A, An, and The - Special Pronunciation. Why do we pronounce the articles in a weird way sometimes?

English Syndicate

A, An, and The - Special Pronunciation

I explain in the episode the meaning of the very casual expression "un huevo". Listen to the podcast to find out what native speakers say when they use it. 

De todo un poco

Un huevo 🥚🍳/ One egg??? 🤔

What is in your house? What is important to you? 

Angela reads the basic text from this lesson, (transcript available when you take this lesson).

This topic is also available for intermediate and higher-level learners.


English with Angela -  conversation 

TASK 17 - POSSESSIONS 

Hi, everyone, Today I'm going to give you the best and the real life example answer to What are you weaknesses question?
Welcome to "Career Insights," the podcast where we explore essential career advice and strategies to help you succeed in the workplace. I'm your host, Anthony, and today we're diving into a common but tricky interview question: "What are your weaknesses?"

Understanding the Purpose
First, it's important to understand why interviewers ask this question. They want to see if you:
Have self-awareness: Can you identify areas where you need improvement?
Are honest and transparent: Are you willing to acknowledge your imperfections?
Are proactive about personal development: Do you take steps to address your weaknesses?
Choosing the Right Weakness
When selecting a weakness to discuss, consider the following:
Relevance: Choose a weakness that is relevant but not critical to the job you're applying for. For example, if you're applying for a financial analyst position, you might not want to highlight a weakness in attention to detail.
Authenticity: Be genuine. Interviewers can often tell if you're being insincere or giving a cliché answer.
Improvement: Select a weakness that you are actively working on improving. This shows initiative and a growth mindset.


Interview Insights: Mastering Communication for Career Success

Best two answers to What are your weaknesses question?

5 Tips for Studying IELTS Speaking

Preparing for the IELTS Speaking test can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can improve your fluency and confidence. Here are five tips to help you excel:

Practice Speaking Daily
Consistency is key to improving your speaking skills. Set aside time each day to practice speaking English, even if it's just for 10-15 minutes. Talk about a variety of topics, record yourself, and identify areas where you can improve.

Expand Your Vocabulary
A rich vocabulary will allow you to express yourself more clearly and precisely. Learn new words daily, and practice using them in sentences. Focus on synonyms, idiomatic expressions, and topic-specific vocabulary like travel, work, and culture.

Work on Pronunciation and Intonation
Clear pronunciation is essential in the IELTS Speaking test. Focus on common pronunciation mistakes, and practice intonation to sound more natural. Listening to native speakers through podcasts or videos can help you understand how words should be pronounced and how sentences flow.

Develop Your Ideas
In the IELTS Speaking test, you’ll need to speak at length on various topics. Practice expanding your ideas by structuring your answers clearly. Use examples, explanations, and reasons to support your opinions.

Simulate Test Conditions
Familiarize yourself with the test format by simulating exam conditions. Record yourself answering common IELTS questions within the time limit, and get feedback from a tutor or language partner.

With consistent practice and these strategies, you'll be well-prepared to perform confidently on test day.

IELTS Speaking Practice

5 Tips for your IELTS Speaking 

龙马精神[lóng mǎ jīng shén]：dragon/horse/ vigour; vitality; drive；
This idiom means vim and vigor, full of life, often used to describe people's fighting spirit and healthy state.
龙马lóng mǎ：The mythical beast with a dragon head and a horse body in ancient legends of Chinese.
饱满 bǎo mǎn：full; plump; well-stacked; flush; filled
充满 chōng mǎn：be filled with;be full of
追求 zhuī qiú：seek; aspire; pursue
梦想 mèng xiǎng：dreams

eg：龙年到了祝您龙马精神! lóngnián dàole zhù nín lóng mǎ jīng shén!
         他是用自己的龙马精神战胜了懒惰的性格。
         tā shì yòng zìjǐ de lóng mǎ jīng shén zhàn shèng le lǎnduò de xìnggé。
       我中午睡了一觉后觉得龙马精神，一下子干了很多的活儿。
        wǒ zhōngwǔ shuì le yī jiào hòu jiàode lóng mǎ jīng shén, yī xià zi gànle hěnduō de huór。


“龙”年中国话（“ lóng ” nián zhōng guó huà）

龙马精神[lóng mǎ jīng shén]

こんにちは！Atsushiです。

今日の天気は晴れ。
気温は27℃。暑いですが、北海道は風もあって涼しいです。


今日は天神祭(てんじんまつり)について。
前回は祇園祭でした。今回も日本三大祭りの1つ、天神祭の話をします。

天神祭とは、平安時代の貴族であり、政治家の菅原道真の命日(亡くなった日)にちなんだ祭のことです。

天神祭は大阪天満宮が建てられた951年より始まったとされています。
太鼓(たいこ)や神輿(みこし)が歩いて通る陸渡御(りくとぎょ)や、大川という大阪の川で神鉾(かみほこ)を流して、流れ着いた場所でおはらいをする船渡御(ふなとぎょ)、奉納花火があります。

歴史の中で、途切れたこともありますが、千年以上の時を超えて、今も続けられているというこの祭は、とても日本的な文化そのものですね。

私は、先日実際に見にくことができました。
とても親しみのある楽しい祭でした。
京都の祇園祭では、警備がしっかりされていて、行事を進める人と、観客が完全に別れていましたが、大阪の天神祭では、行事で歩いている人たちは、その途中でも、歩道で知り合いを見つけたら、あいさつと会話を交わしたり、時々、見にきている家族と写真を撮ったり。みんな楽しそうで、和やかな祭でした。

日本三大祭り、あともう一つの祭りは東京の神田祭、というものです。
見たことがないので、今は説明できませんが、また見る機会があれば、みなさんに紹介したいと思います。

今日も最後まで聴いていただきありがとうございます！
ではまた！






Atsushi のJapanese podcast (travel/news /文法・漢字・語彙/Osaka/Hokkaido/🇹🇷🇬🇪🇦🇲🇪🇸🇵🇹)

34 天神祭について

In this episode we are going to learn a Real Chinese Conversation【Buy fruits 】. 
------------------------------------------------
Step 1: Listen and catch the words you know already, have a guess about the content.
Step 2: Check the script to learn one by one. 
Step 3: Listen and repeat after it.
Step 4: Practice until you can perform the dialogue. 
------------------------------------------------
顾客（gùkè, customer）: 老板，苹果怎么卖？
lǎo bǎn ， píng guǒ zěn me mài ？
Boss (of the shop), how do you sell the apples/how much are the apples?
老板(lǎo bǎn, shop owner): 左边的一斤8块钱，右边的一斤9块半。
zuǒ bian de yì jīn 8 kuài qián ， yòu bian de yì jīn 9 kuài bàn 。
The one on the left is 8 yuan per Jin(=0.5kg), and the one on the right is 9.5 yuan per Jin.
顾客: 哪个更甜？
nǎ ge gèng tián ？
Which one is sweeter?
老板: 右边的更甜。
yòu bian de gèng tián 。
The one on the right is sweeter.
顾客: 那来八个吧，大点儿的。
nà lái bā gè ba ， dà diǎn er de 。
Then give me eight, the bigger ones.
老板: 好的，四斤半，收你四十就好。还要别的吗？
hǎo de ， sì jīn bàn ， shōu nǐ sì shí jiù hǎo 。 hái yào bié de ma ？
Okay, 4.5 Jin, I'll just charge you 40 yuan. Do you want anything else?
顾客: 有什么推荐的吗？
yǒu shén me tuī jiàn de ma ？
Any recommendations?
老板: 草莓现在当季，又红又甜。
cǎo méi xiàn zài dāng jì ， yòu hóng yòu tián 。
Strawberries are in season now, red and sweet.
顾客: 一斤多少钱？
yì jīn duō shǎo qián ？
How much is one Jin?
老板: 一斤九块。你试试看。
yì jīn jiǔ kuài 。 nǐ shì shì kàn 。
9 yuan per Jin. Have a try.
顾客: 真的很甜！来两斤吧。
zhēn de hěn tián ！ lái liǎng jīn ba 。
It's really sweet! Give me two Jin.
老板: 一共六十块。
yí gòng liù shí kuài 。
A total of 60 yuan.
顾客: 可以微信付吗？
kě yǐ wēi xìn fù ma ？
Can I pay with WeChat?
老板: 可以，扫这里。
kě yǐ ， sǎo zhè lǐ 。
Yes, scan here.
顾客: 付了。
fù le 。
Paid.
老板: 谢谢。好吃再来啊。
xiè xie 。 hǎo chī zài lái a 。
Thank you. Come again (if) they are delicious.

Fruit vocabulary: https://www.italki.com/zh-cn/vocabulary/476767 

Yuli's Chinese Channel

买水果 Buy fruits （Beginner）

🎧 
Prueba de Comprensión de Lectura 
Tarea 4

¿Vas a presentar el examen DELE B2? Escucha este cortito audio para que sepas qué tienes qué hacer, de forma muy general, en la Tarea 4 de la prueba de comprensión de lectura. No se trata solamente de leer, sino de Entender lo que se lee.