Episode 214
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Read the Transcript
Follow the text while you listen, then repeat useful sentences aloud.
Hi, everybody! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently.
Ok, let's start!
1# Rural
Rural can be challenging to pronounce even for some native speakers, especially when repeated or placed next to a word with similar "r" sounds.
Let's pronounce it several times.
Listen and repeat!
[ roor-uhl ]
Rural Rural Rural
Examples:
"I would prefer to leave the city for a rural home."
"She has a romantic view of rural society."
2# Phenomenon
This singular form of "phenomena" means an amazing event, pronounced as "fi-NOM-uh-non."
So, let's practice the word phenomenon a little bit.
Listen and repeat:
[ fi-nom-uh-non ]
Phenomenon Phenomenon Phenomenon
Examples:
"Gravity is a natural phenomenon."
"This phenomenon is unique in nature."
3. Sixth
Adding a "th" after "x" can be tricky for many English students.
Let's pronounce it several times:
[ siksth ]
Sixth Sixth Sixth
Examples:
"The dictionary is now in its sixth edition."
"She lives on the sixth floor."
4. Specific
This word is quite easy to pronounce, but it may be difficult for those who do not understand that "s" and "c" can have the same sound, although different, within the same word.
Let's practice it!
[ spi-sif-ik ]
Specific Specific Specific
Examples:
"My boss gave me very specific instructions on dealing with the client."
"If you want to be successful, you need to be more specific about what you want to do."
5. Temperature
For some students, "tem-per-uh-chur" is difficult to say quickly, as the "t" takes on a "ch" sound.
Let's pronounce this word several times before using it in a sentence.
Listen and repeat after me:
Temperature Temperature Temperature
[ tem-per-uh-cher ]
Examples:
"Let me check your temperature."
"The temperature ranges from zero to twenty degrees."
Now, let’s practice.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
IMPROVE YOUR SPEAKING
Mini-Story: Speaking Practice
Answer the questions aloud with short and quick responses. Repeat the Mini-Story several times to improve your speaking and listening.
Andy had trouble pronouncing specific words.
Was Andy talented at pronouncing words?
No, no. He wasn't talented. He had trouble pronouncing specific words.
Was it difficult for Andy to pronounce the word temperature?
Yes. It was difficult for him to pronounce the word temperature.
Did he also have trouble pronouncing the word rural?
Yes. He also had trouble pronouncing the word rural. It was really hard for Andy to say “rural.”
Did Andy have trouble pronouncing specific words?
Yes. Specifically, Andy had trouble pronouncing words like temperature, rural, phenomenon, sixth and specific.
A doctor advised Andy to read aloud with a mouth full of marbles.
Did a doctor advise Andy to read slowly?
No, he didn't advise him that. He advised Andy to read aloud with a mouth full of marbles. (Marbles are small round glass toys.)
What did the doctor advise Andy?
To read aloud with a mouth full of marbles.
What did Andy's mouth have to be like?
Full. Full of marbles.
After months of practice, Andy didn't see any improvement.
Did Andy see any improvement?
No, he didn't see any improvement.
For how long did Andy practice?
For months. However, after months of practice, Andy noticed no improvement.
Who didn't see any improvement? The doctor?
No, no. Not the doctor. Andy. Andy didn't see any improvement.
Desperately, Andy tried something obvious: reading aloud more slowly.
Did he try something strange or obvious?
Something obvious. Andy tried something obvious.
Did Andy try playing with marbles?
No, he didn't try that. He tried reading aloud more slowly.
What did he try?
He tried to read aloud more slowly.
Little by little, Andy found it easier to pronounce those tricky words.
Was the improvement fast?
No, it wasn't fast. It was little by little.
Did he find it harder to pronounce those words?
Easier. He found it easier. Not harder.
Who found it easier?
Andy. He found it easier.
Finally, Andy could pronounce all words correctly and threw away all those marbles.
Was Andy still having problems pronouncing specific words?
No, he didn’t have any problems. He could pronounce all words correctly.
What did Andy do with the marbles? Did he keep them?
He didn't keep them. He threw them away. He threw away all the marbles.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
rural
connected with the countryside.
phenomenon
a fact or event that can be observed.
sixth
the ordinal number following fifth.
specific
clearly defined or particular.
temperature
a measurement of how hot or cold something is.
pronunciation
the way a word or sound is spoken.
syllable
a unit of pronunciation containing one vowel sound.
repeat
say or do something again.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
Thank you georgiana i am improving day by day
Hi miss Georgiana.
Tank you very much for your wonderful mision.
I’m very grateful with you.
Now I understand more when I ear any conversation.
Hi Georgiana I have listening your podcast for a while and i really appreciate your effort to share a great source of knowledge, beyond yours exceptional classes, i found the topics and histories very useful and interesting.
Thank you so much
Best regards from Monterrey, México