Zalamitزالاميط: تعلّم الإنجليزيّة بالدّارجة

Text: "I have been working for six years now and I feel like I am finally in a good place financially. I want to reward myself for working so hard by going on a trip to Italy. I had to put money aside every month for the past two years to be able to afford this trip but I think it will be worth it. Why else would I work so hard if I can’t have some fun once in a while, and if not now, then when? I am single, I have no responsibilities other than taking care of myself, my parents still have their health and …I might be overthinking this. It’s just a trip. I am feeling a little nervous because I chose to not go through a travel agency. I bought my plane tickets online and I booked a hotel through a website. I have to apply for a visa all by myself, like a big girl. I am so scared of being rejected. I feel like it would break my heart. I know there are worse things in life but I would really hate to see that stamp of rejection. I am tired of having an empty passport. In any case, I have to try. I gathered all my documents. I have bank statements, proof of employment and travel insurance. I got photos taken and I filled out the application forms. Those get me so nervous I forget how to spell my name. I even added a birth certificate for some reason. I don’t think any other country on earth cares about that document but I had to submit it so many times for so many random things that it’s just part of the process for me now. I am praying that this will be enough. It’s all I can do, do my best and pray. Wish me luck!"

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Text: "My brother Farid and I started a Youtube channel. We make comedy sketches. We dress up in silly make shift costumes and basically embarrass ourselves for ten minutes at a time. We have very different personalities. He is spontaneous and full of energy while I have a hard time finding something funny to say on the fly. I have to script, rehearse and prepare myself mentally before shooting. Half the time he doesn’t even know what the video is going to be about. I do most of the thinking and coming up with a set up and when we start shooting he riffs off and starts saying whatever crosses his mind. He has no filter. That’s how he is in real life as well. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He has made many life changing decisions in the spur of the moment, like that time he moved to Adrar and stayed there for two years. He has said many inappropriate things and only got away with it because he is so funny and charming. He could give you the shirt off his back if he saw you needed something. He has a hard time keeping a job because he is all over the map but this hobby of ours is really working well for both of us. He has the freedom to be himself, more than that, he shines not in spite of his personality but thanks to it. He helps me loosen up. I tend to be a bit more rigid and goal oriented. We need that too for our project. We really complement each other. It’s a hobby now but who knows, we might become professional comedians some day or maybe start a business together. I don’t know. The future is full of possibilities."

Thank you for listening. Love you all :)

Text: "I’m in the bus going to Cherchell. I am sitting by the open window and I can feel the salt air of the Mediterranean Sea on my face. It’s a scorchingly hot day but the bus is going fast so the air feels cool on my skin. I look at the people in the bus and wonder about their lives. I love people watching. I know that every single one of us has a unique story and I would love to know each one of them. People would think I am weird if I started interviewing random passengers so I will just use my imagination. I see a mother with her three children. The kids are wearing colorful shorts and holding floaties. They are going to the beach for sure. I wonder if it’s a spacial day or if it is part of their routine. I love that she didn’t let the heat and the inconvenience of public transport stop her from making memories with her little ones. There’s an old man in a tank top. That’s a pretty rare sight. Old men usually hide their shoulders around here. His skin is leathery but he looks quite fit for someone his age. My guess is that he worked out his whole life. There’s a young man wearing headphones and blasting Rai music. I wonder if Cherchell is his home or if he’s just going for a visit. I wonder if he has a special someone to love him. I wonder about his dreams and aspirations. The young man sitting next to me asks me to close the window, that’s a good opportunity to strike up a conversation. I will try to discover his life story. "

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Love.

Text: "I usuallydo my chores on Fridays. It's my only day off so I try to get caught up with cleaning and get everything ready for the next week. I always start with the bathroom. I scrub the sink and the shower. I don't have a tub and I don't mind that. I don't really enjoy taking baths, it feels like such a waste of water, plus, it makes no sense to me to just sit there simmering in my own dead skin. Yuk. After making the sink and the shower shine, I move on to the mirror. I wipe it down. I’m always shocked at how quickly it gets dirty again. I, then throw in a load of laundry before moving on to the kitchen. When the kitchen is clean I feel like the whole house is clean. I cooked some tomato sauce last night so there are reddried splatters on the tiles and on the stove. I was too tired to clean up so I just ate and went to bed. Maria will probably stop by this afternoon just to say hi. She likes to check on me, to see if I’m doing okay. Living abroad can be very lonely so I’m grateful to have such a caring neighbor. We go to the same university but we have different majors. I take marine biology and she studies psychology."

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Text: " Hey, long time no see. What's up? I have been kind of MIA for a while, it's true. I've had a busy year. In January I got a new job and got pregnant. Yes, both at the same time. In October I delivered the baby and my first born turned two in November, so you can imagine! You can say that my hands are full. This is no excuse to completely disappear, I know, but I hope you can understand that I have a lot on my plate and it's hard to make time for hobbies. How have you been? I hope you've had a wonderful year. I know that it is hard sometimes to stay positive and upbeat when so much in the world is going wrong. When you read the news you think that the world is falling apart and the humanity has gone mad. Humans are strange creatures that are hard to understand sometimes. In the midst of the chaos, I hope you are still working hard and trying your best to find joy. I know I am. Doing our best is all we can do. My heart is with our brothers and sisters in Palestine and Sudan but I won't let that be an excuse to not do my work. Let's talk soon. I'll be here once a week, hopefully. That's it for now. Take care. Bye. "

Thank you for listening. Thank you for trying your best to learn English. If you have any question please feel free to add it in the question box.

Tip of the day: Try to use an IELTS book. 

Please follow Coral Tipaza: https://www.instagram.com/coraltipaza/

Text: " Of course we’re going to have a power outage now! Typical! Every time there’s a little bit of rain we can expect to be in the dark. I wonder how long it’s going to last this time. I find that outrageous. They should have found a solution by now. Honestly, what annoys me the most is not the fact that I can’t switch on the light and I am not too worried about the food in the fridge, it can last many hours no problem. My biggest concern is that I have to submit my assignment before midnight tonight and with the power out, the router is off and that means no internet. Ah. I am so mad. I am actually mad at myself. I don’t know why I leave everything to the last minute. Had I finished my work earlier, I wouldn’t have been so stressed right now. I would have just relaxed like I used to when I was a child. It might sound strange but I have fond memories of the power outages that happened when I was a kid. I remember everyone would leave their room and gather in the living room. No TV, no internet, no reading, no cooking, no distractions, just some time to talk and be together. We would light a few candles, sit anywhere and Dad would retell us our favorite stories from his own childhood. We would laugh at my uncle’s mischief, like the time he filled all the sugar and salt bags with sand. He wanted to prank his mom and got into big trouble for that. My sister Nora would impersonate members of the family and we would try to guess who it was. My brother Djamel would play the guitar and sing. I am the youngest so I would sit on Mom’s lap and enjoy the show. It was good bonding time. We always felt closer afterwards. Oh! The power is back on. Thank God! I can now complete my homework and send it to my teacher." 

Listen to this conversation between a fitness coach and a prospective client. 

Text: "- Hi, I just randomly found myself on your Instagram page and I liked your style. I saw that you work at different gyms and one of them is in my neighborhood. I am interested in working with you. I just have a few questions just to make sure you are a good fit for what I’m looking for.

- Hi, yes, sure, I’d be happy to answer any question you have.

- I’d like to know how you structure your workouts.

Please follow: https://www.instagram.com/coraltipaza/

Text: 

" I am throwing a party for Aissa tomorrow. It’s his birthday. He’s turning 20. He said that he never had a birthday party before, even when he was a child. It kind of broke my heart a little because in my family birthdays are a big deal. We love to celebrate each and every one of us with a party, a big cake, gifts and lots of music. It’s going to be a surprise party. He has no clue. All he knows is that he needs to be at Slimane’s store at two. He thinks that Slimane needs help. The plan is to have a picnic at the beach. I wish I could do more but the money is tight. I hope he likes it anyways. I called all his friends and most of them RSVPed. Sam won’t be able to come. I wish he could. He’s usually the life of the party. I made a birthday cake and I bought him a book from his favorite author.  I’m a bit nervous. I hope it goes well. Aissa is my classmate. I like him. I like, like like him. I wish we could be more than friends. I want to be his girlfriend. I hope he gets the hint. This party was such a hassle to organize, I really hope he gets the message. "

Comprehension questions: 

What is the occasion for the party being thrown? How does the writer feel about birthdays in their own family? Who is the surprise party for? Why does the writer think Aissa believes he needs to be at Slimane's store at 2pm? How many people RSVPed to the party? Who is Sam and why is the writer sad he can't come to the party? What does the writer hope Aissa gets from this party? What did the writer buy for Aissa and why? How does the writer feel about the party? What does the writer hope for his relationship with Aissa to be?

Writing task:

Is it appropriate for the writer to throw a surprise party for Aissa without his knowledge or consent? Is it necessary for birthdays to be a big deal in a family? Is it necessary for the party to be extravagant for Aissa to have a good time? Is it fair for the writer to use the party as a way to communicate their feelings for Aissa, or should they have expressed them earlier? Is the writer's concern about their tight budget a valid excuse for not doing more for the party? Are surprise parties an effective way to show someone you care about them? Is it important to include friends in birthday parties? What is more important, the writer's hope to send a message or Aissa's enjoyment of the party? How much thought and effort is enough to make a party special? Should the writer be more honest and direct with Aissa about their feelings or could this kind of hinting through a party would be more effective?

Please follow Coral Tipaza on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coraltipaza/

Text: 

“New Year's resolutions can be a powerful tool for personal growth and change, but it's important to approach them with the right mindset. If you have tried and failed to stick to your resolutions in the past, it's important to remember that change is a process and setbacks are a normal part of that process. Instead of beating yourself up or feeling like a failure, try to view past failures as opportunities to learn and grow. Consider setting small, achievable goals that you can work towards gradually, and focus on building positive habits rather than trying to achieve a specific outcome. Remember to be kind to yourself and celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem. With the right mindset and approach, you can turn your New Year's resolution into a meaningful and lasting change.”

Hum, okay, so this is what the logic says. Instead I know I will set goals that are way too big and I will be disappointed about not achieving them. I will focus on my goals for about a week and a half and then I will slip back into my old habits because they are nice and comfortable haha I will set goals anyways. I love the sense of hope that the New Year brings."

Comprehension questions :

What is an important aspect to consider when making New Year's resolutions? Why is it important to view past failures as opportunities to learn and grow? What is a recommended approach to setting New Year's resolutions? How does the second speaker typically approach their New Year's resolutions? What does the second speaker enjoy about the New Year?

Key Words: temperature / overwhelming 

Text: 

"The weather is getting colder, finally! Fall is my favorite season. I'm glad it's here. This summer was too hot. We couldn't leave the house before sunset. Everyone took long afternoon naps. It was nice at first but by the end it felt like a  waste of time. The temperature dropped now. It's around 25 degrees during the day which is great. And it is 20 degrees at night. The perfect temperature for sleeping. I love it when the leaves turn brown, red and yellow. I think it's beautiful. Albert Camus wrote about fall. He said: "Autumn is another Spring where every leaf is a flower." I love this quote. Right now, I'm taking a walk on main street. The street is empty-ish. It's not completely empty but it's a huge difference compared to August. We get many tourists. It gets a bit overwhelming in the summer. I mean, they are welcome and we appreciate the business they bring, and we love hosting them but I'm glad there's not traffic jam on the sidewalk. I'll take a few pictures today. Once in a while, I like to play tourist in my own hometown. I think that if so many people choose to come here for the holiday to love the beauty of our town and snap so many pictures of everything, I, too, should make an effort and appreciate my town. I don't want to take it for granted. I see little blue dots and little pink dots on the horizon. The school day is over. The students who are wearing their pink and blue uniforms, are going home now. I'm taking a picture of that. Love what you have and you will always be happy. That's what I believe. I love my hometown in the fall." 

Comprehension questions:

What season does the narrator enjoy the most? Why was it difficult to leave the house during the summer? How does the narrator feel about the temperature now that it has cooled down? What does the narrator think about the quote by Albert Camus about autumn? Why does the narrator decide to play tourist in their own hometown? What is the narrator's belief about happiness? What do the students in the narrator's town wear as uniforms?

Key Words: gut feeling / had to

Text:

"It all started the day before. I was waiting in line at El Djidjli to buy a chicken panini for lunch when I saw these two sketchy guys. They were not from here it was clear. I know most people in this town and I don't know, I can tell when people are not from here. It's the attitude, they way they move, the way they carry themselves, something, I don't know, I just know it. I hadn't even heard them speak by then. Later, I heard their accent but at that moment I just saw them walking around. They were looking closely at every parked car. I thought I saw one of them taking a picture of a license plate but I wasn't sure. My lunch break was over and I had to go back to the office. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was up. It was a slow day at the office. We don't get many customers in the Winter. That's okay. It's our slow season. Our busy season is in Spring. Anyways, I wish I had done something that day. I wish I had told someone, the cops, the neighbour, anyone. I didn't. The next day, in the morning, I noticed the same two guys by Kaokao Park. I was driving. When I stopped at the red light I looked into the rearview mirror and I saw that there was a child with them. The blood in my veins turned into ice. I can't explain. It was an animal instinct in me. I remembered that the car that was parked by El Djidjli, yesterday, had stickers on it. The stickers were a family stick figures and a baby on board sign. The light turned green and I had to drive. Something was up. I just knew it. I have children myself and since I became a mom I scan the environment nonstop. I turned the car around and went to the park. I had the courage to call the cops this time. I entered the park and looked for them but they had vanished. I walked around the woods, looking left and right, expecting to see them behind every tree, until I saw them. One of them, the tall one started running towards me. To say that I was scared is an understatement. I ran as fast as I could but he caught up with me. He grabbed me by the hair and I screamed at the top of my lungs. He was dragging me when we heard a loud voice yelling "let her go". We both looked around, it was a  police officer. He was running towards us. Another police officer came from the other side. The tall guy let go of me and he tried to escape but the cop caught him. This is the craziest thing that ever happened to me. The police officer took me to the station and after I recovered from the scare he told me that the two men were trying to kidnap the little girl but my call saved her. I couldn't believe my ears. I was so proud of myself but so horrified and the same time. I am still in shock to this day. I was right. My instincts were right. I am glad I followed my gut feeling. There was an article about me in the local newspaper and many social media pages talked about me too. Since that day, I decided to always listen to my instincts."

Comprehension Questions:

What made the speaker suspicious of the two men they saw at El Djidjli? What did the speaker do when they saw the two men and a child at Kaokao Park? How did the speaker react when the tall man grabbed them by the hair? How did the situation resolve? Why did the speaker decide to always listen to their instincts after this incident?

There's so many of you guys listening to Zalamit! It makes me sooo happy. Thank you everyone! I am proud of what we are doing here.

Key Words: Either / Tie the knot

Text: 

"You need to make up your mind. You can't stall forever. I know it's a hard decision to make but you have to make it. No one else can do this for you. It's your responsibility. You've been avoiding this for how long? Six months? That's too long. Either you marry her or you let her go. I know you don't like this kind of ultimatums and you think it's immature and life is too complicated for this type of requests and it's too much pressure and bla bla bla but it's not about you. It's not only about what you want. She has made herself clear. She has given you many chances before and I really feel like this is the last one you're going to get. You've been together for many years now so it's time to tie the knot or move on. Is she not a good person? Do you not love her? And don't start with your stories of "my situation". She knows about your situation. She knows everything about you and she accepts you. You say she deserves better and that you're working to have better things to give her but all these reasons feel like excuses now. I'm telling you. You're going to lose her."
That's what Karim told me two months before she left. She left me and she left the city. She moved to Annaba to start over. Algiers is empty without her. My life is empty without her."

Comprehension questions :

What decision does the speaker need to make? How long has the speaker been avoiding this decision? What has the speaker's partner made clear to them? What does Karim tell the speaker? What happened two months later?

Debate questions based on the text:

Is it fair to give someone an ultimatum in a relationship? Is it justifiable to end a relationship if your partner is not ready to commit to marriage? Is it ever acceptable to make excuses in a relationship? Is it always necessary to end a relationship if one person wants to move on? Is it possible for a person to change their mind about marriage after being in a long-term relationship?

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Key words: bite / brakes

Text: 

"Marwa's car is having problems already. She bought it recently but she didn't buy it new. She bought it second hand. I told her not to buy from Chakib Chakma. He's the typical greasy car salesman. He's a fast talker and a con artist. She should have known better. She should have asked around. She told me that the first week she needed to replace the brakes, and a few days later the transmission went. She youtubed a way to fix it and it worked for a few days and then broke again. This is no joke. It's dangerous. She could really get hurt if she got into an accident because of this old car. I guess she's going to just have to bite the bullet and get it fixed by a professional."

Love.

Key Words:

Text: 

"My name is Moundir. I got a summer job, which means, I now have to wake up early. Well, early compared to my usual 1 p.m. wake up time. These days I wake up at 9 a.m. I have to be at the store by 10. I sell ice-cream on the board walk. I work from 10 to 10. It’s a really long day but I need the money. It’s an easy and pleasant job, all in all. It makes people happy. I like talking to the kids. They crack me up. Especially this small kid named Mustapha. He comes to the store with a bunch of coins and spreads them on the counter. He says he gets paid to do chores and run errands then he comes here to spend his hard earned money. He’s a hustler. I understand. I’m doing the same. The thing that surprised me the most about this job is the sore forearms. I wasn’t expecting scooping ice-cream could be so challenging. It’s not hard but it adds up. By the end of the day my arm is dead. If I spend my money wisely, I will be able to buy a new pc by the end of the summer. I hope I can resist the temptation of buying clothes and going out. I guess it’s a good thing that I work such long hours. It helps me save."

Thank you for listening

Key Words: Optimistic / Pessimistic

Text: 

"Hanane and Ali are friends. They grew up together like brother and sister. They are both an only-child, so they found in each other the sibling they never had. They are seventeen years old now. It's their last year of high school. They often discuss their ambitions. Hanane is very optimistic,.unlike Ali who tends to see the glass half empty. "After the Bac exam, I'm going to study at Esi. I'll do my best to be the top of my grade. I think I can do it. I'm ready to outwork anybody. Then, I"ll apply for scholarships until I get one. I'll do my masters degree in the US. Finally, I'll get a job at a big tech company. I think you should do the same." Hannan explained. "I hate to burst your bubble" Ali answered,"but I don't think you're forgetting where we're from. No one from Sidi Makhlouf goes into tech and succeeds, plus we're poor, plus my parents will never accept me leaving Algeria, they'll say yes but they'll be very sad, plus your parents will never accept, you're a girl."
"So what?" Answered Hannan "so what? I'll find a solution to every problem. I won't let anything stop me. I think my parents will end up being proud. You can keep dreaming of working for Sonatrach. I have bigger dreams."

Key Words: pull an all nighter / game designer

Text: 

"Oh no, I hear the birds chirping, that means I stayed up all night, again. I don't mind pulling an all nighter once in a while, before an exam or when a project has a deadline, but this is different. This is becoming a problem. It's the third time this week that I don't sleep a wink all night. I bought a ps5 and I haven't been able to control myself. Every time I have a minute of free time I spend it on games. You can say I let the controller control me. I love video games, always have. The first game I played was Tetris on my dad's phone. I was 6 years old. I remember I would beg him for hours until he caved in. My mother had nerves of steel. I would beg and beg and cry and throw tantrums but no meant no. I want to become a game designer. But for that I need to do more work and less play."

Thank you for listening :)

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Key Words: packed / ordered

Text:

"We stopped at a roadside restaurant, in the middle of nowhere. We sat at the only table available. Who would have thought a restaurant in a location like this one would be packed.

The waiter come to our table and said.

“ Hi and welcome. Today’s specials are roasted chicken, lamb skewers, liver skewers, soup, French fries, rice, and Hmis.”

He was wearing a butcher’s uniform. He dabbed the sweat on his forehead with a napkin.

“Thank you. Could we have a minute to decide.” Said Dahman

“Of course, would you like me to start with the drinks while you decide. We have soda, juice and homemade tea.” The waiter said.

“We’ll have some Hammoud please, and a bottle of water.” Dahman said.

“Coming right up. “

“What’s that thing he said at the end? Hmaizz, was it?” I asked.

“Hmis. It’s a type of salad. It’s made with roasted peppers, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. You eat it with bread. It’s delicious, if you don’t mind a bit of a kick.” Dahman said.

“I don’t mind. I love spicy food.” I said.

We ordered and the food arrived quickly, thankfully. I was drowning in saliva from the smell of the barbecue. The skewers were covered in cumin seeds and chili powder. The Hmis was excellent.

When the bill came, I tried to pay. I had my wallet ready, but Dahman refused to let me pay, like every time. I’m grateful and uncomfortable at the same time."

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Key Words: Might / Probably won't

Text:

"

Good job! You are trying to learn and that is awesome!

Key Words: Childhood / neither...nor...

Text:

" I remember when Nawel was a child, she used to love talking to old people. She would call them gramps and granny, make silly faces at them and ask them numerous questions. She used to play dominos against Uncle Moha. He would let her win most of the time. He knew she was a sore loser. She was a special child. She did enjoy the usual games like hide-and-seek, playing catch, hopscotch and all sorts of ball games, but she also enjoyed less common activities. For instance, she used to love writing poetry. We don’t know where she got that from. Neither her mother nor I loved poetry. Also, there used to be a live wrestling show every Saturday and she couldn’t wait to watch it. She was a huge fan of The Undertaker. Her favorite food was spinach for some reason, which was quite strange for a young child. When I think about her childhood, I can hear her laughter, I can see her sticking her tongue out, I can almost taste the candy that she used to share with me behind her mother’s back. She is a strong and caring woman now. She still loves talking to olde people and teasing them, making them laugh. She became a hospice nurse. "

Key Words: journey / breeze

Text: "Last week, my friends and I went on a road trip to Annaba. We needed to quench our thirst for adventure after a whole year without traveling. We left El Djelfa at the crack of dawn so we could reach my friend Djafar’s native village by lunch time. He’s originally from the region of Biskra and still has many uncles and cousins living there. Driving there was amazing. It was impressive to see the millions of date trees. We ate at the best local restaurant. It felt good to break the journey. We were getting tired of being stuck in Salim’s old car. We got out and stretched our legs, bought a bunch of snacks and carried on our way. We bought some cakes, some salted peanuts and some dates. Djafar ate most of them. Soheib didn’t eat much because he didn’t stop talking. He gave us a headache. We got to Annaba at around three in the afternoon and went straight to the beach. We didn’t even stop at the hotel to register or to unpack. Annaba is gorgeous. Salim jumped in the water head first. The breeze felt amazing. The weather was good during the whole stay. The temperature was between 25 and 30 degrees, compared to 45 back home. We challenged ourselves to swim in at least ten different beaches, so every day was a new adventure. Djafar bought a kids tube and floated all day. He called himself “The Happiest Man at the Beach.” We couldn’t stop laughing at him."

Thank you for listening :) 

Key Words: Out of the blue / Unannounced

Text: 

"My friend Salsabile showed up to my house yesterday, out of the blue, unannounced, and said she was staying with me for a week. Of course my door is always open,, she can always come to me when she needs a shoulder to cry on. After all, that’s what friends are for. But this is so unlike her. I don’t know what she’s going through but it can’t be good. I asked her several times what’s wrong but she refused to tell me. I am worried about her. She brought one bag with one change of clothes and nothing else. I made a bed for her on the floor in my room and she went to bed early. This morning when I woke up, she wasn’t there. I don’t know what to do now. Should I call her parents? Should I call the police?"

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Key Words: Driver's license / book a spot

Text: 

"Hi, I have a question; what are the fees for a driver’s license?

Key Words: Manufacture / Straight out of 

Text: 

"Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is an American aerospace company. They manufacture rockets and satellites. They also offer space transportation services. It was founded by Elon Musk in 2002. Its headquarter is in California. The goal of the company is to reduce space transportation costs and make the colonization of Mars possible.

Can you imagine living on Mars? It seems like an idea coming straight out of a Sci-fi movie. I hope it happens during my lifetime. I want to see it happen. I have always been fascinated by space and space exploration. I learned the names of the planets before I knew the names of colors. When I was eight years old, my mother gave me a telescope for my birthday. We would go on the roof of the building and look at the stars. I wanted to become an astronaut. Huh, that didn’t happen. Now, I am happy to just watch movies about space. My favorites are The Martian and Interstellar." 

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Key Words: coping mechanism / Give back

Text: 

" Whether the relationship lasted three weeks or three years, breakups can leave us feeling heartbroken, lost and even physically ill. While there’s no magic formula to make the pain disappear, having healthy coping mechanisms in place is essential to getting over your ex and moving on to the next chapter of your life.

To help you on your way, here are three things you can do to help you cope with the stress of a break up: 1- Write or Talk it out: it is important to get your feelings out and gain clarity 2- Do things YOU love: Often in relationships we forget who we are, now is the time to rediscover yourself. 3- Give back: take care of somebody else to keep your mood high. Doing good feels good." 

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Key Words: Worse/ Worst / Turn

"Do you know the game “Truth or Dare”? It’s not a game for the faint of heart. You need to be brave to play it. I usually love it because you discover so many things about your friends if they choose Truth and it’s very funny when they choose Dare. We played it last Sunday with my friends and this time it wasn’t fun at all. When I chose Truth the first time, they asked me if I had a boyfriend. That was easy, I just said no. When I chose Truth the second time Mariam asked me “Who are you in love with?” Omg I hate her for that because I told her in confidence who I was in love with. She knew it was a secret. Worst of all, he was sitting right there. I turned crimson red, like a tomato, and whispered his name. I said “Amir”. They all laughed. It was awful. I tried to make it look like a joke but that only made it worse. I will never choose Truth ever again. When it was his turn he didn’t choose Truth, he chose Dare. Marwa dared him to run to the middle of the road and dance. And that was the end of the game."

Keywords: Could / On the right track

Text: 

"Plastic has polluted the countryside and endangered wildlife for decades. Environmentalists told us to cut the amount we use or switch to biodegradable alternatives. Scientists have now made a biodegradable plastic, so the billions of plastic bags, cups, straws, etc. that we throw away each day could be "compostable". They could break down like organic waste. The plastic breaks down within weeks, rather than centuries, using just heat and water.

This new plastic has enzymes inside it. When these enzymes are exposed to heat and water, they eat away at the plastic and turn it into nutrients for the soil. A professor said 98 per cent of the plastic her team made degraded. She said: "We are...saying that we are on the right track. We can solve this continuing problem of single-use plastics." She added: "Look at all the wasted stuff we throw away - clothing, shoes, electronics....We are taking things from the earth at a faster rate than we can return them."

Website: www.breakingnewsenglish.com

Keywords: was pointing at / just in time

Text:

"I watched an interesting news story earlier. A young man was walking in the street in Ain el Fakroun when he heard a loud scream coming from above. He looked up and saw a woman. She looked scared. She was at her window pointing at something. The young man looked at what she was pointing at and saw a toddler dangling between the railings of a balcony, on the third floor of the building across the street. The man ran to the building as fast as he could and arrived just in time to catch the falling two-year-old. Both the child and the man are fine. There was a video showing the whole thing. It was so scary to watch. Even though I know the end, I know that the man is a hero and the kid is fine, but still it was scary to watch. The father said “It all happened so fast. I was folding the laundry and he was playing with his toys when I suddenly noticed that he wasn’t there. I just looked away for two seconds. I am still shaking! I will be eternally grateful to Mr. Hamid.”

Key words: go fishing/ don't get me wrong

Text:

"I am living the good life! What does the good life mean? I think it’s different for everybody. To me, the good life is having a house near the beach. I finally have it. I am truly happy. I lived all my life in Biskra. I love Biskra, don’t get me wrong. It’s a beautiful region but my heart belongs to the sea. I bought this little house in a village near Jijel and this is where I’m spending my retirement. It’s close to a small beach. The water is pristine and the weather is perfect. I am learning how to fish, at my age! My neighbor, a young man, has a boat and he often invites me to go fishing with him. We catch sardines or dorados and we grill them on the barbecue. Both our families share this meal. My grandchildren come to visit once in a while, whenever they have time off of school. They spend the whole summer here. They go swimming and snorkeling. We play soccer on the sand. I am not young anymore and my health is not what it used to be but I am truly happy. I think, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been."

Key words: make money / make a difference 

Text:

"Hi, my name is Reda. The first thing I do when I wake up is check social media. The last thing I do before I fall asleep is check social media. It really has become an addiction. I check how many likes I got, how many comments were left, how many messages I received. It’s really important for me to see how much traffic I get on my pages. My business is tied to my social media presence. I get many sales directly from Facebook and Instagram. It’s an important tool and if you use it right it can make a huge difference in how much money you make. I have a shop downtown but I make as much money from deliveries. I ship my products to 43 provinces now but I’m hoping that soon I’ll be able to ship all over the country, maybe even abroad. Who knows? Let’s hope!" 

Thank you for listening!

Text:

- Do you have any pets?

- I do. I have a turtle.

- A turtle! That’s unusual.

- Is it? I don’t know. It just feels normal to me because it’s always been there.

- You’ve always had a turtle?

- Yes, it was there before I was born.

- It’s more than twenty five years old?

- It is! It’s always been with us. It appeared in the vegetable garden one day and ate all of the lettuce that my mom had planted. And it never left.

- This is so funny to me. I know people who have cats and dogs and fish but I’ve never met someone who had a turtle. Does it have a name?

- Actually, no, it doesn’t. We just call it turtle.

- This is hilarious!

- Do you have a pet?

- No, I don’t. I wish I did.

- Have you ever had a pet?

- Yes, when I was a child we had a dog called Laika.

- So many dogs are called Laika.

- Of course! It’s named after the first dog in space! That’s an excellent name, if you ask me.

- Oh, that’s the reason. I didn’t know.

Symptoms.

Text:

"My daughter Oumnia is sick. She has a fever. I measured her temperature. It’s 38.8. That’s pretty high. She is coughing, a dry cough. She has a runny nose. She is tired. She was bedridden all day yesterday. She doesn’t have a stomachache or nausea or anything, which is good. She has a headache though, a terrible one. She complained about it many times. I’m taking her to the doctor. I’m taking her to the hospital. The hospital might be crowded but that’s fine by me. There are many good doctors working there and I trust them, so if we have to wait for an hour or two, I think it’s fine. I don’t think it’s an emergency. I think she caught a cold or it might be the flu. The doctor will know what medicine to prescribe to her. I hope it’s not antibiotics but if it is I will make sure she takes them. I will make some chicken soup for dinner and give her lots of fluids to drink. I am sure she will be fine in no time."

Key Words: Soul mate / Hope.

Text:

"Do you believe in soul mates? Do you believe that there is one perfect person for you? Just one? Just for you? I don’t know personally. I’ve had three girlfriends in the past but I have never felt the deep, passionate, unconditional love, that you see in the movies. I hope I can find that some day. If I find her I will put a ring on it right away. These days, love stories are complicated. Or maybe, they have always been complicated. I want someone who knows how to show love. I don’t like cold and distant people. I don’t want my romantic relationship to feel like platonic love. I want someone who is kind, and loving. I remember my first love. It was in grade one. Her name was Selma and she sat in the back. It was love at first sight haha. I remember I ran to her table and I stole her pencil case. She cried and I got into trouble. The teacher had a talk with me. I did it for love, people, I did it for love! One thing I am sure of is that I have an undying love for potato chips. This love story is forever!"

Key words: getting out of hand/ let go

Text:

"I love fashion. For me clothes are a way to express myself. They are a way to show my style and my mood. I love to play with different colors and fabrics. I love stripes, patterns, dots, floral prints, block colors. You name it. The problem is, my wardrobe is getting out of hand. I have too many clothes. I am embarrassed. I want to declutter my closet. I made three piles. One pile is for clothes I will keep, one for the clothes I will donate and one for the ones I will sell. It makes me feel a little bit sad to say goodbye to these shirts. I have so many good memories of wearing them. But, they don’t fit me anymore so I have to let them go. I love the cut of this jacket but it’s out of style. And these shorts I will say goodbye to because I don’t wear shorts anymore. I started wearing a Hijab two years ago, so that’s why I don’t wear shorts anymore. I will keep this Micky Mouse t-shirt. I have this t-shirt since grade 8. It’s my favorite. It’s so comfy. What’s your favorite item of clothing?"

Key words: Should / Shouldn't

Text: 

"I am worried about my father. He smokes like a chimney. He is overweight. His gut is huge. He looks pregnant. He eats dessert for breakfast and fast-food for dessert. He works long hours and sleeps late at night. He never walks. He always drives everywhere. He basically does the opposite of what you should do to stay healthy. I try to give him advice to help him change his lifestyle. I say: “Dad, you should drink water. You shouldn’t drink soda.” But he doesn’t listen. He is set in his ways. He refuses to change. I trick him into eating vegetables. I make carrot cakes and zucchini cookies. He doesn’t know he’s eating vegetables. I don’t deep-fry fries, I bake them in the oven. I water down his soda. He always says: “Hammoud is not what it used to be. They changed the recipe.” It makes me laugh. Also, I ask him to watch over my two year-old sister. She has a lot of energy. He runs after her for hours. That’s a form of exercise. My father is a hard-working, energetic, happy man. He loves good food and good jokes. I just wish he would take better care of his health. What do you do to stay healthy?"

Text:

"Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Samia. I’m from Algeria. Oh you don’t know Algeria. Well, it’s in North Africa. Yes, I’m North-African. Algeria is the biggest country in Africa. It’s on the Mediterranean sea. Some people like to say it’s the door to Africa, or the door to Europe. It depends where you are, I guess. Do you know the Sahara desert? Well, the biggest part of this desert is in Algeria. Many tourists go there to look at the stars. Desert skies are just stunning. The stars are exceptionally bright there because there’s no air pollution, no light pollution and no humidity. It’s really the perfect conditions for stargazing. But don’t imagine that Algeria is all sand dunes and camels. It’s a really diverse country. There’s snow peak mountains and rivers. The beaches are gorgeous too. Algerian people are ethnically diverse as well. You see I’m short and I have brown skin but not everybody looks like me. It’s actually hard to say what an Algerian looks like because there’s all sorts of people, people with fair skin and people with dark skin and gingers even. There’s people with brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes, black eyes. It’s so rich. We have great cuisine and if you really want to dance your butt off, you need to play some Rai music."

نتمنّى تكون عجبتكم هاذ الحلقة 

إذا عنكم سؤال أرواحو   

instagram @zalamit.podcast

Text: 

"We're so excited! We can finally afford a new home. This city is very expensive. For the same amount of money, back home we could have rented a big house, maybe a villa. We have lived in this apartment for six years now. When we first moved in we were newlyweds. this two bedroom apartment was enough for the both of us. Just two people. And then, two years later, we had our son and shortly after that we had our daughter. And now it feels really crowded. There's a lot of clutter and there's toys everywhere. The kids play in the living room because it's the only place where they can run. The other rooms are too small. I work from home and the noise makes it really hard for me to focus. I'm really excited to have a home-office. The bathroom is tiny and the kitchen too. There's barely enough space for a fridge and a stove in this kitchen. It was a beautiful six years. We were happy here. It's just time for an upgrade. Anyways, I'm happy we're all together and as they say, home is where the heart is."

Ps: kayen chuia ghaltat bessah 3djezt n3awed nsedjel. La prochaine fois matkoun hetta ghelta. Love.

What do you do in the morning? What's your morning routine?

Text: 

"Hi, my name is Aymen. I’m from Saida but now I live in Oran. I’m a student here. I live on campus. My morning routine is simple. I wake up every morning at 7 am. I try to be quiet because my roommate likes to sleep in. He is so lazy. He misses half his classes because he wakes up too late. I go to the shared bathroom. I wash my face, I brush my teeth then I go back to my room and I drink some water. I don’t eat breakfast. I have no appetite early in the morning. Fine, the truth is I’m just too lazy to make breakfast. When I am at home and my mom cooks breakfast for me, I happily eat it, especially if it’s Msemmen. Yum! I like to start my day on the right foot, so I read five to ten pages of a book. I feed my mind before I feed my body, I guess. After that I check my messages, my notifications, social media, and before I know it an hour is gone and I’m late for class. I get dressed quickly and I run to catch the university bus. I usually have one or two classes in the morning. Sometimes I eat lunch at the cafeteria and other times I eat fast food. And that’s my morning."

نتمنّى تكون عجبتكم هاذ الحلقة 

إذا عنكم سؤال أرواحو ليوتوب ولّا instagram

Follow @zalamit.podcast

يعطيكم الصّحّة على الإستماع . يعطيكم الصّحّة لي راكو تحاولو تتعلّمو حاجات جدد. نستعرف بيكم. لازم الكوراج باش واحد يسيّي يتعلّم! نتمنّالكم تتعلمو و تنساو كامل بلّي واحد النّهار ما كنتوش تفّهمو.

Text:

"Hey, yeah, I’m waiting for my friend Leila. We are going to a new pizza place. It’s called Pisa Pizza. I want to try it. I heard that they sell their tomato sauce. If it’s good I will buy a jar. It’s 12.30 already! We were supposed to be there at 12. Leila is always late. It drives me crazy. She is nice and funny and all but she’s never on time. I know this. I know this about her. I don’t know why I’m surprised every time. We’ve been friends for 20 years. We’ve been friends since grade 1. Can you imagine? I know her inside out. She has her head in the clouds but she had a very good heart. We’ve been together through thick and thin. If I have a problem I know I can count on her. And when I have good news, she’s the first one I call.

I’m so hungry. When I’m hungry I get hangry. My mother says: “If you start hating everybody, it means you are hungry. And, If you start feeling like everyone hates you, it meant you are tired.” I think it’s true. Oh, here’s Leila. Alright, bye."

El vide? 

يعطيكم الصّحّة على الإستماع . يعطيكم الصّحّة لي راكو تحاولو تتعلّمو حاجات جدد. نستعرف بيكم. لازم الكوراج باش واحد يسيّي يتعلّم! نتمنّالكم تتعلمو و تنساو كامل بلّي واحد النّهار ما كنتوش تفّهمو.

Text: 

"Hey hi, what's up? My name is Slimane. I'm 23 years-old and I'm from Setif. How do I spend my free time? Well, I have a lot of free time right now. I graduated recently and I'm looking for a job so right now  I have a lot of free time but I enjoy it. It's good because I have so many hobbies. I love football. That's the number one hobby for sure. I love playing football. I love watching football. I'm on a football team. It's a great team. We're the best in the city. My favorite thing in the world is to go to the stadium and be, you know, the loud supporter, singing songs with other sports fan. That's the best. I love singing. I'm really into rap. I don't sing rap but I love listening to it. My guilty pleasure is pop music. Stuff like, Ariana Grande or you know Justin Beiber. But that's a secret. Don't tell anyone. I play them in my car when I'm all by myself. I'm not by myself a lot. I hang out with my friends all the time. I'm a very social person. You can say I'm a social butterfly." 

Mother, father ou rba3t'houm

يعطيكم الصّحّة على الإستماع . يعطيكم الصّحّة لي راكو تحاولو تتعلّمو حاجات جدد. نستعرف بيكم. لازم الكوراج باش واحد يسيّي يتعلّم! نتمنّالكم تتعلمو و تنساو كامل بلّي واحد النّهار ما كنتوش تفّهمو.

Text: 

"Hello, this is Samia. You asked about my family so here we go. My family is a bit strange but all families a little strange if you ask me. My father was in the army so he acts like an army man even at home. He is so organized. My mother is the opposite. She is so messy. She is so disorganized. She spends all her time playing music, singing and dancing. I have two siblings, two brothers. My younger brother is my best friend. We get along so well. My other brother, that's another story. We don't get along at all. We fight all the time. He is only one year older than me but he thinks he's the boss. Well, he's not the boss of me! My younger brother is so funny and so fun. He is a lot like my mother. They look alike too. I don't have any sisters but I have three cousins and they are like sisters to me. Every holiday I go to their home and spend time with them. It's so fun. My grandparents on my mother's side passed away before I was born so I don't know them. My grandparents on my fathers side are alive. They are so nice. I see them every Friday. It's great. That's it. That's my family. Bye.

تعرفو على الطريقة لي تتعلمو بيها في هاذ البودكاست

Lesson one 1: Name, birthday, status...

يعطيكم الصّحّة على الإستماع . يعطيكم الصّحّة لي راكو تحاولو تتعلّمو حاجات جدد. نستعرف بيكم. لازم الكوراج باش واحد يسيّي يتعلّم! نتمنّالكم تتعلمو و تنساو كامل بلّي واحد النّهار ما كنتوش تفّهمو.

Text: 

"Hi, how's it going? My name is Boualam Boubriss. Well, my first name is Boualam and my last name is Boubriss. I'm originally from Batna but now I live in Algiers. I work here. I work at a clothing store. I sell men's clothes. I love my job because I love fashion. I'm 27 years old. My birthday is on April 15th. My mother says that I smile a lot because I was born in Spring. I am single right now. I am not married and I don't have a girlfriend. Do you know any nice girl you can introduce me to? I'm just joking. See you."

Wechnou houwa hed el podcast?