Monday, 27 April 2015

Intermediate Text - (Diariklub) - Red Wine and Language - They need time and English has the most!

For FULL AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE -Please click HERE - or - onto picture or text!

All Speaking English!  By Nigel A JAMES

Red Wine and Language!
Some thoughts for discussion by Nigel A. JAMES

listen to ‘Red Wine and Language’ on audioBoom


There is an amazing similarity between a bottle of wine and the language you speak! Each has many ingredients and each has developed and changed with the times. Languages and wines are very interesting things. And, both are very exciting.

But, it's what's in them that makes them so special. So, let's start with a wine. A very good wine is made up of sunshine, sugar, water, vitamins and alcohol, etc. And, time for a very good wine is very important. A good wine takes years to develop, and, when it's mature and ready to drink it is sent all over the world. And the same goes for languages, too. And English is the perfect example.

The English language has many different flavours as well. It has Greek, Latin, French, German, Scandinavian and many more, too. And, English has travelled the world. English has become the number one language. So, why?

Has it to do with the importance of the countries that speak it? Or, is English the key to survival? Or, could it be that English is an easy language to learn? Many questions. But, of course, the biggest question of all is the future!

What kind of English will be spoken in 200 years time? What will this new world language be like? How will this new modern English develop? Will this new English have many regional differences? And, will it bring peace to the world? One language, one people, one world! What could be better?
Vocabulary

amazing - erstaunlich
changed (to change/changed/changed) – verändert
developed (to develop/developed/developed) – entwickelt
differences Unterschiede
example – Beispiel
importance – Wichtigkeit
ingredients - Zutaten
let's (let us) – lass uns
mature – reif
overlooked - übersehen
same goes – … das Gleiche gilt ….
similarity – Gleichnisse
survival – überleben



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Easy Text (Lexmatica) - Ildiko Palur - Radio and film and a voice that travels!

For full Audio/visual text - please click onto picture or text!

Ildiko Palur - by Nigel A JAMES



Ildiko Palur

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Ildiko Palur is Hungarian. She was born and grew up in a very small town called Erd. Now, she lives and works in Budapest.

Ildiko Palur is an actress. She has played in many good films. Ildiko Palur also works on the radio, she has a wonderful voice.

As well as her mother tongue, Ildiko Palur speaks German and English. And, Ildiko Palur loves travelling. This year she is going to Florida. Ildiko Palur is a very nice lady!

Vocabulary

as well as – so wie auch
actress – Schauspielerin
actor – Schauspieler
grew up (to grow up/ grew up/grown up) - aufwachsen
Hungarian – ungarisch
mother tongue – Muttersprache
voice – Stimme
was born – wurde geboren

Questions

Where was Ildiko Palur born?
Where does she live now?
What is Ildiko's mother tongue?
What is your mother tongue?
How many languages does Ildiko speak?
Where does Ildiko work?
Where is Ildiko going this year?



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Sunday, 26 April 2015

Regular Text - The Great Escape - Paul Wenzel found a door and a bike - And took off!

For full AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - Please click HERE- or - onto picture or text.

Escape Machine!  By Nigel A. JAMES


The Great Escape
Read - Listen - Practice Your English!

listen to ‘The Great Escape’ on audioBoom


It was ten years ago that Mrs. Kastner told me a story. It was an incredible tale and told of her brother Paul Wenzel and his remarkable escape. And, it happened just after the 2nd World War.

Paul Wenzel was being held in Germany in an American internment camp and life was boring and dull. There was nothing to do and the only thing he wanted was home. But, his home was in Austria and a long way-a-way, and being stuck fast where he was, there was nothing he could do. But, dreams can come true, and one day something more than incredible happened.

Paul Wenzel was in the exercise yard. He was on his own in a corner and standing right next to a door. He had seen it many times before, but, this was the first time he had noticed it. And then, just out of pure curiosity he tried the handle. The door was unlocked. And, without even thinking or checking to see that all was all right, Paul Wenzel opened the door and all of a sudden was free!

And, the miracle continued. Just ten metres away and leaning against a wall was a bike. Again, there was no time to think. And so, in the heat of a hot summer moment, Paul Wenzel was up and away and on his way home! And, his luck held. There were no serious incidents during his three day trip, and the people he met were only too willing to help him with food and drink and somewhere to sleep. But, that wasn't the end of the story.

Paul Wenzel had been home for two weeks when the twist to his story took place. It was a Wednesday morning. Paul Wenzel had gone into town on his bike. And then, after doing what had to be done, it was time to go home. But, where was the bike? It was nowhere to be found. And, Paul Wenzel smiled.

The bike had helped when he need it most, and now it was doing the same for somebody else. There are some things in life that cannot be explained. One just has to believe. And, Christine Wenzel, the now Mrs. Kastner, was unable to believe that her brother was home! And, all thanks to a door that was open and A bike that was waiting. A remarkable story that was just meant to be!

But, of course, the questions remain. Was this fate or simply good luck? Or, something much higher? But, whatever it was, it was true, and it changed Paul Wenzel for ever! The day he stepped out into freedom!

Vocabulary

curiosity - Neugier
escape – Entkommen
incredible – unglaublich
incident – Zwischenfall
remarkable – bemerkenswert
tale – Erzählung



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Friday, 24 April 2015

Welcome to Diarikom

Welcome to Diarikom!


Diarikom is all about people, places, and much more, too. So, Whether you're learning English or simply enjoying the language, we have something for you! With full audio support, our texts are presented in different learning levels - easy(a) to regular plus (c+). So, please enjoy Diarikom, and, if you like it, please tell a friend. Our easy address is www.a9839.com – Just right for passing around!

Thank you for clicking our way, my name is Nigel A. JAMES

Diarikom's Podcast – A985



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Home Thoughts from Abroad - by Robert Browning - A Classical English poem that is England!

To Listen and Read - please click onto text or picture!




listen to ‘Home Thoughts From Abroad by Robert Browning’ on audioBoom


Home Thoughts from Abroad
by Robert Browning



Oh, to be in England
Now that April's there,
And - whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England-now!


And after April, when May follows,
And - the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops-at the bent spray's edge-
That's why the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
- Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!
…........


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Tuesday, 21 April 2015

Intermediate Text (Diariklub) - Robin Faulkner - The Permanent Way - His life is driving the train!

For full AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - please click onto text or picture!

On the Permanent Way - By Nigel A. JAMES

The Permanent Way

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Robin Faulkner has a very powerful job. He's an engine driver, and his route is the London to Edinburgh line. He has a way of life that he loves, and his way is the permanent way. Robin Faulkner is lucky. And, he is lucky for one very good reason.

And, the reason is himself. When he was a boy Robin Faulkner always wanted to be an engine driver. It was his dream. And, his life was the trains that he loved. He would spend every Saturday watching the trains at Waverly station in Edinburgh. And, of course, he had a train-set at home. And, when he left school, his dream turned into reality. He became an engine driver. But, Robin Faulkner belongs to a very small minority.

He is one of the few whose life is his dream. But, why is this? And, why are not many people ambitious? And, why is personal discipline essential for success? And, what is success? And, what about timing?

Robin Faulkner, just like everyone else, is a child of his times. And times can be very restrictive. There are wars, recessions, famines, droughts and many other things that all come under the umbrella of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. But, people can be restrictive as well.

And, this is a very big problem. Many parents discourage their children from becoming what they want. Parents, too, have dreams for their children. And, in this sense, Robin Faulkner was a very lucky boy. His father was an engine driver and his mother a tea-girl at Waverly station. Robin Faulkner was encouraged.

But, what would Robin Faulkner have become if his father had not been an engine driver? Maybe a banker or doctor? Who knows? But, one thing is clear: there is only one way for young Robin, and that is the permanent way!



Vocabulary


ambitious – ehrgeizig
discourage – entmutigen
encourage - ermutigen
engine driver – Lokführer
line – Strecke
permanent way - Eisenbahnstrecke
powerful – mächtig
restrictive – einschränkend
train set – Model Eisenbahn
turned into (to turn into/turned into/turned into) – umwandle


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Monday, 20 April 2015

Easy Text - (Lexmatica) - San Marino - The smallest republic in the world! - Great for vocabulary and pronunciation!

For full AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - Please click onto picture or text!

A San Marino Family Coming Back From a Picnic


San Marino

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San Marino is a very interesting place. With only 61 square kilometres it is the smallest republic in the world. It lives from wheat, grapes, cheese, livestock, postage stamps, tourism, textiles, pottery, chemicals, paints and wine.

San Marino is landlocked and can be found in the centre of Italy. Its border is 34 kilometres long. Its highest mountain is the Monte Titano which is 793 meters high. The River Ausa flows through the country.

The official language of San Marino is Italian, and the head of state is known as the Captains Regent. San Marino was founded in the 4th century by a Christian Saint.


Vocabulary

border -Grenze
cheese – Käse
flow (flow/flowed/flowed) – fliest
founded (found/founded/founded) gegrundet
grapes – Trauben
head of state – Staats Oberhaupt
landlocked – Ohne zugang zum Meer
language - Sprache
livestock – Vieh
paints - Farben
postage stamps – Briefmarken
pottery – Keramik
wheat – Getreide

Questions

How many square kilometres has San Marino?
How high is its highest mountain and what is its name?
Where is San Marino?
Which language is spoken in San Marino?
What does San Marino live from?
Which river runs through San Marino?
What is the head of state known as?
Who founded San Marino?

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Chatting with Granny in San Marino!


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Saturday, 18 April 2015

Regular Text - Harry Golden - The Golden Years and the Carolina Israelite - An American success story - Only in America!

For full AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - Please click -  HERE - or - onto picture or text!

A Newspaper Desk!  - By Nigel A. JAMES



The Golden Years – Harry Golden and the Carolina Israelite

listen to ‘The Golden Years - Harry Golden’ on audioBoom


In 1958, when Harry Golden published his book Only in America he was at the top of an incredible success story. And, it repeated itself every month! It had 16 very packed pages, and it was Harry Golden's Carolina Israelite. And, working from home, Harry Golden wrote about everything! And, every single word in this very unique newspaper was his own.

And, Harry Golden had a story, too. When he was young in New York there was nothing he wouldn't do. He was a porter, salesman, editor, journalist, and, many other things as well. A life which was perfect for getting to know and understand people. And, it was there, with the energy of youth, that he spent most of his spare time with a book. And, what better for writing than reading? And, so it was, that after moving to Carolina, Harry Golden founded The Carolina Israelite. And it had something for everyone.

And, The Carolina Israelite was a success. Harry Golden understood people. Many folk, whilst reading his articles (which, by-the-way, he called “editorials”), said they were like reading letters from a friend. And, when the time came round for the paper - time came round for the family. Reading the The Carolina Israelite together was the highlight of the month for many American families.

But, of course, sooner or later, everyone has to give in to the years that they’ve saved, and, in 1968, Harry Golden wrote the last of his editorials, and put The Carolina Israelite to bed for the very last time. And there has never been anything like it since. How could there be? As Ralph Emerson wrote, “Whoso would be a man - must be a nonconformist”. And, Harry Golden only conformed with himself. And, that's how it was, and Only in America!

Vocabulary

advert - Werbung
consisted (to consist/consisted/consisted) – besteht aus
despite – trotz
founded – (to found/founded/founded)- gründen
Highlight – Höhepunkt
month in and month out – Monat für Monat
nonconformist - Nonkonformist
success - Erfolg
to bed – (to put a paper to bed) – bereit stellen für drücken
whoso – wer immer


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Welcome to Diarikom


Welcome to Diarikom!


Diarikom is all about people, places, and much more, too. So, Whether you're learning English or simply enjoying the language, we have something for you! With full audio support, our texts are presented in different learning levels - easy(a) to regular plus (c+). So, please enjoy Diarikom, and, if you like it, please tell a friend. Our easy address is www.a9839.com – Just right for passing around!

Thank you for clicking our way, my name is Nigel A. JAMES

Diarikom's Podcast – A985



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Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Lexmatica Easy Text with Vocabulary - APRIL - A month full of windy surprises -Great for vocabulary and pronunciation!

For FULL AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - Please click HERE - or - onto picture or text!

April Weather - Vienna - Photo by Nigel A.  JAMES



April

listen to ‘April’ on audioBoom

April is a wonderful month. It starts in the winter and ends in the spring. April is a month of great change.

It is hot, cold, windy, stormy, and breezy. There are heavy rainfalls, light rainfalls and showers, and of course snow storms and hail storms, too.

And, little Susi? She lost her hat one day in a storm. It was last year on the 7th of April. And now, little Susi has no hat at all!



Vocabulary

breeze – Brise
change – Änderungen
everything – alles
hail storm – Hagelsturm
heavy rainfall – Niederschlag
light rainfall – Leichte Regen
month – Monat
snow – Schnee
spring – Frühling
stormy – sturmig
shower – Schauer
there are – Es gibt
windy – windig


Questions -

What is your favourite month?
Why is April an exciting month?
When does April start?
When does April end?
Does it snow in April?
Describe April weather!
What did little Susi lose last year in April?




Diarikom and Lexmatica are sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
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Diariklub - Intermediate Text with Vocabulary - Animals in Zoos! - Zoos were not always the nicest places for animals!

For FULL AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - Please click HERE - or - onto picture or text.

A Visitor Taking a Photo of a Lion - by Nigel A JAMES



Animals in Zoos


listen to ‘Animals in Zoos’ on audioBoom


I liked trips to the zoo when I was a child. I still do! But, now it depends on the zoo. Some zoos are nice, others are not. And, looking back to my childhood, the zoo that I loved must have been a terrible place for the animals.

The cages were all very small; there was too little space for the animals. And, worse still, the elephants were all chained to the ground. But, I didn't understand the cruelty these animals were suffering. And, I thought that lions going round and round in circles for hours on end was a very funny trick. The animals must have been desperate!

So, what is a good zoo? Of course, I am no expert, but, I know that the zoo in Vienna is one of the best in the world. And, I have a very strange feeling that the animals can't get enough. It seems to be perfect. There are no minuscule cages; there are generous paddocks and enclosures instead. And, the elephants are no longer chained to the ground.

But, why do we need zoos? Is it to save animals from extinction? Or, is it because we simply love looking at animals? And, do animals really like living in captivity? Questions and questions and more questions. But, when I see animals and children smiling at each other when I visit the zoo in Vienna, I think animals prefer living in zoos. Especially Schönbrunn in Vienna!


Vocabulary

cage – Käfig
can't get enough – nicht genug haben
captivity – Gefangenschaft
chained (to chain/chained/chained) – anketten
cruelty – Tierquälerei
desperate – verzweifelt

enclosure - eingezäuntes Grundstück
especially – insbesondere
extinction – Aussterben
generous – großzügig
ground – Erdboden

hours on end – Stundenlang
minuscule – winzig
paddock – Koppel

save (to save/saved/saved) - retten
strange - seltsam
suffering – Leiden
terrible – furchtbar
trip – Ausflug
worse still – noch schlimmer

And now the text once again!


Diarikom and Lexmatica are sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
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The Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe!
Mountains, rivers, lakes and much more.
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Barmouth
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Maggy Steiner

  Maggy Steiner had a wonderful childhood.  She went to school in Vienna, and spent her summers with her uncle and aunt and her two cousins ...