English Recordings

A．The ratings for the show were great last night.
B．I'm glad to hear that.
A．Thanks for putting wonderful shows together for all these years.

A．Thanks for putting this party together.
B．You're very welcome.
A．It was a nice surprise.

A．Does he have an outgoing personality?
B．Yes. But he's very stubborn, too.
A．Is he?

A．Did you talk to Peter about our plan?
B．I did. But I couldn't change his mind.
A．I'm not surprised. He's stubborn.

A．I can hear her screaming on the phone.
B．She's so moody today. You should stay away from her.
A．That's a great idea.

A．Amy's acting a bit strange again.
B．I agree. But I don't know why.
A．Well, she's moody.

Progress refers to the changing that the world has known during the past centuries. It consists in believing that the world can become better in terms of science, technology and quality of life. Progress involve evolution from an old order with old traditions to a new order which is necessarily approved by everyone or at least by most of people.
We can consider that one of the biggest differences between former and recent societies is the concept of family. Indeed, typical family had evolved and today’s family are completely different from the 90 family’s patterns.
To what extend can we modify family’s structure and are the means used always disputable?

Family structures have evolved along with society. The typical family used to be a married couple and an average of 2 children, in other world, the nuclear family.
This kind of family was spread all over the world and had some habits: Children parents and grand parents spend holidays together and most of the time they live in the same city.
Traditionally the mother was a housewife and the father the breadwinner. Which means that he had to meet his family’s need while his wife take care of her children and the house (she prepares meals for the entire family and she wasn’t allowed to have a job).
Children were the symbol of love and the union of 2 persons that will spend the rest of their life together, assuming the role that the society gives them.

Parents didn’t imagine that, 30 years later, they would have the ability to choose their sex’s children or to manipulate DNA according to their desires.
The PGD process is sometimes necessary and useful. In fact, some couples can’t have a baby and can’t bear the idea to adopt someone else’s baby. Therefore, using the PGD process is sometimes a good way to improve someone’s living by helping them having a baby.
Scientific progress is also helpful because it’s a good way to cure some children from genetic diseases.
But on the other hand, it can be shocking that some parents can select an embryo in order to have a perfect kid. It seems that these parents car more about their children’s appearance than their personality.
The fact that only rich people can use this process can have some defects: in fact it will not be available to everyone: Consequently, it will create a new specie composed bye an elite which will marginalize the other children because of their imperfections.
The use of new technologies and scientific breakthroughs contributed to the evolution of the family’s structure.
In fact, having children is now possible and imaginable for people who never thought, that someday, they will have a baby. Particularly same sex couples, sterile people….

Another fact that explain the difference between typical families and new families is the emancipation of the women. After years of fighting for their right women had finally succeed and manage to have the same right than men

oldster
menial, or retainer
pusher
foster child
man about town
jailbird
serviceman
gofer
paralegal
leftist moonbat
stowaway
blooming idiot
celebrant
bootlegger
gunner
security operative
wingnut
licentious priest
tippler
Pentecostal
whiner
notorious cozener
emcee
an unemployed wanker
midget
cordwainer
avenger
speakeasy operator
bondman
nutter
ventriloquist
alkie
outrider
bosom friend
gamester
big-shot politician
demigod
skier
penitent

Tom Daley ponders switch from Plymouth to London

Diving star Tom Daley is considering leaving his home city of Plymouth to train in London, BBC Sport understands.

The 19-year-old is the highest-profile athlete at the city's £46.5m Plymouth Life Centre but could switch to the Olympic Park's Aquatic Centre.
"It's a massive blow if we lose Tom to London," former Great Britain diver Brooke Graddon, a friend of Daley's, told BBC Spotlight.
"But for Tom it's a massive move and he needs to do it for himself."
Daley, who won an Olympic bronze medal at the Aquatic Centre in 2012, has trained in Plymouth alongside Great Britain coach Andy Banks for more than a decade.
"Andy's done so well just to hold on to him and to get that London medal. For him to go now at this age is kind of a normal thing in diving," added Graddon.
"For him to stay here being as good as he has is massive - we thought he'd have gone years ago."
Daley - who has nearly 2.5m Twitter followers and presented the primetime ITV show Splash! - has been one of the sport's biggest names for several years, also winning gold medals in the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Championships.
He has continued to train at the Life Centre, helping to attract a large increase in participation and interest in the sport in the south-west.
"The little ones do look up to him and love him being around, as with [fellow GB divers] Tonia Couch and Sarah barrow - it's a massive thing here in Plymouth," said Graddon.
"He's made diving what it is today - it's become a massive sport due to Tom's success in London and for him not to be here at his roots is devastating
"But he needs to move on with his his career and think about his career after diving, and for his diving he needs a change and a break from Plymouth."

It has its origins in medieval England. It is composed of many dried fruits and is held together by egg and suet. It is flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and other spices.

This big bird is cooked in the oven and roasted.

It is a dessert made from custard, fruit, sponge cake, sometimes jelly, and cream.It's delicious!

They are both long vegetables, we eat the roots, not the leaves.

They's ve got a funny name! They are small in size and can be eaten in one or two bites. For Xmas, they are usually served as an appetizer.

Butter and sugar are creamed together with brandy, then it's served with the Christmas pudding... Yammy yammy

It's a rich fruit cake, often decorated on top with almonds. Has it Scottish origins? I am not sure... could be....

They are small round pastries filled with mincemeat, dried and candied fruits, nuts, apples, and spices.

It is a warm or cold sauce thickened with bread.

They are Crisp and golden brown, they come straight from the oven and are served with the turkey.

It's a delicious hot drink full of spices.

Served hot or cold, this delicious cut of pork is sliced into thick pieces