Teacher Joseph's Podcast

Crime in Central London

A fun trip to Mongolia in the summer of 2020.

layover - a short stay in a place that you make while you are on a longer journey to somewhere else
reasonable - if you say that the price of something is reasonable, you mean that it is fair and not too high
to go with something -  to choose or accept something
packed - filled to capacity; full
to see smth with your own eyes - see something yourself, especially when it is something that you would not believe to exist or be true if you did not see it
to make a buck - to earn money
a nomad -  is a member of a group of people who move from one place to another rather than living in one place all of the time
portable - something that is portable is light and small enough to be easily carried or moved, like a portable speaker 
exhausted - extremely tired
to scam - to trick someone into giving you money, usually in an illegal way

Enjoy :)

All-Weather English

My trip to Mongolia

Do you get tired in the afternoon? Experts say that's normal. The body has a natural rhythm that includes two drowsy periods every 24 hours, one at night and another between about 2 and 4 p.m.

So why not take a nap?

Experts say that taking a nap for less than 30 minutes — a so-called "power nap" — allows the brain to rest in a way that makes you more alert when you wake up. Research has also shown other benefits.

"We know it's an easy, helpful way to quickly boost your alertness, your concentration, your productivity, your creativity and your mood." says James Maas, who spent 48 years studying sleep as a Cornell University professor.

However, people shouldn't nap for too long, as they will fall into a deeper sleep, which is harder to wake up from.

Shorter naps are helpful for alertness and memory, says Sara Mednick, a sleep researcher at University of California-Irvine. Her research has found that naps work better than caffeine to improve brain function.

For a good nap, find a quiet, dark and cool space and set an alarm for 15 or 20 minutes.

Even if you feel like you haven't slept, you still get benefits, Mednick said. People often don't feel like they are asleep until they have reached a deeper sleep.

Short naps don't interfere with nighttime sleep, as long as they're not too late in the day. Try to take a nap at the same time every day, around 6 or 7 hours after waking up.

The only people who should avoid napping are those who have trouble sleeping at night, Maas says. Older people should be careful because they tend to nap for too long during the day.

And if you don't like napping? Research has shown that napping is not for everyone. And Mednick's advice for people who really don't like to nap is: "Listen to your body."

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Tired in the Afternoon? Try Taking a Power Nap

One of the common goals for people in their 20s, 30s and 40s is to "get on the property ladder."

The idea is that when you buy your first home you're taking your first step on that ladder. In time, you may be able to climb higher by selling your property and buying a bigger or better one.

But taking that first step can be difficult — and scary. So what do you need to know before you go from renting or living with family to becoming a homeowner?

Writing for CNBC, real estate reporter Celia Fernandez shared a number of things she wished she'd done before buying her first home.

One thing she mentioned was making sure she had all the necessary paperwork in one place so she could easily show it to banks or lenders. This is good advice for anyone buying a property — you'll probably need to share things like your payslips, bank records and tax returns several times!

Fernandez also advises people to look for "free money." Your country or region may have grants or other programs to help home buyers. Look out for things like tax breaks for first-time home buyers, or grants for refurbishing older homes.

She also suggests asking for financial help from family members. "My biggest regret is not talking to our loved ones right at the beginning of our search," she said.

Of course, not everyone will have this option. But some parents may want to give money to their children during their lives rather than waiting to pass it on as an inheritance, for example.

Finally, Fernandez says it's important to take into account the costs of closing a sale. That might include taxes, legal fees, inspection fees or fees for a real estate agent — and don't forget that you may also have initial refurbishment costs.

You don't want an expensive surprise just as you get your first home!

Tips for Preparing for Your First Property Purchase

I was sad but I did some things to feel better, here are my tips or better yet, I'll leave you what helped me feel better.

Estaba triste pero hice algunas cosas para sentirme mejor, aquí te dejo mis consejos o mejor te dejo lo que me ayudó a estar mejor. 

Podcast en español para principiantes - Vocabulary (Podcast in Spanish for beginners)

No more sadness: my tips in Spanish to feel better (No más tristeza: mis consejos en español para sentirse mejor)

东边dōnɡ biɑn（east）、西边xī biɑn（west）、南边 nán biɑn（south）、北边běi biɑn（north）、东北dōnɡ běi  （northeast）、西南xī nán（southwest）；   
里边lǐ biɑn（inside）、外边wài biān（outside）、左边zuǒ biɑn（left）、右边yòu biɑn（right）、上边shànɡ biɑn（above）、下边xià biɑn（below）、旁边pánɡ biān（beside）、对面duì miàn（opposite） 

They can be used as a subject, an object, or a modifier. They can also be modified.
For example：
qián biɑn yǒu méi yǒu yì jiā fàn ɡuǎn ？ 
前   边   有  没  有  一 家  饭  馆   ？ 
Is there a restaurant in front?

yín hánɡ zài tú shū ɡuǎn dōnɡ biɑn 。 
银  行   在  图 书  馆   东   边   。 
The bank is on the east of the library.

yòu biɑn de lóu shì yī yuàn 。 
右  边   的 楼  是  医 院   。 
The building on the right is the hospital.

Note:
北边běi biɑn ：has a wider range of application, can be used for short distance and long distance;mainly in oral
北方běi fānɡ ： generally only used for long distance; Used in both written and spoken language.
For example：
bàn ɡōnɡ shì de běi biɑn qiánɡ shànɡ ɡuà zhe yì zhānɡ dì tú 。 
办  公  室  的 北  边  墙   上   挂 着  一 张  地 图 。 
A map hangs on the north wall of the office.

zhōnɡ ɡuó běi fānɡ rén xǐ huɑn chī miàn tiáo ， nán fānɡ rén xǐ huɑn chī mǐ fàn 。 
中    国  北  方   人  喜 欢   吃  面   条   ， 南  方   人  喜 欢   吃  米 饭  。 
People in north China like noodles and people in South China like rice.

JOJO CHINESE

Nouns of locality

-ed and -ing can be hard but there's an easy rule to remember how to use them! Join me in this episode of Stairway to English to learn the differences and how to use them correctly!

My schedule is full right now. If you would like a class with me, send me a message on italki! I will add you to my waitlist. I will have more classes available at the end of April! I look forward to meeting you in class!

Stairway to English: Short easy to understand episodes to improve your English grammar and fluency

Are you scared or scary?! Learn the difference between -ed adjective endings and -ing adjective endings!

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

A 30-day positive affirmation journey with Rose

Day 26

История, про то, как меняется наш вкус в зависимости от обстоятельств. 