If You don't suceed, Try, Try Again

Many of us have heard this expression so many times that we don't really believe it anymore. But what would happen if we actually did try again each time we failed?  

Would we really improve? Would we learn more than we expected to? Could we accomplish some of the great things we have dreamed about, but never achieved because we gave up too quickly?

Sometimes it takes a child to teach us how being passionate and highly motivated can make us develop the kind of perseverance and  stick-to-itiveness, we need in order to succeed at anything important - even though we know we will fail many times along the way.  

The important thing is that you must be passionate about whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. With passion, there are NO failures - only learning experiences that can help us improve and modify our approach, strategies or plans. strategy or plans. 

For a good look at someone who succeeds at a very difficult task precisely because he is so motivated and passionate that he knows he will succeed - not the first time, but eventually. 

It is that attitude that  makes him mature beyond his age, and an inspiration to all of us who want to give up when things get difficult.  

I hope you come away from it feeling that if  "seven- year old Audri  can do what he did, YOU TOO can also accomplish something you find difficult: - learning and most importantly improving your English.

All you need is to be motivated, passionate and perseverant , and as seven year old Audi says, " if you don't succeed, try, try again."

 

How Well Did You Understand? 

Let me know with a comment below

Pronununciation Tips For ESL Speakers

Pronunciation Makes an Impression!

How well do people to understand you when you speak English? Do they often have to ask you to repeat things? 

Speaking clearly enough to be understood MUST be one of your most important priorities if you live in an English country. 

Real communication involves two parties: a speaker and a listener. If the listener can't understand you, you are NOT communicating. 

 It doesn't matter how interesting you are if people have to struggle to get the point.  In fact,  if they have to keep working hard to understand you, they eventually simply stop trying.   

If you are an adult, you will probably never sound like a native speaker. NO ONE expects you to, so don't worry about it. What IS important is that you speak clearly enough for people understand you. This does NOT require getting rid of your accent. It does involve making a real effort. 

You CAN take steps to speak more clearly. I have previously written about some of the steps you can take to improve your pronunciation,  but the following article by Suzanne Bennett offers some excellent advice. Make sure you read the tips section. 

Article: 

Pronunciation  is always a big challenge when speaking a language that is not your own. No matter how hard you try, there are always some sounds in a foreign language that your tongue and lips simply will not want to make! What can you do to sound as native and natural as possible.continue reading

New Pronunciation Links, Videos and Activities

I have also added some new links to the Pronunciation Links on the right hand side of the page, as well as new videos and practice activities on the PRONUNCIATION PAGE.


Of course, as you know, singing English is also a terrific way to practice, so why don't you try out a few songs on the MUSIC PAGE. 

Working in Canada

Everything you Need to Know About Your Occupation in One Place 

 

 

Are you feeling frustrated about not making any progress in finding a job in Canada? Do you find yourself wondering what you are doing wrong? 

 

Maybe you live in the wrong city. Maybe there is no need for the kind of work you do there, or maybe you just aren't using the right strategies to find the job you want.

If you are serious about wanting to work in your own field of expertise, Working in Canada
is a very useful website created  by the Canadian government to provide people with as much information as possible about all the occupations in Canada.

The tools at Working in Canada can help you find the name and a description of what your occupation is called in Canada. It can also identify the main tasks the jobs involves and the skills required for that particular trade or occupation. 

You may think what's the point? An engineer is an engineer no matter what country you come from. Unfortunately this is NOT TRUE. The name of your occupation in your home country may actually be different than it is in Canada. As well, the job duties and the skills required to do the job may also be quite different.
 
For example, many immigrants who have always considered themselves engineers in their country are only considered high level technicians in Canada because they don't have the full requirements to be Canadian Engineers.

Canada uses the National Occupational Classification (NOC)  to  classify more than 2 million job titles in its system. Doing some research on the Working in Canada Tool will tell what you just what specific duties, skills and specific training and education are required for you to be able to work in your field of expertise.

The website can also help you find out whether your occupation is regulated or non-regulated. There are two types of jobs in Canada. Regulated occupations require you to have a license.  Non-regulated occupations do not require a license. 

Ddifferent provinces and territories regulate occupations and trades such as nurses, engineers, physicians, teachers and dentists among others, but  about 80% pf Canadian workers work in non-regulated occupations.  

If you are a foreign-trained professional, working in a non-regulated job is a good way to start your career to gain Canadian experience, or while you are waiting to become licensed in a regulated profession.

Working in Canada can also help you find out 

• what the outlook or prospects are like for your occupation, what jobs are currently available and what regions and cities they are located in, 

• what the salary rates are for that occupation in different locations, and  

• which associations and unions are related to your trade or profession.

Researching your occupation will help you learn about job opportunities and find the one that is right for you.   Click on the Working in Canada tool. You can also embed the widget on your own computer or iPhone.  

Working in Canada also has a very useful and informative Working Canada You Tube Channel   featuring  192 videos on various aspects of working and living in Canada.

The channel includes more than 70 videos on a wide range of occupations, which can give you a good idea of what duties and responsibilities are involved in a specific occupation as well as  the kind of characteristics prospective employees need to be able to do the job.

The following video is a brief tutorial on the Working in Canada site. 

Watch a Video:

Watch the following video about what a biomedical technician does on the job. There are subtitles, but try to listen ONLY and take notes on your first and second listening. Then, take the quiz below.  After that, go ahead and listen and read the subtitles at the same time.

How well did you understand? Take the quiz below. 

How did you do?

If you enjoyed this post, write a comment below, or become a subscriber.

Canada: We Are More

 

For many years, people have been asking Canadians to "define" Canada, or just what a Canadian is - especially since we are a young country made up of immigrants form all over the world. Two years ago Shane Koyzan, wrote and performed the poem " We Are More " at the opening ceremonies of the 2010 winter Olympics.

As we celebrate Canada Day today, I thought it would appropriate to post it
Speaking of more, the actual poem is much longer than the one performed at the Olympics.

Take the time to listen to Shane and read along more than once. It will help you to understand it better. If you are brave enough, try to say it along with him. I know it's a challenge, but it can be done !. ( Think of how good it would be for your pronunciation!)

I have posted the words to both the short AND long version of the poem.

We Are More 
a Spoken Word Poem (Video Version)
by Shane Koyzan 

We Are More 
a Spoken Word Poem (the original version)


When defining Canada
you might list some statistics
you might mention our tallest building
or biggest lake
you might shake a tree in the fall
and call a red leaf Canada
you might rattle off some celebrities
might mention Buffy Saint Marie 
might even mention the fact that we’ve got a few
Barenaked Ladies Barenaked Ladies
or that we made these crazy things
like zippers
electric cars
and washing machines
when defining Canada
it seems the world’s anthem has been
” been there done that”
and maybe that’s where we used to be at
it’s true
we’ve done and we’ve been
we’ve seen
all the great themes get swallowed up by the machine
and turned into theme parks
but when defining Canada
don’t forget to mention that we have set sparks

we are not just fishing stories
about the one that got away
we do more than sit around and say “eh?”
and yes

(Short Version starts here) 

we are the home of the Rocket  and the Great One
who inspired little number nines
and little number ninety-nines
but we’re more than just hockey and fishing lines
off of the rocky coast of the Maritimes
and some say what defines us
is something as simple as please and thank you
and as for you’re welcome
well we say that too
but we are more
than genteel or civilized
we are an idea in the process
of being realized
we are young
we are cultures strung together
then woven into a tapestry
and the design
is what makes us more
than the sum total of our history
we are an experiment going right for a change
with influences that range from a to zed
and yes we say zed instead of zee
we are the colours of Chinatown and the coffee of Little Italy
we dream so big that there are those
who would call our ambition an industry
because we are more than sticky maple syrup and clean snow
we do more than grow wheat and brew beer
we are vineyards of good year after good year
we reforest what we clear
because we believe in generations beyond our own
knowing now that so many of us
have grown past what used to be
we can stand here today

filled with all the hope people have
when they say things like “someday”

someday we’ll be great
someday we’ll be this
or that
someday we’ll be at a point
when someday was yesterday
and all of our aspirations will pay the way
for those who on that day
look towards tomorrow
and still they say someday

we will reach the goals we set
and we will get interest on our inspiration
because we are more than a nation of whale watchers and lumberjacks 
more than backpacks and hiking trails
we are hammers and nails building bridges
towards those who are willing to walk across
we are the lost-and-found for all those who might find themselves at a loss
we are not the see-through gloss or glamour
of those who clamour for the failings of others
we are fathers brothers sisters and mothers
uncles and nephews aunts and nieces
we are cousins
we are found missing puzzle pieces
we are families with room at the table for newcomers
we are more than summers and winters
more than on and off seasons
we are the reasons people have for wanting to stay
because we are more than what we say or do
we live to get past what we go through

and learn who we are
we are students
students who study the studiousness of studying
so we know what as well as why
we don’t have all the answers
but we try
and the effort is what makes us more
we don’t all know what it is in life we’re looking for
so keep exploring
go far and wide
or go inside but go deep
go deep
as if James Cameron was filming a sequel to The Abyss
and suddenly there was this location scout
trying to figure some way out
to get inside you
because you’ve been through hell and high water
and you went deep
keep exploring
because we are more
than a laundry list of things to do and places to see
we are more than hills to ski
or countryside ponds to skate
we are the abandoned hesitation of all those who can’t wait
we are first-rate greasy-spoon diners and healthy-living cafes
a country that is all the ways you choose to live
a land that can give you variety
because we are choices
we are millions upon millions of voices shouting
” keep exploring… we are more”
we are the surprise the world has in store for you
it’s true

Canada is the “what” in “what’s new?”
so don’t say “been there done that”
unless you’ve sat on the sidewalk
while chalk artists draw still lifes
on the concrete of a kid in the street
beatboxing to Neil Young for fun
don’t say you’ve been there done that
unless you’ve been here doing it
let this country be your first-aid kit
for all the times you get sick of the same old same old
let us be the story told to your friends
and when that story ends
leave chapters for the next time you’ll come back
next time pack for all the things
you didn’t pack for the first time
but don’t let your luggage define your travels
each life unravels differently
and experiences are what make up
the colours of our tapestry
we are the true north
strong and free
and what’s more
is that we didn’t just say it
we made it be.

—–

I Am Proud to Be Canadian

Two years ago, when Vancouver hosted the 2010 Olympics, the people of Vancouver along with millions of other Canadians, were swept up  in an emotional display of patriotism  and flag waving they had never shown before. For the first time I can remember, Canadians were literally shouting in the streets just how proud they were to be Canadian. 

I don't want to say that Canadians didn't consider themselves lucky to live in this youthful land of promise  before the Olympics.

It's just that we had never been the kind of people who had flag poles in front of our houses, or who took every opportunity  possible to tell people what a great country we lived in, and how much we loved it.  

For some strange reason, we had always considered the Americans' flashy, flag waving, "aren't we great"  love affair  with their country to be in bad taste. And, something we all agreed about was that we didn't want to be seen as behaving like Americans.  

After all, we had a reputation to maintain. We were the polite, friendly, reserved Canadians who didn't like making a big fuss, and who preferred to keep a low profile.

The most flashy bit of patriotism we ever displayed was in a beer commercial called "the rant."  This commercial forcefully and emphatically told the world what a Canadian was AND wasn't.  It was incredibly popular for while because it showed us as loud and proud Canadians. Unfortunately it was quickly forgotten as soon as it stopped being shown on television.

 

The  Rant: "I am Canadian" 

So, let's come back to today when we are proud to shout " I am Canadian"  from the rooftops. 

Tomorrow, on July 1st, we will celebrate Canada's 145th birthday as a country  with plenty of noise, fanfare, flag waving, concerts, picnics, and fireworks.  Not only will you hear people sing our national anthem Oh Canada at the top of their lungs. you will also see people of all sizes, shapes, colour, cultural backgrounds wearing Canada's distinctive red maple leaf flag on their heads, their clothing and even their bodies. And what a glorious sight that will be!

Why Do I love Canada?

As the Heritage Canada website states, I am  "proud of the nation we have built together over the last 145 years. Since the earliest days of our history, Canada has been a land of promise.


“We have built a society that celebrates achievement and excellence, while at the same time maintaining a strong respect for human rights.


“Our participation in Celebrate Canada activities brings us together, strengthens our communities, and helps us understand the significance of the citizenship we all share.”

All you need to do is look at the headlines from around the world - unrest and human atrocities, financial crises, drug cartel wars  to realize that life in Canada is pretty darn good.

As I see it, Canada is a peaceful, democratic country where majority government rules and where government passes laws  to help and protect ALL people - including people of all races, religions, sexuality, gender, ages and many other areas not protected in many other countries. These laws are actually enforced.


Human Rights 

Canada  is a country where human rights are not only respected, but built into law. It is a country that allows you to practice any religion you want, to marry anyone you want, and that forbids employers to refuse to hire you because you are female, too old or simply not good looking enough.

It is also a country where you can actively disagree with the government's policies, actions and laws as loudly and as publicly as you want, and where you can take the country to court if you disagree with some of its policies, actions or laws,  One of the main protectors of these rights is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms 


"Can Do"  Spirit 

Canada is a country known for its "can do spirit", where people are willing to experiment and take risks in education, health research, business, science, agriculture and technology. It is a country where when someone says," Why are you doing that? It can't be done." people respond with,"Why not? It's worth a try."  Canadians have brought basketball, the snowmobile, the zipper. insulin, penicillin, velcro, short wave radio, the Canada Arm and countless other things to world.I am sure we will bring more.   


Health Care System

Canada is a country with a government health care system that treats the poor, the middle class and the wealthy in the same way.  In Canada, getting proper health care is considered a right, not a privilege . In Canada, you can have a baby, get treated for cancer, undergo a heart, lung or kidney transplant or receive ongoing treatment for any number of chronic   pre-existing conditions without being afraid of going deeply into debt.  Of course, all Canadians would agree that our health care system is far from perfect, and does need some fixing, but we still have one of the best health systems in the world.  

Education System 

Canada is also a country that has one of the best education systems in the world, and which considers "learning" to be a lifelong activity.  In Canada, students from kindergarden to grade 12 do not pay anything to get a top quality education that focuses on teaching critical thinking. University students here pay considerably lower fees than in the rest of the world, and can obtain scholarships, government grants and loans to help them pay for post- secondary education if they can't afford the fees themselves.

Canada is also a place where adults can go back to school for retraining in any kind of career or profession they want as often as they want up until the day they die. In fact, if they are over 65, they don't have to pay for any education. 

Canada is one of the few countries in the world that offers free second language training      (English as a second language, or French as a Second Language) to immigrants who do not speak English or French well enough to get a good job.


Multiculturalism  

Multiculturalism is more than an ideal in Canada; it's the law. Thanks to the Multiculturalism Act, enacted in 1988 to honor the country's English, French and aboriginal roots, Canada is home to people from more than 200  ethnic  backgrounds. And in 2010 it welcomed 280,636 immigrants, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada..  

Today, millions of us now work with with people from a wide variety of cultures who all have different accents, backgrounds and point of view about everything from child rearing to how hard we should work. 

Our children attend school, play sports, take music and ballet lessons with with children whose parents come from Asia, India, the Philippines, Mexico, Eastern  Europe, Africa and Russia just to name a few. These same children are increasingly marrying men and women from those different cultures and creating even more multicultural families. Today, it is not unusual to meet a Canadian teenager with four to five cultures in his or her ethnic background. My own son has never dated a Caucasian girl in his life.

Living with and mixing with people of so many different cultures has broadened our horizons   and made us more tolerant  and willing to accept that people from other places around the world don't necessarily think the way we do, nor should they have to.

Unlike people from many other places in the world, we don't think  everyone has to be the same, or feel  the same way about issues such as abortion, gay marriage, the hijab, Afghanistan, capital punishment or any other controversial issue.  Of course, we do expect everyone, including immigrants,  to obey Canadian laws, even if they are different than the laws of their own cultures, but this usually applies to extreme behaviours such as spousal abuse or ritual killings.

Becoming a land full of immigrants has also brought us a taste for food and music from other cultures. These days when someone asks me just what a  typical Canadian meal is I have to laugh, and say it could be anything from spaghetti or sushi to pad thai or borscht.   . Ethnic food has become so much part of our diet that samosas are now a staple at a pot luck meal. 

Of course, all of this doesn't mean we are perfect. We aren't. Tensions still exist between people of different cultures and there are still gaps that need to be bridged, but for most of us, the desire and the willingness is there. We simply have to act on it a little more quickly.  

Canada is also a country which continues to accept more refugees, particularly political refugees, from poverty stricken, or war torn countries  than anywhere else in the world. We have a  big heart, and we open our arms to the desperate.  This is something we should value.


Hockey

Canada is synonymous with hockey and hockey is synonymous with Canada. When we were playing for the gold medal this past winter Olympics 26.5 million Canadians tuned into the game to watch it at some point. That’s 80% of the population. You don’t grow up in this country without appreciating what a great game hockey is. And if you feeling like expressing that you might not be a fan of such a majestic sport, that could be considered treason.

Crowd of 18,000 sings Canadian anthem Oh Canada at the gold medal hockey game  at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver Canada. Move the cursor to 1:16 minutes to get the song. The first part is simply cheering.

Oh Canada with lyrics

I could say a lot more, but I want to let a few others tell you why they love Canada

Read a few posts about why other people love Canada 

25 Reasons Canada Rocks 

49 More Reasons You Love Canada 

Longer Posts with detailed reasons and information 

• Defining Moments: What It Means to be a Canadian
• The Charter of Rights and Freedoms  
• Top Ten Reasons I Love Canada
• Why I Love Canada  
• Our Popular Last Names are Smith, Singh, Ng or Lee
• We're An Ethnic Hodge Podge by Azachary Kuehner  
• We Are Leaders in Health by  Jason Tetro  
• We Could Charm the Pants Off a Moose Ashley Peoples 
• Here I Can Question My Own Faith by Farzana-Hassan
• We Tickle Your Funny Bone 
• Our Cup of Red Rose Tea is Half Full by  Lori Guard  

Just before the Olympics  American Journalist Tom Brokaw taped an " educational" video clip in order to inform Americans about their neighbours to the north. Any Canadian who has watched it has felt very proud indeed that someone from another country described us so well.

I am and will always remain proud to be a Canadian. I hope those of you who have moved here from other lands and now become Canadian citizens, will become Canadian citizens within the next few years, or have only recently immigrated here fell as proud of Canada as I do and enjoy Canada Day by participating in the many festivities being organized in their own cities.  .

Happy Canada Day! 

Why do YOU love Canada. 

How do YOU feel about this country?   

Let us know how you feel in the comment box below. 

 Send a little love our way. 

 I'd love to hear from you and I'm sure my other readers would too!

English Grammar Through Songs

As many of you know, I am a big fan of using music as an enjoyable way to practice and test your knowledge of English grammar, listening and vocabulary. 

 An additional bonus is that this kind of focused listening  to "natural English"  will help you to remember the vocabulary and grammar much better than if you use a  vocabulary or grammar book.

The following activity is the first of a series of  GRAMMAR THOUGH SONG posts and a fun way way to practice and test your grammar, vocabulary and listening skills. 

Below, you will find video clips of popular English songs. Each of the songs contains a specific grammar structure. 

Instructions

Step One: Make a note of  the grammar  point you need to pay attention to in each song.

Step two:  Play the video clip and carefully listen to the song WITHOUT looking at the lyrics. Get a feel for the whole song, then words and phrases. Try to listen to the specific grammar phrase  indicated for in the activity. 

Step Three:  Listen to the song as many times as you want without looking at the lyrics.  Write down as many phrases as you can hear that contain the required grammar expression as well as any new or "interesting" vocabulary expressions.  .

Step Four: If you have trouble hearing the phrases, look at the lyrics to complete each exercise.

Step Five: Check your answers

Step Six:  Sing along until you feel you have the rhythm and stress of the song.


Step Seven: Try to rewrite the lyrics while singing WITHOUT the music. How many of the expressions, and special vocabulary phrases do you remember?

Look for answer keys at the bottom 

#1 Tom's Diner By Suzanne Vega
Listen to and write all the PRESENT CONTINUOUS VERBS you can hear 





# 2 The Logical Song by Supertramp
Listen and write as many ADJECTIVES and ADVERBS  as you can hear




# 3 Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion
Listen and write as many PAST TENSE VERBS verbs you can hear. 



#4  Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For  by U2 
Listen to and write all the PRESENT PERFECT TENSE VERBS you can hear

#  4 We are the Champions by Queen

Listen to and write all the PRESENT PERFECT VERBS you hear. Write any new PHRASES or EXPRESSIONS you hear.  

# 5 Next Year Baby by Jamie Cullum

Listen to and write the FUTURE TENSE VERBS you hear ( both GOING TO and WILL)   Note how going to becomes GONNA.  

Answer Key and song worksheets 

TOM'S DINER: PRESENT CONTINUOUS VERBS ( ) 

I am sitting, I am waiting, She is looking, He is shaking, They are kissing, I'm pretending, I'm turning, I'm feeling, I'm watching, I'm lying

Tom's Diner by Suzanne Vega  (Song Lyrics + Many Activities) 

THE LOGICAL SONG: ADJECTIVES and ADVERBS 

Adjectives: TOTAL NUMBER ( 19) 
wonderful, beautiful, magical, sensible, logical, responsible, practical, dependable, clinical, intellectual, cynical , radical, liberal, fanatical, criminal, acceptable, respectable, presentable, simple   
New Vocabulary: every adjective you don't know. They are ALL useful to know  Go to 

Adverbs: (3) happily, joyfully,  playfully

The Logical Song ( lyrics + worksheet)

BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME: PAST TENSE:(26)

stood, made, brought,made, found, held, let, saw, was,, saw, lifted, gave, believed, loved, gave, made, touched, lost, gave, stood, had, gave, was, loved, were, carried, were 

Because You Loved Me ( lyrics + worksheet)

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: PRESENT PERFECT (8) 

I’ve paid my dues, I’ve done my sentence, I’ve…committed no crime, bad mistakes I’ve made a few, I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face, I’ve come through, I’ve taken my bows and my curtain calls, it’s been no bed of roses
We Are the Champions by Queen (lyrics + worksheet  with many activities)

I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR: PRESENT PERFECT   (9) 

I have climbed, I have run, I have crawled,I have run. I have scaled, I still haven't found,  I have kissed, I have spoken, I have held    
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

NEXT YEAR BABY : FUTURE TENSE (GOING TO AND WILL)  (16)

gonna change, gonna drink less, gonna pull up my socks, gonna clean,
not gonna live,  gonna live , gonna read more , gonna keep up, gonna learn,
[ spend less, pay, drink, call ], will I do, gonna say, gonna tell


Idioms: pull up my socks, keep up with

Next Year Baby by Jamie Cullum ( worksheet) 

How did you do? 

Let me know in the comment box. I appreciate all your comments. Remember you DO  NOT have to be a member to comment)

Tips on How to Listen to the News

Watching or listening to the news in another language is not easy - especially if you are listening to the "real thing,"  rather than a more slowly-spoken ESL version. 

If you are a beginner or even an intermediate ESL student, you should focus  on listening to slowed down ESL versions of the news. There are many to choose from. Simply go to the NEWS links on the right hand side of this blog to find some.  

But, if you are at the advanced level, and trying  trying in an English speaking country, or trying  to get into an English speaking university or college, start listening to the "real" news as often as you can. This can be radio news, television news, or podcast news on the Internet. 

Today, watching  or listening to the news has become much easier than it ever has been because of Internet pod casts and streaming video. In my last post, I promoted one in particular:The National on Demand.  I am Canadian after all

Improving your news listening skills takes some serious practice. But, you can improve if you follow some specific steps. 

The Structure of News Stories 

News  Inverted Pyramid

Most news stories in the west use an inverted pyramid approach. All the important information is in the first one, two or three paragraphs. The development of the story and additional details come next. The least important information is at the end. 

Generally each story attempts to answer as many of the WH questions as possible: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW.  If there is enough time, journalists try to get both sides of an issue in a controversial story, or sometimes 3 or 4 different points of view on the issue.  If this is not possible in one newscast; journalists will still attempt to get other points of view in a separate story later in the day, or the next day.  This  is meant to show that the newscasters do not take sides on a story. 

Also, many events in the news involve ongoing issues or problems. Here are a few examples: the European economic crisis, the war in Syria, and the recent arrest of a man accused of murdering a Chinese girl in Montreal and sending her body parts to Ottawa and Vancouver.  

Often the most recent version of what is happening on that particular story will include a short summary of the older events.  If you watch the news regularly, you will already have some background on the story. The "new" content will not seem so strange if you are familiar with the general story itself. 

No Government Censorship 

Another general  rule in western news stories is that government does not have the right to decide, approve or remove the content  of a news broadcast. The decisions are made by the newspaper's or TV broadcaster's editorial staff. Of course, certain newspapers and TV Broadcasters tend to be seen as more conservative or liberal. However, journalists do not express their personal opinitions unless it is in a special editorial, or column. The only people voicing opinions are the people in the news themselves. 

This is different in "feature" stories, or soft stories, which are longer background stories on a variety of topics. Some can be tragic, such as disaster, or war stories. Others can be entertaining.  

Since all news stories attempt to include the answers to the following WH questions, you should concentrate listening to information covered by these questions. 

• WHEN did this story happen?

• WHERE did it happen? 

• WHO or WHAT is or was  involved in the story? (This can often mean more than one individual or organization. Unless the person is famous or extremely well known, the name is not really important. The title of the group or organization, issue or cause that person represents is more important. 

• WHAT happened in the story. This is usually the longest part and usually involves more than one thing. Usually all of the events relate to the main story or topic, but  there will be details.  What is important is sorting out the important details from the small details.

• HOW did it happen. Sometimes this is not importantly. Other times, it adds to the details. For example, if the story is about a mass murder, and the police know how, it will be mentioned. 

• WHY did something happen, is something happening, or will it happen? What is the reason for the problem, meeting, discussion, disagreement, solution etc.? Why  is one person agreeing and another one disagreeing.  

Tips for Listening 

  

• Do NOT try to listen to or understand every single word you hear. Even  native speakers can't do this on one listening, or even two, so why should you think  you should be able to. If you make the mistake of trying to do this, you will immediately find it much too difficult and give up almost immediately.

• Listen with a purpose. Have a piece of paper ready before you listen. Write out numbers or words such as Story #1, Story # 2, Story #3, and leave space so  that you can write down words or phrases.  

•  Listen to or watch the newscast, or podcast several times. In listening tests, you are only allowed to listen once, but right now you are trying to practice and improve, so listen more than once.

First Listening  

•  On your first listening, listen to the entire newscast all the way though in order to get a general idea of what each news item is about. If it a video podcast, or simply a video, try closing your eyes and listening carefully without the distraction of pictures. 

• Concentrate on and pay attention to listening for key words. These are important content words that can help you figure out the content. Examples of these words are: negotiations,. contract, economic recession, convicted, sentenced, military skirmish, attack, retreat etc.  

•  Write key words as soon as you hear them. Also write down new vocabulary you have not heard before. Don't worry about the spelling yet.    

• After you have listened all the way through once, write the number of stories you watched or heard, and what you think the main topic is for each story. Don't try to write sentences. Keep it to words and phrases.  Write down any extra words you can remember. 

•  Before you listen for the second time, write out WHEN, WHERE, WHO, WHAT. WHY AND HOW under each story and its topic ( if you have one). See if you can remember enough to add information on any of the WH categories.  Leave space for your next listening. 

 Second Listening

• On your second listening, listen to one story at a time and try the following activities. 

•  Listen to the entire story. Then stop the player. In this listening, you are trying to catch some of the important details.  As you are listening, try to add additional key words and details to your who, what, when, where, why categories.

• Use short forms of words That YOU  you can understand. For example, for money, you  write $. For the word conference, you could write conf. For "captured", you could write capt. 

• As soon as you stop the recording, write out the complete word for your shortened words or symbols. Add any other details you can remember and didn't have time to write down. Remember DO NOT need to understand every word, or remember every detail. 

• Try to guess the meaning of new words you wrote down based on the topic and the context of the story. Then, look them up in the dictionary to see if you are correct. If you are not, write the definition. 

•  It would be useful for you to have a vocabulary notebook divided into topics areas, for example, economy, weather, disasters, crime etc. That way you can add the word and the definition in the specific category it belongs to.  

• After your  second listening of each story, try to write a one or two sentence summary of what the story is about based on what you have already written about the topic key words and answers to the WH questions. 

• Work with one story at a time. When you finish the first story, listen to the entire  second story and follow the same procedure. Continue until you have finished all the stories. 

 Third Listening

• If you need to listen to the story a third time, listen to the entire story again and repeat the same procedure as you did in the previous step. 

 
IMPORTANT WARNING: 

DO NOT use a stop/start process in which you try to write down every word and go back again and again to make sure you heard each word. Listening to the news, or any video or recording is NOT TAKING DICTATION.  It is learning how to listen for ideas - not individual words. It is also learning how to separate important information from unimportant information.

If you want to improve your listening, you must listen in CHUNKS, not word for word. You will never be able to listen to or remember every word in the real world, so you shouldn't train yourself to do this while you are practicing. 

Remember, even native speakers can't remember every detail of a news story, so don't try to do something even the best listeners can't and don't even want to do. 

Do, however, take notes. No one, including native speakers, is a computer. We do not and cannot remember  details unless we have given ourselves a way to remember them: using key words. 

Listening Comprehension Activity



Follow a lightly different method for the following listening comprehension activity because I have added some comprehension questions.  These questions will help you to focus on listening for specific information.


1.  Watch today's edition of The News on Demand. and follow the procedures in step 1 
     BEFORE you look at the comprehension questions. Write down key words and the
     topic of each story . 

2.; Then, look at the questions for each story, and try to answer the questions.  if you can 

       follow the procedure from above. Then, see if you can answer the comprehension 

      questions.

 Comprehension questions: 

 Stories  # 1 and # 6

1.   What has Lucca Magnotti been charged with?  

2.   When did he arrive back in Canada? 

3.  How has he pleaded to the charges?

4.   Why did Mr. Magnotti appear in court via closed circuit TV instead of in person? 

5.   Why do the police say Mr. Magnotti has refused to cooperate with authorities? 

6.   Why does Mr. Magnotti's defense lawyer say attorneys will have a difficult time  

       choosing a jury? 

7.   What is expected to happen next in this story?

Story # 2 

1.  What device have border officials stopped using at Canadian airports? 

2.   What did the devices do? 

3.   Why did authorities install them in airports?  

Story #3 

1. What is wrong with the Fraser River? 

2.  What two cities in British Columbia are expected to have problems? 

Story #4:

1.   Why are thousands of people protesting again in Egypt? 

2.   When will the results of the country's recent election be announced? 

3.    What do each of the two candidates claim? 

Story #5

1.  What happened in Texas? 

2.  What do you think the word "vandalize" means? 

3.  What is the name of the famous painter in the story? 

4.  What will the museum  be able to do? 

Story # 7

1   What  negotiations has Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper been asked to join?

 2.   Why is this a positive thing for Canada? 

3.  How much money is involved if things go as planned? 

4.   Will Canada have to give up something to join? What? 

5.  What have European countries said they will at the end of the G 20 Summit? 

 6. Why is this not such a big deal? 

Story # 8

1.  What are soft drink companies doing to get more young people to drink their products? 

2.   What is New York City trying to do? 

3.  What other industry is the soft drink industry being compared to in a recent study?  Why? 

4.  What does another recent study say about young boys between six and 11? 

  Answer Key to Comprehension Questions

How did you do?  Let me know in the comment box.