English Learning for Curious Minds

 She is the longest-serving monarch in British history and has lived through 14 British prime ministers and 13 US presidents.In this episode, we'll take a look at the remarkable life of Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, and ask ourselves how she, the monarchy, and the country have changed since she became queen almost 70 years ago.Why Elizabeth was an unlikely queenKing Edward VIII and his abdicationThe death of King George VIThe young life of ElizabethBecoming queen in 1952The changing world in 1952The personal life of Queen ElizabethHow much do we actually know about her views?How has the British monarchy changed since she took the throne?Is Queen Elizabeth still popular in Britain?The controversies of Queen Elizabeth1992: her "annus horribilis"Recent controversies: Windsor Castle, Diana, Harry & Meghan, Prince AndrewThe language of Queen Elizabeth: "The Queen's English"Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/queen-elizabeth-ii ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

 Part Two of our Brexit mini-series focuses on the Brexit vote itself.In this episode, we'll look at why the UK held a referendum in the first place, how the campaign was fought, who voted for and against Brexit (and for what reasons), and why it was ultimately the vote to leave the European Union that proved successful.Recap of Britain's complicated relationship with EuropeWhy did the UK hold a referendum on EU membership in the first place?The rise of Euroscepticism & UKIPDavid Cameron & the Conservative PartyDid people care about the EU before the Brexit vote?"Indescribably selfish recklessness"The Brexit campaign: Leave vs. RemainReluctant RemainersMessaging of the Remain campaign ("An Unnecessary Risk")Messaging of the Leave campaign ("Take Back Control")Who voted to remain?Who voted to leave?“I think the people of this country have had enough of experts”Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/brexit-part-2 ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

 The term "fake news" came to prominence in late 2016, but the idea of fake news is as old as time. In this episode, we explore how fake news has been created over the years, for what purpose and by who, and ask ourselves whether it is harder than ever to tell the truth from a lie. "Fake News" in 2016What does "fake news" actually mean?The three reasons that people create fake newsFake News & Mark AnthonyFake News in Trento in 1475Fake News & the NazisThe British government and Fake News in the First World WarHow has news changed over the years?Life on the moon in 1835Macedonian teenagers and Donald TrumpSensational News vs. Fake NewsRussian troll farmsDeep Fakes in 2021Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-of-fake-news ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

Guest Stéphane Breitwieser, known as the Greatest Art Thief of All Time, shares how he pulled off 239 art heists, his unusual approach to stealing, his hopeless addiction to theft, and the aftermath of his crimes.

 "Let's jump on board and cut them to pieces!" - Blackbeard."A merry life and a short one" - Captain Bartholomew Roberts.Pirates have a special place in our imagination. They are both heroes and villains, their lives attractive but scary.In this episode, we'll take a closer look at pirates through history, the situations that allowed them to exist and prosper, what life as a pirate was actually like, what caused the Golden Age of Piracy to come to an end, and the legacy that they left behind.The classic idea of a piratePirates throughout historyThe Golden Age of PiracyWhy was there a boom in piracy in the 17th century?Captain Kidd: was he even a real "pirate"?State-sanctioned piratesThe life of a piratePirate hierarchiesWhat was a pirate attack really like?Pirates: early masters of the power of imageThe story of BlackbeardWhat caused the end of the pirates?The legacy of piratesPirate myth-busting: parrots, pirate language, hooks and treasureFull interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-of-pirates ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

 In September 1519, a Portuguese explorer and a crew of 270 men set sail from Spain trying to find a sea route west, through the Americas.Three years later, 18 of the men returned, tired and hungry, but becoming the first people to have successfully completed a full circle of the Earth.Introduction to The Age of ExplorationThe Treaty of TordesillasSeeking a route west to The Spice IslandsMagellan presents his idea to King Charles V of SpainWhy was the Spanish king listening to a Portuguese explorer?The early life of Ferdinand MagellanA “career-minded daredevil"Why were spices in such high demand?Why did Magellan sail for Spain, not Portugal?The start of the expeditionThe first mutinyFinding a passage through South AmericaCrossing The Pacific OceanArriving at GuamMagellan's death in The PhilippinesArriving at The Spice IslandsThe journey back to SpainThe legacy of the expeditionWho was the first person to have circumnavigated the globe?Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/ferdinand-magellan ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

 On September 17th, 2011, hundreds of people descended on a park in the heart of New York's financial district.Their aim? To protest against the global financial system and its effects on  99% of the population.On this 10th anniversary of the protests, we take a look at what happened, what they achieved, and what impact they might have in the future.The United States in 2011The 1% vs. the 99%A global sense of uprisingThe idea behind Occupy Wall StreetMeeting in Zuccotti Park in New York's Financial DistrictWhat did the protestors actually want to change?Famous article by economist Joseph StiglitzThe public perception around the need for changeA different model of decision-makingThe end of the protestsWhat actually happened during the protests?Criticisms of Occupy Wall StreetDisorganisation & being tricked about Radiohead playingDid it really represent the 99%?Pushing the idea of the 1% vs. 99% into the public consciousnessLegacy of Occupy Wall StreetFull interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/occupy-wall-street ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

 It is one of the most popular websites in the world and has the goal of being a comprehensive collection of all of the knowledge in the world.In this episode, we'll learn about the history of this amazing website, why it succeeded where others failed, how it actually works, and its importance as a source of truth.Some statistics about how big Wikipedia isHistory of encyclopediasBomis.com and the dot-com-boomThe founding of NupediaWhy Nupedia didn't workLaunching WikipediaWhy (and how) Wikipedia was differentWikipedia's early growthEarly criticisms of WikipediaWho pays for Wikipedia?The surprising second and third most popular languages on WikipediaAutomating article creationCriticisms of Wikipedia's trustworthinessTrump vs. Biden on WikipediaInfluence of the contributors on what is published on WikipediaWhy you should edit WikipediaFull interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-of-wikipedia ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

 It's one of the United States' most powerful advocacy groups and is a fierce defender of gun rights.But it hasn't always been like this.In this episode, we'll discover how it went from helping create gun control laws to becoming the most powerful pro-gun organisation in Washington D.C.The early years of the NRAHelping introduce gun control laws in the 1930sPassing the Gun Control Act of 1968The 1970s: A change in the NRAWhat does the NRA actually do? 5 key activitiesHow the NRA reacts after a mass shootingThe effect on the NRA of mass shootingsBarack Obama: "the best gun salesman in America"The controversy within the NRAHow many Americans live in a household with guns?American perceptions towards gun ownershipFull interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/nra ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

 In 1745 Charles Stuart arrived on the west coast of Scotland with the aim of taking back the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland.It didn't go as planned and resulted in the last battle fought on British soil.In this episode, we'll learn about his failed rebellion, and the legacy he has left on Great Britain.The early life of Bonnie Prince CharlieRelationship Bonnie Prince Charlie and Mary Queen of ScotsMeaning of "Pretender" in EnglishThe Divine Right of KingsArriving in Scotland in 1745Life in Britain under the HanoveriansThe Highland ClansMarching towards EdinburghMarching south towards LondonStopping at Derby and turning back northWhat if the French had come to help?Who actually was in the Jacobite and government armies?The night before CullodenThe Battle of CullodenThe aftermath of the battle“Run, you cowardly Italian”The life of Bonnie Prince Charlie after CullodenSuppression of Highlandism after the battleThree unusual facts about Bonnie Prince CharlieFull interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/bonnie-prince-charlie ---You might like:🔓 Unlock bonus episodes, interactive transcripts, subtitles & vocabulary lists✨ 5 Powerful Tips for Learning English with Podcasts (Faster & Effectively!) [YouTube]📹 A look inside Leonardo English membership 📧 Join our FREE weekly newsletter---Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية