A Short Story about Tulips and a Royal Baby | English Listening Practice

• Tulips everywhere, in yellow, red, pink, white, orange, and even purple and black. They line the streets and the canal. They attract hundreds and hundreds of people to admire them and post their beauty on Instagram. Where? Right here, in Ottawa, Canada, every May.

 

It’s the annual Tulip Festival, and it’s a sight to behold. The Tulip Festival in Ottawa has historical significance, and I’d like to share that with you in today's English listening episode, to share some pride in my city and my country.

 

We’ll:

• take a brief look at what tulips are and where they originate (it’s not Holland)
• we’ll explore the importance of tulips in Ottawa and its special tulip history (it involves a princess), and 
• we’ll wrap up by looking at flower festivals and their pros and cons in today’s social media landscape

English listening challenge:

🛑In this English listening episode, I draw your attention to connected speech specifically. Listen carefully for where words are dramatically reduced and/or connected. 

 

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• advanced English vocabulary
•  collocations and phrasal verbs
•  idioms
• interesting pronunciation features

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Thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. 

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Catherine