The French Crown Jewels

The French Crown Jewels

Vocabulary chunks to learn from video :

🔷 CRIME & HEIST VOCABULARY

Vocabulary ChunkSynonym / Explanation
Heist of the centurymajor theft or robbery
Thieves broke intocriminals entered illegally
In broad daylightin public view during the day
Smashed through bulletproof glassviolently broke very strong, shatterproof glass
Priceless treasuresextremely valuable items (impossible to price)
Vanished into the streetsdisappeared quickly
Audacious museum heistbold and shocking robbery
Moved with terrifying efficiencyacted very fast and effectively (in a scary way)
Power tools cut through display caseselectric tools used to break showcases
The entire operation took… minutesthe whole event lasted only a few minutes
Damaged, abandoned in the streetsbroken and left behind
Undergoing painstaking restorationbeing carefully repaired (with a lot of effort)
International investigationglobal search or inquiry by authorities
Impossible to sellcannot be sold (due to fame or recognition)
Their notoriety makes them unsellablethey are too famous (infamous) to sell

🔷 HISTORICAL VOCABULARY & PHRASES

Vocabulary ChunkSynonym / Explanation
Survived exile and warremained intact during forced absence and war
Carrying their jewels with themtook their jewelry along
As their empires crumbledas their governments collapsed/fell apart
Imperial jewelsroyal or empire-related jewelry
Symbols of love and powersigns or representations of romance and control
The fall of empiresthe collapse or end of powerful nations
Witnesses to historyobjects that were present during major events
Cultural heritagetraditions, objects, or ideas passed down through generations
Legitimacy of the empirerightful authority or power of the empire
Royal dynastiesfamilies of kings and queens
Crowned by a masterpiecetopped or completed with a great artwork
Auctioned off the collectionsold the items to the highest bidders
Cultural vandalism disguised as progressdestruction of heritage, pretending to be modernization
Erasing monarchy from historyremoving kings/queens from public memory

🔷 ART, JEWELRY & MUSEUM LANGUAGE

Vocabulary ChunkSynonym / Explanation
Matching set of jewels (parure)complete coordinated set of jewelry
Diadem / Tiaratype of crown or headpiece
Broochdecorative jewelry pin
Brilliant-cut diamondsdiamonds cut for maximum sparkle
Rose-cut diamondsolder diamond style with a flat bottom
Colombian emeraldsgreen gemstones from Colombia
Persian turquoiseblue-green stones from Persia (Iran)
Filigree silver-gilt mountdelicate gold-coated silver frame
Neoclassical designancient Greek/Roman-style design
Crown jewelsroyal regalia or ceremonial jewelry
Imperial craftsmanshiphigh-quality skill from empire era
On display / permanent homebeing shown in public / long-term location
Sculpted eagles and palmette motifscarved bird and leaf patterns
Restored to its rightful placereturned to where it belongs

🔷 EMOTIONAL & DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE

Vocabulary ChunkSynonym / Explanation
Truly hauntingdeeply emotional or disturbing
A slow pilgrimage homelong emotional return journey
The moment they were reunited… they were stolen againjust as they came together, they were taken
Tragic ironysad but ironic twist
The ghosts of empire refused to restpast empires still affect the present
A beautiful ghost of what it once wasa damaged version of its former glory
Hidden in aristocratic vaultskept in wealthy family storage
A secret treasurea hidden valuable item
Breathtakingincredibly beautiful
Painstakingly brought homereturned with great effort and care
Too precious to abandontoo valuable to give up on
Some stories refuse to be forgottenunforgettable histories

🔷 MUSEUM & LOCATION SPECIFIC TERMS

Vocabulary ChunkSynonym / Explanation
The LouvreFamous museum in Paris
Gallery d’ApollonApollo-themed gallery in the Louvre
Sun King (Louis XIV)nickname of King Louis XIV of France
The French Republic / Bourbons / Bonapartespolitical regimes / royal families
Habsburg familypowerful royal family from Austria
Napoleon’s coronation swordceremonial sword used when Napoleon became emperor
Exposition UniverselleWorld’s Fair held in Paris
Holy Roman Emperorruler of the historical Holy Roman Empire
Versailles Ballgrand event at the Palace of Versailles
Smithsonian in Washingtonfamous American museum institution

🔷 ACADEMIC PHRASES FOR SPEAKING/WRITING

Vocabulary ChunkSynonym / Explanation
To understand… we must first…we need to learn X before we can know Y
The result was…the outcome was…
It was meant to…it was intended to…
Each piece carried the memory of…each item symbolizes…
This masterpiece features…this great work includes…
They were more than… they were…they weren’t just X, they were also Y
Represents a victory of cultural preservationshows success in protecting heritage
Testament to the idea that…proof that…
They are proof that…they demonstrate that…

🔷 IDIOMATIC OR POETIC LANGUAGE

Vocabulary ChunkSynonym / Explanation
Refused to restdidn’t disappear quietly
Brought home in triumphreturned victoriously
From the brink (of destruction)almost destroyed
Touched you mostmoved you emotionally
Carried into exile with dignityleft home proudly, without shame
Transcends politicsgoes beyond political issues
Let me tell you about…introduction to a story
Stories waiting to be toldimportant tales that haven’t been shared yet

Art heist of the Louvre

Art heist of the Louvre

🧩 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: THE LOUVRE HEIST

  1. Do you think the Louvre heist was an inside job? Why or why not?
  2. Should museums have stricter security even if it affects the visitor experience?
  3. What would you do if you witnessed a theft in a museum?
  4. Why do you think criminals choose to steal jewels over famous paintings?
  5. How do you think the thieves planned the heist? What steps might they have taken?
  6. If the jewels are never recovered, should the thieves still face full punishment? Why or why not?
  7. How can law enforcement cooperate internationally to track down stolen art or jewels?
  8. Can historical objects like Empress Eugénie’s crown ever truly be replaced or replicated?
  9. Why is cultural heritage so important to a nation’s identity?
  10. Should some high-value museum collections be moved to safer, underground vaults even if fewer people see them?
  11. Is it more important to protect art or to make it accessible to the public?
  12. Would you be comfortable showing your passport or ID to enter a museum? Why or why not?
  13. Do you think surveillance in public places (like museums) should be increased?
  14. Is there a way to balance good security with a welcoming atmosphere in museums?
  15. Should museums rely more on technology (like facial recognition or AI monitoring) to prevent crimes?
  16. Why do some people justify stealing from museums or wealthy institutions?
  17. Do you think returning stolen art to its original country is always the right decision?
  18. Are thieves who target museums different from other criminals? Why or why not?
  19. What is the role of museums in preserving history versus displaying it?
  20. If you could redesign museum security from scratch, what would you do?
  21. If someone offered you a stolen jewel and you knew it was from the Louvre, what would you do?
  22. Imagine you are one of the museum guards during the heist — how would you react?
  23. If you were part of the investigation team, where would you start looking for clues?
  24. What are the risks of displaying priceless items in public institutions?
  25. What message does such a high-profile theft send to the world?

Vocabulary chunks to learn from video :

🕵️ CRIME & HEIST VOCABULARY

Useful Phrases:

  • Heist of the century
  • A gang of professional thieves
  • Used a mechanical ladder to reach…
  • Broke into the gallery
  • Smashed display cases
  • Stole nine items
  • Set fire to the ladder vehicle
  • Made their escape on scooters
  • No one was injured
  • Evacuated and closed for the rest of the day
  • Threatening security guards
  • Looting and pillaging

Vocabulary:

  • Heist – a robbery, especially one involving valuable items
  • Break-in – an illegal entry to a building with intent to commit a crime
  • Smash-and-grab – a robbery where thieves break something (like glass) and quickly take valuables
  • Flee the scene – to escape from the place of the crime
  • Organized crime – crime committed by structured groups
  • Complacency – self-satisfaction or lack of awareness of danger

🖼️ ART & MUSEUM VOCABULARY

Useful Phrases:

  • The world’s biggest museum
  • A symbol of national heritage
  • France’s royal jewels
  • Cultural and historical importance
  • Housed in ornate rooms
  • Jewels encrusted with diamonds
  • Too well-known and publicized to sell
  • Unsellable except for their raw materials
  • A former royal palace turned museum
  • Facing tough questions about security

Vocabulary:

  • Ornate – elaborately decorated
  • Heritage – cultural traditions or objects passed down from previous generations
  • Priceless – so valuable that it cannot be given a price
  • Exhibit – a display in a museum
  • Brooch / Earrings / Crown – types of valuable jewelry
  • Intricate – very detailed or complex in design

💎 JEWELS & BLACK MARKET

Useful Phrases:

  • Thousands of diamonds and gemstones
  • Dropped in their haste to get away
  • Broken down and sold for cash
  • Too well-known to be resold as is
  • Trying to monetize their crime
  • Hidden in clothing linings
  • Cut larger stones into smaller stones

Vocabulary:

  • Emeralds, sapphires, diamonds – types of precious stones
  • Monetize – to convert into money
  • Black market – illegal trading of goods
  • Dodgy jeweler – an untrustworthy jeweler dealing in illegal items
  • Untraceable – cannot be tracked or followed

🛡️ SECURITY & INVESTIGATION

Useful Phrases:

  • An attack on our heritage
  • Security procedures questioned
  • Alerts issued for months
  • Completely ignored by management
  • Security flaws and vulnerabilities
  • Infiltrate the museum
  • Raise a red flag
  • Investigators are in a race against time
  • Track down the gangs
  • Check CCTV, security logs, and witness statements

Vocabulary:

  • Evacuation – the act of moving people from a dangerous place
  • Infiltrate – to enter or gain access secretly
  • Red flag – a warning sign
  • Lax security – weak or careless security measures
  • Casing the joint – secretly observing a place in preparation for a crime

🗣️ PUBLIC & EXPERT REACTIONS

Tourist Reactions:

  • I can’t believe it.
  • That’s crazy, right?
  • This is something we won’t forget.
  • You’d think they’d have the best security on the planet.
  • Maybe an inside job?

Expert/Analyst Phrases:

  • They brought the right tools.
  • Over 60 investigators are working on the case.
  • They don’t care about cultural significance.
  • They’re only after raw value.

Museum Staff Quotes:

  • Management ignored all these alerts.
  • What we feared happened.

🏛️ BIGGER PICTURE / CONTEXT

Useful Phrases:

  • A blow to the Republic
  • At a time of political and economic chaos
  • France is a country of heritage
  • A proud symbol of the nation
  • Security may now be prioritized
  • Stories of fictional break-ins like the Da Vinci Code and Lupin

Vocabulary:

  • Republic – a state in which power is held by the people or their representatives
  • Symbolic – representing something deeper, such as cultural or national identity
  • Renovation – repair or restoration of buildings
  • Teetering – on the edge of danger or collapse
Would you like to grow up on a boat ?

Would you like to grow up on a boat ?

Classroom Discussion Questions

Lifestyle & Family

  • What do you think are the biggest challenges of living on a small sailing boat with a large family?
  • Would you enjoy living on a boat with your family for many years? Why or why not?
  • How do you think living on a boat changes the way children grow up compared to living in a city?

Responsibility & Teamwork

  • How do you think the family members share responsibilities on the boat?
  • Why is teamwork important when living in such a small space?
  • Can you think of examples of teamwork in your own family or school?

Education & Technology

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling, especially in a unique setting like on a boat?
  • How does online learning help the children in this family?
  • Would you like to study online or do you prefer attending a traditional school? Why?

Safety & Risks

  • What dangers did the family face during their travels? How did they handle them?
  • How do you think you would react if you were chased by pirates or caught in a storm?
  • Why is it important to be prepared for emergencies?

Environmental Awareness

  • The family collects plastic trash from the ocean. Why is this important?
  • How does microplastic affect the environment and our health?
  • What can we do in our daily lives to protect the planet?

Personal Reflection

  • If you had to live in a very small space with your family, what would you miss the most?
  • How would you feel about saying goodbye to friends frequently if you traveled like this family?
  • What qualities do you think are necessary to live successfully in such an unconventional lifestyle?

Cultural & Global Perspective

  • How might traveling around the world influence children’s understanding of different cultures and nature?
  • Have you ever been on a long trip or vacation? How did it change your perspective?
  • Would you like to live in different countries or places? Why or why not?

    Vocabulary chunks to learn from the video :

    Basic/Everyday Phrases

    • Imagine this is your home!
    • No privacy
    • Living like this
    • A lot of responsibility (duty)
    • Six children and their parents
    • Traveling around the world
    • May sound dangerous (risky)
    • Welcome aboard!
    • This is our living room
    • Here is the fridge (refrigerator)
    • Here we are cooking
    • Time for breakfast
    • Meals are taken on the enclosed (covered) deck
    • He has his own room/bed
    • Let me show you
    • Let me know how it goes
    • Speak to you soon

    Describing Places and Objects

    • Meter-high waves
    • Sailing ship (boat)
    • Dropped anchor (lowered anchor to stop the boat)
    • 15-meter sailboat
    • Big table
    • Right across from the kitchen (directly opposite)
    • Cabin (small room on a ship)
    • Toilet (bathroom)
    • Space to store things (storage)
    • Shower
    • Enclosed deck (covered outdoor area)
    • Just 20 square meters (very small area)
    • Operation set (first aid kit)
    • Medication box (medicine container)

    Daily Life and Activities

    • Cooking even when there is wind and waves
    • Kids sleeping here
    • They have their own bed
    • Growing up with animals and nature
    • Going climbing (mountain climbing)
    • Doing sports every day
    • Trust each other
    • Build trust
    • Gathering plastic from the sea (collecting trash)
    • Taking microplastic samples (tiny plastic pieces)
    • Sending samples to institutes (research centers)
    • Sailing around the world
    • Homeschooled children (studying at home)
    • Using a digital school program (online learning)
    • Studying anywhere, anytime

    Feelings and Reactions

    • It’s breathtakingly beautiful (amazing, stunning)
    • Kids never complained (never said they were unhappy)
    • I miss my friends from school
    • It’s bad to say goodbye all the time
    • Feeling happy
    • It takes a lot of courage (bravery)
    • Good fortune (luck)
    • Strong sense of family
    • Makes totally sense to me (feels right)

    Family and Relationships

    • Family life on a boat
    • Family members pitch in (help out)
    • Children born during their travels
    • Parents have work to do ashore (on land)
    • Every family member helps
    • Spending quality time together
    • Last days at home

    Safety and Challenges

    • Chased by pirates (followed aggressively)
    • Caught in a violent storm (severe bad weather)
    • Boat was severely damaged (badly broken)
    • Family was rescued unharmed (saved without injury)
    • Stalked by hungry polar bears (followed quietly)
    • Pirates attacked their boat

    Expressions for Plans and Suggestions

    • If I were you, I would…
    • It would be a great idea to…
    • Consider doing this
    • I suggest talking to your parents
    • Tell only family members
    • Keep it a secret
    • Organize everything while he’s out
    • Take a group chat to plan

    Environmental and Educational Vocabulary

    • Expedition (journey or trip)
    • Voyage around the world (long journey by sea)
    • Certified mountain guide (officially trained leader)
    • Highest peak on every continent (tallest mountain)
    • Inspire people to protect our planet (motivate)
    • Sponsorship and donations (financial support)
    • Biodiversity (variety of living things)
    • Microplastic (tiny plastic pieces)
    • Food chain (sequence of who eats whom)
    • Climate change (global warming)
    • Take action (do something)

    Useful Verbs and Phrases for Everyday Conversation

    • To hoist the sails (raise the sails)
    • To pilot the boat (steer/control the boat)
    • To grow up with (something)
    • To take part in something (participate)
    • To miss (someone/something)
    • To build trust
    • To urge someone to do something (encourage strongly)
    • To experience something (go through, live through)
    • To rely on (one’s own strength) (depend on)
    • To undertake a journey (start a trip)

    This is Meta Ray-ban Display

    This is Meta Ray-ban Display

    Imagine this: you put on what looks like a normal pair of glasses… but they give you real-time information, translate conversations live, help you remember where you parked your car, and more. All this at your fingertips!

    Vocabulary Chunks & Phrases

    🕶️ Tech Product Introduction

    • “This is Meta Rayban display”
    • “These are glasses with the classic style”
    • “The first AI glasses”
    • “high-resolution display”
    • “a whole new way to interact”
    • “That’s this guy” (informal reference to a product)

    📱 Display and Functionality

    • “The display is large enough to…”
    • “It appears in one eye”
    • “slightly off-center so it doesn’t block your view”
    • “very high resolution and very bright”
    • “crisp whether you’re indoors or outdoors”
    • “42 pixels per degree”
    • “5,000 nits of brightness”

    🧠 Neural Interface & Control

    • “Meta Neural Band”
    • Neural interface → A technology that connects machines (like smart glasses) to your body’s nerve or muscle signals
    • “We are replacing the keyboard, mouse, touchscreen…”
    • “with the ability to send signals from your brain”
    • “little muscle movements”
    • “barely perceptible movements”
    • “neural interface into a durable, lightweight, comfortable wristband”

    💬 Messaging & Commands

    • “easy to send and receive messages”
    • “type without anyone seeing”
    • “a subtle tap”
    • “Play California Dreaming from Spotify”
    • “adjust the volume”
    • “act like there’s a volume control in front of me”

    🎵 Interacting with Music

    • “new ways to interact with music”
    • “turn up the volume on a friend” (figurative or playful use)
    • “put subtitles on the world”
    • “If you have an issue hearing, this is going to be a game changer”
    • “it can do translation”
    • “real-life subtitles”

    📸 Camera and Photos

    • “Should we show the camera?”
    • “pull up the camera”
    • “take some photos”
    • “let’s go ahead and take a video”
    • “say hi” / “you want to wave?”

    🤖 AI Capabilities

    • “a glimpse of how this is going to work with agentic (act autonomously) AI”
    • “start a live AI session”
    • “glasses are going to be able to see what you see, hear what you hear”
    • “go off and think about it and then come back and help you”

    🛍️ Sales and Availability

    • “come in two colors: black and sand”
    • “you are going to be able to buy the set for $7.99”
    • “in stores where you can get demos”
    • “on September 30th”

    Useful Everyday Expressions

    • “All right” (casual filler/transition)
    • “You know” (informal filler)
    • “I was trying to call you. Were you busy?”
    • “Some sick shoes, man” (slang for “cool” shoes)
    • “There you go” (used after showing or doing something)

    Teacherless Classrooms?

    Teacherless Classrooms?

    Vocabulary chunks to learn from video :

    • about to become the UK’s first
    • GCSE students
    • being taught by artificial intelligence
    • instead of human teachers
    • what we’re attempting to do is
    • key subjects
    • maths, English, and computer science
    • possibly geography
    • the platform learns what each student excels in
    • adapts their lessons
    • strong topics are moved to the end of term
    • weak topics will be tackled more immediately
    • each student’s lesson plan is bespoke
    • testing out the new tech
    • figure out just by a few questions
    • what I’m weak in and what are my strong points
    • helps me develop into a much smarter student
    • there will be learning coaches
    • to help with behavior and softer subjects
    • AI might struggle with
    • covering soft skills
    • public speaking and debate
    • important personal aspects of a person
    • turning young people into young adults
    • removing teachers from the equation
    • will harm students in the long run
    • interact with other children
    • that’s fundamental
    • a machine and it’s inert (motionless)
    • dehumanizing the process of learning
    • a soulless, bleak (hopeless) future
    • teachers are irreplaceable
    • could never be a substitute for
    • teachers’ professional judgment
    • personal relationship with their pupils
    • many excellent teachers out there
    • we are all fallible (error prone)
    • if you really want to know why a child is not learning
    • AI systems can pinpoint that more effectively

    I was born ready !

    I was born ready !

    Go behind-the-scenes in Monaco with Lando Norris, at the McLaren Technology Center in England and karting as Giannis Antetokounmpo makes a video for the Made By Google event launch.

    Living on the edge of the Earth

    Living on the edge of the Earth

    Vocabulary chunks to learn from the video :


    🌿 Living Off-Grid & Sustainability

    • live off the grid
    • completely off the grid
    • self-sufficient lifestyle
    • generate our own power
    • source our own food
    • be conscious and careful with chemicals
    • minimal environmental impact
    • procure food locally
    • support local communities
    • regular demand and supply
    • hydroponic garden
    • nutrient-dense soil
    • fresh market produce
    • dry goods and staples
    • sustainable practices
    • remote tropical island

    🧑‍🍳 Food & Cooking

    • grow our own vegetables
    • cook on the beach
    • eat super fresh
    • salad leaves and herbs
    • basic supplies available
    • six-monthly shipment
    • source food from the lagoon
    • variety of seafood
    • nuts, seeds, and dry goods
    • organized pantry
    • fresh to table
    • custom-built system
    • produce ultra fresh vegetables
    • organize food neatly
    • neat and tidy pantry

    🌊 Environment & Nature

    • surrounded by marine ecosystems
    • incredible marine life
    • coral atoll
    • barrier reef island
    • longest saltwater lagoon
    • tropical climate
    • equatorial weather
    • weather monitoring
    • tectonic activity
    • fault line
    • move to higher ground
    • cyclone / storm preparedness
    • whale migration
    • play with hermit crabs
    • magnificent coral reef

    🏥 Health & Safety

    • medical emergency
    • evacuation procedures
    • act early
    • risk-averse lifestyle
    • telehealth appointments
    • access services remotely
    • personal hygiene items
    • dental care supplies
    • skin checks / optometrist visits
    • medical cupboard
    • monitor the weather
    • stay safe from venomous creatures
    • malaria and dengue fever
    • mosquito control

    🧑‍🏫 Education & Family

    • raise a family off-grid
    • distance education program
    • flexible learning
    • employ a tutor
    • special childhood
    • guided by our kids
    • immerse in nature
    • support network
    • shared parenting
    • island nanny
    • grandparent involvement
    • shared love of nature
    • wonderful education system

    🧠 Technology & Communication

    • Starlink internet
    • internet access made easy
    • Wi-Fi calls
    • stay connected
    • connect via FaceTime
    • start a YouTube channel
    • connect with the global community
    • post updates online
    • share our lifestyle
    • digital communication tools

    🧳 Travel & Isolation

    • leave the island periodically
    • recalibrate mentally
    • island fever / island cuckoo
    • feel completely alone
    • travel back for medical services
    • visit Australia for checkups
    • pandemic isolation
    • remote lifestyle challenges

    🧰 Work & Daily Routine

    • operate a resort
    • work alongside family
    • various staff roles
    • carpentry and housekeeping
    • small intimate resort
    • scuba diving and snorkeling
    • attract like-minded souls
    • rich daily experiences
    • incredible place to live
    • fulfill your lifestyle dream