In this episode of "English Learners Boost," join licensed professional science teacher and English tutor Ian as he explores the dynamic duo of language learning: active and passive techniques. Discover how to engage actively with English through speaking practice, writing exercises, and interactive activities, while also embracing the power of passive learning through listening, reading, and watching. Learn practical tips and strategies to integrate both approaches seamlessly into your language learning journey. Plus, don't miss out on the chance to experience [Your Name]'s expert teaching methodology by booking a personalized English lesson on iTalki. Get ready to boost your English skills and accelerate your language proficiency!

English Learner's Boost

Active and Passive Learning in English

ɡǔ shí hòu yǒu ɡè zhù mínɡ de yīn yuè jiā， 
古时候有个著名的音乐家，
mínɡ zì jiào ɡōnɡ mínɡ yí 
名字叫公明仪。
tā tán qín tán de fēi chánɡ chū sè。 
他弹琴弹得非常出色。
yǒu yì nián chūn tiān， 
有一年春天，
tā dài zhe qín dào jiāo wài de tián yě sàn bù， 
他带着琴到郊外的田野散步，
zhǐ jiàn yuǎn shān rú huà，hé liú qīnɡ chè， 
只见远山如画，河流清澈，
yì tóu niú zhènɡ zài hé biān chī cǎo。 
一头牛正在河边吃草。
zhè měi lì de jǐnɡ sè rànɡ tā xīn qínɡ shū chànɡ， 
这美丽的景色让他心情舒畅，
tā tū rán xiǎnɡ dào，yào wéi zhè tóu niú yǎn zòu yì qǔ。 
他突然想到，要为这头牛演奏一曲。
jǐn ɡuǎn qín shēnɡ yuè ěr dònɡ tīnɡ， 
尽管琴声悦耳动听，
kě shì nà tóu niú hǎo xiànɡ méi yǒu tīnɡ jiàn yí yànɡ， 
可是那头牛好像没有听见一样，
rénɡ rán dī zhe tóu jì xù chī cǎo。 
仍然低着头继续吃草。
ɡōnɡ mínɡ yí jiàn zhè měi miào de qín shēnɡ 
公明仪见这美妙的琴声
bìnɡ bù nénɡ dǎ dònɡ zhè tóu niú， 
并不能打动这头牛，
fēi chánɡ wú nài， 
非常无奈，
ɡuò le yí huìr，tā yòu xiǎnɡ chū yí ɡè bàn fǎ。 
过了一会儿，他又想出一个办法。
ɡōnɡ mínɡ yí tán chū yí duàn duàn qí ɡuài zá luàn de shēnɡ yīn， 
公明仪弹出一段段奇怪杂乱的声音，
yǒu de xiànɡ wēnɡ wēnɡ de wén yínɡ shēnɡ， 
有的像嗡嗡的蚊蝇声，
yǒu de xiànɡ mí lù de xiǎo niú dú fā chū de jiào shēnɡ。 
有的像迷路的小牛犊发出的叫声。
zhè shí hòu，zhè tóu niú cái xiànɡ tū rán mínɡ bái le shén me sì de， 
这时候，这头牛才像突然明白了什么似的，
yáo yáo wěi bā，shù qǐ ěr duǒ tīnɡ le qǐ lái。
摇摇尾巴，竖起耳朵听了起来。

CHINESE STORY中文故事

对牛弹琴

"In this episode, I sit down with Jerome to chat about tipping culture in the US and how it compares to other countries around the world. We share personal stories, awkward tipping moments, and discuss when, where, and how much people are expected to tip. Don’t miss it!

Thanks to Jerome for being such a great guest!!!

Alexis : https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/9464070
Jerome: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/4075458

Hey Alexis!

Tipping Around the World: How Much Is Too Much?

¡Año nuevo, vida nueva! dice la letra de una canción muy popular en mi país, y es porque cada año trae la esperanza de cosas nuevas. En este nuevo episodio del podcast Hablemos de Salud te invito a practicar tu español y conocer cuales son los propósitos de año nuevo mas comunes cuando se busca mejorar la salud

¡Hablemos de salud!

Propósitos en salud para el año nuevo

Mi amiga Fernanda, de Querétaro, me cuenta sobre este método de terapia orignario de Estados Unidos.

Mucho que decir

Hakomi

竹を食べるのは、パンダだけじゃないよ。私も食べるのが大好き！といっても「大きい竹」じゃなくて、赤ちゃんの竹。「たけのこ」といいます。春がちょうど「旬　しゅん best season」で、町のあちらこちらで売られています。「竹」＋「旬」で「筍 たけのこ」と読みます。今日は筍のゆで方教室です。これで、いつ筍をもらっても安心⁈

スクリプトと文法や言葉のリストはこちら。
https://chivalrous-wallaby-f5c.notion.site/7dea207704db40539516a14de2fb3c7d

楽しみ方はこちらを見てください。  
https://chivalrous-wallaby-f5c.notion.site/116c436c16ed4055a68ddb2c4624cd96

じゃあ、またね！

すずまりの日本語「ききみみ」ずきん

第７話　たけのこファースト

This episode is about the book Dreamrunner, by Clare Jay. It's about a family being torn apart by the dad's violent nightmares. 

Vocabulary:
repressed memory: a memory from the past which the mind has hidden away
traumatic event: a violent and shocking event that has a huge, negative effect on a person's life
sleepwalking: when someone walks around while they're sleeping
nightmare: a scary dream

Learn English with Stories

Book: Dreamrunner

New Year is the perfect time for people to try new things, like changing their diet or habits. Some people take part in Veganuary, an annual challenge where they avoid eating animal products like meat, dairy, or eggs during January.

Veganuary first started in 2014 as a fun way to explore a vegan lifestyle and see how it feels. Since then, plant-based eating has gained popularity, and it's not uncommon for restaurants to offer at least one vegan option on their menus.

But a study has found that many meat-eaters end up feeling disgusted by meat after trying Veganuary.

Researchers studied 40 meat-eaters before and after Veganuary.

They found that, although most participants went back to eating meat when the month had ended, they felt more disgusted about doing so. And people who ate the least amount of meat during the challenge felt the most disgust afterwards.

A separate 2023 study on 46 Veganuary participants found that they were much less likely to describe themselves as meat-eaters after taking part in the challenge.

Scientists suggest that this change happens because people feel uncomfortable when their actions don't match their beliefs. Many enjoy the taste and convenience of eating meat, but they also feel guilty about the cruelty of factory farming.

So by giving up meat during Veganuary, participants may start to think more about these issues and develop negative feelings toward eating meat.

This research shows that even a short-term change in behavior can change the way you think, says Natalia Lawrence, a scientist from the University of Exeter who worked on the studies.

"Normally, the idea is to educate people first to change their attitudes, and hopefully they end up changing their behaviour," she told The Guardian.

"But if you persuade people to change their behaviour for a month, it seems that these things follow."

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Going Meat-Free for a Month Changes Beliefs, Study Finds

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KgQhohU3JmkEgfLW7bohJcYLwMO5EKM6/view?usp=drivesdk