How to learn English? (30/30 Challenge)

English as a Second Language What do you want to talk about?
81

Hi Katrin

A very interesting report!
You are describing the book in the present tense. That’s fine, but don’t forget the “s” endings for verbs in the third person singular. He has, he wants, he doesn’t know, etc.

Also, keep in mind that the scenes change back and forth in books. Sometimes one scene (chapter) happens in location X and the next chapter takes place in location Y.

I’m also anxious to find out what will happen next!

Amy

I started listening to the audio book „Angels & Demons“ yesterday.
The story begins at nuclear facility in Switzerland.
A man is tortured in order to force him to reveal a password. He says the password and is then killed.

Robert Langdon is woken up by a phone call at 5 o’clock in the morning. The caller is Mr. Kohler. Mr. Kohler wants see Mr. Langdon, but he doesn?t say why. Mr. Langdon is very tired and just hangs up.

Because he is unable to go back to sleep, he gets up and goes to the kitchen. Then he receives a fax. What he is forced to look at on the fax shocks him. It?s a dead man and the word ILLUMINATI is branded on his body.

Just after receiving the fax he receives a call from Mr. Kohler again. Mr. Langdon asks Mr. Kohler where he got his number from. Mr. Kohler says he got Langdon’s number from the world wide web.

He had written about ILLUMINATI in his new book. Mr. Kohler says that he wants to see Mr. Langdon and that a private jet is waiting at the airport for him. Mr. Langdon has no choice so he agrees.

Thousands of miles away from Boston, two men are meeting in Rome. One of the men is the killer. The other one says “Tonight we change the world."
[color=blue]*** (Katrin, listen to this part again. This is a scene change. It describes two men in Rome and what they are doing while Langdon is in Boston on his way to the airport.)

Langdon drives to the airport where a man is waiting for him. It?s the pilot. Langdon sees the jet. The jet looks like the Space Shuttle and has no windows. Langdon is nervous about a flight in such an aircraft because he has claustrophobia.

The pilot says that the flight won’t be long. In one hour they?ll be in Geneva. Langdon thinks it?s the Geneva in New York. When the pilot explains that they’re flying to the Geneva in Switzerland, Langdon is very surprised.

These were the first few chapters. I?m anxious to find out what is coming in the next chapters. I will report.

82

Hi Heike

Thanks for the clarification of Rocio. So, Rocio is a usual name for a Spanish woman but it can also be translated as “dew drop”. Got it. :smiley:

Since you are writing your report in the past tense, you need to be careful about the grammar of reported speech (i.e., when you talk about what someone said). Also, the words “German” and “English” are always capitalized.

You’ll find my suggestions after the quotations.
I’m looking forward to you next report!

Amy

David Becker called the escort service again and posed as a tourist who had found a German man’s billfold and said he wanted to return it. The man from the escort service feared that Becker would go to the police.

So he told David Becker where the German businessman was and that he was dining with an escort named Rocio. He should go to the restaurant and hand over the billfold to the waiter

David went to the restaurant, but the German and the escort had left an hour before. The waiter told David that he could leave a message.

After David had written a message he noticed that the waiter had written the room number on it. David looked for the room and gained entry.

He spoke with Rocio and asked her about the ring. She told him that she had sold the ring a punk. David demanded more information and she told him that the punk was English, and he had been wearing a shirt with an English flag on it.

83

Hello,

I starten listening to an audio book, too. :lol:
It?s “Deception Point” by Dan Brown. The first chapters it was difficult not trying to understand every single word but to follow the story.

The story begins with a scene in Sibiria. There, a geologist and his four huskies was murdered. He and his dogs were kicked out of a flying helicopter!

Then, the location changes. Now it takes place in Washington D.C… Rachel Sexton is a 34 year old, attractive woman. Her father is senator Sedgwick Sexton. He calls her for a meeting. They have their breakfast in a cafe. There, he offeres her to work on his campaign for the next election. Rachel doesn?t want to. She is a agent of NRO (National Reconnaissance Office). And she had worked hard to get this job. So she doesn?t want to quit it. In this discussion they are interupted by a reporter. While her father answers his question, she receives a message on her pager. She has to come immediately to her office. She leaves the cafe and hurries to the agency.

To be continued…

Regards
Vivien

84

Hello,

thanks for correction. I want to trouble the correct grammar to take.

Ok, this is my report:

Susan Fletcher had received the order to find out more about “North Takota”. She wrote him a mail and hoped that he answered. She found out (?) that "North Takota had send the mail form a anonymous mail-account and over this account the path form the e-mail is encoded. During she served in the internet a other NSA-employee went in the office. His name is Hell. Before he worked by the NSA he was a privat code-breaker and had found out a back door to a NSA-codbreakingsystem. The NSA hired him, because they freared he could be danger for the NSA. If the chief from Susan Fletcher, commander Stratmore, saw Hell, he was very angred and he asked Susan about the reason at his attendance. The attack form the blackmailer is secret and Hell might not imformed about this (?).During the both speaked, Hell loged in the computer from Susan. He loaded documents of a memory card and manipulated the secret programm. If Susan comed back and she entered her past key. On the monitor inticated “traser abort”. :?: (Can you tell me whats the meaning of this ???)

See you soon!

Heike

85

Hi,
here ist my new report about the hearbook “Angels and Demons”.

Langdon is started with the shuttle to Geneva. He is fly in a high about sixthousend feet. Arrived in the Switzerland it?s waiting a black Peugot for him. The car brings Landon to an impressiv area. The area is how a little town with a spital, Supermarket and a cinema. Langdon thinks what is it? Than he can read this: it?s the CERN - recherch Nuclear. The center of the area is a glas cathetrel. Here are waiting the director for Langdon. He?s a man in a wheelchair.
The wheelchair is very electric. He has a computer, mobilephone and a videocamera.
In the glascathetrel - it?s very clean and steril - reading Langdon an artikel about the world wide web. He?s very suprised. Langdon thought the world wide web is an invention of U.S. But isn?t so. The www is an invention of CERN.
Inside the house sees Langdon some interesting things, too.
The people at CERN are coming from fivehundreds universities and speak sixty nationaly languages.
Than they goes a the penthouse. Kohler told that he has found the corpse body in the morning. The name of the dead man is Leonardo Vetra. He would be become fivty two years old in the next week. Kohler has not called the poilice. The situation is are to complex.
In the room where the corpse body lies it?s very cold. Landon is shocked as he see the death man with the branding ILLUMINATI. Langdon tells Kohler the history of ILLUMINATI. The are beginning about fivehundreds years. A group of mens meeting to talk about physics. They have not the theory of the church. The church are fights against the group. But the group spread about Europe. A high Illuminati was Galileo. He looks with his telescope to the spinning planets, heards voice in different languages, tells the story of simitry and balance, heaven and hell, night and day, hot and cold, dark and bright.
The church told the people the Illuminati are satanic. Many years the people think the Illuminati are died. But they are spread to Amerika.
Kohler asks Langdon that he heplds to found the Illuminati. But LANGDON thinks it?s impossible because the Illuminati are died. He thinks it?s a other organisation they takes the symbol of Illuminati.
Kohler takes Langdon in the working room of Vetra. And he must see Langdon a cruzifix. Vetra was a physics and a catholic priest. He has wrote a book “God, miricale and the new physic”. But was the Illuminati the murder? Kohler shows Langdon that something was stolen. It?s the eye of Vetra.
Vetra had a daughter. There are coming now. She?s a physics, too. She cann?t understand that Kohler have not informed the police.

It?s not simple. :oops:

Regards
Katrin

86

Hi Vivien

I’ve read this book already. It’s very interesting. Enjoy it! :smiley:
Here are my suggestions for your report:

I started listening to an audio book, too.
It?s “Deception Point” by Dan Brown. In the first few chapters, it was difficult to not try to understand every single word but just to follow the story.

The story begins with a scene in Siberia where a geologist and his four huskies are murdered. He and his dogs are pushed out of a helicopter in flight!

Then the location changes to Washington D.C. where we meet Rachel Sexton, an attractive, 34-year-old woman.

Her father is Senator Sedgwick Sexton. He calls her to arrange a meeting. They meet for breakfast in a cafe and he asks her to work on his campaign for the next election. Rachel doesn?t want to.

She is an agent of the NRO (National Reconnaissance Office). She had worked hard to get the job, so she doesn?t want to quit. Their discussion is interrupted by a reporter.

While her father is answering the reporter’s questions, Rachel receives a message on her pager asking her to come to her office immediately. She leaves the cafe and hurries to the agency.

I’m looking forward to that. :smiley:
Amy

87

Hi Heike

Thanks for your latest report. In addition to my other suggestions, I’ve also corrected the spelling of two names. I tried to answer your last question at the end.

Susan Fletcher received orders to find out more about “North Dakota”. She sent him an E-mail and hoped for an answer.

She found out that “North Dakota” had sent an E-mail from an anonymous E-mail account and that the path of the E-mail was encoded.

While she was surfing the internet, another NSA employee came into the office. His name is Hale. Before he started working at the NSA, he had worked privately as a code breaker and had discovered a backdoor to an NSA code-breaking system.

The NSA hired him because they feared he could be dangerous to the NSA. When Susan’s boss, Commander Strathmore saw Hale in the office, he became very angry and he asked Susan why Hale was there.

The attack on the blackmailer was secret and Hale was not supposed to be informed about it. While Susan and her boss were talking, Hale logged in on Susan’s computer.

He recorded data using a memory card and manipulated a secret program. Before Susan came back, he entered her privacy code. The words “Tracer abort?” appeared on the monitor.

Heike, as far as I know, in the story Susan had started a tracer program that would find (trace) the path of an E-mail and Hale stopped (aborted) this trace while Susan was talking to Strathmore. The words “Tracer abort?” appeared on the monitor and Hale then “told” the PC yes (Yes, abort the tracer).

Amy

88

Hi Katrin

Yes, you did write a long report this time. :D.
Here are some suggestions:

Here ist my new report about the audio book “Angels and Demons”.

Langdon took off on the shuttle to Geneva. He flew at about six thousend feet.

When he arrived in the Switzerland, a black Peugot was wating for him. The car took Landon to an impressive area. The area is like a little town with a hospital, a supermarket and a cinema.

Langdon thinks “What is this?” Then he reads the name on a sign: CERN - Recherche Nuclear. The center of the area is like a glass cathedral.

The director of the facility is waiting for Langdon. He?s a man in a wheelchair.
The wheelchair is very hi-tech, with a computer, mobile phone and a video camera

In the glass cathedral - which is very clean and sterile - Langdon reads an article about the world wide web. He?s very suprised because he had thought the world wide web was a U.S. invention. But it isn?t so. The www is a CERN invention.

Inside the house Langdon sees some interesting things, too.
The people at CERN come from five hundred universities and speak sixty different languages

Then they go to the penthouse. Kohler says that he found the body that morning. The name of the dead man is Leonardo Vetra. He would have been fivty-two years old next week.

Kohler has not called the poilice. The situation is too complicated. It?s very cold in the room where the body is lying. Landon is shocked when he sees the ILLUMINATI brand on the dead man.

Langdon tells Kohler the history of ILLUMINATI. It began about five hundred years ago with a group of men meeting to talk about physics.

They did not have the same beliefs as the church. Although the church fought against the group, it spread throughout Europe

A high level Illuminati was Galileo. He observed the spinning planets with his telescope, heard voices in different languages, and told stories of symetry and balance, heaven and hell, night and day, hot and cold, dark and bright

The church told the people the Illuminati were satanic. For many years the people thought the Illuminati had all died. But they had spread to America

Kohler asks Langdon to help him find the Illuminati. But LANGDON thinks it?s impossible because the Illuminati are all dead. He thinks a different organization has taken the symbol of Illuminati

Kohler takes Langdon into Vetra’s work room. He must give (?) Langdon a crucifix. Vetra was a physicist and a catholic priest. He had written a book “God, Miracle and the New Physics”.

But was an Illuminati the murderer? Kohler shows Langdon that something was stolen: Vetra’s eye.

Vetra’s daughter arrives. She?s a physicist, too. She can?t understand why Kohler has not informed the police

Amy

89

Thanks for the response.

Thats my report today:

Susan stared at her monitor and repeated the words “Tracer abort”. She couldn?t grasped whats the meaning of this, but she had a idea and printed a record of the last computer settings (?). She disvovered, that a setting was manipulated. The only one how was in the same room was Greg Hale. She logged in on his computer and found a message form “North Dakota” it was send form Greg Hales computer. Greg Hale was North Dakota.

David Baker was looking for the Punk in Sevillia. He walked on the streets and suddenly he saw she. White, blue and red hair, a piercing and black clothes. There were a crowd of Punks and they get into a bus. David tried to reached the bus, but he can?t reached it. The runed after the croswise Sevillia. The Bus stooped in the near of a great hall, where the Punks are met (?). He speaked with one of them and asked him for a Punk woman, which had with, blue and red hair and a shirt with a British flagg. The punk laughed and tell Davit that the most of the Punks had this hair color at time and he helped him although when he gave him money. David promised him that and the Punk tell him a name and saw that the girl left Spain yesterday night at a plane.

OK. Thats was the report. Heike

90

Hi Heike

Here are my suggestions:

Susan stared at her monitor and repeated the words “Tracer abort”. She couldn?t grasp the meaning of this, but she had an idea and printed out a record of the last computer settings.

She discovered that a setting had been manipulated. The only one who had been in the same room was Greg Hale. She logged in on his computer and found a message form “North Dakota”. It had been sent by Greg Hale’s computer. Greg Hale was North Dakota.

David Baker was looking for the punk in Seville. He was walking along the streets when he suddenly saw her. White, blue and red hair, a piercing and black clothes.

There was a crowd of punks and they got on a bus. David tried to catch the bus but couldn’t.

Then he ran after the bus across Seville. The bus stopped near a large hall where the punks always gathered. He spoke with one of them and asked him if he knew a punk woman who had white, blue and red hair and wore a shirt with a British flag.

The punk laughed and told David that most of the punks had this hair color at times, but that he could help if David gave him some money. David promised him that and the punk gave him a name. David found out that the girl had left Spain the night before on a plane.

Good report, Heike!
I think you’re German, so here is a special “German tip” ;):
If you want to say “in der N?he von” you only need the word “near” (no other words!).

Have fun with your further listening!

Amy

91

Hello Amy,

Thank you for correcting my reports. :slight_smile: It helps a lot.

Well, there is my next one:

When Rachel arrives at the agency she has to pass several security checks for example a DNA-test to get access. In her office, her Boss William Pickering is already waiting for her. He explains that the president is looking for an important private meeting with her and send a helicopter. Pickering also gives her a few tips for the meeting. When Rachel is on board and the helicopter takes off, she notices that the pilot doesn’t drive (??) in the correct direction of the White House. She asks why, but gets no answer. Some minutes later, the land on an island. It’s Wallapse Island. Very nervous Rachel enters the Airforce One where the president of the United States of America is waiting. Rachel is very impressed of the president who wears casual and the plane which is enormous and luxury.

The scene changes.

Senator Sexton and his young black personal assistant Gabrielle Ash sit in the senators car. The senator remembers the time when Gabrielle started working for him. Althoug she’s only 24, she was very succesful on his election campaign. Gabrielle was very impressed by the personality of the senator. One night Sexton got her trust and they slept together. But for Gabrielle it’s all business. She advised Sexton to speak about the NASA’s costs in interviews and conferences. And the public reacted on it. Sextons election campaign got his first results. After that the senator made her his first campaign manager. Today she has news from the White House. Something is going on with the president. There is very little contact with the White House since there was an incoming call from NASA.

92

Hi Vivien

Here are my suggestions for your latest report.

When Rachel arrives at the agency she has to pass several security checks - for example, a DNA test - in order to gain access. Her boss William Pickering is already waiting for her in her office.

He explains that the president wants to have an important private meeting with her and is sending a helicopter. Pickering also gives her some advice for the meeting.

After Rachel is on board and the helicopter has taken off, she notices that the pilot isn’t flying in the direction of the White House.

She asks why, but gets no answer. A few minutes later, they land on an island called Wallapse Island. Air Force One is also there and Rachel boards nervously. The President of the United States of America is waiting for her.

Rachel is very impressed by the President, who is wearing casual clothing, and by the plane, which is enormous and luxurious.

Senator Sexton and his young black personal assistant, Gabrielle Ash are sitting in the senator’s car. The senator is remembering the time when Gabrielle started working for him.

Although only 24, she has worked very successfully on his election campaign. Gabrielle was very impressed by the senator’s personality

One night Sexton got her trust and they slept together. But now, for Gabrielle, everything is strictly business. She has advised Sexton to speak out about the high cost of NASA’s budget overruns in interviews and conferences.

The public’s reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, giving Sexton’s election campaign momentum. As a result, the senator has made her his campaign manager.

Today she has news from the White House. Something is going on with the president. There had been very little contact with the White House since receiving a call from NASA.

Amy

93

Hello everyone,

here are the continuation of my hearbook:

A security man must observe many rooms about cameras. The picture by one camera isn?t the correct picture. It?s the camera eighty six. He informed his boss. They look at the room where the camera must be, but the camera isn?t in the romm. Many securitys men must search for the camera.

Vetra isn?t the right father from Victoria. He was a young priest and she and eight years old orphan. She was sitting allone on the meadow and he has speak to her. So they became acquainted with themselves. They become very good friends, he was like a father for her. But one day Vetra say to Victoria he must to the Switzerland - Geneva for physics. Victoria was very sadly but wondering, too. He was a priest not a physics. What make a priest with physic? Because she was so sadly Vetra ask her whether she wants come with him. And Victoria said yes.

Victoria, Langdon and Kohler go at the labor from Vertra. Victoria look around the room but she cann?t see that what is stolen or damaged. Then she tells from the last experiment - the big bang. They have found a way to place behind the big bang. Meet a antimatter a subject one can see a little light. Victoria wants to show this.

… to be continued.

Regards Katrin

94

Hello,

The story keeps going on:

After a smalltalk with Rachel on Airforce One, president Herney (??) tells her news about NASA. EOS (earth observation system) made a discovery. This system contains a few satellites which observe the earth for enviromental development. Rachel first thinks about aliens. But the president mentioned good news. In spite of bringing the news to public and fighting against Sexton’s campaign, president Herney send some private scientists to prove the discovery. In the evening there will be a press conference about it. The president wants Rachel to support him. She should make her own impressions of the discovery and speak to the assistant of NASA. Herney leads her to a hangar. He asks Rachel for her her mobile phone. When she gives it to him, Herney puts it in his pocket and leaves her alone. It’s dark there and Rachel is frightened. Then a pilot orderes her to board a jet and put on an airmask (?) because they will fly very high. After a short talk they take of to fly 3000 kilometers in northern direction.

To be continued…

95

Hi Katrin

Here are my suggestions for your last report.

Here is the continuation of my audio book:

A security guard has to watch over numerous rooms on cameras. But there is somethiong wrong with the picture from camera eighty six. It isn?t the correct picture.

The guard informs his boss. They check the room where the camera is supposed to be, but the camera isn?t in the room. Then a lot of security guards begin searching for the camera.

Vetra was’t actually Victoria’s real father. He had first spoken to her when he was a young priest and she was an eight-year-old orphan sitting alone in a meadow.

They had become acquainted and later became very good friends. He had been like a father to her.

But one day Vetra told Victoria he had to go to Geneva, Switzerland and that his trip had something to do with physics. Victoria was very sad but amazed, too. He was a priest not a physicist. What connection could a priest have with physics?

Because she had been so sad, Vetra had asked her whether she wanted to go with him. And Victoria had said yes.

Victoria, Langdon and Kohler now go to Vertra’s laboratory. Victoria looks around the room but she doesn’t notice anything that might have been stolen or damaged.

Then she talks about the last experiment - the big bang. They had found a way to a place beyond the big bang. If they came in contact with anti-matter, they would see a little light. Victoria wants to demonstrate this.
[/quote]

Amy

96

Hi Vivien

Here are my suggestions for your report:

After some small talk aboard Airforce One, President Herney ([color=blue]yes ;)) tells Rachel that NASA has some big news. EOS (earth observation system) has made a remarkable discovery.

This system contains a few satellites which observe the earth for developments in the enviroment. Rachel’s first thought is of aliens.

But the president mentioned that the discovery is good news. However, rather than immediately announcing this good news to public, which would also hurt Sexton’s campaign, President Herney had first sent some private scientists to verify the discovery.

This evening there will be a press conference about it. The president wants Rachel to support him. She should check the discovery for herself, form her own opinion and speak to the NASA administrator.

Herney leads her to a hangar and then asks Rachel for her her cellphone. When she gives it to him, Herney puts it in his pocket and leaves her alone. It’s dark there and Rachel is frightened.

Then a pilot orders her to board a jet and put on an oxygen mask because they will be flying very high. After a short talk they take off on a 3000-mile flight heading north.

Amy

97

Hello

this is my new hearbook-report:

At the last I had report about David Becker and his search for the punk girl.

Susan Flechter had find out, that Greg Hale are Nord Dakota and she would commander Strathmore warning for him. In the NSA the lights gone out and Susan stepped though the floors. She found the commander and told him about Greg Hale. The Commander seemed very confuse, but he saw Susan that he want to eraser the mail from Hale and the bypass from the translater. Susan becam the offer to erase the mails. Also she went in Greg Hales office and looked for the computer. While she that done (?) stood in the door and told her, that Stratmore killed Chartrukian. Chartrukian his a technical employee at the NSA. Susan did?nt believed him and tried to put out him of action (?). She hurted his nose and fled on the floor.

In Sevillia Baker looked for the punk girl at the airport and he discovered, that the girl had sold the ring to might the fly. He met a girl on the airport and she had serious injury at her body. Baker asked she if he could help her.

OK. See you soon! Heike

98

Hello,

The story keeps going on:

Senator Sexton is going to have a close meeting with some men of high influence. They promise to make him win the election. But before, he is checked by an old man in a garage, who orderes him to arrange the meeting at his home. Although Sexton doesn’t like this, he agrees.

In the meantime President Herney arrives at the White House. There he orderes his secretary Dolores to arrange a meeting whith his staff. Dolores wonderes why and where the meeting should be. She is afraid that the President could give up the election and quit. Herney explains, that he wants to tell all of his staff (145 people) about important news before the press conference. Dolores should all invite to the Oval Office at four o’clock.

To be continued…

Vivien

99

Hi Heike :smiley:

Here is my latest feedback:

[color=blue]This is my new [color=blue]audio book report:

Susan Flechter had found out that Greg Hale was North Dakota and she wanted to warn Commander Strathmore about him.

Since the lights had gone out at the NSA, Susan had to walk carefully though the building. She found the commander and told him about Greg Hale.

The Commander seemed very confused, but he told Susan that he wanted to erase the mail from Hale and the bypass from the translator ([color=blue]I don’t really understand this part…). Susan was ordered to erase the mails. She also went into Greg Hale’s office and checked his computer.

While she was doing that, Hale appeared in the doorway and told her that Stratmore had killed Chartrukian. Chartrukian was a technical employee at the NSA.

Susan didn’t believe him and tried to put out him of action (? "put someone out of action = “disable someone” or “knock someone out”). She broke nose (?) and he bled (?) on the floor.

In Seville, Baker was looking for the punk girl at the airport and he discovered that the girl had sold the ring in order to pay for a flight.

He met a girl at the airport who had been seriously injured. Baker asked if he could help her.

Amy

100

Hi Vivien

Here are my suggestions:

Senator Sexton meets with a mysterious old man in a parking garage. The man has convinced some men of very high influence to have a private meeting with Sexton. These men can ensure that the senator will win the election. Sexton is told to arrange to have the meeting at his home. Although Sexton doesn’t like this idea, he agrees.

In the meantime President Herney arrives at the White House. He tells his secretary Dolores to arrange a meeting with his staff.

Dolores wonders why and wants to know where the meeting should be held. She is afraid that the President is going to announce that he is giving up his plan to run for re-election.

Herney explains that he wants to tell all of his staff (145 people) about some important news before the press conference. He tells Dolores to invite everyone to the Oval Office at four o’clock.

Amy