In diesem Podcast lese ich die Märchen der Gebrüder Grimm in vereinfachter Version vor. Es gibt viele bekannte Märchen aber auch Märchen die, außerhalb Deutschlands, nicht sehr bekannt sind.

Grimms Märchen / Grimm's Fairytales

In this episode we take a closer look at Chapter 7 of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

The following vocabulary is highlighted in this podcast episode: 

abruptly (adv.) – suddenly
naïve (adj.) – innocent; lacking experience
reassure (v.) – to make less worried or fearful; to comfort
unique (adj.) – one of a kind
sobbing (v.) – to be crying

Thank you for listening! Next time, we’ll have a look at Chapter 8. Until then, may you find beauty in the simple wonders around you, just like our Little Prince.

Book Club: The Little Prince

Let's Explore the Little Prince: Chapter 7

Giant Dreams Midget Abilities by David Sedaris read by Teacher Alyse
Read and follow along. Send me a message for your free pdf copy of this story. 

"WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING YOUR GUITAR, MAKE BELIEVE YOU'RE PLAYING AN ACTUAL WOMAN," MISTER MANCINI TOLD ME. "GRAB HER BY THE NECK AND MAKE HER HOLLER."

My father loves jazz and has an extensive collection of records and reel-to-reel tapes he used to enjoy after returning home from work. He might have entered the house in a foul mood, but once he had his Dexter Gordon and a vodka martini, the stress melted away and everything was "Beautiful, baby, just beautiful." The instant the needle hit that record, he'd loosen his tie and become something other than the conservative engineer with a pocketful of IBM pencils embossed with the command think.

"Man, oh man, will you get a load of the chops on this guy? I saw him once at the Blue Note, and I mean to tell you that he blew me right out of my chair! A talent like that comes along only once in a lifetime. The guy was an absolute comet, and there I was in the front row. Can you imagine that?"

"Gee," I'd say. "I bet that was really interesting."

Empathy was the wrong tack, as it seemed only to irritate him.

"You don't know the half of it," my father would say. " 'Really interesting' my butt. You haven't got a clue. You could have taken a hatchet and cut the man's lips right off his face, chopped them off at the quick, and he still would have played better than anyone else out there. That's how good he was."

Because it was the music we'd grown up with, I liked to think that my sisters and I had a genuine appreciation for jazz. We preferred it over the music our friends were listening to, yet nothing we did or said could convince him of our devotion. Aside from replaying the tune on your own instrument, how could you prove you were really listening? It was as if he expected us to change color at the end of each selection.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk and other stories from David Sedaris ( Adult 18+) 

Giant Dreams Midget Abilities

En el episodio de hoy comento una de las obras del escritor español Federico García Lorca, La Casa de Bernarda Alba. En el episodio hago un resumen de la obra y menciono algunas de las características y símbolos que aparecen en ella.

Como siempre, espero que disfrutes el episodio, si lo haces, ¡no te olvides de dejarle una valoración!


Blanca to go 

157 – La casa de Bernarda Alba

The working world has changed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with new challenges for many employees and managers.

This year the focus of World Mental Health Day on October 10 is mental health in the workplace.

In the US, an estimated 1 million workers miss work every day because of job stress. And it's a similar situation in many countries around the world.

But there are lots of things we can do to help look after our mental health — and the mental health of our colleagues — when we're at work.

Experts from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have shared a few ideas, including simple things like saying "thank you" to others.

They also suggest practicing good "email etiquette." This means making your emails clear with an "accurate subject line," "concise summary" of what you're asking and a "clear timeline."

The mental health charity Mind says people should make sure they find time to take breaks. Many workers can take lunch breaks and perhaps other small breaks during the day and even a short time away from the desk can help you to feel a little better.

According to Harvard Business Review, managers need to understand that "work is about people, and people are messy and difficult."

This means understanding that employees all have their own challenges.

The first thing that managers can do, says psychologist Emily Anhalt, is show that they care about mental health in the workplace.

Making a difference to employees' mental health is not "a quick and easy thing," she said. It's a long journey — that might start on October 10, but it will need to last for years.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Tips for Workplace Health on World Mental Health Day

What's your view on this topic? Are languages a useful subject for students at school?

Nick discusses both sides of this topic to help you with ideas for the IELTS test. 

IELTS with Nick - World Knowledge 

Should children learn languages at school?

I use HSK 2 vocabularies to tell you a famous Chinese story about snake. 

小白是白蛇bái shé (white snake)，有一天，小白喜欢了一个人，他的名字是许仙xǔ xiān，许仙在一个药店工作。许仙是一个很好很好的人， 她想许仙做她的男朋友。有一天下大雨，天气很冷，许仙回家的时候，看到了一个漂亮的女人，他问许仙能不能去他家喝一杯热茶，因为小白很漂亮，许仙喜欢小白，所以他说没问题。 小白去了许仙的家，他们一起喝茶吃饭，他们都很高兴。三个月后，许仙做了小白的男朋友，他们住在一起了。有一个人不喜欢小白，他叫法海，听说小白找了一个男朋友，法海很不高兴，因为他觉得蛇不能喜欢人。他去了许仙家，他告诉小白：小白不是人，许先生，你不能和她住在一起。 许仙说：我很喜欢小白，我要和小白一起住。 法海很不高兴。有一天，许仙给小白一杯酒，小白喝酒后想睡觉。许仙说：“你去睡觉吧。我要去工作了。” 小白去了房间睡觉。许仙工作后回家，他看见房间里有一条白蛇，许仙知道小白是一条白蛇，他很害怕 hài pà (afraid)，他病了。小白看见许仙病了，她去了天上的医院，拿了药回来给许仙吃。许仙吃了药，病就好了。虽然小白是蛇，但是小白是很好的蛇，许仙还很爱小白。一年后，小白和许仙有了一个孩子。法海听说了这件事，他很生气，因为人不能和蛇一起住，人也不能和蛇生孩子。他去了许仙家，带许仙去了他家。小白回家后找不到许仙，她知道法海带走了许仙。小白去了法海家找许仙，但是法海不让她见许仙，也不让她带许仙回家。小白有魔法 mó fǎ( magic ), 她让水进去法海的家，法海也有魔法 mó fǎ (magic), 他做了一个很高的墙 qiáng (wall), 不让水进去他家。小白的水没有进去法海的家，但是进去了法海家旁边的房子，这些房子里面有人。天上的人看见了，下来帮助法海，小白因为做错事，天上人不高兴，让她住在法海家的地下。法海让许仙去很远很远的地方，但是许仙很爱小白，所以他和儿子住在法海家的旁边。

Chinese Folktale - Graded listening material for HSK 2

the legend of white snake 白蛇传

Hur lär man sig svenska bäst? Har får du 12 tips. 


Prata Flytande Svenska/Speak Swedish Fluently  

12 Tips för att Lära sig Svenska

Mobile phones are everywhere these days. But should they be allowed in schools? Join Nick for a discussion about this topic today.