Learning English Podcast - December 14, 2024
VOA Learning English Podcast - VOA Learning English
Deep Dive
Why are property prices in Kabul, Afghanistan, increasing?
Wealthy Afghans, including those with businesses abroad and returnees, are driving up demand for high-end properties. Improved security and stability post-Taliban takeover have also made Kabul a more attractive investment destination.
What is the price of the nine-bedroom house in Kabul?
The house is listed for $450,000, a significant amount in a country where most people rely on humanitarian aid.
How has the Taliban affected the property market in Kabul?
The Taliban has created better conditions for the property market by reducing violence and promising to end corruption, making land purchases and building projects more straightforward.
What percentage have house prices risen in Kabul in the last three years?
House prices have risen by almost 40% in the last three years.
What features do wealthy buyers in Kabul typically look for in a house?
They prefer houses with gardens, gyms, swimming pools, rooms for visitors, at least one kitchen, central heating, double-pane windows, and elevators.
What is the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) used for?
The IPA helps learners identify and pronounce each sound (phoneme) in American English by using special symbols that represent these sounds.
How many phonemes are in the word 'cat'?
The word 'cat' has three phonemes.
What are the six future tenses in English?
The six future tenses are: simple future (will), 'be going to' future, future progressive, future perfect, future perfect progressive, and sometimes present tense for scheduled events.
When should 'be going to' be used to express the future?
'Be going to' is used when there is a plan or intention to do something in the future.
What is the story 'Chicken Little' about?
It’s about a chicken who mistakenly believes the sky is falling after a flower petal lands on her tail, leading a group of birds on a frantic run until they meet a fox.
Shownotes Transcript