This is an English lesson designed to help you practice and improve your English listening and pronunciation skills. The listening lesson is a short story about something that happened in my life in Canada. There is also a short pronunciation explanation about a word or sound I used in the story.

Story: My trip to the hospital to visit my aunt!
Pronunciation lesson: The weak form of ‘and’!

If you have trouble with your listening skills, here’s something that may help:
How to practice listening

Listen to the podcast:

Download this podcast in .mp3 form from Podbean.com or itunes!

Watch the video:

Listening Comprehension:

1. Who were we visiting in the hospital?

2. What do I think about hospitals?

3. Why doesn’t my aunt like this hospital?

4. What interesting things can be found in a hospital in my province?

5. Has my aunt recovered from the stroke?

Transcript:

(*Click on the links to learn more about the grammar, vocabulary and expressions used in the story!)

Last week my parents and I went to visit my aunt in the hospital. About 2 ½ weeks ago she had a hemorrhagic stroke – a stroke that occurs when one of the arteries leading to the brain suddenly tears or bursts. She lives by herself, so it was pretty frightening and devastating for her. The entire left side of her body was suddenly paralyzed. She immediately called 911 and the ambulance came to her house and took her to the hospital. Her local hospital didn’t have all the necessary equipment to diagnose a stroke, so a couple days later she was transferred to a hospital in a larger city.

I really dislike hospitals. They’re full of sick people and I feel like I’m suddenly going to catch an infection just by setting foot in a hospital. I know it’s irrational but I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels like that.

This particular hospital is really creepy. My aunt is in a room with 2 other stroke patients who are in far worse condition than she is. One lady can’t speak so she just hums and moans all day. Another lady is completely paralyzed on the right side of her body. She says terrible things to my aunt like: “I’m praying to God that something bad will happen to you.” To escape her room my aunt sometimes goes to the TV lounge, but once, some strange man tried to hit on her. Can you imagine hitting on someone after they just had a stroke? That’s a bit weird.

The one feature of the hospital that I like – and this is common in most major hospitals in my province – it has a Tim Hortons inside! This is a popular Canadian coffee and donut chain. It has the best coffee and donuts on earth! In the hospital you can also buy a slice of pizza from Pizza Pizza for lunch. You can even buy a lottery ticket in the hospital if you want to!

Thankfully my aunt has almost fully recovered from the stroke. She goes to rehabilitation every day and she has regained the feeling in her left arm and leg. She can walk up and down the stairs unassisted and she’s regained her balance. She doesn’t want to be there anymore and finds it very stressful, but she calmed down while we were there. We sat out in a park in front of the hospital and talked and laughed for 2 hours. She felt much better.

One thing that’s really annoying about hospitals in my province – you have to pay for parking! At the hospital! I think that’s outrageous. We were at the hospital for just over 3 hours and my dad had to pay $16 for parking! Ridiculous.

Discussion questions:

Here are some discussion questions you can answer on my blog or on YouTube:

Have you ever spent time in a hospital as a patient?

What are hospitals like in your country? Are they comfortable?

Do you have access to good quality health care?

Pronunciation:

The word ‘and’ is a conjunction. It’s one of the most commonly used words in English. In spoken English, ‘and’ is often not stressed in a sentence. It ends up sounding like /ən/. It’s sometimes called the ‘reduced and.’

Listen carefully to the following phrases. Try to repeat them after me. Listen to them more than once if you need to:

my parents and I

2 ½ = two and a half

walk up and down

her left arm and leg

Listen to the story again. Can you hear more examples of the reduced ‘and’?

Vocabulary:

Note: Health care in Canada is provided by the government, specifically the provincial governments [a province is similar to a state in the U.S.]. We have no access to private health care; we have to take what the government provides. When I talk about hospitals, I’m talking specifically about hospitals in my province (Ontario). Hospitals [and health care] may be different in other provinces.

a stroke:
[My aunt] had a hemorrhagic stroke.
= a condition in which the blood supply to the brain suddenly stops. The victim then loses control of or cannot feel parts of their body.

to set foot in a place
I feel like I’m suddenly going to catch an infection just by setting foot in a hospital.
= to enter or to go to a place

a patient
My aunt is in a room with 2 other stroke patients.
= a person who is receiving medical care, usually from a doctor, dentist or in a hospital.

to hit on someone
… some strange man tried to hit on her.
= to start talking to someone in order to start a relationship – usually a sexual relationship! – with them

a coffee and donut chain
[Tim Hortons] is a Canadian coffee and donut chain.
= short for “a chain of restaurants;” a group of restaurants with the same name and serving the exact same food in many different locations – like McDonald’s.

The listening lesson “Chocolate Apples” was about my attempt at baking! Let’s look at some phrases and idioms with bake and kitchen.

In a previous post, I said that ‘baking’ is a form of ‘cooking.’ However, we also have another use of the verb bake:

to bake
=to be or become very hot
You can use bake when the sun is very strong, and it’s hot and dry outside.

It’s so hot out today! I’m baking in the sun.

The car has been baking in the sun all day. It’s as hot as an oven!

You’re wearing a black outfit to the park? You’ll bake in it!

Baking can also be used as an adjective:

She has been out in the baking sun all day!

We have to wait for the car to cool down. It is baking hot!

a baker’s dozen
a dozen = 12; a baker’s dozen = 13

Half-baked
(adjective)
Something that is half-baked is foolish and poorly planned; crazy, stupid.

This is just another of her half-baked plans to make money quickly!

Yesterday the government announced a half-baked scheme to create jobs and spur the economy.

a bake sale
= a way to raise money; people donate baked goods they made, such as cupcakes, cookies, brownies, or rice krispy squares to sell.

Our church bake sale raised $500 for the soup kitchen.

If you can’t stand/take the heat, get out of the kitchen!
If you can’t handle the pressure, criticism or problems that are a result of a high-stress job, activity or environment, then you shouldn’t be doing that job or be in that environment. You should remove yourself from the situation.

The politician complained that his policies were being unfairly criticized by the press. If he can’t stand the heat, he should get out of the kitchen!

… everything but the kitchen sink!
= much more (of something) than you need or is necessary; an extremely large number of things

This is crazy! We’re only going away for the weekend – and she’s packed everything but the kitchen sink in her suitcase!

In the listening lesson “Chocolate Apples!” I tried baking for the first time in a long time! Let’s look at some of the vocabulary I used in more detail:

Q: What’s the difference between baking and cooking?
A: Baking is just one method of cooking. [Other methods of cooking include grilling, steaming, boiling, broiling, sautéing, frying, or barbecuing.]

To bake something = to put the food in an oven and cook it using dry heat, for a period of time. Generally you bake things like bread, cake, cookies, pies, or muffins.

When you bake something, usually you follow a recipe.
To follow a recipe = to do everything the recipe says to do:

The ingredients are all the different kinds of food used in a recipe. In the recipe for chocolate apples, the ingredients are:

*In this recipe there were no specific measurements. You can use as much or as little of the ingredients as you want. Usually, a recipe will specify how much of each ingredient to use (for example: 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, etc.)

The verbs put and add are often used when baking:

Although it wasn’t required in this recipe, often you must stir the ingredients together, or add other ingredients to the mixture while stirring.
To stir something = to mix things together, usually using a spoon and moving the mixture in a circular motion.

Before I put the apples in the oven, I pre-heated the oven. I turned the oven on and set the temperature at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I waited for the oven to heat up to that temperature. When the oven reached 350 degrees Fahrenheit, I put the apples in the oven.

In the listening lesson “Chocolate Apples!“I used the 1st (first) conditional sentence structure:

The 1st conditional sentence structure is also called the future possible/real conditional. It is used to talk about a result [I’ll use more brown sugar] that is likely to happen or is almost certain to happen in the future if the condition in the if clause [if I make this recipe again] occurs.

Generally, in the 1st conditional structure the ‘if clause’ has a 50% or better chance of happening.

*If I eat too much, it’s possible that I will get fat. I may not get fat, but it’s more than likely that I will get fat if I eat too much.

The 1st conditional form:

*Even though this sentence structure is used to talk about the future, the condition clause [If I eat too much] uses the simple present tense.

Example sentences

This conditional sentence structure is often used to talk about possibilities:

You’ll miss the train if you don’t hurry!

If I miss the train today, I’ll drive to work.

I will pass my math exam if I study hard.

If it rains, we won’t have our picnic.

If you stay out in the rain too long, you’ll get sick!

My mom will be angry if I’m late tonight!

This conditional sentence structure is often used to talk about superstitions:

If you see a penny on the ground and pick it up, it will bring you good luck!

If you break a mirror, you will have 7 years of bad luck!

If you rub a rabbit’s foot, it will bring you good luck!

If you walk under a ladder, you will have bad luck!

You will have bad luck if you open an umbrella indoors.

This conditional sentence structure is often used to talk about future plans:

If you’re going shopping today, I’ll come with you!

If you can get me a ticket, I’ll go to the concert with you!

If you see Ken later today, will you tell him to call me?

This conditional sentence structure is often used for warnings and threats:

If you don’t come to my birthday party, I’ll never speak to you again.

If you eat too much ice cream, you’ll make yourself sick!

If you say that again, I will hurt you!

*You can also use the imperative in the result clause

If you call your mother tonight, tell her I said ‘hello’!

Remember to buy some bananas if you go to the supermarket.

If anyone calls for me, tell them I’m not home!

*You can also use other modals in the result clause, particularly for offers and suggestions:

If you get a new job, you should really buy nicer clothes!

I can get you a ticket to the Madonna concert if you want to go!

If you need someone to help you move, I might be able to help.

be going to
I’m going to buy a new car next year if I have enough money.

If you don’t give me back my sweater right now, I’m going to scream!

She’s going to take a vacation next week if she gets time off work.

Talking about the future

The 1st conditional sentence structure can also be used to talk about the future. You can use conjunctions of time [when, before, after, as soon as, until] instead of if in the condition / dependent clause . They are always followed by the present simple tense.

When
I’ll wash the dishes when my TV show is over.

I’ll come inside when it gets dark.

He’s going to be a policeman when he’s older!

Before
I’ll finish this report before I leave tonight.

Please take the garbage out before you go to work today.

He’ll call you before he goes out tonight.

After
I’ll eat dinner after I finish my homework

After she graduates from university she’ll need to find a job!

He’ll look for a place to live after he finds a job.

Until
I’ll sit outside until it gets dark.

I will keep looking for my car keys until I find them!

We’ll wait until the rain stops, then we’ll go outside.

As soon as
I’ll wash the dishes as soon as this TV show is over.

Call me as soon as you get in.

We’ll start the meeting as soon as the CEO arrives.

The band will start playing as soon as everyone arrives.

Using the present perfect with the 1st conditional:

The present perfect can be used in the result clause with when and after.

*There is no change in the meaning of the sentence when the present perfect is used with after:

Tell me what you think of the movie after you see it!
Tell me what you think of the movie after you’ve seen it.

After I find a job, I’ll look for a place to live.
After I’ve found a job, I’ll look for a place to live.

I’ll finish my homework after I eat dinner.
I’ll finish my homework after I’ve eaten dinner.

*When the present perfect is used with when, it means that the event/action must happen before a future event/action occurs:

When I have saved enough money, I’ll buy a car!
When I have saved enough money, I’m going to buy a car!

When I find a job, I’ll look for a place to live.
When I’ve found a job, I’ll look for a place to live

This is an English lesson designed to help you practice and improve your English listening and pronunciation skills. The listening lesson is a short story about something that happened in my life in Canada. There is also a short pronunciation explanation about a word or sound I used in the story.

Story: My attempt at baking chocolate apples!
Pronunciation explanation: When to pronounce ‘gh’ as /f/!

If you have trouble with your listening skills, here’s something that may help:
How to practice listening

If you would like to try this recipe, follow the original recipe at Nicko’s Bakery!

Listen to the podcast:
*Try to listen at least once without looking at the words!

Download the podcast in .mp3 from Podbean.com or itunes!

Listening Comprehension Questions:

1. What are the different steps in this recipe?

2. What was the hardest part of the recipe?

3. What temperature measurement do ovens in Canada use?

4. What mistake did I make?

5. What will I do if I make this recipe again?

Transcript:

(*Click on the links to learn more about the grammar, vocabulary and expressions used in the story!)

I like watching YouTube videos. I watch everything from craft videos to vlogs to cooking shows! One of my favourite YouTube shows is “Nicko’s Bakery.” Last week, he made some great chocolate apples! I love chocolate, and this dessert looked so good I thought I would try it this week!

I’m not a very good baker, but I enjoy baking. More importantly, I enjoy eating baked goods! Usually everything turns out OK if I follow a recipe. This was a very simple recipe for chocolate apples. The hardest thing to do was core the apples. I had never done that before. This carves out a hole in the middle of the apple. You put the chocolate pieces in the hole, add some water and brown sugar, and then put everything in the oven for an hour!

In Canada, we use the metric system of measurement. We measure the temperature outside in degrees Celsius, but on our ovens we use Fahrenheit. We’re a bit strange like that.

I decided to experiment with the recipe for chocolate apples. I used Red Delicious apples as well as green Granny Smith apples. I used Caramilk and Aero chocolate bars with and without brown sugar. This was not a good idea as all my experiments ended in disaster. The only apple that turned out edible was the one where I followed the recipe exactly! It tastes a lot better than it looks! In fact, it’s delicious!

If you try this recipe, you must make sure the chocolate is frozen! I put the Caramilk bar in the freezer overnight, but I decided at the last minute to use Aero bars, so they were only in the freezer for about ½ an hour. This was clearly not long enough because the chocolate melted and then burned, just like Nicko said it would! I also didn’t use enough brown sugar.

If I make this recipe again – or I should say, when I make this recipe again, because I definitely will! – I’ll use more brown sugar and only green Granny Smith apples. I won’t use Aero bars or Red Delicious apples because they didn’t taste good at all, but I will definitely use the Caramilk bar. I may also experiment with other chocolate bars as well!

Discussion questions:

Do you enjoy baking?

What do you like to bake?

What’s your favourite dessert?

Pronunciation:

Most of the time the letters ‘gh’ together in an English word are silent (they’re not pronounced), like in the words:
high
weigh
thought
caught
through

The ‘gh’ at the beginning of a word is pronounced /g/:
ghost

Sometimes the ‘gh’ is pronounced /f/ like the letter ‘f’:
cough
enough
laugh
rough
tough

Vocabulary:

a vlog
I watch everything from craft videos to vlogs to cooking shows!
= a video blog; a kind of online diary where a person talks about whatever interests them!

to turn out
Usually everything turns out OK if I follow a recipe.
= to happen, result, end or in a particular way

to core (something)
The hardest thing to do was core the apples.
= to take out the core (the central hard part with seeds) of a piece of fruit

the metric system
…we officially switched to the metric system.
= the system of measurement that uses centimetres, metres, kilometres, etc.

edible
The only apple that turned out edible …
= safe to eat!

the freezer
I put the Caramilk bar in the freezer overnight.
= the freezer is an appliance in most North American homes that can freeze food. Usually it is on one side of the refrigerator, but it can also be a separate appliance; because the temperature is below 0 degrees Celsius, everything becomes cold and hard.

overnight
I put the Caramilk bar in the freezer overnight.
= for the night; I put it in the freezer at night, then went to sleep. I took it out the next day when I was ready to start baking!

Related posts:

How to pronounce the word “chocolate:”
11 Words with Silent Letters

How to pronounce the word “recipe”
7 Commonly Mispronounced Words

Thank you everyone for checking out my blog and for your lovely comments! I am pleased that you find my listening lessons useful! I hope you continue to enjoy it : )

It’s Canada Day today! You can learn more about Canada here:
Reading – O Canada!
Reading – Do All Canadians Speak English and French?
Reading – More Stories About Life in Canada

June was a big month for me on YouTube! Thanks to JenniferESL. I have hundreds of new subscribers and I am just 75 subscribers away from 1000!

If you haven’t done so already, remember to ‘subscribe’ or ‘follow’ my blog [if you have a Blogger profile] so you can get my new posts as soon as they’re published!

Each week begins with a new listening and pronunciation lesson. Then, each post for the rest of the week explains or relates to something that I said in the lesson.

Pronunciation:
5 MORE Commonly Mispronounced Words

Listening Lesson #5 – Thor to the Rescue!
Grammar: Using ‘Could’ to Guess Information
Vocabulary: 911 or 9/11?
Expressions: English Phrases and Expressions with ‘Dog’

Listening Lesson #6 – Sex and the City!
Grammar: Present Perfect for the Future?
Vocabulary Spotlight on: Going to the Movies!
Expressions: Different Ways to Say Something is Expensive!

Listening Lesson #7 – It’s Summer!
Grammar: Conditional Sentences – An Introduction
Grammar: 0 (Zero) Conditional

Most Viewed Post This Month:
Listening Lesson #1 – Stars on Ice

Please leave me a comment! Which post did you like the most this month? Is there anything you’d like to see on my blog in the future?