In this episode, Smith shares practical tips to help you improve your English listening skills. From listening to content you enjoy to practicing active listening, these strategies will boost your comprehension and make you a more confident listener. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced learner, these tips will help you get better at understanding English in no time!

LEARN BY LISTENING

STOP LETTING LISTENING STOP YOU!

Hi and welcome back to Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien.
Illustrations by Justin Todd. Read by me, Teacher Alyse.

📖 Chapter 14: The Marketplace

Before I begin reading, here’s a quick summary of the chapter:

Mrs. Frisby is shocked to learn that her late husband, Jonathan, was part of the rats’ secret past. Nicodemus explains that Jonathan had a good reason for keeping the truth from her, but he never had the chance to share it before he passed. As they talk, Nicodemus suggests moving to a quieter location so he can tell her the full story of the rats’ origins.
He leads Mrs. Frisby to his office, a comfortable and well-furnished space, where she notices a radio playing music. This sparks a memory of something Jonathan once mentioned, and she is fascinated by the sound. Nicodemus then begins to recount the history of the rats, starting at a marketplace near a big city where he and many other rats once lived.
The marketplace provided plenty of food, making life easy for the rats. Nicodemus and his friends, including his intelligent companion Jenner, often explored the area, gathering food and playing. One evening, while searching for food, Nicodemus and the other rats were suddenly caught in a trap. Bright lights flashed, and men in white uniforms appeared, capturing many of them with nets. Nicodemus himself was ensnared, signaling the beginning of a life-changing event for the captured rats.

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https://teach.italki.com/vocabulary/927367
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https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/13365914


Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH 

Chapter 14 The Marketplace

¿En tu lengua hay dos palabras diferentes para los dedos de la mano y para los dedos de los pies? Pues si tú no entiendes por qué no tenemos dos palabras diferentes, nosotros tampoco entendemos porque vosotros sí, jajaja. Te lo explico.

Curiosidades sobre el español y su cultura

Los dedos

This episode introduces three idioms that use the word hat. Listen to the examples to hear how to use them. Please send me a message if you would like a copy of the audio script.

Idiom Corner

Escucha este audio-artículo y descubre la ciudad de Huelva y buenos trucos para viajar por ella disfrutando de los lugares más auténticos.

VIAJAR POR ESPAÑA  "AUDIOS"

Mi España. La Ciudad de Huelva.

小王子所访问的下一个星球上住着一个酒鬼。
The next planet was inhabited by a tippler.
访问时间非常短，可是它却使小王子非常忧伤。
This was a very short visit, but it plunged the little prince into deep dejection.
“你在干什么？”小王子问酒鬼，这个酒鬼默默地坐在那里，面前有一堆酒瓶子，有的装着酒，有的是空的。
"What are you doing there?" he said to the tippler, whom he found settled down in silence before a collection of empty bottles and also a collection of full bottles.
“我喝酒。”他阴沉忧郁地回答道。
"I am drinking," replied the tippler, with a lugubrious air.
“你为什么喝酒？”小王子问道。
"Why are you drinking?" demanded the little prince.
“为了忘却。”酒鬼回答。

"So that I may forget," replied the tippler.
小王子已经有些可怜酒鬼。他问道：“忘却什么呢？”
"Forget what?" inquired the little prince, who already was sorry for him.
酒鬼垂下脑袋坦白道：“为了忘却我的羞愧。”
"Forget that I am ashamed," the tippler confessed, hanging his head.
“你羞愧什么呢？”小王子很想救助他。
"Ashamed of what?" insisted the little prince, who wanted to help him.
“我羞愧我喝酒。”酒鬼说完以后就再也不开口了。
"Ashamed of drinking!" The tippler brought his speech to an end, and shut himself up in an impregnable silence.
小王子迷惑不解地离开了。
And the little prince went away, puzzled.
在旅途中，他自言自语地说道：“这些大人确实真叫怪。”
"The grown-ups are certainly very, very odd," he said to himself, as he continued on his journey.

小王子-The Little Prince-Read in Chinese

小王子第28章：忘却羞愧

The 3-Second Shift: From Tension to Trust

What if clarity had nothing to do with vocabulary?
What if your English didn’t need fixing — your voice just needed space?

In this episode, I share a story about one of my clients — a senior product lead at Tencent — who felt like she disappeared every time she had to speak in English.

She wasn’t struggling with grammar.
She was struggling with presence.

We didn’t work on performance.
We worked on something simpler — and far more powerful:
A 3-second shift that helped her speak from calm, not tension. From self-trust, not fear.

If you’re a global professional who sounds fluent but doesn’t feel fully you in English — this episode is for you.

DM me “VOICE” if it resonates. I’ll send you a short voice note you can use today.

Let’s bring your real voice back.

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

The 3-Second Shift: From Tension to Trust

How To Sound More Natural Using English?

You Can Use Informal Contractions...

Listen to the audio and get more ideas.

and check my schedule & class availability and let me know how I can assist your spoken English journey!

One minute speaking challenge - Challenge yourself to speak English daily!

How To Sound More Natural Using English?

El Aguacate Mexicano.

México es el primer productor mundial con un volumen de 2 millones 29 mil toneladas de aguacate en 2017.

Las entidades con mayor volumen de cosecha son: Michoacán, Jalisco, México, Nayarit y Morelos, en conjunto suman 95% de la producción total del país.

El 82.7% del valor de la producción nacional del fruto corresponde a Michoacán, sin embargo, Jalisco y el Estado de México mostraron un gran dinamismo en el volumen.

De acuerdo con datos del Servicio de Información Agroalimentaria y Pesquera (SIAP), las características geográficas adecuadas para la producción del aguacate son las siguientes:

Altitud: 1,600 a  2,200 msnmm.

Lluvia: 1,050 a 1,150 mm.

Temperatura: 15 a 19 grados centígrados.

Edafología: Suelo permeable y profundo, franco-arenoso sin calcáreos ni cloruros, pH de 6.0-7.5

¿Sabías que?... El aguacate Hass (el fruto de mayor preferencia en el mundo) es el resultado de un híbrido obtenido de una variedad mexicana y guatemalteca.

