Kris Knesis : English Tutor

to wince /wɪns/ [verb] – to make a slight facial movement because of pain, embarrassment, or discomfort.

It’s International Sushi Day, which makes this a good moment to learn that many of us have been eating sushi in ways that would make sushi chefs wince.

Chef Eleni Manousou, Nobu’s first female head chef, says sushi is designed as a balanced combination of rice, fish, and seasoning. Drowning it in soy sauce or adding extra wasabi can overpower the flavours that were carefully put together by the chef. In many cases, the sushi already contains the amount of wasabi intended for that particular piece.

She also recommends eating sushi with your hands, a traditional practice that surprises many people. When using soy sauce, dip the fish rather than the rice, which absorbs liquid easily and can fall apart. The fish should also touch your tongue first, allowing its flavour and texture to come through more clearly.

Sushi may look uncomplicated, but each piece is designed to be eaten in a particular way. Sometimes the best thing a diner can do is interfere a little less.

caution /ˈkɔːʃən/ [noun] – care taken to avoid danger, mistakes, or problems.

Soon we may be able to understand – and talk to – animals. Should we?

For centuries, humans have dreamed of talking to animals. Advances in AI are bringing that possibility closer. Researchers are already using machine learning to decode the communication of whales, crows, elephants, bats, and other species, raising the prospect of a future where we understand far more about what animals are saying.

Philosophers and animal ethicists Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert and Leonie Bossert argue that this could transform our relationship with other species. If we understood that crows are chatting with family members, that prairie dogs share detailed information about their surroundings, or that cows and calves use distinct calls to maintain their bond, it might become harder to treat animals as passive creatures without interests of their own.

Yet the authors are cautious. Animal communication is extraordinarily complex, and AI systems can identify patterns without fully understanding meaning. A mistranslated signal could confuse or disrupt animal communities, while the technology could also be exploited for hunting or poaching.

The question is no longer whether animals communicate. It is whether humans are ready to listen responsibly.

friendship /ˈfrɛndʃɪp/ [noun] – a close relationship between those who like, trust, and care about each other.

Can you be friends with a robot? How about a dog? Or your own child?

Many discussions about AI focus on whether robots will ever become truly human-like. A more interesting question may be whether friendship requires that at all.

Philosopher John Danaher argues that genuine friendship, in the Aristotelian sense, demands mutual admiration, shared values, and a relationship between equals. Today’s robots are nowhere near that standard. Researchers studying human-robot relationships point out, however, that many human friendships fall short of this ideal as well.

People already form emotional attachments to surprisingly basic machines. Some give names to robotic vacuum cleaners, others have held funeral ceremonies for robot dogs, and US soldiers once awarded medals to a bomb-disposal robot destroyed in action.

The researchers argue that robots do not need to become human equivalents to play meaningful social roles. They may provide companionship, emotional support, and opportunities for interaction, particularly for people who feel isolated. The question is becoming less whether humans can bond with robots and more what kinds of relationships those bonds will create.

coolcation /ˈkuːlˌkeɪʃən/ [noun] – a vacation taken in a cooler place, often to avoid hot weather.

For decades, the formula for a European summer holiday was straightforward: head south for sunshine. That calculation is starting to change.

Recent summers have brought temperatures above 40°C across parts of Greece, Italy, Spain, and Cyprus. Heatwaves are creating risks for everyone, but tourists are often more exposed than locals. Visitors spend long hours outdoors, explore unfamiliar places, and may not know where to find shade, water, or medical help. During Greece’s record-breaking heatwave in 2024, several foreign tourists died or went missing.

The impact goes beyond safety. Extreme heat can close major attractions, reduce outdoor activities, and make holidays less enjoyable. As a result, a growing number of travellers are choosing what the tourism industry calls “coolcations” — summer trips to destinations with milder temperatures.

According to a recent European Travel Commission report, 28% of travelers plan to change when they travel, with extreme heat being a major reason. The traditional search for the hottest destination may be giving way to a different goal: finding somewhere comfortable enough to enjoy.

in the eye of the beholder /ɪn ði ˈaɪ əv ðə bɪˈhoʊldər/ [idiom] – something depends on personal opinion; different people see it in different ways.

Is color in the eye of the beholder?

We often talk about colors as if they are features of the world itself. The sky is blue, snow is white, grass is green. Yet art historian James Fox argues that color exists only when a brain creates it.

Different species inhabit very different color worlds. Most mammals cannot distinguish red from green. Bees see ultraviolet patterns on flowers that are invisible to us. Snakes can detect infrared radiation from warm bodies. Even among humans, color perception varies. Around 8% of men are color-blind, while some women may be able to distinguish far more colors than the average person.

Language shapes the picture too. Some cultures have only a handful of color terms, while the Aztecs had more than a dozen words for green. Researchers have found evidence that having a word for a color can affect how easily people recognize it.

As Fox suggests, color may be less a property of objects than something our minds continuously create.

to squat /skwɑt/ [verb] – to sit low to the ground with your knees bent and your weight on your feet.

The problem with the West is that they don’t squat.

This phrase was once heard in a yoga class in London. It sounds like a joke, but it points to a real shift in how many of us live. We spend much of our day in chairs, at desks, in cars, and on couches. Deep squatting has largely disappeared from everyday life. Except only when we’re at the gym, but that kind of misses the point. Squatting is supposed to be for relaxing, not working out or working hard.

Physical therapist Bahram Jam explains that our joints stay healthy through movement. “Use it or lose it,” he says. When we rarely bend our hips, knees, and ankles deeply, that range of motion becomes harder to maintain. Author and osteopath Phillip Beach describes squatting as one of the core postures the human body evolved to use, alongside sitting cross-legged and kneeling.

Across much of the world, people still squat while resting, cooking, praying, using the toilet, and giving birth. It’s part of daily life for millions. Spending more time closer to the ground may help support mobility, comfort, and a stronger connection to our bodies in an age dominated by screens.

electorate /ɪˈlɛktərɪt/ [noun] – all the people in a country or area who are allowed to vote in an election.

Should children be allowed to vote in elections?

Political philosopher John Wall and education researcher Clémentine Beauvais argue that the voting age restrictions should not exist at all. Why exclude children from decisions that affect their lives?

They point out that there is no clear age when someone becomes “ready” to vote. People of all ages can be informed or uninformed, thoughtful or careless. As Wall suggests, the only real requirement might be simply wanting to vote.

Beauvais adds that younger people bring something valuable — they tend to think more about the future and ask direct, uncomfortable questions that adults sometimes avoid. When combined with older generations’ experience, this can lead to better decisions. As researcher Harry Pearse puts it, democracy works best when it includes everyone: “one person, one vote.”

Critics say that children are not allowed to drink alcohol, smoke, or drive a car — so why should they be allowed to vote? But drinking alcohol, smoking, or driving a car can be dangerous for the child. Voting is not the same.

Who counts as part of society, and who gets a voice in shaping it?

goosebumps /ˈɡuːsˌbʌmps/ [noun] – small bumps on the skin that appear when you are cold, scared, or strongly moved by a feeling.

What do fear, inspiration, cold, and awe all have in common?

Researcher Jonathon McPhetres explains that goosebumps are a built-in survival reflex that humans still carry from much earlier times. They happen when tiny muscles in your skin contract, pulling your hairs upright in response to signals from your nervous system — the same system behind fight-or-flight.

But this response isn’t limited to fear or cold. Goosebumps can also appear during powerful, emotional moments — like a piece of music that hits just right, a beautiful scene, or a sudden sense of awe. Your brain reacts to intensity itself. As McPhetres puts it, the message is: “This is something that could be damaging… you need to change how you operate.”

Even when nothing is wrong, your body still responds. Goosebumps are a sign that something in your environment — whether frightening or inspiring — has grabbed your attention in a deep, instinctive way.

to curate /kjʊˈreɪt/ [verb] – to choose and organize items or content for a specific purpose or audience.

Psychologists and music researchers argue that AI is reshaping how Gen Z listens to music — and how they connect with each other. In their classroom surveys, they’ve seen students have wildly different tastes, often with almost no overlap. Everybody listens to their own thing!

This shift comes from streaming platforms, where AI curates what you hear. Instead of radio DJs or shared charts, algorithms study your behavior and serve highly personalized playlists. The result is more choice and discovery, but also a more private listening world.

That’s not entirely bad. AI can introduce teens to genres they might never find on their own, expanding taste far beyond the old Top 40. But if everyone is listening to something different, what happens to the shared soundtracks that used to unite people?

AI may be giving young listeners more control over identity — but reshaping what community sounds like.