VOA-Lesson 12: Meet My Family

Summary Anna is feeling homesick. Marsha helps her by listening to her talk about her family. Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words. Learn to ask a friend to talk about a problem. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about your family. Pronunciation ​In this video, you ​learn about how Americans pronounce the word "aunt" in different parts of the country. Conversation Anna: Hello! Washington, D.C. has many beautiful parks. In fact, this park reminds me of my home very far away. Marsha: Anna, here's your coffee. Anna: Thanks, Marsha. Marsha: What's wrong? Anna: I'm thinking about my family. I'm feeling homesick. Marsha: Do you want to talk about it? Anna: Sure! I have some photos. Marsha: Yes. Yes, you do! Anna: Photos really help. Anna: This is my mother and this is my father. They are rodeo clowns. Marsha: What do rodeo clowns do? Anna: They make jokes at a rodeo. They make people laugh. Marsha: That-That';s very different. Marsha: Who is that woman in the picture? Anna: That is my Aunt Lavender. She is my mom's sister. She loves gardening and makes spoons. Marsha: She makes spoons? Anna: Of course. Marsha: That, too, is very different. Anna: Oh! This is my Uncle John. He is my father's brother. Marsha: What does Uncle John do? Anna: He's a chicken farmer. And makes guitars. He's awesome, and I'm his favorite niece. Marsha: Who are they? Anna: They are my cousins. They are my Uncle John's daughter and son. Marsha: What do they do? Anna: They raise sheep and make sweaters. Marsha: Yeah, that's not a surprise. Marsha: Thanks for showing me your family photos. Your family is very different. Anna: I do feel better. Thanks for listening. I have many more photos! Marsha: Yeah. Yeah, you do. Anna: Washington, DC is my new home. But I like remembering my old home, too. Anna's Family Tree This is a family tree. Anna tells Marsha about her parents. Her mother and father are rodeo clowns. Her father's parents are from Italy. These grandparents speak Italian. Anna's mother's parents live in California. These grandparents have a farm and raise horses. Anna's mother's sister is Aunt Lavender. She loves gardening. Anna's father has a brother. His name is John. Uncle John makes guitars. Uncle John has a daughter and a son. They are Anna's cousins. They raise sheep. Anna's brother has two children. They are Anna's niece and nephew. Writing Are you from a big family or a small family? Write to us to tell us about two people in your family. What do they do? What do they make? Send us an email or write about them in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend.