Season's Greetings
return to homepage

Build English Vocabulary with a Listening Program

I try to help my students build english vocabulary by using the target vocabulary many times in class.  If they can hear it again and again, then it gets stronger.

A brain scientist said that the pathways in the brain are just like pathways in a forest.  If the path is used once, it soon becomes forgotten.  If it is used again soon after, it gets a bit bigger.

Each time the path is used, the brain makes it bigger because it is important.  

That is how you learn.  It is easy.  You can build your vocabulary by listening to the story below again and again.  If you take breaks between your study sessions, then your learning is stronger.  

You must repeat the study session several times before it is really strong. That means listen again and again.  

Listen to the story once.  Then listen the next day.  Then listen again after two days.  Then after four days.  Then listen again after a week.  

Dice with Death

Idioms List
1. dice with death:  to risk putting oneself in great danger or getting into serious trouble
2. risk their necks:  to take serious risk, to risk putting oneself in danger or getting into serious trouble
3. play it safe:  to act with care and caution; not to take risks
4. go at it hammer and tongs: to have a fierce argument
5. dig in one's heels/dig one's heels in:  stubbornly refuse to agree to something, allow something, etc.







Click on the sound bar below to hear the story slowly.




Datshi loves to dice with death.  His mother always gets angry with him and tells him to play it safe.  Datshi likes to ride wild horses, and one day, he and his mother went at it hammer and tongs.  She said he was risking his neck riding the horses.  He dug his heels in and said he would do it anyway.  Finally she convinced him to ride the horses in the river.  At long last he agreed and now they are both happy.

jump to quiz buttonjump to next story button



footer for English Listening Practice page


sbi



E-ZINE Sign-up form
Email

Name

Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you Common English or other updates.




Enjoy This Site?
Then why not use the button below, to add us to your favorite bookmarking service?