In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about how he spent the weekend celebrating Children’s Day and Parents’ Day. And in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you a useful English expression: R and R. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.

In this episode, Andrew and Kassy have a catch-up and share what’s been happening in their lives lately. They talk about reading challenges, useful reading and productivity apps, and Kassy’s recent sports adventures. The Simplified Speech series features native speakers having clear, natural, and easy-to-understand conversations. By studying with this Simplified Speech episode, you’ll improve your English listening skills, increase your vocabulary, and learn how to talk about recent events happening in your life. Fun facts In this episode, Andrew talks about reading in Korean, the language he’s learning. Although reading in a foreign language is often undervalued by many learners, it’s actually a very effective way to improve your language skills. It can help you learn new vocabulary, improve grammar and sentence structure, and understand the cultural nuances better. Expressions included in the study guide And all that jazz To fangirl out Smack dab in the middle To bow out To crave Hooked Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Katerina Holmes (Pexels.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about playing the drums and selling furniture. Plus he talks about the awesome Culips member live stream from last week and teaches you a useful idiomatic expression: to be in the market for something. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.

Do you like ballet? In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne talk about this unique style of dancing. They discuss its origins and characteristics, and explain some specific vocabulary along the way. Suzanne, a former professional dancer, shares her own story and what ballet means to her. Simplified Speech is a Culips series that features two native English speakers having clear, natural, and easy-to-understand conversations about interesting topics. These episodes are designed to help you improve your English listening and speaking skills in a fun and exciting way. Fun facts In this episode, Suzanne mentions breaking new ballet shoes. The process can include soaking them in water, pounding them with a hammer, and shaving the sole with a razor. However, despite all the effort, ballet shoes don’t last long before they need to be replaced: they lose their shape and wear out within a few weeks or sometimes even days! Expressions included in the study guide Intricate To eat, breathe, and sleep [something] To get sucked into [something] I’ll tell you what To break in [something] To dig deep Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Pixabay (Pexels.com)

Join Andrew as he tells a story about a surprising discovery he found while organizing some files on his hard drive last week. Then after the story, Andrew teaches you a must-know phrasal verb that will improve your English fluency: to get around [something]. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.

Anna and Andrew discuss the pros and cons of online anonymity, sharing personal stories and exploring the impact of being anonymous online. They examine the significance of anonymity in enabling honest discussions and whistleblowing while also discussing the negative aspects like cyberbullying. The podcast also touches upon the concept of mob mentality and the potential impact of eliminating anonymity online.

Join Andrew as he talks about how a normal day doing some errands with his wife had a surprise ending. Along the way, he’ll also give you some updates about what’s new at Culips and teach you a helpful English idiom, to weigh your options. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.

Andrew and Suzanne discuss emotional support animals (also known as ESAs). They chat about Suzanne’s process with registering her dog as an ESA for her upcoming travel plans. This is a great episode for listeners interested in learning more about the ESA registration process and practicing pet and air travel vocabulary! Simplified Speech is the Culips series for beginner and intermediate English learners. It includes easy-to-understand conversations between two native speakers, helping you build vocabulary and improve your listening skills in English. Fun facts Service animals have to be trained to perform certain tasks, while ESAs typically do not need any special training. There are an estimated 500,000 service dogs working in the United States, and any breed of dog can be a service animal. Meanwhile, any type of animal can be an ESA in the U.S.! Expressions included in the study guide to put someone through something to vouch for someone to check the boxes to weed out fingers crossed to rest on one’s laurels Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Helena Lopes (pexels.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about the last-moment trip he took to Jeju Island to meet up with one of his oldest and best friends. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the useful English idiom to throw a wrench into [someone’s] plans. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Study with the interactive transcript here.

Have you ever been so nervous or stressed about a presentation that you forgot everything you had prepared? Have you ever performed well during sports practice but made mistakes during the big game? There are lots of great idioms to describe these nightmare scenarios in English and, in this episode, Andrew and Kassy introduce listeners to two of the most common ones: to crack under the pressure and can’t take/handle the heat. Fun facts One of the best things you can do with a heavy, stressful workload is to break your responsibilities into manageable tasks. Try the Pomodoro Technique to stay focused and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Work on a task for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. Repeat this pattern three or four times, and then take a 15-minute break. You’ll be surprised at how much you can get done! Expressions included in the study guide To crack under [the] pressure Can’t take/handle the heat [One’s] mind goes blank To egg on Gut feeling To suck the joy out of Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Khwanchai Phanthong (pexels.com)