Americans and Food - Listening Comprehension

Voice of America News Online (www.voanews.com) has a Special English section where you can listen to podcasts online and read the written transcripts that accompany them.

Here's an interesting podcast on Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma which deals with America's unhealthy and destructive relationship with food.
Click here to access the audio file and the transcript: http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2009-02-17-voa1.cfm

I suggest you read the transcript first, then listen to the podcast, then listen again with the transcript in front of you. If this topic doesn't interest you, check out the many other podcasts listed on the Voice of America website.

Stress & Intonation in English - Practice

Please go to the link below to read about and practice stress and intonation in English.
http://esl.about.com/library/weekly/aa100500a.htm

North American English Vowel Chart

ManyThings.org features several webpages for practicing your spoken English. For Italian speakers, please go to the "Minimal Pair Practice and Quizzes" page and focus on Lessons #3, 5, 7, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 23.

Immigration to the US, 1820-2007

Fascinating Visualization of Immigration to the USA over the past 167 years.


Immigration to the US, 1820-2007 v2 from Ian Stevenson on Vimeo.

(from http://vimeo.com/2424744)

\(^_^)/ = Hurrah for Emoticons!

Emoticon: the combination of keyboard characters representing an emotion, such as : ) for "happy", : ( for "sad." The word is a combination of the words "emotion" and "icon."

I recently learned that, in Asia, ^^ equals :-). It was explained to me that ^^ represents the shape your eyes make when you are smiling. I love it! I now find myself using ^^ on a regular basis in emails, even to other Westerners who have no idea what it means.

Some of my favorites from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emoticons

d(^_^)b = thumbs up (not ears)


\(^_^)/ = cheers, hurrah

(*^^*) = shyness (*s represent blushing cheeks!)


(<.<) = shifty, suspicious

v(^_^)v = victory


(>^_^)> <(^_^<) = hugging each other

Please send me your favorites to post!