English, baby! Daily Podcasts

Have you ever arrived at a building for a meeting, only to discover that the office you need to go to is on the 28th floor? You feel despair as you think about all the stairs leading up, up, up… and then you see something that makes you smile. An elevator. Some people say that stairs are great for getting exercise, but that’s only half true. If you have to climb to the 8th, 10th, or 12th floor regularly, your workout might exhaust you before you’ve even started your day! An elevator is definitely a convenience because it helps you get where you need to go more quickly and with less work. It can be uncomfortable to ride on a crowded elevator, though. Sometimes it’s even more awkward when you share the small space with just one other person. Do you say hello? Do you try to ignore him or her completely? Learn what Lily and Jeff think about elevators in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

When you were a kid, you probably spent time looking for things you thought were valuable. Perhaps you looked for money on the ground, searched for shells at the beach, or went digging for diamonds in the earth. Even though they were difficult to find, you tried your hardest. You knew that if something is hard to come by, you should spend your time looking for it. An item or a person that is hard to come by is difficult to find because it’s rare or he or she has very specific qualifications. Some people spend all of their free time searching for a particular thing because they find the search enjoyable. Or an employer might spend extra time trying to hire an employee who has particular skills. It all depends on how much time is available and how much patience a person has to spare. Are you willing to wait for things that are hard to come by? Find out what Lily thinks is important enough to search for in this English lesson about roommates. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Laughter is said to be one of the best medicines. But what if you don’t understand what’s so funny? Even worse, what if everyone is laughing at you? It’s never fun to be in a room full of people where everyone except you is laughing hysterically. When you ask to be clued in to the joke, people ignore you or maybe just laugh harder. You’re probably the object of some inside jokes, and it’s not a very nice position to be in. While inside jokes may be funny to the people who are part of a particular clique, they are discriminating against those on the outside. When people make jokes about other people, they will likely hurt another person’s feelings. Not only are inside jokes rude, but they are also harmful. If you want to make others laugh, make sure it’s not at the expense of your friends. Marni is feeling hurt and left out. Find out who’s been telling inside jokes in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

When you’re hungry and in a hurry, what do you do? You can stop at a restaurant, or buy something at a grocery store. You can grab some fruit or vegetables from the kitchen, or a handful of cookies. But if you want something hot to eat at home, you need to find a way to cook food quickly. The best household appliance for this task is a microwave. When people started using microwaves, safety and health risks were a concern. Today’s microwaves are definitely safe, however. It’s not possible to get sick from using a microwave, or even standing in front of one. So if you are looking for something convenient to use to reheat yesterday’s pizza, go for it! It may not taste exactly the same as before, but you won’t wait long. Do Rafael and Marni agree about using microwaves? Read this English lesson to find out. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“What’s important to me is to make sure my characters ring true and reflect a trueness to society.”Actor Kerry Washington speaking about what she tries to do while acting -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

When life gets really stressful, sometimes you just want to get away. You start dreaming about your perfect vacation. Maybe it’s a tropical beach with chairs lined up along the clear blue ocean. Maybe it’s a mountain cabin, cozy with a blazing fire and lots of blankets. Maybe it’s a big city with skyscrapers and lots of shopping. Wherever your dreams take you, you have to make a plan to get there. It’s not only the flight, though. You have to book hotels, reserve a rental care, find good restaurants, and plan activities for your trip. Sometimes putting everything together can be just as stressful as your everyday life! One way to skip the stress is to buy an all-inclusive package for your vacation. You pay one price, and all the details are taken care of. It’s easy, and you won’t have to worry about where to stay, what to eat, or what to do. Amanda and Marni are having problems planning their vacation. Find out why in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

It can be extremely difficult to be patient. Most people have to learn how to do it, and even then, it can be challenging to do it well. This is especially true for children! And yet, there are kids who will wait for anything. They will hold out for as long as necessary to get what they want. It’s one thing to hold out for an object, like a new CD from your favorite band. But sometimes we will wait patiently for something to happen. This is called holding out hope. When we hold out hope, we stay positive that what we want to happen is definitely going to happen. Often people will hold out hope for something even when it’s obvious that it’s not likely to happen anymore. It’s hard not to hold out hope when we want something so badly. Is Jeff holding out hope that Greta will return? Read more in this English lesson about relationships. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Do you know which food is made around the world but looks very different, depending on where you are? It’s bread! From flat breads baked over an open fire, to dark, hearty whole grains, to light, fluffy, white loaves for sandwiches, bread can look like almost anything. Some cultures have specific rules for when to eat bread and how to get it. For example, people in some countries traditionally eat bread for dinner. In other places, people get up before the sun to buy bread at the local bakery. Whether you buy it off the store shelf or hot out of the oven, it’s important to know what goes into the food you eat and if it has high nutritional value. One way to be sure of the ingredients is to bake bread at home! The ingredients for a simple loaf are easy: flour, water, salt, yeast, and sugar. Yeast takes time to rise, so you do have to plan ahead. But the smell of fresh-baked bread is definitely worth the time and energy it takes. Learn who loves to bake bread in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

As an adult, you spend most of your time at work. But what if you’re watching the clock everyday, waiting until it’s time to go home? Lack of inspiration, low motivation, and just plain boredom at your job may be signs that you’ve burned out. Of course, everybody has days when they just don’t want to go to work. However, if days turn into weeks, months, and years, it might be time to think about a career change. Sometimes, taking time off is a good short-term option. Travel somewhere new and exciting. Long-term, you could also ask for more responsibility at the office. Having a harder job might give you a new challenge to overcome. Otherwise, update your resume and look at job advertisements. Hopefully, you’ll be able to interview for a job you’ll love. Learn who is unhappy with her job in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“Every time I read anything, whether it be a book, a magazine article or whatever, I picture myself as the kid people are talking about. It’s really weird. I don’t know why I do that.”Actor Josh Hutcherson talking about how he experiences other people’s stories -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

If you enjoy the books of author J.R.R. Tolkien, you are likely to be excited about The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. In this sequel to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Bilbo Baggins fights the dragon Smaug with the friends he has made on his long journey. Bilbo is a hobbit, and his friends are elves, dwarves and wizards. These creatures aren’t only in The Hobbit books, though. For thousands of years, stories have been written or told about people and animals that look nothing like the ones we live with today. Could they be real? Find out who is a fan of this kind of movie in this English lesson about a dangerous dragon. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Let’s be honest: It’s hard to keep your mouth shut when you think you know what’s best. When you see someone doing something the wrong way, it’s hard not to jump up and down, telling them what to do differently. If you’re feeling this way, you want to be in charge. It’s called wanting to call the shots. The beginnings of this expression might come from sports, war, or even making a film, but the meaning is always the same. If you are trying or wanting to call the shots in a situation, you want to make the decisions and tell people what to do. You might be the expert, or you might just be bossy. Either way, you think you’re the right person for the job. Amanda and Mason are arguing about the baby. Is Amanda calling the shots, or is it Mason? Find out in this English lesson about relationship trouble. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Have you ever seen someone stranded on the side of the road? Maybe it’s because the car ran out of gas. Maybe it’s because the GPS stopped working. Or maybe it’s because the car got a flat tire! Your plans can fall apart suddenly if a flat tire stops you on the way to work or an appointment. It’s not always something you can avoid. Most vehicles do have storage space for jacks and a spare tire. The question is whether the person driving knows how to solve the problem. People who don’t want to fix the flat themselves can always call a mechanic or roadside assistance, but it might take a while for help to arrive. Learn Jeff and Lily’s opinions on fixing flat tires in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“Of course I’d love to do Star Wars, because we had such a good time on Star Trek. We’ll have to wait and see.”Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, talking about his interest in starring in the new Star Wars movie (The Telegraph) -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

What do you think about when you look at the moon? For some people, it’s a religious symbol. Others learned lunar poems when they were kids. Still other people use the moon to tell seasons or predict the weather. Amazingly, the moon is something that brings the world together. People around the globe all see the same moon. It’s also something that makes countries compete against each other, like when the US and Russia had the “space race” to see who would make it to the moon first. To tell the truth, the moon is pretty far away. It’s about 238,900 miles (384,400 km) from Earth. But astronauts have made the trip successfully in space shuttles since 1969. The moon is definitely interesting, but it’s quite expensive to travel there. Living there would require even more excessive costs. Everything would have to be imported from Earth. That’s a long trip! Discover who’s dreaming about living on the moon in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com