English Recordings

He got upset and hung up on me

1. You would be a very good volunteer!
2. They should help people in need.
3. We could work for a charity.

AUSTRALIA
How many Australians do you think there are ? there are 25 million Australians.
There is a lot of land but not many inhabitants. Now, where do most Australians originate from ? Well, Europe actually.

90 % of Australians are from Europe, mainly from the British isles. In the 1820s, the British sent their prisoners to Australia. Now you must wonder if all Australians descend from former prisoners ? Not today.

In the 1900s, some gold was found. It attracted a lot of people. Then, more settlers came, sometimes encouraged by free travel and land grants.

After World War I, Australia had a 'white Australia' immigration programme. Only white immigrants could enter. But this controversial, racist Policy was abandoned in 1973.

Today, lots of immigrants come from Asia and Oceania. Competition to enter the country is very hard and more people are rejected than accepted. Immigration is carefully managed : immigrants have to have the right skills.

Facts about Benjamin Zephaniah, poet
He was born in England in 1958.
He has got seven brothers and sisters.
His family was extremely poor.
He grew up in Handsworth, a district in Birmingham, and also in Jamaica.
When he was 8 years old he knew he wanted to write poetry, plays and music.
He left school when he was just 14.
He is dyslexic.
When he left school he couldn’t read or write.
Today he is a very successful writer and poet.
He is a Rastafarian.
He refused an Order of the British Empire medal from the Queen in 2003.
He is a fan of Aston Villa Football Club (England).

Does your sport shop stock short socks with spots?

Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum, a small slimy creature. I don't know where he came from, nor who or what he was. He was Gollum - as dark as darkness, except for two big round pale eyes in his thin face. He had a little boat, and he rowed about quite quietly on the lake; for lake it was, wide and deep and deadly cold. He paddled it with large feet dangling over the side, but never a ripple did he make.

She is a girl. She is young and pretty. She has big green eyes. She wears glasses. Her glasses are blue. She has a small mouth and a small nose. She has an oval face and long wavy red hair. She has a pony tail.

Once upon a time, the Little Red Hen decided to plant some wheat.
“Who will help me plant this?” she asked.

“Not us,” said lazy Dog and Cat and Duck.
“I will just have to do it myself,” she said.

Before long, all the wheat was tall.
“Who will help me cut this?” asked Little Red Hen.

“Not us,” said lazy Dog and Cat and Duck.
“I will just have to do it myself,” she said.

Before long, all the wheat was cut.
“Who will help me make this into bread?” asked Little Red Hen.

“Not us,” said lazy Dog and Cat and Duck.
“I will just have to do it myself,” she said.

Before long, all the bread was baked.
“Who will help me eat this?” asked Little Red Hen.

“Us!” said hungry Dog and Cat and Duck.
“Nope, I will just have to do it myself,” she said.

a house
a home
a garden
upstairs
downstairs
a tree
a flower
on
in
under
next to
between
in front of
behind
on the left
on the right
a hall
a bedroom
a single bed
a double bed
a sofa
an armchair
a carpet
a table
a chair
a fridge
a bedside table
a lamp
a cupboard
a stove
a desk
a bow window
a staircase
a wardrobe
a pillow
ground floor
first floor
stairs
a bathroom
a living room
a dining room
a study
a garage
a toilet
a detached house
a semi-detached
terraced houses
a flat
a bungalow
a cottage
a swimming-pool
can
must
play football
run
jump
watch TV
eat
play games
do my homework
listen to
where
how many
a bookcase
a poster
a curtain
a playroom
a computer
a chest of drawers
a rug/ a carpet

Hi, nice to meet you! How are you?
My name is Céline and I’m thirty four years old. How old are you?
I come from Nice in France but I live in Doubs .
It’s near Switzerland, in the West.
I have been learning English for three weeks.
Now I would like to improve my pronunciation and my spoken English!
I am single.
I have twins: a girl and a boy. What about you?
I am a student nurse, I work for a hospital, and retirement home. What do you do for a living?