6 Minute English / Crowds

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I m Sam.

And I m Neil.

There was a huge crowd of people waiting at the train station this morning, Neil. When the train finally arrived, everyone rushed in and I couldn t find a seat! I hate crowds!

But you love going to the football match on Saturday

Ah, that s different more like a big group of friends

Well, whether it s sporting events, train stations or political protests, crowds that's large groups of people who gather together for a shared activity, are a feature of life. For some, crowds create feelings of excitement and a sense of community, while for others they feel uncomfortable, confusing, or even dangerous. So why is that?

In this programme, we ll be discussing the role of crowds in modern life, asking why they evoke different reactions in people. And, as usual, we ll be learning some new vocabulary as well. But first, I have a question for you, Neil. The biggest crowd in history happened in 2019 when over 200 million people gathered in the northern Indian city of Allahabad. But what did so many people come together for? Was it:

a) a cricket matchb) a religious festival orc) an election?

Well, I know Indians love cricket, but I doubt 200 million people would fit into a stadium! I ll guess it s c) an election.