RUTH: Hello! My name is Ruth and I'm happy to welcome you to another programme in the series 'Say It Again'. Each week I have a student here with me. Today it's Bela. Bela, why don't you tell us a little about yourself?

BELA: I was born in India and for the last six years, I have lived here in England. I am a mother of two young children. I work with my husband Christopher in the north of England. I enjoy my life here in England. Some of my hobbies are reading and listening to music. I also like coming on 'Say It Again' each week.

RUTH: Bela is here to help me. In each programme, there is always something new to learn about the English language.

RUTH: On each 'Say It Again' programme, there's a drama between Grace and her brother Paul. Paul is Grace's younger brother. Her older brother Jim, whom we met earlier in the series, has now gone to Europe. Grace and Jim were always arguing. Grace and Paul have a much more understanding relationship between sister and brother. In today's drama, Grace and Paul are talking about Grace's birthday and her wish to have a party. They are talking about the food for this party. Listen out for all the foods that are mentioned.

Conversation

RUTH: Bela, in our last programme we were talking about making lists. Could you give me a list of some of the foods mentioned in the drama?

BELA: Yes, Ruth. Apples, oranges, pears and bananas - would you like me to tell anymore?

RUTH: Yes please, but let me help you. The next list is of green salad ingredients.

BELA: I think I remember that - lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions and peppers. I think Grace also mentioned some meat.

RUTH: Yes, she mentioned roast pork. Bela, how do you buy roast pork or any cold meat?

BELA: You buy it cut into thin slices.

RUTH: What do you ask for?

BELA: Ask for?

RUTH: What do you say to the shopkeeper?

BELA: Oh! I'll ask for a pound; or maybe a quarter of a pound of pork.

RUTH: That's right. You ask for the kind of pork - 'roast' pork, and then you ask for the quantity - thatˇs how much you want. It's 'how much', not 'how many'. It's sold by weight.

BELA: So I would say, 'I'd like a quarter of a pound of roast pork, please.'

RUTH: That's right. Let's use that sentence to say it again. I'll say it first then you say it with Bela after me. 'I'd like a quarter of a pound of roast pork, please.'

BELA: 'I'd like a quarter of a pound of roast pork, please.'

RUTH: Grace and Paul also wanted fresh fruit from the market. 'Fruit' here is a plural noun - used as a 'non-countable' noun. This suggests that there is much more than one fruit, but it doesn't tell you how many different varieties. Bread, rice and meat are all 'non-countable' nouns. Using these words in a sentence you'd say, 'Let's go to the market for some rice.' Say that sentence again with Bela.

BELA: 'Let's go to the market for some rice.'

RUTH: 'Using the plural, non-countable noun 'meat', we could say, 'Let's go to the market for some meat.' Say that sentence again with Bela now.

BELA: 'Let's go to the market for some meat.'

RUTH: If you are a little confused by these 'non-countable' nouns, then don't worry. At the end of today's programme, there'll be another opportunity for you to say these sentences again. We'll also practice them again in our next 'Say It Again' programme.

RUTH: As well as learning something new about the English language, there is also the chance to hear a true story. Today's story is about Gunnar from Finland. As a young man, he began to search for the true meaning of life. It was on reading a booklet called 'Four things God wants you to know', that he realised there was an answer to all his questions and that answer was in the living God. His story is being read by Andrew Fewster.

Story Testimony

I come from Finland from a non-Christian background. I knew that there was something missing from my life, but I didn't know what. I started searching for some meaning to my life, but found nothing. I wasn't sure if there was any God, and if He existed, what kind of God He would be. My mind was full of questions. Who was the real God? There were so many gods and holy books in different religions.

Then I got a small leaflet called "Four things God wants you to know". I prayed very honestly, saying: "If there is a God, show me that you exist, and if the Bible is the Word of God, show me the truth." I started to read the leaflet. I didn't understand much, but suddenly I was surrounded by a warmth and love that I had never felt before. It was a wonderful feeling, and I strongly felt that there was somebody who is a person, someone very real and loving, who has authority and who is God. This someone spoke to me. I couldn't hear him with my ears or see him with my eyes; but I clearly heard when he said, "I am the Lord Jesus, I love you, I have come to change your life and forgive your sins. Give your life to me, and I will help you and guide you."

I know that this experience wasn't my imagination or feelings. I knelt down and prayed: "Dear Lord Jesus Christ, now I know that you are the living God. Come into my heart, forgive my sins and change my life." He did, and all things changed. I've got meaning in my life, forgiveness of sins, and a personal relationship with God. He is the reason my wife and I are now working with people, helping them to see the real truth, God's truth.

RUTH: Before we finish today, let's practice some of the sentences we've used. We started with lists. I asked Bela to give me a list of the fruit mentioned in our drama. I'll say it first, then why don't you 'say it again' with Bela after me? 'Apples, oranges, pears and bananas.'

BELA: 'Apples, oranges, pears and bananas.'

RUTH: There was another list of green salad items. Let me say that list first and then you can repeat it after me with Bela. 'Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions and peppers.'

BELA: 'Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions and peppers.'

RUTH: Good! We talked about 'how much'. How much I would need to buy of something. In our sentence, it was roast pork. I'll say that sentence again. You repeat it afterwards with Bela. 'I'd like a quarter of a pound of roast pork, please.'

BELA: 'I'd like a quarter of a pound of roast pork, please.'

RUTH: The last phrases we practised earlier were 'let's go to the market for some rice' and 'let's go to the market for some meat'. There isn't time today to practice anymore, but we'll continue to practice these 'non-countable' nouns next time. Please join us then. Goodbye from Bela and me.

BOTH: Goodbye.