Learn English with Rush Hour

When Hong Kong Inspector Lee is summoned to Los Angeles to investigate a kidnapping, the FBI doesn't want any outside help and assigns cocky LAPD Detective James Carter to distract Lee from the case. Not content to watch the action from the sidelines, Lee and Carter form an unlikely partnership and investigate the case themselves.

Why learn English with Rush Hour?

"Rush Hour" is a funny action movie about two very different police officers who have to work together to rescue a kidnapped girl. Detective James Carter is loud and funny, while Inspector Lee is serious and skilled in martial arts. They travel from Los Angeles to Chinatown and have many funny misunderstandings because of their different cultures and ways of speaking. The movie is full of action-packed chases and fight scenes. You can learn everyday English phrases like "What's up?" or "Take it easy," as well as some police vocabulary like "suspect," "evidence," and "under arrest." You’ll also hear a mix of American and Hong Kong accents, which can help you understand different ways English is spoken. The movie explores themes of friendship, cultural differences, and doing what's right. You'll see a range of emotions, from anger and frustration to happiness and relief, expressed in different ways. The language used is mostly informal and conversational, which is helpful for everyday communication. There are also some examples of formal language, especially when the characters are dealing with official matters. Pay attention to how the characters' tone of voice changes depending on the situation. This can help you understand how to use different levels of formality in your own English conversations. "Rush Hour" is a great movie for English learners because it's entertaining and easy to follow. The humor makes learning fun, and the clear pronunciation helps with listening comprehension. The mix of action and dialogue keeps you engaged. Since the movie deals with cultural differences, it can help you understand American and Chinese cultures better. It's also a good way to learn about different communication styles and how to overcome language barriers, something very helpful for any English learner.

Words from Rush Hour

Here are the first 15 of the more difficult words in Rush Hour:

consul: an official who represents their country in another country
sorely: strongly; used when saying that something is bad or difficult
unshakable: very strong and difficult to change or destroy
brit: a British person
gentleman: a polite and educated man with good manners who always behaves well
commander: a person in charge, especially in the military or police
griffin: (in stories) a creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle
detective: a police officer or person who investigates crimes and catches criminals
inspector: a person whose job is to officially examine something
reclaim: to get something back that was lost or taken away
artifact: an object made by a person, particularly one of historical or cultural interest
heritage: the history, qualities and valuable objects of a society from the past
legacy: something passed from one person to another, such as ideas or property
fool: someone who acts or speaks without intelligence or good judgement
moron: a rude way to refer to someone who is not very smart