English Learning for Curious Minds

 He is considered by many to have been the greatest footballer to have ever lived, yet off the pitch his life was full of tragedy. Learn about the fascinating history of this amazing man, and discover why he arrived in Naples as a hero and left as the most hated man in Italy.Diego vs. MaradonaEarly life in Buenos AiresBeing spotted by a talent scout and joining Argentinos JuniorsAn uneasy life in BarcelonaFighting with Athletico BilbaoHis surprise move to NaplesNaples vs. the rest of ItalyMaradona being welcomed as a demi-god in NaplesBecoming a national hero for ArgentinaThe 1990 World Cup in ItalyMaradona's life in the Neapolitan underworldCocaine and prostitutesFailing drug tests and leaving NaplesHis tragic later lifeResponse to his death in 2020Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/maradona ---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 has been called the "bloodiest business in history", and cost the lives of 3 million whales.In today's episode, we take a look at the amazing history of whaling, from how it really worked to the reasons it went on for so long.History of pre-industrial whalingHow pre-industrial whaling workedWhaling during the Renaissance eraHow whale hunting in 19th Century America workedThe men who killed the whalesWhat whale products were used forSailing further and further away on the hunt for whalesWhaling in the 20th centuryIntroducing quotas on whalesDangers for whales in the 21st centuryWhat is today's "whaling"?Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/whaling ---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 four countries that form part of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and has a fantastic history of invention, rivalry with its neighbour, and fierce pride.In this episode, we take a look at the fantastic history of Scotland and ask ourselves how long it will remain part of the UK.“We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.” - Voltaire“Of all the small nations of this earth, perhaps only the ancient Greeks surpass the Scots in their contribution to mankind.” - Winston ChurchillStatistics about Scotland (geographically large, but has a small population)Scotland's great history of inventorsEarly Scottish rivalry with EnglandThe story of William WallaceThe unification with EnglandThe role of PanamaScotland getting limited powers of independence in 1999Brexit & Scottish independenceWould Scotland be allowed back into the European Union?How long will Scotland remain in the UK?Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/scotland ---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 a dialect from a small area of London's that might sound impossible to understand.In this episode, you'll learn what "apple and pears" means, what you should do if a friend asks if you want to go to the "battle", and who your "trouble and strife" might be...Example clip of Cockney Rhyming SlangHow Cockney Rhyming Slang is formedFunny connections between Cockney Rhyming Slang and the meaning of wordsWhy does Cockney Rhyming Slang exist?Theories about how Cockney Rhyming Slang was createdIs Cockney Rhyming Slang useful?Cockney Rhyming Slang in pop-cultureSimilarities with Verlan in FrenchWhy you should learn some Cockney Rhyming Slang (even if it isn't useful at all)Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/cockney-rhyming-slang ---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 the last part of our three-part series on Disney, we take a look at the magic of Disney and ask ourselves what ingredients are in its special, magic sauce.Can you really explain the 'magic' of Disney?The Hero's JourneyThe 5 core themes: narrative, characters, morale, humour, songsTheme #1: NarrativeTheme #2: CharactersTheme #3: MoraleTheme #4: HumourTheme #5: SongsBonus magic factor #1: Beautiful animationBonus magic factor #2: Easy to internationalise Bonus magic factor #3: NostalgiaA missing 'secret' ingredient?Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/disney-magicLooking for parts I & II of this mini-series?Part I: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/disney-historyPart II: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/disney-business ---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 the first part of our three-part series, we take a look at the fascinating history of Disney.From why Mickey Mouse isn't a rabbit through to what Walt Disney was like as a person, the history of Disney is as interesting as it is magical.Early life of Walt DisneySetting off to CaliforniaThe "Alice Comedies"Setting up Disney Brothers Cartoon StudioOswald the Lucky Rabbit (and why you probably haven't heard of him)Walt Disney's first big lessonThe arrival of Mickey MouseMerchandisingStarting to make longer films (Snow White and The Seven Dwarves)Almost going bankruptStarting to make nature documentariesDreaming of an adventure parkWhat was Walt really like as a man?Post-Walt DisneyFilms you might not know are ultimately DisneyThe Disney spending spreeFull interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/disney-history ---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

 From a small, wet island, English has come to be the world's dominant language.How did this actually happen, where does English actually come from, and how has the language changed over the years?How many people speak EnglishWhy English isn't a 'pure' language (English as a mongrel dog, and as a soup)Anglo-Saxons & "Old" EnglishAnglo-Saxon words in English today (and why you should use them)“Short words are best, and old words when short are best of all.” Invasion by the Vikings (and the impact on the English language)Invasion by the Normans (and their linguistic impact)How French words became 'fancier' versions of the original EnglishThe French linguistic influence on how we talk about food in EnglishWilliam Shakespeare & the 1,700 words he added to English"Borrowing" words from the coloniesHow many countries speak English todayEnglish's incredible ability to change (and why some people still don't like that)Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-of-english-language ---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 the day of the year where we celebrate love and desire.But where does it actually come from?The origins of Valentine's Day are mysterious, and not even that closely related to love at all."One of those mysterious historical or antiquarian problems which are doomed never to be solved.”Theory #1: St Valentine of RomeTheory #2: St Valentine of TerniAlternative legends of St ValentineWhy is Valentine's Day on 14th February?The traditions of the Roman feast of LupercaliaThe tradition of romance in the Medieval eraValentine's Day & ShakespeareThe commercialisation of Valentine's DayHow much we spend on Valentine's Day every yearAlternatives to Valentine's DayFull interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/valentines-day ---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

 Discover the story of what happened when an Italian engineer decided to build an island off the coast of Italy..and then declare it to be an independent country.Giorgio Rosa - the ambitious engineerThe law about who owns the seaHow he built the islandDeclaring Rose Island to be an independent countryThe political situation in the 1960sWhy people were worried when he declared independenceThe reaction of the Italian governmentDeclaring The Republic of Minerva in The Pacific OceanLibertarianism & declaring new nation-statesWhat will the countries of the future look like?Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/rose-island ---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 the world's most famous book on military strategy.Learn about its fascinating history, about the lessons in the book, and discover how you can apply some ideas from this 2,500-year-old book to your English learning. What we know (and don't know) about the bookSun Tzu: military strategist and generalOther authors & editors of The Art of WarBeing brought by Europe (and used by Napoleon?)#1 Lesson from The Art of War: Avoiding War#2 Lesson from The Art of War: Being Prepared#3 Lesson from The Art of War:  Being Adaptable#1 English Learning Lesson from The Art of War: Change your strategies#2 English Learning Lesson from The Art of War: Have both a strategy and tactics#3 English Learning Lesson from The Art of War: Take opportunities when you see themWhy you should ignore all of the advice in the book (when it comes to learning English)Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/art-of-war ---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