Have you ever dreamed of running a bookshop? You can have a go for a week at the Open Book Store in Wigton, Scotland. In fact, if you book a holiday at the self-catering flat on Airbnb, you also have to work for 40 hours in the bookshop downstairs. A week in the flat costs £150. You won’t get paid for working, but you can use your own creative ideas to sell books and gain valuable experience. Wigton is Scotland’s national book town and this new venture is attracting interest from all over the world.By MichaelMaggs (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
Have a conversation:
Would you like to run or work in a Book shop? Why/ why not?
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Read by Helen Mitchell (from Lancashire, England)
Study the words
running- managing
have a go- try
gain- obtain
self-catering flat- a holiday apartment with a kitchen
venture- project
Few people would choose a prison as the location for a special evening out. However, Italy has launched its first restaurant to be located in a real jail. At the Ingalera Restaurant in Bollate prison, Milan, there are four prisoners working as waiters and five others cooking in the kitchen, headed by a professional chef and a maître. It is a ground-breaking project, which allows prisoners to be gradually included into society. The reataurant has had great reviews: everyone says the food is worth going to prison for.
Have a Conversation:
Have you ever been inside a prison?
Would you like to try this restaurant?
Listen below or listen on i-tunes here
Read by Ines Reynoso (from Mexico).
Read about this story in The New York TimesStudy the words
Few- not many Lauched- started Jail- prison Waiters- people who serve in a restaurant Headed- led ground-breaking- innovative gradually- slowly reviews- evaluations by customers worth going to prison for- so good that you don’t mind going to prison
By Christopher William Adach from London, UK
Leonardo DiCaprio has finally won his first Oscar after six nominations. DiCaprio received a standing ovation as he picked up the award for his role in The Revenant. He said the film was “about man’s relationship to the natural world”. He used the opportunity to raise awareness about climate change, a subject he is passionate about. “Climate change is real – it is happening right now,” said DiCaprio. “It is the most urgent threat facing our species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.” He added: “Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted.”
It is 22 years since he was first nominated for an Academy Award, as best supporting actor for the movie What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
Have a conversation:
Which Leonardo Dicaprio movies have you seen?
Which was your favourite?
What do you know about Leonardo Dicaprio?
What do you think about climate change?
Listen below or listen on i-tunes here
Read by Annette (Scottish accent).
Study the words
Picked up- collected Raise awareness- inform people Threat- danger Take for granted- fail to appreciate Supporting actor- actor not in the leading role
A recent survey by the National Association of Professional Organizers reveals that 54% of Americans feel overwhelmed by clutter and 78% have no idea what to do with it. According to psychologists, people accumulate things because they are unhappy but having too many posessions brings stress and more unhappiness. Minimalists say you can live better if you focus only on what’s really important and get rid of your excess stuff. You can donate things you don’t need to charity. Minimalism is not new. Some of the ancient Greek philosophers were advocates, as were Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy. There may be more joy in owning less than in constantly accumulating more.
Do you have too much clutter?
Would you like to get rid of it?
New: Conversation Class & resources
Listen below
Read by Christine Leedy (U.S. accent).
Study the words
Reveals- shows Overwhelmed- inundated (when there is too much of something) Clutter- a lot of useless objects Accumulate- collect Get rid of- give or throw away Stuff- things Donate- give away for free Advocates- supporters Joy- happinessRecipe for a perfect conversation Class (FREE!)
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Download the Takeaway Test Be happy with less stuff
Have you already set your goals for the New Year? Do you want to lose 10 kilos, run a marathon or speak fluent English? Some experts believe that you need systems, not goals. A system is something you do on a regular basis. This means focusing on what you can control (your actions) rather than what you can’t (the unpredictable). For example, don’t focus on losing 10 kilos, focus on shopping for healthy food and cooking something light every day. Don’t focus on the marathon; focus on the training schedule. Invent a system to improve your English, one step at a time. Good luck!
Do you usually set goals?
What are your goals for the New Year?
Do you think you need a system?
What regular actions are important to improve your English?
New: Conversation Class & resources
Listen below
Read by Annette (Scottish accent).
Study the words
Set your goals- identify your aims, objectives On a regular basis- every day/ every week Rather than- instead of Schedule-plan One step at a time- graduallyRecipe for a perfect conversation Class (FREE!)
Listen on audioboo (and subscribe to i-tunes podcast) here
The Bigger the Ring, the Shorter the Marriage – Read, listen and learn a little English!
November 18, 2014By 1791diamonds ((http://creativecommons.org /licenses/by/3.0) via Wikimedia Commons
If you’re going to propose in the near future, don’t worry if you can’t afford a massive engagement ring. A recent study suggests that the bigger the ring is, the shorter the marriage will be. Economics professors at Emory University in America have shown that bigger isn’t always better. In fact, men who spend between £1200 – £2000 on an engagement ring are actually 1.3 times more likely to divorce, than those who spend between £300 – £1200. Of course, these statistics don’t prove that a large ring is the cause of the problem. They simply show a correlation. However it seems clear that if you place more importance on the cost of the ring, than the man you’re about to marry, it’s not a promising sign. Do you think the size of an engagement ring is important? NEW: TINY TEXTS VOCAB CHALLENGE CARDS
Listen below
Read by Essi (from Finland)
Study the words
Propose– ask someone to marry you Near future– next days and weeks Engagement ring– the ring you give as a promise of marriage Likely– probable Prove– demonstrate Correlation– relationship About to– going to, ready to Promising sign– indication of positive things in the future NEW: TINY TEXTS VOCAB CHALLENGE CARDS
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Do the takeaway test: The bigger the ring, the shorter the marriage
A Scottish PE teacher has invented a new fitness craze, which is rapidly catching on. The Highland Hustle is a mix of Scottish Highland dancing, ceilidh steps and muscle toning exercises. Of course, it is also accompanied by fast funky music. At present, there is only one class, in Scotland, but there are several workout videos that can be downloaded from the official website. The routines, which last just half an hour, are designed for busy people with any fitness level. The workout promises to improve your level of fitness, but it will not teach you to be a highland dancer.
Would you like to try this workout?
NEW: TINY TEXTS VOCAB CHALLENGE CARDS
Listen below
Read by Elizabeth (Scottish accent)
Study the words
PE- physical education Craze- obsession, trend Catching on- becoming popular Ceilidh steps- dance steps typical of a traditional Scottish social event Muscle toning- makes the body firmer Funky- rhythmic Workout- exercise routine Downloaded- transferred to your computer Last- have a duration of NEW: TINY TEXTS VOCAB CHALLENGE CARDS
Listen on audioboo (and subscribe to i-tunes podcast) here
Do the takeaway test: Let’s all do the Highland Hustle
Woman Accidentally Deletes a Lifetime of Photos – Read, listen and learn a little English!
September 25, 2014
A woman accidentally deleted every digital photo she had ever taken. Amy Molloy lost 2,600 pictures, including those of her late husband. It happened when she transferred her pictures from her ex boyfriend’s laptop to a hard disc. She only discovered months later that the disc was empty. By that time, her ex had deleted all of the original pictures. Surprisingly, she was not totally devastated. In fact, she thinks that looking at old photos can keep us stuck in the past. In the days before digital cameras, photographs naturally aged, faded and wrinkled, just like people, and Amy thinks that maybe it’s better that way.
How would you feel if you lost all of your photos?
Listen below
Read by Angelica Pegoraro (U.S accent)
Study the words
Accidentally- by mistake Late- dead, passed away Laptop- portable computer Devastated- desperately sad Stuck- trapped, unable to move Aged- became old Faded- lost colour Wrinkled- became crumpled, not smooth NEW: TINY TEXTS VOCAB CHALLENGE CARDS
Listen on audioboom (and subscribe to i-tunes podcast) here
Tiny Texts 