Our lives were different during the COVID lockdown of 2020. What will happen to our lives in the future?
Angela reads the basic text from this lesson, (transcript available when you take this lesson).

This topic is also available for intermediate and higher-level learners.


English with Angela -  conversation 

TASK 63 - AFTER THE PANDEMIC 

in this story we have hens and their gossiping . 
hope you enjoy it 

English stories

the feather 

【スクリプト】
こんにちは～！マルハバ！サウジの日本語の先生、佳子です＾＾
みなさんー！お元気ですかー？私は絶好調です！息子を送った後にちょっとランニングしたからでしょうか、体が軽い！私が住んでいる地域では最近、朝8時で27度くらいありますが、日差しがまだ弱いのでランニングできます！30度超えるとなかなか難しくなるので、朝涼しいうちに朝ランを楽しみたいと思います♪
今日はスーパーであったちょっとめんどくさい出来事から学んだことについて話したいと思います。1週間前にスーパーで自分の朝食用に「ココア＆ヘーゼルナッツスプレッド」を購入しました。スーパーに行く1週間以上前にいろんなスーパーのチラシ広告が見れるアプリで、どこかで見つけて気になっていました。その日スーパーでその商品の割引がありました。「ピーナッツバターの割引が最近あんまりなくて切れそうだし、ヌテラよりヘルシーそうだから買ってみるか」と思って、ほぼ衝動買いみたいな感じで買いました。帰宅して、夫に「新しいの試してみる？ココア＆ヘーゼルナッツだから、ヌテラよりヘルシーそうでしょ？」と伝えたら、「ヌテラと一緒だよ。ヌテラのほうが絶対美味しいよ。」と言われました。「食べたことないのになんでヌテラのほうが美味しいってわかるの？」と思いましたが、私はヌテラもほぼ同じ材料でできてるとは知らず、単にチョコレートスプレッドだと思っていました。そしてなぜか「ココア」と書かれているとヘルシーだと思い込んでいました。ヌテラは夫が息子の特別な時のために購入しました。もちろん、体に良くないことはわかっているので、月に数回しかあげません。ヌテラと同じなら買う意味がないと思い、返品することにしました。しかも、あとでチラシアプリを見たらほかの店のほうが安いことに気づきました。
今日スーパーに行くと、朝早かったからか、以前返品手続したサービスカウンターにスタッフがいない。商品を卸しているスタッフに「返品はどこでできる？」と聞くと、「うーん、レジかな？」というあいまいな返答が返ってきたので、とりあえず、レジですることに。レジのサウジ人の女性に「Return&Refund」と言って、レシートを付けた商品を渡しました。いつも購入の際は会員限定ディスカウントのために電話番号が聞かれます。彼女に電話番号を聞かれたあと、クレジットカード読み取り機を差し出されました。「ん？前は現金で返金されたんだけどな」と思い、「Refund by card?」と聞くと、「うん、うん」みたいな返答。半信半疑ながらもスキャンしました。でもレシートを見ると払った感じ。いったん外に出ましたが、やっぱりおかしいと思って、オフィスにいるスタッフに聞きました。私は今日また支払ったようでした。今日は特に買いたいものもなかったので、往復とスーパーの滞在時間を含め20分以上のロスでした。
今回の件で学んだこと①普段買わないものは事前によく確認してから購入する。そしてチラシアプリで値段比較。②手続きはいつもの場所と方法で。③念のために返金返品などお店のレジで使えるアラビア語を覚える。
たまにお店のレジには英語がわからない人もいるので、基本的なフレーズは話せたほうがいいですね。

それでは、今日のフレーズを確認しましょう～！
今日のフレーズは「衝動買い」です。「衝動買い」とは「買う予定がなかったものをその場の欲しいという気持ちだけでよく考えずに買ってしまうこと。」です。私は今回、ヌテラなどの類似商品との比較や他店との値段の比較をよくしないまま購入してしまいました。これからは気になったものは来店前に調べます♪

それではまた、マアッサラーマ！


Japanese with Yoshiko（スクリプト付）

第42回：失敗から学んだこと~What I learned from the mistake~

A lingua geral foi um termo utilizado pelos portugueses a partir do sec 17 para designar as línguas faladas por toda a população vinda do cruzamento de europeus e indígenas tupi-guarani. A LG amazônica, nasceu da miscigenação de pais de língua portuguesa e mães de língua Tupinambá, os filhos desenvolveram um própria idioma; a língua geral amazônica tornou-se a língua de comunicação falada do Brasil Colônia da região Norte do país. A LG amazônica permanece em alguns municípios da Amazônia, é conhecida como Nheengatu. De acordo com o IBGE há por volta de 10 mil falantes…Em 2006, o prefeito da cidade de SGC assinou um decreto que regulamentava e reconhecia essa língua e mais duas outras como oficiais da região… A LGA falada no sec 17 não é a mesma que a de hoje, nenhuma língua é homogênea, ela se modifica com o decorrer dos anos, adquirindo diversos dialetos de diferentes regiões por onde a língua se estabiliza. A LG guarani veio da população mestiça - entre pais, espanhóis ou portugueses e mães indígenas, da região Oeste do país que faz divisa com o Paraguai e a Argentina. 
Para continuar com a transcrição, me mande uma mensagem pedindo o link, obrigado

Brasileiríssimo

Língua Geral 

秧秧老师的中文课堂

Amanda: Hi Maria!
Maria: Oh, hi Amanda.
Amanda: You look a bit worried, are you all right?
Maria: I’m exhausted. Yesterday’s homework took me all evening. It’s probably going to double next year, isn’t it?
Amanda: Probably. My older brother has to write long essays for his English literature course. But we’ll have fewer subjects to study. Have you chosen your courses yet?
Maria: No, when’s the deadline?
Amanda: We have another month, but the school emailed us all the list the other day. I have it on my phone.
Maria: Ooh, let’s have a look, then.
Amanda: Here it is. Oh, look, the Spanish and biology timetables clash. I won’t be able to do both.
Maria: Would you do that, though? Languages and science don’t go together, do they?
Amanda: Well, you wouldn't think so, but actually, my aunt is a research scientist, and a lot of European universities work together on projects. She’s working on a project with a university in Rome, one in Germany, and one in Portugal.
Maria: Is it a biology project?
Amanda: No, she’s a chemist. They’re working on a solution to clean up deadly pollution in rivers and lakes.
Maria: That sounds so cool and really fascinating.
Amanda: It really is. She gets to visit colleagues in different cities sometimes, and she gets her work translated into lots of different languages. She wishes she had learned some German, though, so she could communicate better with her German research partners. She understands Portuguese and Italian, but German, not so much.
Maria: When did she learn Portuguese and Italian?
Amanda: I think she did some of her university degree in Lisbon and some in Rome.
Maria: Studying chemistry in different languages?
Amanda: Yes, she loved it!
Maria: So, you’re kind of following in her footsteps, then. Science and languages. You could be a biologist in Spain.
Amanda: Yep, or at least study there, or South America.
Maria: So, what are you going to do about the timetable clash?
Amanda: I think I’ll talk to the dean. 

English Conversation/Dialogue

Science For All

In the episode "How to Remember Any English Word," Teacher Smith emphasizes the importance of feeling confident while speaking English. They suggest that confidence is key to remembering words easily and provide a simple way to boost confidence instantly. Teacher Smith illustrates the concept by comparing it to rescuing a little girl from a pool, highlighting the idea that the value you bring to a conversation is more significant than any fear you may have.

The episode advises against focusing too much on fears, such as pronunciation or translating phrases, during conversations, as it can lead to forgetting words. Instead, Teacher Smith encourages listeners to focus on listening actively, as simply being present in a conversation is valuable. Additionally, they reassure listeners that making mistakes is natural, even for native speakers, and emphasize the importance of relaxing and letting speech flow naturally.

Overall, the episode offers two key points for speaking confidently: valuing participation in conversations and embracing imperfection. By prioritizing these principles, listeners can boost their confidence in speaking English.

LEARN BY LISTENING

HOW TO Remember ANY ENGLISH Word

Begin by explaining what cross-functional collaboration is. It involves working together across different departments or teams to achieve a common goal. Emphasize that it requires effective communication, flexibility, and an understanding of different perspectives and expertise.

Identify specific examples of cross functional projects or tasks where you’ve worked with people from different departments. 
Describe your role in these projects and the outcomes achieved by the cross-functional teams. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.

Cross-functional teams rely on communication. Discuss how you’ve effectively communicated with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
Share instances when you actively sought input from others, listened to their perspectives, and built consensus. Highlight your adaptability in adjusting your communication style to suit different team members.

Address how you handle conflicts that arise during collaboration. Explain how you’ve resolved disagreements or differing opinions.
Showcase your ability to find common ground, mediate, and maintain positive relationships even when faced with conflicting priorities.

Cross-functional work environments can be dynamic. Discuss how you’ve adapted to changing circumstances or unexpected challenges.
Share examples of how you’ve adjusted your approach, learned new skills, or embraced different viewpoints to achieve common goals.

Demonstrate your ability to understand the organization’s overall objectives. Explain how your cross-functional work contributes to the company’s success.
Discuss how you’ve aligned your efforts with broader strategic goals and how you’ve helped bridge gaps between different functions.

Highlight instances when you’ve collaborated with colleagues from various departments. Describe how you’ve leveraged their expertise to enhance outcomes.
Discuss your role in bringing teams together and fostering a collaborative culture.

The Global Professional Podcast

Answer Job Interview Questions about Cross Functional Teams - Episode 47 

Che cosa facciamo noi italiani dopo il Natale?
Fra il natale e il capodanno?
Venite a scoprirlo in questo free podcast.

Buone Feste a tutti voi e alle vostre persone care.

Vi aspetto alle mie lezioni!
Luca Sensei

Brief vocabulary:
Natale = Christmas
Vigilia di Natale = Christmas eve
Capodanno, anno nuovo, fine anno = New year
Veglione = dinner parties in clubs
La befana wiki page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Befana
Spumante, prosecco = sparkling wine usually dry
Moscato = sweet sparkling wine for dessert during Christmas and New Year ONLY!
