A rendition of Charles Baudelaire's poem La Fontaine de sang, from his masterpiece Les Fleurs du Mal (edited by Poulet-Malassis, Paris,1857). It is a sonnet written in alexandrins (the famous french twelve-syllable verse, majestic and slow). The english translation is by William Aggeler (The Flowers of Evil, Academy Library Guild, Fresno, 1954). Enjoy ! 

In the thumbnail : doodled portrait of Jeanne Duval by Baudelaire

Une interprétation du poème La Fontaine de sang de Charles Baudelaire, tiré de son chef-d'œuvre Les Fleurs du Mal (publié par Poulet-Malassis, Paris, 1857). Il s'agit d'un sonnet écrit en alexandrins (le célèbre vers français de douze syllabes, majestueux et lent). La traduction anglaise est de William Aggeler (The Flowers of Evil, Academy Library Guild, Fresno, 1954). Bonne écoute !

Dans la vignette : portrait griffonné de Jeanne Duval par Baudelaire

Hypnose des mots

La Fontaine de sang

Learn Spanish with Elvis B1

Una joven de 22 años aspira un récord en motocicleta

Recommended to listen repeatedly until you understand. Key words and Commonly used phrases, Please read after me. You can record the phrases you read and send it here, I'll correct the pronunciation for you. Follow me ,you will learn more Chinese. Key words and common phrases： 发烧、感冒、很漂亮、很绿、很好吃、很冷、照顾、很有用、季节、当然、春天、夏天、秋天、冬天、裙子、最近、越来越瘦、锻炼、去公园、听音乐会、讲题、帮忙、离开、看清楚、眼镜、突然、刚才、特别、明白、聊天儿、睡着了、更好、同事、以前、银行、好久不见、感兴趣、结婚、离婚、欢迎、迟到、半小时、接电话、立刻、差一刻八点

Merry's Channel (HSK三）

HSK三 Key words and common phrases (3 ) , Please read after me 请跟我读

Let's talk about life and what's going on in the world.

English with Uncle Billy

Can I Say - Can I Do

If you don't already lift weights, it may be time to start. According to researchers from Japan, just 30 to 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening exercise a week is enough to lower a person's risk of early death.

Muscle-strengthening exercise can include activities like push-ups, yoga and walking up steps, among others.

The research was based on 16 previously published studies that had between 4,000 and 480,000 adult participants.

The studies were done in the US, England, Scotland, Australia and Japan. The participants had no serious health issues, and they were monitored for at least two years.

The results, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that those who did between 30 and 60 minutes of strength or weight training a week had a 10% to 20% lower risk of early death from all causes.

This type of exercise was also found to lower the risks of heart disease and cancer by about the same amount.

Participants who reported doing a combination of muscle training and aerobic activity were found to have a 40% lower risk of death from all causes, 46% lower risk of heart disease, and 28% lower risk of death from cancer.

However, after 130 to 140 minutes of muscle training, the positive health effects decreased, and were only seen in issues related to diabetes.

Speaking with CNN, University of Minnesota professor William Roberts, who was not part of the study, said the results are good for people who want to improve their health but don't have much time for exercise.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

30 Minutes of Muscle Training Can Lower Risk of Death

The other day, I had dinner with a foreign friend, he called the waiter to clean up the table, and he said ‘这些不要了（we don’t need these）’.It’s OK, and we also have the corresponding Chinese saying like English.

I often say ’不好意思，麻烦收拾一下（bù hǎo yì si, má fan shōu shi yí xia）-Excuse me, could you please clean up here?’


Crystal Gao's Chinese Language Journey

5. 不好意思，麻烦收拾一下/ Excuse me, could you please clean up here?

In episode 2 I asked if you sound English when you speak this language.  
What I meant was do you pronounce the silent letters and use other spoken features of the language.  In this episode, I review the silent b and L. 

I also refer you to this dictionary.   www.engdic.org

Accelerate Your IELTS Speaking with Ralph

3 The Silent Letters

qiū tiān dào le，lǎo shān yánɡ zài tián li shōu bái cài 。
秋天到了，老山羊在田里收白菜。
xiǎo bái tù hé xiǎo huī tù lái bānɡ mánɡ。
小白兔和小灰兔来帮忙。
lǎo shān yánɡ hěn ɡǎn jī tā men，shōu wán bái cài，
老山羊很感激他们，收完白菜，
tā sònɡ ɡěi xiǎo huī tù yì chē bái cài， 
他送给小灰兔一车白菜，
yě sònɡ ɡěi xiǎo bái tù yì chē bái cài。
也送给小白兔一车白菜。
xiǎo bái tù shuō：“xiè xiè nín，lǎo shān yánɡ，   
小白兔说：“谢谢您，老山羊，
wǒ bú yào bái cài，nín sònɡ ɡěi wǒ yì xiē cài zǐ bɑ！” 
我不要白菜，您送给我一些菜子吧！”
xiǎo bái tù huí dào jiā，zhònɡ hǎo le cài zǐ。
小白兔回到家，种好了菜子。
màn màn de，bái cài zhǎnɡ dà le。
慢慢地，白菜长大了。
xiǎo huī tù de bái cài chī wán le，
小灰兔的白菜吃完了，
kàn dào xiǎo bái tù jiā zhònɡ zhe hěn duō bái cài， 
看到小白兔家种着很多白菜，
tā xiàn mù jí le，yě qù lǎo shān yánɡ jiā yào le cài zǐ。 
他羡慕极了，也去老山羊家要了菜子。
dì èr nián，xiǎo huī tù yě yǒu zì jǐ de bái cài chī le。
第二年，小灰兔也有自己的白菜吃了。

CHINESE STORY中文故事

老山羊的礼物

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.