Podcast / Lessons

BOB DOUGHTY: I'm Bob Doughty. SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: And I'm Shirley Griffith with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today we travel around the world exploring the history of chocolate. Its story begins with a plant whose scientific name, Theobroma cacao, means "food of the gods." For centuries, people have been enjoying the rich flavor of chocolate, a product made from this plant. Join us as we tell about the history of chocolate and how it is produced. We will also meet Jane Morris, a chocolate maker in Washington, DC. (MUSIC) BOB DOUGHTY: Most people today think of chocolate as something sweet to eat or drink than can be easily found in stores around the world. It might surprise you that chocolate was once highly treasured. SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: Historians believe the Maya people of Central America first learned to farm cacao plants around two thousand years ago. The Maya took the cacao trees from the rainforests and grew them in their gardens. They cooked the cacao seeds, then crushed them into a soft paste. They mixed the paste with water and flavorful spices to make an unsweetened chocolate drink. The Maya poured the chocolate drink back and forth between two containers so that the liquid had a layer of bubbles, or foam. Cacao and chocolate were an important part of Maya culture. There are often images of cacao plants on Maya buildings and art objects. Ruling families drank chocolate at special ceremonies. And, even poorer members of society could enjoy the drink once in a while.

Many English learners find that they get confused between words like "ago", "since" and "for". Today's podcast gives you lots of examples of how to use these words; I hope it will help you to use them correctly.

Do you know the English expression "to keep track of" something? If you "keep track of" something, you always have a good, up-to-date knowledge of it. Here are some examples to help you understand the way we use the expression.

Kevin is very excited. His boss has asked him to go to a big sales conference. You remember that Kevin has written a paper for his company about the market for cat food. One of the top people in his company has seen the paper and likes it. The top person does not actually understand the paper. That is because top people only understand big things like international finance, and where shall we play golf next weekend. But the top person said to himself, "This Kevin obviously understands all about cat food. He must come to the sales conference." So Kevin makes plans to go to the sales conference. The conference takes place in an executive hotel near Heathrow airport in London. This hotel is possibly the least attractive place in England. And it is expensive. But the sales conference has always been held there, every year since 1998, so it has become a tradition. Kevin decides to travel to the conference on the train. Other people come to the conference in their cars. The people from America and Germany come on the plane to Heathrow airport. Other people come on a bus, or on the underground, or in a taxi. The director responsible for the company’s environmental policy comes on her bicycle.

This is the VOA Special English Education Report. Web browsers first appeared on computers in the early nineteen nineties. Since then, the Internet has greatly changed the way people communicate. But some teachers think the changes are not all for the better.

В своем неоконченном романе «Записки покойника» Булгаков рассказывает до­вольно близко к реальности историю написания и попыток напечатания своего первого романа — «Белая гвардия». А затем в рукописи «Записок покойника» появляются такие слова: «Ну что же, сиди и сочиняй второй роман, раз ты взялся за это дело…»

How a music and dance form created in New York in the early 1970s is giving artists worldwide a new stage for political expression.

Булгаков не мог рассказать о современной Москве, противопоказанной интеллигент­ному человеку, профессору. Он не мог сделать так, чтобы он погибал, подобно тому, как в «Дьяволиаде» погибает ее герой, маленький человек. Он сделал одну, первую — и она же последняя — попытку изобразить маленького чело­века. Он хотел изображать других.

Вы уже знаете, что все тела на поверхности Земли испытывают ее притяжение. На любое тело, находящееся на поверхности Земли или вблизи ее, сила тяжести. Снежинка, падающая с неба, движется к Земле. Но, упав на крышу, она прекращает свое движение. Значит, что-то мешает снежинке двигаться вниз.

Вы начинаете изучение курса биологии. На этом уроке мы дадим определения биологии и её основных разделов и обозначим границы области интересов этой науки.

В тесте 30 вопросов на проверку утвердительных, отрицательных, вопросительных форм во времени Present Simple. Тест не очень сложный, но парочка заковыристых моментов будет.

Що таке транспортир, та як за його допомогою побудувати, або виміряти будь-який кут. Матеріал з 5-го класу, актуальний і для старшокласників.

Über Freizeit sprechen. Perfekt benutzen.

Тест на знание английских слов – Рождество и Новый год. Christmas