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I’m a podcasts fan. I’m fond of original ones, in the English language. I’ve been running the VK-group about this topic for a while, but usually do it in Russian. Now, I decided to start the same in English. But I’m absolutely uncertain about my English writing. Please, have a look. I’m trying to create that sort of entry.
Have you ever tried to put Band-Aid on an atom bomb? Psychologist Susan David said that we do it all the time. Susan holds a PhD in the psychology of emotions and she is CEO of Evidence Based Psychology, on Harvard Medical School faculty. See, how skilled she is! So today we are going to listen to the interview with Susan David from How To Be A Better Human.
How To Be A Better Human is quite a well-known podcast from TED. In profile, some editor said, that the show isn’t your average self-improvement podcast. “We uncover sharp insights and give clear takeaways on how YOU can be a better human”. The speech rate is quite fast, but in general, the program isn’t too difficult to understand because the host Chris Duffy usually speaks with his guests about human nature, relationships, and other very down to Earth stuff.
Susan David already wrote a whole book about feelings: “Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life”. In the interview, she gives really good advice and even suggests some exercise, which can help to deal with emotions. Yeah, sorry for such simple writing. Better look at how they’ve described the same thing in the intro to the episode. “Susan explains how “emotional agility”- a process that enables us to navigate life's twists and turns -, powers self-acceptance, and gives tips on how to cultivate our agility to lead more meaningful, successful lives”.
Well, put aside your Band-Aids, take courage in both hands, watch raw emotions and enjoy the podcast How To Be A Better Human.
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About Future
I’m Kate the caterpillar. All my family lives here among a big cornfield. I know I need to use future tenses in this story, but it’s my usual life. Every day I just eat plants, a lot of leaves and other greenery. ‘What’s a point?’ you can ask. I don’t know. I have a rather huge brain and it’s completely useless. Mostly I use my teeth.
Of course, you know human history, all this stuff about climate crises, when the temperature rose very quickly and all human beings have turned into big caterpillars. It might be just like a joke from mad evolution or Chinese biological weapons, who knows, but in fact, humanoid shapes exist only on the pictures nowadays.
Is it good or bad? I’m sure it’s a great advantage for the human race because we need only eating and we have enough food. We don’t have to learn or work anymore. We don’t even have to have sex with other caterpillars. Only eating, and when a caterpillar becomes big enough, it will fall down. What's next? It’s obvious. A caterpillar will turn to pupal and after that become a butterfly. Butterflies are really beautiful, they can fly in the sky, always free. It’s amazing although I’ve never seen any butterflies in my life.
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The Creature Worked (it's writing task, everybody, please, check)
It was eleven o’clock at night when the phone rang. I had hurt my back seriously a day before and it took time before I got myself out of the sofa.
‘Hi, Olga, do you have a printer?’ loud woman’s voice asked. ‘Yes, I have’ ‘Please, could I come and print my son’s school project? I’ve completely forgotten to do it at my work today.’ ‘But who are you?’ I asked quietly. I couldn’t recognize the voice. ‘Lena Smirnova, you know’ ‘But I don’t’ ‘Sorry then, obviously, I’ve confused the number.’
Some minutes after my phone rang again. ‘Excuse me, please, Olga! Unfortunately, my real friend Olga doesn’t have a printer. Could you help me, please?! I’m really panicking right now. This project is very important for my son. Your phone number told me we live in the same area’, she spoke quickly and I became a bit anxious but strong back-ache was torturing me and I couldn’t sleep anyway.
Lena Smirnova came very soon. She was very energetic young women and got her project typed before midnight.
I had complained to Lena about my back problem and she came again in the next evening. ‘You really helped us out last night and I brought a present for you’ Lena said and gave me a small glass vial. ‘Don’t wonder, it’s magic against you disease,’ she explained and went out.
I had a look at the vial. There was a big white helminth. The worm was dead and floated slowly in the liquid. ‘How disgusting’, I though and felt strong nausea. I was still looking at the worm, became sick and completely forgot about my back’s pain. However, the creature worked.
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It's the writing task for test, please help
Hi dear!
I need to talk to you about a historic place of interest in my country. We have a lot but unfortunately, I don’t interesting in this stuff. Instead of this, I want to tell you about a very important place in my city. Everybody knows about that place. It’s titled the Complaint Hut (in Russian – Isba-plakalnja).
All of us need to complain about all our difficulties and circumstances, you know. The climate’s changing, Brexit was delayed again, the Ukrainians didn’t want to give away Crimea to Russia and my cat still too fat.
Here, in Yaroslavl, there is a very useful place, very popular among the Russians. It’s the Complaint Hut. Everybody can go to that hut and complaint, and moan, and cry, and say all those things which are worried and frightened him. The most important meaning of this Hut is that you would get an answer, always but not immediately. For example, my mom visited the Complaint Hut and told about her husband’s health and about the problem with buying underpants. She likes old fashioned plain cotton underpants but now it’s impossible to buy them in our city. Everywhere are only modern ones. One week after her complaints she watched an advert on TV about a special fair and bought perfect underpants very fast.
I think you could come and try this Hut. It certainly works with foreigners too. We need to follow only one rule: don’t mess health with underpants.
My best regards, kiss you and hug.
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About Queen Victoria time
Hello! I try to translate a story from British writer Robert Graves which is titled ‘My Best Christmas’. He described Queen Victoria, how he remembered her appearing in public. This is that fragment from the story: ‘a fat little lady in black riding through the Park with an escort of Lifeguardsmen – her open barouche drawn by two splendid high-stepping grey horses, and the band playing: ‘Make way, make way, for the rowdy-dowdy boys.’
I can’t understand about a music. I’ve found an old song ‘The rowdy-dowdy boys’, where is a line ‘Hi! hi! clear the way For the Rowdy Dowdy Boys!’. But it’s the song from music hall. They couldn’t play this song according the Queen, could they? If it’s like a joke, what will be real song or may be a hymn the band could playing that time in this case? Everybody, who knows, help me, please!
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Questions
Last week I finished the Intermediate course in our local language school. We had an ending-test and I got 86% right answers. Does it mean I can go to the Upper-level course in September?
Honestly, I don’t know what will be better for me. I can understand English language by listening very well, but I speak badly and can’t use grammar in a right way very often.
In language school, I have learned with really good group of students. Part of them are going to go to next training level (Upper-Intermediate), but the women with who I was the most friendly will stay at Intermediate-plus course.
Do you know how these two levels are different? Is the Upper-Intermediate course really difficult? What the most difficult part is?
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The Small Abstract
Dear, help me, please. I need to write an abstract for the magazine’s article. I did it, but I’m afraid it’s not good. Could you look?
This article tells about the project of Krylov Children's Library in Yaroslavl, which titled “How a character was created. Watch and discuss”. This project contains the lessons about book illustrations. They are intended for children from 7 to 14 ages. Different artists can represent the same book’s characters in different ways. A librarian and children together watch images from books and discuss them during a lesson. It can help children to understand a personage better. After these lessons children would be more interesting in books and reading. There is a detailed description one of this lessons, which subject was “Andersen. Tales of love”.
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Happy New Year!
Before New Year I usually design a calendar for the library, where I work. I draw the illustration and make the calendar's grid. I did it this year too.
Of course there were usually inscriptions only in Russian language, but I tried to translate it in English. You can use this calendar if you want. Happy New Year everybody!
December 30, 2018
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The Poor Girl
I’ve still been reading Joanne Rowling’s book titled “The Cuckoo's Calling”. This morning I read about Lechsinka. According the book she is young girl, a cleaner, who works in a home for very reach people. Author describes her as “short and very pretty in a pert, girlish way, with a rather flat face, a snub nose and Slavic eyes”. Another important her characteristic – “Eric Wardle had described her English as “crap.”” These’re quotes from the book.
When Englishman Strike tries to speak with Lechsinka, she doesn’t understand very easy words, as “detective” and “man from the security firm”. “Detective”, “security, “firm”, I think, these words have very similar pronunciation as in Slavic languages as in English. Even though that girl was really so stupid like Joanne Rowling wanted to represent her, such misunderstanding couldn't be.
The book doesn’t contain any information about Lechsinka’s native language (or I couldn't find). Because her name and “Slavic eyes” she was from Eastern Europe maybe. I was upset for Lechsinka. In addition “Lechsinka” sounds very similar with Russian word “lichinka”, which means larva, maggot or worm. Is it just coincidence?
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The Night snipers
I went in Moscow at the weekend because there was a concert, which we waited 15 years. It was the show of the “Night snipers”. This Russian band was formed in 1993 as a duet of two girls – Diana Arbenina and Svetlana Surganova. It was amazing music, indie rock, guitar and violin. However, when they had bacame older and the band had been more famous, disagreements have started. “The Night snipers” was broken up, rather now “The Night snipers” is Diana Arbenina only.
Since 2003 Svetlana Surganova has gone alone. She has her own band and narrow circle of fans. Diana Arbenina is a Russian pop-rock singer, she is famous enough now.
In this year “The Night snipers” has 25-th anniversary and in the 4-th November there was the big anniversary concert in Moscow. Diana Arbenina and Svetlana Surganova sang together! It was the first over the past 15 years!
I was there. I had a ticket in the dance floor only, but I was very lucky because a security guard allowed me to pass to the fan zone and I saw them together just close. It was very important for me like the very old fan of “Night snipers”.
Photo by Lada Sever.
November 7, 2018
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