English Resources to teach and enjoy.

www.englishclub.com : This is an excellent web site. It has listening activities among others, such as news, short stories, poetry, readings and many more to enjoy teaching. It`s a wonderful resource to put in practice in class. Here you have some examples to take a look.

Children`s Stories.
Two Frogs were neighbours. One inhabited a deep pond, far removed from public view; the other lived in a gully containing little water, and traversed by a country road. The Frog that lived in the pond warned his friend to change his residence and entreated him to come and live with him, saying that he would enjoy greater safety from danger and more abundant food. The other refused, saying that he felt it so very hard to leave a place to which he had become accustomed. A few days afterwards a heavy wagon passed through the gully and crushed him to death under its wheels. The moral of the story is: A willful man will have his way to his own hurt.

Wordchecker

inhabit (verb): to live in gully (noun): a deep ditch (hole) in the ground traverse (adjective): to go up and down entreat (verb): to request abundant (adjective): plentiful; rich

The Two Frogs is one of the famous Aesops Fables. A fable is a short story, typically with animals as characters, telling a moral or lesson.

The Shepherds Boy And The Wolf

Standard Podcast [ 0.01 MB ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download A Shepherd-boy, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, brought out the

villagers three or four times by crying out, Wolf! Wolf! and when his neighbours came to help him, laughed at them for their pains. The Wolf, however, did truly come at last. The Shepherd-boy, now really alarmed, shouted in an agony of terror: Pray, do come and help me; the Wolf is killing the sheep; but no one paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any assistance. The Wolf, having no cause of fear, at his leisure lacerated or destroyed the whole flock. The moral of the story is: There is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth.

Wordchecker

alarmed (adjective): worried agony (noun): intense suffering to pay heed (verb): to notice or pay attention render (verb): to give what is needed at leisure (noun): without difficulty lacerate (verb): to rip or tear; to create deep wounds

The Shepherds Boy and the Wolf is one of the famous Aesops Fables. A fable is a short story, typically with animals as characters, telling a moral or lesson. Read by Tara Benwell.

Inky Pinky Pooh

Inky Pinky Pooh [ 0.01 MB ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download Inky-Pinky-Pooh was a very little kitten, and he lived in a very large house. It was a very grand house, too, but when a new cook arrived one day things began to be bad for poor Inky-Pink. For the new Cook did not like animals at all. She rarely remembered to put out any food for Inky-Pink, and there were never nice tit-bits left over as there had been in the old cooks time. And Inky-Pink-Pooh was never allowed to sit by the kitchen fire nowadays.

One day poor Inky-Pink was very hungry indeed. He had had nothing to eat for over two days. At first he tried mewing gently, and rubbing himself against Cooks legs. But when she smacked him and pushed him away each time, he realised that that was no use! So he sat beside his plate very quietly and hoped that that would remind Cook and soften her hard heart! But it did not seem to have any effect, and she merely scowled at him whenever she looked his way. Poor Inky-Pink, he felt very miserable. He not only felt more and more lonely and miserable, but more and more hungry, too. So, when one day he suddenly noticed that Cook had left the larder door ajar, he slipped in quietly when she was not looking. It was the most wonderful place hed ever been in, and quite took his breath away! For a while he was lost in admiration just looking at the lovely plate of fresh liver, the pheasant hanging from a hook in the ceiling, the chicken and the ham But, most beautiful of all was a plate of shiny, silvery fish lying there on a plate. It was just begging to be eaten, and it was on the lowest shelf of all! He purred happily to himself, Oh my whiskers and paddy-paws, what a be-auti-ful piece of fish!!!! But just as Inky-Pink was dragging the fish off the plate, Cook came back into the larder and caught Inky-Pink To say that she was angry would be an understatement She was furious! Poor Inky-Pink was in disgrace! He was smacked, and he was scolded, and then he was tied up to the leg of the table by a piece of string, so that he could not get into the larder again when Cook was not looking! It was all most humiliating! And when a cheeky little mouse came by and grinned at him and said, Good dog! Good dog! What a pretty lead youve got! poor Inky-Pinky-Pooh felt that insult could go no further. He was very, very indignant indeed! But the little mouse (whose name, by the way, was Twinkletoes) was really a kind-hearted little mouse, and when he saw how upset the little kitten was, and how thin and hungry-looking he seemed to be, he was sorry and asked what the trouble was. When Inky-Pink told him, Twinkletoes nodded his head and said, I know! I know This new Cook never leaves even a crumb about and as for cheese, oh!, my whiskers and twinkletoes, Ive almost forgotten what it smells like! I can understand how hungry you must be! Then he said, I know a house, not very far from here, where they love animals, and always have plenty of food for them crumbs each day for the

birds, and milk for the hedgehogs each night. Im sure they would spare a little food for us. And I know the little girl has been wanting a kitten for a long, long time Ive never heard her ask for a mouse, but I have heard her asking for a kitten So Inky-Piny-Pooh said, I wonder if she would like me? Im sure Cook doesnt want me, and I would so much like to have someone to love me and cuddle me and care for me! Then Twinkletoes had an idea. If you will meet me tonight, he said, when the moon is up, and you have been let off that er piece of string, I will show you the house and then you can think about it for a day or two and see if you feel youd like to live there its a much smaller house than this big, grand house of yours he added, apologetically. This seemed an excellent notion, so they agreed to meet at twelve oclock midnight that very night. And, as Cook had never bothered to untie InkyPinky-Pooh, even by midnight, Twinkletoes came back for him and gnawed through the piece of string and set him free! Just as the clock was striking twelve, Inky-Pinky-Pooh and Twinkletoes set off for their walk. The moon was like a big silver penny shining up in the sky, and the ground was covered with snow. Inky-Pink and Twinkletoes walked carefully along the tops of the garden walls, and over the roofs, all through the town until they came to the house Twinkletoes had mentioned. It was quite a little house, with only quite a little garden round it, not at all like the big house and garden where Inky-Pink lived. But it looked warm, and pretty, and very homey. Inky-Pink liked the smell of the house very much indeed, but he did wonder what it looked like inside. He could not go in and out of the little mouseholes like Twinkletoes could, and all the curtains were drawn at the windows, so there was no way for him to be able to see inside. He stood and thought for a minute. I wonder, he said to Twinkletoes, If I could see anything if I look down the chimney? So he climbed up on to the top of the chimney-pot and balanced there carefully while he tried to see down it, and Twinkletoes stood at the foot of the chimney-pot and asked anxiously, Can you see anything? Can you see anything? And then, suddenly, there was the most awful squealing and screeching as Inky-Pinky-Pooh lost his balance and fell right down into the chimney, and Twinkletoes could only see Inky-Pinks tail waving frantically about in the air

for a second before it, too, vanished completely down the chimney-pot! Then Twinkletoes heard a dull, muffled thud, and Inky-Pinks Miaow! from far away down inside the chimney-stack. Oh my goodness! exclaimed Twinkletoes in consternation, Oh my Blue Cheese and Gorgonzola! Whatever has happened to poor Inky-Pink? You may well ask what had happened to poor Inky-Pink! He was asking himself! Oh my whiskers and paddy-paws! he exclaimed, as soon as he was in a fit state to exclaim anything at all, Wherever am I? He looked around and saw that he had fallen on to a lovely white hearth-rug in a pretty, comfy-looking room. In one corner there stood a little tree that glinted with silver and was crowned with a big golden star. Inky-Pink thought he had never seen anything so lovely in his life! And as he looked he saw something else too his beautiful white coat was quite, quite black, from all the soot he had collected on it as he came down the chimney! It was while he was staring at himself in dismay that he heard the door of the room open and the light was suddenly switched on! Standing in the doorway was a little girl in a pretty blue night-gown, and behind her, hastily pulling on their warm dressing-gowns, were a lady and a gentleman! They all stared at the little black object sitting in the middle of the white hearth-rug. Then the little girl cried out, Oh, Mummy! Daddy! Look! Its a dear little kitten! Father Christmas has brought me a kitten just like the one Ive always wanted, only he is black instead of white. What a lovely, lovely Christmas present! Inky-Pink was never quite certain just what the little girl meant by Christmas present, but there wasnt time to puzzle it out! The lady, whose name was Mummy, said he was a poor little stray and he looked half-starved, poor mite, and he must have a bath and good warm meal; and the gentleman (whose name was Daddy) said he would make him a box to sleep in, and went off to see about it. And Mummy and the little girl, whose name was Marilyn, washed Inky-Pink in warm soapy water (which he did not like very much!) and then gave him some lovely warm milk to drink (which he did like, very much indeed!) And the next day (which they all told him was a specially important day called Christmas Day) he was given a lovely red bow to wear around his neck, and as much warm milk to drink as ever he wanted, and he was allowed to curl up on the white hearth-rug in front of the glowing fire, where he purred and

purred and purred with sheer contentment, until he sounded like an aeroplane out of sight! And it seemed to him that in that house all days were Christmas Day, for everyone was always kind to him, and there was always plenty to eat and drink, and warm fires to sit by And every night, when the humans had gone to bed, Twinkletoes would creep out of the little hole he had found and made into his own little home, and he and Inky-Pink would sit together by the hearth and tell each other what they had being doing all the day. And Twinkletoes would sigh with happiness and say, What a lucky night it was when you fell down this chimney, Inky-Pink! And Inky-Pinky-Pooh would purr and say, Yes and wasnt it a lucky day when Cook tied me to the table leg! For if she had not done that, then you would not have come by and spoken to me, and we would never have set out that night to look for this house, and then I would never have been able to climb up the chimney-pot to try to see down it! And they would both sit there looking onto the glowing red heart of the fire and feel that they were the luckiest little animals in the whole, big, world!

Wordchecker

tit-bits (noun): little bits and pieces mew (verb): the sound a cat makes scowl (verb): to make an angry face at a person or thing ajar (adjective): slightly open disgrace (noun): the feeling of being ashamed apologetically (adverb): feeling sorry for the other person as you do or say something notion (noun): idea frantically (adverb): filled with panic; hoping to get someones attention consternation (noun): a feeling of anxiety hearth (noun): the floor in front of a fireplace contentment (noun): happiness purr (verb): happy sound a cat makes

Inky Pinky Pooh was written by Mary Essberger. It is a wonderful story to share with children during the Christmas season, but will also entertain children year round. Read by: Tara Benwell

Idiom of the day

pop the question

Today: Wed, 14 Mar 2012

Informal

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Meaning: If you pop the question, you ask someone to marry you. For example:

In most European cultures, it's the man who pops the question to the woman if he wants to marry her. Isabella said she nearly died when Rafael popped the question. She had no idea he was going to propose to her there and then.

Quick Quiz: Roberto is going to pop the question to a. the woman of his dreams b. whoever has the right answer c. his very rich uncle
Click for answ er

More Idioms Quizzes

This entry is in the following categories:

Idioms/P Idioms/Quizzes/Mixed 6

Phrasal Verb of the day

hold forth
Today: Wed, 14 Mar 2012

Formal

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Meaning: to talk about a topic for a long time, often in a way that other people find boring For example:

hold forth As Mark held forth on a range of topics, those caught in his circle started to yawn and look at their watches. hold forth on sth All through dinner Ruth held forth on her favourite subject - herself.

Quick Quiz: Stuart likes to hold forth on a range of subjects whenever he can a. get away from people b. find the time to read c. find an audience
Click for answ er

Grammar explanation: separable and non-separable phrasal verbs Get the ebook: 1000 Phrasal Verbs in Context Discuss: hold forth This entry is in the following categories:

Phrasal Verbs/H

Listen to Poetry
Click on a poem below to listen and read the verse. With each poem, you have two options: 1. Listen Click "Listen" to hear the poem (almost) immediately. The recording will stream to your computer in MP3 format. 2. Download Click "Download" to save the poem in MP3 format to your hard disk. You can then replay it as you wish.

I expect to pass through this world but once When the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride Move him into the sun Monday's child is fair of face I met a traveller from an antique land When I was a child What a piece of work is a man! I wish I loved the Human Race At Tara today in this fateful hour Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

POETRY

Monday's child is fair of face

Listen Download Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace, Wednesday's child is full of woe, Thursday's child has far to go, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child works hard for its living, And a child that's born on the Sabbath day Is fair and wise and good and gay.

Anne of Green Gables

Title: Anne of Green Gables Writer: Lucy Maud Montgomery Genre: Fiction Listen and read. [ 0.01 MB ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download Chapter XXVIII An Unfortunate Lily Maid (an excerpt) [Note: The "flat" in this scene refers to a flat-bottomed rowboat used for duckhunting.] It was Annes idea that they dramatize Elaine. They had studied Tennysons poem in school the preceding winter, the Superintendent of Education having prescribed it in the English course for the Prince Edward Island schools. They had analyzed and parsed it and torn it to pieces in general until it was a wonder there was any meaning at all left in it for them, but at least the fair lily maid and Lancelot and Guinevere and King Arthur had become very real people to them, and Anne was devoured by secret regret that she had not been born in Camelot. Those days, she said, were so much more romantic than the present. Annes plan was hailed with enthusiasm. The girls had discovered that if the flat were pushed off from the landing place it would drift down with the current under the bridge and finally strand itself on another headland lower down which ran out at a curve in the pond. They had often gone down like this and nothing could be more convenient for playing Elaine. Well, Ill be Elaine, said Anne, yielding reluctantly, for, although she would have been delighted to play the principal character, yet her artistic sense demanded fitness for it and this, she felt, her limitations made impossible. Ruby, you must be King Arthur and Jane will be Guinevere and Diana must be Lancelot. But first you must be the brothers and the father. We cant have the old dumb servitor because there isnt room for two in the flat when one is lying down. We must pall the barge all its length in blackest samite. That old black shawl of your mothers will be just the thing, Diana. The black shawl having been procured, Anne spread it over the flat and then lay down on the bottom, with closed eyes and hands folded over her breast. Oh, she does look really dead, whispered Ruby Gillis nervously, watching the still, white little face under the flickering shadows of the birches. It makes me

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feel frightened, girls. Do you suppose its really right to act like this? Mrs. Lynde says that all play-acting is abominably wicked. Ruby, you shouldnt talk about Mrs. Lynde, said Anne severely. It spoils the effect because this is hundreds of years before Mrs. Lynde was born. Jane, you arrange this. Its silly for Elaine to be talking when shes dead. Jane rose to the occasion. Cloth of gold for coverlet there was none, but an old piano scarf of yellow Japanese crepe was an excellent substitute. A white lily was not obtainable just then, but the effect of a tall blue iris placed in one of Annes folded hands was all that could be desired. Now, shes all ready, said Jane. We must kiss her quiet brows and, Diana, you say, `Sister, farewell forever, and Ruby, you say, `Farewell, sweet sister, both of you as sorrowfully as you possibly can. Anne, for goodness sake smile a little. You know Elaine `lay as though she smiled. Thats better. Now push the flat off. The flat was accordingly pushed off, scraping roughly over an old embedded stake in the process. Diana and Jane and Ruby only waited long enough to see it caught in the current and headed for the bridge before scampering up through the woods, across the road, and down to the lower headland where, as Lancelot and Guinevere and the King, they were to be in readiness to receive the lily maid. For a few minutes Anne, drifting slowly down, enjoyed the romance of her situation to the full. Then something happened not at all romantic. The flat began to leak. WordChecker prescribe (verb): to order someone to use or do something parse (verb): to examine very closely reluctant (adjective): unsure servitor (noun): one who attends the needs of another pall (verb): to cover samite (noun): a type of silk fabric procure (verb): to acquire with much effort abominable (adjective): unpleasant embed (verb): to fix firmly Lucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian novelist. Anne of Green Gables was published in 1908, and is in the public domain.

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