In our second episode, we discuss the communication between different cultures. A second way of categorising cultures is based on how they see the time. In this instance, we talk about monochronic and polychronic cultures.

The Age of Humans

Episode 2: Monochronic and Polychronic Cultures

标准汉语会话360句 book1-4 Standard Chinese conversation 360 sentences

今天天气真热。

🧠 Confidence & Communication — What’s the real connection?

If you’re a non-native English-speaking manager, you’ve likely felt it:

👉 You know what you want to say…
But in the moment, the words vanish. Doubt creeps in. Confidence slips away.

The truth is — language and confidence are deeply connected.
How you feel when you speak matters just as much as the words you choose.

Try this 1-minute confidence reset before your next meeting:

✨ Close your eyes
✨ Inhale slowly (4 seconds)
✨ Hold (4 seconds)
✨ Exhale gently (6 seconds)
✨ Repeat 3 times

Then say quietly to yourself:
💬 “My voice matters. I speak with clarity.”

🌿 Confidence doesn’t mean speaking perfectly. It means showing up — grounded, clear, and present.

If you’re ready to feel more confident in your communication, I’d love to help.

📩 DM me anytime — let’s build that confidence together.

#BusinessEnglish #ConfidenceAtWork #LeadershipCommunication #MindfulCommunication #NonNativeSpeaker #PublicSpeaking #ExecutivePresence #SoftSkillsMatter #SpeakWithConfidence #CareerGrowth

Job Interview Preparation | Build Strong Communication Under Pressure

🧠 Confidence & Communication — What’s the real connection?

Bonjour! Ceci est une petite histoire sur le plat le plus célèbre de la cuisine russe. J’utilise la méthode TPRS comme d’habitude. 

Привет! Из этой короткой истории вы узнаете о самом известном блюде русской кухни. Я использую предложный и творительный падежи. 
Сегодня в обед Катя встретилась с подругой в кафе «БлиннОФФ». Это популярное кафе русской кухни. Здесь всё в русском стиле: интерьер, посуда и еда. Повар готовит очень вкусные блины. Можно выбрать любую начинку – экзотическую или традиционную, сладкую или солёную. Подруга взяла стакан апельсинового сока и блин с мёдом. Катя взяла чашку кофе и блин с сёмгой.  Во время обеда подруги говорили обо всём: о работе, о планах на отпуск,  о хобби и, конечно, о любви.  

Vocabulaire
встречаться/встретиться в обед - se rencontre au déjeuner
выбирать/выбрать - choisir
посуда - vaisselle
еда - la nourriture
повар - cuisinière 
готовить - préparer
блины – les crêpes 
начинка – garniture
сладкий/солёный – sucré / salé
брать/взять - prendre
стакан сока - un verre de jus
чашка кофе - une tasse de café
мёд - miel
сёмга - saumon

По-русски легко!

Короткие истории. 12. Кафе ««БлиннОФФ».

[ — Audio description, listen and read along for greater understanding. — ]
Oi! Meu nome é João.
Eu trabalho em um supermercado. Eu sou caixa.
Eu começo a trabalhar às 8 da manhã. Eu termino às 5 da tarde.
Eu gosto do meu trabalho. Eu vejo muitas pessoas.
Meus colegas são legais. Nós trabalhamos juntos. Nós deixamos o supermercado limpo e arrumado.
Ao meio-dia, eu almoço. Eu como um sanduíche e uma fruta.
No fim do dia, eu estou cansado, mas feliz. Eu gosto de ler livros e andar no parque no meu tempo livre.

PORTUREAD - Listen to small texts and conversations samples in portuguese!

Meu trabalho — SMALL TEXT A2-B2 LEVEL.

As a general rule we spend time on continuous verbs. For instance, "I like to spend time improving my English". We can also devote time to things, commit time to things, set aside time for things, and earmark time for things.

DAILY Business English VOCABULARY builder

I hope you don't spend your time like this!

Why using "I'm afraid" is better than saying, "I'm sorry" when giving bad news.

The English Toolbox

"I'm Afraid"

The European Union (EU) has encouraged citizens across the continent to stockpile food, water and other essentials to last at least 72 hours as war, cyberattacks, climate change and disease increase the chances of a crisis.

The call to action for the EU's 450 million citizens comes as the 27-nation bloc rethinks its security, especially after Donald Trump's US administration warned that Europe must take more responsibility for it.

In recent years, the EU has been forced to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, and the threat from Russia, including its attempts to exploit Europe's dependence on its natural gas to weaken support for Ukraine.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has warned that Russia could be capable of launching another attack in Europe by 2030.

"Today's threats facing Europe are more complex than ever, and they are all interconnected," said Preparedness and Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib as she shared a new strategy for dealing with future disasters.

While the commission is keen not to be seen as alarmist, Lahbib said it's important "to make sure people have essential supplies for at least 72 hours in a crisis." She listed food, water, flashlights, ID papers, medicine and radios as things to stock.

Lahbib said the EU should build up a "strategic reserve" and stockpile other critical resources including firefighting planes; medical, energy and transport equipment; and specialized assets against chemical, biological and nuclear threats.

The EU's plans are similar to those in France, Finland and Sweden.

Last year, Sweden updated its civil emergency advice "to better reflect today's security policy reality" such as what to do in case of nuclear attack.

Not all EU countries have the same level of crisis preparedness, and the commission also wants to encourage them to coordinate better in case of emergency.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: "New realities require a new level of preparedness in Europe."



Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

EU Asks People to Gather Supplies in Case of Crisis

Books are there to give you concepts and sentence structures, as well as ideas but I always caution students that overdoing textbook English will make you sound robotic during a normal conversation. You can memorize all the advanced vocabulary but when you talk to people in a social setting, it is a different matter. You will sound like someone reading something.