Key tips:

1. English has no soft-hard consonant distinction as Russian does
2. English consonants before /i/ & /ɪ/ do not become soft as they would in Russian. The English word "beat" is not like бит but more like бъит.
   

Russian has a lot of palatalized sounds, especially before the vowels /i/ and /ɪ/, so that words like бит sounds like byit. We don’t do this in English, so let’s work on not doing this.

Exercises

Word lists

Labial /p, b, m, f, v/

/ɪ/: bit, pity, habit, habitual, orbit, permit, admit, omission, fitting, victory

/i/: Vietnamese, maybe, meet, bean, Peter, appear, me, mean, cabby, happy, ravine, fear, coffee

Coronal /t, d, s, z, ʧ, ʃ, θ, ð, n, r, l/

/ɪ/: sit, think, link, limp, dim, dig, tip, elicit, relic, little

/i/: Any, anything, actually, city, need, near, Chinese, Japanese, believe, leave, actually, seen, read, team, teenager, sheet, cheat, neat, elite, antique, redeem, many

Dorsal /k, g/

/ɪ/: kip, skit, git, kill, giddy, giggle, gift, gilded, kitchen, kit

/i/: Keen, gear, keep, Portuguese, key, keel

Phrases

I’ll read it, near me, be happy, Vietnamese coffee, fear me, keep clean, meet me here, keep fit, leave it be, dimly lit, seeing is believing

Sentences

1. Can you believe what he did?

2. You won’t believe it but I finished already

3. Did Steve see the meme about the cats fearing pickles?

4. Meet me in the street and redeem your honor.

5. Anything and everything Tim says can be evidence and can be pitted against him

6. Ski a bit too quickly and you might speed into a ravine or off a cliff

7. Pete’s keen to eat lean meat because he wants to keep fit and trim down

8. New York is filled with mean cabbies especially when you don’t tip

9. I actually see what you mean even if it’s a bit complicated

10. Your parking permit is expired so don’t let me see you park here again

"Innovations in Meat Processing: Maximizing Quality and Efficiency"

Meat processing is a complex industry that requires expertise in many areas. From animal husbandry to product development, every step of the process is critical to ensuring high-quality, safe, and nutritious meat products. One area of particular focus is the use of innovative technology to improve efficiency and consistency in meat processing.

One example of this is the use of automated cutting machines, which allow for precise cuts of meat to be made quickly and accurately. These machines use advanced imaging and cutting technologies to identify the ideal cutting points for each piece of meat, resulting in more uniform cuts and higher yields.

In addition to cutting technology, there are also many innovations in the area of meat preservation. For example, vacuum packaging has become a popular method of preserving meat because it removes air and seals in freshness. This method is especially effective for high-quality cuts of meat, which can be more delicate and prone to spoilage.

But perhaps the most important aspect of meat processing is quality control. Every step of the process, from animal welfare to packaging, must be carefully monitored to ensure that the meat is safe and nutritious. This includes testing for common pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella, as well as monitoring for any signs of spoilage or contamination.

In recent years, there has also been a growing interest in plant-based alternatives to meat products. While these products do not contain meat, they often use technologies similar to those used in meat processing to create products that mimic the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of meat. These innovations are helping to meet the growing demand for plant-based products, which are often seen as healthier and more sustainable.

Overall, the meat processing industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies and innovations emerging all the time. By staying on the cutting edge of these developments, companies can maximize efficiency and quality, while also meeting the changing needs and preferences of consumers.

Another set of words that may pose a problem are these words that have a hidden /j/ sound, similar to having a soft consonant in Russian but it also might NOT be soft. In my experience, Russian speakers tend to make this too palatalized, where in reality it does not need to be so. Listen to how I pronounce these words and try to reduce the amount of palatalization although it might be more palatalized than other consonants. Remember, although English consonants can be palatalized, they don't need to be, so most of the time they are not, especially not to the extent of Russian soft consonants so if you in general reduce your palatalization, you'll sound more native.

Exercises

Words with a hidden j

popular, pew, population, computer, pewter,

beautiful, imbue, bureau, bureaucracy, bugle

future, fury, feud, few, refuse,

view,

music, muse, immune, municipal,

Cue, cute, cuticle, cure,

communicate, mute, cute, music, popular, accurate, acumen, immune, mutate, reputation, particularly, meticulous, ocular, secular, monument, value, evaluate, attribute, contribute

fewest, fuel, cubic, bureau, future, fume, humorous, feudalist, puberty, puny, vacuum, pewter, cupid, pupil, curious, pure

Words WITHOUT /j/

Traditionally, the following pairs of words were pronounced differently, but in modern English varieties they are pronounced the same, without the /j/. However, the Russian education system still teaches the highly traditional (older) English pronunciation, which is an indicator of non-nativeness due to its outdatedness

The following are homophonous in most dialects of English

Threw / through (/ˈθruː/)

brood/brewed (/ˈbruːd/)

rood/rude/rued (/ˈruːd/)

droop/drupe (/ˈdruːp/)

lieu/loo/Lou (/ˈluː/)

lune/loon (/ˈluːn/)

slue/slew/slough (/sluː/)

flew/flue/flu (/ˈfluː/)

gloom/glume (/ˈɡluːm/)

choose/chews (/ˈtʃuːz/)

chute/shoot (/ˈʃuːt/)

The following are homophones in General American English but not in Standard British English

dew/due/do (/ˈduː/)

undue/undo (/ʌn.ˈdu/)

tune/toon (/ˈtuːn/)

knew/gnu/new/[nu] (/ˈnuː/)

lute/loot (/ˈluːt/)

The Beauty of Mutating Popular Music

In today's computer-driven world, the population is imbued with technology, and beautiful music can be heard with just a click of a button. However, behind the scenes, there is a bureaucratic bugle that plays in the background. The future of music is often the subject of fury and feud, with few willing to refuse the popular view.

But let's take a closer look at the music industry and how it communicates with the masses. The music business is a bureau of accurate acumen, where reputation and nutrition are particularly important. The meticulous evaluation of an artist's attribute is crucial in contributing to the industry's reputation.

However, as with anything popular, there is always a mutation waiting to happen. The music industry is no different. With the rise of technology and computer-generated sounds, the future of music is constantly evolving. The fewest in the industry are fuelled by the cubic euphoria of creating something new and innovative.

But with every mutation comes a risk of fuming feuds between those who want to stick to the old and those who embrace the new. The beauty of music is that it can create humor and joy, but it can also create fury and feuding. However, with the right attitude and a bit of jujitsu, one can turn a feud into a humorous moment.

In the end, the music industry is like a mutation of a beautiful sculpture made of pewter. It takes time to mold, and the end result may not be what was initially expected. But through communication and the ability to adapt and mutate, the industry can remain immune to any changes in the secular world.

So, let the music play on, and let us enjoy the beauty of mutating popular music. Whether it's a cute melody or a uniting anthem, it's all human and a reflection of our humor and huge hearts. And as we look to the future, let's remember the beauty of a simple cue, a cuticle of a note, and the power to cure our souls.