Noora's (Iran) comment about the lost childhood of a generation of Iranians touched a lot of us, I think. For once, I cannot make a flippant remark. It makes me want to turn back time and change things. It reminds me how very fortunate I've been in my own life: what a Golden Age I've lived through here in Western Europe. Oh, dear, I'm becoming serious. It must be time to stop.

Have fun - wherever you are and whenever you can!

Take care,

*King's Cross Station, Charing Cross Station and St Pancras Station are three of central London's major railway stations.

---

SOME USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

nowadays
at the present time

amphibious
something amphibious can live both on land and in water

crustaceans
animals with a hard shell and several pairs of legs

are native to
were born in

facelift
If you give a place a facelift, you do something to make it look more attractive.

restore
repair and clean (something) to return it to its original condition

refurbish
clean and re-equip (something) to make it more modern

hanging around
doing nothing; waiting

gem
jewel

Gothic façade
front (of a building) in the Gothic style, characterised by tall pillars and pointed arches

span
arch; length; stretch

expanse
area; space

elevated
raised

undercroft
basement (usually used only about churches)

were treated to
were given

stools
chairs without backrests

buskers
street musicians

uplifting
made me feel cheerful and happy

intriguing
fascinating

outrageous
shocking

alien
strange; foreign

stinking rich
slang for 'very rich indeed'

wit
intelligence

dry sense of humour
quiet, reserved sense of humour

endeavours
work

flippant
Someone who is flippant doesn't take things seriously.

 

HOW TO SAY THE NUMBERS

10,000
ten thousand

an £800,000,000 facelift
an eight hundred million pound facelift
[NOTE: when a number becomes an adjective, like this, it must drop its plural form. So, £800,000,000 is 'eight hundred million pounds'.]

1868 [date]
eighteen sixty-eight

200-metre [ADJECTIVE]
two hundred-metre

240 metres [number + NOUN]
two hundred and forty metres

20,000
twenty thousand

14 November 2007
the fourteenth of November, two thousand and seven

£7.50
seven pounds fifty

£2,700
two thousand seven hundred pounds

WRITE TO STEPHEN

This topic has now closed. Thank you for all your comments.

Didi, United Arabic Emirates
I really like it. Tks

Sayaka from Japan
Hi, Stephen. It's my first time to write to you. Your instruction on numbers helps me a lot. Numbers always plague me as well as articles do. Anyway, your girl is so lucky to have an unselfish father like you. No joking.I intend to keep coming back to you. Sayonara(Bye in Japanese).

Shahb, Afghanistan, Kabul City
Please send me the slang english,

Kate from Beijing, China
Hi, Stephen Keeler and everyone. Thanks for your all. The blog and the comments here are good for me. I'm beginner to learn english, so this blog which from Stephen Keeler has a difficult understanding for me now. But, I have already decided to try my hard to learn.

Tehrani, Iran
Hi stephen one of my close friend introduced your column to me and now I want to progress my english with your site.

Roberta, Rome, Italy
Hi Stephen,I'm Roberta from Rome.I would like to thank you for your work, it's really interesting and helpful for many people and students like me that need to improve their english.I'm studying hard to complete a university degree in oriental languages and after that I would love to do a master abroad... I'm an English and American culture's fan since I was 12 and I really wish to continue travelling like I am doing already...it's sooo interesting ;-) good luck and take care ;-) bye

Basiru Musa, Nigeria, Kaduna state
I thank you for sharing with us your wealth of experience.

Hiro, Tokyo, Japan
It seems there's no comment from Japan, so I just add one. The word level of this column really suits me and helps me develop my vocabulary alot! I'm very much enjoying this;) I believe you've got dry sense of humor!

Ajay Rana, India
Hi Stephen,I am a student of biotechnology currently doing PhD and I am an avid listener of BBC news. I understand just 30% of it but I like pronunciation and the way of communicating with correspondent so much that I can't resist listening to my radio a single day. I used to listen learning English when I was in 10th and 12th. Now also it gives me a lot of pleasure to listen and you believe it or not that my tone is also British like when I speak English. Thanks a lot to BBC World Service

Haniye, IRAN
Hi stephen. One of my close friend introduced your columns to me. I admire you. Now I am addicted to your columns. All the words & expressions that you've used are very useful for me. I like to visit your city & your daughter LUCY. Have a good time

Kalkidan Biruk, Ethiopia- Addis Ababa
Hi, Stephen. This is my first time to read your columns, and nice I share your experience, but I poor English language please help me.

Jill Huang, Beijing
Hello Stephen. Please tell us another joke because this one sounds great! It's interesting. You should be confident of your ability of telling jokes. I like it. Tommorrow I will go for a short trip. I will go to Nanjing to attend my best friend's wedding, and then I will go to Shanghai to see my little brother. I'm looking forward the weekend. I'm sure it will be short and sweet. Wish me good luck. :) When I return, I'm sure your column will be updated. See you then. Take care, Jill.

Lucia, Slovakia
Hi Stephen I have learned something new about St Pancras International and is good to know about the champagne bar too.

Zaya Mongolia
Hi Stephen,I am sorry, I did not understand your joke. Perhaps it is a cultural thing. Can you explain it for us again? Your experience on St Pancras International is fascinating; you really are enjoing the life. Take care, Zaya.

Analu Lima - Brazil - Curitiba
Hi boy,I loved the joke of the crustaceans native to London, hahahahaha....The event looked me great, Stephen. Champagne is good wherever and anytime...much more in a bar with 45 meters. Your coments is very rich full of detals I can mind me walking around St Pancras International even never have gone there. If you still have any money, drink another champagne, for me, this time...Bye for now and take care. Analu

Adelle, Philippines
Hi, Stephen. This is my first time to read your columns,and I keep clicking one after another! You have a gift for celebrating the commonplace...I did some traveling this year andI'd like to do more -- and soon! I had my share of European train rides, but they were all too brief and I was always in a hurry. Imagine how nice it would be to share that experience with a loved one...as you did with your precious Lucy.Cheers!

Elena, Moscow, Russia
Hello again, Stephen!It's such a pleasure to read your blog again! I hope you'll always find it fun to write and never run out of ideas. For some reason (can you tell me why?) I feel I can identify with your writing, your choice of words, your sense of humour. It doesn't happen every day, does it?I would like you to know (or should I ask your permission?) that I advise my students to read your stories and do the exercises you suggest. Thank you very much! Best regards,Elena

Marianna, Slovakia
Hey Stephen! I don´t want to sound accusingly. However, it wouldn´t be sufficient enough for you to find somebody who may not be directly an Arsenal fan but at least footbal, running and travelling lover? For the case you will have wanted by that future (or yet this?)time to enjoy his company. Here are some boys who started their busnisses very young after the political change in this country. They have become incredibly rich soon, so caled `sharks´, and some of them are free yet! But then, I hardly may remember of any handsome Briton. Just yesterday I could have learn from a TV programm that this country is well known not only with the most attractive girls but boys too, who are working even as fashion models over the world. That is a good fortune that you know the truth, things will sort themselves out. We don´t really need to do anything.. On the other hand most of the railway stations are more than eighty years old and inconvenient to the EU criteria without a chance to find money for their refurbishment here. In our capital, there have been left the biggest hospital building unfinished and to change into ruins while those `sharks´ own the most profitable health service parts over the country. Excuse me writing this sitting in an office where the heating doesn´t work properly. Enjoy champagne fortune! Cheers,until next!

Addeax
Stephen, your ship sails from one storm into the next. Are you still the commander or are you only a helpless man at the mercy of the waves? We all are hoping, St Pancras Station may have a long existence. And no .... what shall I say? Do you know where the original clock of St Pancras is now? It's in a garden of a very old man in London. When the workers wanted to take down the clock many years ago, it dropped on the ground and broke in 1000s pieces. It was made of bricks. Any rich guy wanted to buy it for a lot of money. But, as broken as it was, he didn't wanted it any more. And therefore had bought it that old man for 20 Pounds. The workers drove the pieces to his garden and he begun to solve that puzzle. (For all the others: This clock has a diameter of several metres.) And now stands that clock on a wall of a barn. But only because of the diligence of that old man, they had a model for the new clock. Maybe you have known that story already?

Truc Ly, Vietnam
Hi Stephen, It sounds very be interesting to know that you had spend time to celebrate the re-opening of St Pancras Station. It's really huge compared with my image. The champagne is very expensive but I did not think that a bottle of champagne is £2,700. It's most special and old champagne. Anyhow you had been a good time when you are in a passenger on the first train. Looking forward to reading your next coluum. It's very interesting!

Anna, Latvia
It is good to find stability in life, the same people, the same emotions, the same buildings, for example, railway stations standing for long before me. In my forties I enjoy places reminding about very fine days of my life. It looks like I am getting old, living in memories. How to find braveness of young people to change the world, use every chance of life, without thinking about consequences?

YPW, Sweden
I like to read your coloum although it seems difficult for me. I am interested in your story and everything about London.

Agustina, Argentina
Hello!! I'm from Argentina, I'm 11 years old, I want to learn english because it is very fun and cool. write soon

Piotr from Lodz, Poland
Wonderful. I must visit London and see St Pancrustacean. It must be very fascinating creature.

Khalid, Saudi, Yanbu
Thanks very much, it was a very attractive subbject and offered in a high method wich refers to that the writer is very proffesional writer, thanks and we hope to read another attractive story soon.

Paco, Spain
Hello Stephen. Like so may days in my life I feel "God! why did you do me like that? Tomorrow is my birthday, it'll be 52, younger than you I know, but with backache, kneeache, shoulderache, and for the last sixth month groinache, because of running further than my own possibilities. I'm lucky that I have a wife who is at the same time my only and best friend. I also have two children, a daughter and a son, both of them are a pain in my neck. I suppose I wasn't born to be a father, but nothing can be done about this matter. I remember many years ago, when I was a teenager, a friend of mine said to me "I've never known a person more negative than you" and I didn't agree with him. Afterwards I realised that what he said was true. The question was that I had never thought in a positive way, I always saw the bottle half empty. I don't know why I write this to you, maybe I only wanted to say the emptyness I feel to someone completely different from me. By the way, to show you that I'm not totally unhappy, I'm going to write a joke that I learnt when I was begining my learning.
Man: Doctor I think I've lost my memory.
Doctor: When did it happen?
Man: When did what happen?
It is always a pleasure to read your column. See you soon.

Ligia, Brazil, Florianopolis (an oceanic island)
Thank you for the delightful column. I will read it every week. You see, I was in London in last January for a two-week vacation, arriving from Paris with the Eurostar train. It was so much better than flying... and it was snowing in London, next day the city was chaotic...and me and my husband spent the day in the British Museum and feeding squirrels at Kensigton Gardens. The british sense of humor was, almost every day, a huge bonus pleasure. Thas why I thank for your column: it is delicious to read, and bring some very good memories back. Have a nice weekend!

Tanya, Ireland
Hello, Stephen! My name is Tanya, I am an emigrant (or an expat? I found this word on a web-site) who lives in Dublin. I am learning English near three years and going to sit a FCE exam in June. (It is may be.) So I would like to improve my English using BBC site. I am reading your column for four or five month and I can join to the crowd of ecstatic women who adore it. I like your style of writing and new words and idioms which I can find on your column. If I will be able to write so fluently! I didn’t write to you before because I was afraid of my writing English. When I learned in the English course with a teacher (one year), she didn’t understand sometimes what I had written. So it is not so easy for me. As regards this column about St Pancras International station, I am wondering why you had to be a little bit poorer. “The longest champagne bar” on this station, which you have attended, had to give yours and James’s Bond preferred champagne for free! You were created so wonderful “public relations” for them! Poor British journalists…

Mills, Madurai, India
How do you pronounce Thames (river)? In India, we pronounce it in such a way that it rhymes with 'James.' But in BBC World TV news, they pronounce it to sound like 'thoms.' Which is right? By the way, I thought all Paris/Brussels-bound trains start from Waterloo station, with 24 platforms et al (I read somewhere)And, what's the big deal about that photograph of that old clock?!

Kirsti, France
Can't be, but yes, I hadn't read your lines just under your signature. So I shouldn't have had to search the solution to the joke about the crustaceans.

Solange, São Paulo Brazil
Hello Stephen, Once again it was a pleasure to read your column. It's worth to be able to spend times like the one you had - expensive but worth every penny isn't it true?! - I've been to Rio de Janeiro and also to Boiçucanga Beach and did spend quite a bit of money, I came back poorer but happy to have had the opportunity to have all the fun that I did. Take care and have fun!

Alex Wang, Canada
Hi Stephen:Your attitudes have influenced me. "Have fun - wherever you are and whenever you can!" Isn't that life is about? Something similar also appeared in one of your past column articles."It was more than fun, it was uplifting ..." Isn't it arts is about?There's reason that BBC chose your blog out of so many ones out there on the internet.Thanks for the fine writing, although I've always found statistics listed in articles kind of boring.

Anna, from Italy
I understood! The pronunciation is the same! I skimmed your page too quickly. Sorry, now I am laughing!

Anna from Italy
Hi Stephen!Some more explanation about your joke: why do you use the word "crustacean" for "station"? And what does your joke mean? Sorry, I wouldn't discourage you from telling us some other jokes, but if I don't catch the meaning of it I cannot laugh.

Dasha, Russia
Dear Stephen, Thank you for your postings, all of them are fantastically interesting and helpful! I have a question for you: Where would you choose to live if not in Great Britain?...Have you ever been to South Africa? Sometimes I think that everybody around is immigrating or just moving somewhere nowadays... I always wanted to live in UK, but now I think may be I just should stay here and help this place to get better so that everyone would want to come live here :) Best wishes, Daria.

Pary from north part of Iran
Hi Stephan, Do you remeber me? I was one of your past comentators in your Blog. I do have read all of your wonderful coloumn but sorry for not giving a feedback. Say my hello and congratulation to my dear lucy. I hope you and lucy have had a nice time together. I know Lucy 's feeling when she is far from her dear daddy. I hpoe I can be active to put comment in your lovely column. Keep going and have a nice time. Byeee

STEPHEN KEELER,, London
That champagne bar is 98 metres long, not 45. I got the first statistic from a press release. Huh! You can't trust anyone these days! Apologies.

Gustavo Boechat, Brazil
Dear Stephen,I'd like to thank you for your brilliant work! Your and your fellows' programme has helped me to improve my English and it's a great opportunity to show all my students...But, I'd also like to know, why it's not spoken? I think it'll be a good idea listen and read together. In fact, I really need to improve my speaking and I know that the unique method is listening and receiving enough input.That's all!Thank you...

Naheed,Pakistan
Hello Sir, I agree with what you said with respect Lucy's life partner. A husband should be more like a friend and should have respect for his wife's ambitions and motivations. Lucy is lucky to have a father like you. All the best wishes to everyone. Naheed

Youssouf
THANKS VERY MUCH STEPHEN

Zbigniew, Poland
The joke is a great one. I love it much.

Sasha Parphentieva, Russia, Moscow
Dear Stephen,Thank you very much for your article. It was very useful and interesting to read.

Noora, Iran
Dear Stephen, you have advised: "Have fun- wherever you are and whenever you can". I want to tell you that we are always doing our best to fulfill that! Last Thursday was my nephew's birthday party, and as they (he & his family) are living in a flat, we decided to celebrate his ninth at my place. This coincided with his father's coming back from UAE for his vacation after three months, and all in all we had great time. Dinner was served in the garden on a dozen of small, white, round, beautiful tables. The guests were entertained with meat & chicken chelo-kabab, salad and soft drinks. Our two Palm trees were glimming with dozens of colorful lights hanging from them, and the kids some with their birthday hats on, some wearing them round their necks, and a few already torn them up but still holding them in their hands were running/ playing in the garden. Jud cut his cake, a yellow guitar, some one hour after dinner. For singing and dancing, we couldn't stay in the garden, though, for some reasons that I'm reluctant to share but I'm sure many of you can guess but not compeletly comprehend, I'm afraid. Jud had lots and lots of presents, many car toys, two trains, books,...The other day they drove to an orphange 30 km to their place, and Jud presented some of his toys to 8-10 of the kids of his age that are staying there. This has already become a ritual in Jud's family. They are visting this place twice a year, once after his birthday and once during the Eid after Ramadan.

Maryam, Ahwaz
Dear Stephen, Habooba told me about your coloumn, and she was right, it is really valuable. Thank you for your joke. It made me proud of my English to be able to laugh at it. Habooba and I were childhood friends, but we've been so busy raising our children for the last 10-15 years that we could hardly see each other, except for the Eid's visits or birthdays when invited...I have two children. Yaser my older child is preparing himself for the university entrance exam (should they be in capitals?), and my daughter Nadya, is passing her time idly doing nothing except visting friends or watching TV. And always suprisingly, she ends up doing great at school.I'm encouraging her to have a say in your coloumn and may be complain of my sometimes calling her the idle-one (Tambal Khanum)

Akin Mutlu, Turkey
Dear Stephen, I have read your article and it is very insightful about the St. Pancreas International. I was in London this past spring and also watch the restore and refurbish of the station. This station is one of most intriguing landmarks of London. In addition, thanks to your delightful article now I can take a ride to Brussels directly from London. I believe that article such as you have written, are very important learning tools, in respects to reading, for English learners. Thanks and Cheers! AKIN

Kate, Poland, Warsaw
Hello,Your column is wonderful and very helpful for me. About your joke - you have a sense of humour. Don't stop telling jokes! I like jokes. In the future you can prepare some articles about Warsaw, will you?Best regards,Kate

Hoong Soon Kean, Malaysia
Will appreciate if you could read (or get someone to read) the article as well as we from overseas the correct pronunciation is one of the problems in English learning.Thanks

Amjad, Ahwaz
The way, Stephen dear, you talk about London, makes us wish to see the place so badly.

Krishna, India, Hyderabad
what is the difference between 200 2700 you said that 200 is an adjective 2700 is a number plus noun so it must be called as two hundred and seven hundred pounds right?

Ana Paula, Brazil
Hello Stephen!How are you? Well, you always have something interesting to do on the weekends. Wow! What a party it was made for the re-opening of St. Pancras Station! Your description was fab. I felt like I was there too. Yes, I´ll have a fun, and you keep having lots of fun too!Good bye, Ana Paula.

Kirsti, France
Hi, Stephan. I was just about to say that I didn't quite understand the joke. I know what a crustacean is (prawn, lobster...) but I don't know London that well. But I hope I found it: King's Cross Station, Charing Cross Station and St Pancras Station.

Samo, Egypt, Cairo
hi stephon, hope you are fine, wish you visit Egypt sooner. I have learned some usuful words from you column. I think it will be more better to listen to your voice in column as you narrate your story. It is usuful for our listening skills. Like other subjects: words in news, flatmates. Thank you. See you in front of pyramids.

Jose, Mexico
I would like to travel, drinking at least wine using the new train station. Here, in Mexico we have few trains. In the past we can travel to a near town to drink "pulque" eat some regional dishes and return very happy to our home by train. Now, only the train station remain as a market.

Sergio Antonio, Brazil, guarulhos-SP
Hi Dear Stephen, I found the article about Champagne just super! This is the first time I read an article of yours and I am sure I'll be addicted to it. Best wishes. Sergio Brasil.

Majka, Poland
Hi, I'm very envy such high-speed trains. Unfortunately we still have the railway from the Stone Age (speed 100km/2h). Our roads also belong to the worst in Europe (narrow, bumpy...). Somebody who was in Poland knows something about it. Regards Majka

Marianna, Slovakia
Hi! It is a time to buy a lottery ticket. The advice is not for Lucy, of couse. Until you win I am going to learn to count. Good luck!

Aidy, Bosnia & Herzegovina
This is my first time I gave comment for some web story..as everyone, I started to learn my english.. I think that your colum are interesting, but I can not figure out how all this people know each other on this site (I suppose everyone here learning english for a long time) because I found /bbc.lerningenglish/ before a few days. I like in this story becouse u tried Dom Perignon & because I was not but I had chance to try and always I said "not now, maybe it is not so good as price is". I see, I made mistake. About Lucy's husband I could say that bmw is not important because it is just form, not gist...I am person who if had money for yacht or bmw i would never buy it-for that money I would visit all four season, hilton etc...in the world... I want see all country!!!!!!! that is real richhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... good wishes

Deng Changath ,S.Sudan, Abyei
DEAR,STEPHEN Read the Tongue Twisters as mentioned below: 1`. She sells the sea shells at the sea shore . 2 . Peter Bolter bought a bitter butter .It wuold be better if Peter Bolter bought a better butter to make a bitter butter better . What kind of sounds did you get from the pronounciation of the sentences above? [a] ---------------------------------[b ] --------------------------------- Thanks alot DENG M.CHANGATH

Rasma Riga, Latvia
What can I say? I'm envious of your wonderful, fantastic ultra grand and modern St Pancras International. Being originally from NYC can't say when I've had the pleasure of drinking champagne in a train station. I also suppose even Grand Central Station now pales by comparison. Now to figure out how to get from Latvia to France and try out one of those super trains and see that station for myself. Haven't been in London and guess now is the time to consider it.

Sanaa, Pakistan, Islamabad
I enjoyed reading; though I am masters in English literature but learned to spell the date correctly as 'the nineteenth of november, two thousand and seven. Thanks

Anastasia, Russia
Dear Stephen, it's amazing, isn't it? I mean the virtually crystal clear River Thames. I found it hard to believe when I heard the guide on a boat trip up the Thames say in June 2007 that there are 145 (or so) species of fish living in this paradise of habitat. And now that I have read your column some crazy ideas about the longest fish bar (along the River Thames, of course) in the world are churning in my head. Why not, I ask? I could even get a profit percentage once this idea of mine has been realized by somebody. Hm... Was there a queue for the champagne bar, by the way? Or the 45-meter length was worked out on the basis of some market research? Say, every third person out of 20,000 people using the station daily will treat themselves to some wine which makes it 6,666 bar customers a day. Some 135 people can drink sitting comfortably along the 45-meter length of the bar at a time. From which we can conclude that trains will leave or arrive at the station every 49 minutes (6,666 / 135)! How do you find my calculations? Impressive, eh?Sincerely, Ana(stasia)

Jinok, South Korea
Hi, Stephen, from the article,"without leaving the ground" what do you mean by that? I do not have any clue. Except that phrase, your material is interesting, useful, and funny (in part of three famous crustaceans in London^^). As for an EFL student living in South Korea, I am sending my deep gratitude for your gentleness and kindess enough to count countless students out there. Please keep up the good work stoplessly! Jinok

Patry, Colombia, Santa Marta
I am happy, I have been studying English by myself and now that I was reading the article, understood all.I hope to follow progressing.Patry

Adriana from Brazil
Hello Stephen. Glad to know about the River Thames. I also have read some good news about a place in the North of the state where I live. They've found many dragonflies there...you know... these insects can only survive in very clean environment. It's uplifting for me hearing that. I think you and Lucy shouldn't worry about her future husband because our heart (female heart) is unpredictable sometimes. Stephen, I'd like to know what you think about racism if one day you want to share your thoughts with us. And thanks for one more lesson. Sometimes numbers make me feel a bit buffled. Once I had received an email advising about the date of an event: "...will be in June 07 " so I thought it would be 7th June but actually it was supposed to be in June 2007. How embarassing! Sweet dreams for you. Good night Stephen...it's the end of my comment to you, please stop reading! Now between Lucy and me, I hope you find your prince very soon, Lucy. A strong, handsome, rich, intelligent loving and caring one like your father wishes. My advise to you...don't look so much at his wealth, but his enthusiasm, skills and see how he treats his mother and family, how he treats ordinary people and friends, what he thinks and if he likes the same things you like. We should pay attention to these things too. Take it from me. My best wishes for you. Bye

Margarita, Spain
Well, it is just to say, that I enjoy very much your writings, and your humour, it makes me uplifting, you are flippant, thanks, kisses

Ansar, United Kingdom, Ilford
Sir, I am a pakistani and settle here in uk for around 2 years, I can speak and listen english well but my vocabulary is not good. If I remember some words of english for my usuage but cant use in normal discussion because at the spot I forget that words. What i should do in this regard to become a good english speaker and listener? One more thing I feel hard to understand the british accent. Kindly help me to handle this problem. Thanks, Ansar

Helasiri Nawalage -Sri Lanka
thank you very much for your another wonderful article.Is it possible to have the MP3 version of this article.then that would help us to learn the pronunciation.

Paulo de Toledo from Brazil
Hi, Stephen!I'd love to travel in that train!I always visit this site in order to try to learn the english idiom.But it's been very hard! :^)See ya!Abraços

Laura, Argentina
I really have enjoyed your column, it was the firts time, but i'm looking fordward to reading the next one. I was living in london last year and I miss it a lot!!

Dihan
Dear Stephan,If there were an audio clip for your column, your column would get much much more interesting and useful.since I do not know how to pronounce some new words , I must look up dictionary and it makes me frustrated.I hope you modify your program in future.Best Regards,Dihan