We're starting something new today. From now on, we'll be introducing one new English idiom per episode. We'll cover the grammar, meaning and emotional nuance of the expression before providing a few realistic examples.

Today's idiom is "the ball is in my court".

Brentoni's English Podcast

022 - "the ball is in my court"

[ — Audio description, listen and read along for greater understanding. — ]
Os animais são uma parte especial do nosso mundo.
Eles vêm em muitas formas e tamanhos.
Alguns são grandes, como elefantes, enquanto outros são pequenos, como borboletas.
Os animais são importantes para o equilíbrio da natureza.
Precisamos cuidar deles e respeitar seu espaço.
Devemos lembrar que todos os animais têm um papel especial na Terra, e é maravilhoso observar e aprender sobre eles.

PORTUREAD - Listen to small texts and conversations samples in portuguese!

Os animais ao nosso redor — SMALL TEXT B1-B2 LEVEL.

In this episode, we talk about the pleasure we get from hearing stories, and I share with you a beautiful tale about the joy that comes from helping others. Listen now, and then read the (shortened) transcript below to check your understanding.

This story takes place in a hospital, many years ago. And there was a room where there were two men, both seriously ill. One of those men was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend of all his time lying flat on his back. He couldn’t see anything, except the ceiling.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke about their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, where they’d been on vacation, and the things they’d learned in their lives. And every afternoon, when the man in the bed next to the window, could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the wonderful things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods when his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and the colour of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every colour of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all of this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.......... 

If you'd like to read the rest of the transcript, send me a message on italki and I will gladly send you a copy. Or better still, book a lesson with me now, so that I can help you on your English learning journey. 

Learn English with Cambridge David

The one about storytelling

This story uses words from '1000 most common words in English'. 


The morning comes quickly because Lemon has slept like a rock. He wakes up remembering his dream: an effortless glide through golden gates guided by angles and eagles.

“Mum, dad, I need to talk to you,” says Lemon. “I’m leaving… I’m going to go find this paradise. I need to see it for myself. I want to feel the soil between my toes and taste the unknown insects.” 

His parents are quiet for a moment. They see in his eyes that this is very important, and they only want what is best for their child. 

His mother speaks first. “You are a sweet child, little Lemon. You have a wonderful mind, brave and curious. You know you’re always welcome here. Our nest is always open.” 

“Mum, of course I’m coming back! I love you two so much and this is my home.” 

Lemon’s father says, “It has been said that there comes a point in a bird’s life when he needs to go beyond the mountains… It happened to my father and my father’s father, but never for me. That time never came. I grew up during the worst winter in known history. I had to work and sacrifice—there was no time for adventures… so, go on, Lemon. Get out there and live your life!” 

“You are the best parents a bird could ever wish for!” 

And with those words, the family hugs, a long hug which, even though freezing winds rip past them, seems to warm them to their very bones. 

Being a Cloud

Lemon the Bird

In the vocabulary of 'Minna no Nihongo' Chapter 1, there are the words ”きょうし”  and ”せんせい” . Do you understand the difference? Both translate to 'teacher,' but ”きょうし” generally refers to school teachers, with a few exceptions. For example, it does not refer to those who teach at cram schools . On the other hand, ”せんせい” has a broader meaning. At this point in Lesson 1, you might not need to worry too much about it, but I will explain.

Of course, school teachers are included, but also instructors at cram schools, doctors, politicians, and sports instructors can all be called '先生.' In Lesson 17 on page 145, there is a conversation between a doctor and Matsumoto-san, and if Matsumoto-san were to refer to this doctor, they would normally call them “せんせい” not ”いしゃ” , which means ”doctor.”

This might change the subject a bit, but regarding my 'Minna no Nihongo course,' I have created a substantial amount of homework with audio. Just taking lessons alone won't significantly improve your skills. I believe this homework will be quite effective. Of course, it is not mandatory; whether to do it or not depends on the students. 
For those who want to start Japanese lessons but aren’t sure where to begin, please give it a try.

Alright. So everyone, please do your best with Japanese. See you again!


ようへい先生　　N4,N5チャンネル

みんなの日本語Chapter OneⅡきょうし vs　せんせい

In this episode I'll briefly explain (in just 4 minutes) how my podcast works.
If you're more interested into learning more about me (and therefore learning more about how you can make your self-introduction) in Italian, you can skip to the second episode! :)

Subtitled Italian

S01EP01

#education #justicesystem #secondchance 

元の記事/ Original Article↓
https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/580349

 ｢少年院｣で数学を教えた先生が見た学校との違い」という記事を音読しつつ、自分の考えを話しました。なかなか知ることのできない施設について、新しい発見がありましたら、ぜひコメントで教えてください。

☆目次
0:00 オープニング
0:35 (P1)
3:49 少年院のルール
5:43 (P2) 1-3
7:22 普通の学校との違い
9:00 (P2) 4-10
11:45 (P3) 1-6
13:02 少年院での教育
15:20 (P3) 7-14
18:12 (P4) 1-2
19:07 心構え①
21:01 (P4) 3-7
22:45 心構え②
24:10 (P4) 8-12
25:40 (P5) 1
26:08 心構え③
28:06 (P5) 2-8
30:39 まとめ

☆語彙
半身（はんみ）
〜ならでは
思春期（ししゅんき）
遵守（じゅんしゅ）する
順応（じゅんのう）する
特異性（とくいせい）
案（あん）じる
考慮（こうりょ）
無下（むげ）に
当事者意識（とうじしゃいしき）
信頼関係（しんらいかんけい）を築（きず）く
抑止力（よくしりょく）
更生（こうせい）

☆引用記事
高橋一雄ほか. “｢少年院｣で数学を教えた先生が見た学校との違い: ｢背中を見せてはいけない｣｢ホチキス留めNG｣…”. 東洋経済ONLINE. 2022-05-06. http://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/580349, (参照 2022-05-07).

"After 5" by Japanese Teacher

“The difference between a juvenile detention centre and a school, a math teacher’s take” ｢少年院｣で数学を教えた先生が見た学校との違い

VENTANAS ARQUEOLÓGICAS DE LA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO 2.

Spanish México

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hPVb0tgpX93Bh0-8iPLq5wccrqY2ZDae/view?usp=drivesdk