Learn Mandarin from a short story.
You can also watch the video about this story here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO1RxSj8q30&t=15s

Learn Mandarin with Mandy

E02 小蝌蚪找妈妈【Little Tadpoles Looking for their mommy】

I read an article in Welsh and add my own comments. Great for shadowing, pronunciation practice, and listening practice. 

Welsh Wisdom

2: Aberystwyth Drwy Lens

⚡️🚗The person and the topic which we are going to talk today are very sensitive and controversial. They are Elon Musk and the Cross-Strait Relationship problem.
For those who want to comprehend the Chinese government system and have a look on what Musk said, and who want to have a conversation about Chinese politics, welcome to listen to this episode.
Welcome to contact me if you want to listen and read the transcription at the same time!

⚡️🚗今天我们要讨论的人和事，都非常敏感、有争议。就是伊隆马斯克跟两岸问题！
想要了解中国政府或看看马斯克说了什么言论，想要跟朋友聊聊中国政治，欢迎收听这一集播客。
如果你想边听边看逐字稿，可以DM我哦～Learn with Zhe

[00:00] introduction
[02:30] explanation
[08:57] discusion

生词：
設立/设立 set up, establish
其 his, her, its, their
不當/不当 improper
妄議/妄议 presumptuous comment
两岸/两岸both shores /cross-strait /Taiwan and mainland
来源：https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/ch/news/4680891


News with zhe

# 18马斯克建议设立台湾特别行政区

Escucha este podcast y aprende lo qué significa y cómo usar este refrán tan popular 

Expresiones idiomáticas en español 

"Mugre que no mata engorda" (Slang and listening)

"口" - kǒu

Meaning (字义)
Primary Meaning: The primary meaning of "口" is "mouth."
For example: 
她张开口唱了一首美妙的歌。 (Tā zhāng kāi kǒu chàng le yī shǒu měi miào de gē.)
 She opened her mouth and sang a beautiful song.

Extended Meanings: It can also refer to anything that resembles a mouth, such as an opening, entrance, or a measure word for people in a household.

Usage (用法)

The character "口" is used in various contexts in the Chinese language, including as a radical in other characters, in compound words, and in idiomatic expressions.

As a Radical:
    "口" is a common radical in Chinese characters, often related to speech or the mouth, such as "吃" (chī, to eat) and "唱" (chàng, to sing).

Measure Word: 
"口" is used as a measure word for counting family members or things with openings.

例如：
一家四口。 (Yì jiā sì kǒu 。) -A family of four.
两口井。 (Liǎng kǒu jǐng .) -Two wells

In Compound Words:

口语 (kǒu yǔ): Spoken language
 For example: 
他学习汉语口语非常努力。 (Tā xuéxí Hànyǔ kǒuyǔ fēicháng nǔlì.)
 He studies spoken Chinese very diligently.

人口 (rén kǒu): Population
For example: 
这个城市的人口超过了一百万。 (Zhège chéngshì de rénkǒu chāoguò le yī bǎi wàn.)
The population of this city exceeds one million.

出口 (chū kǒu): Exit or export
For example:
请从出口离开。 (Qǐng cóng chūkǒu líkāi.)
Please exit through the exit.

Idiomatic Expressions:
心口如一 (xīn kǒu rú yī): (literal: heart and mouth as one) 

Epitomizes honesty and integrity. It describes a person who expresses their true thoughts and feelings without deception, earning the trust and respect of others.

For example:
他是个心口如一的人。 (Tā shì gè xīn kǒu rú yī de rén.)
He is a person who says what he thinks .

口是心非 (kǒu shì xīn fēi):  (literal: mouth is, heart isn't)
it is an idiom used to describe people who are insincere or deceitful, saying one thing while meaning another. 

For example:
她总是口是心非，让人难以信任。(Tā zǒng shì kǒu shì xīn fēi, ràng rén nán yǐ xìnrèn.)
She always says one thing but means another, making it hard to trust her.

每日一字

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 

今日（きょう）は「みんなの日本語(にほんご)」Lesson 8です。
日本語（にほんご）の勉強（べんきょう）はたのしいですか。いいですね。

にほんのおかしはおいしいです。　　　Japanese snack and sweets are delicious.
どらやきはおいしいです。Dorayaki is delicious.
どらやきはやすいです。Dorayaki is cheap.
どらやきはあまいです。Dorayaki is sweet.
どらやき、わかりますか。にほんのわがしです。Do you know Dorayaki. It’s Japanese sweet.

スミスさんはげんきです。Mr.Smith is fine. 
スミスさんはハンサムです。Mr.Smith is hansom.
私の夫はハンサムじゃありません。My husband is not hansom.
私の夫は忙しいです。My husband is busy.
彼は、暇じゃありません。My husband doesn’t have any free times. 
マットさんの彼女はきれいです。Mr. Matt’s girlfriend is beautiful.
沖縄の海はきれいです。Okinawa’s sea is beautiful.
わたしの部屋はきれいじゃありません。My room is not beautiful. (Not tidy up) 
東京（とうきょう）は有名（ゆうめい）な場所（ばしょ）です。 Tokyo is a famous place.
わたしの町（まち）は有名じゃありません。My town is not famous place.


のぞみ先生（せんせい）は、どんな先生ですか。What kind of teacher is Nozomi Sensei?
おもしろい先生です。She is an interesting teacher.
かわいい先生です。She is a cute teacher.
いい先生です。 She is a good teacher.
やさしい先生です。She is a kind teacher.
日本語はどうですか。How is your Japanese?
日本語はむずかしいです。 It is difficult.
やさしくないです。 It's not easy.
かんたんじゃないです。It’s not easy.
日本語の勉強はたのしいですか。 Do you enjoy your studying Japanese?
はい、たのしいです。Yes, I do. It’s interesting.
つまらなくないです。It’s not boring. 

いいですね、日本語の勉強はたのしいですね。Yes! It is fun to study Japanese. 



にほんごのれんしゅう

みんなのにほんご　Lesson 8

46% of US Teens Use the Internet 'Almost Constantly'
We know that teenagers spend a lot of time online, but the Pew Research Center has been finding out a little more about what some of them are doing.

A survey of more than 1,300 young people in the US, aged between 13 and 17, found that 97% use the internet every day. And 46% said they use it "almost constantly" — an increase from 24% in 2014 and 2015.

The new survey, done in April and May 2022, also found that YouTube is now the most popular app among teens, with 95% using the video site, and 19% saying they are on it "almost constantly."

TikTok is the next most popular app, with 67% saying they use it.

Things have changed over the years, however: in Pew's 2014 and 2015 survey, Facebook was the most popular site among teens, with 71% saying they used it. But that fell to just 32% in the 2022 survey.

Twitter has also become less popular — 23% of teenagers say they now use it, down from 33% seven years ago.

There are some differences between the way boys and girls spend their time online.

Pew said that boys are more likely to be on YouTube, Twitch and Reddit, while girls are more likely to use TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.

It has never been easier for young people to use these sites and apps — 95% of teens said they have a smartphone, while 90% have access to a computer.