The following text (London riots in August 2011) contains 20 past participles which end in 'ed'. These are often difficult to pronounce. There are three sounds to look out for - you may wish to think about which of the three sounds you will hear before you click on the flags!
"The scenario that
played out in London during August of 2011
shocked everyone - it was completely
unexpected. A man was
killed in a confrontation with the police and this
sparked off a whole series of ugly scenes in the capital. No matter that windows were
boarded over and their doors
locked and
bolted - looters still
ransacked many shops and stores.
It was
regarded as a complete breakdown of law and order and it is
expected that many questions will be
asked in Parliament about how the situation was
allowed to escalate so quickly.
Many people were
troubled by what
appeared to be a very weak response from the authorities. The riots
multiplied across the country into many other major cities. One local person
complained that "The politicians
reduced our youth project by 75%. We
used to work with gangs and
organised a workshop that brought police and young people together. This has now
stopped."