Colombian legends with decades of history mix the mystical with the historical, love with heartbreak, magic with tradition, the heroic with the supernatural.

Colombian Legends

Learning English has uncomfortable moments, but reasonable natives will accept non-natives! Never give up.  Also, I provide commentary on the TOEFL and IELTS exams. I based some of my ideas on "Tower Of Babble: Nonnative Speakers Navigate The World Of 'Good' And 'Bad' English" on NPR (the news company).  

The Inside Scoop on English

Uncomfortable Comes with Learning

春に3段階（だんかい step）あるって、知ってた？「光の春」「音の春」そして「気温（きおん temparature ）の春」。今、日本は「音の春」あたりです。鳥の声がよく聞こえます。「ききみみずきん」がなくて、残念です。それに今年は「においの春」も楽しみです。3月13日から日本もついに、基本「マスクなし」の国になるからです。桜（さくら）のかおりを胸（むね）いっぱい、すいたいです。
スクリプトと文法や言葉のリストはこちら。
https://www.notion.so/52-3-318f5a0455b940eca214e061b93c8f39?pvs=4
楽しみ方はこちらを見てください。
https://www.notion.so/116c436c16ed4055a68ddb2c4624cd96?pvs=4

さて、週刊ジャンプと同じく、この「ききみみ」も1年52話でシーズン１を終えます。4月からのシーズン２では、ゲストと2人で話すスタイルをとるつもりです。中上級以上のレベル（more than upper intermediate level）になると思います。しかしながら、シーズン1についても、第1話にもどって、これから問題をアップしていく予定です。また、言葉と文法のリストも整理（せいり）し直しますので、引き続き、お楽しみください。日本語は、いつもあなたのそばにあります。
じゅあ、またね！バイバイ！

すずまりの日本語「ききみみ」ずきん

第52話　さよなら3月、また今度

When you take your IELTS speaking exam, there is a strong possibility that in part 2 you might have to describe a piece of art you like, so it’s best to prepare and go into your exam with a work of art you can talk about up your sleeve. You should also try to slip a few idioms in. See if you can spot the idioms I use in this podcast.

In this podcast I’m going to imagine I’m in an IELTS exam part 2, and I have to talk about a work of art.

OK, let’s make a start. The work of art I’m going to talk about is the Mona Lisa.

First, I’d like to mention who created it. The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci.

Now, I’d like to tell you about the first time I encountered it. We were studying the history of art in junior high, and my group had to talk about the Mona Lisa.

Next, I’d like to give you a little bit of the painting’s history. It is thought that Leonardo Da Vinci painted The Mona Lisa in Florence, Italy between 1503 and 1506. However, it has been suggested that Leonardo worked on the painting as late as 1517. It is painted in oil on a white canvas and has been on display at The Louvre museum in Paris since 1797.

Finally, let’s talk about why I like it. I love this painting because it’s both unusual and beautiful. Furthermore, it is said to be one of the most valuable paintings in the world, and may be worth as much as one billion dollars. In other words, it costs an arm and a leg! However, I don’t just like it because it’s expensive, I find it aesthetically pleasing, too. Also, the woman seems very mysterious. Sometimes she looks happy, and at other times she looks sad. It’s almost as if she is alive! I think this painting is one in a million and painters like Leonardo Da Vinci come along once in a blue moon.

Did you spot the idioms I used? That’s right: up your sleeve, costs an arm and a leg, one in a million, and once in a blue moon. Now take the quiz that comes with this podcast, and don’t forget to book a lesson with me!

IELTS Speaking Practice

IELTS speaking part 2: ART - The Mona Lisa

The Missing Element in All Types of Interviews

In a job interview, make your case fast and be sure your suit is pressed, too. But it's not what the recording is about :) 

You might laugh, but it takes a few seconds for an experienced HR manager to decide on the outcome of the interview.

One of my students from China working as a general manager for a luxury firm said, "Oh, Anatoly, I watch for the words they use; if they have a victim mentality, the chances of them succeeding with us are low.". 

What are you going to do now after reading this?

I mean, I hear these remarks by my students who are top managers—they don't want to hear any kind of whining or complaining about the past. All they care about is how successfully you are going to assist and support the company's evolution and growth!

The winner's attitude is what they are looking for, and to be honest, it's a rare-case scenario.

If you check with yourself, what do you like? A complainer? A thrilled and excited individual? Are you happy about the changes, or does the future seem dark and gloomy?

Top managers got themselves trained to pick those nuanses, and so do I, as I've had top performers as my students for 8 years, and I did close to 21 thousand meetings with them—it's evident!

Let me know if this text was an eye-opener for you. I would be for me!!! 

If you want  me to listen to your speech and share some recommentations of how to improve your English performance - be my guest, book my classes now!



Job Interview Preparation | CEO Interview Strategies From Diverse Business Sectors!

The Missing Element In All Types of Interviews

Recitation for Japanese learners.
You can practice shadowing,
and repeating with this reading.
シャドーイングやリピーティングにもどうぞ。
(the text below.　本文は下部にあります。）

📚My lessons:
https://www.italki.com/ja/teacher/6185061

☕Buy me a coffee®
https://buymeacoffee.com/hilahilaned

____________________________________________
『羅生門』 第四話　芥川龍之介・著
'Rashomon' #4
Written by Ryunosuke Akutagawa

作者はさっき「下人が雨やみを待っていた」と書いた。
しかし、下人は雨がやんでも、格別どうしようという当てはない。
ふだんなら、勿論、主人の家へ帰るべきはずである。
ところがその主人からは、　四、五日前に暇を出された。
前にも書いたように、当時京都の町は一通りならず衰微していた。
今この下人が、長年、使われていた主人から暇を出されたのも、
実はこの衰微の小さな余波にほかならない。
だから「下人が雨やみを待っていた」というよりも
「雨にふりこめられた下人が、行き所がなくて、途方にくれていた」
という方が、適当である。
その上、今日の空模様も少からず、
この平安朝の下人の Sentimentalisme に影響した。


【漢字】　
作者　　　　　さくしゃ
下人　　　　　げにん
雨やみ　　　　あまやみ
待っていた　　まっていた
書いた　　　　かいた
格別　　　　　かくべつ
当て　　　　　あて
勿論　　　　　もちろん
主人　　　　　しゅじん
家　　　　　　いえ
帰る　　　　　かえる
四、五日前　　しごにちまえ
暇　　　　　　ひま
出された　　　だされた
前　　　　　　まえ
当時　　　　　とうじ
京都　　　　　きょうと
町　　　　　　まち
一通り　　　　ひととおり
衰微　　　　　すいび
今　　　　　　いま
下人　　　　　げにん
長年　　　　　ながねん
使われていた　つかわれていた
実は　　　　　じつは
小さな　　　　ちいさな
余波　　　　　よは
行き所　　　　いきどころ
途方　　　　　とほう
適当　　　　　てきとう
空模様　　　　そらもよう
平安朝　　　　へいあんちょう
影響　　　　　えいきょう


＊Sentimentalisme…
　筆者、芥川龍之介が あえてフランス語の表記にしました。


朗読クラブ📚Reading to Japanese language learners 

朗読 『羅生門』第四話 Recitation 'Rashomon' #4

¿Te despiertas con el vuelo de una mosca? Desafortunadamente yo sí, te lo cuento en el podcast.

Expresiones en español

Despertarse con el vuelo de una mosca

Spanish México

EL GUERRERO JAGUAR.

If you want to be good with conversational English and communication, learn how to do small talk.
Small talk is one way to warm up the conversation. It is important to ask simple questions first before asking deeper questions. Small talk is an artform that leads to bigger conversations.