Hello and welcome back to your English Five a Day on the English Like a Native Podcast. This is your daily dip into the English language to improve your listening skills, expand your vocabulary, and feel more confident with the English language. How do we do it? Through story, of course. My name is Anna, and today we're on week nine, day four of our story following Gabriel through the Scottish Highlands. Yesterday, Gabriel spent time alone exploring a remote island, reflecting on his future and realizing that although he enjoys Isla's company, he isn't ready to settle down. Today his journey takes a more magical turn as he heads towards Ben Nevis in the hope of seeing something truly extraordinary. Supporting materials for this season are available over at www.joineelan.com forward slash plus. But now let's begin, as we always do, with a snapshot. As night falls near Ben Nevis, faint ribbons of green begin to appear in a celestial dance across the sky. The lights are shimmering, spectral, and almost ethereal, creating a transcendent experience that Gabriel knows he will never forget. All right, let's break down that vocabulary. First we have celestial. Celestial. We spell this C E L E S T I A L. This is relating to the sky or outer space. Something heavenly. For example, they watched a celestial display of stars. Next we have shimmering. Shimmering. This means something that's shining with a soft, wavering light. Shimmering. For example, the water was shimmering in the sunlight. Next we have spectral. Spectral, we spell it S P E C T R A L spectral. This means something is ghost like or mysterious in appearance. For example, a spectral figure appeared in the mist. Next we have ethereal ethereal. We spell this E T H E R E A L Ethereal. This means something is extremely delicate, light, and almost too perfect for this world. For example, she had an ethereal voice. And finally, transcendent. Transcendent. T-R-A-N S C E N D E N T. Transcendent. This means going beyond ordinary experience, something deeply powerful or uplifting, for example. The music created a transcendent moment. Wonderful. Hopefully at least one of those items is new to you. Either way, hold on to them and listen out for them as they appear very naturally in today's story. Gabriel and Isla were enjoying their tea on a gorgeous afternoon overlooking the harbour. Gabriel talked about how seeing the open water shimmering in the sun made him itch to keep travelling and follow his instincts. He brought up an idea that he had about seeing the northern lights from Ben Nevis. He said that he didn't think it would be realistic, and he hoped that Isla would take his subtle hint that some things in life were just not meant to be. He didn't know how to react then, when Isla told him that if he really wanted to see the Northern Lights, then he could borrow her car and drive to Fort William. Was this her way of wishing him well? Or was she still trying to get close to him in a way that he couldn't understand? Either way, in the spirit of adventure, he set off the next morning. He drove for hours along winding highland roads in order to get to a hostel that he had hurriedly booked the previous evening. There he met a small group of hikers who were planning an evening walk to a vantage point in Glen Nevis. They greeted him, admiring his vehicle, and asked him to join them. He eagerly agreed, feeling that his whole highland experience was becoming transcendent. By the time they reached their destination, dusk was settling, and the summit of Ben Nevis loomed above them. The sky was a little cloudy, but after a while here and there, faint ribbons of green began to appear in a sort of slow celestial dance. Wow, thought Gabriel. It was truly ethereal. Even though the group got only partial glimpses of the lights, spectral and fleeting, this was an unforgettable experience. Late that night, back at his accommodation, Gabriel went to briefly organise and label his photos in the cloud. After tonight, this cloud should be brightly coloured, he thought, with a laugh. He checked his emails quickly, and a notification caught his eye. Congratulations, it began. Alright, let's pause the story there and bring today's vocabulary back into focus. I'll revisit each of our target items twice, giving you time to repeat each one after me. And then I'll revisit the definition. So here goes repeat after me celestial celestial. This means relating to the sky or outer space, something heavenly. Next, repeat after me, shimmering. Shimmering. This is when something is shining with a soft, wavering light. Next, repeat after me, spectral. Spectral. Fantastic. This is something that's ghost like or mysterious in appearance. Next, repeat after me. Ethereal. Ethereal. Very good. This is something extremely delicate, light, and almost too perfect for this world. And finally, repeat after me. Transcendent. Transcendent. Fantastic. Now these are powerful descriptive words that are perfect for storytelling when you want to describe something beautiful, emotional, or beyond ordinary experience. So, Gabriel has experienced something unforgettable. And now something else is about to change his journey once again. Tomorrow, Gabriel wakes early to climb Ben Nevis, where he reflects on unexpected news that could shape his future and discovers something surprising waiting for him at the end of his journey. That's all from me for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, then you know what to do. Take a second, please, to leave a like, a rating, or review. That little act of kindness really has a big impact. So thank you in advance. Until tomorrow, take care and goodbye.