Take a Moment to 'Count Your Blessings'

2019 · VOA Learning English

This speaker is a general-american model. Each line below can be recorded and scored against it.

Transcript

1. Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories

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2. There are certain times of the year when we stop and think about all the things that make us happy or bring us joy.

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3. Some people even make a list of these things. In English, we have a saying for this: to count your blessings.

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4. When we count our blessings, we note all the wonderful things in our lives. This helps us to appreciate how good life is.

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5. Thanksgiving is a time when many Americans count their blessings. The United States observes this holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.

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6. Counting your blessings is important. It shows that you are grateful

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7. Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation or thanks. When people count their blessings, they can say it like this: "I am thankful for my family.

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8. I am thankful for my friends. I am thankful for my health."

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9. It is better to be grateful for our blessings than to take them for granted When we take something for granted, we do not appreciate it.

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10. Sometimes we are not appreciative of our good fortune and blessings until they are gone. But now, let's take a step back.

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11. What exactly is a blessing? In English, the word “blessing” has at least two meanings.

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12. As we said, a blessing is something that brings you happiness or helps you. To religious people, a blessing is approval and help from a higher source -- God.

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13. A blessing can also be a sign of approval. It gives you permission to do something.

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14. For example, a traditional marriage custom involves a blessing. If a young man wants to marry a young woman, he may want to first get her family’s blessing.

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15. We often say this expression in the middle of a troubling or difficult time. So, let’s say a friend of yours is angry about a flat tire on his car.

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16. But then he stops and thinks for a minute and says, “Well, at least I have a car. I should count myself lucky and give thanks for small blessings.”

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17. Now, not all blessings are simple and easy to recognize. Some are more complex than others.

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18. For example, being really beautiful can be a mixed blessing. On one hand, you look great and may be treated really well by some people.

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19. On the other hand, you look great and may be treated badly by other people. So, when we use this expression, we often use the terms “on one hand” and “on the other hand.”

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20. It is a little more complicated: a blessing in disguise. First of all, a disguise hides something that you do not want seen or noticed.

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21. For example, a secret agent might wear a disguise to hide her identity. Or a bottle of perfume might disguise an unpleasant smell.

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22. So, a blessing in disguise is a bad event or situation. But the outcome or result is actually good.

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23. Things are great! For starters, I got fired last month. Oh.

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24. Sorry. So, why are things great? Getting fired is terrible.

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25. Well, yes. But this time it was truly a blessing in disguise. You see, after I was fired I found a new job -- a better job that I really love.

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26. And it pays more. Good for you! I'm glad you're able to count your blessings!

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27. And that’s all the time we have this week for Words and Their Stories Now it's time for you to "count your blessings."

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28. What are you thankful for? You can tell us in the Comments Section.

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29. When I am worried and I can't sleep I count my blessings instead of sheep And I

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30. fall asleep counting my blessings...

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