English Recordings

SCOTLAND

Scotland isn’t an independent state. It is part of the UK. It is situated in the north of Britain. It has a population of about five million and the capital is Edinburgh. Most of the population live in the south of the country.

The scenery in Scotland is spectacular. The north of Scotland is called the Highlands because there are a lot of mountains, including Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. There are also beautiful lakes and woods.

People in Scotland speak English. There is also a Scottish language called Gaelic, which is a Celtic language. However, only about 60,000 people in Scotland now speak it. Most of them live in the Highlands.

Tourism is an important industry in Scotland. Edinburgh and Glasgow are two exciting cities in the south. Many people visit the north of Scotland to enjoy the clean air and wonderful scenery. One of the most famous tourist attractions in this region is Loch Ness, home of the Loch Ness monster!

A TRIP TO FRANCE

Paul had a very exciting summer holiday this year. His French pen pal invited him to visit her family in the south of France. Paul went by aeroplane from London to Paris. Marie, his French friend, met him in Paris and together they took a train from Paris to Marseilles. Marseilles is the city where Marie’s family lives. It is a very large port. A lot of people live in Marseilles and there are many interesting shops and café there. Paul started French at school two years ago, and he spoke French all the time with Marie and her family. At first it was very difficult for him, but it soon became much easier. One day, Marie and her parents took Paul for a picnic in the mountains. They climbed a big hill. From the top of the hill, they had a wonderful view. In the distance they could see the sea. Paul was very sad when it was time to go back to London and school. He is already looking forward to next summer when Marie is going to spend her holidays with his family in England.

HAVING A PEN FRIEND
By Jane Cooper

I’ve had an American pen friend since I was twelve years old. So we have been writing to each other for four years. There are many good things about having a pen friend. I think it is important that you write to someone who is the same age as you because then you will probably share some interests. Also, you should remember that if you want to improve your language skills, you should have a pen friend that speaks the language that you are learning. Some people even become good friends with their pen friends and they go to visit them. This is a really special thing as you get to meet their family and see how their life really is. But you shouldn’t think that pen friends are just for young people. People of all ages enjoy writing letters, or even sending emails, so it’s never too late to start.

INDONESIA

Indonesia is an interesting country in Southeast Asia. It is a group of many islands: over 3,000. A few of the islands are very big, like Java, but many of them are very small with only a few people living on them or no people living there at all. Java has a wet season from October to March, but there is not much rain in the other months. Many Indonesians are farmers. They grow many different things such as rice, tea and rubber.

The main language, Bahasa Indonesia, is quite easy to learn with a little practice, and many tourists learn a few Indonesian words during their visit. Indonesia is so nice that many tourists want to go back.

Hello, my name is James. I haven't got a nickname. I am 4 feet 9 so I'm very short for a man. I'm quite fat. I weigh 67 kilos. I look like my father because we have the same eyes.

Hello, my first name is Margaret and my nickname is Maggie. I am quite tall. I am 5 feet 7. I'm a little plump because I weigh 56 kilos. I look like my grandmother because we have the same face.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia is one of the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is divided into two regions, known as West Malaysia and East Malaysia. They are separated by about 640 km of the sea and together comprise an area of 329,847 sq km. Malaysia enjoys tropical climate. The Malaysian unit of currency is the ringgit, consisting of 100 sen.

The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur and it is also the largest city in the country. The population in 2022 is over 32 million. Islam is the country’s official religion. In addition, there are other religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. The national language is Bahasa Malaysia (also known simply as Malay). English, Chinese, and Tamil are also widely spoken. The language of instruction for primary school children is Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, or Tamil. Bahasa Malaysia is the primary language of instruction in all secondary schools, although some students may continue learning in Chinese or Tamil. And English is a compulsory second language.

Bob is very polite.
Jane is a little selfish.
Sarah is extremely hardworking.
Sam is not clumsy at all.
Tom is a bit messy.
Kylie is quite lazy.
Liam is not very shy.

Hello!
Good morning!
Good afternoon!
Good evening!
Good night!
Good bye!

The Beatles were a rock band, from Liverpool, England.
The members of the Fab Four were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the singers, Lennon playing the rhythm guitar and McCartney the bass. George Harrison played the lead guitar and Ringo Starr was the drummer.
In July 1957, Paul McCartney encountered John Lennon and joined his group, the Quarry men. George Harrison followed in February 1958 and in 1962, Ringo Starr completed the band.
In September 1962, they recorded their first hit, Love Me Do, which charted in the UK and reached the top of the US singles chart two years later.
All in all, the band released a dozen albums in the UK (including Please, Please Me, their first album, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Let It Be).
They also wrote more than 200 songs such as Twist and Shout, Yesterday, and Hello Goodbye.
In the course of their career, they starred in four feature films. Among them were A Hard Day’s Night and Help!. They also wrote the music and the plot of an animated film called Yellow Submarine.
They played their last concert in London in January 1969 and concentrated on making music in Abbey Road studio.
In April 1970, they broke up after eight successful years and the members began solo careers.
Even though their active career lasted only for a short time, the legendary Beatles still live on in the hearts of millions of pop music fans around the world.