Listen to Learn: Recent Episodes
Mary-Benton Gordon
This podcast is a collection of items read aloud for the benefit of English Language Learners (ELLs) at various levels.
This recording includes three numerical sets, with five items each: (1) numbers, (2) fractions, and (3) dates.
This podcast is simply the reading of one portion of the Starbucks drink menu as of Dec. 5, 2020.
In Part 1, Ellen and David are talking about a TV. In Part 2, their children Joan and Keith are talking about the TV.
In Part 1, Henry and Frank are talking. In Part 2, Frank calls the LaPorte Department Store.
This recording includes practice sentences for the vowel sounds in the words BALL, GO, TOO, and BOOK.
In Part 1, Juan is talking with Mrs. Rodriguez. In Part 2, Juan is talking with Martin.
In Part 1, Bill talks with Georgette. In Part 2, Georgette talks with her cousin George.
Unit 8 presents the unstressed, unclear vowel sound as in the first and last syllables in BANANA.
In Pronunciation Pairs, Units 7-10 present the central vowel sounds as in CUP, BANANA, LETTER, and HOT.
In Part 1, Herman is talking with Zelda. In Part 2, Herman and Zelda are talking with each other and with a gas station attendant.
In Part 1, a receptionist is talking with Tony. In Part 2, Dr. Okamoto is talking with Tony.
In Part 1, Sam is talking with his friend Hiro. In Part 2, Sam is talking with Hiro's friend Mark.
This recording is a dialog that reviews the front vowel sounds as in these words: TEA, SIT, YES, DAY, and HAT.
This recording presents the vowel sound in the word HAT. It includes a dialog in which a detective talks with Alice about a bank robbery.
This recording presents the vowel sound in the word DAY. It includes a dialog in which a man talks to a conductor as he waits for a train.
This recording presents the vowel sound in the word YES. It includes a dialog about the best vacation ever.
This recording presents the vowel sound in the word SIT. It includes some minimal pairs, which means pairs of words in which only one sound is different between the two words. In these word pairs, the vowel sound differs from word one to word two. Following the word pairs, there's a dialog in which two friends have plans to see a film.
This recording is based on Unit 1 (TEA), p4-5. It includes a dialog in which some friends are eating out, which means eating at a restaurant.
This series of recordings is based on the book Pronunciation Pairs: An Introduction to the Sounds of English, by Ann Baker and Sharon Goldstein (2008 Cambridge University Press). The recording is not an exact reading of the text, but it uses the text as a foundation. I hope it will be helpful for listening and speaking practice.
In Part 1, David and Jamie are talking. In Part 2, David, Jamie, and Brenda are talking.
In Part 1, Julie talks with a reservations clerk at a hotel. In Part 2, she talks with a front desk clerk at the same hotel.
The reading lesson in this lesson, "Monsters of the Deep," tells about the giant squid.
Joe talks with George about going to see a dentist. Then Joe and George talk together at the dentist's office.
Bill talks with Dad about going to Spain. Then Bill talks with Mohammed about getting a job.
Kathy talks with a man about which bus to take to the mall. Then Kathy talks with a woman at the bus stop.
Jean offers soup and juice to Nick. Then Andrea and Jean talk about getting items from the pharmacy.
Carlos and Tina talk about singing classes. Then Carlos and Tina try to talk at a loud concert.
This passage tells about Nicola Sacco and Bartomoleo Vanzetti, an immigrant shoe-factory worker and a poor fish peddler, who were charged with and convicted of robbery and murder in 1920.
Listen to this brief passage about Albert Einstein. Then draw a conclusion based on the passage. As part of your submission for this assignment, write a few sentences to explain your CONCLUSION and the BASIS FOR THIS CONCLUSION. In a single file or text submission, please submit this written response along with your responses to the additional passages in Exercise 7.17.
This podcast introduces the concept of drawing conclusions. It includes an example from a brief writing about Harriet Tubman, a famous African American who was born a slave but escaped to freedom and then later helped many others escape as well.