Episode 292
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Hi! Thanks for joining me for another episode of the podcast. I'm Georgiana and my mission is to help you improve your fluency.
Remember that you can get the text of this episode on my website SpeakEnglishPodcast.com
Okay! Let’s start!
Tom, from the United States, and Sarah, from Australia, were catching up on a video call before the Easter holiday. As they started chatting, they quickly realized they had different traditions and plans for celebrating the holiday.
Let's listen to their conversation:
Tom: Hey, Sarah! Happy Easter!
Sarah: Happy Easter to you too, Tom! I hope you're doing well.
Tom: Yes, I'm doing great. So, what are your plans for Easter this year?
Sarah: I plan to attend church and celebrate Easter with my family. We usually have a big Easter dinner and spend time together.
Tom: That sounds lovely. I'm also planning to celebrate Easter with my family. We usually have an Easter egg hunt and decorate Easter eggs.
Sarah: Oh, that's a great tradition. We also decorate Easter eggs but don't have an egg hunt.
Tom: That's interesting. Every family has their own traditions.
Sarah: Definitely. What other traditions do you have for Easter?
Tom: We usually go to church and have a big Easter brunch. We also exchange Easter baskets filled with candy and small gifts.
Sarah: That sounds like so much fun. We don't exchange Easter baskets but give each other Easter cards.
Tom: That's sweet. Do you have any special Easter foods that you eat?
Sarah: Yes, we usually have ham, deviled eggs, and hot cross buns.
Tom: That sounds delicious. My family has roasted lamb, mashed potatoes, and asparagus.
Sarah: That sounds amazing. It's interesting to see how different cultures celebrate the same holiday.
Tom: Yes, I agree. Speaking of cultures, I heard Easter is celebrated differently in Australia. Can you tell me more about that?
Sarah: Sure! In Australia, Easter is also a Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, since it's celebrated in the fall season there, it's more of a harvest festival. We also have a lot of outdoor activities like camping and hiking.
Tom: That's so cool. I didn't know Easter was celebrated as a harvest festival in Australia. Do you have any special Easter foods that you eat?
Sarah: Yes, we have hot cross buns and chocolate eggs, just like in the US. But we also have meat pies, seafood, and others.
Tom: That sounds amazing. I'll have to try them sometime.
Sarah: Definitely. Maybe we can exchange some Easter foods and try each other's traditions.
Tom: That's a great idea, Sarah!
Sarah: Ok! I'll see you later. Happy Easter!
Tom: Happy Easter!
Now, let’s practice.
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GRAMMAR MADE EASY
POV Story: Grammar in Context
Read the same story in two different points of view and notice how the grammar changes naturally.
Past Tense - Third Person
Tom was excited to visit his friend Sarah in Kansas for Easter to experience the American culture and traditions. Upon arriving, Sarah took him on a city tour, shopping, to church, and for Easter brunch.
Suddenly, a funnel-shaped cloud appeared in the sky, and they knew it was a tornado. Quickly, they made their way to Sarah's house, but before they reached the entrance, a powerful gust of wind lifted them up and swirled them around.
To their amazement, they found themselves in a strange and unfamiliar place that looked like something out of a fairytale - they had been transported to Oz!
Despite being in a completely new and unexpected place, they found of way of celebrating Easter. In a nearby field they started an Easter egg hunt, using brightly colored eggs scattered across the ground.
As they sat down on the grass, Sarah explained to Tom the true meaning of Easter, emphasizing the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the hope of everlasting life that comes through his resurrection.
After a while, the tornado passed, and they were transported back to Kansas.
They returned to Sarah's house, grateful for the unforgettable Easter memories they had made.
Present Tense - Tom’s Viewpoint
Hi! I'm Tom, and I'm excited to visit my friend Sarah for Easter. She lives in Kansas and I want to experience the American culture and traditions. When I arrive, Sarah takes me on a city tour, shopping, to church, and for Easter brunch.
Suddenly, a funnel-shaped cloud appears in the sky, and we know it's a tornado. We quickly make our way to Sarah's house, but before we reach the entrance, a powerful gust of wind lifts us up and swirls us around.
To our amazement, we find ourselves in a strange and unfamiliar place that looks like something out of a fairytale. It looks like we've been transported to Oz!
Despite being in a completely new and unexpected place, we find a nearby field and start an Easter egg hunt, using brightly colored eggs scattered across the ground.
As we sit down on the grass, Sarah explains to me the true meaning of Easter, emphasizing the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the hope of everlasting life that comes through his resurrection.
After a while, the tornado passes, and we're transported back to Kansas.
While we return to Sarah's house, we’re grateful for the unforgettable Easter memories we've made.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
Easter egg hunt
an activity in which hidden decorated eggs are found.
Easter brunch
a late-morning meal eaten on Easter.
Easter basket
a basket containing candy, eggs, or small gifts.
tradition
a custom passed from one generation to another.
catch up
talk with someone and exchange recent news.
funnel-shaped cloud
a narrow cloud extending downward from a storm.
gust of wind
a sudden strong burst of wind.
swirl
move quickly in a circular motion.
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