Episodios

  • How New York Started
    Jul 8 2024
    Hi and welcome to the English Listening World podcast episode number 394. This podcast is for listening practice. I have 35 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expression 'as … as' is repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below. Today's episode is about Peter and his question about New York. # Questions 1. What did Peter love to read about? 2. Why did Henry Hudson explore the Hudson river? 3. Who settled by the Hudson river first? 4. How did the English get New York? 5. Why was the Erie Canal important? ## Peter's Question Once upon a time, there was a boy named Peter who lived in a small town. Peter had big dreams. He loved to read about faraway places, especially New York City. Peter was fascinated by how big and bustling the city was, and he wanted to know how it became so enormous. Peter's grandfather, Grandpa Joe, loved to tell stories. One summer evening, Peter asked, "Grandpa, how did New York City get so big?" ## Henry Hudson Grandpa Joe smiled and began his tale. "Well, Peter, it all started a long time ago with a Dutch explorer named Henry Hudson. He sailed as far as he could up a river that is now called the Hudson River. He thought it was a passage to Asia, but it was not. However, he discovered a beautiful land and a good place for a new city." Peter listened eagerly. "Then what happened?" ## The Dutch "The Dutch liked the place and decided to settle there," Grandpa Joe continued. "They called it New Amsterdam. As time went on, more people from different places came to New Amsterdam because it was such a good spot for trading. They brought goods from Europe and traded them for furs with the Native Americans. The city grew as much as it could to keep up with all the new people and businesses." Peter's eyes widened. "But how did it become New York?" ## The English "Ah," Grandpa Joe said, "in 1664, the English captured New Amsterdam and renamed it New York, after the Duke of York. From then on, New York City grew even faster. It became a melting pot, where people from all over the world came to start new lives. Immigrants arrived with dreams as big as yours, Peter. They built houses, shops, and roads, as far as the eye could see. The city spread out, building skyscrapers and bridges." Peter imagined the bustling city with people from everywhere speaking different languages and building tall skyscrapers. "What made it keep growing?" ## The Canal "Many things," Grandpa Joe replied. "The city was built on a good harbor, making it the perfect place for ships to bring goods from around the world. As the economy grew, so did the city. The Erie Canal was built in the 1820s, connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes. This made it easier for people and goods to move west. Then, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, New York became the entry point for millions of immigrants arriving through Ellis Island." Peter was amazed. "Did people come from everywhere?" ## Growing "Yes," Grandpa Joe said, nodding. "They came from Europe, Asia, and many other places. They brought their cultures, foods, and ideas, making New York City a vibrant and diverse place. The city grew upwards with tall buildings, and outwards as much as it could, with new neighborhoods and boroughs being added. The construction of the subway system allowed people to travel easily, which helped the city expand even more." Peter smiled, imagining all the people working together to build the city. "So that's how New York City got so big." "Yes, Peter," Grandpa Joe said, patting his grandson's head. "New York City grew because of its good location, the hard work of its people, and the dreams of those who came to make a better life. Just like you have big dreams, so did the people who built New York. And as long as there are dreamers like you, the city will keep growing and changing." Peter went to bed that night dreaming of the bustling streets, the tall skyscrapers, and the many people who had made New York City what it is today. He knew that one day, he too would be a part of that grand story # Answers 1. What did Peter love to read about? He loved to read about faraway places. 2. Why did Henry Hudson explore the Hudson river? He thought the river might be a passage to Asia. 3. Who settled by the Hudson river first? The Dutch settled there first. It was a trading post for them to get furs. 4. How did the English get New York? The English captured New York. Then they named it after the Duke of York. 5. Why was the Erie Canal important? The canal made it easy to transport goods to the west. This made New York even more important.
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  • The Great Math Golfing Contest vidIQ badge
    Jul 1 2024
    Hi and welcome to the English Listening World podcast episode number 393. This podcast is for listening practice. I have 29 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expression 'as … as' is repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below. Today's episode is about Eddie and an unusual math contest. # Questions 1. How much did Eddie love math? 2. What was different about the math contest? 3. Who came to the contest with Eddie? 4. Eddie remembered his Dad's words. What were they? 5. What kind of problem was the last problem? ## The Great Golfing Math Contest Eddie loved math as much as he loved his bike. He was a fifth grader who could solve math problems as fast as he could ride his bike down the hill near his house. When Eddie heard about the Great Golfing Math Contest, he knew he had to join. ## The Setup The contest wasn't just any math competition. It combined two of Eddie's favorite things: math and golfing. The rules were simple. Each math problem was like a hole in golf. The faster and more accurately you solved it, the fewer strokes you got. The winner was the one with the least strokes at the end of the contest. Eddie practiced as much as he could. He solved math problems in the morning, during lunch, and even before bed. As far as he was concerned, the more he practiced, the better his chances of winning. ## The Contest The day of the contest arrived. Eddie sat in front of the computer with other kids from different schools. His best friend, Mia, cheered from the audience. "You got this, Eddie!" she shouted. The first problem appeared on the screen. It was a tricky multiplication problem, but Eddie's fingers flew over the keys. He solved it in no time and moved on to the next. He was in the lead! ## Keep Cool As long as Eddie stayed focused, he knew he could win. But the problems got harder, and Eddie started to feel the pressure. He remembered what his dad always told him, "Try as hard as you can to keep your cool. You can do it!" Eddie took a deep breath and tackled the next problem. It was a division problem with a remainder. Eddie smiled. He was good at these. He quickly found the answer and moved on. He could see the finish line ahead. ## Last Question In the final round, Eddie faced his toughest problem yet: a word problem that involved both addition and subtraction. He read it carefully, making sure to understand every detail. As much as he wanted to rush, he knew that accuracy was more important. He solved the problem with just a few seconds to spare and entered his answer. Eddie's heart pounded as he waited for the results. The judge announced the winners, starting from third place. Eddie held his breath. ## The Winner When they announced his name as the first-place winner, Eddie couldn't believe it. He had won! Mia ran over and gave him a high-five. "I knew you could do it!" Eddie received a shiny trophy and a new set of golf clubs. But the best part was knowing that all his hard work had paid off. As long as he stayed determined, Eddie knew he could achieve anything. That night, Eddie went to bed with a big smile on his face. He had won the Great Math Golfing Contest, and he couldn't wait for the next challenge. # Answers 1. How much did Eddie love math? He loved math as much as he loved his bike. 2. What was different about the math contest? This contest combined two things Eddie loved, math and golf. 3. Who came to the contest with Eddie? Eddie's best friend Mia came with him and cheered for him from the audience. 4. Eddie remembered his Dad's words. What were they? His Dad said, "Try as hard as you can to keep your cool." 5. What kind of problem was the last problem? The last problem was a word problem with addition and subtraction.
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  • Golf - The Longest Drive
    Jun 24 2024
    Hi and welcome to the English Listening World podcast episode number 392. This podcast is for listening practice. I have 26 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expression 'as … as' is repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below. 'Today's episode is about Jack and his golf tournament. # Questions 1. Why did Jack go to the golf course every weekend? 2. How did Jack feel at the start of the tournament? 3. What happened on the first few holes? 4. Where did something amazing happen? 5. How many times did Jack hit the ball on the final hole? ## Jack's Favorite Sport Jack loved golfing. He wasn’t the best golfer at his club, but he always enjoyed the game. Jack practiced as much as he could. Every weekend, he was at the golf course, swinging his club and aiming for that perfect shot. ## The Tournament One sunny Saturday morning, Jack decided to enter a local golf tournament. It was a big event, and many good golfers were participating. Jack was nervous, but he wanted to try his best. At the tournament, Jack was paired with three other golfers. They were all very good, and Jack felt a bit intimidated. However, he remembered his father’s advice: "As long as you try your best, you’ve already won." ## Rough Start The first few holes were tough. Jack’s shots were not as good as he wanted them to be. He hit the ball into the sand trap twice and even into the water once. But he didn’t give up. He kept telling himself, "As long as I can hit the ball, I’ll keep going." ## Turnaround On the ninth hole, something amazing happened. Jack lined up his shot, took a deep breath, and swung his club. The ball flew through the air, straight and true. It soared over the trees and landed just a few feet from the hole. Jack couldn’t believe it. He had never hit a shot that well before. His friends cheered, and Jack felt a surge of confidence. For the rest of the game, Jack played better than he ever had. Each shot seemed to be better than the last. He still wasn’t perfect, but he was improving with every swing. By the time they reached the eighteenth hole, Jack was tied for second place. ## The Final Hole The final hole was a long one. Jack knew he needed a great shot to stay in the game. He lined up his ball, took another deep breath, and swung with all his might. The ball sailed through the air, going as far as he could see. It landed on the green, just a few feet from the hole. Jack’s heart was pounding as he walked up to take his final putt. He carefully lined up his shot, aimed, and gently tapped the ball. It rolled smoothly across the green and dropped into the hole. Jack had done it! He finished the tournament with one of his best games ever. ## Proud Although he didn’t win first place, Jack was very proud of himself. He had come a long way and played as hard as he could. Jack knew he would keep practicing and getting better. After the tournament, Jack’s friends congratulated him. One of them said, "Jack, that was amazing! I've never seen you play so well." Jack smiled and replied, "As long as I keep trying my best, I know I’ll keep getting better." And with that, he looked forward to the next game, ready to face any challenge that came his way # Answers 1. Why did Jack go to the golf course every weekend? He went to practice golf because he loved golfing. 2. How did Jack feel at the start of the tournament? He felt intimidated. He thought the other golfers were much better than he was. 3. What happened on the first few holes? He had a rough start and did not hit the ball where he wanted to hit it. 4. Where did something amazing happen? Something amazing happened on the ninth hole. The ball landed just a few feet from the hole with one hit. 5. How many times did Jack hit the ball on the final hole? On the final hole Jack hit the ball twice. He was very happy.
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  • Teddy Bears Are Not Immature
    Jun 17 2024
    Hi Welcome to the Extensive English Listening podcast of English Listening World. This episode’s story is about a grown woman and her teddy bear, and her fears. This is episode 391, and I’ll start with pre-listening questions. Think about the questions while you listen. Try to answer them for fun, too. The answers to the questions are at the end of the video. ## Questions 1. Janet was lucky because her parents could pay for her apartment. Why was she nervous? 2. What did Janet discover in her room as she was packing? 3. What did one of her new friends major in at school? 4. How did her friend react to the teddy bear? 5. How are teddy bears helpful to people? ## Moving Out Janet was facing a big challenge. She had just finished high school and was accepted into a university. The problem was the university was in another city. She had to move out of her parent's house and into her own apartment. She was lucky because her parents could pay the rent. On the other hand, she was very nervous because this would be her first time living on her own. ## Teddy Bear When she packed her things, she discovered her old Teddy Bear in her chest. She immediately decided to take it with her. She could not throw it out. She realised she still had an attachment to it. On the other hand, she was a bit embarrassed by her feelings. She did not want other people to know about this. ## New Friends After a few weeks at the new university, she had started to make friends. She went out with them to cafes, or to play sports. One of her new friends was a psychology major, and they often talked about psychology. She often went to her friend's apartment to visit and chat. ## Discovery After a while, they were talking, and she suggested they go to her friend's apartment. Her friend said, "No, this time, let's go to your apartment." Janet felt a pang of nervousness. She immediately worried that her friend might discover the Teddy Bear. But on the other hand, she couldn't say no without arousing suspicion. Sure enough, when they got to her apartment, she had left the Teddy Bear out, and she could not rush to hide it before her friend noticed it. "Wow! You have a Teddy Bear. That's so cool!" ## Acceptance Janet was surprised. "You mean, you don't think it's totally childish of me to keep it? " "No way, said her friend. First of all, I read a study where they found there was no link between keeping teddy bears and emotional intelligence. And second, if it helps you to sleep better or cope with problems that's ten times better than some other solutions, like drugs or alcohol. I think you must be very mature, in fact. " ## Relief Janet was so relieved, and also surprised to hear this. She felt tighter with her friend than ever before. She also felt a lot more secure. She decided that keeping her Teddy Bear was the best decision she had made in a long time. She also decided not to keep it a secret anymore. ## Questions 1. Janet was lucky because her parents could pay for her apartment. Why was she nervous? Janet felt nervous because this was her first time to live on her own. She had to learn how to take care of herself. 2. What did Janet discover in her room as she was packing? She discovered her old Teddy Bear from when she was a child. She realised how much she still cared for it. 3. What did one of her new friends major in at school? One of her friends majored in psychology. That was very interesting to Janet, but at the same time, a little scary. Janet thought her friend might see her weaknesses because she studied psychology. 4. How did her friend react to the teddy bear? Her friend thought keeping the teddy bear was a great idea. It was a source of strength for Janet, and also showed that Janet was strong because she was not ashamed of keeping the teddy bear. 5. How are teddy bears helpful to people? They can help people fall asleep, and they can help people cope with life’s problems better by acting as a silent companion.
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  • Steve Finds an Unusual Map in the Upanishads
    Jun 10 2024
    Hi. This is English listening practice. I’m gonna give you some questions before I tell the story. Then I’ll tell the story. At the end I’ll answer the questions. Try to answer the questions yourself for fun. The story is about Tom and his troubles, his struggle and his discovery . # Questions 1. What was troubling Tom? 2. What did he do about it? 3. Why did he travel to India? 4. Why did he learn Sanskrit? 5. What did he find? ### Tom was Troubled When Tom was a boy, he was happy. He grew up in a middle class family, with lots of toys, good food and a very comfortable house to live in. By the time he got into high school, however, he began to feel concerned. He felt his comfort was unfair. He saw other people with less than him, but they were sometimes better people in his mind. After high school, he went to university, but he was too distracted by his problems and he could not focus on his studies. He quit university, got a job, and volunteered to help homeless people in his city. ### Started Meditation At the volunteer organisation, he met a girl called Sandy. They talked about the unfairness they saw. She told him that she meditated a lot to help her understand the unfairness in the world. Tom decided he would try this. He began to meditate. It was a good experience for him and he started meditating more and more. Then there came a point when his meditation teacher said he could not help Tom anymore. If Tom wanted to learn more, he had to go to India to find a more advanced teacher. ### Travelled to India Tom packed his few things and travelled to India to find a teacher. When he got there, he looked for a few weeks and then found a teacher. Tom's meditation became deeper and deeper. Finally the teacher said he could not help Tom anymore. If Tom wanted to learn more, then he had to read the ancient scripts. They were called the Upanishads. ### Learned to Read Sanskrit The problem was, the Upanishads were originally written in Sanskrit, and the translated versions did not make sense to Tom. He decided he had to learn Sanskrit, and he started right away. It took him years to learn but finally he was able to read the ancient Upanishads in Sanskrit. ### Came Home To Understand What Tom discovered in the scripts was like a map. Tom realised that it was a map inside him. He did not need to be in India. Using the map he discovered in the Upanishads, he could continue his meditation back home in Philadelphia. He went home, and his father welcomed him back. Before long Tom found the answers he was looking for and decided to return to his studies in University with a much clearer mind. # Answers 1. What was troubling Tom? He felt guilty. He was from an upper middle class family, and he was comfortable but he saw people in trouble around him. It bothered him. 2. What did he do about it? At first he volunteered to help the homeless people. He met a girl who taught him about meditation. 3. Why did he travel to India? He found that meditation was helpful but he wanted to go deeper. 4. Why did he learn Sanskrit? He learned about ancient texts about meditation. They were the Upanishads. He wanted to read them in the original language which was Sanskrit. 5. What did he find? When he read the texts, he realised some of them were describing a map inside himself. If he just followed the map, he could find the answers he was looking for.
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  • John Couldn't Believe What He Saw in Japan
    Jun 3 2024
    Hi, this is a listening practice podcast. It’s a story. The story is about John. In this episode, I have included some questions. If you like, you can listen to find the answers to the questions. I will include the answers at the end of the video. Pre-listening questions 1. John was going to Japan. What was one thing John wanted to do in Japan? 2. What surprised and shocked John when he saw the map near the temple? 3. Why did John think there must be a mistake? 4. What did the man working at the shrine tell John? 5. What is the difference between a swastika and a Manji? ### the trip John was ==excited==. He ==just got off== the phone to book his tickets to Japan. He thought the trip was going to be great. He was going to hear ==real Japanese== spoken by Japanese people. He was going to visit the old temples. He was going to eat ==fresh sushi==, and if he was lucky, he was going to see ==cherry blossoms==. But, he was ==in for== a big ==surprise== when he got to Japan. ### arrival and shock After arriving in Japan, John ==checked in== to his hotel. When he arrived at the hotel, he was ==doubly happy==. He saw the ==torii gates== nearby. That meant there was a shrine close to his hotel. After dinner, he ==went for== a short walk. He ==got to== the shrine ok and there were some signs in front. He ==went to== look at the signs. One of them was a map. He looked at the map. John was ==puzzled== by what he saw. Then he was ==shocked==. He could not believe it. Here he was in ==modern day Japan== looking at a map that had ==swastikas== on it! ## troubled He ==went back== to the hotel, thinking he had made a mistake. Then he thought about history. The Japanese and the Germans were ==historically connected== during World War II. Could they be ==keeping such a connection alive==? He had trouble sleeping that night. He thought this ==must all be a mistake==. ### confusion The next day he woke up and ==thought about== the swastikas at breakfast. The suddenly he felt better. He thought that Japan today is ==fully modern== and has ==renounced== all war and violence. These people surely would not preserve a swastika in memory of World War II. This must be a ==simple mistake==. He was about to find the ==answer==. ### resolution John went back to the shrine. He looked at the map again. There was ==no mistake==. There were ==lots of== small swastika marks on the map. He went in the ==shrine compound==. There was a small line in front of ==what looked like== a temple shop. They sold candles and books and ==good luck amulets==. John lined up. When he came to the front of the line he ==asked the person in the shop if== he could speak English. The man said yes. John ==asked about== the swastikas. The man smiled and gently replied that those were ==not swastikas==. He said they were called Manji and had been used in Japan for thousands of years. They ==represent good luck== and also temples, the man added. John thanked him for his help and bought a ==good luck amulet==. ### mixed feelings John felt better but he still had a nagging feeling. The swastika had been ==desecrated== by the Nazis. How could they keep it on the maps in Japan after that? Then he took a closer look at it. He looked at the swastika on his smart phone. He ==suddenly realised== that they were different! They were like ==mirror images== of each other. They ==swirled in opposite== directions! Finally John began to relax. After that, John had a wonderful vacation in the ==land of the rising sun==. Answers to the questions 1. John was going to Japan. What was one thing John wanted to do in Japan? He wanted to hear real Japanese spoken, he wanted to visit some shrines, and he wanted to eat fresh sushi. 2. What surprised and shocked John when he saw the map near the temple? He was surprised and shocked to see swastikas on the map by the shrine. 3. Why did John think there must be a mistake? He thought Japan was a modern country and modern countries mostly look down on the swastika. 4. What did the man working at the shrine tell John? The man said they were not swastikas. They were Manji, which is a symbol of good luck. 5. What is the difference between a swastika and a Manji? The swastikas and the Manji swirl in opposite directions. You can see it if you put them side by side.
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  • Anna's Discovery
    May 27 2024
    Hi and welcome to the Les Perras podcast episode number 388. This podcast is for listening practice. I have over 50 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expressions 'keep going' and 'once or twice' are repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below. 'Today's episode is about Anna and her discovery in New Zealand. Anna was sweating. She had just arrived in New Zealand for the first time and she was alone. She had to prove to her father that she was strong enough to take over the family business. She could not go home until she had proof. ## The beach She did not know what to do in New Zealand, or how to prove she was strong. She had nothing better to do so she went for a walk on the beach. After twenty minutes or so, she saw something unusual up ahead. She walked over to it and picked it up. It was a bottle with something inside. She took it out and discovered that it was a map of some sort. She went back into town and went to a cafe to sit down and look at it. After about ten minutes she thought maybe it was a treasure map. She took it to the library and searched many maps of New Zealand. She found the place the map was showing. She still had to find a way to prove she was strong, but until she got an idea, she decided to investigate the map further. ## the forest and first discovery She got off the bus near the place on the map. The map said to go into the forest. She did not like forests. They were full of insect and wild animals. But her curiosity drove her. She wondered what kind of treasure she might find. Walking through the forest was very difficult. There were many plants and the things she hated most: insects. But she kept going. She got lost once or twice, but with her compass, she could find the way. She thought maybe this forest adventure could help her prove her strength. As she was walking through the forest she found a box. It was very old. There was a key inside it. She took the key and kept going. ## mountains and second discovery The forest opened up and in front of her was a large mountain range. The map said she had to go into the mountains. She started to climb. It was easy at first, but soon it became difficult. But she kept going. If she fell, it would be the end of the story. In fact, she slipped once or twice but she caught herself and did not fall. Finally, shegot to the top of the mountain. She saw a funny spot on the mountain on the other side. The map said she should go there. ## cave and third discovery She went down the mountain and up the other side. It took her hours to get there. Finally she got to the funny spot on the mountain and discovered that it was a cave. She went inside the cave. There were many twists and turns. But she kept going. She finally found a large room in the cave. On the other side was a great big chest. She went to the chest. She tried to open it, but it was locked. Then she remembered that she had a key. She took the key out and tried it on the lock. It worked! The chest sprang open and there was a treasure inside. There was too much to carry out all at once so she took just a small portion of the treasure and put it in her pockets. Then she started the long trip back to the road. ## final discovery When she finally got back to her hotel room in the city, she was exhausted. But at the same time, she felt great. She had overcome her fears. She had faced the unknown. She had kept going even though it was hard. And she had found the treasure. The problem was, on her way back she had lost the map in the forest. She could not go back to the treasure. But it did not matter. She discovered a new treasure inside herself: The power to keep going and not give up. Plus, she could prove she was strong to her father because she had some of the treasure in her pockets. Anna decided it was time to go home.
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  • Could Julie Keep her Promise: Mt Everest
    May 20 2024
    Hi and welcome to the Les Perras podcast episode number 387. This podcast is for listening practice. I have over 25 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expression 'never forget' is repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below. 'Today's episode is about Julia and her promise to climb Mt Everest. Julia had to climb Mt Everest. Her father had climbed it. Her mother had ==encouraged== her. Then her job ==got in the way==. Now she had put it == on the back burner==s too long...Now she could feel her power going down. And then she thought of her father. She would ==never forget== his smile. She HAD to climb Mt Everest before the ==window closed forever==. ## Twenty years Ago Julie was climbing with her father. She loved climbing with him. He had a ==mind for business==. Business climbs, he used to call them. When you climbed with him, you==didn't waste time==. She thought she had all the time in the world with her father. She would ==never forget== his smile. She didn't know what was coming. ## Bad news One day, her father came back from climbing Mt Everest. He told her all about the climb. She was so excited. But now he was sick. the doctors said that there was ==nothing they could do==. There was nothing SHE could do. Well, ==there was one thing== she could do. She ==promised== her father that she would climb Mt Everest. He smiled at that. She would ==never forget== his smile. But before she could climb Mt Everest ==another story happened== in her life. ## Work She got a job. She loved her work. Her work ==was everything to her==. She put her whole life into it. The problem was that it was ==eating up her life==. She could feel her power going into her work as the years went by. She was very successful, but there was ==_something Missing_==. Her promise to her father. She had to find a way to ==solve her problem==. ## The Offer Then the way found her. Her work was her company. She started the company ==all by herself==. Now it was big and successful. Other people noticed it. One day, a man came to her office. He ==offered== to buy her company. She said no. Then she thought about it. Then she spoke to the man. She ==got to know him==. Then she ==got to trust him==. Then she said yes. She tought of her father. She would ==never forget== his smile. Finally she could ==move on== to her Promise. ## And Now After selling her company she had money. She started climbing a lot. Now after twenty years, ==her climber's mind returned==. She did the business climbs. Now she was ==applying for== the permit to climb the tallest mountain in the world! This was going to ==seal her promise==. She had already begun training. and the team was getting put together too. Julia knew she would fulfil her promise to her father.
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