Wind down your day and relax with a dose of Italian. Listen to a soothing voice with a background of live tropical nocturnal sounds.

Bedside Italian

MARGARET: Mr. Wilson, I’d like you to meet 
Dr. Edward Smith.
MR. WILSON: It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Smith.
DR. SMITH: Pleasure to meet you, too.
MARGARET: Dr. Smith is an economist. He just finished
writing a book on international trade.
MR. WILSON: Oh? That’s my field, too. I work for the 
United Nations.
DR. SMITH: In the Development Program, by any chance?
MR. WILSON: Yes. How did you guess?
DR. SMITH: I’ve read your articles on technical assistance. 
They’re excellent

LANGUAGE NOTES
• Mr. Wilson, I’d like you … Notice the rising intonation on “Mr. Wilson,” which is used 
to address someone. Listen for the “d” in “I’d like.” This means I would like, which is 
very different from I like. (“I’d like” means the same as “I would like” or “I want.”)
• Dr. Smith is an economist. Notice the stress on “economist.” This content word has 
new information, so it is emphasized. There are four syllables in “economist,” with the 
stress on the second syllable (e-CON-o-mist).
• He just finished writing … “just” means the very recent past. “Just” is usually used 
with a simple past verb because the action is complete. However, it can also be used 
with the present perfect (He’s just finished writing …).
• Development program. Since these two words make a compound noun, the main 
stress falls on “development.”
• By any chance? Means the same as “possibly.” Notice the rising intonation, which is 
used in yes/no questions to confirm that something is true.

English Conversation practice (30-day challenge)

Day3: Formal Introduction in English

The new words and texts of HSK1-6 I can speak Chinese.

蒙蒙读HSK

HSK1-6 我会说汉语

Il cadavere della signora Luani viene scoperto nel suo appartamento: intorno a lei, per proteggerlo, si sono schierati cento gatti neri, tutti di proprietà della defunta. Vicino al corpo viene anche ritrovato un anello unisex con un simbolo celtico. Chi è l'assassino? E a chi appartiene l'anello? Il proprietario dell'anello è anche l'assassino della signora Luani? A questi interrogativi dovrà rispondere il sagace Ispettore Malvisi.

Se io fossi Sherlock Holmes

Il caso della donna dai cento gatti neri

Today’s Whiteboard きょうのホワイトボード

https://www.azumiism.com/category/podcast/

🔗Japanese cedar pollen hay fever season begins in Tokyo

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10013487011000/k10013487011000.html

🔗 Japanese cedar pollen hay fever season begins in Tokyo

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220218/p2a/00m/0na/002000c#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20statement%2C%20pollen,days%20later%20than%20in%202021.

いっしょにNHK News Web Easyを読もう📢Reading News Articles

Japanese cedar pollen hay fever season begins in Tokyo

生龙活虎[shēng lóng huó hǔ]：lively/dragon/active/tiger
The image of a dragon and a tiger full of vigor and vitality is used to describe someone who is full of energy and vitality, with a strong sense of life.
比喻 bǐ yù：allegory;comparison;metaphor;figure of speech
生气 shēng qì：vitality
蛟龙 jiāo lóng：mythical flood dragon
猛虎 měng hǔ：fierce tiger
精力 jīng lì：energy
旺盛 wàng shèng：vigorous
选手 xuǎn shǒu：player;competitor
成绩 chéng jì：result; achievement; score



“龙”年中国话（“ lóng ” nián zhōng guó huà）

生龙活虎

This episode is about the "Miracle" garden, the biggest in the world. 
Have you visited before? If yes, what did you think of it? 
Share in the comments!

5-minute English Tea Time

ep5. A Bouquet of 150 Million Flowers

Today’s episode is “こうもり の ともだち？（kōmori no tomodachi?）”《Who is the bat's friend?》.
This is from Aesop's Fables.
This episode is JLPT-N5 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words☆
こうもり（kōmori）：bat
森（もり / mori）：forest
鳥（とり / tori）：birds
動物（どうぶつ / dōbutsu）：animals
けんかをする（kenka o suru）：get in a fight 
言う（iu）：say
空（そら / sora）：sky
飛ぶ（とぶ / tobu）：fly
牙（きば / kiba）：fang, tusk
爪（つめ / tsume）：nail
強い（つよい / tsuyoi）：strong
弱い（よわい / yowai）：weak
王様（おうさま / ōsama）：king
翼（つばさ / tsubasa）：wing
暗い（くらい / kurai）：dark
洞窟（どうくつ / dōkutsu）：cave

☆Grammar☆
・～ことができます（～koto ga dekimasu）：can ～
・～たら（～tara）：if ～

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

☆Quiz for this episode
https://www.italki.com/quiz/set/7550?utm_source=copylink_share&utm_medium=share_content&utm_campaign=share_quiz

Simple Japanese Listening with Meg（めぐ）Smile

#34 Short story / こうもりの ともだち？《Who is the bat's friend?》/ Aesop's Fables  // N5 Level / Japanese listening

Do you get tired in the afternoon? Experts say that's normal. The body has a natural rhythm that includes two drowsy periods every 24 hours, one at night and another between about 2 and 4 p.m.

So why not take a nap?

Experts say that taking a nap for less than 30 minutes — a so-called "power nap" — allows the brain to rest in a way that makes you more alert when you wake up. Research has also shown other benefits.

"We know it's an easy, helpful way to quickly boost your alertness, your concentration, your productivity, your creativity and your mood." says James Maas, who spent 48 years studying sleep as a Cornell University professor.

However, people shouldn't nap for too long, as they will fall into a deeper sleep, which is harder to wake up from.

Shorter naps are helpful for alertness and memory, says Sara Mednick, a sleep researcher at University of California-Irvine. Her research has found that naps work better than caffeine to improve brain function.

For a good nap, find a quiet, dark and cool space and set an alarm for 15 or 20 minutes.

Even if you feel like you haven't slept, you still get benefits, Mednick said. People often don't feel like they are asleep until they have reached a deeper sleep.

Short naps don't interfere with nighttime sleep, as long as they're not too late in the day. Try to take a nap at the same time every day, around 6 or 7 hours after waking up.

The only people who should avoid napping are those who have trouble sleeping at night, Maas says. Older people should be careful because they tend to nap for too long during the day.

And if you don't like napping? Research has shown that napping is not for everyone. And Mednick's advice for people who really don't like to nap is: "Listen to your body."