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?
Listen below or listen on i-tunes here
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
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
Image: Wikipedia
Do you work in an open plan office? If so, it may be damaging your health. A recent study of employees in Denmark found that people who work in open spaces take significantly more sick leave. The biggest problem with the open office is simply noise. In another study by the Cornell University psychologists Gary Evans and Dana Johnson, clerical workers who were exposed to open-office noise for three hours became less motivated and less creative. The open office was invented in Germany, in the nineteen-fifties, to facilitate communication and idea flow but recent evidence suggests that the opposite is true.
Do you work in an open office?
Listen below
Read by Meredith MacAulay (American accent)
Study the words
Open plan- without dividing walls Damaging- causing harm Sick leave- time off due to illness Noise- sound Facilitate- make easy Flow- constant production Evidence- verification, proof NEW: TINY TEXTS VOCAB CHALLENGE CARDS
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Do the takeaway test: Open Offices Could be Bad for your Health
If you can’t stand ironing, there’s great news you. Wool&Prince have invented a shirt that you can wear
100 times before it needs to be washed and ironed. It is made of a type of wool that doesn’t wrinkle and fights off nasty odours too. The company used a group of testers who wore the shirt while backpacking, clubbing and working out. However, it always stayed fresh and clean, even after one tester crumpled his up and left it in his rucksack all day. At just under 100 dollars, it’s not exactly cheap, but just think about the time you will save, not to mention the reduction in your laundry expenses.
Would you wear it for 100 days?
Listen below
Read by Ross Harrison, mbaenglishonline (Standard English accent)
Study the words
can’t stand– strongly dislike wrinkle– to crease, become full of folds fights off nasty odours– prevents bad smells backpacking- travelling around with a large backpack clubbing- going to dance clubs working out- doing physical exercise crumpled up- rolled into a messy ball not to mention- in addition to
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Do the takeaway test: Wear the Same Shirt for 100 Days
Related articles
SAVE BY SHARING – NARA – 515337 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Thanks to the social web, it’s now easy to save and make money by sharing everything you own with strangers. Lyft allows you to cut down on travel costs by giving or getting a lift somewhere. At Couchsurfing, you can rent out your spare bedroom for the night or find a place to sleep when you visit another city. Neighborgoods will let you share your stuff with neighbours, like lawnmowers, drills or even cat carriers. Universe aims to tie all of these services together and become a global sharing community. In most cases you can read reviews about who you share with, but trust is an important element. If you can trust a stranger, you have a lot to gain.
Listen below
Read by Jane Sabey (English accent).
Study the words
Sharing– when two people or more make use of something Own– possess Strangers– people you don’t know Cut down on– reduce lift– a ride in someone’s car rent out– charge money for the use of something spare– extra, free stuff– things lawnmowers– machine used to cut the grass drills– machines used to make small holes carriers– objects used for transporting something aims– plans, intends tie together– unite, merge reviews– evaluations trust (noun)- when you believe someone is reliable trust (verb)- to believe gain– earn
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Do the takeaway test: Save Money and Make Friends by Sharing
Related articles
- Being Neighborly: how to share your stuff (hb2cents.wordpress.com)
- Spotlight on the Sharing Economy: Q&A with Couchsurfing (triplepundit.com)
Green leaf (Photo credit: @Doug88888)
Research at the University of San Diego has revealed that employees in a ‘green’ building are more productive than people who work in a standard building. Of course, a ‘green’ building is not just painted green: it is built and maintained with attention to its environmental impact. The presence of green plants in an office is known to lower stress levels. Other studies show that the colour green also has a positive impact on work. Last year, German researchers found that just looking at a green rectangle for a couple of seconds boosts your creative output by 20%. Green has strong associations with nature and growth and bringing the outdoors in can make people more relaxed. So, if you want to increase productivity in your workplace, go green.
Listen below
Read by Annette (Scottish accent).
Study the words
Revealed– showed Employees– workers Painted– decorated, coloured Maintained– preserved, looked after Impact– effect Lower– reduce Couple– about two Boosts– increases Output– production Associations– links Growth– enlargement Bringing the outdoors in– placing elements of nature indoors Go green– become more green
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Do the takeaway test: Green is Good for your Company
Related articles
- Green Means Go: Color Linked to Creativity (othernetwork.com)
Online resumes are becoming more and more popular. Philippe Dubost has attracted the attention of the media by posting one that looks exactly like an Amazon product page. Beside his photo, there’s the message ‘only one left in stock– order soon.’ If you add him to your cart, you get his contact information. The product details include his height, languages and best marathon time. Potential employers are informed that ‘this product is available for shipping anywhere in the world.’ He also has plenty of five-star reviews. Philippe clearly has a good sense of humour, as you will see if you click on ‘add to wedding registry’. ‘Not happening’ means he has no intention of getting married. This guy is clever, creative and surely deserves a great job.
Listen below
Read by Crissy Faita (Canadian accent). Check out the Learning English Matters blog here.
Study the words
resumes– curriculum vitae in stock– available for dispatch cart– shopping trolley height– how tall he is marathon– long–distance race potential– prospective, possible available for shipping– can be sent plenty– lots of reviews– assessments, evaluations sense of humour– ability to laugh and joke wedding registry– list of gifts for people who are getting married deserves– merits, is worthy of
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Do the takeaway test: Best Ever Online Resume
Related articles
- Job seeker sells himself with viral Amazon resume (lifeinc.today.com)
- This Might Be The Greatest Resume We’ve Ever Seen (huffingtonpost.com)
The hottest new trend for fashionable men is male leggings or meggings. Although not all men will want to wear them, plenty of designers are selling them, from Prada to Nike to Armani. While they are surely comfortable, they may not be flattering for all body types. It could also take guts to wear them about town. According to Will Welch at GQ, this trend is only for the most severe of fashion victims. However, meggings are not entirely new. Throughout history, men have worn leggings of various styles. They were all the rage in the renaissance era and Henry VIII wore them to show off his toned calf muscles. Fashions tend to come back, whether we like them or not.
Would you (or the men in your life) wear meggings?
Listen below
Read by Ross Harrison, mbaenglishonline (Standard English accent)
Study the words
Hottest– most talked about Although– while Plenty– a lot of Flattering– make you look good Guts– courage Severe– serious Fashion victims– people who wear the latest fashion at all costs Entirely– completely Throughout– during Various– different All the rage– very fashionable Toned– in good shape Calf muscles– the muscles behind the lower part of the leg Whether– if
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Do the takeaway test: will real men wear meggings?
Related Articles:
- Men in tights: how ‘meggings’ are taking fashion by storm (fashion.telegraph.co.uk)
- Leggings for men: do you like my ‘meggings’? (guardian.co.uk)
