High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) – Corpus-aided English Speaking Learning and Teaching System

UK1

Two and a half years ago, I went to Greece. I went to Athens, Greece, which I think is really amazing city. I travelled there on my own without any friends, without any family. And I found the people there to be really warm and friendly. If ever you needed any help going to place then he would stop people in the street and he would always help you. And if you went to a restaurant, the people would always serve you with a warm smile, give you something free at the end. My favourite part was going up to the acropolis which was an ancient Greek temple about two and a half thousand years ago and it's still there today. You can see the amazing marble structure that had a temple the goddess Athena. And, while I was there it was in January so it was really cold but also there was a snow storm. And that’s quite unusual for Greece, so going there in a snow storm made it even more dramatic. And the good thing about was that it wasn't so busy. After that I went to the archaeological museum, where I was able to learn loans about great culture and ancient Greek history. I get it all of, uh, Greeks culture through the ages so you could see how it developed from the neolithic age to the classical age and you could see how all modern sculpture is actually derived from ancient Greek sculpture. You could see so many different styles. And me, as a history lover, found it incredibly interesting to go to, so for that reason, going to Greece as a person that finds ancient history fascinating made it a really unforgettable trip.

UK2

Last Christmas I went to the beautiful city of Paris in France with my mother. We explored all over the place. We went to some amazing museums. We went to see the Eiffel Tower. We went to the Louvre. We went to secret little museums that we found around the city. Then in the afternoon we would go for lovely lunches with all kinds of different French food, from snails to frogs. We even tried some of the amazing French wine. Then when it came to night, we would travel with the metro system. We would travel to the southern part of Paris, just by the river. And it was there that we would have a very different meal compared to the lunch that we had had together. We would have steaks, we'd have lobster. And then we'd have some more wine as well. And then after we left the restaurant, we would make our way to a small ice cream shop where we would try different flavours of ice cream. Then as the evening continued, we made our way back to the Eiffel Tower as it's absolutely beautiful at night time when it's all lit up. It was a spectacular experience to share this with my mum. We spent five days there and it was a very special time for me because I don't get to see my mother much. But we had five wonderful days in Paris, France, trying different food, trying different drinks, seeing many museums, art galleries and seeing how people in Paris actually lived. So yes, it was an absolutely incredible experience and I recommend going to Paris, France for anyone that wants to have an amazing time and experience different cultures.

UK3

My trip took place when I was a 16-year-old schoolboy; going with the school on a journey to Lugano, a city on the Swiss Italian border. But really, the final destination doesn't matter; because the most important part of the trip, and, in fact, what I would describe as the trip itself, was a trip into the sky. It was the first time that I’d ever been on an aeroplane, and because it was the middle of summer in England, the skies were full of clouds and the day felt grey and dull. I got onto the aeroplane and I was lucky enough to have a seat next to the window. I must admit I was very frightened when the aeroplane took off. But nothing like the fear I felt later, as we entered into the clouds; and the plane shook and dropped and rose as it met the clouds. That part of the journey seemed to take a long, long time, but, eventually, we got through, above the clouds. And then it happened. Out of my window, I saw clear blue sky and a bright golden sun. I don't know why I was surprised. I must have known that they were there all the time, but meeting this clear, beautiful day, above cloudy England, filled me with delight. And that's the story. It was a number of years later when I realised that there are times when my life seems filled with clouds; when there are fears and doubts and worries and hardship; and yet all I have to do is to remember that beyond these clouds there is a beautiful pale blue sky and a beautiful golden sun, just waiting for me to rise above those clouds.