A LITTLE BIT OF PRONUNCIATION

Check this poem out and try to read it following the indications on pronunciation. Do you think you can pronounce it adequately? Have a try!

Ration only sometimes rhymes with nation.
Say prefer, but preferable,
comfortable and vegetable.
B must not be heard in doubt;
debt and dumb both leave it out.
In the words psychology, psychic, and psychiatry,
you must never sound the p.
Psychiatrist you call the man
who cures the complex, if he can.
In architect chi is k,
in arch it is the other way.
Please remember to say iron
so that it'll rhyme with lion.
Advertisers advertise;
advertisements will put you wise.
Time when work isn't done is leisure;
Fill it up with useful pleasure.
Accidental, accident.
Sound the g in ignorant.
Relative, but relation,
then say creature, but creation.
Say the a in gas quite short;
bought remember rhymes with thwart.
Drought must always rhyme with bout;
In daughter leave the gh out.
Wear a boot upon your foot.
Root can never rhyme with soot.
In muscle, sc is s;
in muscular, it's sk, yes!
Choir must always rhyme with wire,
that again will rhyme with liar.
Then remember it's address,
with an accent like possess.
G in sign must silent be.
In signature, pronounce the g.
Please remember, say towards
just as if it rhymed with boards.
Weight's like wait, but not like height,
which should always rhyme with might.

SOMOS SOLIDARIOS

El trimestre pasado ayudamos a una familia mauritana y a una escuela brasileña. A ellos enviamos de manera simbólica una cabra muy salada, Palomera, y material escolar. Este trimestre, TÚ DECIDES dónde irá a parar el dinero solidario que se recoge diariamente en el centro. No olvides que el objetivo es colaborar desinteresadamente con asociaciones, ONGs o entidades sin ánimo de lucro. Recuerda que no todo el mundo es tan afortunado como tú.

Cualquier sugerencia interesante será bien recibida... ¿a qué esperas para contárnosla?

WELCOME TO THE ENGLISH CORNER

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.

Mark Twain

If you like foreign languages, and you enjoy reading in English, this is your site. Here, you will read book reviews, know the lattest news on writers and their works, and have lots of fun. But you are not only a guest at the corner. Join us and send in short writings, reviews, jokes and puzzles.

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UN POCO DE HUMOR: GEORGE MIKES

George Mikes nació en 1912 en Hungría. En 1938, fue enviado a Inglaterra como corresponsal de un periódico nacional, y lo que en principio iba a ser una corta estancia en el país se convirtió en el inicio de una larga etapa de su vida, pues este judío decidió quedarse allí para evitar posibles represalias de los nazis. Hasta el fin de la guerra, trabajó en diversos periódicos y revistas británicas, y tras el conflicto, permaneció en el país y empezó a escribir libros cargados de humor e ironía.
El primero, How to be an Alien (Cómo ser extraterrestre), se publicó en 1945. Es un relato humorístico y casi caricaturesco de las costumbres y forma de vida del pueblo británico de mediados del siglo XX.

El fragmento siguiente relata la importancia que tiene para los británicos hablar del tiempo climatológico. Para facilitar la comprensión del pasaje, las palabras y expresiones más complejas están resaltadas en negrita y traducidas al final .
Podéis encontrar más fragmentos del libro, colgados en formato digital, en: http://f2.org/humour/howalien.html

The Weather

This is the most important topic in the land. Do not be misled by memories of your youth when, on the Continent, wanting to describe someone as exceptionally dull, you remarked: "He is the type who would discuss the weather with you." In England this is an ever-interesting, even thrilling topic, and you must be good at discussing the weather.

Examples for conversation:

For Good Weather

A: "Lovely day, isn't it?"

B: "Isn't it beautiful?"

A: "The sun ..."

B: "Isn't it gorgeous?"

A: "Wonderful, isn't it?"

B: "It's so nice and hot ..."

A: "Personally, I think it's so nice when it's hot - isn't it?"

B: "I adore it - don't you?"

For Bad Weather

A:"Nasty day, isn't it?"

B: "Isn't it dreadful?"

A: "The rain ... I hate the rain ..."

B: "I don't like it at all. Do you?"

A: "Fancy such a day in July. Rain in the morning, then a bit of sunshine, and then rain, rain, rain all day long."

B: "I remember exactly the same July day in 1936."
A: Yes, I remember too."

B: "Or was it in 1928?"

A: "Yes, it was."

B: "Or in 1939?"

A: "Yes, that's right."

Now observe the last few sentences of this conversation. A very important rule emerges from it. You must never contradict anybody when discussing the weather. Should it hail and snow, should hurricanes uproot the trees from the sides of the road, and should someone remark to you: "Nice day, isn't it?" - answer without hesitation: "Isn't it lovely?"
Learn the above conversation by heart. If you are a bit slow in picking things up, learn at least one conversation, it would do wonderfully for any occasion.
If you do not say anything else for the rest of your life, just repeat this conversation, you still have a fair chance of passing as a remarkably witty man of sharp intellect, keen observation and extremely pleasant manners.

Key vocabulary:

Do not be misled: No se deje engañar
Ever-interesting: siempre interesante
Thrilling: emocionante
Fancy such a day in…: Imagínese un día así en ...
Should it hail and snow: Nieve o granice (aquí should
tiene uso subjuntivo)
Uproot: arranquen de raíz
Without hesitation: sin pensarlo dos veces, sin vacilación
By Heart: de memoria
Picking things up: aprender

Remarkably witty man of sharp intellect: un hombre sorprendentemente ingenioso y agudo

YO ME QUEJO, TÚ TE QUEJAS, ÉL SE.....

Seguro que hay muchas cosas que no te gustan, algunas de las que estás hart@, otras que te molestan y más de una que no entiendes. Pues bien, hemos creado este espacio para ti. Un espacio en blanco infinito para que expongas tus quejas contra todos y contra todo, o a favor de todo y todos, eso sí, sin pasarte y con el máximo respeto.
Quien sabe, igual puede cambiar algo.

¡EXPRÉSATE, ESTA ES TU OPORTUNIDAD!

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