บทเรียน 1: Shakespeare Speaks
the episodes
บทเรียนย่อย 16
Ssshhhh… it's a secret! It's William Shakespeare's birthday and there's a surprise in store for him. Plus, we're bringing you the phrase mum's the word and keep mum as well as lots more useful phrases for talking about secrets!
คะแนนจากบทเรียนย่อย 16
0 / 19
- 0 / 4แบบฝึกหัด 1
- 0 / 11แบบฝึกหัด 2
- 0 / 4แบบฝึกหัด 3
แบบฝึกหัด 3
Are you a blabbermouth?
Can you keep a secret?
We asked you - what expression can we use to describe a person who blabs? The answer is ablabbermouth.
So now it's time to find out if you are a blabbermouth.
Do the activity

To do
Try this fun quiz to find out how good you are at keeping secrets!
There are no correct answers - but be honest! The more ✔s you receive the better you are at keeping secrets - and the more ✖ s you receive, the more of a blabbermouth you are!
The score you are given at the end will reveal how good you are at keeping secrets.
To blab or not to blab...
4 Questions
Answer the questions to find out how good you are at keeping secrets.
There are no correct answers, but your score will tell you how good you are at keeping secrets!
ช่วยเหลือ
แบบฝึกหัด
Answer the questions to find out how good you are at keeping secrets.
There are no correct answers, but your score will tell you how good you are at keeping secrets!
คำใบ้
If you 'let the cat out of the bag' you reveal the secret.Question 1 of 4
ช่วยเหลือ
แบบฝึกหัด
Answer the questions to find out how good you are at keeping secrets.
There are no correct answers, but your score will tell you how good you are at keeping secrets!
คำใบ้
'To blab' is to reveal a secret.Question 2 of 4
ช่วยเหลือ
แบบฝึกหัด
Answer the questions to find out how good you are at keeping secrets.
There are no correct answers, but your score will tell you how good you are at keeping secrets!
คำใบ้
If you 'spill the beans' you reveal the secret.Question 3 of 4
ช่วยเหลือ
แบบฝึกหัด
Answer the questions to find out how good you are at keeping secrets.
There are no correct answers, but your score will tell you how good you are at keeping secrets!
คำใบ้
If you let it slip, you reveal the secret by accident.Question 4 of 4
Excellent!เยี่ยม!แย่หน่อย!คุณทำคะแนนได้:
How did you do?
0-2 points. Oh dear – you are a right blabbermouth! No secret is safe with you.
3-4 points. You know how to keep mum. You friends must tell you secrets all the time because they know that you won’t blab.
Over to you
We asked you: So are you able to keep mum? Write and tell us your quiz score and tell us - do you find it difficult to keep a secret? Why / why not?
Here's what you said:
Ia, Georgia
It is clear that opinions differ : some people prefer to talk everything they know ,others are less talkative and there are also silent people ….Which one do I belong ? I used to give them all the information openly. One day my lectrice said to me : ‘’ Ia , imagine ! The topic which makes you think what will happen next ,so that you ask as many questions as possible .It is more interesting, is not it?”…From then on ,I realized how important is to keep something in secret- mum’s the word , you know.
Am I used to giving no words but mum ? look ! when your enemies know about your strength and weakness , what or who is your power of strength ,it must be very easy for them to send you packing.. so what you need is to keep your mouth shut and use all your powers in the right place at the right time! In this case your secret turns into the tower of strength. So it is worth it.
Another case is when you want to surprise your friends or family .The more secrets , the merrier situations. No one is going to be a blabbermouth, really. To be honest , the more topics I write , the more secret phrases I face. So that they are part of me and take place in the real life situations .I have already noticed that I can express my feelings much better and I feel like I am attending this most important celebration – 400th anniversary ! Thank you for being there for me.
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Vincenzo, Italy
I believe I’m able to keep mum... My score was 4! I know some people who are authentic blabbermouths. A friend of mine enjoys giving the game away. If you want to publicise some news, tell her to keep it under wraps… She’ll spill the beans in a short time! According to me, it’s not difficult to keep a secret. You just have to follow a very simple rule: mum’s the word!
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Jean Marie
When it could be harmful for somebody I give no words but mum. If there is opportunity to have fun about something I must confess that I am a blabbermouth. For the time being I haven't done any damage in giving the game away but be careful! it could be very easy to let the cat out of the bag particularly about a woman cheating with her age or someone who desperately try to masquerade his real appearance, but , in this case they often let it slip themselves.
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Andrea, Hungary
My score 4! So i can mum's the word.
I have a realy nice friend she is lovely but she is a bubblemouth.
If i want tell a secret just a few people i tell her keep her mouth shut and I'm sure she let the cat out of the bag soon
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Tomoki
My quiz score is three points. However I am not sure that I do the same thing when similar situaions to quizes happen.
I find it difficult to keep a secret because it sometimes seems to be immoral to do it. Besides, I cannot sure that it is good not to breath a word for everyone unless I blab.
End of session
That’s all for now. But don't worry - we'll be back again soon. In the meantime there are plenty more episodes for you to enjoy. Learn how to use phrases like, The green-eyed monster,As dead as a doornail, What's done is done and many more.
Return to these pages to find out more about William Shakespeare's life and work - and to learn a useful new English expression. Don't forget to go to our Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram pages for more fun with English!
Session Vocabulary
For more great Shakespeare content visit our partner,The OU
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Give no words but mum
Meaning
The phrase give no words but mum is usually simplified to just keep mum. It means: don't tell anyone - it's a secret.Example sentence
Mark Hamill to keep mum amid Star Wars Skywalker speculationNote
Another version of the phrase is mum's the word.Example sentence
Don't tell anyone you saw me here. Mum's the word!____________________
Extra vocabulary
your secret’s safe with me
I won't tell anyone your secretkeep it under wraps
keep it secretdon't tell a soul
don't tell anyoneI won’t breathe a word
I won't tell anyone your secretmy lips are sealed
I won't tell anyone your secretkeep your mouth shut
keep a secretblab
reveal a secretlet the cat out of the bag
reveal a secret (usually by accident)let it slip
reveal a secret (usually by accident)spill the beans
reveal a secretgive the game away
reveal a secreta blabbermouth
someone who reveals secrets_________
Shakespeare Speaks is a co-production between:
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