Easy English

Big Meal Scene 1

2011-10-02T19:35:00.003+02:00

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/big-meal-scene-1

In Africa, the Greening of the Sahel

2011-06-22T18:12:00.000+02:00

Niger is located in the Sahel area south of the Sahara. The west African country is largely hot, dry desert. But since the nineteen eighties Niger has gotten a lot greener. Around the world, trees are often cut down to clear land for bigger farms or more homes for growing populations. But in Niger many farmers plant trees to protect their crops. They might cut some down, but often to sell the wood so they can buy food during a drought. Over the years, an agricultural adviser named Tony Rinaudo has helped people in the Sahel learn about the value and care of trees. Mr. Rinaudo says much of the response has come from farmers themselves, instead of nongovernmental organizations or government officials. He says the idea of planting trees has spread from farmer to farmer as they shared the idea with their neighbors. Trees can provide a wind barrier. They improve the soil when their leaves fall. And they protect against soil erosion by holding moisture in the ground. Niger often has severe dry periods. Researchers say villages where farmers planted trees did better than others during a drought and food shortage in two thousand five. Mahamane Larwanou works for the group African Forest Forum. Mr. Larwanou says the villagers who had trees grew more food and could also survive on fruit and leaves from the trees. And they could cut wood and take it to the city to sell and get some money to buy food.In the past, the French colonists who ruled Niger had a policy of government ownership of trees. Not surprisingly, this policy did nothing to make farmers want to take care of a valuable resource that was not their own. In Burkina Faso, a farmer named Yacouba Sawadogo became internationally known for growing a forest. His neighbors resisted his new farming methods at first -- they even burned his land. But later they saw how trees could protect the soil against the spreading desert. His story is documented in a film called "The Man Who Stopped the Desert." But Mr. Sawadogo says in much of Africa, "Nobody is looking after our forests." For VOA Special English, I'm Alex Villarreal. To read and listen to more agriculture news and for English teaching activities, go to voaspecialenglish.com. You can also follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook at VOA Learning English.

Multicultural Britain

2011-06-04T20:25:00.000+02:00

This is Southall Broadway in West London. This area has one of the largest Asian populations in London. The United Kingdom is an ethnically diverse country with many different communities that reflects the multicultural nature of Britain. Many British people’s families originally come from overseas. Over the centuries, people from around the world have come to live here.

The first significant wave of immigrants arrived by ship from Jamaica in 1948. The Notting Hill Carnival celebrates this Caribbean culture.

In the 1950s and 60s, Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani families made Britain their home. Asian Ugandan refugees fled here in the 1970s. Followed by Somalis in the 90s. And in recent years, Eastern European citizens have arrived in search of work.

This cultural variety makes Britain a vibrant place to be, but it’s not without its problems. Conflicts can arise between cultures and generations. Young people whose parents or grandparents settled here have a very different experience of growing up to their parents.

.....

Sunny Grewel and his father Avinda live in Southall. Avinda came here from Kenya in the 70’s. Sunny was born here.

Nick: Avinda, what was life like when you first came here?

Avinda: It was hard. There was no jobs for, for people like us.

Nick: And what’s life like now, for young people, Sunny?

Avinda: I think we’re very much a part of the communities and government and everything, so it’s a lot more equal for everyone.

Nick: What are the main arguments between the younger and older generations?

Avinda: When they were small, I wouldn’t let him wear these earrings and have a long ponytail. They have to look smart.

Nick: And what’s the best thing about living here, Sunny?

Sunny: The food, the different cultures that come in and bring their spices, their experiences and even their rituals, so you get a taste of the world within this small community.

.....

In the past, differences between communities have led to violence. But new community-based projects have brought different generations and cultures together.

Here at St Mary’s School in Cardiff in Wales, more than 20 languages are spoken. It’s one of the most multicultural schools in Wales. The school was involved with a project called 'Open Cities'. It helps migrants, people from other countries, become part of the community. The school children took pictures of people and places to show what it's like to live in Cardiff.

Some of the kids are featured in an exhibition called Open Cities Faces.

.....

Mercy and Joy and their father Derek are originally from Zambia. They have lived here for six years.

Nick: Derek, tell me why you came to Cardiff and why you took part in this project.

Derek: I am an Engineering Consultant. I came to Cardiff because I was offered a job here. This project was a good thing because it was trying to show something positive about migration and integration.

Nick: Why is Mercy photographed by a window?

Derek: Because the photographer wanted to find a way to show the hopes for our future – the better life that we look towards.

Nick: But there’s a lot of shadow in that photograph, as well.

Derek: Yes, the shadow is deliberate to try to show our past, where we’ve come from.

Nick: And do you consider Cardiff to be your home now?

Derek: Yes. We are part of the local community, we have settled down and we think Cardiff is great.

Projects like ‘Open Cities’ can bring people in the community together and give young people hope for the future.

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/multicultural-britain

Notting Hill Scene 2 - Language Focus

2011-06-04T20:22:00.002+02:00

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/notting-hill-scene-2-language-focus

Notting Hill Scene 2

2011-06-04T20:21:00.000+02:00

Ashlie: Come on, this way. We need to get to the start of the parade before they set off.

Stephen: OK! OK! We've got plenty of time though. I want to have a look around. It all looks great.

Ashlie: We’re here at the Notting Hill Carnival; one of Europe’s most famous street parties.

Stephen: Where every year thousands of people come to take part in the parade and wear fabulous costumes.

Ashlie: And it’s also a chance to watch some amazing shows and see some pretty strange sights... I know I’m really looking forward to it.

Stephen: Me, too. Come on then. Let’s see what’s out there.

.....

Stephen: Ah - I love it, Ash. And there’s such a good atmosphere, isn’t there.

Ashlie: Oh, come on though - we haven’t got all day.

Stephen: Oh, wait a minute, I want to look up there.

Ashlie: Oh Stephen, I really don’t want to miss the start of the parade. We haven’t got time.

Stephen: Oh, it’ll only take a minute. I'll catch you up.

Ashlie: You know where it is? By the car park.

Stephen: Yeah yeah, go on ahead, I’ll catch you up in a minute.

Ashlie: See you later.

.....

Ashlie: Hi girls.

Dancers: Hiya.

Ashlie: So have you done this before?

Dancer: No, this is my first year actually.

Ashlie: Wow.

Dancer: Yeah, I done it yesterday though, for the children’s carnival.

Ashlie: What was it like?

Dancer: It rained for a bit, but other than that, it was really fun.

Ashlie: Yeah? Oh, it's beautiful weather today. So how long will we be dancing for?

Dancer: Sometimes we can be dancing for like, two or three hours - we, like walk around, but sometimes you can stand in one place for, like ten minutes and be dancing to, like the same kind of music. It's really difficult.

Ashlie: Yeah, we’re going to need some energy for that.

Dancer: That’s right.

.....

Ashlie: Stephen! Where have you been?

Stephen: It took me ages to find you. All of you dancers look the same in those costumes. Ah, phew, just in time; the parade’s about to start.

Ashlie: You go to the front – I’m going to meet the rest of the group, OK? See you later.

Stephen: Oh, hang on, where are we going to meet afterwards in case we get split up?

Ashlie: Well, I’ll ring you when we finish. Oh, Stephen I haven’t got my phone.

Stephen: Me, neither. Where do we finish?

Ashlie: Erm… next to the tube station, I'll meet you there. Oh and don’t get lost again!

Stephen: OK, sounds good.

Ashlie: See you later! Bye.

.....

Stephen: Wow, that was fantastic. Did you see me dancing?

Ashlie: Yes, I saw you. It was amazing, but I didn’t expect to be so tired. We must have been dancing for hours.

Stephen: Now, we need to sit down and get something to eat.

Ashlie: Good idea. So what do you suggest?

Stephen: Something over there?

.....

Stephen: Right, come on you, it’s time for home.

Ashlie: Stephen – how are we going to get home? All the buses are going to be full and I am not taking the underground wearing this costume.

Stephen: Err... taxi?

Ashlie: Stephen. Can you see any taxis? All the roads are closed for the carnival. C’mon, let’s start walking!

Stephen: Walking? No way! Why walk when you can dance?

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/notting-hill-scene-2

Notting Hill Scene 1 - Language Focus

2011-06-04T20:18:00.000+02:00

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/notting-hill-scene-1-language-focus

Notting Hill Scene 1

2011-06-04T20:16:00.001+02:00

Stephen: Wow, these are amazing. This one’s really nice. You’d look great in that.

Ashlie: No, I think I’d prefer something like this. This is much more colourful.

Stephen: We’re here in East London planning our costumes for next week’s Notting Hill Carnival. There's lots of work to do before the big day.

Ashlie: Yeah, here at the Mas-Camp, they're busy making all of their own costumes. And today, I'm here to help. So while I'm busy with that, Stephen's going to be picking up some dance moves. Yeah, come on.

.....

Ashlie: Wow, this looks really complicated – what’s it going to be?

Costume maker: It’s called ‘Pollination’ and it’s going to be a butterfly on a flower.

Ashlie: Oh, it’s beautiful. But it must take you hours and hours to work on this.

Costume maker: Actually, we started about three months ago. So yes, hours and hours.

Ashlie: So do you all compete, then, to see who’s got the best costume?

Costume maker: Yes, actually we have the competition in about four days at Alexander Palace.

Ashlie: Wow, you must be nervous.

Costume maker: Yeah, really.

Ashlie: Good luck for this year - I'm sure you'll do brilliantly.

Costume maker: Thank you very much.

.....

Ashlie: Stephen, can you just help me with this?

Stephen: Yes, what do you need me to do?

Ashlie: Can you hold this piece down while I glue this on?

Stephen: Yeah. What is it?

Ashlie: This is going to be part of my head-piece.

Stephen: Wow! That's going to look absolutely amazing. Shall I put my finger here?

Ashlie: Yes, right that’s it. Thank you, I just need to glue this piece down. There we go. Right, shouldn’t you be learning some dance moves? Stephen! You're glued to my hat!

.....

Stephen: Excuse me, mate. Is this the dance lesson?

Man: Yes, I'm the dance teacher. Do you want to join in?

Stephen: Yes, please!

Man: Alright, come on, let me show you what to do. Alright, so, let's see what we're going to do. We’re going to do a criss cross to the right and kick with our left foot at the same time.

Stephen: I'll do it with you, go on.

Stephen: Criss cross, kick kick. OK, I can do that.

Man: Ready?

Stephen: Yep.

Man: Sure? OK, lets go, listen to this, 5,6,7,8...

.....

Stephen: Wow! The costume looks great. What do you think of mine?

Ashlie: Er, well it’s nice, but mine is better. I mean it’s more, more glamorous. And do you know what? I helped make it myself! So how did the dancing lesson go?

Stephen: It was excellent! I had a really good teacher - really hard work though – I’m exhausted already.

Ashlie: Come on then – show me your moves! Yeah, I think you’re going to need a little more practice.

Stephen: Ha – maybe. C’mon you need to practise some moves too, if we're going to win a prize for the best carnival dancers.

Ashlie: I can’t wait. I’m really excited. It’s going to be fab! Come on then.

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/notting-hill-scene-1

Extreme Sports

2011-05-24T22:53:00.000+02:00

Extreme sports are popular all over the UK. Not just in the mountains of Snowdonia or Scotland. But what attracts people to these sports? Is it adventure or danger?

People who enjoy fast and dangerous sports, like white-water rafting, are called thrill seekers or adrenalin junkies.

I’m at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham in the centre of England and this is the white-water course. Seven hundred metres of foaming water with drops or rapids. And the skill is to stay afloat in the rough water.

I’m here to meet Pas Blackwell, a white-water rafting expert, and to find out why so many people enjoy the thrills and spills of this extreme sport.

Carmen: Hi, Pas.

Pas: Hi, Carmen.

Carmen: So this is a specially built course, but you raft on rapids all around the world. What do you most enjoy about white-water rafting?

Pas: I really enjoy being outdoors and on the water. I really enjoy the freedom of just you and nature and I really enjoy the challenge.

Carmen: So why do people like dangerous sports?

Pas: I think people like to push themselves - to see how far they can go – to really test themselves, against the elements, water and air.

Carmen: So, are you an adrenalin junkie?

Pas: I don’t think of myself as an adrenalin junkie, but I do really enjoy the rush of trying to get from the top to the bottom and get through situations that occur out on the river.

.....

In the countryside there are lots of wide open spaces and lots of extreme sports to choose from. But what do adrenalin junkies do in the city? Well, parkour, sometimes called free running, is becoming popular in London.

Parkour started in France. And the idea is to get from one place to the other as fast as possible; jumping and climbing over whatever is in the way. So I’ve come to a parkour class in West London to find out what it’s all about. Rebecca Ahmed has been doing parkour for more than a year.

Carmen: So Rebecca, why do you like parkour?

Rebecca: It’s really fun, it’s original and it keeps me fit. That’s why I come.

Carmen: Do you need any special equipment?

Rebecca: Not really, we just use what’s around us like steps, railings and trees, but as long as you’ve got a good pair of trainers, you’re fine

Carmen: Is it difficult?

Rebecca: I wouldn’t say it’s difficult – it’s more about the fear. If you’re not scared you can do it.

I’m not sure I’ve got the balance for parkour. Extreme sports can be dangerous, but they’re also lots of fun.

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/extreme-sports

Snowdon Scene 2 - Language Focus

2011-05-24T22:51:00.000+02:00

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/snowdon-scene-2-language-focus

Snowdon Scene 2

2011-05-24T22:46:00.000+02:00

Ashlie: Hi. Can I have a return ticket, please?

Ticket Seller: Yes, of course you can.

Ashlie: Brilliant. How much is that?

Ticket Seller: Twenty-five pounds, please.

Ashlie: Great. Thank you. Twenty-five. And when is the next train?

Ticket Seller: Four o’clock.

Ashlie: Four p.m. Thank you very much.

Ticket Seller: Thank you.

Ashlie: This is the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Now, this train goes all the way from here, up to the top of the mountain. It’s a steam train so it is quite slow but I’m sure I’ll get to the top before Stephen. Now, I must take some photos.

Train Driver: Yeah – that looks good – nice one! OK then?

Ashlie: Thank you. That’s lovely. Are you the train driver?

Train Driver: Yes, I drive these locomotives and I’ve done so for about 29 years now.

Ashlie: So how long does it take to get to the top?

Train Driver: Just under an hour.

Ashlie: Under an hour? It must be pretty high then. How high is it?

Train Driver: It's about 1000 metres and it is the highest mountain in England and Wales. And it gets very cold there as well, so if I were you, I’d wear something a little warmer!

Ashlie: Don’t worry, I've got a big coat.

Train Man: That’s good.

Ashlie: Thank you.

Train Man: You’re welcome, bye.

Ashlie: What an amazing train!

.....

Stephen: Ashlie! What are you doing here? How did you get here?

Ashlie: Oh, hiya Stephen. What an amazing place. You know, it’s a shame about the view though.

Stephen: What an amazing place? How did you get here?

Ashlie: Well, I got the train, of course. You know, it’s much easier than cycling.

Stephen: You got the train!? You mean to say while I’ve been riding up the mountain all afternoon, you….

Ashlie: Oh, and I also got a spa treatment. Look, aren’t they lovely?

Stephen: You’re unbelievable!

Ashlie: You look exhausted, Stephen. Come on, shall we go and get a coffee or a sandwich or something?

Stephen: A sandwich? You’re on the top of a mountain! It isn’t some kind of High Street, you know.

Ashlie: Follow me.

.....

Stephen: Just what we needed; a café at the top of the mountain.

Ashlie: OK, what are you having, Stephen?

Stephen: Hmm. I’ll have a coffee and one of these, a cheese sandwich.

Ashlie: I think I’ll have the soup and I’ll have a hot chocolate.

Waiter: Hi there. Can I take your order, please?

Ashlie: Yes please, I’ll have a soup and a hot chocolate and he’ll have a cheese sandwich and a coffee, please.

Waiter: Can I get you anything else?

Stephen: Yes, I was just wondering – it must be fun working here on the mountain. But how do you get to work everyday – you don’t cycle, do you?

Waiter: No, we don’t. There’s an early train, a special train for all the staff who need to come up every morning.

Stephen: And what happens when the weather gets really bad? Do you ever get stuck up here?

Waiter: We do, we do get stuck sometimes. If the weather turns really bad, there’s accommodation for the staff to stay overnight.

Stephen: Sounds cosy!

Waiter: Very cosy indeed. I’ll just get your order for you now.

Ashlie: Great, thank you very much. See, you should have got the train.

.....

Stephen: Right. Time to make a move. It should be easier going downhill.

Ashlie: It’s easy for me. I’m going to catch the last train home. In fact, I wonder what time the last train is…

Stephen: Ashlie, is it a small red and green train? Like that one?

Ashlie: Oh, no! Wait! Ah, Stephen I’ve missed the last train!

Stephen: Come on Ash, jump on. I'll give you a lift! You on?

Ashlie: Not too fast!

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/snowdon-scene-2

Snowdon Scene 1 - Language Focus

2011-05-24T22:42:00.000+02:00

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/snowdon-scene-1-language-focus

Snowdon Scene 1

2011-05-24T22:40:00.000+02:00

Stephen: Right, I think we’ve got everything.

Ashlie: Here, let me help you with that.

Stephen: No, it’s OK, I’ve got it.

Ashlie: We’re here in the beautiful mountains of Snowdonia in North Wales. We’re here for a short relaxing break. We’re going to put our feet up and have a complete rest for a couple of days. That’s right, isn’t it Stephen?

Stephen: Speak for yourself, Ash. Snowdonia is a great place for outdoor activities. You can go climbing, cycling, walking... I can’t wait to get out onto the mountains and get some fresh air. Come on Ash. Let’s check in.

Receptionist: Hi - Can I help you?

Ashlie: Hi, yes. We have a reservation for two nights.

Receptionist: OK, what’s the name, please?

Ashlie: Walker.

Receptionist: Walker. Is that Stephen and Ashlie?

Ashlie: Yes.

Receptionist: Two rooms for two nights?

Ashlie: Yes.

Receptionist: Can I just get you to fill this in, please?

Ashlie: Sure.

Stephen: Hey Ash, have you seen all these leaflets? There’s loads of stuff to do here. I’m going to hire a bike and ride to the top of the mountain. Do you want to come?

Ashlie: What, now? You’re joking, aren’t you?

Stephen: Yeah – take these, can I have my room key, please? Thank you. I’m going to go get changed. I’ll meet you back here in twenty minutes.

Ashlie: OK.

.....

Ashlie: OK, so I think I'll have the manicure, the pedicure...

Assistant: OK.

Ashlie: Oh, and I’ll have that Indian head massage, too. And can you just tell me, what’s the hot stones massage?

Assistant: Well, we use volcanic rock. You know, stones from a volcano; we heat them up and then we massage them over your body. It’s really relaxing.

Ashlie: Yeah, that sounds nice. Maybe I’ll have that, too. Oh, and I see you do treatments for men?

Assistant: Yeah, we do a lot of treatments for men.

Ashlie: Stephen doesn't know what he's missing.

.....

Ashlie: Look at you!

Stephen: It’s great, isn’t it? I’m all set to go. What are you going to do while I’m racing to the top of the mountain?

Ashlie: Well, I thought I might try this… It looks really relaxing and much better than cycling to the top of some old mountain.

Stephen: Yeah, it looks like hard work.

Ashlie: Go on you, get going. Have a good time – and call me later.

Stephen: Bye.

Ashlie: Bye.

.....

Ashlie: This is just so relaxing.

.....

Ashlie: Hello.

Stephen: Hi, Ashlie.

Ashlie: Hi, Stephen. How are you doing?

Stephen: I’m... exhausted. I can hardly speak.

Ashlie: Me too. This is lovely. I’m so relaxed.

Stephen: Ah, this is really tough. I’ve got a long way to go but I'm going to make it to the top.

Ashlie: OK, then – well you just take it easy.

Stephen: Yeah, alright.

Ashlie: OK, see you later.

Stephen: OK, bye!

Ashlie: Snowden Mountain Railway. I think he’ll see me sooner than he thinks!

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/snowdon-scene-1

Camden Fashion

2011-05-22T14:10:00.000+02:00

Camden Market is made up of many different markets. The first market was called Camden Lock because it was next to the canal. It first opened in 1972 and is now one of the largest markets in the UK.

Half a million people visit Camden market each week. And with hundreds of stalls, there’s something for everyone. But Camden is best known for fashion and famous for punk.

Everyone knows what punk fashion is but 30 years ago it didn’t even exist. Clothes like this seem quite normal now. In the 1970’s it shocked many people because it had never been seen before.

Punks were young people who were anti-government, anti-popular music and anti-fashion. Punk music was loud, wild and about breaking all the rules. Punk style was the same.

Punk’s created their own cheap fashion with torn clothes, safety pins and spiky hair.

Punk fashion is still here today and it’s still about rejecting ordinary fashion and standing out, but there are lots of ways of looking different.

Camden isn’t the only place for fashion. London Fashion Week, held twice a year, is a great place to see clothes by British designers and the latest new fashion trends.

British Fashion is very important; creatively it’s very important all around the world. Lots of the kind of fashion trends that you and I end up wearing started out on the catwalks in London.

British fashion is different from the fashion that comes from different countries around the world. Often the shape of the clothes is a bit more aggressive - maybe a bit sharper and we try to come up with looks that are a bit more imaginative so possibly they’re less wearable, less classic clothing, but always very exciting.

Back in Camden there are still many other fashion trends. People mix different ideas and create new looks. Another style that really stands out is Cyber-Goth.

So this is one of Europe’s biggest Cyber-Goth shops. What’s a Cyber-Goth? Take a look at these.

Carmen: So Jack, what exactly is a Cyber-Goth?

Jack: A Cyber-Goth is someone that doesn’t think about what other people think about them. And it’s someone with a very strong fashion sense. It’s kind of a mixture of varied stuff; like punk, Goth and American surfing scene.

Carmen: So, talk me through the influences of your look, the hair?

Jack: Well, my hair is a really, really lovely creation I think. It takes everything from the punk style like colourful stuff - really standing out.

Carmen: The t-shirt?

Jack: My t-shirt is a Cyber-Goth futuristic style. It’s an exo-tubes top - which means like, it shows the inside of my body.

Carmen: The trousers?

Jack: I really like the American surfing scene - I’m really into that. So I wanted something to remind me of that so I chose these really, really baggy trousers.

Carmen: And finally the belt?

Jack: Twenty-first century.

So punk maybe thirty years old but here in Camden it’s constantly evolving in the twenty first century.

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/camden-fashion

Camden Scene 2 - Language Focus

2011-05-22T14:09:00.000+02:00

Source : http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/camden-scene-2-language-focus

Camden Scene 2

2011-05-22T14:08:00.000+02:00

Ashlie: Well, thanks for that Stephen, that was a great lunch.

Stephen: Ah – you’re welcome. My pleasure! Now come on, we’ve got to get a move on.

Ashlie: Oh, wait a minute. They’re nice.

Stephen: Which ones? Those boots?

Ashlie: No, the shoes at the back - the black ones. Let’s go in and have a look.

Stephen: What size are they? Why don’t you try them on and see if they fit?

Ashlie: Excuse me. Can I try these on, please? Have you got them in a size 6?

Shop assistant: Yes, sure.

Ashlie: Thanks.

Ashlie: Oh wait, they’ve got them in green, too. Maybe they’re nicer. What do you think?

Stephen: Why don’t you try them both on?

Ashlie: Sorry, can I try them both on, please? The green and the black in a size 6.

Shop assistant: OK.

Ashlie: Thanks.

Stephen: Let’s sit down. Shoe shops make me tired.

Ashlie: So, which ones do you prefer? Do you prefer the black ones or the green ones?

Stephen: They’re both nice.

Ashlie: But tell me which ones you like the best.

Stephen: Erm... OK then, the green ones.

Ashlie: Well, what’s wrong with the black ones?

Stephen: Nothing’s wrong with the black ones. I said they’re both nice.

Ashlie: I think I prefer the black ones.

Stephen: OK then, if I say I prefer the black ones, can we just buy them and get out of here?

Ashlie: Yeah, I think I’ll get the black ones. Unless you prefer the green ones?

Stephen: Aaaargh! Come on!

Ashlie: OK, I’ll take the black ones please.

.....

Stephen: OK, I’ll see you later, then.

Ashlie: OK, I’m going this way. See you!

.....

Ashlie: Hi there. Wow, such amazing clothes. Oh, this is nice. Can I try this on in a smaller size, please?

Shop assistant: Yes, certainly.

Ashlie: Great, thank you.

Shop assistant: The changing rooms are just over there.

Ashlie: This is wonderful. How much is it?

Shop assistant: That one’s 110 pounds.

Ashlie: It is beautiful but… I’m not sure.

.....

Stephen: Oh my gosh! Ashley!? What happened to you?

Ashlie: Oh, hiya Stephen. Well, I decided to change my image. What do you think?

Stephen: Well, don’t let Mum see you like that - it's her birthday party tonight.

Ashlie: Don't worry, I'll change first. Are you ready for home?

Stephen: Yes, let's get out of here. Everybody’s looking at you!

Source : http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/camden-scene-2

Camden Scene 1 - Language Focus

2011-05-22T14:06:00.000+02:00

Source : http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/camden-scene-1-language-focus

Camden Scene 1

2011-05-22T04:07:00.001+02:00

Stephen: Here we are in Camden Lock Market. It’s a great place to go shopping and we need to buy a birthday present for our Mum. What do think we should get her, Ash?

Ashlie: Well our Mum loves nice clothes and costume jewellery. So - I’m sure we’ll find something here.

Stephen: It's huge here, Ash. I’ll tell you what, let’s split up, see what we can find and I’ll meet you back here in one hour.

Ashlie: OK, I’ll see you back here in an hour, then.

Stephen: Oh, Ash – can you lend me 50 quid?

Ashlie: 50 quid, eh?

Stephen: Don’t worry, you’ll get it back!

Ashlie: That should do it.

Stephen: Thank you.

Ashlie: OK, I’ll see you back here later.

Stephen: See you!

.....

Stephen: Wow, look at these! I’ve never seen one of these before. How much are these?

Shopkeeper: Five pound each.

.....

Ashlie: Excuse me. Do you have this in another colour?

.....

Stephen: Hiya – how’s it going?

Shopkeeper: Hi, very well. How are you?

Stephen: Good, thanks.

Stephen: I like these, how much are they?

Shopkeeper: Er, the leaf lights – they are £21.95.

Stephen: Hmm, I’m not sure she’ll like them. Can you help me? I’m looking for a birthday present for my mum. Any ideas?

Shopkeeper: What type of thing does she like?

Stephen: Well, she’s quite stylish – modern, I suppose.

Shopkeeper: Well, the ying yang’s really modern. What do you think of that?

Stephen: Hmm. What about that one over there?

Shopkeeper: Ah, the ball lights – lovely – it’s fifty pounds.

Stephen: Oh.

Shopkeeper: How about... forty, seeing as it’s your mother’s birthday?

Stephen: Twenty?

Shopkeeper: Twenty? That’s really cheap. How about I meet you half way – twenty-five?

Stephen: Great, thanks mate. My Mum’s going to love this.

Shopkeeper: You’re welcome.

.....

Ashlie: Aah - I'm running out of time…

.....

Ashlie: Excuse me, how much is this?

Shopkeeper: Er, that’s fifty pounds.

.....

Stephen: So? How did you get on?

Ashlie: Pretty good, I guess. I bought this fantastic candle holder. It was a little bit expensive, but I think Mum will love it. In fact I almost bought one for myself!

Stephen: Yeah… great – and look what I found!

Ashlie: Well, that is just crazy – how did we end up buying the same candle holder in this huge market??!

Stephen: I’ll tell you what we’ll do. You take this one. You said you almost bought one for yourself - and you lent me fifty pounds, right?

Ashlie: Right.

Stephen: So you take this one, I’ll get lunch and we’ll call it quits! Come on – it’s time to get something to eat. Lunch is on me, remember. Come on!

Source: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/camden-scene-1

BBC Learning English: Crossword solution of Lunch

2011-05-14T01:05:00.000+02:00

14:53 BST, Thursday, 14 April 2011

BBC Learning English ==> Crossword ==> Lunch

A New Life of Hope for a Young Burn Victim

2011-05-11T14:28:00.000+02:00

Twelve-year-old Marius Dasianu has found hope, and a new family, in the United States. MARIUS DASIANU: "I do karate, and I'm going to go [out for] basketball." Marius was born in Romania. At the age of nine, his parents died in a house fire. Marius suffered serious burns over 75 percent of his body. Americans Jessica Free and Ashley Ludlow visited Marius at a Romanian hospital. The young women got their families involved, and received help from the Shriners Hospital for Children in Los Angeles. "And then open again. And then squeeze tight..." Marius had both of his big toes removed and connected to his hands to replace his fingers. Doctor Katherine Au says Marius is hopeful about the future. "He lost all of his fingers, essentially, burned his face, lost his entire nose. And if you talk to him now, he has the most girlfriends, he was class valedictorian. He does everything. Nothing stops him." Marius faces many more operations. His American foster mother is Lynn Woodward. "He's the most amazing kid you'll ever meet. He inspires everybody wherever he goes. He makes friends so easily. You know, he makes people feel comfortable. He's got a really amazing set of social skills. He really does." Marius' older brother, Ionut, brought the boy to America as Marius' legal guardian. Ionut later married one of the young women who found Marius in the hospital. Lynn Woodward's husband, Paul, expects many good things for Marius. "It's going to be nice to see what the future holds, and see him grow to be a man and get married and have children of his own, and hopefully give us many grandchildren and maybe some great grandchildren, if we're around long enough." First, however, a full recovery will require time. Marius' doctor and foster family say his hopefulness and good cheer will help them all get through it. I'm Barbara Klein.

BBC Learning English : The Crossword solution of Press freedom

2011-05-07T12:44:00.000+02:00

BBC Learning English

The Crossword of ( Press freedom )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/quizzes/crossword/110506_crossword_press.shtml

Designing a Quake-Resistant Building Starts at the Soil

2011-05-03T20:17:00.000+02:00

I'm Alex Villarreal with the VOA Special English Technology Report.

Builders in developing countries are often not required to build strong buildings. So, when a disaster strikes, the damage is often widespread. Yet Japan is one of the most developed countries in the world. Still, the March eleventh earthquake and tsunami waves destroyed more than fourteen thousand buildings. Brady Cox is an assistant professor of civil engineering at the University of Arkansas. He is also an earthquake expert with an organization called Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance, or GEER. The group studies major disasters. Professor Cox says Japan has one of the best building-code systems in the world. However, he says, this earthquake was huge, one of the top five earthquakes in recorded history. So anytime there is an earthquake that large, there is going to be damage. The quake measured magnitude nine. He says one thing many people don't understand is that building codes are meant to prevent loss of life in earthquakes. That doesn't mean that the buildings won't have major damage. Mr. Cox says Japan has invested a lot in seismic research and design since a magnitude seven point five earthquake in Niigata in nineteen sixty-four. That same year a nine point two quake shook the American state of Alaska. He says those two earthquakes opened up a lot of new research on something called soil liquefaction. Soil liquefaction is the process by which the strength or stiffness of soil is weakened by an event like the shaking of an earthquake. The soil begins to move like liquid. Professor Cox says the first step to designing an earthquake-resistant building is to study the soil. Then the structural engineers take that information and decide the details of the construction such as, is this going to be a steel structure? Is it going to be reinforced concrete? How will the framing of the building be designed?A team from Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance is going to Japan to examine the destruction. Mr. Cox says they will also be working on rebuilding efforts. They want to make sure that schools, hospitals, police and fire stations and government buildings are rebuilt well. Mr. Cox and other members of GEER went to Haiti after the powerful earthquake last year, and continue to work with Haitian officials.For VOA Special English, I'm Alex Villarreal. 

It wasn't me! - Yes, Minister - BBC

2011-04-12T14:21:00.000+02:00

"You're Hired" videos from "British Council"

2011-03-24T13:07:00.000+02:00

WebWare, a successful IT company, is suddenly in need of a new Sales Director. Follow Philip Hart and Marcia Boardman as they take us through the process of recruiting a new team member.

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-1

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-2

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-3

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-4

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-5

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-6

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-7

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-8

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-9

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/youre-hired/episode-10

The money used in the UK

2011-03-21T13:45:00.000+02:00

The pound sterling is the oldest currency in the world that is still in use. What do you know about the money used in the UK?

Although the UK is in the European Union, it has taken the decision at the moment not to adopt the Euro as its currency. Instead it retains pound sterling.

A pound consists of 100 pence. The word ‘pence’ being very often shortened to the letter ‘p’ in both the written and in conversational form.
The following coins are in regular circulation:

The following notes are also used:

£5
£10
£20
£50

These notes are usually issued in the name of the Bank of England and the notes and coins are accepted throughout the UK. You may occasionally find some bank notes bearing the names of Banks in Scotland or Northern Ireland, like the Scottish notes shown here. These are still legal tender throughout the UK but some traders, because they are not familiar with them, may be reluctant to accept them outside of the country in which they were issued. If you do have any difficulties though, any Bank will replace them without charge.

How to ask someone to repeat something

2011-03-20T13:08:00.000+02:00

Man: (Mumbling “Have you seen a green pen anywhere?”)
Woman: I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.
Man: (Mumbling)
Woman: Could you say that again?
Man: (Mumbling “Green pen, see it anywhere?”)
Woman: I’m sorry…er I still didn’t get that.
Man: (Trying very hard but still mumbling)
Woman: Could you say that again?
Man: (slightly frustrated and mumbling again)
Woman: One more time?
Man: (Mumbling)
Woman: No. Sorry. Nothing.
Man: (Mumbling)
Woman: Look! I can’t hear a word you’re saying.
Man: I said “Have you seen a green…pen”…oh, there it is!

How to understand the difference between the UK and Great Britain

2011-03-19T23:02:00.000+02:00

Man: So where are you from?
Woman: Scotland. Are you Scottish too?
Man: Well no, I’m English actually, but… you know… it’s all like the same thing, isn’t it?
Woman: Not exactly.
Man: Go on! Isn’t Scotland just like well, a bit of England?
Woman: No, it is not!
Man: Sorry, Britain I mean.
Woman: “Britain” is not “England”!
Man: Well yeah… I know that, I’m not stupid or anything… but Britain’s like, England, Scotland and Wales, isn’t it?
Woman: Not exactly.
Man: Yeah, it is; the UK, the United Kingdom.
Woman: The United Kingdom is “Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland”.
Man: Oh I see, but we’re all like the same nation, aren’t we?
Woman: Not really. Four nations, one state.
Man: Oh, I get it! So the UK (is) like the same as Great Britain...
Woman: Great Britain is a geographical term – it’s a big island with Scotland, England, and Wales on it.
Man: All right, but we all have the same prime minister, don’t we?
Woman: Yes, and the same head of state.
Man: The Queen!
Woman: Exactly.
Man: And the same government?
Woman: Well, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own local parliaments.
Man: Oh. I see.
Woman: It’s complicated.
Man: Yeah, I can see that.

How to turn down an invitation

2011-03-19T22:52:00.000+02:00

Man: Oh no!
Woman: What is it?
Man: “Josh and Henrietta would like to have the pleasure of your company at a drinks party, next Saturday evening...”
Woman: Oh no, Josh and Henrietta... they’re not that couple who...?
Man: Yeah exactly! And it gets worse...
Woman: How?
Man: “Formal dress...”
Woman: Argh.... it means you’ve got to wear a suit....
Man: At the bottom it says “RSVP”. What does it mean?
Woman: You’ve got to reply.
Man: But I don’t want to go, so what can I say?
Woman: Tell them you’ve got a dentist’s appointment.
Man: Josh is my dentist!
Woman: Tell them it’s your grandmother’s 100th birthday party.
Man: But they know my granny died ages ago.
Woman: Tell them your dog’s sick and you’ve got to take him to see the vet.
Man: It’s no use – I’m just going to have to tell them the truth...
Woman: The truth? “I’m not coming to your birthday party because I think you’re boring and stupid?”
Man: Maybe not then...
Woman: Tell them this: “I’m unable to attend because I have a prior engagement.”
Man: “Prior engagement”?! And… they won’t be offended?
Woman: Absolutely not.
Man: Perfect!

The Test Preparation and Practice Materials on British Council and other websites

2011-03-12T20:06:00.001+02:00

Official British Council/IELTS web sites:

http://www.go4english.com/

http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-ielts.htm

http://www.englishonline.org.cn/en/exams-work

http://www.britishcouncil.org/professionals-exams-ielts-intro.htm

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/ielts-practice/ielts-study-tips-and-skills

http://www.ielts.org/test_takers_information/how_do_i_prepare.aspx

Non-British Council websites:
(Please note that the British Council is not responsible for the content of these websites)

http://www.ielts-test.com/

http://www.aippg.com/ielts/

http://www.ieltshelpnow.com/index.html

http://www.ielts-blog.com/

http://www.askynz.com/ielts/preparation.htm

http://www.world-english.org/ielts_free_tests.htm

http://www.speakoz.com/english-directory/ieltspreparation.html

http://www.esl-lab.com
http://www.ielts-test-practice.com/ielts-tips.html
http://www.your-ielts-guide.com/IELTS-Tips-Writing.shtml
http://www.ieltstips.com/ielts_test_tips/reading_test_tips/reading_test_tips.html
http://www.goodluckielts.com/2-1-3-IELTS_reading_tips.html

All Eyes Were on Tablets at CES in Las Vegas

2011-03-08T20:38:00.004+02:00

Tablet computers were the stars of this year's Consumer Electronics Show. The international gathering in Las Vegas, Nevada, is the world's biggest technology trade show. Companies launched more than eighty handheld computers similar to the popular Apple iPad. Tara Dunion from the Consumer Electronics Association is a spokeswoman for the show which ended January ninth. She said twenty eleven is going to be the year of the tablet. There are going to be many different kinds of products available. Examples include a new Wi-Fi version of the Galaxy Tab made by Samsung of South Korea. The Taiwanese company Asus announced four new tablets for this year. One of them can connect to a keyboard to make it more like a laptop computer. Another has a keyboard that slides out.Both of these tablets use Google's new Android Honeycomb operating system. Motorola, based in the United States, also demonstrated that system on its new Xoom tablet.Reporter Arash Aalaei from VOA's Persian News Network was at the show. He says more and more companies are offering 3-D images on devices like tablets and notebook computers. There are 3-D Blu-ray players, cameras, camcorders and printers. He looked at the newest three-dimensional televisions, including some that require no special eyewear. He said Toshiba introduced a new line of televisions that enable users to watch 3-D without wearing the glasses.Arash Aalaei also looked at some of the different products marketed as green technology at the show. He said many companies are selling products that run on solar energy or wind energy to recharge cell phones or other small devices.And, speaking of phones, Tara Dunion says smartphones keep getting smarter. She said "super phones" have fourth-generation chips in them that permit immediate access to videos and photos. Popular products at the Consumer Electronics Show also included Internet TVs and devices to stream video onto existing high-definition sets. More than one hundred twenty thousand people attended the show.One big announcement involved the British company ARM and the Microsoft Windows operating system. Microsoft said the next version of Windows will work on devices that use ARM processors. For VOA Special English, I'm Alex Villarreal.

Bath

2011-01-21T02:23:00.001+02:00

The Flatmates episode 5, from BBC Learning English

2010-12-21T20:52:00.000+02:00

The Flatmates episode 4, from BBC Learning English

2010-12-10T13:23:00.002+02:00

The Flatmates episode 3, from BBC Learning English

2010-12-10T13:05:00.002+02:00

The Flatmates episode 2, from BBC Learning English

2010-12-10T13:02:00.005+02:00

That Mitchell and Webb Look Series 4 - Episode 1 (Grammar Nazi)

2010-12-10T12:59:00.000+02:00

The Flatmates episode 1, from BBC Learning English

2010-12-10T12:49:00.002+02:00

What, No Digital Camera? Capturing the Beauty of the Grand Canyon With a Brush

2010-11-30T20:00:00.000+02:00

It is a clear morning on the south side of the Grand Canyon. This is the starting point for Linda Glover Gooch. Little by little, the image starts to form. Thousands of people take pictures of the Grand Canyon every day in hopes of capturing its beauty. Linda Glover Gooch could have stayed home and copied a photograph of the canyon. But she says that would not be the same.

LINDA GLOVER GOOCH: "Oh, there is a huge difference because you are in the atmosphere. You feel the air. Photos are nice, but they still lose some of the feeling that's out there. And you experience it, you know, firsthand, so your emotions are there at the same time as you are doing the work."

This is what artists call plein air painting, in which the changing light and environment affect the work. Scott Kraynak is with the National Park Service.

SCOTT KRAYNAK: "It's painting quickly in nature to capture fleeting moments in nature of the light."

The National Park Service invites artists to make paintings that will later be sold. The money helps to pay for the building of an art gallery. Kraynak says many people first came to know the Grand Canyon through paintings.

SCOTT KRAYNAK: "Not many people, I think, realize the importance of art in the national parks. Art first gave people a glimpse of what these areas looked like in the West, before TV and Internet. Art was a big factor in these areas being set aside. Art was big factor of popularizing national parks."

The works of Linda Glover Gooch can be seen in places like the Lawrence Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her paintings offer images of nature and the desert to collectors who want to take some of the beauty home with them.

LINDA GLOVER GOOCH: "I want to get that light on that point because it's only going to be there for an hour more, maybe, or a little less. It's really bright."

Gooch spent all day at the Grand Canyon to produce this one small painting. But she says there is nowhere else she would rather be.

LINDA GLOVER GOOCH: "Words can't explain it. It is just a gorgeous place. It's challenging. It's always changing. The weather is never the same. It gives you a lot of views. You could paint the rest of your life out here and always see something different."

In the end, her painting of this one part of the canyon is complete and ready for showing. However, the ever-changing appearance of the canyon makes her want to return and paint another day. I'm Steve Ember.

Professions Crossword - BBC Learning English

2010-11-14T13:18:00.000+02:00

The Solution of Professions Crossword at BBC Learning English

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/quizzes/crossword/101105_crossword_professions.shtml

James Blunt - Stay The Night [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

2010-11-12T15:18:00.000+02:00

Ooooooh, Oooooooh, Ooooooh, hey!
It’s 72 degrees, zero chance of rain
It’s been a perfect day
We’re all spinning on our heels, so far away from real
In California
We watched the sunset from our car, we all took it in
And by the time that it was dark, you and me had something, yeah!
And if this is what we’ve got, then what we’ve got is gold
We’re shining bright and I want you, I want you to know
The morning’s on it’s way, our friends all say goodbye
There’s nowhere else to go, I hope that you’ll stay the night
We’ve been singing Billie Jean
Mixin’ vodka with caffeine
We’ve got strangers stopping by
And though you’re out of tune
Girl you blow my mind, you do
James Blunt Stay The Night lyrics found on http://www.directlyrics.com/james-blunt-stay-the-night-lyrics.html

And I’ll say I don’t wanna say good night
There’s no quiet corner to get to know each other
And there’s no hurry I’m a patient man
Is your discover
Cause if this is what we’ve got, then what we’ve got is gold
We’re shining bright and I want you, I want you to know
Www.musicloversgroup.com
The morning’s on it’s way, our friends all say goodbye
There’s nowhere else to go, I hope that you’ll stay the night
Just like the song on our radio set
We’ll share the shelter of my single bed
But it’s a different tune that’s stuck in my head
And it goes…
If this is what we’ve got, then what we’ve got is gold
We’re shining bright and I want you, I want you to know
The morning’s on it’s way, our friends all say goodbye
There’s nowhere else to go, I hope that you’ll stay the night

Drivers Can Turn to Technology to Save Them From the Distractions of Technology

2010-11-04T07:50:00.000+02:00

Wayne Irving drove across the United States to tell people about the dangers of sending text messages while driving.

In  2008, nearly 6,000 Americans died in crashes involving drivers who were  busy doing something other than driving. Wayne Irving is a developer of  computer software. He created a software program to help people resist  the urge to use their cell phones while driving. 

WAYNE IRVING:  "It was specifically built for people who desire to be responsible, who  are looking for a solution to help them not get a ticket, not get in an  accident, not risk their life."

Irving calls his software the SMS  Replier. It lets drivers get control of their smartphones while  driving. The phone sends a message informing callers that the person is  busy driving and cannot answer. 

WAYNE IRVING: "Everything is  going to the smartphones. The smartphone is the new laptop. It's the new  notebook computer. They're making them bigger. They're making them more  feature-rich. They're stronger, they're more powerful than desktops  were just three years ago."

Irving drove his recreational vehicle  from California to the National Distracted Driving Summit in  Washington, D.C. Along the way, more than ten thousand people signed the  vehicle to show support for his cause. 

The SMS Replier is only  one of many programs that have been created to reduce traffic accidents.  For example, the Ford Motor Company is putting one such program in some  of its car models to help young drivers. Parents can use a message  center on the car to limit its speed. It can also sound warnings if the  driver fails to wear a seat belt. Brian Benne of Ford says the system  gives parents peace of mind.

BRIAN BENNIE: "We know that  teenagers drive distracted and they may not wear their seat belts all  the time. This encourages good, safe driving behavior."

Parents  do not have to buy a car with built-in technology to control their  children's driving. They can add a device to their present car that  continuously watches how their children drive. A recording will tell  drivers when they speed, drive aggressively or forget to wear their seat  belt. The device can inform parents if the driver continues to  demonstrate risky driving behavior.

State and local governments  are also doing their part to support safe driving. Texting while driving  is illegal in thirty states and Washington, D.C. And some states have  barred drivers from using handheld cell phones. I'm Shirley Griffith.

The Making of the Best-Known Bat in Baseball, and Pop Culture

2010-10-23T12:51:00.000+02:00

A German immigrant family opened a wood-turning business on the Ohio  River in 1856. J.F. Hillerich wanted to manufacture traditional  products, like butter churns. His son Bud, a sports lover, wanted to  make baseball bats. Today, the company, now called Hillerich and  Bradsby, is world famous. P.J. Shelley works at its headquarters in  Louisville, Kentucky. 

P.J. SHELLEY: "We make 2,500 bats a day,  on average. During peak production, around spring training time, we can  make as many as 5,000 bats a day. We make 1.8 million wood bats here  every year. Fortunately for us, the young son prevailed and we're not  making butter churns any longer."

Hillerich and Bradsby makes the  Louisville Slugger, a favorite of baseball players for more than a  century. Baseball great Jackie Robinson used this bat.

P.J.  SHELLEY: "When people think of baseball bats or especially, certainly  wood baseball bats, they're thinking of a Louisville Slugger."

The  name Louisville Slugger has appeared in books, movies and popular  music. Carrie Underwood sings of hitting a boyfriend's car with one in  her song "Before He Cheats."

Danny Luckett has worked at  Hillerich and Bradsby for 40 years. In the past, the company could  produce a hand-made bat in 15 minutes. With computers, it now takes only  a few seconds. Every bat must pass Luckett's inspection before it  leaves the factory. The company keeps 9,000 copies of its most famous  bats.

DANNY LUCKETT: "Well, yeah, right here in hand's reach is  actually the model that we used to make Babe Ruth's bat. This was the  model that they used when Babe Ruth would order his bats. They would  come and get this out of the model room, figure out what weight he  wanted, figure out what weight it took to make the bats, and turn his  bats off of that one."

Thousands of baseball stars have signed  business deals with Hillerich and Bradsby over the years. The company  has permission to sell copies of their bats to less famous players.  Baseball players at all skill-levels use lots of bats during a season. 

DANNY  LUCKETT: "Oh, everyday players will probably go anywhere from, uh, 12  to 14, 15 dozen bats in a season. That's counting batting practice and  whatever. They get bats -- when they get them, they go through them and  pick out the ones they want for the game. They pick out the ones they  want for batting practice. And they pick out the ones that they want to  sign and sell to their friends or whatever."

As a result, Luckett never has to worry about staying busy. I'm Shirley Griffith.

Now, Some Gardening Advice, Brought to You by Thomas Jefferson

2010-10-22T14:40:00.002+02:00

TOUR GUIDE: "My name is Janet and we're going to have a garden tour today."

Visitors to the home of former President Thomas Jefferson are often surprised to hear about his interest in plants.

TOUR GUIDE: "We're going to talk about Jefferson as a farmer, a scientist, an incredible landscape designer and somebody who tried, amazingly in our country, to get agriculture going."

Jefferson lived here at Monticello, a 2,000 hectare property in central Virginia. He designed the house and grounds, and planted fruit trees. Peter Hatch is director of gardens and grounds at Monticello.

PETER HATCH: "This was a laboratory for Thomas Jefferson, an Ellis Island, if you will, of new and unusual plants that came literally from around the world. Jefferson documented the planting of 330 varieties of vegetables and 170 varieties of fruit in this garden."

Thomas Jefferson collected seeds from across the world. He kept detailed records of their behavior from 1766 to 1824.

PETER HATCH: "What Jefferson did was plant all these things that came from the tropics of America, from Africa and really expanded the palette. One wonders if any man had grown so many different things in one place before Jefferson assembled these things here at Monticello?"

Hatch says his goal is to remain true to what Jefferson started at Monticello, while adding to the collection.

PETER HATCH: "One of my concerns has been trying to find the old varieties of vegetables, the very same species that Jefferson was growing and also to plant in an interpretive way so people can see this really important facet of Jefferson's world view, the horticultural view."

Kris Somers and Doug Corley are visiting from Colorado. They say Jefferson had an influence on everything they saw.

CHRIS SOMERS: "I could see him out here because he was so neat and meticulous, even if he was experimenting."

DOUG CORLEY: "I think he was on to something well before we are."

CHRIS SOMERS: "I think that we could still learn a thing or two from what he's done here, sure."

DOUG CORLEY: " ... for the backyard gardener out there today. It's quite a backyard. But he seems to have it right."

Peter Hatch says Thomas Jefferson's advice to plant lovers today would be to experiment. They can start, he says, with seeds harvested from Monticello. I'm Barbara Klein.

Developers Find New Jobs for Robots

2010-10-22T14:38:00.002+02:00

Robots are more common than you might think, like this one: the Roomba.

HELEN  GREINER: "We want to do something simple that people could use every  day. And that's what inspired us to build the Roomba. We wanted to be  helpful around the house."

Helen Greiner helped to form iRobot, a manufacturer of robots. She says robots might be part of us in the future.

HELEN  GREINER: "You can have robotics incorporated into your body, to give  back that arm or leg that you've lost, either in [military] service or  through some accident or disease."

Recently, the Association for  Unmanned Vehicles International met in Colorado. Association president  Michael Toscano says civilian uses of robots are growing.

MICHAEL  TOSCANO: "Whether it be firefighting, whether it be first-responders,  whether it be disaster response, unmanned systems allows that human  being to be able to do their mission with an extension of their hands,  their eyes and their ears."

Radio-controlled robots can explode  bombs or buried land mines. Edison Hudson of iRobot says some robots can  swim and can study ocean pollution.

EDISON HUDSON: "We can put them in the ocean and they'll swim for eight or nine months, collecting data."

Here,  the government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA,  demonstrates a robotic man. Robert Mandelbaum works for the agency.

ROBERT  MANDELBAUM: "DARPA has a history of inventing things like the Arpanet,  which is the father of the Internet, that was in the 1960s, Saturn V  rockets, stealth aircraft."

This robot is the Autonomous Robotic  Manipulation program, also known as ARM. It can examine objects, find  one with a design, and move it from one place to another. Mandelbaum  says more difficult work could be possible in the future.

ROBERT  MANDELBAUM: "Pick up a gym bag, unzip it, reach inside, feel around  without visual feedback, and find an object that's inside the gym bag."

In  this way, a robot might itself find a hidden bomb or help a disabled  person with his clothing. DARPA plans to let anyone write computer  software for the robot, then go on the Internet and watch a model  perform the work. I'm Faith Lapidus.

A Prosthetics Center Helps Athletes Stay a Step Ahead

2010-10-22T14:13:00.000+02:00

Amy Palmiero-Winters is a long-distance runner. That would be hard work  for most people. But Palmiero-Winters has a prosthetic leg.

PALMIERO-WINTERS:  "People look at the shape of the foot and assume it has spring. All it  does is absorbs the shock when my body pounds down."

Palmiero-Winters  injured her left leg 16 years ago in a traffic accident. Doctors worked  to save the leg, but decided to remove it below the knee. Later, she  returned to running, but her replacement leg caused pain. Then, she went  to A Step Ahead, a prosthetics center that Erik Schaffer founded.  

ERIK  SCHAFFER: "She was running nine miles (14.5 kilometers) an hour on the  treadmill for 10 minutes and not even out of breath. And I didn't know  what I had there, other than, wow, she is some athlete."

PALMEIRO-WINTERS:  "And so I told him, I want to run 100 miles (161 km). And he didn't  laugh at me. He didn't think I was crazy. He just looked at me and he's  like 'All right.' He's like, 'Then that's what you'll do.'"

Palmiero-Winter  has become a top runner because of legs built at A Step Ahead. She has  won many honors, including the Sullivan Award.  She often trains at  night after her children are asleep. Recently, she won a 200-kilometer  race in Arizona. During the day, she works at A Step Ahead, directing  sports programs and helping young people like Diego Barcenas.

PALMIERO-WINTERS: "I want them to know that, you know, the only obstacles we have are the ones that we set for ourselves."

DIEGO  BARCENAS: "I just really wanted to run again, just do everything a  normal kid does. You know, I'm on the soccer team, and going to try out  for the basketball team. So, I mean, I'm just trying to live my life  like as if I have my both legs, and I pretty much do."

PALMIERO-WINTERS:  "Not only is he trying out for the teams. He's doing very well at them.  He's right up there with the other athletes."

PALMIERO-WINTERS: "And we're not disabled in any way. We're just athletes who compete with prosthetics."

Last  summer, Amy Palmiero-Winters took part in a race of only five  kilometers. The event included climbing up and down hills, over barriers  and along walls. She did not win, but said she had fun.

PALMIERO-WINTERS: "Whew!  New York makes them tough."

I'm Barbara Klein.

"Present perfect passives" from BBC

2010-10-20T22:41:00.000+02:00

Passive sentences focus on the noun that is the receiver or result of an action, rather than the noun that is performing the action (the agent).

Present perfect passive - positive

passive subject	'have'	been	past participle
The house	has	been	painted	this year.
The children	have	been	given	their medicine.

Present perfect passive - negative

passive subject	'haven’t'	been	past participle
The house	hasn't	been	painted	yet.
The children	haven't	been	given	their medicine.

More :

Break Idioms

2010-10-11T19:49:00.000+02:00

break a leg

Used to wish someone, such as an actor, success in a performance.

break bread

To eat together.

break camp

To pack up equipment and leave a campsite.

break cover

To emerge from a protected location or hiding place: The platoon broke cover and headed down the road.

break even

To gain an amount equal to that invested, as in a commercial venture.

break ground

1. To begin a new construction project.

2. To advance beyond previous achievements.

break new ground

To advance beyond previous achievements: broke new ground in the field of computers.

break (one's) neck

To make the utmost possible effort.

break rank/ranks

1. To fall into disorder, as a formation of soldiers.

2. To fail to conform to a prevailing or expected pattern or order: "Architectural experts have criticized the plaza in the past because it breaks rank with the distinctive façades of neighboring Fifth Avenue blocks, whose buildings are flush with the sidewalk" (Sharon Churcher).

break (someone's) heart

To disappoint or dispirit someone severely.

break the bank

To require more money than is available.

break the ice

1. To make a start.

2. To relax a tense or unduly formal atmosphere or social situation.

break wind

To expel intestinal gas.

1433_laundry

2010-08-26T23:47:00.001+02:00

Quiz about : laundry

Quiz Link : http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/worldservice/quiznet/quizengine?quiz=1433_laundry

Quiz Solution :-

Respect – ARETHA FRANKLIN

2010-07-27T19:23:00.001+03:00

(oo) What you want
(oo) Baby, I got
(oo) What you need
(oo) Do you know I got it?
(oo) All I'm askin'
(oo) Is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit)
Hey baby (just a little bit) when you get home
(just a little bit) mister (just a little bit)

I ain't gonna do you wrong while you're gone
Ain't gonna do you wrong (oo) 'cause I don't wanna (oo)
All I'm askin' (oo)
Is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit)
Baby (just a little bit) when you get home (just a little bit)
Yeah (just a little bit)

I'm about to give you all of my money
And all I'm askin' in return, honey
Is to give me my profits
When you get home (just a, just a, just a, just a)
Yeah baby (just a, just a, just a, just a)
When you get home (just a little bit)
Yeah (just a little bit)

------ instrumental break ------

Ooo, your kisses (oo)
Sweeter than honey (oo)
And guess what? (oo)
So is my money (oo)
All I want you to do (oo) for me
Is give it to me when you get home (re, re, re ,re)
Yeah baby (re, re, re ,re)
Whip it to me (respect, just a little bit)
When you get home, now (just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB

Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me,
sock it to me, sock it to me)
A little respect (sock it to me, sock it to me,
sock it to me, sock it to me)
Whoa, babe (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)
I get tired (just a little bit)
Keep on tryin' (just a little bit)
You're runnin' out of foolin' (just a little bit)
And I ain't lyin' (just a little bit)
(re, re, re, re) 'spect
When you come home (re, re, re ,re)
Or you might walk in (respect, just a little bit)
And find out I'm gone (just a little bit)
I got to have (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)

Bob Dylan : Like A Rolling Stone [with Lyrics]

2010-03-26T17:08:00.003+02:00

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you ?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you'd better take your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

Ancestry magazine Jan-Feb 2000

2010-03-08T23:09:00.001+02:00

Cruise Travel May-Jun 2009

2010-03-06T14:57:00.001+02:00

Don McLean - American Pie [with Lyrics]

2010-03-05T17:13:00.002+02:00

A long long time ago
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
But February made me shiver
With every paper I'd deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn't take one more step
I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
...

So bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

Did you write the book of love
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Now do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him
'cause I saw you dancing in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singing

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

Now, for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
But that's not how it used to be
When the Jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh and while the king was looking down
The Jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned
And while Lenin read a book on Marx
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died
We were singing

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

Helter skelter in a summer swelter
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast
Landed foul on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With the Jester on the sidelines in a cast
Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While sergeants played a marching tune
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance
'Cause the players tried to take the field
The marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
We started singing

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space
With no time left to start again
So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
'Cause fire is the devil's only friend
And as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in hell
Could break that Satan's spell
And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
He was singing

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die

I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
And in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this'll be the day that I die
This'll be the day that I die
they were singing

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this'll be the day that I die

Rod Stewart : Maggie May [with Lyrics]

2010-03-03T15:38:00.002+02:00

Wake up Maggie, I think I got something to say to you
It's late September and I really should be back at school
I know I keep you amused but I feel I'm being used
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried any more
You led me away from home just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart and that's what really hurt

The morning sun when it's in your face really shows your age
But that don't worry me none in my eyes you're everything
I laughed at all of your jokes my love you didn't need to coax
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried any more
You led me away from home, just to save you from being alone
You stole my soul and that's a pain I can do without

All I needed was a friend to lend a guiding hand
But you turned into a lover and
mother what a lover, you wore me out
All you did was wreck my bed
and in the morning kick me in the head
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried anymore
You led me away from home 'cause you didn't want to be alone
You stole my heart, I couldn't leave you if I tried

I suppose I could collect my books and get on back to school
Or steal my daddy's cue and make a living out of playing pool
Or find myself a rock and roll band that needs a helpin' hand
Oh Maggie, I wish I'd never seen your face
You made a first-class fool out of me
But I'm as blind as a fool can be
You stole my heart but I love you anyway

Maggie, I wish I'd never seen your face
I'll get on back home one of these days

Los Angeles Magazine Feb 2006

2010-03-01T22:13:00.002+02:00

Bee Gees - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (1971) [with Lyrics]

2010-02-25T19:31:00.004+02:00

I can think of younger days when living for my life
Was everything a man could want to do.
I could never see tomorrow, but I was never told about the sorrow.

And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend a this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again.

I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees
And misty memories do days gone by
We could never see tomorrow, noone said a word about the sorrow.

And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again.

Orange Coast Magazine Nov 2006

2010-02-23T14:43:00.001+02:00

CAROLE KING: It’s Too Late [with Lyrics]

2010-02-22T14:47:00.003+02:00

Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time
There's something wrong here, there can be no denying
One of us is changing
Or maybe we just stopped trying

And it's too late, baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it

It used to be so easy living here with you
You were light and breezy and I knew just what to do
Now you look so unhappy and I feel like a fool

And it's too late, baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it

There'll be good times again for me and you
But we just can't stay together, don't you feel it, too
Still I'm glad for what we had and how I once loved you

But it's too late, baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died and I can't hide
And I just can't fake it

Three Dog Night - Mama Told Me (Not to Come) Lyrics

2010-02-21T16:51:00.002+02:00

Want some whiskey in your water
Sugar in your tea
What's all these crazy questions they askin' me
This is the craziest party there could ever be
Don't turn on the lights, 'cause I don't want to see

Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
That ain't the way to have fun, no

Open up the window
Let some air into this room
I think I'm almost chokin'
From the smell of stale perfume

And that cigarette you're smoking
'Bout scared me half to death
Open up the window, sucker
Let me catch my breath

[Refrain]
Mama told me not to come
Mama told me not to come
She said, that ain't the way to have fun, son
That ain't the way to have fun, son

The radio is blastin'
Someone's knocking at the door
I'm lookin' at my girlfriend
She's passed out on the floor

I seen so many things
I ain't never seen before
Don't know what it is
I don't wanna see no more

[Refrain]

Mama told me, mama told me, mama told me
Told me, told me
That ain't no way to have fun, whoah, yeah yeah
Mama told me not to come
Mama, mama, mama told me
That ain't no way to have fun

That ain't the way to have fun, no
That ain't the way to have fun, son
That ain't the way to have fun, no
That ain't the way to have fun, son

[Ad lib, repeat to fade]

A dissertation on oriental gardening By Sir William Chambers

2010-02-20T00:17:00.001+02:00

Energy Education Resources: Kindergarten Through 12th Grade (1998) By Paula Altman

2010-02-18T22:52:00.001+02:00

War – EDWIN STARR [with Lyrics]

2010-02-17T12:58:00.002+02:00

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, y'all

War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

Ohhh, war, I despise
Because it means destruction
Of innocent lives

War means tears
To thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight
And lose their lives

I said, war, huh
Good God, y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again

War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing
But a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Ooooh, war
It's an enemy to all mankind
The point of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest
Within the younger generation
Induction then destruction
Who wants to die
Aaaaah, war-huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it, say it, say it
War, huh
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again y'all
War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend
That's the undertaker
Ooooh, war, has shattered
Many a young mans dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is much to short and precious
To spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life
It can only take it away

Ooooh, war, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again

War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace, love and understanding
Tell me, is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way

Ooooooh, war, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
You tell me
Say it, say it, say it, say it

War, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Stand up and shout it
Nothing

(They Long To Be) Close To You – THE CARPENTERS [with Lyrics]

2010-02-16T13:22:00.001+02:00

Why do birds suddenly appear
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.

Why do stars fall down from the sky
Every time you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.

On the day that you were born
The angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold
And starlight in your eyes of blue.

That is why all the girls in town
Follow you all around.
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.

On the day that you were born
The angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold
And starlight in your eyes of blue.

That is why all the girls in town
Follow you all around.
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.
Just like me (Just like me)
They long to be
Close to you.

Wahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you.
Wahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you.
Hahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you.
Lahhhhhhhhhhh, close to you.

The Beatles - Let it be [with Lyrics]

2010-02-11T19:47:00.001+02:00

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be. Yeah
There will be an answer, let it be.

And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that shines on me,
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be,
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

American Woman – THE GUESS WHO [with Lyrics]

2010-02-10T12:39:00.003+02:00

American woman, stay away from me
American woman, mama let me be
Don’t come hangin’ around my door
I don’t wanna see your face no more
I got more important things to do
Than spend my time growin’ old with you
,
American woman, listen what I say.

American woman, get away from me
American woman, mama let me be
Don’t come knockin’ around my door
Don’t wanna see your shadow no more
Coloured lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else’s eyes
Now woman, I said get away
American woman, listen what I say.

American woman, said get away
American woman, listen what I say
Don’t come hangin’ around my door
Don’t wanna see your face no more
I don’t need your war machines
I don’t need your ghetto scenes
Coloured lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else’s eyes
Now woman, get away from me
American woman, mama let me be.

Go, gotta get away, gotta get away
Now go go go
Gonna leave you, woman
Gonna leave you, woman
Bye-bye
Bye-bye
Bye-bye
Bye-bye
You’re no good for me
I’m no good for you
Gonna look you right in the eye.
Tell you what I’m gonna do
You know I’m gonna leave
You know I’m gonna go
You know I’m gonna leave
You know I’m gonna go, woman
I’m gonna leave, woman
Goodbye, American woman
Goodbye, American chick
Goodbye, American broad ...

Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People: A Report of the Surgeon General By M. Joycelyn Elders

2010-02-08T12:50:00.001+02:00

Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (Live 1969) [with Lyrics]

2010-02-07T17:29:00.002+02:00

When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all

I'm on your side
When times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you

I'll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on Silver Girl,
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit [with Lyrics]

2010-02-02T18:43:00.005+02:00

Load up on guns and bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over-bored and self-assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word

Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello

With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us

A mulatto, an albino
A mosquito, my libido
Yeah, hey, yay

I'm worse at what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end

Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello

With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us

A mulatto, an albino
A mosquito, my libido
Yeah, hey, yay

And I forget just why I taste
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard, it's hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind

Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello

With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us

A mulatto, an albino
A mosquito, my libido

A denial, a denial
A denial, a denial
A denial, a denial
A denial, a denial
A denial

Lord Jim: a romance By Joseph Conrad

2010-02-01T21:02:00.002+02:00

Treasure Island By Robert Louis Stevenson

2010-01-31T22:08:00.001+02:00

George Michael : Faith [with Lyrics]

2010-01-30T20:03:00.004+02:00

Well I guess it would be nice
If I could touch your body
I know not everybody
Has got a body like you

But I've got to think twice
Before I give my heart away
And I know all the games you play
Because I play them too

Oh but I
Need some time off from that emotion
Time to pick my heart up off the floor
And when that love comes down
Without devotion
Well it takes a strong man baby
But I'm showing you the door

'Cause I gotta have faith...

Baby
I know you're asking me to stay
Say please, please, please, don't go away
You say I'm giving you the blues
Maybe
You mean every word you say
Can't help but think of yesterday
And another who tied me down to loverboy rules

Before this river
Becomes an ocean
Before you throw my heart back on the floor
Oh baby I reconsider
My foolish notion
Well I need someone to hold me
But I'll wait for something more

Yes I've gotta have faith...

Little Jeannie Elton John lyrics

2010-01-29T16:51:00.003+02:00

Oh little Jeannie
You got so much love, little Jeannie
And you take it where it strikes
And give it to the likes of me
Oh little Jeannie
She got so much love, little Jeannie
So I see you when I can
You make me all a man can be
And I want you to be my acrobat
I want you to be my lover
Oh there were others who would treat you cruel
Oh little Jeannie
You were always someone's fool
Little Jeannie
You got so much time, little Jeannie
Though you've grown beyond your years
You still retain the fears of youth
Oooooh little Jeannie
You got so much time, little Jeannie
But you're burning it up so fast
Searching for some lasting truth
And I want you to be my acrobat
I want you to be my lover
Oh there were others who would treat you cruel
But oh oh Jeannie
I will always be your fool
And I want you to be my acrobat
I want you to be my lover
Oh there were others, and I've known quite a few
But oh oh Jeannie
I'm still in love with you
Stepped into my life from a bad dream
Making the life that I had seem
Suddenly shiny and new
Oh Jeannie
I'm so in love with you
Stepped into my life from a bad dream
Making the life that I had seem
Suddenly shiny and new
Oh Jeannie
I'm so in love with you

Air Supply - Lost In Love (1979) [with Lyrics]

2010-01-28T18:34:00.003+02:00

I realize the best part of love is the thinnest lace
And it don't count for much but I'm not letting go
I believe there's still much to believe in

So lift your eyes if you feel you can
Reach for a star and I'll show you a plan
I figured it out
What I needed was someone to show me

You know you can't fool me
I've been loving you too long
It started so easy
You want to carry on

Chorus:
Lost in love and I don't know much
Was I thinking about
Fell out of touch
But I'm back on my feet
Eager to be what you wanted

So lift your eyes if you feel you can
Reach for a star and I'll show you a plan
I figured it out
What I needed was someone to show me

You know you can't fool me
I've been loving you too long
It started so easy
You want to carry on

Chorus

You know you can't fool me
I've been loving you too long
It started so easy
You want to carry on

Chorus

Now I'm lost, lost in love, lost in love, lost in love
Now I'm lost, lost in love, lost in love, lost in love
Lost in love, lost in love, lost in love
Lost in love, lost in love, lost in love

Gary Numan - Cars [with Lyrics]

2010-01-27T16:03:00.003+02:00

Here in my car
I feel safest of all
I can lock all my doors
It's the only way to live
In cars

Here in my car
I can only receive
I can listen to you
It keeps me stable for days
In cars

Here in my car
Where the image breaks down
Will you visit me please?
If I open my door
In cars

Here in my car
I know I've started to think
About leaving tonight
Although nothing seems right
In cars

Rupert Holmes : Escape (The Pina Colada Song) [with Lryics]

2010-01-26T16:12:00.003+02:00

I was tired of my lady, we'd been together too long.
Like a worn-out recording, of a favorite song.
So while she lay there sleeping, I read the paper in bed.
And in the personals column, there was this letter I read:

"If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain.
If you're not into yoga, if you have half-a-brain.
If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape.
I'm the lady you've looked for, write to me, and escape."

I didn't think about my lady, I know that sounds kind of mean.
But me and my old lady, had fallen into the same old dull routine.
So I wrote to the paper, took out a personal ad.
And though I'm nobody's poet, I thought it wasn't half-bad.

"Yes, I like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain.
I'm not much into health food, I am into champagne.
I've got to meet you by tomorrow noon, and cut through all this red tape.
At a bar called O'Malley's, where we'll plan our escape."

So I waited with high hopes, then she walked in the place.
I knew her smile in an instant, I knew the curve of her face.
It was my own lovely lady, and she said, "Oh, it's you."
And we laughed for a moment, and I said, "I never knew"..

"That you liked Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain.
And the feel of the ocean, and the taste of champagne.
If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape.
You're the love that I've looked for, come with me, and escape."

"If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain.
If you're not into yoga, if you have half-a-brain.
If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape.
You're the love that I've looked for, come with me, and escape."

Bette Midler - The Rose lyrics

2010-01-25T11:05:00.007+02:00

Some say love it is a river
that drowns the tender reed
Some say love it is a razer
that leaves your soul to blead

Some say love it is a hunger
an endless aching need
I say love it is a flower
and you it's only seed

It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of wakingthat never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give
and the soul afraid of dyingthat never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winterfar beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed
that with the sun's love
in the spring
becomes the rose

Blackfoot Lodge Tales: The Story of a Prairie People By George Bird Grinnell

2010-01-21T14:14:00.002+02:00

The Story of the Champions of the Round Table By Howard Pyle

2010-01-20T11:54:00.002+02:00

The Story of Beowulf By Strafford Riggs

2010-01-19T16:38:00.001+02:00

The Story of the Malakand Field Force - An Episode of the Frontier War By Winston S. Churchill

2010-01-18T16:23:00.002+02:00

Lesson 15 : Women's Work Issues

2010-01-16T13:56:00.008+02:00

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Daniel Boone: His Own Story By Daniel Boone, Francis L Hawks

2010-01-15T12:41:00.001+02:00

Barrier Reef Espionage: A Peter Kent Story By John Gunn

2010-01-13T14:46:00.000+02:00

The story of La Peyrouse: with engravings By Samuel Griswold Goodrich

2010-01-12T11:13:00.000+02:00

The Go-Getter: A Story That Tells You How to Be One By Peter B. Kyne

2010-01-11T17:44:00.001+02:00

Gandhi, the man: the story of his transformation By Eknath Easwaran

2010-01-10T20:35:00.000+02:00

Lesson 14 : Women's Changing Roles

2010-01-09T19:33:00.000+02:00

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The story of King Arthur and his knights By Howard Pyle

2010-01-09T17:27:00.001+02:00

Where Angels Fear to Tread By E. M. Forster

2010-01-03T14:54:00.000+02:00

Crazy Frog : Last Christmas [with Lyrics]

2010-01-02T14:33:00.000+02:00

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
Ring, ding, ding, ding,
ba, ba

Ah, ah, oohh, ah,
Ah hah

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
Ring, ding, ding, ding,
ba, ba

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
Ring, ding, ding, ding,
ba, ba

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
Ring, ding, ding, ding,
ba, ba

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
waaaaah!

Last Christmas
I gave you my heart
The very next day you gave it away
This year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Once bitten and twice shy
I keep my distance
But you still catch my eye
Tell me baby
Do you recognize me?
Well
It's been a year
It doesn't surprise me

(Happy Christmas)

I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying I love you
I meant it

Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now
I know you'd fool me again

Ba, ba

Last Christmas
I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
Ring, ding, ding, ding,
ba, ba

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
Ring, ding, ding, ding,
ba, ba

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
Ring, ding, ding, ding,
beh, beh

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
ding, ba-oooh!

A crowded room
Friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you
And your soul of ice
My god I thought you were
Someone to rely on
Me?
I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
Ba, ba
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man under cover but you tore me apart
Ba, ba, ba
Now I've found a real love you'll never fool me again

Last Christmas
I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Last Christmas
I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Last Christmas
I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year
To save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Ring, ding, ding,
ding, ding
Ring, ding, ding, ding
bum, bum

Lesson 13 : Parenting in the United States

2009-12-30T13:39:00.000+02:00

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Susan Boyle : Cry Me A River [with Lyrics]

2009-12-26T16:58:00.000+02:00

Now you say you're lonely
You cried the long night through
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
Now you say you're sorry
For being so untrue
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
You drove me,
Nearly drove me out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember?
I remember all that you said
Told me love was too plebeian
Told me you were through with me
Now you say you love me
Well, just to prove you do
Cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
You drove me
Nearly drove me out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember?
I remember all that you said
Told me love was too plebeian
Told me you were through with me...
And now you say you love me
Well, just to prove that you do...
Come on! Come on!
Cry me a river...
Cry me a river...
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you...

A Christmas carol: in prose : being a ghost story of Christmas

2009-12-25T23:28:00.000+02:00

Download this Book to your Computer

Paul McCartney — Coming Up lyrics

2009-12-23T12:17:00.000+02:00

YOU WANT A LOVE TO LAST FOREVER ,
ONE THAT WILL NEVER FADE AWAY.
I WANT TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEM,
STICK AROUND, I SAY.

COMING UP, OOH,
COMING UP, YEAH, YEAH,
COMING UP, LIKE A FLOWER,
COMING UP, I SAY.

OO -

YOU WANT A FRIEND YOU CAN RELY ON,
ONE WHO WILL NEVER FADE AWAY.
AND IF YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR AN ANSWER,
STICK AROUND, I SAY.

COMING UP, OOH,
COMING UP,
COMING UP, LIKE A FLOWER,
COMING UP, YEAH.

YOU WANT SOME PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING,
SO EV'RYBODY CAN BE FREE.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN GET TOGETHER,
WE CAN MAKE IT, STICK WITH ME.

IT'S COMING UP, OOH
COMING UP, SEE?
COMING UP, LIKE A FLOWER,
COMING UP FOR YOU AND ME

COMING UP,
COMING UP.

COMING UP,
COMING UP, I SAY.
COMING UP, LIKE A FLOWER,
COMING UP.
FEEL IT IN MY BONES, YEH, YEH, YEH, YEH.

YOU WANT A BETTER KIND OF FUTURE,
ONE THAT EV'RYONE CAN SHARE.
YOU'RE NOT ALONE, WE ALL COULD USE IT,
STICK AROUND, WE'RE NEARLY THERE.

IT'S COMING UP, OOH,
COMING UP, EV'RYWHERE,
COMING UP, LIKE A FLOWER,
COMING UP FOR US ALL TO SHARE,
COMING UP, YEAH,
COMING UP,
WELL, COMING UP LIKE A FLOWER.
COMING UP.

Susan Boyle - Wild horses [with Lyrics]

2009-12-22T16:55:00.000+02:00

Childhood living it's easy to do
The things that you wanted well I bought them for you
Graceless lady, you know who I am
I know I can't let you just slide through my hands

Wild horses could of dragged me away
Wild horses, couldn't drag me away

I watched you suffer a dull aching pain
Now you've decided to show me the same
No sweeping exits or offstage lines
Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind

Wild horses wouldn't drag me away
Wild horses, could of dragged me away

I know I dreamt you a sin and a lie
And I have my freedom, but I don't have much time
Fate has been suffered and tears must be cried
So let's do some living after we die

Wild horses, would of dragged me away
But wild horses, couldn't drag me away...away

Michael Jackson : Rock with you [with Lyrics]

2009-12-21T13:58:00.000+02:00

Girl, Close Your Eyes

Let That Rhythm Get Into You

Don't Try To Fight It

There Ain't Nothin' That You Can Do

Relax Your Mind

Lay Back And Groove With Mine

You Got To Feel That Heat

And We Can Ride The Boogie

Share That Beat Of Love

I Wanna Rock With You (All Night)

Dance You Into Day (Sunlight)

I Wanna Rock With You (All Night)

We're Gonna Rock The Night Away

Out On The Floor

There Ain't Nobody There But Us

Girl, When You Dance

There's A Magic That Must Be Love

Just Take It Slow

'Cause We Got So Far To Go

When You Feel That Heat

And We're Gonna Ride The Boogie

Share That Beat Of Love

I Wanna Rock With You (All Night)

Dance You Into Day (Sunlight)

I Wanna Rock With You (All Night)

We're Gonna Rock The Night Away

And When The Groove Is Dead And Gone (Yeah)

You Know That Love Survives

So We Can Rock Forever, On

I Wanna Rock With You

I Wanna Groove With You

I Wanna Rock With You

I Wanna Groove With You

I Wanna Rock (All Night) With You Girl (Sunlight)

Rock With You, Rock With You Girl (Yeah)

(All Night)

Dance The Night Away

I Wanna Rock With You (Yeah) (All Night)

Rock You Into Day (Sunlight)

I Wanna Rock With You (All Night) Rock The Night Away Feel The Heat Feel The Beat Rock You Into Day (Sunlight)

I Wanna Rock - Rock The Night Away

Olivia Newton John : Magic [with Lyrics]

2009-12-20T18:17:00.000+02:00

Come take my hand
You should know me
I've always been in your mind
You know that I'll be kind
I'll be guiding you

Building your dream
Has to start now
There's no other road to take
You won't make a mistake
I'll be guiding you

You have to believe we are magic
Nothin' can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don't let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Your destiny will arrive
I'll bring all your dreams alive
For you

From where I stand
You are home free
The planets align so rare
There's promise in the air
And I'm guiding you

Through every turn I'll be near you
I'll come anytime you call
I'll catch you when you fall
I'll be guiding you

You have to believe we are magic
Nothin' can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don't let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Your destiny will arrive
I'll bring all your dreams alive
For you

Call Me - Blondie

2009-12-19T14:21:00.001+02:00

Colour me your colour, baby
Colour me your car
Colour me your colour, darling
I know who you are
Come up off your colour chart
I know where you're coming from
Call me on the line
Call me call me any anytime
Call me my love you can call me any day or night
Call me
Cover me with kisses, baby
Cover me with love
Roll me in designer sheets
I'll never get enough
Emotions come I don't know why
Cover up love's alibi
Call me on the line
Call me call me any anytime
Call me oh my love
When you're ready we can share the wine
Call me
Ooh, he speaks the languages of love
Ooh, amore, chiamami chiamami.
Oo, appelle-moi mon cherie, appelle-moi
Anytime anyplace anywhere anyway
Anytime anyplace anywhere any day, anyway
Call me my life
Call me call me any anytime
Call me for a ride
Call me call me for some overtime
Take me out and show me off
Put me on the scene
Dress Me in the fashions of the nineteen nighties
You're the man no in between
I know what you words can mean
Call me call me any anytime
Call me for a ride
Call me call me for some overtime
Call me in my life
Call me call me in a sweet design
Call me call me for your lover's lover's alibi
Call me on the line
Call me call me any anytime
Call me
Oh, call me, ooh ooh ah.
Call me my love.
Call me, call me any anytime.

Rihanna - Take A Bow [with Lyrics]

2009-12-19T05:15:00.000+02:00

[Intro]
Ohh, how about a round of applause,
Yeah, standin’ ovation,
Ooh ohh yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah.

[Verse 1]
You look so dumb right now,
Standin’ outside my house,
Tryin’ to apologize,
You’re so ugly when you cry,
Please, just cut it out.

[Chorus]
Don’t tell me you’re sorry ’cause you’re not,
Baby when I know you’re only sorry you got caught,
But you put on quite a show (oh),
You really had me goin’,
But now it’s time to go (oh),
Curtain’s finally closin’,
That was quite a show (oh),
Very entertainin’,
But it’s over now (but it’s over now),
Go on and take a bow, ohh ohh.

[Verse 2]
Grab your clothes and get gone (get gone),
You better hurry up before the sprinklers come on (come on),
Talkin’ ’bout girl, I love you, you’re the one,
This just looks like the re-run,
Please, what else is on.

[Chorus]
And don’t tell me you’re sorry ’cause you’re not (mmm),
Baby when I know you’re only sorry you got caught (mmm),
But you put on quite a show (oh),
You really had me goin’,
But now it’s time to go (oh),
Curtain’s finally closin’,
That was quite a show (oh),
Very entertainin’,
But it’s over now (but it’s over now),
Go on and take a bow, ohh.

[Bridge]
And the award for the best liar goes to you (goes to you),
For makin’ me believe that you could be paithful to me,
Let’s hear your speech out,
How about a round of applause,
A standin’ ovation.

[Chorus]
But you put on quite a show (oh),
You really had me goin’,
But now it’s time to go (oh),
Curtain’s finally closin’,
That was quite a show (oh),
Very entertainin’,
But it’s over now (but it’s over now),
Go on and take a bow.

But it’s over now.

Susan Boyle : I Dreamed A Dream [with Lyrics]

2009-12-17T17:10:00.000+02:00

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they turn your hope apart
As they turn your dreams to shame

And still I dream he’d come to me
That we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from the hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed

Celine Dion : Let Your Heart Decide [with Lyrics]

2009-12-16T12:59:00.000+02:00

I understand that you’ve met someone
With a perfect heart
But you’ve been questioned by everyone;
Are you in the dark?
Can you choose to fall,
Should you risk it all?

How’m I gonna stop it if you wanna give it all to love
When I’m on your side
And I understand you’re the only one to know
Whether wrong or right
Let your heart decide (you’re the only one)

Some may tell you don’t take the risk
It’s a waste of time
But if you think you’ll find happiness
Baby take the dive

It’s unusual
But it’s critical

How’m I gonna stop it if you wanna give it all to love
When I’m on your side
And I understand you’re the only one to know
Whether wrong or right
Let your heart decide (you’re the only one)

Give it up
How’m I gonna stop it if you wanna give it all to love
When I’m on your side
And I understand you’re the only one to know
Whether wrong or right
Let your heart decide (you’re the only one)