Difficulty: Intermediate
USA
The dwarves have long held great wealth, hidden in golden hordes. In verses of song, they tell their history of generations at work beneath the mountain who formed their gold, silver, and jewels into fine treasures and works of art.
Difficulty: Intermediate
USA
The dwarves tell of the terrifying dragon, Smaug, his destruction of the human town of Dale, and how he drove them from their mountain, stealing their hoards of gold. Bilbo also learns the perilous nature of the adventure that awaits him.
Difficulty: Intermediate
USA
The dwarves stumble across a group of trolls feasting on mutton. Instead of avoiding them, they send forward Bilbo, their “expert burglar," to steal the meat from under the trolls’ noses.
Difficulty: Intermediate
USA
Bilbo and the dwarves come to Rivendell, where they are enchanted by elven music and hospitality, and discover magic runes that guide them on their quest. But, back on the road, a violent storm halts their progress, and as they shelter in a dark cave, goblins attack!”
Difficulty: Intermediate
USA
Gollum eyes Bilbo as a juicy meal, but little does he know that the hobbit has found the one thing he prizes the most, his precious golden ring! Losing a battle of wits and then the ring, Gollum flies into a rage, and Bilbo discovers just in time that the ring has magic powers.
Difficulty: Intermediate
USA
Eagles swoop from the skies to pluck Gandalf, Bilbo, and the dwarves from peril. But what are the eagles’ intentions? Do they mean to dash the group against the rocks? Or could this really be a goodwill rescue, and a favor returned after many years?
Difficulty: Beginner
United Kingdom
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a comedy science fiction series created by Douglas Adams. Deep Thought is a supercomputer that is asked to find out the meaning of the life, and doesn't exactly come up with the most satisfying answer.
Difficulty: Intermediate
United Kingdom
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams began as a radio show before it became a series of best-selling novels, a TV show, and finally a Hollywood movie. Here is the opening scene from the movie, as dolphins abandon a doomed Earth.
Difficulty: Intermediate
United Kingdom
Have you ever wondered why English seems to have roots in so many different languages? Here is a look at what words the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings brought to the English language.
Difficulty: Advanced
United Kingdom
In 1066, William the Conqueror invaded Britain and brought with him fancy French words to add to the English language.
Difficulty: Advanced
United Kingdom
This video shows us that Shakespeare invented over 2000 new words and phrases, such as "eyeball," "anchovy," and "puppy."
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
United Kingdom
Created in 1611, The King James Bible permanently shaped the English language with new phrases that are still in use today. How many of them do you know?
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
United Kingdom
In the 17th Century, scientific research influenced the invention of English words relating to physics, chemistry, and anatomy.
Difficulty: Intermediate
United Kingdom
The British Empire spread across the world starting in the late sixteenth century, bringing back many new words and phrases that were introduced into the English language.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
United Kingdom
A look at how lexicographers started creating the Dictionary of the English Language to ensure that everyone spelled words correctly and knew their correct definition.
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