VOA: Words and Their Stories
Наверное, одним из первых ресурсов, материалы которого стали использоваться мной в качестве средства для обучения аудированию (в дополнение к российским учебникам Верещагиной), был сайт VOA. Отличное качество записи, недолгое время звучания, возможность скачать аудио и pdf — всё это делало работу с ресурсом приятной. Ушли углубленные классы — ушла необходимость дополнительного аудио. Началось освоение постоянно обновляющихся отечественных учебников: не успевал изучить от корки до корки одно издание, как в библиотеку поступало новое. Не до VOA было.
Так и получилось, что проверенный ресурс ушёл в забытьё. А ведь язык этих программ очень хорош для обучения аудированию.
Давайте послушаем один из таких текстов, недавний.
Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.
Today we talk about proverbs. A proverb is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Proverbs are found in most cultures and are often very old.
In American history, Benjamin Franklin was famous for his proverbs. Franklin lived in the 1700s. He was a leader of the American Revolution against English rule. He was also a scientist, inventor and writer.
For many years, Franklin published a book called «Poor Richard’s Almanac.» He included many proverbs that he had heard or created. Some of them are still used today. Like this one: «Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.»
Franklin is also remembered for other proverbs like, «A penny saved is a penny earned.» This means that money should not be wasted.
Here are other examples of proverbs that Americans use. The first ones are about love. Some people say, «All is fair in love and war.» They mean that anything you do in a relationship or in battle is acceptable.
Another proverb about love is, «Absence makes the heart grow fonder.» This means you love someone even more when he or she is far away. But other people say, «Out of sight, out of mind.» You may not even think about that person when he or she is not with you. Which of these proverbs do you think is most true?
Another proverb says «Love is blind.» In other words, when you are in love with someone, you may refuse to see anything bad about that person.
Here is another popular saying about love: «The way to a man‘s heart is through his stomach.» Some people believe that a woman can win a man’s love if she prepares his favorite foods.
Some people are only interested in having a relationship with someone who is very good-looking. You might tell them that «Beauty is only skin deep.» Your girlfriend may be lovely to look at, but she may also have some bad qualities. Or the opposite may be true. Your boyfriend is a wonderful person, but not good-looking. So what a person looks like is not really important.
Another proverb is true in love and war or other situations: «Actions speak louder than words.» It means that what you do is more important than what you say.
Sadly, we have no more time for this program. So we must say, «All good things must come to an end.»
This VOA Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. I’m Barbara Klein.
Что можно сделать с данным аудио? Простейшее — составить небольшое упражнение на нахождение соответствий. Например:
Early to bed and early to rise | in love and war |
A penny saved | the heart grow fonder |
All is fair | is blind |
Out of sight | is through his stomach |
Love | makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise |
The way to a man‘s heart | out of mind |
Absence makes | only skin deep |
Beauty is | louder than words |
Actions speak | must come to an end |
All good things | is a penny earned |
Или можно попросить учеников во время прослушивания заполнить правую часть таблицы:
Absence makes the heart grow fonder | you love someone even more when he or she is far away |
A penny saved is a penny earned | money should not be wasted |
All is fair in love and war | anything you do in a relationship or in battle is acceptable |
Out of sight, out of mind | You may not even think about that person when he or she is not with you |
Love is blind | when you are in love with someone, you may refuse to see anything bad about that person |
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach | Some people believe that a woman can win a man’s love if she prepares his favorite foods |
Beauty is only skin deep | what a person looks like is not really important. |
Actions speak louder than words | what you do is more important than what you say |
и так далее.
Наконец, в тексте есть две противоречивые пословицы, почему бы не обсудить этот момент?
Which of the proverbs appeals to you?
Absence makes the heart grow fonder or Out of sight, out of mind?