In this podcast we first teach you some vocabulary to use for New Years , and secondly discuss customs on the day.

Let's have a chat (Discussions In English) 

Episode 41: New Years Eve/ Day Vocabulary! What will you do for New Years? 

The Story of Chinese Words with Yuan Yuan has started.Here you will learn about interesting Chinese word stories.They contain the cultural connotation and historical evolution of China,local Characteristics and Folk Culture,etc.What we are learning today is：“马到成功”。It means：“Achieve immediate victory."

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Learn Chinese words stories with Yuan Yuan

Recitation for Japanese learners.
You can practice shadowing, and repeating with
this reading and the text below.

📚My lessons:
https://www.italki.com/ja/teacher/6185061
☕Buy me a coffee®
https://buymeacoffee.com/hilahilaned

________________________________________________
''Rashomon'' #2
Written by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 1915
『羅生門』(らしょうもん） 芥川龍之介・著　
   第二話


旧記によると、仏像や仏具を打ち砕いて、
その丹がついたり金銀の箔がついたりした木を、
路ばたにつみ重ねて、薪の料に売っていた
という事である。
洛中がその始末であるから、羅生門の修理などは
元より誰も捨てて顧みる者がなかった。
するとその荒れ果てたのをよい事にして、
狐狸が棲む。盗人が棲む。とうとうしまいには、
引取り手のない死人を、この門へ持ってきて、
棄てていくという習慣さえできた。
そこで、日の目が見えなくなると、誰でも気味を
悪るがって、この門の近所へは足ぶみをしない事に
なってしまったのである。


✏漢字

旧記　　　　きゅうき
仏像　　　　ぶつぞう
仏具　　　　ぶつぐ
打ち砕いて　うちくだいて
丹　　　　　に
金銀　　　　きんぎん
箔　　　　　はく
木　　　　　き
路ばた　　　ろばた
重ねて　　　かさねて
薪　　　　　たきぎ
料　　　　　しろ
売って　　　うって
事　　　　　こと
洛中　　　　らくちゅう
始末　　　　しまつ
羅生門　　　らしょうもん
修理　　　　しゅうり
元　　　　　もと
誰　　　　　だれ
捨てて　　　すてて
顧みる　　　かえりみる
者　　　　　もの
荒れ果てた　あれはてた
狐狸　　　　こり
棲む　　　　すむ
引き取り手　ひきとりて
死人　　　　しびと
門　　　　　もん
来て　　　　きて
捨てて　　　すてて
習慣　　　　しゅうかん
日の目　　　ひのめ
見え　　　　みえ
気味を　　　きみ
悪がって　　わるがって
近所　　　　きんじょ
足ぶみ　　　あしぶみ


朗読クラブ📚Reading to Japanese language learners 

朗読 『羅生門』第二話  Recitation  'Rashomon' #2

MARGARET: Mr. Wilson, I’d like you to meet 
Dr. Edward Smith.
MR. WILSON: It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Smith.
DR. SMITH: Pleasure to meet you, too.
MARGARET: Dr. Smith is an economist. He just finished
writing a book on international trade.
MR. WILSON: Oh? That’s my field, too. I work for the 
United Nations.
DR. SMITH: In the Development Program, by any chance?
MR. WILSON: Yes. How did you guess?
DR. SMITH: I’ve read your articles on technical assistance. 
They’re excellent

LANGUAGE NOTES
• Mr. Wilson, I’d like you … Notice the rising intonation on “Mr. Wilson,” which is used 
to address someone. Listen for the “d” in “I’d like.” This means I would like, which is 
very different from I like. (“I’d like” means the same as “I would like” or “I want.”)
• Dr. Smith is an economist. Notice the stress on “economist.” This content word has 
new information, so it is emphasized. There are four syllables in “economist,” with the 
stress on the second syllable (e-CON-o-mist).
• He just finished writing … “just” means the very recent past. “Just” is usually used 
with a simple past verb because the action is complete. However, it can also be used 
with the present perfect (He’s just finished writing …).
• Development program. Since these two words make a compound noun, the main 
stress falls on “development.”
• By any chance? Means the same as “possibly.” Notice the rising intonation, which is 
used in yes/no questions to confirm that something is true.

English Conversation practice (30-day challenge)

Day3: Formal Introduction in English

If you see someone sitting alone in a restaurant, you might assume they're waiting for someone, or perhaps they're grabbing a quick lunch on their break.

But more and more people around the world are purposely dining alone.

Japan has a special word for this: ohitorisama, which refers to people confidently doing things alone without worrying about what others think.

A recent survey found that 23% of Japanese people eat out alone, up from 18% in 2018. And in the US, solo dining reservations have risen 29% over the last two years, according to restaurant reservation site OpenTable.

OpenTable CEO Debby Soo thinks remote work is one reason for the increase, with people looking for a break from their home offices.

The increasing popularity in solo dining comes as more people are living alone. In 2019, the Pew Research Center found that 38% of US adults ages 25 to 54 were living without a partner, up from 29% in 1990. In Japan, single households now make up one-third of the total; that’s expected to increase to 40% by 2040, according to government data.

Growing interest in solo travel — particularly among travelers ages 55 and over — is also leading to more meals alone.

But Soo thinks there could be more to it than that.

"I think there's a broader movement of self-love and self-care and really … enjoying your own company," Soo said.

As a result, many restaurants are redoing their seating, changing their menus and adding other special touches to appeal to solo diners.

But some aren't always happy to seat one diner. A Michelin-starred London restaurant caused a stir last year when it started charging solo diners the same price as two customers. The restaurant, which has 34 seats, offers an eight-course menu costing about $280 per person.

Other restaurants say it's worth seating one person because solo diners will often come back and eat there again.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Party of One: Solo Dining Increasing in Popularity

NOTE:  THIS TOPIC HAS BEEN UPDATED DUE TO THE DEATH OF THE QUEEN. A NEW RECORDING WILL BE ADDED SOON.

The British Royal Family. Queen Elizabeth the Second of Great Britain, and her family.
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 62 - THE QUEEN  (old version)

In this episode we're going to listen to a monologue about her daily routine. Let's start now.
最近特别特别忙。一般我早上七点就醒了。躺一会儿之后，大概到七点二十吧，我就得起床。起来之后第一件事情，先喂猫，然后稍微把家里打扫一下。八点之前，我肯定就吃完饭了。然后我一般会看半小时书。我很喜欢看书，中文的英文的都会看。我一般九点去上班，中午有两个小时休息时间。下午五点下班，回家之后我可能会去健身房，运动一个小时左右，然后回家休息或者放松。

Story Chinese

我的一天 my day (elementary level)

During this episode I'll talk about the unfiltered history of Crete, without Gods and mythology.

Noémie voyage en Europe

L’histoire sans filtre de la Crète

1 Pronunciation

2 Cupboard

3 Epitome

4 Salmon/almond

5 Library/February

6 Definitely

7 Ask

8 Wednesday

9 Stomach

10 Clothes

11 Especially/escape/espresso

12 Probably

13 Yolk

14 Desert/ dessert

15 Women

16 Southern

17 Iron

18 Specific

19 Sixth

20 Crowd/cloud

Let me know how many you got write and wrong :)

Stay tunes for more useful podcasts to help you grow as an English learner and the USER!

To Your Success!!!