J.K. Rowling is a British author best known for her seven-book Harry Potter series, which has sold over 500 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 80 languages. Prior to becoming a writer, Rowling worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary in London, while also writing fiction in her spare time.

Our Opinion Podcast with Abu

The Influencial Author

Aprende a usar correctamente esta estructuras:
1. TRATAR DE   
2. TRATAR A

Mucho que decir

tratar de   VS   tratar a 

皆さんの国に方言はありますか。
日本には地域によって多様な方言があります。
今回は、北海道出身のフミと佐賀県出身のアヤがお互いの方言について話します。

Are there any dialects in your country?
In Japan, there are many different dialects depending on the region. 
This time, Fumi from Hokkaido and Aya from Saga talk about our dialects. 

♤ キーワード
・標準語（ひょうじゅんご：standard language）
・ぽろっと（slip out accidentally）
・自発的な（じはつてきな：spontaneously）
・気取る（きどる：act snobbish）
・〜色に染まる（〜いろにそまる：to be absorbed in…）
・平安時代（へいあんじだい：The Heian period：At the end of the 8th century, the capital was moved to present-day Kyoto. The Heian period designates a span of roughly 400 years until the 12th century.）
・十二単（じゅうにひとえ：a twelve-layered kimono worn by noblewomen during the Heian period）

♧ 理解度チェッククイズ
1. 佐賀県の方言「ぞろびく」はどういう意味？
2. 北海道と佐賀県の方言で「さようなら」はそれぞれ何と言う？

♢ 前回のクイズの答え
1. フミが最近気になっている言葉は？ 
→ 界隈（かいわい）
2. それはどういう意味？ 
→ 〜の人たち、〜をする人たち
3. 元々どこで使われていた言葉？
→ インターネット上でスラングとして使われていた

BGM special thanks：MusMus

アヤさんとフミさんの日本語雑談（Aya and Fumi’s Japanese Chit-Chat）

Episode 30：日本の方言

Lectura de un cuento de la escritora lagunera Teresa Muñoz (QEPD), tomado de su libro "El fin de la inocencia".

Cuento de nunca acabar

Episodio 4: Hojas secas de árbol sin fruto

Read the podcast here >> https://drive.google.com/file/d/125lhUN6EHTZSyaGW0v6mEr3W_tWUuFDO/view?usp=sharing

Lisa's Podcast

Elon Musk says some scary things to Rishi Sunak about AI

In part two, Teacher Smith discusses how our brains learn best. They explain that traditional English lessons often struggle to help us remember words, especially when we try to translate them. Teacher Smith suggests that emotional connections help us remember words better, similar to how we know song lyrics by heart.

They introduce mnemonics as memory tricks, like acronyms or phrases, to aid in remembering information. However, while helpful for tests, mnemonics can be slow to recall and aren't ideal for speaking fluently.

Teacher Smith then introduces "Word Webs," which are interconnected networks of words that help with memory retention. They compare word webs to spider webs, emphasizing their resilience even if some connections are lost.

The episode reveals the "Billion-Dollar Memory Secret," explaining how leading companies secure top-of-mind awareness. They highlight the challenge for new companies to establish themselves in consumers' minds and draw parallels to remembering new words automatically.

Finally, Teacher Smith discusses the challenge of replacing memories in the brain, especially when learning a new language. They explain how thinking in one's native language can hinder the recall of English words and suggest creating new mental categories to bridge the gap.

In the next episode, Teacher Smith promises to explore solutions to this problem.

LEARN BY LISTENING

HOW TO Remember ANY ENGLISH Word- Part 2

Democracy, dictatorships and the modern world.  
Angela reads the basic text from this lesson, (transcript available when you take this lesson).

This topic is also available for intermediate and higher-level learners.


English with Angela -  conversation 

TASK 34 - IS DEMOCRACY DEAD? 

Do you have too many things in your house?  Is it time spring clean?
Angela reads the basic text from this lesson, (transcript available when you take this lesson).

This topic is also available for intermediate and higher-level learners.


TASK 19 - LESS STUFF MORE HAPPINESS

Seguimos con este tema que ME ENCANTA - Ya hablamos del aeropuerto y los tickets de avión en el podcast anterior, vamos con las reservas de hoteles o apartamentos, las excursiones, los tours y actividades en esta segunda edición. ¿Qué te parece? ¿Estás listo/a para empezar? 

DALE PLAY!