In this episode we will look at the comparisons between learning a language and creating art. We look at the threshold between learning and creating in the privacy of our own mind and sharing our work with the public and how that relates to moving from static learning to active conversation.

Philosophical Friday

Philosophical Friday with a quote from Stephen King

1.太太：tài tai  n Mrs., madam
2.秘书 ：mì shū. n secretary
3.经理：jīng lǐ.n . manager
4.办公室：bàn gōng shì. n office
周太太：喂，你好！请问周明在吗？
秘书：周经理出去了，不在办公室。
周太太：他去哪儿了？什么时候回来?
秘书：他出去办事了，下午回来。
周太太：回来了就让他给我打个电话。
秘书：好的，他到了办公室我就告诉他。

hsk2

hsk 3 在打电话 On the phone 

    Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma？
A：你  是   老师   吗？
    Wǒ bú shì lǎoshī, wǒ shì xuéshenɡ.
B：我 不  是   老师，  我  是    学生。


HSK Standard Course Level 1 Audio of the textbook

Lesson 3 text 2

Why the 20th of May is the new Valentine's day? Let's find out in this episode!

Shay的中文小课堂

Chat Episode3-520

❥ In this podcast, Melo reads from The Aesop for Children found for free online at: https://www.read.gov/aesop/001.html
❥ Listen and learn the moral of each story.
❥ Practice listening and/or reading comprehension by answering the quiz questions.
❥ Today's fable is called “The Heron” and can be found here:
https://www.read.gov/aesop/015.html
❥The moral of today’s fable is: 
“Do not be too hard to suit or you may have to be content with the worst or with nothing at all.”

❥ 在这个播客中，梅洛朗读了《儿童伊索》，可在网上免费找到：https://www.read.gov/aesop/001.html
❥聆听并学习每个故事的寓意。
❥ 通过回答问答问题练习听力和/或阅读理解。
❥ 今天的寓言叫"苍鹭号"，可以在这里找到：
https://www.read.gov/aesop/015.html
❥今天的寓言故事的寓意是： 
"不要太难适应，否则你可能不得不满足于最差的情况，或者什么都不满足。"

Life Lessons from Aesop's Fables

Episode 14: The Heron

Nordic countries are often said to be some of the happiest in the world — and they may be some of the most sustainable places to visit too.

If you're not sure what it means to travel sustainably, the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index may be able to help.

Now in its ninth year, it ranks places across the world based on things like destination management and environmental performance.

One hundred destinations were included in the 2024 index, with Helsinki in first place.

More than 50% of the Finnish capital's electricity is renewable, more than 30% of its buses are electric, and 49% of its waste is recycled.

Helsinki has also set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2030, and there are lots of green spaces around the city — almost 10,000 hectares per 100,000 people, according to Condé Nast Traveler.

Helsinki has previously ranked well in the GDS index, coming in fourth place in 2023, although this is the first time it's taken the top spot.

"Being named the world's most sustainable travel destination is proof of the long-term work that has been done in Helsinki," Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartiainen said.

The other cities in the GDS' top five for 2024 are also in Nordic countries, with Gothenburg in second place. The city, which is in the west of Sweden, ranked first in 2023.

Copenhagen, Denmark, ranked third, Norway's Bergen came in fourth, and another Danish city, Arthus, was in fifth place.

Most of the top 20 cities were in Europe, too, with the exception of Singapore in seventh place, Sydney, Australia, in 10th place, and Goyang, South Korea, in 16th place.


