Perseverance without relaxation  坚持不懈

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In this episode, I continue my conversation with Bryce about playing guitar.

Bryce shares a story about the moment when he felt most like a rockstar.

If you've ever been curious about what it takes to play guitar and you want to learn some relevant vocabulary, this episode may be for you!

This is just Part Two of our conversation. Part One can be found at 008 WHY DOES EVERYONE LEARN THE SAME FIRST SONG ON GUITAR?

FULL TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE ⁠HERE⁠: https://american-idiom.com/f/009-my-brothers-rockstar-moment

***For English learners! – Detailed vocabulary lesson begins at 23:34***

Episode Outline:

Bryce's most memorable guitar performance (Starts at 1:20)
Adapting complex songs as a solo guitarist (Starts at 4:32)
Funny story - Always rehearse before performing! (Starts at 8:38)
Playing tabs vs. sheet music (Starts at 10:05)
How to continue progressing as a guitarist (14:45)
Final advice for new guitarists (22:54)


Vocabulary and examples (Starts at 23:34)

get your foot in the door (used at 4:46 and explained at 23:38)
hit a wall (used at 14:49 and explained at 26:07)
reach a plateau (used at 14:49 and explained at 26:07)
be stuck in a rut (used at 20:51 and explained at 26:07)
put all your eggs in one basket (used at 21:32 and explained at 29:45)

Brentoni's English Podcast

009 How to Improve Your Guitar Skills

他的脸气得发红，然后又接着说道：
His face turned from white to red as he continued:
如果有人爱上了在这亿万颗星星中独一无二的一株花，当他看着这些星星的时候，这就足以使他感到幸福。
If some one loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars.
他可以自言自语地说：“我的那朵花就在其中的一颗星星上”，
He can say to himself, "Somewhere, my flower is there."
但是如果羊吃掉了这朵花，对他来说，好像所有的星星一下子全都熄灭了一样！
But if the sheep eats the flower, in one moment all his stars will be darkened.
这难道也不重要吗？！
And you think that is not important!
他无法再说下去了，突然泣不成声。
He could not say anything more. His words were choked by sobbing.
夜幕已经降临。
The night had fallen.
我放下手中的工具。
I had let my tools drop from my hands.
我把锤子、螺钉、饥渴、死亡，全都抛在脑后。

Of what moment now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death?
在一颗星球上，在一颗行星上，在我的行星上，在地球上有一个小王子需要安慰！
On one star, one planet, my planet, the Earth, there was a little prince to be comforted.
我把他抱在怀里。
I took him in my arms, and rocked him.
我摇着他，对他说：“你爱的那朵花没有危险。”
I said to him："The flower that you love is not in danger."
我给你的小羊画一个罩子。
I will draw you a muzzle for your sheep.
我给你的花画一副盔甲…我…
I will draw you a railing to put around your flower. I will。
我也不太知道该说些什么。
I did not know what to say to him.
我觉得自己太笨拙。
I felt awkward and blundering.
我不知道怎样才能达到他的境界，怎样才能再进入他的境界。
I did not know how I could reach him, where I could overtake him and go on hand in hand with him once more.
唉，泪水的世界是多么神秘啊！
It is such a secret place, the land of tears.

小王子-The Little Prince-Read in Chinese

小王子第17章：独一无二的花

雖然我是一個台灣人，但要靠大眾交通工具在南部旅行還是讓我有點焦慮，一起來聽聽我的屏東小旅行吧！
Even as a Taiwanese, relying on public transportation while traveling in the south still makes me a little anxious. Come join me as I share my short trip to Pingtung!

Fu-lan Speaking -- Natural Taiwanese Mandarin

EP9. First time travel to Pingdong on my own 第一次靠自己去屏東

Have you ever been "taken for a ride"? If you've been tricked or lied to before, then the answer is yes. Here are some other expressions about lying.

If someone confidently tells you a big lie and doesn't seem to feel bad about it, then you can say they are "lying through their teeth." Such people might make a "web of lies," telling many lies to make people believe them. And if someone lies all the time, you can say they "lie like a rug" – which is a joke using two meanings of "lie," because a rug can only lie on the floor.

If someone lies to you, tricks you, or wants to stop you from finding something out, you can say they are trying to "pull the wool over your eyes." The expression comes from the early 19th century, and may be talking about the wool wigs that some people wore at the time. So someone could pull your wig down, covering your eyes and stopping you from seeing what was really happening.

But not every lie is a big one. Sometimes people just "bend the truth," which is telling a small lie that is usually not serious and probably won't hurt anyone. Often people "bend the truth" by saying something that's part-true, while leaving out important information.

But if someone "stretches the truth," they are probably saying that something is better than it really is. Some people might stretch the truth to make a story more interesting.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Don't Get 'Taken for a Ride' With These Lying Expressions

MASCHILE vs. FEMMINILE
In italiano esistono parole che hanno significati diversi al maschile e al femminile. Oggi vediamo
.
IL MENTO vs. LA MENTA - A2
Il mento è la parte inferiore del viso che si trova sotto la bocca.
Può essere tondo, appuntito, pronunciato o delicato 
Ad esempio: Luca aveva una piccola cicatrice sul mento. 
INVECE
la menta è una pianta aromatica dal profumo fresco e dal sapore intenso
Viene usata in cucina, nelle tisane, nei cocktail, nei dolci, nei piatti salati e persino nei prodotti cosmetici.
Ad esempio: adoro bere il tè alla menta dopo i pasti.
.
Proviamo ad usarli nella stessa frase
Luca si toccava il mento con aria pensierosa, mentre masticava una foglia di menta fresca.
.
Ora tocca a te, scegli la parola corretta: il mento o la menta?
Mi sono sporcata il _______ con la salsa al pomodoro




SHORT ITALIAN LESSONS - Slow Italian

IL mentO e LA mentA

In this audio I go over my way of preparing my students to succeed in Part 2 of IELTS speaking exam. 

Please listen to it and try to catch the logic behind the process.

The topic: The most important benefit of the internet.

Connection, communication, sharing, other people, social media, internet wars, conflicts, misunderstandings, whatspp, wechat, fraud theft, banks, photos, videos, messenger.

Let me know what you think, let me know what you'd like me to go over and if you need more from me - join my private classes now.



IELTS-SPEAKING 8-9 BAND IS POSSIBLE. DAILY SPEAKING PRACTICE PART 1,2 & 3. Listen daily.

Part 2 Answer IELTS Speaking

Las expresiones ayudan a dar color a tus conversaciones y bien usadas te hacen sonar más natural en el idioma que estudias. En español, como en la mayoría de los idiomas tenemos muchas. Y en el episodio de hoy te voy a hablar de algunas que tienen algo en común. Todas ellas usan la palabra pez, o su plural, peces. En el episodio además de explicarte lo que significan te doy ejemplos de cuando podemos utilizarlas para que las veas en contexto.

Espero que, como siempre, disfrutes el episodio y aprendas algo nuevo. Después de escucharlo recuerda dejarle una valoración y pasarte por mi Instagram para contarme qué te ha parecido el episodio, ¿conocías alguna de estas expresiones? ¿Cuál de ellas te ha gustado más?


Blanca to go 

128- Expresiones con “pez” o “peces” en español

IELTS Preparation. Band 8-9 Answers. Part 3 - Influence of television. Q5-6.

5. What effects can watching television have on children?
6. How TV programmes differ now than that of 10 years ago?

Which idea can you use in your answers if the same type of question would come up on your test?

For more IELTS podcasts - check my podcasts section and get more ideas.

To be trained by me personally - send a class request.
