Stories and Questions to help you practice listening and writing skills. 

English Stories & Questions

My story began in London 3 decades ago, but my travels into the teaching world would not take long to begin...

Stories from UK to China

Grammar and English tips for kids, beginners and intermediate students. 

Learn English with William

秋（あき）のスイーツビュッフェに行（い）ってきた

先日（せんじつ）、友達（ともだち）とホテルビュッフェに行ってきた。その名（な）も「いもくりなんきん」ビュッフェ！
秋の味覚（みかく）である「芋（いも）・栗（くり）・南瓜（なんきん）」のスイーツを楽（たの）しめる食（た）べ放題（ほうだい）だ。今（いま）までホテルのビュッフェには何度（なんど）か行ったことがあったが、「いもくりなんきん」ビュッフェには行ったことがなかった。なぜなら私（わたし）は「いもくりなんきん」はそこまで好物（こうぶつ）ではなかったからだ。でも今回（こんかい）友達に誘（さそ）われて行ってみると、びっくり！「芋・栗・南瓜」たちは美（うつく）しく、美味（おい）しいスイーツに姿（すがた）を変（か）え、私たちの目（め）も舌（した）も魅了（みりょう）した。

izm's room

秋のスイーツビュッフェに行ってきた１【全２話】

✔If you want to watch this video, go to YOUTUBE link or INSTAGRAM here!
💻https://youtu.be/SDxxY9nkbKA
📱https://www.instagram.com/gunny_learnkorean/

그만 다 접자.
(Let’s stop everything.)

"What is 접자?"
"접자" means "Let's stop."
"접다" originally means "to fold cloth or paper."
To Fold the paper. 종이를 접다.
To Fold the T-shirt. 티셔츠를 접다. 

However, "접다" has another meaning.
When you stop doing something or an action that you have been doing continuously, you can use the expression "접다."

요즘 너무 피곤해서 아침운동 접었어요.
I'm so tired these days that I stopped morning exercise.

여행 계획 접었어요. 돈부터 모을 거예요. 
I stopped my travel plans. I'll save up some money first.

오늘 하루만 공부 접고, 놀까?
How about taking a break from studying just for today?

무슨 말인지 알겠어요? You got it?

✔K-Universe 1on1 Class: https://www.italki.com/teacher/9928310

그거 봤어? Did you watch it?

How to say "Let's stop" in Korean? (Reborn rich)

Sharpen your British English vowels with this focused practice session on the four pronunciations of the initial A. In this episode, you’ll warm up with clear examples, drill minimal pairs to refine your ear, and test your control through mixed-word practice and playful tongue twisters. It’s a practical, repetition-based workout designed to build accuracy and confidence with one of the most common—and most confusing—vowel patterns in English. Perfect for learners who want targeted pronunciation training and steady improvement.
Transcript: 
Unstressed Schwa; about - again - ago - around - aware - allow - alone - adapt - ahead - across - attend - attempt - amount - agree - apart - assist - achieve 
Short /æ/ – apple, actor, attitude - average - annual  - actual - anchor - Attic - album
Long a /eɪ/ April - agent - alien - able - ancient - apron - acorn - aces
/ɑː/ artist - archive - army - armour - artisan
Activity 1: 
about – apple
again – actor
ago – agent
around – army
awake – able
allow – artist
alone – acorn
adapt – April
ahead – alien
across – armour
attend – alien
attempt – aces
amount – April
agree – acorn
apart – artist
assist – agent
achieve – army
Activity 2: 
apple – agent  – army – about
actor – able – artist – again
animal – alien – archive – alone
advantage  – agent – army – amount
address – able – artist – again
arrow – able – army – about
aroma – agent – artist – alone
ate – apple – army – about
atlas – able – artist – again
Activity 3: 
Angry ants always avoid amber apples.
An actual actor attacked an attractive anchor.
Able aliens ate apricot acorns all afternoon.
April’s agents arranged ancient aprons.
Army artists archive armour accurately.
Artisan armies argue around ancient arches.

British Pronunciation Tips 

British Vowel Sound Masterclass: Lesson 6: But wait! There is more… Initial A schwa - PRACTICE 

Wishes came true!!! 愿望实现了！！！comprehensible input Chinese for beginners// chinese in context

in this video, you will listen to some vocabulary about the birthday wishes and new years resolution, useful expression , and also a funny joke about this subject. Hope you enjoy it!!

Story learning Chinese with Annie

Wishes came true!!! 愿望实现了！！！comprehensible input Chinese for beginners// chinese in context

Il clima influisce sui nostri umori e dopo tanto caldo e sole un giorno di grigio e piovoso altro non fa che portarmi un po' di buoni ricordi e un pizzico di nostalgia. 

The Italian Miscellaneous Podcast🖐 

Una giornata piovosa

【北海道Hokkaido生活】
〈#118〉9月21水曜日　天気/くもり　気温/15℃ 

札幌市/さっぽろし
・21日から秋の交通安全運動が始まる
・その前の20日、札幌市の警察官が交代で走り、ドライバーに安全運転を呼びかけた。
・「スピードダウン」などを呼びかけた

［単語］
運動/うんどう…なにかのために、たくさんの人にお願いをする。
警察官/けいさつかん…警察の人
交代/こうたい…人や物を次へ次へとかえること。
運転/うんてん…乗り物を動かすこと
ドライバー/どらいばー…運転する人
呼びかける/よびかける…お願いしたいことを言う
スピードダウン/すぴーどだうん…速く走らない


〈美和Miwa〉
日本語の先生
Podcast「どこでも.JAPANESE」も放送中！

レッスン待ってます♪


北海道Hokkaido生活 for Japanese learners

〈#118〉9月21水曜日　秋の交通安全運動

Nordic countries are often said to be some of the happiest in the world — and they may be some of the most sustainable places to visit too.

If you're not sure what it means to travel sustainably, the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index may be able to help.

Now in its ninth year, it ranks places across the world based on things like destination management and environmental performance.

One hundred destinations were included in the 2024 index, with Helsinki in first place.

More than 50% of the Finnish capital's electricity is renewable, more than 30% of its buses are electric, and 49% of its waste is recycled.

Helsinki has also set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2030, and there are lots of green spaces around the city — almost 10,000 hectares per 100,000 people, according to Condé Nast Traveler.

Helsinki has previously ranked well in the GDS index, coming in fourth place in 2023, although this is the first time it's taken the top spot.

"Being named the world's most sustainable travel destination is proof of the long-term work that has been done in Helsinki," Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartiainen said.

The other cities in the GDS' top five for 2024 are also in Nordic countries, with Gothenburg in second place. The city, which is in the west of Sweden, ranked first in 2023.

Copenhagen, Denmark, ranked third, Norway's Bergen came in fourth, and another Danish city, Arthus, was in fifth place.

Most of the top 20 cities were in Europe, too, with the exception of Singapore in seventh place, Sydney, Australia, in 10th place, and Goyang, South Korea, in 16th place.




Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Finnish Capital Ranked Most Sustainable in Travel

Did you know that most countries in the world had an international external radio service?
Today I remember Radio China International, RAI from Italy, Radio Sweden, Radio Netherlands and Deutsche Welle.