Regular Text - Swimming not Shopping on Sundays - A short story from Hungary

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A short story from Hungary about shopping.

Shopping is a part of everyday life, and this used to mean Monday to Sunday in Hungary. But, not any more. Now, things are different. The law has been changed, and now Sunday has become a shopping-free day. And, shop workers have gained most of all.

Speaking to a lady who works in a supermarket in Budapest, I was told that the new Sunday opening law has made an enormous difference to her life. Her Sundays are now hers to plan and do as she pleased. And, planning has become necessary for lots of other people, too. Another shopping day has had to be found. But, according to everyone else that I spoke to, this was no problem at all. There are, after all, 6 other days to chose from. In fact, for most people, the new shopping law has made no difference at all.

But, the new law must have made a serious difference to the supermarkets and hyper-markets involved. In fact, this is the second change of law they've had to contend with within the last 18 months. First of all, their right to sell tobacco products was withdrawn in favour of small independent tobacconists. And now, they've lost Sundays.  And, again, to the advantage of small family traders.

Small family grocery stores are exempt from the new Sunday trading law. These small shops are still allowed to open whenever they want, even around-the-clock if they wish. And for them, the new law has come as a blessing. Sunday is now their busiest day of the week. But, of course, there is no way that these small shops will ever be able to cater for the normal weekly shopping demands of an average Hungarian family; and so, this new law presents no real threat to the supermarkets and hypo-markets. They will survive.

And, Hungary will survive, too. Of course, this new Sunday opening law has started a discussion. But, one thing is clear, it is better to go swimming than working. It's more fun on the beach, and, if you really run out of milk for your coffee, there's a small corner shop that's not far away!

The Hungarians believe that Sunday is special, and, I think they're right. Sunday's for not going shopping. And, why not?

Vocabulary

advantage – Vorteil

blessing – Segnen

contend – kämpfen

difference – Unterschied

enormous – riesig

exempt - befreit

gained – (gain/gained/gained) - gewinnen

law – Gesetz

survive – überleben

threat – Drohung

Regular Text - Strings in the Wind and a Film! A true story with a twisted end!

A true story about Hans Kratky  -  Read  - Listen - Enjoy!

This true story happened more than five years ago, but, for Hans Kratky it's still just as real as if it only happened last week. His kite had been taken away by the wind – and with it - something he treasured!

It was a just after Christmas. Hans Kratky was trying out the video camera which his wife had just given him and he had an idea. Why not use the camera for making a film of his house from above? An aerial view.

And this was not only a very good idea, but simple as well. The only thing needed was a kite to carry the camera into the sky, and Hans Kratky could easily make one himself. And so he got going. And, the very next day it was ready. A giant kite made out of fine red material. Hans Kratky's idea of producing a bird's eye view film of his house was about to come true.

And so, into the field next door went Hans, his wife and one or two friends with the giant red kite with the camera on board! And the take-off was perfect! Up into the sky went the kite, and there it danced and swayed and did what kites generally do. And, as Hans pulled the strings he was happy. His film, he was sure, would be a success.

But, then came the wind!

The gust was so strong and so sudden that it took the strings right out of Hans Kratky's hands! There was nothing he could do except sadly look-on as his kite and his camera flew away on the wind and into the cold winter sky. And, what was his wife thinking? She was standing right next to him and saying nothing at all. Just staring – and not very happily. The camera, after all, had cost her very much money!

But, all's well that ends well, and the kite soon found itself tangled up in a tree with the camera still shooting as if nothing had happened. All was not lost. And, that very same evening, Hans, his wife, and their friends sat down to enjoy Hans's unforgettable film. And, it was full of surprises.

The beginning was perfect. There were the wonderful pictures as the kite got gracefully higher and higher and the views were impressive. And, Hans's house, a long way down, was really amazingly small. It was like watching a dream.

And, then came the gust.

And there on the screen were the aerial divings and swingings and tossings and turnings being taken from Hans's out of control home made beautiful giant red kite. But, the best was to come at the end. It was a finale fit for an Oscar, and, it all took place in the tree which was holding the kite!

Instead of coming up from the ground to rescue his camera and kite, Hans Kratky, instead, came down – headfirst - from the top! The camera, still filming, was hanging upside-down in the tree, and everything was back-to-front, upside-down, and the wrong way round! And, so brilliant was this ending, that Petra, Hans's wife, still believes that the whole thing was a well carried out piece of film making! Hans, not just a cameraman with a future, but also a genius with an eye for the very best shot!

Luck, Petra Kratky still firmly believes, had no part to play!

Vocabulary

according – laut

after all – immerhin

back-to-front – verkehrt

amazing – erstaunlich

giant – riesig

got going - (to get going/got going/got going) – anfangen

graceful – graziös

gust – Windstoß/Bö

impressive – beeindruckend

kite – Drachen

launching – abschießen

straight after – direkt nach . ..

swayed – (to sway/swayed/swayed) ) - schwanken

take off, the – Abflug

tangled – (to tangle/tangled/tangled) - eingewickelt

tossings – wälzen

upside-down – verkehrt

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Regular Text - Trees - Some personal short summer thoughts about a nut tree!

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Trees

Trees are wonders of nature. There is something about them that everyone loves, and I have a tree in my life. It is a nut tree, and it arrived one year in July. It was still very small, and, as I planted it in my garden I thought of its chances of living. The summer was hot and still getting hotter, and all around plants, weeds and grasses were wilting and dying. Logically or illogically, I knew that my tree couldn't last long. The Hungarian sun was simply too strong.

But, not everything dies, and there must be a way. And, so it was that I started to water it. Once in the morning and once in the evening. And then, against all I believed, the little tree began to get bigger and bigger. Together, I believed, we were winning! But, as summer became autumn the little tree was still very small. Too small, I was sure, to survive a hard winter. Would it still be there in the spring?

And, April arrived and back I went to my garden. And, the first thing I did was to look for my tree. But, something had happened. It had become smaller, it had been eaten by pigs, and all that was left was a stem. I was sure it was dead! But, I was wrong! It was three or four days later when a small shoot appeared. Then came another and another, and soon there were seven or eight. My nut tree was strong, it had little leaves, and its chances were good!

And, the next winter it was eaten again; and, again it survived. And, that was eight years ago. And, my little nut tree isn't little any more. It is two metres high and impressive. But, it still has a long way to go. Nut trees can grow very high, and can live for sixty-five years.

Trees have a strength, its their character, they are stronger than us. That's why we love them and need them!

Vocabulary

another – noch ein

appear – (appear/appeared/appeared) – erscheine

believe – (believe/believed/believed) – glauben

daily – täglich

impressive – beeindruckend

leaves pl. von leaf - Blatt/Blätter

once - einmal

plant – (plant/planted/planted) - einsetzen / pflanzen

shoot – Trieb

simply – einfach

soon – bald

stem – Stiel

sure – sicher

survive – (survive/survived/survived) – überleben

twice – zwei Mal

water (to water/watered/watered) – gießen (to water the plants)

weeds – Unkraut

wilting – (wilt/wilted/wilted) – verwelken

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Hedi Pröll - A short story she left us about some girls, some hammers, a door and a hole!

Hedi Pröller

Where's there's a Hammer - there's a Way!

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There is no doubt at all that action speaks louder than words, and, when Hedi Pröller suggested a door from the kitchen through to the dining room she was met with surprise. Her husband's reaction was not very nice.

There was the cost, there was the mess, there was the fact that the house would probably fall down, and, worst of all, who needed it anyway! But, Hedi not only wanted it, she needed it, too, and she was going to get it!

And then, one day, whilst shopping with her sister, Hedi saw the perfect folding door for her yet to be hole in the wall. In front of her was her dream.

And it came true at the end of the summer. Her husband was away on a seminar, and Hedi had just three days for the job. With the right tools and her sister and three of the girls from the office, a hole was created and expertly filled with a perfectly working light blue folding door. Hedi's dream had come true, and, one day was all that was needed!

And her husband? He came home and, amazingly didn't even notice the change! And then, when the penny finally dropped, he was more than pleasantly surprised. The door was perfect, and, amazingly, the house was still standing! And so, and not so amazingly, his wife had been right once again!

And, that's how it is. In the main, men haven't a chance! And why not? And, as far as Hedi was concerned, it was not so much a question of action speaking louder than words, it was, much more, a matter of action speaks louder than asking! In other words, just do it! Where there's a hammer – there's a way!

Diarikom's Podcast – A985

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Êasy Text - (Easy Text) - Donkey Riding - Great for all kids!

Whitby Beach in England - by Nigel A  JAMES

Donkey Riding

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All British kids love the seaside. There is sand to play on, sea to swim in, fish and chips to eat, ice cream to lick, and, of course, donkies to ride on. And donkey rides are a great British tradition.

Donkey riding started in England in the Victorian times at the seaside resort of Weston Super Mare. Now, there are donkies to ride on on every British beach. And, every donkey has its name on its harness.

Children love donkies, and even the Queen went donkey riding when she was little!

even – sogar

harness – Geschirr

its – sein/e ihr/e

lick – (lick/licked/licked) - lutschen

of course – natürlich

resort – Ferienort

ride – reiten

sea – Meer

seaside – Küste

Questions

Why do all British kids love the seaside?

Why are donkies special?

When did donkey riding start in England?

Where did donkey riding start?

Where do donkies have their name?

What can you do on a British beach?

Who liked donkey riding when she was a little girl?

And now the text again!

Thank you for listening!

Regular Text - The Great Escape - How an open door and a bike took a young man home!

Welcome Home - by Nigel A JAMES

The Great Escape - A true end of war story as remembered by Mrs Kastner

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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 2^nd 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, 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 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 had needed 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 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

Easy Text - (Lexmatica) - Cornwall - A beautiful corner of Britain!

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Lexmatica – Cornwall

On a Cornish Beach - by Nigel A JAMES

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Cornwall is England's most southerly county. It is famous for very many things. Amongst them are tin mines, Dartmoor ponies, smugglers, and novels by Daphne du Maurier.

Of course, Cornwall has other things, too. It has very beautiful countryside, an unbelievable coastline, many very big houses, and lots of beautiful villages.

But, Cornwall's greatest advantage is its weather. Its climate is mild and it has much less rain than the rest of Great Britain.

So, in other words, Cornwall with its long sandy beaches and its fantastic scenery is the perfect place for a magical family holiday!

Vocabulary

Advantage – Vorteil

amongst – unter

coast line -Küste

county – Grafschaft

in other words – in anderen Wörter (anders gesagt)

much less – viel weniger (lots/less/the least of all)

novel – Roman

scenery – Landschaft

southerly – südlichste

tin mine – Blechmine

unbelievable - unglaublich

village – Dorf

Questions

What interests you most about Cornwall?

Why is village life better than town life?

Why do many people like fishing?

What is the biggest difference between your country and England?

Name three or four wild animals which live in Cornwall!

What is Cornwall's biggest advantage?

Why is Cornwall the perfect place for a super family holiday?

Regular Text - Marga Franck - She shaped and created radio for children -

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Calling All Children

Marga Frank

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Good radio stories are moments of magic. They conjure up pictures of fantasy, and provide for emotions as well. And, the best stories of all are the ones that send children to sleep with dreams in their pockets and smiles on their faces. And, this was children's radio as it once was! And, in Austria, it was all thanks to one woman, Marga Frank.

It was 1955. Life was getting back to normal after the war and it was exciting. And, radio was the number one media. And Marga Frank was there at the time and her job was radio for children. And, she was given the job of starting a brand-new bed time program for children. And, it was called The Little Dream Man. And this was a very special show.

The Little Dream Man began around bedtime, and its little listeners loved it. And the reason was simple. The Little Dream Man stories had the magical quality of bringing a high to the end of each day. And, that's what made them so special. And, the Little Dream Man was loved by both children and adults alike. But, the telling of good radio stories wasn't all that it seemed.

To begin with, there was the question of time. Each Little Dream Man story had to last for exactly 4 minutes and 45 seconds. Nothing more – nothing less. And, of course, each Little Dream Man episode had to conform to Marga Frank's very high standards as well. And, it was this that made The Little Dream Man successful. And, that wasn't all. The Little Dream Man was broadcast every day, and that meant 365 brand new stories each year! And that was a challenge. But, everything always happened on schedule, and, as the years went by, so did the stories.

And, the generations moved on as well. The Little Dream Man was so popular that it lasted for almost 40 years, and the first little listeners eventually grew up to become the grandparents of the last little listening dreamers. But, then television arrived and the Little Dream Man sadly disappeared into the shadows of time.

And, Marga Frank was happily still with us until just a short time ago. And, with her more than 90 years, she was able to look back upon a life of providing great pleasure. And, Austria, too, said thank you in a very big way. Marga Frank was awarded the Austrian medal of honour for her work. The highest honour of all! And, quite rightly so. For she – after all - was the one who sent millions of children to bed every night with smiles on their faces and wonderful dreams in their pockets!

Selected Vocabulary

alike – gleichermaßen

broadcast – ausstrahlen

challenge – Herausforderung

conform -

conjures up – hier zaubern

period – Zeitalter

provides for – sorgt für

seemed (seem) seem/seemed/seemed – schien / scheinen

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The Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe!

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Wales – Come and visit!

Aber House

Barmouth

Elisabeth Razumovsky

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Intermediate Text - Diariklub - Weddings - for better or worse!

Tying the Knot – A Discussion

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There are many occasions in life which bring happiness and joy. And weddings are perhaps the most joyful of all!

I remember a wedding that took place in Vienna. It was many years ago. Anne and Mike, two friends of mine, were tying the knot. It was a wonderful day and the betrothal took place in a registry office. The ceremony was short, to the point and very soon over. It took Anne and Mike just six very short minutes to become man and wife! But, the rest of the day carried on until late!

Anne and Mike held the reception at their place. They didn't have much money at the time, and so it was a very much do-it-yourself occasion. And it was great! Everyone turned up with bottles and food and there was more than enough to go round. And, the fun, too, was more than enough. There was music, singing and dancing, and the party went on until the very small hours.

But, best of all was the way that Anne looked. Her dress was amazing and her hair style perfect. She was stunning! And there was heaven in her smile! This was her wedding, she was deeply happy, and this was the very best day of her life!

Vocabulary

amazing – erstaunlich

betrothal – Das Verbinden mit Versprechen (Das Ehe Schliesen)

do-it-yourself – selbst gemacht

go round – genug / ausreichend

joy – Freude

registry office – Standesamt

small hours – zwischen Mitternacht und drei Uhr früh!

stunning – umwerfend / phänomenal

to the point – kurz und bündig

turned up (also arrived) – kamen (turn up/turned up/turned up)

tying the knot – heiraten (tying/tied/tied)

Discussion Points

What is the most unusual wedding you have ever experienced?

Why are good wedding photos so important?

Why are arranged marriages sometimes better?

Why is it that partners should have completely different interests?

Why are big and expensive weddings so important for many?

What is the future of marriage?

What is your idea of a perfect wedding?

How important are wedding presents?

Easy Text - (Lexmatica) - Beach Huts - Spots of colour on bright British beaches!

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Beach Huts - by Kate Ferry

Lexmatica – Beach Huts!

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Beach huts are a very important colourful part of British beach life! They can be found on every beach in Britain. Beach huts are not only comfortable, but, practical, too! They provide shelter when its windy, and keep you dry when it rains. Beach huts are perfect accommodation for seaside holidays. They have enough beds for five or six people, a kitchenette, a small bathroom and a WC. Beach huts are not only popular in Britain, they are liked in India, too! But, the British love them the most!

Vocabulary

accommodation – Unterkunft

beach – Strand

comfortable – bequem

colourful - bunte

dry – trocken

enough – genug

important – wichtig

kitchenette – Kochnische

nearly – fast

practical – praktisch

provide – beschaffen/liefern

seaside – Küste

shelter - Obdach

Questions

Why do the British like their beach huts?

Are all beach huts yellow?

Why are beach huts practical?

How many people can sleep in a beach hut?

Is it possible to make sandwiches in a beach hut?

Why are sandwiches called sandwiches?

What colour is your beach hut?

And, now the text once again.

Thank you for listening!

Kate Ferry has written a book about beach huts. It is called “Beach Huts and Bathing Machines” I can recommend it! It is published by Shire Library.

ISBN number – 978-0-7478-0700-1

Regular Text - Plattenbauten - Old blocks of flats that are still Shining -

FOR FULL AUDIO / VISUAL PAGE - PLEASE CLICK HERE - OR - ONTO PICTURE OR TEXT!   GOOD LUCK -

  Veszprem in Hungary - by Nigel A. JAMES

The Red Star of the Reds – A short story about plattenbaus

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The red stars and statues of Lenin and Stalin may have gone from the face of the old Soviet block, but there is still one reminder that takes us straight back to the heart of the Communist era. And, this is the plattenbaus. They are still to be seen all over the once eastern block.

Built as of the 1950s, these enormous blocks of flats made of concrete slabs were not only designed to make everyone equal in true Leninist style, but also to counter the homelessness caused by the war. And, they were, to a certain extent, successful. Each apartment came with its own WC, bathroom, simple kitchen, hot and cold running water and heating. But, despite these advantages, the plattenbaus were not very popular.

With their grim characterless oneness, they offered very little privacy. The walls were so thin that everyone was able to hear what everyone else was saying and doing. And, on fine summer days, with windows wide open, everyone knew what everyone else was having for lunch. The air was alive with a cocktail of kitchen smells, babies crying, children screaming, loud music and talking and squabbling! The smell of cabbage cooking carries a very long way! But, there was something else, too.

The plattenbaus were all part of a big social plan. Points were needed in order to get an apartment, and the biggest scorers were children. Meaning, the more children you had, the better your chances. But, unfortunately, big families were not always easy, and, quite often it was the peace of living that suffered. But, that's how things were. And, of course, with children came life!

And life always manages to find its own course. And, because plattenbaus were always built on huge estates on the edges of towns, there was always a long way to go to the nearest shops and facilities. And, so it was, that these estates became the ideal places for small businesses and services. There were, and still are, in and amongst the plattenbaus, many small shops such as hairdressers, small grocery stores and even sometimes friendly bars. And, each estate was provided with a kindergarten, playground and school.

And, of course, there are similar constructions in the rest of Europe, too. Apartment blocks built out of concrete slabs are not unusual. But, wherever you go in the “west”, you will never find anything like the plattenbaus of the old “former east”. The character of these buildings is their style, and style is a thing that's unique. And, when it comes to comfort, the plattenbaus have just as much chance as everything else. In your own four walls you can do what you like. Nice living is nothing other than taste!

And, of course, life in the plattenbaus is the same as every where else. There are close friendships and neighbourly contacts, and the not so good, too. Its all human nature. And, the future?

The plattenbaus are undergoing a renaissance! With generous help from the European Union, these buildings are being brought up to date with insulation and new coats of paint. These once grim estates are now looking better than ever and have become places that are nice to go home to!

And so, what started as a solution has now become a goal in itself. Many young people are now finding their first homes in these flats, and, for the elderly, they are perfect. A good home is important and a plattenbau can be just as good as anything else! And, sometimes, even much better!

The Red Star of then is still brightly shining, and is set to continue for ever!

Vocabulary

certain extent – gewissermaßen

concrete slabs - Betonplatten

counter (to counter/countered/countered) - entgegnen

eastern block – Ostblock

enormous - riesig

estate – Siedlung

grim – grimmig u. trostlos

homelessness – Obdachlosigkeit

huge – riesig

insulation – Isolierung

once - einmal

oneness – Geschlossenheit

plattenbau - Wohnhaus aus Betonplatten

reminder – Erinnerung

squabbling – Gezänk

undergoing (to undergo/underwent/undergone) - unterziehen

Diarikom's Podcast – A985

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Friends of Diarikom

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Diarikom and Lexmatica are sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber

Wirtschaftstreuhänder – Steuerberater – Unternehmensberater

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The Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe!

Mountains, rivers, lakes and much more.

Wales – Come and visit!

Aber House

Barmouth

Elisabeth Razumovsky

www.aber-house.co.uk

Diarikom.blogspot.com

Texts about people, places and surprises!

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