Learn english with Bridge of Spies

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union captures U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers after shooting down his U-2 spy plane. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Powers' only hope is New York lawyer James Donovan, recruited by a CIA operative to negotiate his release. Donovan boards a plane to Berlin, hoping to win the young man's freedom through a prisoner exchange. If all goes well, the Russians would get Rudolf Abel, the convicted spy who Donovan defended in court.

Why learn english with Bridge of Spies?

"Bridge of Spies" tells the true story of James Donovan, an American lawyer who defends a captured Soviet spy during the Cold War. The movie follows Donovan as he negotiates a complicated prisoner exchange between the US and the Soviet Union, involving a downed American pilot and an American student. From this movie, you can learn vocabulary related to law, politics, and the Cold War, such as "espionage," "negotiation," "trial," "indictment," and "attorney-client privilege." You will also encounter everyday conversational English used in family settings and tense dialogues during negotiations. The movie explores themes of patriotism, justice, and the moral complexities of the Cold War. You'll experience a range of emotions, from tension and fear to relief and hope. The language used varies from formal courtroom language to informal conversations, offering a broad exposure to different English styles. Pay attention to how characters express their feelings in different situations. This will help you understand the nuances of English communication. Watching "Bridge of Spies" can significantly improve your English comprehension and vocabulary. The clear dialogue and engaging plot make it easy to follow, even for learners. By observing the characters' interactions and the negotiation process, you can learn how to express yourself effectively in English, especially in formal settings. Learning about the historical context of the Cold War will also broaden your general knowledge. This is an excellent movie choice for English language learners looking to improve their fluency while enjoying a captivating story.

Words from Bridge of Spies

Here are the first 15 of the more difficult words in Bridge of Spies:

upstairs: on or going towards a higher floor of a building
colonel: a high-ranking officer in the army or air force
fetch: to go another place and bring someone or something back
bureau: an office or organization that collects and provides specific information, often part of a government department
espionage: secretly obtaining important political or military information about other countries or company secrets using spies
cooperate: to work together to achieve a shared goal or comply with a request
palette: a thin board with a thumb hole, used by artists for mixing colours
ruin: being very badly destroyed, damaged or without value
mattress: the soft surface of a bed that you lie on
floorboard: a long flat piece of wood used for flooring
ashtray: a container where smokers put cigarette ash and ends
windowsill: a narrow shelf below a window, found both inside and outside
insure: to make certain that something happens
evident: easily seen or understood
highway: a main public road for travel, especially between cities