Try this ‘easy’ Italian reading/listening exercise – FREE!

Buondì.

After a week of hard work, the first ‘test edition’ is ready for you to try on our ‘easy Italian news’ site.

Many thanks to everyone who helped produce it, and to all those who left encouraging, supportive comments!

There’ll be another ‘test edition’ on Monday, mostly old news, but still great listening practice, and FREE!

Here’s the link to the first ‘test edition’. Hope you approve!

https://easyitaliannews.com/easy-italian-news-14-settembre-2018/

How to use it?

What I WOULD DO is this:

• I’d sit down somewhere comfy, and put my feet up – I listen better with my legs in the air
• If it was hot, I’d switch on the fan or the air-conditioning
• Then I’d press the ‘play’ button
• If necessary, I’d adjust the volume on my smartphone, tablet or computer
• I’d listen to the audio while following the text and NOT WORRYING AT ALL ABOUT THE PARTS I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND
• Once I got to the end of the audio (it’s about five minutes), I’d scroll back up to the top and press the play button again
• The second time I listened, I’d try to follow the text a little more attentively
• (But still without stopping to check unknown words!)
• And again, when I reached the end of the audio, I’d scroll back up and press ‘play’
• The third time I listened, I’d do it differently – without the text
• Maybe I’d stand up, stretch my legs, and look out of the window as I listened

You might have your own approach.

Perhaps you’re not as lazy as I am, and like looking up new words.

I’d urge you to resist the impulse.

Let the unknown words look after themselves, I say.

Do it ‘my way’ and in around 20 minutes you’ll have notched up some valuable reading and listening practice, with virtually no effort.

(You’ll also be pleasantly cool…)

So, here’s the link again:

https://easyitaliannews.com/easy-italian-news-14-settembre-2018/

You’ll notice that we’re trying different ‘speakers’.

This one is my teenage son, who sounds a bit uncertain but has a nice clear voice.

Also…

No Soundcloud plugin!

No one seems to like it much. People get horribly confused and give up. I’m ALWAYS dealing with club members who can’t work it.

So, with this new project I’m experimenting with another way to include listening on our sites.

Let me know what you think – about the texts, the audio, the technology – everything!

But remember, we’re still in the ‘beta’ phase with this project, so don’t expect perfection.

+++

Oh, and by the way?

Tomorrow I’m getting up super-early to catch the train to Milan to take an internationally-recognised exam in Swedish.

I’m doing level A2, so hopefully it should be pretty easy, but you never know!

It was club members that chose this language for me to study (so I’d be able to see things from the learners’ point of view) nearly two years ago.

So keep your fingers crossed for me, will you?

I know that might make things awkward, but you owe me.

The exam is from nine in the morning until three in the afternoon, tomorrow, Saturday.

After which you can uncross them again.

Bene.

Buon ascolto.

A lunedì!

‘Book of the Week’, final reminder!

Just a quick reminder about this week’s half-price ‘Book of the Week‘ offer.

It’s the story of a classic Italian movie, retold by a professional scriptwriter cum Italian teacher, especially for students of Italian!

Here’s a free sample chapter (.pdf) to take a look at.

If you like it, get the full version, for just £3.99, any time up until Sunday night.

Or visit our online shop to find something you like better.

We also have a catalog, which lists ebooks by type and in level order, with prices and links to the free sample chapters.