Have 5-10 minutes and want to improve your German? Check out these little bite-sized nuggets of Deutschunterricht :)

German Gems - Mini-Lektionen und Meditationen auf Deutsch

“这倒叫我有点紧张…我打不出哈欠来了…”小王子红着脸说。
"That frightens me... I cannot, any more..." murmured the little prince, now completely abashed.
“嗯！嗯！”国王回答道：“那么我…命令你忽而打哈欠，忽而…”
"Hum! Hum!" replied the king. "Then I – I order you sometimes to yawn and sometimes to–"
他嘟嘟囔囔，显出有点恼怒。
He sputtered a little, and seemed vexed.
因为国王所要求的主要是保持他的威严受到尊敬。
For what the king fundamentally insisted upon was that his authority should be respected.
他不能容忍不听他的命令。
He tolerated no disobedience.
他是一位绝对的君主。
He was an absolute monarch.
可是，他却很善良，他下的命令都是有理智的。

But, because he was a very good man, he made his orders reasonable.
“如果我命令一个将军,”他会说,举个例子,“如果我命令一个将军改变自己变成一个海鸟,”
"If I ordered a general," he would say, by way of example, "if I ordered a general to change himself into a sea bird,"
而这位将军不服从我的命令，那么这就不是将军的过错，而是我的过错。”
and if the general did not obey me, that would not be the fault of the general. It would be my fault.
小王子腼腆地试探道：“我可以坐下吗？”
"May I sit down?" came now a timid inquiry from the little prince.
“我命令你坐下。”国王一边回答，一边庄重地把他那白底黑花皮袍大襟挪动了一下。
"I order you to do so," the king answered him, and majestically gathered in a fold of his ermine mantle.
可是小王子感到很奇怪。
But the little prince was wondering...
这么小的行星，国王他对什么进行统治呢？
The planet was tiny. Over what could this king really rule?
他对国王说：“陛下…请原谅，我想问您…”
"Sire," he said to him, "I beg that you will excuse my asking you a question..."
国王急忙抢着说道：“我命令你问我。”
"I order you to ask me a question," the king hastened to assure him.
陛下…你统治什么呢？
Sire–over what do you rule?
国王非常简单明了地说：“我统治一切。”
"Over everything," said the king, with magnificent simplicity.
一切？
Over everything?
国王轻轻地用手指着他的行星和其他的行星，以及所有的星星。
The king made a gesture, which took in his planet, the other planets, and all the stars.
小王子说：“统治这一切？”
"Over all that?" asked the little prince.
“统治这一切。”国王回答。
"Over all that," the king answered.
原来他不仅是一个绝对的君主，而且是整个宇宙的君主。
For his rule was not only absolute: it was also universal.
那么，星星都服从您吗？
And the stars obey you?
“那当然！”国王对他说，“它们立即就得服从。我是不允许无纪律的。”


小王子-The Little Prince-Read in Chinese

小王子第24章：君主至上

Why are Argentinians so passionate about football? Why is it so popular?
In this episode of Your Spanish Journey, I'm going to have an interview with a football fan to answer these questions and talk about the most popular sport in our country. 

Your Spanish Journey

Customs and traditions from Argentina and Latin America. TODAY: EL FÚTBOL

친구와 시장에 갔어요
저는 친구와 시장에 갔어요. 시장에는 사람이 많았어요. 우리는 과일을 샀어요. 사과와 배를 골랐어요. 사과는 빨갛고 배는 노랗고 많이 컸어요.

우리는 떡볶이도 먹었어요. 떡볶이는 조금 매웠지만 맛있었어요. 옆 가게에서 호떡도 팔았어요. 호떡은 달콤하고 따뜻했어요. 우리는 호떡도 하나씩 먹었어요.

시장에서 할머니가 예쁜 가방을 팔았어요. 저는 가방을 구경했어요. 파란색 가방이 마음에 들었어요. 저는 할머니에게 가격을 물어봤어요. 할머니는 친절하게 대답해 주셨어요.

시장은 재미있고 신났어요. 친구와 함께 가서 더 즐거웠어요. 다음에도 또 시장에 가고 싶어요!

한국의 문화

한국어 토픽1 듣기 " 친구와 시장에 갔어요"

There's an old English saying that goes: "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

But according to a recent study, "late to bed and late to rise" may actually be better for your brain — though researchers didn't check if it does anything for your health or your wallet.

A study published in BMJ Public Health looked at data from nearly 27,000 people who reported how long they slept, and whether they were a "morning lark" — someone who wakes up early — or a "night owl," who sleeps late.

The participants, aged between 53 and 86, also did cognitive tests that checked their reasoning, memory, and how quickly they could process information.

It was found that night owls performed best on the cognitive tests — ahead of those who described themselves as neither morning people nor night people. And morning larks had the lowest cognitive scores of all.

People's bodies have times when they naturally prefer to sleep. And Raha West of Imperial College London, the study's lead author, said that while it's possible to gradually shift your sleeping times, it's very difficult to completely change from a morning person to a night person.

However, she also said the results just show the trend, and not the truth for every individual.

The authors also noted that their results, which focused on older adults, contrasted with past research on adolescents, which found that young morning larks actually had better health and better mental well-being.

Speaking to The Guardian, Jacqui-Ann Hanley of Alzheimer’s Research UK, who wasn't involved with the study, also said it isn't clear if being a morning person leads to poorer cognitive results in older adults, or if the weaker cognitive abilities that come with aging just make people get up earlier.

The study also found that people generally got better cognitive scores if they reported sleeping between seven and nine hours each night.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

'Night Owls' May Have Better Brains

En este episodio se habla de diferentes aspectos e ideas relacionados con el aprendizaje de español.

Practicar español con Mar

Consejos para aprender español

第7课  你家离公司远吗

一、听力  第一部分
1.这是我们的新教室。
2.我正在去机场的路上呢。
3.我每天早上六点就去跑步了。
4.我家离公司很远，所以要坐公共汽车去公司。 
5.大夫正给他看病呢。

第二部分
6. 男：大卫回来了吗？ 
女：没有，他还在教室学习呢。
7. 男：你家离学校远吗？ 
女：很远，坐公共汽车要一个多小时呢。
8. 男：今天晚上一起吃饭吧。给你过生日。 
女：好吧，七点半怎么样？
9. 女：在床上看书对眼睛不好。
男：知道了，再看一会儿就睡觉。
10. 男：快起床吧。八点了。
女：没关系，我再休息十分钟。

第三部分
11. 男：大卫睡觉了吗？
女：他还没睡觉呢，他明天有考试。
   问：大卫在做什么？
12. 男：你到机场了没有？
女：我现在在去机场的路上呢，二十分钟后就到。
   问：女的想去哪儿？
13. 男：你家离公司远吗？
女：我家离公司很远，我每天坐公共汽车去，要一个多小时呢。
问：女的每天怎么去公司？
14. 男：今天是你的生日吧？
女：今天是二月七号，离我的生日还有一个星期呢。
问：女的的生日是几号？
15. 男：中午我们一起吃饭吧。
   女：好。我家前面有一个饭馆，走几分钟就到了。
问：女的家离饭馆远吗？

hsk2  第7课  你家离公司远吗

Forget bullet points and dry statistics. Capturing attention and sparking action requires a different approach: storytelling.  Effective communication transforms you from an information provider into a captivating storyteller, weaving a narrative that resonates with your audience.

Why Stories?

Humans are wired for stories. They tap into emotions, create a sense of connection, and make information more memorable.  A well-crafted story in a business presentation can:

Illustrate complex concepts: Imagine explaining a new marketing strategy. By weaving a story about a customer's journey, you make the strategy relatable and engaging.
Highlight challenges and solutions: Business is full of obstacles. Share a story about overcoming a past hurdle, showcasing your problem-solving expertise.
Inspire and motivate: The most powerful stories evoke emotions and ignite action. Use a story of a customer's success to inspire others to do the same.

Identify the Hero: Every story needs a hero. In a business context, the hero could be your customer, your team, or even your company itself.
Define the Obstacle: What challenges does the hero face? This could be a market disruption, a competitor's strategy, or an internal obstacle to overcome.
Showcase the Journey: How does the hero overcome the obstacles? This is where you highlight your product, service, or strategy in action.
Deliver a Satisfying Resolution: What is the positive outcome of the story? Did the hero achieve their goal? Leave your audience with a sense of accomplishment and hope.
Storytelling in Action:

Imagine pitching your innovative new software to potential investors. Instead of a dry presentation full of technical jargon, weave a story about a struggling small business frustrated with outdated software.  Highlight how your product transformed their operations, leading to increased efficiency and growth.  This narrative approach connects on an emotional level, making your pitch more memorable and impactful.

