English Recordings

1. The blouse that/which you are wearing is identical to mine.
2. I love talking to anyone who/that has personality.
3. The man who/that came to see us was my grandfather.
4. The house that/which stands on the corner is a hundred years old.
5. The yacht which/that is anchored in the bay is my uncle's.
6. Any person who does that should be in prison.
7. I have a system which/that has helped me win a lot of money.
8. Immigration is an issue which/that raises strong emotions.
9. There is a person who/that can do that job quickly.
10. I dislike people who/that talk incessantly.
11. Unemployment is a problem that/which concerns us all.
12. We need someone who/that speaks French fluently.
13. That is the man who/whom/that I spoke to.
14. That is the girl who/whom/that I'm going to marry.
15. That is the funniest joke that/which I have ever been told.
16. The doctors will do all (that) they can.
17. The first answer (that) you gave was the good one.
18. This is the souvenir that/which you brought from Paris.
19. The girl who/whom/that you spoke to is my girlfriend.
20. The gales that/ which swept across the country have died down.
21. These are the men and the carts that we saw on the way.
22. It was a wreck that had lain on the seabed for 100 years.
23. That is the computer that/which you wanted to buy.
24. A person who steals things is a thief.
25. An atheist is a person who doesn't believe in God.
26. Old age is a problem that/which concerns us all.
27. It's a book that will be very popular.
28. The library didn't have the book that/which I wanted.
29. Is the offer that/which you made last night still open?
30. These are the laws that should be repealed.
31. The shoes that/which you bought are too big for you.
32. The letters that/which he wrote to her were returned unopened.
33. These are the questions that/which all the students make.
34. This is the man whose son is so clever.
35. That is the house whose roof you have to repair.
36. The excuse that/which they gave us was unacceptable.
37. Teachers like students who/that work hard.
38. My father is a man who/that has a very strong character.
39. That is the boy who/whom I went all over Europe with.
40. That is the girl who/whom I'm going out with.

I am not a passionate for cell phones and actually I currently do not have one. So I searched on Google for a super-duper latest-technology cell phone and I found the Motorola Droid Razr HD. I am asking myself if it is right to call it a "cell phone" when it is nearly a mini-computer. It has a lot of applications though its little size makes it a very portable device: it looks like a 3 x 4 inches thin sheet, almost entirely covered by a high resolution touchscreen. It has a powerful 1.5 GHz CPU and 1 GB of RAM that provides high speed to the gadget to access internet and uploaded files. It also has a camera but unfortunately, its resolution is a bit low (8 megapixels). Another disadvantage of this machine is, predictably, its price: US $200! It seems that this smartphone is $50 more expensive than a former version mainly because it has a long-duration battery. There are a lot of technical details that I will not mention here because, since I do not have any expertise in the issue, I do not understand it at all.

fit of petulance
lames
chosen resort
unquenchable conflagration
banishment
factious bitterness
stammer
to bear the expenses
pathway
beetle brow
obituary
morsel
fish bait
to take up the gauntlet
thigh
second sight
gargantuan obstacles
bucket
without repining, also without murmur
indefatigable quest
nightfall
in the offing
specious attempt
hips
powerhouse
vehement enmity
duplicity
to prorogue Parliament on July 29th
lorry
protracted stasis
the exigencies of good taste
long staff of ash
rump
after one’s own heart
bugging
power grid
minutiae
slender waist
resumption of one’s business
with a jaunty look
garter
dismissal of Parliament
ramshackle text
chimes
tyrannical excess

Older adults who've spoken two languages since childhood have a distinct cognitive edge over their monolingual peers, according to a new study.

Previous studies have shown bilingualism seems to favor the development of heightened mental skills. The new research, published in Neuroscience, provides evidence of that cognitive advantage among older, bilingual adults.

Subjects were divided into three groups: bilingual seniors, monolingual seniors and younger adults and instructed to sort colors and shapes in a series of simple cognitive exercises. The researchers used a brain imaging technique to compare how well the subjects switched between mental tasks.

Brian Gold, a neuroscientist at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and lead author of the study, found the results showed different patterns of brain activity in the frontal part of the brain associated with the tasks.

“We found that seniors who are bilingual are able to activate their brain with a magnitude closer to young subjects," Gold says. "So they do not need to expend as much effort, and yet they still out-perform their monolingual peers, suggesting that they use their brain more efficiently.”

Knowing a second language made no difference for the young adults in the study, who outperformed both older groups. Gold says the older bilinguals appear to have built up a kind of cognitive reserve from their lifetime of enhanced mental activity.

Gold's research appears to confirm a previous study on bilingualism among Alzheimer’s patients. That study showed bilinguals developed more atrophy from the brain-wasting disease, but that they were able to function at the same cognitive level as patients with less atrophy.

"[That] suggested that their bilingualism is helping them to compensate for that more [advanced] brain atrophy," Gold says. "The finding that we had is consistent with that because it basically says that bilinguals as seniors are able to do more with less.”

Gold says the study confirms bilingualism can play a functional, protective role in the brain. Gold says his next step is to explore whether learning a second language or immigrating to another country as an adult can provide some of the same mental advantages as lifelong bilingualism.

1. We were served by an unfriendly young waiter.
2. It was a small, dark dirty room.
3. He used a small, sharp pocket knife.
4. We found ourselves in a huge, glass conference room.
5. He broke a beautiful, white, Japanese porcelain plate.
6. Susan was going out with a tall, dark handsome American.
7. They had a nice, white curlyhaired little dog.
8. We met a handsome young navy lieutenant.
9. The young girl lived alone in a nice, bright clean room.
10. He drank a huge ice-cold glass of milk.
11. She carried a big, shiny black leather handbag.
12. It was a handmade wooden kitchen table.
13. We went to a very nice, little Italian restaurant.
14. On her wrist she wore a dark green emerald bracelet.
15. In the little house there lived a grumpy old woman.
16. Mr Martin was speaking to/with a beautiful young woman.
17. The two families lived in a decrepit old hut/cabin.
18. She was a tall woman and she wore a black leather skirt.
19. We saw a British war film.
20. He had large, protruding red eyes.
21. It was a grey and miserable rainy day.
22. He had a refreshing cold shower in the morning.
23. She wore a pretty, new green dress.
24. They came in a huge, old black Cadillac.
25. The girl opened a little, brown wooden box.
26. He had a white chubby face with bulging eyes.
27. They lived in a small, dirty narrow street.
28. At the door sat a small, fat black dog.
29. They moved to an exciting, large new town.
30. She had attractive, long blond hair.
31. They auctioned a very expensive, old piece of Italian furniture.
32. They went to see a new Japanese film.
33. The night was dark, wet and cold.
34. She wore black, Italian leather boots.
35. They sat around a huge, oval conference table.
36. She bought a black and white Indian chessboard.
37. A tanned young athlete stood at the door.
38. She had a small, black metal box in her hand.
39. The coffee was black and strong.
40. The young woman was tall and thin, with a sculptural figure.

1. 'What shall I do?' To start with, you can make the beds/
2. Honestly, darling. This is the worst coffee I have ever had.
3. He is not a good student; all the same, he is a good boy.
4. 'Did you have a good time at the party?' 'Well, actually, I didn't go.'
5. I had an incident on the way; therefore, I couldn't arrive on time.
6. Several of his friends came: Frank and Tony, for instance.
7. They discussed the future of the firm, the treasury, and so forth.
8. 'I saw Tom yesterday' 'Did you? Talking about Tom, do you know he's leaving?'
9. He claims he is a socialist, and yet he lives in a palace.
10. The car is not very new; on the other hand it is cheap.
11. He had an accident, he went to ruin, and on top of that, his wife left him.
12. All the boys are coming; as for Tom, I don't want to see him.
13. We'll have to do without you, in other words, you're fired.
14. There was a little whisky, but it was mostly soda.
15. 'Nice holiday?' 'Well, on the whole, not bad at all.'
16. As a rule, I have a beer before going back home.
17. I say! What a pretty sister you've got.
18. 'Is it a good film?' 'Yes, as a matter of fact, it is quite good.'
19. Frankly Johnny, your marks could have been better.
20. 'Did you go?' 'No, we didn't go, actually.'
21. You are not bad ... I mean, you look beautiful.
22. He knew it was false; moreover, he knew who had done it.
23. To start with, this shouldn't be here.
24. He's not very clever, but all the same, he is a nice chap.
25. He's a drunkard, and has a bad character; however, I love him.
26. As far as marketing is concerned, I'll leave it to you.
27. As for your brother, the less I see of him, the better.
28. With reference to your fax, I'd like to point out that...
29. That goes for production. Now, regarding marketing...
30. Firstly, it's very difficult. Secondly, I don't like it.
31. Similarly, we can sell this in your country.
32. He's not silly; on the other hand, he's a very willing boy.
33. They didn't do it. Therefore, I'll have to do it.
34. In view of past results, it isn't advisable.
35. To start with, sweep the kitchen.
36. He is a stutterer, and yet he is the best writer in the country.
37. Talking about my sister, do you know she is getting married?
38. By the way, why don't you come with us?
39. Broadly speaking, I think we sold 10,000 books.
40. That is true to some extent

1.Tom went to the pub with Jim, whose girlfriend had just left him.
2. The old woman said she was poor, which was not true.
3. This dog barks quite a lot, which is annoying.
4. His girlfriend went out with others, which made him mad.
5. The child ate a lot of sweets, which made him sick.
6. The alarm went off at five, which annoyed him.
7. There were many people injured, several of whom were taken to hospital.
8 He introduced us to his sons, one of whom offered to accompany us.
9. They had many sheep, one of which was found dead.
10. He ate a lot of eggs, which gave him high cholesterol
11. I passed the sugar to my mother, who passed it on to my father.
12. I asked my friend, who said he didn't know anything.
13. He drank a lot of beer, which made him fat.
14. She said that she was an orphan, which was not true.
15. The road was icy, which made the journey dangerous.
16. He ate only cereals, which kept him fit.
17. He bought six eggs, one of which broke as the box fell.
18. The tenor gave out a squawk, which made everybody laugh.
19. He met several girls, one of whom fell in love with him.
20. There were no bridges, which made the advance difficult.
21. I bought a dozen eggs, five of which broke on the way.
22. The old woman slipped on the snow, which made us all laugh.
23. I threw the ball to Jim, who threw it to Peter.
24. The wall fell on the men, some of which/whom died.
25. The woman told us that she had no relatives, which was not true.
26. The wind was howling all night, which kept us awake.
27. I told my father, who told me it wasn't his business.
28. I bought it from a man, who had a stall in the street.
29. I ate a lot of chocolate, which made me feel sick.
30. I was told by a friend, who was not wrong.
31. They said that they were hungry, which was not true.
32. He had five cats, one of which was run over by a car.
33. I gave the note to my mate, who gave it to the teacher.
34. I spoke to my teacher, who spoke to the headmaster.
35. The night was dark, which made it impossible to go on.
36. They were singing all night, which didn't let us sleep.
37. I bought two lamps, one of which broke.
38. He drank a lot of milk, which made him fat.
39. I bought a computer, which put me back £1000.
40. I met several boys, one of whom invited me to go out.

The smooth roads soon give way to potholes the size of craters.

I love to watch birds pecking at the seeds in the park.

Empty wastepaper basket with lots of crumpled pieces of paper beside it

Chicken is the common name for Gallus gallus, which is a type of domesticated fowl, which is kept in captivity for both it’s meat and eggs.

They teased him about his new glasses

She's coming (home), you can tell her when she arrives.

This place is gross!

My father has a new sail boat which he took out on the lake today for the first time.

The doorman who works in the building where my father lives is called Vicente

Let's talk paddleball, beach paddleball that is.

A chicken is NOT a baby hen – a chicken is just a generic name for the type of bird, regardless of it’s gender or age.

Help! I'm drowning

Mrtin (who came as a monster) said his costume was making him itch

we need to repair the cracks in the wall

Who else experienced stepping in fresh cow dung on a cold winter morning barefoot, and got that awesome warm feeling ?

Do you like counting birthdays?

The ice damaged my windshield wipers and I had to replace them.

This is the powerful claw of the red rock crab

1. He was an irresponsible young man.
2. It was a very regrettable incident.
3. This job is incompatible with that one.
4. These books are unsaleable as they are.
5. A boastful young man accompanied her.
6. He was a cruel and implacable dictator.
7. He found himself facing a very precocious young boy.
8. I find that running is a strenuous exercise.
9. That man is unique. He is inimitable.
10. It was a pitiable sight that was offered in front of our eyes.
11. That is just the word. It is very appropriate.
12. The two girls were intimate friends.
13. The two families were irreconcilable enemies.
14. All the pupils are at the same level.
is. This machine doesn't work well. It is defective.
16. In this department you will find miscellaneous works.
17. This is a very lucrative business.
18. Some words in this dialect are unpronounceable.
19. It was a very ingenious watering system.
20. It was a deliberate action.
21. Everything he said was fallacious.
22. All his clothes were impeccable.
23. It's impossible to put it into practice. It's impracticable.
24. I find it exceedingly obnoxious.
25. He is a real moaner/grumbler.
26. It is inconceivable that this may have happened.
27. It was a very lucrative business.
28. Alison is a naive person with a susceptible nature.
29. And such is the inexorable march of progress.
30. He had an unshakeable conviction in the project.
31. We are receiving some extraneous interference.
32. She is a presumptuous and conceited young woman.
33. I'm afraid that your argument is not very plausible.
34. He was an arrogant, supercilious young man.
35. They spread around some malicious gossip.
36. They thought of a very elaborate plan.
37. They lived in a very desolate place.
38. We had very changeable weather.
39. This person is very honest and truthful.
40. I'm afraid that itsn't a roadworthy car.

1. There is a lot of flu about.
2. I'm glad to see you up and about.
3. All the toys were spread about the garden.
4. He glanced about nervously.
5. And what about me?
6. There's something strange about that man.
7. What is this book about?
8. We cannot admit above 30 people.
9. We are 1,000 metres above sea level.
10. It was above his understanding.
11. This film is for people above 18 years of age.
12. He was above all suspicion.
13. My mother is above deception.
14. Fall in line four abreast.
15. You have to keep abreast of what is going on.
16. The two runners kept abreast.
17. We met quite by accident.
18. This car accommodates four people.
19. He did it of his own accord.
20. We did it in accordance with the instructions.
21. We bought the car on account.
22. One day you will be called to account.
23. He gave a good account of himself.
24. He left that detail out of account.
25. I have to settle accounts with that fellow.
26. He turned the circumstances to account.
27. He was as black as the ace of spades.
28. That boy is an ace.
29. Not all is lost. I still have an ace up my sleeve.
30. I'm acquainted with the situation.
31. They have long been acquainted.
32. They have a large circle of acquaintances.
33. He is a person who has many acquaintances.
34. I have not the honour of his acquaintance.
35. It improves upon acquaintance.
36. I am very glad to make your acquaintance.
37. He is an old acquaintance of mine.
38. He helped an old lady across the road.
39. A plank had been laid across.
40. The teacher tried to get his point across to the students.