In this episode I cover a perennial question "How do I improve my English skill"?

Teacher Stan's musings

10.000 hours rule

A Han Chinese's name is generally composed of the surname and the given name.

Knowing Everything About Chinese Cultrue

1A Han Chinese's name

Escucha el diálogo de una camarera con un cliente en la cafetería. 
Cliente: Buenas tardes. Me preguntaba si podría tomar una taza de café aquí.
Camarera: Sí. ¿Qué sabor le gustaría pedir, señor?
Cliente: ¿Cuántos sabores hay disponibles en este momento?
Mesero: Bueno, tenemos Expresso, Cappuccino, Macchiato, Café Turco y Long Black. También ofrecemos café descafeinado a nuestros clientes.
Cliente: Quiero dos tazas de expreso descafeinado con poca grasa, crema batida y poca azúcar.
Camarero: Está bien. ¿Sería eso todo, señor?
Cliente: Sí. ¡Una cosa más! Por favor traiga el café después de 15 minutos ya que estoy esperando a un amigo aquí. Mientras tanto, tráigame un vaso de agua.

Client: Good afternoon. I was wondering if I could have a cup of coffee here.
Waitress: Yes. What flavor would you like to order, sir?
Customer: How many flavors are available right now?
Waiter: Well, we have Expresso, Cappuccino, Macchiato, Turkish Coffee and Long Black. We also offer decaffeinated coffee to our customers.
Customer: I want two cups of low-fat decaf espresso, whipped cream, and little sugar.
Waiter: It's okay. Would that be all, sir?
Client: Yes. One more thing! Please bring the coffee after 15 minutes as I am waiting for a friend here. In the meantime, bring me a glass of water.

Puro Español con Andy 

En la Cafetería 

yǒu yì tiān lǎo hǔ zhènɡ zài mào mì de sēn lín li zhǎo chī de。 
有一天老虎正在茂密的森林里找吃的。
yì zhī hú li cónɡ lǎo hǔ shēn biān zǒu ɡuò。 
一只狐狸从老虎身边走过。
lǎo hǔ zhuā zhù le hú li，yào bǎ tā chī diào。 
老虎抓住了狐狸，要把它吃掉。
hú li zhuàn le zhuàn yǎn zhū，duì lǎo hǔ shuō： 
狐狸转了转眼珠，对老虎说：
“wǒ shì tiān dì pài dào sēn lín li zuò shòu wánɡ de， 
“我是天帝派到森林里做兽王的，
nǐ chī le wǒ，jiù shì wéi kànɡ le tiān dì de mìnɡ lìnɡ。” 
你吃了我，就是违抗了天帝的命令。”
lǎo hǔ bú dà xiānɡ xìn hú li de huà，xīn xiǎnɡ， 
老虎不大相信狐狸的话，心想，
hú li zhè me shòu xiǎo，zěn me huì dānɡ shòu wánɡ ne？ 
狐狸这么瘦小，怎么会当兽王呢？
hú li jiàn lǎo hǔ bú xìn，lěnɡ xiào yì shēnɡ shuō： 
狐狸见老虎不信，冷笑一声说：
“nǐ bú xìn mɑ？nà jiù qǐnɡ nǐ ɡēn wǒ dào lín zi li qù， 
“你不信吗？那就请你跟我到林子里去，
wǒ zǒu zài qián miàn，nǐ ɡēn zài hòu miàn， 
我走在前面，你跟在后面，
kàn nà xiē yě shòu nǎ ɡe jiàn wǒ ɡǎn bù táo pǎo de！” 
看那些野兽哪个见我敢不逃跑的！”
hú li hé lǎo hǔ lái dào le lín zi li， 
狐狸和老虎来到了林子里，
hú li dà mú dà yànɡ de zǒu zài qián miàn， 
狐狸大模大样地走在前面，
lǎo hǔ nù mù yuán zhēnɡ de ɡēn zhe hòu miàn。 
老虎怒目圆睁地跟着后面。　　
sēn lín li de yě shòu kàn jiàn hú li shén qì shí zú de zǒu ɡuò lái， 
森林里的野兽看见狐狸神气十足地走过来，
hěn shì nà mèn。 
很是纳闷。
tā men zài wǎnɡ hòu yí kàn， 
它们再往后一看，
yuán lái hòu miàn ɡēn zhe yì zhī zhānɡ yá wǔ zhǎo de lǎo hǔ。 
原来后面跟着一只张牙舞爪的老虎。
yě shòu men xià de ɡǎn kuài táo mìnɡ。 
野兽们吓得赶快逃命。
lǎo hǔ kàn dào zhè，xīn xiǎnɡ， 
老虎看到这，心想，
yě shòu men jiàn dào hú li xià de sì chù táo pǎo，  
野兽们见到狐狸吓得四处逃跑，
tā ɡuǒ zhēn shì shòu wánɡ ɑ！ 
它果真是兽王啊！
yú shì，lǎo hǔ jiù bǎ hú li fànɡ zǒu le。
于是，老虎就把狐狸放走了。

CHINESE STORY中文故事

狐假虎威

Hoy viajaremos a Roma, la capital de Italia; conociendo su cultura, arquitectura e historia. 

Viajando con Facundo

Todos los caminos llevan a Roma

Dear listeners, students, and friends. I am glad to introduce you to the second episode of my Lithuanian podcast for non-native speakers. 

In today's episode, you will learn more about one of my favorite Lithuanian celebrations - Užgavėnės. In 2024, Užgavėnės is going to be celebrated on the 13th of February, so I encourage you to learn a bit more about it's traditions, meaning and significance.

I suggest turning on the subtitles for a more comfortable listening experience. Install Language Reactor to translate the Lithuanian titles into your native language.

Also, if you wish to receive the full transcript of this episode, please head to my Contribee. There you will find all the podcast's transcripts, longer format Lithuanian with Paulius recordings and more.

🐝 Become a Contribee: https://contribee.com/lithuanianwithpaulius

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to follow and subscribe for future videos! Cheers.

Lithuanian with Paulius

#2 - Užgavėnės: The Most Exciting Lithuanian Winter Festival

In today's episode we're going to learn the expression "Benefit of the doubt"

Wyn's Way to English

Wyn's Way to English - "Benefit of the doubt"

•1回目,2回目　いつ？どこ？
•日本のマンスリーマンションと
WiFiルーターについて
•コンビニで知らない人に焼き鳥をもらった話
•「いらっしゃいませ」と言われて「いらっしゃいませと」と言い返した話
•音楽ライブ鑑賞
•日本のアイドル文化について
•浅草あたり、下町について
•仙台、福島旅行について
•家の近くの弁当屋
•多摩川の散歩
•中野ブロードウェイについて
•横浜の焼き小籠包について
•歌舞伎の映画館、新ゴジラについて
•コンビニの「ザ•カルボナーラ」について
•東京郊外について
•三ツ矢サイダー
•日本のカレー
•日本のインドのカレー屋

SAMURAI BROADCAST　侍放送

Vol.27　トニーさんの日本旅行、滞在について

If you see someone sitting alone in a restaurant, you might assume they're waiting for someone, or perhaps they're grabbing a quick lunch on their break.

But more and more people around the world are purposely dining alone.

Japan has a special word for this: ohitorisama, which refers to people confidently doing things alone without worrying about what others think.

A recent survey found that 23% of Japanese people eat out alone, up from 18% in 2018. And in the US, solo dining reservations have risen 29% over the last two years, according to restaurant reservation site OpenTable.

OpenTable CEO Debby Soo thinks remote work is one reason for the increase, with people looking for a break from their home offices.

The increasing popularity in solo dining comes as more people are living alone. In 2019, the Pew Research Center found that 38% of US adults ages 25 to 54 were living without a partner, up from 29% in 1990. In Japan, single households now make up one-third of the total; that’s expected to increase to 40% by 2040, according to government data.

Growing interest in solo travel — particularly among travelers ages 55 and over — is also leading to more meals alone.

But Soo thinks there could be more to it than that.

"I think there's a broader movement of self-love and self-care and really … enjoying your own company," Soo said.

As a result, many restaurants are redoing their seating, changing their menus and adding other special touches to appeal to solo diners.

But some aren't always happy to seat one diner. A Michelin-starred London restaurant caused a stir last year when it started charging solo diners the same price as two customers. The restaurant, which has 34 seats, offers an eight-course menu costing about $280 per person.

Other restaurants say it's worth seating one person because solo diners will often come back and eat there again.