The HBO miniseries Chernobyl dramatizes the catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred in April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Soviet Union. The show focuses on the lead-up (1) to the explosion, the immediate aftermath, and the investigation into the causes of the disaster. The series centers on:

- Valery Legasov, a Soviet scientist who leads the investigation into the disaster.

- Boris Shcherbina, a high-ranking government official tasked with managing the crisis.

- Ulana Khomyuk, a fictional character representing the efforts of Soviet scientists who worked to uncover the truth.

The series vividly depicts (5) the horrifying effects of radiation, the bureaucratic cover-up, and the heroism of those who sacrificed their lives to prevent an even larger disaster.

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Section glossary:

1- the lead-up: El período previo

the aftermath: Las secuelas, lo que sigue, las consecuencias

tasked with: Encargado de

the efforts: Los esfuerzos

5- The series vividly depicts...: La serie describe vívidamente...

to depict: representar, describir

the cover-up: El encubrimiento

The Vocabulary

Sad but True...

First, I'll list some nouns, verbs, adjectives and relevant phrases (so that you can get an idea what's in the Newsletter and the book). Later, texts, everything related to the series and the subject.

Nouns

- Contamination: The presence of harmful substances in the environment.

- Bureaucracy: According to Merriam-Webster page- “The English word can refer to an entire body of unelected government officials or to the problematic system (often filled with red tape) that may result from administration by bureaucrats.

- Red tape: it refers to excessive bureaucracy or rules that are considered unnecessary, complicated, or time-consuming, which can slow down processes and make it difficult to get things done efficiently. It often describes the formalities and paperwork required by governments or large organizations that seem more focused on procedure than practical results.

- Meltdown: A severe overheating of a nuclear reactor core, leading to failure.

- Containment: The action of preventing the spread of something harmful.

- Aftermath: The consequences or effects of an event.

Verbs

- Evacuate: To move people away from a dangerous area.

- Leak: To escape or be released unintentionally.

- Expose: To make someone vulnerable to something harmful.

- Contain: To stop something from spreading or increasing.

- Cover up: To hide the truth.

Adjectives

- Radioactive: Emitting dangerous energy in the form of radiation.

- Hazardous: Dangerous or harmful.

- Toxic: Poisonous.

- Nuclear: Related to energy produced by splitting atoms.

Useful Phrases and Sentences

- Take for granted: Assume something is true or safe without questioning it.

Example: The authorities took the safety of the nuclear plant for granted.

- On the verge of: Almost at the point of something happening.

Example: The reactor was on the verge of a meltdown.

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Intermediate-Level (B1-B2) Texts

1. Chernobyl: The Nuclear Plant

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was built in northern Ukraine, near the Belarus border. It was a major project of the Soviet Union to produce nuclear energy. The plant had four reactors (1). On April 26, 1986, Reactor 4 exploded during a safety test. This explosion released radioactive material into the atmosphere, causing one of the worst nuclear disasters in history.

2. Pripyat: The Abandoned City

Pripyat was a city near the Chernobyl plant. It was home to the plant workers and their families. After the explosion, people were not told to leave immediately. Two days later, the government evacuated the entire city, but by then, many were already exposed to radiation. Today, Pripyat is a ghost town, with buildings still standing but no residents.

(Intermediate) Section glossary:

1- Nuclear reactor: A device used to produce nuclear energy.

to release: liberar, soltar, emitir

the plant: la planta - It refers to a facility or factory where goods are produced or processed

Beginner-Level (A2) Texts

3. The Soviet Nuclear Program

The Soviet Union built (1) many nuclear plants. These plants made energy for the country. But safety was not very important. At Chernobyl, the workers did not know there was a problem with the reactor. This caused the explosion.

4. What Led to the Chernobyl Disaster?

The explosion happened because of a mistake during a safety test. The workers were following bad instructions. They thought the reactor was safe. However, the reactor had a problem, and it exploded. The government did not tell people right away, and the situation became worse.

Advanced-Level (C1-C2) Text

5. The Aftermath and Consequences

In the immediate aftermath (1) of the explosion, radioactive fallout spread across Europe, contaminating millions of people and large areas of land. The Soviet Union attempted to cover up the disaster, only admitting its severity after other countries detected radiation. The cleanup operation, known as the "liquidation," involved over 600,000 workers, many of whom suffered long-term health problems. The long-term environmental, health, and social consequences of the Chernobyl disaster remain (5) profound.

(Beginner) Section glossary:

1- build - built - built: construir.

there is - there was: hay - había

mistake: error

safety test: prueba de seguridad

(Advanced) Section glossary:

1- the aftermath: Las secuelas, lo que sigue, las consecuencias.

radioactive fallout: lluvia radioactiva

to spread: extenderse, propagarse

to suffer: sufrir

5- remain: permanecer

In the text:

... (the) consequences (...) remain profound. : ... las consecuencias (...) siguen siendo profundas

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