1
  • preposition
  • In the direction of someone or something

want

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US / wɔnt /

UK / wɑnt, wɔnt /

A1
  • noun
  • Something you desire or wish for
  • State or condition of poverty
  • verb
  • To desire or wish for something; hope for a thing

not

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US / nɒt /

UK / nɑt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Word indicating the negative
  • (Used to form the negative of verbs)

our

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US / 'aʊə(r) /

UK / aʊr /

A1
  • determiner
  • Belonging to us

limitation

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US / ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃn /

UK / ˌlɪmɪˈteʃən /

B1
  • noun
  • Act of controlling or reducing the size of

now

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US / naʊ /

UK / naʊ /

A1
  • adverb
  • At the present time or moment
  • Right away or in the next possible moment
  • Used to refer to something that just happened
  • Time between the present and a moment in the past
  • conjunction
  • Resulting from or because of something

come

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US / kʌm /

UK / kʌm /

A1
  • verb
  • To arrive at a place
  • (Of mail) to be delivered
  • To move toward someone; go with someone
  • To reach a certain point or state

think

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US / θɪŋk /

UK / θɪŋk /

A1
  • verb
  • To have an idea about something without certainty
  • To have an idea, opinion or belief about something

clean

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US / kli:n /

UK / klin /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Not marked in any way; blank
  • Done according to the rules or standards; fair
  • Free from disease or sickness
  • Being free from dirt or marks; washed
  • Behaving well; not breaking any rules; legal
  • adverb
  • Completely; entirely
  • verb
  • To make free from dirt or marks; washed
  • To make neat and orderly e.g. a room
  • To remove the inner parts of an animal

train

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US / treɪn /

UK / tren /

A1
  • noun
  • Line of people, animals moving the same direction
  • Vehicle that carries people and runs on rails
  • Long rear section of a (e.g. wedding) dress
  • Series of events happening one after another
  • verb
  • To teach a pet a behavior or a trick
  • To educate someone in something, e.g. medicine
  • To cause a plant to grow a certain way by cutting
  • To point a certain way or toward something
  • To practice to get better at a thing, e.g. sports

two

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US / tu: /

UK / tu /

A1
  • number
  • 2

national

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US / 'næʃnəl /

UK / ˈnæʃənəl, ˈnæʃnəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning a nation as a whole
  • noun
  • A person of a particular country

something

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US / ˈsʌmθɪŋ /

UK / ˈsʌmθɪŋ /

A1
  • adverb
  • In some degree or measure
  • noun
  • a person or thing of some value or consequence
  • pronoun
  • Thing that is not yet known or named
  • Approximately

direct

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US / də'rekt /

UK / dɪˈrɛkt, daɪ- /

A2
  • adverb
  • Coming straight from something
  • verb
  • To tell someone in a very clear way to do something
  • To show the way by conducting or leading
  • To control the acting in a movie or play

where

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US / hwɛə /

UK / hwɛr, wɛr /

A1
  • conjunction
  • At or in the place which
  • In whatever place
  • pronoun
  • Word you use to ask the location of something

sometimes

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US / ˈsʌmtaɪmz /

UK / ˈsʌmˌtaɪmz /

A1
  • adverb
  • Only at certain times; occasionally

and

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US / ənd /

UK / ənd, ən,ænd /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used to refer to two or more things
  • Plus; in addition; on top of that
  • Used to introduce an action that follows another
  • Introduction to Video Content
  • The video titled 'Iranian women swim to freedom in Toronto play - BBC News' showcases a play that captures the struggles and aspirations of Iranian women. The video begins with the statement that Iranian women are constantly fighting for something, even in their imagination. It highlights the challenges they face in pursuing their dreams and the importance of perseverance. The main character, Roya, creates an imaginary pool to train her team, symbolizing their determination and desire for success. Living in a place with no water, they rely on their imagination to envision a pool and learn to swim there. However, they soon realize that their aspirations come with cultural limitations, as they would have to wear a hijab to participate in the national championship. This aspect of the play emphasizes the conflict between imagination and cultural restrictions, revealing that freedom of the mind does not always translate into real-world freedom. The video also explores the character's belief in the existence of water, which ironically leads to her drowning in her imagination. The director of the play states that it is essential to shed light on the limitations and freedom of women in Iran, particularly in the current context of the women's movement in the country.
  • Subtitles section
  • One, two, three.
  • We Iranian women, always, we are fighting with something, even in our imagination.
  • Even when we want to imagine something to be successful in what we want or pursue what we dream of, sometimes we really have to fight for it.
  • Imagine that we all sing and go to the door slowly.
  • Roya, the main character, she's making an imaginary pool to train her team.
  • There is a pool inside the pool with clean, clear water.
  • They live in a place, a river valley, that has no water.
  • So what they end up doing is imagining everything.
  • Babe.
  • They imagine the water, imagine that there's a pool, and they start swimming and learning in there.
  • I'm freezing.
  • Towards the end of it, they realize that they want to make a swim team for the national championship, but that comes with its own limitations because they would have to wear a hijab.
  • I think the imagination aspect of the play, where when the women start to imagine the pool, signifies the fact that you're free in your mind to do whatever you want to do, except it goes on to show that some cultural limitations actually prevent that,
  • Too.
  • So in your mind, where you think you can imagine and you can be free, you may actually not be so free.
  • My character, her imagination believes that there's water so much that she actually ends up drowning in it.
  • She's drowning!
  • It's very important for me to direct this play because it's about women in Iran, their limitations, their freedom.
  • And right now, the movement of women in Iran, it's a very important topic.