Learn English with Moonrise Kingdom

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore – and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle.

Why learn English with Moonrise Kingdom?

"Moonrise Kingdom" tells the story of Sam and Suzy, two twelve-year-olds who fall in love and run away together on a small island. The movie uses a lot of vocabulary related to scouting, nature, and emotions, such as "Khaki Scout," "tidal inlet," "fugitive," "berserk," and "melancholy." By watching this movie, you can learn words related to these topics, as well as see how characters express their feelings in English. The story is told in a clear way with distinct, non-rapid-fire conversations, making it easy to follow along. The movie explores themes of love, friendship, family, and growing up. It shows a range of emotions, from happiness and excitement to sadness and anger. The language used is mostly straightforward, but also includes some more complex vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, providing a good balance for learners. You will encounter formal language like that used in letter writing, as well as more casual dialogue between friends and family. This variety will expose you to different styles of English communication. "Moonrise Kingdom" is a good movie for English learners because it has an engaging story, clear dialogue, and a variety of vocabulary and expressions. The distinctive speaking styles of the characters make it easy to distinguish who is talking and helps provide context to unfamiliar expressions. It also offers a glimpse into American culture and family dynamics. By watching this film, you can improve your listening comprehension, learn new words, and understand different ways to express yourself in English, all while enjoying a charming and whimsical story.

Words from Moonrise Kingdom

Here are the first 15 of the more difficult words in Moonrise Kingdom:

symphony: a long and complex piece of music for a large orchestra, usually with three or four sections called movements
variation: a change in the amount or type of something
composer: a person who creates music, especially classical music
flute: a high-pitched woodwind instrument played by blowing across a hole; a tall, thin champagne glass
woodwind: the group of instruments in an orchestra that are blown into and were once made from wood, such as the flute, clarinet, and bassoon
oboe: a woodwind instrument played by blowing into a double reed at the top of a pipe-like body
clarinet: a woodwind instrument that looks like a pipe and is played by blowing into a reed at the top
bassoon: a large woodwind instrument with a low sound, played by blowing into a double reed
trumpet: a brass musical instrument with a curved metal tube and valves for changing notes
trombone: a large brass instrument you blow into, with a tube that slides to change the sound
viola: a string instrument held under the chin and played with a bow, larger than a violin and producing lower notes
cello: a large string instrument that resembles a violin and is played while seated with the instrument held between the knees
bass: a low-pitched tone in music, played by instruments or voices
harp: a large wooden instrument with strings that is played with the fingers
percussion: musical instruments played by hitting with a hand or stick, such as drums