English Recordings

My accent gives me away.

Whose notebook is this?

Do they sell notebooks at that store?

Could you help me?
A: I'd be glad to. What is it?
V: I can't find some of the books that are listed in the catalog.
A: Did you write down the numbers of the books you can't find?
V: Yes, I did. Here they are.
A: Was the letter "R" in the right corner of the catalog card?
V: Yes, it was.
A: Evidently you are looking for reference books. "R" means Reference Room.
V: I need some dictionaries.
A: You'll find them in the Reference Room. It's to the left of the main entrance.
V: What about magazines and newspapers?
A: You've to look for them in the Periodical Room. Ask there for a separate catalog for periodicals.
V: Half a year ago, a book on Russian literature was published in England. I checked your catalog and couldn't find it.
A: Do you know the name of the author, the title, and the publishing house?
V: Yes, I do.

--Already recorded, thanks!--

--Already recorded, thanks!--

--Already recorded, thanks!--

["Ma'am" is doubly insulting because we hear men being called "sir" all day. And "sir" is awesome. "Sir" is what knights are and what Paul McCartney is. "Sir" sounds like you are sitting in a castle eating rack of lamb. "Sir" means you are respected and maybe a little feared. People don't fear ma'am, except in the sense that they may be worried: Oh no, what if this ma'am starts hitting on me! Men are called sir starting from when they're old enough to be called anything, and they stay sir through old age. Men don't have to deal with the fact that at some point in their life, they will find themselves tossed into a linguistic system that will let them know, in no uncertain terms, that in the eyes of the world, essentially, they've begun to die.]

He was criticized for raising taxes.

How to lose weight and still eat pasta.