English Podcasts

The Restaurant - Episode 2 - The Menu
Menus in eateries can be confusing.

Not only is the vocabulary of the foods varied, but the way they are cooked can be confusing even to English native speakers.

Listen to Sue and Chris as they decide what they are going to eat and drink in the restaurant.

One of the most difficult aspects in learning and using English in a social setting is eating and drinking in the restaurant, which is obviously vital for survival, but in a business context is a hugely important part of relationship building with clients, colleagues and suppliers.

The main difficulties arise from the vocabulary used to describe foods and drinks and the way that they are prepared, but an additional issue is the background noise that is often present in eateries and places where people go to eat and drink.

There is also the fact that the conversation can change from subject to subject very quickly, so as a learner you need to be constantly on your toes - and hopefully enjoy the experience.

In this series on The Restaurant, you will learn some useful ways of asking questions, describing foods, tastes and drinks as well as a host of vocabulary and real English to talk about food and drink.

Series 1 starts with two people meeting in a restaurant for dinner, they then go into the restaurant to take their place at the table they reserved only to find a disagreeable surprise.

The following section takes us to discussing the food and drink on a typical menu in a British Gastro pub, where food is served to clients, known as diners.

The two diners are greeted by a less than friendly and pretty unprofessional waitress, who tends to their needs from their entrance into the restaurant until the point where they pay their bill.

Along the way they battle their way through some of the, often ambiguous descriptions on the menu to a few surprises with the food that they order.

There are some simple quizzes that you can take at the end of each podcast to check your understanding - if you like these then please sign up for premium membership where you will find over 120 hours of stimulating activities for each podcast series on this site.





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The Restaurant Episode 1 - Meeting for Dinner
Sue and Chris meet for dinner at a restaurant in England, as usual, Sue is late.

The Restaurant Episode 1 - Meeting for Dinner deals with meeting and greetings, arriving at a restaurant, checking a booking and finding a table.

One of the most difficult aspects in learning and using English in a social setting is eating and drinking in the restaurant, which is obviously vital for survival, but in a business context is a hugely important part of relationship building with clients, colleagues and suppliers.

The main difficulties arise from the vocabulary used to describe foods and drinks and the way that they are prepared, but an additional issue is the background noise that is often present in eateries and places where people go to eat and drink.

There is also the fact that the conversation can change from subject to subject very quickly, so as a learner you need to be constantly on your toes - and hopefully enjoy the experience.

In this series on The Restaurant, you will learn some useful ways of asking questions, describing foods, tastes and drinks as well as a host of vocabulary and real English to talk about food and drink.

Series 1 starts with two people meeting in a restaurant for dinner, they then go into the restaurant to take their place at the table they reserved only to find a disagreeable surprise.

The following section takes us to discussing the food and drink on a typical menu in a British Gastro pub, where food is served to clients, known as diners.

The two diners are greeted by a less than friendly and pretty unprofessional waitress, who tends to their needs from their entrance into the restaurant until the point where they pay their bill.

Along the way they battle their way through some of the, often ambiguous descriptions on the menu to a few surprises with the food that they order.

There are some simple quizzes that you can take at the end of each podcast to check your understanding.





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What Makes a Good Podcast
Are you tired of scrolling through endless podcast menus, desperately searching for that one perfect audio gem that will tickle your eardrums and ignite your imagination?

Well, fear not, because we've got you covered! Join us as we embark on a sonic adventure through the the world of podcasts on What Makes a Good Podcast as I ask Sue, an avid podcast listener, what she looks for in a podcast.

Have you ever wondered how to choose the perfect podcast for your daily commute, workout session, or cozy evening by the fire?

Is it the gripping content, the charismatic host, or perhaps the snazzy theme music that draws you in?

We're here to explore the mysteries of podcast attraction and reveal the secrets that lie beneath the earbuds, from captivating storytelling to infectious laughter and everything in between, we'll delve into the podcast universe to unearth the elements that make your ears tingle with delight.

Join us at English-Podcasts to talk about What Makes a Good Podcast, we will also give some tips on podcasts to subscribe to that you'll want to share and listen to.

Stay tuned, subscribe, and let's embark on this auditory journey together.

After all, in the world of podcasts, the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination!

So, hit that play button, and let's get ready to find out what makes a good podcast.

Oh, and while you are here, please subscribe to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

We're back from our summer trips and raring to go ! This means that we have lots of new ideas and plans to help improve your English and motivate your learning.

In this podcast we tell you about where we went in the summer and outline our new, exciting plans for the coming months.

Come with us as you embark on an extraordinary language learning adventure and unlock the fascinating world that awaits you!

Our blog is your ultimate companion, offering invaluable insights and expert guidance to conquer the challenges that come with mastering a new language.

Delve into a myriad of captivating topics, ranging from unraveling the intricacies of English listening skills to immersing yourself in vibrant cultures from around the globe.

Immerse yourself in our latest posts, where you'll uncover the secrets to deciphering complex language patterns, explore the transformative power of innovative startups, tantalize your taste buds with mouthwatering North Indian cuisine, and unravel the enchanting origins behind beloved Christmas traditions.

Join us on this exhilarating journey and allow us to empower you to soar to unprecedented heights in your language learning endeavors!

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That was was what we did now we are back and we have plans to bring you even better content to help you with your language learning and here are just some of the ideas that we have for you :



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Following the series of podcasts about Australia, this one is devoted to the best holiday things to do and to expect.
Is Australia on your bucket list ?
Over 5 million people visit Australia every year. It's certainly a long way from everywhere, but is it worth making the effort to fly for hours to get there?
This podcast will outline the recommendations and some of the things to avoid.
Get into the mood with this quiz of general knowledge questions (questions 1-10), and then after listening check your comprehension with questions 11 to 20.




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Australia Holiday Podcast Quiz
This quiz comprises of 10 general knowledge questions and 10 podcast comprehension questions.

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Recently a marketing company carried out a survey to find out which city people perceived as being the best in the world..... and Sydney came out on top !
While on holiday there Sue caught up with Laura, who's been living there for the past three and a half years, to see if the city really does live up to the hype.
Listen as they talk about the glorious weather, the job opportunities, the people, the food and the cost of living.
 
Sue also mentions a popular Australian TV show called Bondi Rescue, so if you want to hear some real Aussie accents click here.

Desert Island Discs is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942.

Each week a guest, called a "castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings, a book and a luxury item that they would take if they were to be cast away on a desert island, whilst discussing their life and the reasons for their choices.

Here, it's Chris' turn to talk about his eight favourite tracks and what they mean to him, so there is a lot of reminiscing about the past and fond memories evoked by music.

Desert Island Discs is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942.

Each week a guest, called a "castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings, a book and a luxury item that they would take if they were to be cast away on a desert island, whilst discussing their life and the reasons for their choices.

Here, Susan talks about her eight favourite tracks and what they mean to her, so there is a lot of reminiscing about the past and fond memories evoked by music.

Who invented the umbrella?
Why is the Mona Lisa so famous and why was Pol Pot in Cambodia?
Why do people love quizzes?
How many flies does it take to fall off a horse and what does Albert Einstein have in common with Justin Bieber?
These questions and many more are probed as to how they were invented, why they became so popular or why they can be thought provoking.
Why do people love quizzes?
It's a tough question but one that we'll take on in this podcast.
If you've spent any time in the UK, you've no doubt noticed that the Brits are a nation that loves to test themselves.
Say what you want about them, but they love a little competition and as for the rest of you, well…we love to make fun at how terrible you are at organizing your lives (I'm looking at you, Americans!).
Not only do quizzes make a lot of people's Facebook feeds a little less bland, but these tiny bits of entertainment also serve an essential purpose: Nobody ever finished a Buzzfeed or Snapchat quiz without recalling some old memory from their life just to answer the question at the end.
Test your own memory with this quiz!
Quizzes are commonly categorized as being a fun activity to participate in, but why have they become so popular?
Does this mean that people only take quizzes to test their knowledge and have nothing else to do in the time they use them?
Why aren't people learning facts in other ways?
Is it purely for entertainment, or is there more beyond the internal appeal of taking a quiz?

Whatever your view of guns, this podcast will fascinate you.

Sue, as a European, listens in amazement to Cindy as she describes her everyday life living with guns in the USA. 

Cindy recounts why she needs to own a gun, how she practices and how the constitution allows American citizens to carry an arm (and shoot) for their own protection.

As a language learner, listen out for Cindy's southern American accent and American English vocabulary such as "purse", "pants" and "packing".

Try to answer these questions:

* What do the background checks consist of?
* How many guns does Cindy own?
* Where does she keep her gun?
* Where do many women keep their gun?
* How (and when) does she practice shooting?
* Why does she feel the need to have a gun with her?
* What is "Open" and "Conceal" carry?
* What does Cindy say about bullets?
* What does she say about a recent hold up in her local supermarket?
* What does she say about Shoot Unseen ?
* What does Cindy explain about the American constitution?

In this podcast, the team at english-podcasts has no intention to pass any opinion, bias or judgement on the subject, and we thank Cindy for her personal account of gun use and general attitudes. 

 

 

You must have noticed it..... Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her 70 year reign this week, yes her Platinum Jubilee!

The celebrations are taking place all over the globe from New Zealand to Canada, from South Africa to India. And don't forget Australia !

We have a very good quiz with lots of fun facts for you to enjoy which is also designed to help you build great vocabulary, but in this podcast Sue puts Chris on the spot with some more unusual questions.

Before listening, take a look at these questions and prepare your answers ( or maybe your best guesses !!!!). Can you do better than Chris ?

* When was the Queen born?
* What is the building where the Queen was born used for now?
* What does the Queen use as her morning alarm?
* What is her favorite breed of dog?
* What was the name of her first dog (that made us laugh !!)
* Where did the Queen go to school?
* What was the family relationship between the Queen and her late husband?
* How many UK residents have never known another monarch?
* How does the Queen use her handbag to communicate a message to her staff?

You'll also hear how Chris has meet the Queen on 3 occasions, his impressions, and Sue and Chris" views about Her Majesty. 

Lots and lots of vocabulary to learn and comprehension to test you.

Here are some photos of the day's events.

 

     

The conversation took place over Zoom, so sometimes the sound is unstable.

 

 

 

 

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As a langage learner do you try to read books?

Sure you do. They are a very good way to build vocabulary and review sentence structure. 

But which ones are the best?  Good question !

Take a listen to this podcast to get some tips.

What's the worst thing you've ever eaten ? Snails ? Eels ? Sheep's brains ?

Listen as we discus the worst things we've eaten eaten. Do you agree with our choice? Do you think our choices are cultural or universal tastes?  

Why do you detest these foods? Is it the texture, the smell, the taste or just the idea?

To get in the mood here are the foods we discuss. Build your vocabulary by associating tastes, and adjectives to each choice. 

Snails

Frogs legs

Foie gras

Sheep's brains

Offal

Tongue

Beef cheeks

Haggis

Sheep's eyes

Pig's trotters

 

 

Are you spending more time in remote working these days? Are you using digital platforms to have meetings and language training?

It's pretty sure in 2022 that the answer to these questions is yes ! 

Have you heard of "non-verbal communication"?  This is what we refer to in every language as body language, eye contact, nodding, moving your body to say you agree or disagree with the speaker.

Have you found that these digital meetings have changed the dynamics of the "traditional" face to face meetings and lessons?

 Just think how you use your hands in digital meetings. How do you interrupt? What happens when more than one person speaks at the same time? Do you feel more or less comfortable in digital meetings?

Take a listen to this podcast in which Chris and Sue discuss their experiences and give tips on how to adapt our body language to suit the new way of communicating. 

 

 

Listen to Bastien talk about his bucket list with Chris.

Listen to more bucket list podcasts by searching the term 'bucket list' in the search bar.

Have you ever heard of the term, "Vanlife?" or rather the hashtag #Vanlife ?

It is a growing trend where people convert vans to a fully contained living area that enables them to travel and work virtually anywhere in the world whilst pursuing their dream of travel, discovery and adventure.

Listen to Chris telling Sue about a project that he has to buy and convert a van for a future tour that will include every European capital city, whilst working at distance, making cinematic travel videos, podcasts and a blog alongside the discovery of grassroots ecological projects throughout Europe that seek to protect the environment.

Have you ever sold anything online? In recent years it has become part of our everyday life. The internet is full of sites specializing in selling second-hand items from houses, to cars, to handbags, to children's toys.

Listen as Sue asks Chris about his experience.

Listen out for these key words and expressions. This podcast is bursting with everyday useful vocabulary.

Time wasters

Secure payment

Stuff

Conmen

You need your wits about you.

Do the benefits outweigh he pitfalls?

To knock someone down  - to knock a bit off

To be above board

To be messed about.

To be in awe of someone

To be on your guard

 

Ahead of the Climate crisis meeting with world leaders, COP26 in Glasgow in October 2021, Chris talks to Renu, who lives in India, about how India is going green.

Air pollution in India is a serious health issue, of the 30 most polluted cities in the world, 21 were in India in 2019, but are things getting better?

The Indian government has pledged to eliminate all single use plastics by 2022 - they have one year to go - but just how are they doing?

India generates 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste every day - that sounds a lot, right? But, just what does that figure mean?

It is the weight of 9,000 Asian elephants - every day!

88 Boeing 747 jets - every day!

Of this 10,746 tonnes is uncollected plastic waste and 66% of this waste is generated by 60 cities and 50% of this waste comes from 5 cities :Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi.

This all sounds alarming, and it is, but India is the 15th biggest polluter in the world

In this podcast you can hear our enthusiasm for bikes !

We look briefly at some milestones in the evolution of bicycles  from the first wooden bike in 1790 and then we focus on the new trend of electric bikes.

Listen out for these expressions and words:

Sue says she is "blown away" by the new technology

Chris and Sue talk about the Penny Farthing, The Bone Shaker bike and the Rover Safety Bike.

Chris talks about the "incline".

Are electric bikes considered as cheating ? Do they bring back the pleasure of cycling ? Listen to what Chris says about his experience.

This conversation was sparked by this clip on YouTube about iconic bikes, take a look!

If you want to know more about bike technical improvement, take a look at this clip.

 

 

 

Listen to Chris and Renu talking about Renu's project, empowering women in India.

Renu was born in UK and practiced as a UK Lawyer for 10 years. She qualified with an MSc in Ayurveda in 2006 from London and has been an Ayurveda Practitioner and Teacher since then. Renu offers Ayurveda wellness consultations and classes online.

Renu is a writer, blogger and podcaster covering both Ayurveda, Yoga, Wellness and other areas of social interest.

She is the founder and visionary of a sustainability and womens empowerment initiative ‘Stree’ in Rishikesh at the foothills of the Himalayas. Stree has a store in Rishikesh which holds ethically made products from garments to bags to home use products

To receive Ayurveda Consultations and Classes or to purchase Stree products please vist www.streewellness.com

Did you know that Shakespeare coined* over 1000 words, many of which we still use today and some of them we use everyday!

But WHY did he invent so many words ? This is a good question. He didn't it simply to fit in with the rhythm of his text, he needed words with the right number of syllables to fit in with the meter rhythm of the line.

Indeed many of the words that Shakespeare coined came from adding suffixes and prefixes such as -ful, -able - fied. For example, laugh and able,  un and dress, care and less. So if you find English adjectives confusing you know who to blame !

Sometimes he put 2 words together, for example bed and room. Thank you Shakespeare for that one! Plus, birth and place, farm and house.

In this podcast, Sue asks Chris to explain 10 Shakespearian inventions and then he "turns the tables" on her... you can thank Shakespeare for that one too !!!

Listen out for these words and expressions:

It's Greek to me

To be tongue tied

fair play / foul play

A fool's paradise

A hard day's night

A green eyed monster

Laughable

An eyesore

What the Dickens !

To puke

* to coin means to invent a new word or expression

Ayurveda the science of life is an medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent.

Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population report using it.

Ayurveda therapies have varied and evolved over more than two millennia.

Therapies include medicines, special diets, meditation, yoga, massage, laxatives, enemas, and medical oils.

Medicines are typically based on complex herbal compounds, minerals, and metal substances (perhaps under the influence of early Indian alchemy or rasa shastra).

Ancient Ayurveda texts also taught surgical techniques, including rhinoplasty, kidney stone extractions, sutures, and the extraction of foreign objects.

The main classical Ayurveda texts begin with accounts of the transmission of medical knowledge from the gods to sages, and then to human physicians.

In Sushruta Samhita (Sushruta's Compendium), Sushruta wrote that Dhanvantari, Hindu god of Ayurveda, incarnated himself as a king of Varanasi and taught medicine to a group of physicians, including Sushruta.

 Ayurveda has been adapted for Western consumption, notably by Baba Hari Dass in the 1970s and Maharishi Ayurveda in the 1980s.

Some scholars assert that Ayurveda originated in prehistoric times, and that some of the concepts of Ayurveda have existed from the time of the Indus Valley Civilization or even earlier.

Ayurveda developed significantly during the Vedic period and later some of the non-Vedic systems such as Buddhism and Jainism also developed medical concepts and practices that appear in the classical Ayurveda texts.

In Ayurveda texts, Doṣa balance is emphasized, and suppressing natural urges is considered unhealthy and claimed to lead to illness.

Ayurveda treatises describe three elemental doṣas viz. vāta, pitta and kapha, and state that balance (Skt. sāmyatva) of the doṣas results in health, while imbalance (viṣamatva) results in disease. Ayurveda treatises divide medicine into eight canonical components.

Ayurveda practitioners had developed various medicinal preparations and surgical procedures from at least the beginning of the common era.

Listen to Renu, an Ayurveda practioner in north India talk about Ayurveda.

Did you watch the Euros 2020? Are you a football fan? What did you think about the backlash against the losing finalists, England, and in particular the 3 players who missed the crucial penalties?

In this podcast Sue caught up with Dave, a West Ham supporter, who gives his opinion about the football and the harsh criticism that the players received, and also Victoria who runs an equality blog on Instagram, Feminists of Reading.

As a langage learner tune your ear to Dave's London accent. Also listen out for these expressions that he uses:

The boozer

Name and Shame

A bloodbath

The bandwagon

The fans are thick (Sue replies that he has probably "put his finger on it")

One of the people in the background says "I couldn't agree more". What does this mean? Does the person agree or disagree?

* If there are other expressions or language points that you need help with, please post your questions in the Comments section and we'll answer you with a full explanation.

This is a podcast for language learners and although the english-podcast team support anti-racism,  the views of Dave and Victoria are entirely their own. 

The podcast was recorded by Zoom so the sound is unstable at times.

 

 

 

Listen to this interview of Renu, an Indian living in North India about North Indian Food.

Do you like spicy food or is it too hot for you?

Do you know what millet is?

What do you think an Indian person living in India would eat as their ideal food?

Chocolate is one of the most popular food types and flavors in the world, and many foodstuffs involving chocolate exist, particularly desserts, including cakes, pudding, mousse, chocolate brownies, and chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate bars, either made of solid chocolate or other ingredients coated in chocolate, are eaten as snacks all over the world.

Gifts of chocolate molded into different shapes (such as eggs, hearts, coins) are traditional on certain Western holidays, including Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, and Hanukkah.

Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, such as chocolate milk and hot chocolate, and in some alcoholic drinks, such as creme de cacao or chocolate stout.

Although cocoa originated in the Americas, West African countries, particularly Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, are the leading producers of cocoa in the 21st century, accounting for some 60% of the world cocoa supply.

But how much do you know about chocolate, on this, world Chocolate day? Listen to some of the trivia facts and answers in this podcast to check your knowledge.

Living in a country as an expat is always an interesting experience. 

Listen to Chris and his guest Renu talk about their life living in France and India.

As a language learner listen out for what they say about these aspects:

Having dual nationality

Visa requirements to visit the UK as a British nationality  

Buying property as a non national. Listen out for the term "Overseas Citizen of India".

Healthcare rights. Listen out for the expression "you''re on your own".

Retirement rights

Voting

Marriage and divorce

Languages 

Then listen out more carefully for these expressions:

Renu says "you have to jump through lots of hurdles". What does she mean? Why  does she say this?

She talks about a loop hole. What is this ?

Renu says that her two countries are "oceans apart". What does this image imply?

Chris says that something about France used "to get on his nerves" and he "couldn't handle it". What was he talking about?

 

 

 

A few days in New York.

Have you ever been to New York ? Is it on your list of things to do ? Do you like big cites ? Do you live in the USA? What do you think of tourists to your country?

Listen to this podcast in which Laura, a French-British young women talks to Sue about her holiday, or vacation as they say in American English.

If you are learning English listen very carefully to how Laura talks about her trip. She is half way through her holiday so notice how she describes actions/events in the past and then actions/events in the recent past and then actions/ events in the future. This podcast is a great way to see all these grammatical structures.

Notice the use of the Simple Past tense to indicate something that Laura did in the past. 

I booked the hotel on line. I bought a Tourist pass before I came 

Sue asks Laura; How did you cope with the jet leg when you arrived?

Notice the use of the Present Perfect tense which Laura uses to describe something she has done recently, within the last few days but without mentioning the exact day.

I have been to see the Statue of Liberty. I've done so many things.  I have taken a cab. I've been to wrong places. I have been to Five Guys. I've spoken to quite a few people from new York. 

Notice the use of the Present Continuous tense to describe a current situation.

Sue asks Laura: How are you getting around ? 

People in the street are all carrying a cup of soda or coffee.

Notice the use of the future tenses.

Sue asks Laura: What are you doing after this diner? When are you heading back ?

I'm going to visit Brooklyn Bridge and the Highline later this afternoon.

 

 

To learn more vocabulary don't forget to do the New York Skyline Quiz... it's awesome !





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In this podcast Chris and Sue talk about a lockdown situation that took place in the 17th century in a village called Eyam which is located in north Derbyshire.

Back then the situation was very serious and the majority of the villagers lost their lives to the plague. Of course we are absolutely not living through a plague situation but some of the social distancing measures that the villagers undertook may seem familiar today.

What did you understand from the conversation?

Where is Eyam?

When was the outbreak of the plague?

How did it start ?

What did the villagers do?

Who encouraged them in to stay put and not leave the village?

How did the villagers get food?

How did they "sanitize" their money?

What other "social distancing measures" did they have ?

What were the symptoms of the plague?

What is the village like now ?

What numbers did you pick up ? What do they refer to?

Vocabulary check: listen out for these unfamiliar words :

fleas - cloth - boils - cysts - vicar - burials - grave digger - contagious disease - quirky - quaint - picturesque 

These pictures will help you to visualize the story.

Do you know what yoga is all about?

Yoga is an ancient and complex practice, rooted in Indian philosophy, which began as a spiritual practice but has become popular as a way of promoting physical and mental wellbeing.

Yoga typically emphasizes physical postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation (dyana). 

There are many different yoga styles, ranging from gentle practices to physically demanding ones.

Listen to this in-depth discussion with Renu an Ayuverda specialist based in Rishikesh in northern India on the basic tenets of Yoga.

 

 

Rishikesh has been a part of the legendary "Kedarkhand" -  Legends state that Lord Rama did penance here for killing Ravana, the asura king of Lanka; and Lakshmana, his younger brother, crossed the river Ganges, using two jute ropes at the point where the present 'Lakshman Jhula' stands today.

Dehra Dun said about Rishikesh, " A village or town beautifully situated on the right bank of the Ganges, on a high cliff overlooking the river. The place is developing very rapidly, especially since the construction of the new bridge over the Song river, the realignment of the pilgrim road from Raiwala to Rishikesh."

The Ganges, one of the most sacred rivers to Hindus, flows through Rishikesh. Here the river leaves the Shivalik Hills in the Himalayas and flows into the plains of northern India.

Several temples, ancient and new, are along the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh. Shatrughna Mandir, Bharat Mandir (Lord Vishnu's avatar), Lakshman Mandir are the ancient temples established by Adi Shankaracharya. Shatrughna Temple is near Ram Jhula and Lakshman Mandir is situated near Lakshman Jhula.

The historical records mention that some pilgrims used to stay at Rishikesh as a resting place before moving onwards to the higher mountains for the pilgrimage while a larger number used to visit Rishikesh as the original destination and visited various sites between Rishikesh and Lakshman Jhula before returning.

 However, Rishikesh has in recent decades shifted from a pilgrim to a tourist town. The International Yoga Festival introduced in 2000 has brought a new influx of tourists. Local markets have evolved from commercialising goods such as "local and religious handicrafts" to a more service-oriented tourist industry with "provision stores, cafes, hotels and yoga and meditation" as well as rafting

Listen to Chris talking to Renu, who has lived in Rishikesh for a number of years, about the town, the region and things of interest, but also of being an expat in India. In later podcasts we will be looking at being an expat in India and France, ayuverda and lots of information about India.

Football will be in the news for a month during the World Cup 2022.

Are you able to talk "footy"? Do you know the football jargon that we hear around us in the bars? Take the opportunity this month to go to bars and start up a conversation with other people about the football matches, it's a great way to improve your English!

In this podcast Sue puts Chris on the spot when she asks him to explain frequent football words and expressions. You'll hear that they're not big fans of football but they'll make the effort for language learning :) 

Give yourself a pat on the back when you understand what these words mean;

To kick off  / The coin toss  / 

A goalie / to save a goal / to mark a player

To score a hattrick

A foul / a tackle / to get booked / to be sent off/ to get a red card

A peno / a penalty shootout

To park the bus

Extra time vs Injury time

.... and the language of TV football commentators

It's a game of 2 halves

To put the game to bed

What a beauty !

They're on the back foot

He's bottled it

It's an open goal / It's an own goal

That's a blatant handball !

"Football's coming home" :)

 

Then test your memory with this Flash Quiz.



For those of you who want more, try this World Cup Football Quiz full of great vocabulary and amazing facts to entertain even the most football skeptic.

https://english-podcasts.com/the-curious-off-side-football-world-cup-quiz/

 

Listen to the podcast here.

 

The travel bet
The travel bet - which is quicker, public transport or the car?

have you ever wondered if you should give up your car journey in favour of using public transport?

Which is the cheapest way to travel?

Follow Chris and Sue as they bet on the quickest way to get from a city in Southern France to the capital, Paris.

Listen to the podcast, The travel bet first, then try the quiz.





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The travel bet


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We all know what a verb is, but what's a phrasal verb ?

Well, it's a verb with a particle, that can be a proposition or an adverb. For example, LOOK FOR, LOOK INTO, LOOK UP.

Phrasal verbs are everywhere in English, we use them hundreds of times a day but they are not always easy for learners to understand because the addition of the particle changes the meaning of the original verb completely.

Sometimes when the particle refers to a movement, the phrasal verb is easy to understand. For example, to look AROUND means to turn and look around you, but in many cases the addition of the particle can make no logical sense at all.

In this podcast we looked at the verb TAKE and added different particles to come up with many new words.

Before listening try this quiz to see how you do and then do the quiz again after listening to check your understanding. Not every verb will be useful to you so we recommend that you learn what's important and useful to you, but keep your ears open to other phrasal verbs you may hear in conversation. 

In this podcast we mention many other phrasal verbs with the preposition UP, you can go to the Grammar section to test your comprehension of our examples. 

There is no doubt that the successive lockdowns of 2020-21 have dramatically changed our daily lives on so many levels, and figures show that more people have experienced anxiety due to the social, financial and work restrictions that have been placed on us.

We took the opportunity to talk to Said, who is using his personal experience with overcoming a serious illness to pass the message about the benefits that a positive mindset can have on health outcomes.

So, we asked him to give his take on how our attitude can affect the way we have to deal with the difficulties of successive lockdowns and how we can avoid getting bogged down by the  hurdles that the pandemic has thrown at us.

While listening, listen out for these words:

to heal yourself / to cure yourself = to get better after an illness

your mindset = the way you think about problems and difficulties

"good and bad are two sides of the same coin"

"We create our own happiness"   /  "What makes you happy". Notice that "happiness" is the noun and that "happy" is the adjective.

The tough aspects of lockdown= the difficult aspects of lockdown

To be grateful  = to appreciate the good things that we have

 If you would like to know more about Said and his wellness journey click on this link to go to his YouTube channel Wanderer Footsteps. 

 

 

We are nearing the end of the season and it's hotting up between two great teams: Toulouse (our favourite) and La Rochelle.

Listen as you'll hear how both teams made it to the final and how they are also in excellent positions in the French Top 14 league.

Listen out for typical English expressions we use when talking about sport. Give yourself a pat on the back when you hear them !!

How do you account for the zero?  How do you explain the zero ?

To weigh up the opponents. Toulouse often starts slowly because they weigh up the opponents, they try to suss them out, they try to figure them out.

To be over the hill.     Is Max Médard too old?

Cheslin Kolbe is a game changer, he has a huge impact on the game.

However, he did look a bit winded at times, he looked out of breath following a hard tackle.

Who would you put money on ? Who do you think will win?

On paper Toulouse look stronger, in theory they look the better team.

Toulouse have their eye firmly on the European Cup, it is their main objective.

In the final no team will run away with it, it will be a very close match.

Learning tip: practice your number skills by making a note of all the scores Chris mentions, it's pretty fast, just like the game !

So who do you think will win ? Toulouse or La Rochelle. In the comments below let us know and why, we would love to know your opinion.

 

 

 

Historically, the term electronic mail was used generically for any electronic document transmission. For example, several writers in the early 1970s used the term to refer to fax document transmission.

As a result, it is difficult to find the first citation for the use of the term with the more specific meaning it has today.

Electronic mail has been most commonly called email or e-mail since around 1993, but variations of the spelling have been used:

Computer-based mail and messaging became possible with the advent of time-sharing computers in the early 1960s, and informal methods of using shared files to pass messages were soon expanded into the first mail systems.

Most developers of early mainframes and minicomputers developed similar, but generally incompatible, mail applications. Over time, a complex web of gateways and routing systems linked many of them.

Many US universities were part of the ARPANET, created in the late 1960s. 

In 1971 the first ARPANET network email was sent, introducing the now-familiar address syntax with the '@' symbol designating the user's system address.

The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) protocol was introduced in 1981.

The problem with email is that we all use it, but sometimes we do not use it as effectively as we could or should.

In this podcast we respond to questions written by our listeners as we talk about some ways to improve your email writing and usage.

If you have things that you would like us to address in a podcast, please either wend them in the comments, the contact form or the request for on the front page.

 

 

The workplace is a very demanding, quick-paced and increasingly uncertain place in which we operate on a day-to-day basis, but does it always have to be a stressful place?.

Pressure to meet deadlines, deliverables and working with difficult people, among other factors, puts modern employees under unreasonable amounts of stress.

In fact, being constantly stressed out is so universal that many people have accepted it as unpleasant, but a way of life - it has become the norm.

While a certain amount of stress is acceptable and can actually be beneficial for you—keeping you alert and focused, helping you cope well with challenges—beyond a certain acceptable limit, stress is nothing but bad for you, if it is not channelled and managed.

Not only does it affect your mental stability but also your health, relationships, productivity at work, and overall quality of life.

People are different, so we all react differently to the same set of circumstances; something that one person may find stressful, another may regard as only mildly challenging or even normal.

How you tolerate and respond to stress depends not only on the particularities of your situation but also on what type of person you are; your natural inclinations, beliefs and behaviors.

In this podcast we look at some of the ways that workplace stress impacts people and we look at :

* Stress trends in the 21st century
* What stress looks like in the workplace
* The effects of stress
* The cost of stress
* Is your workplace causing you stress?

The lockdown is now being partially lifted in many countries and we are all adapting to the "new normal". It's not only office based jobs that have had to adapt to home working but also jobs which are traditionally more "people" based. It seems that overnight there has been a major attitude shift as a huge quantity of work tasks have been transferred on-line. But how easy is it to re-organise the working day to these new  Covid-19 conditions? Is working from home a dream or a nightmare for you ?

Listen to these 5 people talk about the ups and downs of home/remote working.

Stephen has had to adapt his car showroom to new Covid-19 guidelines. What does he say about the new regulations regarding test driving a prestige car ? 

Anne is a lawyer, who is conducting her legal work on-line. What does she say about assessing the body language of witnesses in a trial?

Philippe as a doctor is doing consultations on the phone. What does he say about his patients' attitude to remote consultations? 

Victoria as a primary school teacher is having to find creative ways to engage her young students. What does she mean when she says her experience has been a "mixed bag"?

Cyann as a high school student is not a huge fan of on-line lessons. What reasons does she give ?

Before you listen take a look at some of these points that several business studies have identified as the biggest struggle people have with remote working. What is your experience?

Unplugging after work

Loneliness

Communication with colleagues

Distractions at home

Being in a different timezone to colleagues

Staying motivated

Finding reliable wi-fi

Do you have other reasons ?

Stress Awareness Month happens each April. It’s important to learn some strategies for coping with this particular  issue. Stress awareness Month, which always happens in April, has now been going for 19 years and things just don’t appear to be getting better.
Stress can be debilitating, and it can cause and/or aggravate health problems.
Stress is a normal part of human existence — nobody is immune to it — it’s important to arm ourselves with knowledge so that we recognise when stress rears its ugly head. (Amazingly, we don’t always notice it’s happening to us.)

In this series of podcasts we will be looking at various themes concerning stress :

* The statistics of stress
* Workplace stress
* Signs of a stressful workplace
* Stress and Covid 19
* Managing & coping strategies to combat stress
* Measure your workplace stress
* Evaluate your stress levels.

STRESS AWARENESS MONTH IS IMPORTANT

* It reminds us to pay attention to our health - According to the official website, "Stress Awareness Month is a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society."
* It's going strong - Stress Awareness Month has been an ongoing campaign of awareness and education since 1992 - 19 years already.
* Because we're all feeling it - A recent survey found that about two-thirds of workers report engaging in behavior such as drinking or crying regularly in order to deal with stress.







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In this series we are going to be looking at ways that we can enhance and improve our learning and perhaps crushing some of the myths about learning techniques that we learnt in school.

Every day we meet people with different techniques for learning vocabulary, but most of them revolve around some pretty shaky ideas, those being 'if you write stuff down, you've learnt it.'

If only things were that simple ...

This rarely works, due mainly to the fact that some important steps have been missed out - those being, actively learning the vocabulary and then actively using it.

Let's put this in prallel with sport, to illustrate the idea.

Imagine that you are a huge cycling fan and you love the Tour de France and you would like to experience the grueling (look that one up if you like) hardships of a day riding in the mountains of the Tour de France.

So, you get all the magazines about the Tour and mountain cycling, you have the maps and you have read all the technical stuff on hydration and nutrition during a massive climb in the Pyrenees mountains in the south of France.

You have even chosen your mountain, Le Col du Tourmalet - wow! that's a big one, and have bought a fabulously expensive 'S-Works' bicycle for the climb. 

You've seen the videos and read all the information, but that's as far as you go - THAT is how a lot of people learn - they don't go the final mile of training before getting on the bike after weeks of muscle and stamina building. They don't prepare for the day that they will be climbing Tourmalet on their bike.

OK, they know all about Tourmalet, Le Tour de France and mountaing cycling - but they have no guarantee of ever being able to achieve the ascent of a mountain on their bicycle.

Listen to the podcast, N°1 in a series, to get some ideas to improve your learning.



 

European Champions Cup Rugby Last 16 qualifiers

No Top14 Rugby this weekend and the 6 Nations has finished, but the Champions Cup rugby continues for the next two weeks - this week the last 16 clubs fight for their places in the 1/4 finals, which will be played on the following weekend.

The matches this weekend feature the following;

Leinster v Toulon

Gloucester v La Rochelle

Wasps v Clermont

Munster v Stade Toulousain

Exeter Chiefs v Lyon

Racing 92 v Edinburgh

Union Bordeaux Bèbles v Bristol Bears

Llanelli Scarlets v Sale Sharks

Some great matches to be played - try and predict the scoresor the winners & losers before listening to the podcast to see how good your general knowledge of rugby is.

 

Staying focused, motivated and driven can be tricky, especially when you have a busy working and/or family life to deal with.
Check out this podcast to find 10 golden rules for staying motivated learning English.

When we start learning something new, it can be a novel experience at the start and we want to put a lot of effort into our learning, but as time goes on, we can start to flag and at times we just cannot get the motivation to continue learning.

This is especially true if we don't have a clear plan for our learning or if we can't see our progress moving along as fast as we would have expected.

Try some of these golden rules.

How many are you using now?

How many come as a surprise to you?

Will you try and use some of them?



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A one-hit wonder is any group or solo singer that achieves mainstream popularity, often for only one piece of work, and becomes known among the general public solely for that momentary success.

The term is most commonly used in regard to music performerswith only one hit single that overshadows their other work.

Sometimes, artists dubbed "one-hit wonders" in a particular country have had great success in other countries.

Music artists with subsequent popular albums and hit listings are typically not considered a one-hit wonder.

One-hit wonders usually see their popularity decreasing after their hit listing and most often don't return to hit listings with other songs or albums.

In this podcast, Chris turns the tables on Sue and asks her a question - listen out for it.



 

Daylight saving time (DST), also daylight savings time or daylight time (the United States and Canada) and British summer time (United Kingdom), is the practice of advancing clocks (typically by one hour) during warmer months so that darkness falls at a later clock time.

The typical implementation of DST is to set clocks forward by one hour in the spring ("spring forward") and set clocks back by one hour in autumn ("fall back") to return to standard time. As a result, there is one 23-hour day in late winter or early spring and one 25-hour day in the autumn.

George Hudson proposed the idea of daylight saving in 1895.

Many countries have used it at various times since then, particularly since the 1970s energy crisis.

DST is generally not observed near the equator, where sunrise and sunset times do not vary enough to justify it.

Some countries observe it only in some regions and only a minority of the world's population uses DST; Asia and Africa generally do not observe it.

DST clock shifts sometimes complicate timekeeping and can disrupt travel, billing, record keeping, medical devices, heavy equipment, and sleep patterns. Computer software generally adjusts clocks automatically.

Listen to the podcast for some unusual facts about Daylight Saving Time.







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Use your imagination !
A quiz with a difference..... you provide whatever answer seems right to you !Try this quiz BEFORE listening to the podcast.

Sue talks to Chris about some of his experiences in India, including a bucket-list experience seeing wild elephants in the jungle, but what else did he do? Here are some explanations of the vocabulary used in the episode.

Sue talks to Chris about some of his experiences in India, including a bucket-list experience seeing wild elephants in the jungle, but what else did he do?

6 Nations Round 5 Wash-Up

This is the final week of the regular 6 nations tournament, apart from the very last match which pitches France against Scotland on Friday evening.

In this episode we talk about the games that were played on this Super Saturday - Italy v Scotland (not too many surprises there), Ireland v England (completeing a pretty poor show for England) and France against Wales (nail-biting util the very end.

We also look at the final table results of the women's 6 nations and The U20 Six Nations tournaments.

Our next podcast will be about the France v Scotland game as well as back into the TOP14 podcast to take a look back at the matches played in France next weekend.

Listen to Jean-François talk about his bucket list for travel - places he has been, where he wants to go and why he wants to so there.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?

If you would like to be featured for your bucket list or your travel bucket list, get in contact we would love to talk to you.

Top 14 Rugby Wash-Up Day 20

This week we talk about the Top 14 day 20 matches took place, and things are again hotting up at the top and the bottom ends of the table, can Toulouse strengthen their hold at the top, or will La Rochelle get back into the running for the top spot?

We also have a look back at the last game of the 2021 6 Nations where France played Scotland in the Stade de France.

We also look ahead to the European cup matches this weekend where Toulouse face Munster in Ireland and to the next TOP14 matches in two weeks time.



 

Top 14 Rugby Wash-Up Number 5
This week we talk about the Top 14 day 3 matches took place, which were catch-up matches for matches that were cancelled due to Covid-19 and look back at the third round of The 6 Nations tournament
In a week where Toulouse play La Rochelle at La Rochelle, where La Rochelle haven't been beaten by any team for 2 years.

Toulouse are 2nd and La Rochelle hold the top spot in the Top 14 as we go into this week's matches - will the order change or will La Rochelle strengthen their hold at the top?

Bayone are away to Toulon, after losing to Clermont 73 - 3, perhaps this is going to be a tough game for Bayonne... 

Listen to see what happened this weekend.

Test your language skills with the Scrum Language Quiz.





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Wash-up number 5
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Top 14 Rugby Wash-Up Number 4
This week we talk about the Top 14 day 17 matches and look ahead to the third round of The 6 Nations tournament
In a week where Toulouse lost away to Lyon, there were highlights elsewhere in the Top 14 in France, including a thumping win for Clermont against Bayonne.

The top of the table has changed, but how long will it remain so?

Listen up for some of the highlights from the matches played this weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

Tag questions  are questions added to a short sentence, usually at the end, to engage the listener, check understanding or confirm that an action has heppened.
Tag questions are very common in natural English and they can also have distinct meaning according to the tone used with the tag, a rising tone and a descending tone can communicate very different meanings from the question asked as you will find out in this podcast.
Common tags include: Won't you? Wasn't it? Don't you? Haven't you? Wasn't it? Wouldn't you? Isn't it? Isn't there? etc. 
Listen to the tag question examples we use in the podcast.
 

It's so nice to be polite isn't it? When we ask direct questions, especially to people we do not know very well, we can come across as being too abrupt or even as rude, something we would like to avoid at all costs.

In this podcast we will explain how to easily change direct questions into more polite forms, very useful to avoid any sticky situations.

Polite questions are particularly useful when we need to ask for confidential or sensitive information, where a direct question would probably not elicit an answer, such as, 'How old are you?' or 'How much do you weigh?' etc.

Top 14 Rugby Wash-Up Number 3

OK, its the Six Nations in this podcast, not The Top 14
This week we talk about the second round matches in The 6 Nations tournament and
just a few words come to mind:
England: strategic cul de sac
Scotland : snowy
Wales: grind out
Ireland: top of the morning
France: week in, week out
Italy: keep on in there... 
To find out more tune in to the podcast and after listening you can test your
language skills with the Scrum Practice Quiz




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Yuka The Healthy Eating App that checks out the quality of your shopping basket
Do you really know what you eat?
Well yes! With Yuka The Healthy Eating App you can scan your products and analyze their impact on your health.

In the blink of an eye, Yuka The Healthy Eating App decodes complicated and sometimes confusing labels for you: you visualise products that are good and those that are best avoided.

Get personalized recommendations for your shopping
When you scan a product that has a negative impact on your health, Yuka The Healthy Eating App recommends a better equivalent product.

So, you continue to enjoy yourself while eating healthier!

An independent evaluation based on 3 criteria

Nutritional quality
60% of the evaluation is based on nutritional quality, which takes into account the amount of energy, saturated fats, sugars, salt, fruits and vegetables, fiber and protein of the product. The calculation method is based on the Nutriscore (brand of Public Health France), built by Professor Serge Hercberg. 

Additives
30% of the evaluation is based on the presence of harmful additives in the product. Yuka is based on many sources that have studied the dangerousness of food additives, among which are: "Food additives" Corinne Gouget, "Food additives" Maire-Laure André and the studies of the UFC Que Choisir, The French equivalent of 'Which' Magazine.

Biological dimension
10% of the evaluation is based on the biological dimension of the product.

Products considered organic are those with the French bio label (AB) and / or the European organic label (Eurofeuille)
Yuka uses the OpenFoodFacts free database.

Yuka The Healthy Eating App is free and available for download to a smartphone - have a look at the Yuka Website.

Top 14 Rugby Wash-Up Number 2
This week we talk about the opening matches in 6 Nations tournament and
just a few words come to mind:
England: disbelief
Scotland : joy
Wales: disappointment
Ireland: fighting spirit
France: stunning
Italy: keep on in there... 
To find out more tune in to the podcast and after listening you can test your
language skills with the Scrum Practice Quiz
 





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Tea is probably the favourite drink across the world, but do you know about tea?

Do you know the phrases and expressions related to tea?

In this podcast we chat about the noble drink that the British (amongst others) adore.

Ever heard of, "A storm in a teacup?"

A mug of builders?

A cuppa?

A cup of Rosy Lee?

Listen to Chris & Sue reveal all about tea...



 

Today we are starting a new weekly podcast about The Top 14 French rugby.

We always chat about the happenings and comings and goings in the Top 14, so we have decided to do a podcast about it, at least during the rugby season.

We can't go to watch rugby matches - it has been over a year since I last saw my favourite local team Stade Toulousain and I can't wait to go back and be in the atmosphere of a rugby match.

But for now, we will just have to watch it on tv and chat about it afterwards.

This weekend we will see the opening matches of the 6 nations championship, so we may have something to talk about next week, but for now, these are my highlights from last week's Top 14 rugby matches.

If you're a non-native English language listener you might like to try the comprehension quiz to help with understanding. 





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It's New Year's eve 2020 or is it 2021?

Chris meets Sue at a New Year's party, but once again they are in a parallel universe - this happens so often to these two ...

Sue is at 31 December 2019 and Chris is at 31 December 2020, so Chris has lived through 2020 and it is all to come for Sue.

Sue is all excited about the coming year with lots of plans and projects that she can't wait to start, but Chris, who has lived through 2020, thinks that it may turn out a little different to what she wants.

Listen out for the following expressions :

To fit something in

To be on the cards

To cut down on something

To be likely

To be unlikely

To look forward to something.

What about?

Fancy dress party.

A fist bump.

Donald Trump came to our office in Toulouse for an interview for the job as a podcaster - we think he would make a great podcaster and as he has time on his hands at the moment he came in and did an interview with us.

This isn't the first time that Donald has joined us and it was a great pleasure to get some answers to those burning questions that most journalists just don't ask him.

Did you know he was a keen quizzer?

That is just one on the revelations that he shares with the English podcasts team.

Numbers in Sport.

Numbers can be a difficult part of learning a new language.

New learners often confuse "hundreds" and "thousands", "fifteen" and "fifty", "half past six" with "six and a half hours" etc etc etc.

The only way to improve your number skills is with practice.

Start by learning important numbers for you: your age, your address, your phone number.

Then practice well known expressions such as "fifty-fifty", "One Hundred and One Dalmatians".

Also try this podcast in which Sue asks Chris 10 questions about numbers in sport.

You will need to listen several times; the first time you listen your main objective should be to focus on the numbers that Chris gives. Are you clear about 100s and 1000s ?  Can you recognize times ? Can you identity money quantities? What about dates ?

For the second time of listening,  focus on the questions and for the third time, just enjoy the conversation !

TRY THIS QUIZ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PODCAST: you will hear the same questions in the podcast as in the quiz. How many numbers can you recognize ? Practice saying all the numbers in the quiz and then listen again to the podcast. Your progress will be AMAZING !





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Numbers in sport
After listening to the podcast try this quiz to consolidate your number
skills. You can check your own answers with Chris' attempts.

Start Quiz

 
Mystery shopping trip
In this podcast Sue and Chris go to a shopping mall to pick up some items.

In this podcast they describe some of the items that they buy.

Can you work out what they bought?

If you need a little extra help, check out theAnimated Podcast versionon our YouTube channel.

It's a little known fact that Donald Trump is both a keen quizzer and a huge fan of English podcasts.

Mr Trump took up the challenge of a quiz in our studio in Toulouse, France - now you know why he hasn't been out too much in public in America since the election.

Now you know - he also stayed around to give us an interview and some advice on podcasting for the team at English Podcasts.

Can you answer as many question as Mr Trump did?

Brexit - 7 days to go
The Brexit - 7 days to go - the possible exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, often shortened to Brexit (a portmanteau combining the words "Britain" and "exit"), has been pursued by various individuals, advocacy groups, and political parties since the United Kingdom (UK) joined the precursor of the European Union (EU) in 1973.

The Brexit - 7 days to go until the day of the vote; 23 June 2016.

Withdrawal from the European Union is a right of EU member states under the Treaty on European Union (Article 50): "Any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements."

In 1975, a referendum was held on the country's membership of the European Economic Community (EEC), later known as the EU.

The outcome of the vote was in favour of the country continuing to be a member of the EEC.

The UK electorate will address the question again on 23 June 2016 in a referendum on the country's membership.

This referendum was arranged by parliament when it passed the European Union Referendum Act 2015.

Britain will be going to vote to stay in or leave on 23 June 2016.

In a speech to the House of Commons on 22 February 2016, Prime Minister Cameron announced a referendum date of 23 June 2016 and set out the legal framework for withdrawal from the European Union in circumstances where there was a referendum majority vote to leave, citing Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

David Cameron spoke of an intention to trigger the Article 50 process immediately following a leave vote and of the "two-year time period to negotiate the arrangements for exit".

Just keep in mind that this is not a political podcast, merely a discussion about a current affairs issue that is in the news in Europe at the moment and we do not have a standpoint either way.

For those that want to keep politics out of the classroom - maybe you should think again about listening to this (as well as not listening to any news, social media, radio, television or newspapers ...)

Whilst listening, try to find some of the expressions used to agree and disagree along with some typical English expressions, that are discussed at the end of the podcast.
As a bit of fun - vote in our polls below.
 

F.T. EU Referendum Poll Tracker

The Eu Referendum - All you need to know


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Fast and Furious Roller Derby
Fast and Furious Roller Derby, a sport that is really taking off in recent years.

Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track.

A game play consists of a series of short match ups (jams) in which both teams designate a jammer who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team.

The teams attempt to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their own jammer—in effect, playing both offense and defense simultaneously.

Roller derby is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, nearly half of them outside the United States.

While the sport has its origins in the banked-track roller skating marathons of the 1930s, Leo Seltzer and Damon Runyon are credited with the basic evolution of the sport to its initial competitive form.

Professional roller derby quickly became popular, in the ensuing decades after the 1940s, however, it predominantly became a form of sports entertainment where the theatrical elements overshadowed the athleticism.

This gratuitous showmanship largely ended with the sport's contemporary grassroots revival in the first decade of the 21st century.

Although some sports entertainment qualities such as player pseudonyms and colorful uniforms were retained, scripted bouts with predetermined winners were abandoned.

Listen to Susan interviewing Marie, a beginner in the world of roller derby, at a match in Toulouse, France.

 
After listening to the podcast try the quiz
A glossary of Roller Derby terms and expressions

Kisses from Derby

Victoria - English Food Blogger
Susan caught up with Victoria - English Food Blogger, an enthusiastic food blogger from England who talks about her interests in food and blogging.

Victoria's blog is available herefor those that would like to read about her food and recipes.

Food blogging is a very popular subject, with bloggers from all over the world sharing their recipes and thoughts on food with an ever-growing audience of foodies.

If you are an enthusiastic cook or interested in food and would like to share your passion with others, have a look here at How to start a foodblog.

You don't need to be an expert - just able to write and pass on your interests and enthusiasm with the world.

Here are some really interesting food blogs to read if you need to be inspired.

Before listening to the podcast, think about the following :

* What are food blogs about?
* Who writes food blogs?
* Why do people write food blogs?

After listening to Victoria - English Food Blogger, try to answer the following questions?

* How old is Victoria?
* How did she start doing her blog?
* What did Victoria study at university?
* Why did Victoria choose to write a food blog?
* What foods does Victoria mention?
* Who tests out Victoria's recipes?
* Is it difficult to set up a food blog?
* Is setting up a food blog expensive?
* Who does Victoria primarily write her blog for?
* What tips does Victoria give for potential bloggers?

Victoria gives some tips for non-native English speakers who may wish to write a blog.

Do you have any tips for budding bloggers whose native language isn't English?

    

The rise of the food blogger is perhaps no surprise in a world trying to connect with the simple life.

Available to all who have access to a computer and the Internet, we are inspired to try local produce, to experiment with what’s in-season and to be conscious of what we are feeding ourselves and our families.

Nourishment comes from more than simply nutrients; it comes from appreciating the process.

But where do you find these bloggers?

How do you know where to look?

Have a look at the Top 100 Food Bloggers of 2015.

Music - Jahzzar - "Please Listen Carefully."

Describing pain and symptoms
It can be surprisingly difficult describing pain and symptoms and exactly how pain feels.

Each of us experiences our pain differently, making it highly subjective—and that makes it a challenge for a doctor to evaluate.

There is a useful site to describe pain and symptoms to a doctor.

Listen to 4 people describe the ailments and accidents that they had, including a last one that is more self-inflicted than an accident.

In the Learning Centre there is a whole section on visiting the doctor and describing symptoms, including an extended vocabulary section.

 

When giving a series of instructions to make or produce something there are some common, useful and simple language features, used for clarity and simplicity.

In this podcast we use the example of explaining a process for how to make something following a set of clear steps to demonstrate this.

Common features when describing a process or to how to do something, is the use of the imperative and linking words.

The imperative form is made by using the bare infinitive of the verb (the infinitive without 'to').

Here are some examples from the podcast.

The imperatives are in bold type.

"Take a capsule ...."

"Check that the tank is full... "

"Press the button..."

"Open the front of the machine ... "

"Hold the button ... "



Explaining a process
When giving a series of instructions it's more natural in speech and writing to join the different instructions together with linking words.

There are many different linking words that can be used to describe a series of instructions that make up parts of a process.

Some very simple, but commonly used ones are and, then, after that, before that, in the meantime, now etc.

Here are some examples from the podcast.

... go to the X machine ...

... in the meantime what you can do ...

... now you need to take a capsule ...



 

Can you figure out what they are trying to make?

If you would like to see the Animated Podcast versionclick here.

Bucket Lists
Sue and Chris talk about a Bucket lists.

Before listening, do you know what bucket lists are?

While listening.

1. Does Sue want to swim with dolphins?

2. Where does Chris want to go for his bucket list?

3. Where does Sue say she thinks the Northern Lights are?



Listen to the podcast and try the following :

* First relax, sit down, close your eyes then listen to the podcast all the way through.
* Note down some ideas of what you expect the Podcast will be about. If needed have a look on the Internet for the keyword, 'Bucket Lists' to prepare yourself for the listening. Here is a link HERE and HERE to start you off.
* Listen to JUST Sue, ignoring Chris and try to work out globally what her questions and comments are. (you won't understand everything, so there is no point trying at this point.)
* Listen to just Chris as above.
* Now go back and listen to Sue - take a sheet of paper, draw a line down the middle, on the left of the paper, write any ideas that you have of what Sue was talking about.
* Now do the same for Chris.
* Now listen to the podcast all the way through THEN write down any more ideas that you have about the podcast.
* Leave the podcast for a day or two, then come back and listen.
* Do you understand any more than from the first session of listening you did?
* How do you rate the difficulty level for you? (Too difficult at the moment / A challenge / I understand enough).
* When will you return to this podcast to check your listening progress?

Remember :

* You won't understand everything you hear.
* There is a lot of regular work to do to tune your ear into Real English - you need to work on listening regularly.
* NEVER write notes at the same time that you are listening.
* ALWAYS - try to set yourself realistic objectives.
* REMEMBER - this is just a part of your learning and you need to be able to connect this work with your other work.
* This is REAL English - we don't believe that slow, over-articulated speech prepares learners for the real world - you may be able to understand an audio extract that is spoken slowly, but what good is that if you don't understand real people in real situations.
* At english-podcasts.com we want to help you to be ready for the real world - it will be difficult at first, but later you will feel the benefit - it is just pure, common sense.