The six Swans

My Favorite Bedtime Story

Halloween; it is an unofficial holiday that celebrates the frightening and strange. We celebrate with a report about a Nineteenth-century American writer. His stories were some of the most frightening and strange ever written. I'm Shirley Griffith. 

And I'm Doug Johnson. The writer Edgar Allan Poe is our report today on the VOA Special English program THIS IS AMERICA. 

Halloween is mostly a holiday for children, who like to be frightened. Yet many grown people observe Halloween, too. Those who love the writings of Edgar Allan Poe think Halloween is the best time of year to celebrate them. Poe is most famous for his stories and poems of strangeness, mystery, and terror. He wrote about people buried while still alive. About insanity and death. About dreams that become real...or reality that seems like a dream. 

Edgar Allan Poe died in the city of Baltimore in Eighteen-Forty-Nine. Now, in that city, an unusual party takes place every Halloween. In the dark of night, visitors go to the church ground where Poe is buried. Everything is quiet. Then a voice calls out. It is Poe! (pause) No, it is just an actor, reading Poe's work. 

Reading stories was one of the most important forms of enjoyment in Edgar Allan Poe's time. Poe created many of these "short" stories. They appeared in different publications. Horror stories already were popular when Poe began writing. Critics say he wrote the perfect horror story. Poe also wrote detective stories. These were mysteries about crimes, such as murder. The mysteries are solved by an investigator called a detective. He or she is able to find important, hidden meanings in facts. The horror and detective stories Poe created remain extremely popular in books and movies.

Edgar Allan Poe's work is not easy to read. His language is difficult to understand today. And most of his writing describes very unpleasant situations and events. His story "The Pit and the Pendulum," for example, is about the mental torture of a prisoner. Each time the prisoner saves himself from death, a new and more horrible form of death threatens him. Another story is "The Masque of the Red Death." In it, a terrible disease -- the Red Death -- has killed half the population of a country. The ruler of the country shuts his castle against the disease. He and his wealthy friends are inside. They pass the time by having parties. They believe the Red Death will not find them. But it does.

Edgar Poe was born in Eighteen-Oh-Nine. His parents were actors. At that time, actors were not accepted by the best society. Edgar was a baby when his father left the family. He was two years old when his mother died. He was taken into the home of a wealthy businessman, John Allan. He then received his new name -- Edgar Allan Poe. John Allan never officially made Edgar his son. In fact, he came to dislike him strongly. As a young man, Edgar attended the University of Virginia. He was a good student. But he liked to drink alcohol and play card games for money. Edgar was not a good player. He lost money he did not have. John Allan refused to pay Edgar's gambling losses. So, Edgar left the university. He began working as a writer and editor for monthly magazines.

Edgar Allan Poe worked hard. He became a successful editor. Yet he was not well-paid or well-known. His life was difficult. He was poor, and he was troubled by sicknesses of the body and mind. Poe suffered from depression. He feared he was insane. He drank alcohol to escape his fears. The alcohol had a very bad effect on him.

At the age of twenty-seven, he married Virginia Clemm. She was the daughter of his father's sister. She was only thirteen years old. For a time, it seemed that Poe would find some happiness. But his wife was sick for most of their marriage. She died in Eighteen-Forty-Seven. Poe died two years later, at the age of forty. He was found dead in Baltimore after days of heavy drinking. 

Through all his crises, Edgar Allan Poe produced many stories, poems, and works of criticism. Some of his stories won prizes. Yet he did not become famous until Eighteen-Forty-Five. That was when his poem "The Raven" was published. There is no question that Poe suffered from emotional problems in his life. One critic said Poe's spirit was torn. He said Poe's stories were often about his own divided nature. Each person in the story showed a different side of the writer. There is a question, however, about Poe's importance. Some critics say he was one of America's best writers. Others disagree.

Critic Vincent Buranelli says Poe discovered a new artistic universe. It is a universe of dreams. It is a place where the line between reality and unreality is extremely thin. Even those who praise Poe agree that there are many difficulties in his work. These difficulties place Poe's writing outside the main body of American literature. Most American writing is realistic. Poe's interests and way of writing were not realistic at all. Poe's work has been praised most in France. He had a great influence on many French writers, including the poets Charles-Pierre Baudelaire and Stephane Mallarme.

Poe's best-known poem is the "The Raven." Some people love it. They say it is like music. Others hate it. They say it sounds forced and unnatural -- like bad music. "The Raven" is about a man whose great love, Lenore, has died. She is gone forever. But the man cannot accept that all happiness is gone. He sits alone among his books late at night. He hears a noise at the window. Here is the beginning of the poem:

ANNOUNCER: Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary Over many a quaint and curious volume of for- gotten lore -- While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "Tis some visitor, I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -- Only this and nothing more."

The man looks out the window and sees only blackness.

ANNOUNCER: Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before: But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?" This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" Merely this and nothing more. 

But there is something at the window. It is a large black bird -- a raven. It comes into the room like the spirit of death and hopelessness. The raven can speak just one word: 'nevermore' -- meaning 'never again'. We know the raven will never leave the man's room.

ANNOUNCER: But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing farther than he uttered -- not a feather then he fluttered -- Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before -- On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before." Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

This program was written by Carolyn Weaver. It was produced by Lawan Davis. Our poetry reader was Shep O'Neal. I'm Shirley Griffith. 

And I'm Doug Johnson. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the V-O-A Special English program THIS IS AMERICA.

History of Halloween - Part I

A list of irregular verbs in English according to their pronunciation.

Irregular Verbs In English C1

- Would you like to reunite with your old friends?
Absolutely yes, I fancy all special  occasions when my old friends rejoin such as class reunions or a wedding party of a friend. This is a chance for us to meet each other after a long time separated. Although now we can effortlessly update information from our friends with the help of modern technology  like mobile phone and social networking sites, for example, I still prefer a face to face meeting in which everyone can express their emotion easily.
- What will you talk about with them?
In those reunions, there are myriad of stories that I can chat about. Well, surely, I’ll recall our unforgettable memories when we were together. Besides, it would be miracle if I forget to share about my current life such as how it is going, whether my work is satisfying or not, kind of that. Also, I will definitely give my friends useful advices if they are in troubles. Anyway, I think everything in the world could possibly be our chat topic when we gather together.
- Why do some people cut off old friendships?
I firmly believe that it’s understandable when people stop being friends. One of the reasons that springs in my mind is they simply grow apart. I mean their personalities or their lifestyle  change over time,therefore when they can’t find anything in common left, they will definitely break off their relationship. Additionally, a friendship is also permanently spoiled by arguments or rows because they make people tired, distressed. When the disappointment reaches its peak, friends no longer want to encounter each other again.
 
- Do you think old friends are more long-lasting than new friends? Why?
In my view,  It’s quite possible that a new friend become a close friend then a soul mate. If two people just meet several times but share many things in common and find it reliable to confide in each other, then they can absolutely have true friendship. And as long as they cement their friendship, it will last long, even forever.
--by Emma Le--
More: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaLearningEnglish?ref=hl

ep25 Sample Answer for IELTS Speaking test (Task3) in Iran in June 2014

Cambridge University Press and Lancaster University present fascinating insights from a new project that investigates how British English is spoken today: from variation between regions to the effect of technology and the language of teenagers. Join us to find out how you can get involved too. - See more at: http://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/events/spoken-english-todays-britain#sthash.3uLyc8e8.dpuf

Spoken English in today’s Britain

Keeping a conversation going

To keep a conversation going it is important to show you are listening and want the conversation to continue.

Here are some things you can say to keep a conversation going:

‘Really’
A: I went to the beach yesterday. 
B: Really?
A: Yes, we drove there in the morning and had a lovely day.

‘I see’
A:I usually walk along the path by the river.
B: I see.
A: It’s lovely there in the morning.

‘That’s interesting’
A: My son is a great swimmer, he would swim all day if I let him. 
B: That’s interesting.
A: Yes, he’s going to start competing for his school.

You could ask a short question to keep the conversation going:

A: I’m really looking forward to the party on Saturday.
B: Are you?
A: Yes, I think everyone will be there.

We can also repeat part of what the other person has said to link to a follow up response.

B: I live in Paddington.
A: Paddington, that’s very close to the city isn’t it?

Flickr CC: Kevin Dooley

Keeping A Conversation Going

The fact-checkers have been working overtime looking into the numbers used by Donald Trump during his campaign to become President of the USA. In the wake of the election next week, we take a look at some of Trump’s more outrageous statistical claims Published on November 4, 2016.

Trump tells the Truth

Learn English Conversation For Kids

Effortless English Original Course

106b Intimacy (vocabulary)

In this episode we cover: -How to prepare for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 -What exactly you’ll be asked to do for the Task 1 section of the Academic IELTS. -Tips on how to analyze the Task 1 visuals -A step-by-step breakdown of how to write a strong Task 1 response Episode resources and links:&nbsp; The Complete Guide to IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Learn how to improve your IELTS band score with Magoosh! Use coupon code ieltspodcast to save 20% at ielts.magoosh.com&nbsp; &nbsp; Episode 19 Transcript: How to Prepare for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Intro: &nbsp; Welcome to the Magoosh IELTS Podcast! This is Episode 19. In this episode, you’re going to learn about how to prepare for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Eliot and I will start by discussing what exactly you’ll be asked to do for the Task 1 section of the Academic IELTS. Then we’ll give you some tips on how to analyze the Task 1 visuals, followed by a step-by-step breakdown of how to write a strong Task 1 response. Don’t forget to visit us at IELTS.Magoosh.com for more great resources to improve your IELTS band score. Use coupon code “ieltspodcast” to save 20% off your IELTS test prep! Okay, let’s get started! Body Part 1: Naomi: Today we’re going to talk about what the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 is, and how to prepare for it. Eliot: Task 1 will ask you to write a brief report, usually about two visuals. You’ll have twenty minutes to analyze what you see and write 150 words about it. Naomi: That’s not much time -- what strategies can we use to craft an interesting, well-organized response? Eliot: You’re right, it’s not much time...as with the rest of the IELTS, reading instructions closely is critical. Task 1 will ask you to consider two figures, or sometimes maps or flowcharts. What are they explaining? How can you summarize the information presented? Can meaningful comparisons be made? You should be careful to focus on material you think is relevant, not your own opinions on what the graphs or visuals say. Naomi: So it sounds like there are really two parts: interpreting the figure and writing the response. Eliot: I like to think about it that way, too. With only twenty minutes, it helps to think about how you’ll approach it most effectively. Naomi: Since this test is meant to measure your English skills, you won’t be asked to do any difficult math to understand the charts, right? You should just focus on accurately reporting the information in the figures and explaining it fluently. Eliot: Exactly. The first thing to do when gathering your information is read the titles and headings of the graphs. Naomi: Right, titles and headings often act as summaries of the data in the figures, so they’ll help you figure out what’s important. Eliot: Next, you should take a look at the units and categories in the visual. Understand what is being measured and how that measurement is expressed by the visual. Naomi: So it’d be a good idea to ask questions like, “Is the visual dealing with changes over time? Is that in days, months, or years?” Eliot: Yes. The visuals can also show trends, patterns, or sequences. You can make sense of what these have in common by measuring them in similar ways. Naomi: So once you know what you’re looking at, you can start thinking about what the information means? Eliot: Exactly. Think about what kind of story the data tells or what argument it makes. Expressing that story or argument in your answer will show you are able to explain complex ideas in English. Naomi: So you should try to show that you can decide what in the figure is important and what isn’t? Eliot: Definitely. Try to explain what was most interesting about the graph to you, like you would explain it in a presentation in class or at work.   Before we find out some other IELTS Writing Task 1 tips, let’s pause for a word from Magoosh. Midroll:Kevin: Do you want a great IELTS score?Well gues what, Magoosh can help!Here’s what...

19- How to Prepare for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

Australia Plus Learn English is a free service for anyone learning English and is produced by the ABC, Australia's national public broadcaster.

Keeping A Conversation Going

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