What killed the clerk in Chekhov’s story "The Death of a Government Clerk"? 🤔 How did a simple sneeze turn into a real tragedy for him? We discuss the meaning, irony, and deep subtext of this story. We talk about Russian people in Russian literature.

If you want to read more in Russian, write to me, and I will send you materials (А1 - B2) for free! 📚✨

Мороз и солнце: русская литература

Why Did the Clerk Die? Analyzing Chekhov’s Story

《红玫瑰与白玫瑰》张爱玲

也许每一个男子全都有过这样的两个女人，至少两个。娶了红玫瑰，久而久之，红的变了墙上的一抹蚊子血，白的还是床前明月光；娶了白玫瑰，白的便是衣服上沾的一粒饭黏子，红的却是心口上一颗朱砂痣。

Chilling Chinese 

红玫瑰与白玫瑰

  to travel     旅游   lǚ yóu
Where to travel   去哪旅游    
Travel to Beijing去北京旅游 
 Do you like to travel?   你喜欢旅游吗？ 
 I like to travel.我喜欢旅游。
Where do you want to travel? 你想去哪旅游？
I want to travel to Beijing. 我想去北京旅游。


HSK vocabulary

HSK words——旅游

Hoje, vamos explorar uma das paixões nacionais do Brasil: o café. Preparem-se para uma viagem aromática e saborosa pelo mundo dessa bebida tão especial.
E não esqueça de me mandar uma mensagem me contando suas impressões sobre o podcast e mandando sugestões de temas para os próximos. Se me mandar um áudio, melhor ainda!

Português Brasileiro

#8 - Café!

Learn to speak about past habits using the verb "used to".

New English US

English Lesson: Life used to be different (pre-intermediate)

Trascrizione

L’etimologia del termine “Carnevale” deriva, con molta probabilità, dal latino “carnem levare” (eliminare la carne). Anticamente infatti l’espressione indicava il banchetto dell’ultimo giorno subito prima della Quaresima cristiana. 

The etymology of the term "Carnival" is most likely derived from the Latin word "carnem levare" (to eliminate the flesh). In fact, in ancient times the expression indicated the banquet on the last day immediately before Christian Lent. 

Coriandoli means “confetti”: sono piccoli pezzi di carta colorata che vengono lanciati durante le feste, come il Carnevale, per celebrare.

Maschera means mask: è un travestimento indossato per nascondere l'identità durante le feste e i balli in maschera.

Sfilata di carri means float parade: è una parata di carri decorati che sfilano per le strade durante il Carnevale, solitamente accompagnati da musica e ballerini.

Ballo in maschera means Masked Ball: è una festa in maschera dove le persone indossano costumi elaborati e ballano insieme nel periodo del Carnevale.

Frittelle Veneziane are typical sweets from Venice: sono dolci tipici del Carnevale di Venezia, fatti di pasta lievitata fritta e zucchero a velo.

Quaresima means Lent: è un periodo di 40 giorni prima di Pasqua, durante il quale i cristiani si preparano per la festa attraverso la preghiera e il digiuno.

Volo dell’angelo literally means Flight of the Angel: è un evento che si svolge durante il Carnevale di Venezia, solo a Venezia, dove una persona vestita da angelo vola dal palazzo Ducale in piazza San Marco, simboleggiando la discesa di un messaggero divino.

3 minutes Italian

Le parole del Carnevale - 3 minutes Italian

There are some foods that comprise a huge portion of multiple diets all around the world. Listen to this podcast episode to see many food-related words and improve your vocab! 

All About English and How You Learn It!

Staple Foods in English (Which Foods Are Consumed The Most All Around the World) - Episode 20!

The working world has changed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with new challenges for many employees and managers.

This year the focus of World Mental Health Day on October 10 is mental health in the workplace.

In the US, an estimated 1 million workers miss work every day because of job stress. And it's a similar situation in many countries around the world.

But there are lots of things we can do to help look after our mental health — and the mental health of our colleagues — when we're at work.

Experts from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have shared a few ideas, including simple things like saying "thank you" to others.

They also suggest practicing good "email etiquette." This means making your emails clear with an "accurate subject line," "concise summary" of what you're asking and a "clear timeline."

The mental health charity Mind says people should make sure they find time to take breaks. Many workers can take lunch breaks and perhaps other small breaks during the day and even a short time away from the desk can help you to feel a little better.

According to Harvard Business Review, managers need to understand that "work is about people, and people are messy and difficult."

This means understanding that employees all have their own challenges.

The first thing that managers can do, says psychologist Emily Anhalt, is show that they care about mental health in the workplace.

Making a difference to employees' mental health is not "a quick and easy thing," she said. It's a long journey — that might start on October 10, but it will need to last for years.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Tips for Workplace Health on World Mental Health Day

おはようございます！Atsushiです。
北海道に帰ってきましたので、今日は北海道からとっています。

今日の天気ははれ。
気温は23℃、大阪に比べると10℃ぐらい低いです。
とても涼しいですね。


今日はあいづちについて。
日本人と話している時に、
へー、とか、
うんうん、とか
言われたことはありませんか？
それがあいづちです。

相手の話に言葉で反応して、会話をスムーズにします。

では、なぜあいづちというのか。
それは、昔、鍛冶 (かじ) (きんぞくをたたいて物を作る人)の二人の職人が鉄の製品を作る時、リズム良く交互に槌(つちーhammer)を打ち合わせて作っていました。

そうやって、あいてのつちにあわせることから、相手の話に反応することを、あいづちと言うようになりました。


あいづちには、
へー
うんうん
それで？
そうなんや！
ほんまにー
など、いろいろあります。
そして、人によります。


日本はあいづちが多い国です。
相手の話を聞いていることをあいづちやうなずきなどで伝えることができます。

一方、ほかの国では、あいづちが多すぎると良くないところもあるようですので、そういったコミュニケーションの文化、習慣を知ることも大切ですね。

はい、ということで、今回もありがとうございます！
ではまた！

