English, baby! Daily Podcasts

“My beautiful sister Rona sadly passed on May 24 in Los Angeles.”-Singer and actress Olivia Newton-John speaking about her sister’s death (Us Weekly) -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Where do your clothes come from? Even if you buy them at the store, someone, somewhere sewed them for you. Some people sew by hand, while others use state-of-the-art sewing machines. Sewing is a skill that used to be essential to any homemaker, but today, it’s a skill that fewer people possess.But that may be changing. Like many other crafts and do-it-yourself activities, sewing is seeing a rise in popularity. Pretty soon, the cool thing might be not to have the newest outfit from the mall, but to be able to make that outfit yourself. Find out whether Greta and Amanda can sew in this hobbies English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

It’s so hard to figure out what career path to follow. Maybe there are several careers that interest you, but you don’t feel as if any of them are perfect. You want to choose the job that you were destined to do. You want to hear the perfect job calling out to you, and you want to answer that call.So are you just supposed to sit around and wait for that call to come to you? Or do you need to get out there and show some initiative? Maybe if you read books, or take internships, or speak to professionals in various fields, you can find a way to be a bit more proactive and find your calling. Lily thinks she’s found her calling in the culinary world. Find out if her co-workers agree in this career English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!” If someone says this to you, they’re saying that it’s important to make the best of a difficult situation. More and more people are taking this idea to heart in our current economy and finding creative ways to earn money. A serious entrepreneur thinks carefully about what the community wants or needs. It could be as basic as feeding people’s pets or buying their groceries. Or perhaps someone has an idea for an invention that will simplify people’s lives. If you want to be self-employed and find success, your product must be one of a kind. Listen in on Marni and Mason’s conversation about being in business for yourself in this English lesson about cottage industries. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

When you think of candles, you probably imagine the ambience they create. Candles can create subtle feelings of romance. They can make your nightly bath lovely, or your favorite restaurant magical. Candlelight can make a world of difference when trying to set the mood. It’s practical to have candles available, too. If the electricity goes out, candles help us to see where we’re going. They warm our hands and light up our birthday cakes. Some people choose to burn scented candles to make their homes smell fresher. Candles are useful in so many ways. Keep reading to find out what Lily and Amanda appreciate about them in this English lesson about candles. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“Our next performer made it very clear to me that she wouldn’t miss being here for the world.”-Singer Blake Shelton on his wife, Miranda Lambert, performing a benefit concert for the victims of the Oklahoma tornado (Us Weekly) -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

If you’ve gone to the movies, you’ve probably eaten, smelled, or at least stepped on it. It can be made into a sweetener, used as a biofuel, and ground into meal for cooking. It’s fed to farm animals and eaten by humans the world over. What is it, you ask? Corn, of course! What’s so great about corn? Also known as maize, corn is eaten as a starch and as a vegetable. It can be made into drinks and soup. It’s been used for art and to decorate homes. It’s probably the most versatile, indispensable grain around. Find out what Greta and Lily think about corn and how it’s prepared in their homes in this lesson about a tried and true food. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

It happens to everyone: You write a great letter, application, or paper for school. You’re really proud because you invested time, thought, and effort into your work. You’ve read, edited, and proofread it. It might be the best writing of your life. You’re anxious to share it with your co-worker or professor. But then, your computer crashes! All of your hard work is down the drain. You can rewrite, but it will never be as good as the original. You want to scream or throw something. You’re kicking yourself for not backing up your document. Find out what Marni wishes she’d done before her computer died in this English lesson about backing up. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

The verb “pitch” has many meanings. It can refer to the throwing of a baseball. When you put a tent together, you pitch a tent. Pitching is also something you do with a pitchfork, which is a tool used to gather hay. You might pitch hay into a big pile, called a haystack. That sounds difficult to do on your own, doesn’t it? Maybe you’d like a friend to pitch in?Pitching in isn’t just about gathering hay, or building a tent, or tossing balls. You pitch in whenever you help someone do something else. You could pitch in some help for your friend on his moving day, or you could pitch in some money to help your friend pay her medical bills. You could pitch in at work during a busy time, or pitch in and help drive the kids to school. Pitching in is any form of helping out.Amanda’s about to ask the workers at the office to pitch in. Find out why she needs help in this work English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

There’s a brand new Star Trek movie out, and it’s sure to be a summer blockbuster. In Star Trek: Into Darkness, someone or something has launched a major attack on Earth. Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise lead the search for the responsible party and, in the process, settle an old score. Star Trek has many obsessive fans who love it so much that they dress up as characters and go to conventions. They argue about whether the original TV series was better than the new one, or whether the old movies are better than the new. They are very passionate about all things related to these fictional space travelers. Find out if Jeff and Lily are fans in this movies English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Waiting in line is just part of life. We endure lines at the grocery store, on the freeway, for the bathroom, and at the movie theater. Lines are so common that we’re surprised and elated when there is none. Sometimes a day without waiting in line can feel like you’ve won the lottery. What’s the alternative? Without lines, life might be a little chaotic. Paying for groceries could end in pushing and shoving. Angry drivers might crash their cars. Is it worth all of that just to avoid queuing up? Mason shares his strong feelings on the subject in this English lesson about waiting in line. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“Got caught up in the moment, thank goodness she is okay.” - singer Miguel on accidentally kicking a fan in the face (Us Weekly) -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

The Lumineers is a folk rock band started by Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites. They began to collaborate in 2005, adding band members and eventually releasing the hit single “Ho Hey” in 2012. The Lumineers’ self-titled debut album has been extremely successful in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. The band is proud of the simplicity of their music. “Anyone who can play an instrument can play a Lumineers song,” says Fraites. Are you skilled in music? Go on… give it a go. Listen in on Mason and Greta’s conversation about The Lumineers in this music English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Do you know that feeling when you’re walking along, and suddenly you trip over a rock or a crack in the sidewalk? You almost fall, but you catch yourself just in time. You turn to a friend and say, “That was a close call.” What you mean is that you came close to falling, but you avoided it just in time. An accident almost occurred, but you managed to keep it from happening. A close call isn’t always about a physical action. Maybe you are planning a surprise party for one of your friends, and you’re discussing it with another friend. Just then, the friend whose surprise party it is walks in. Luckily, it doesn’t seem as if the friend heard anything about the party. When the friend leaves, you might say, “Phew! That was a close call.” Jeff is trapped under a rock, and Greta is going to try to help him. You may know what kind of close call Jeff experienced with his accident, but can you guess what other accident is about to be avoided? Find out in this rescue English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Tony Stark, aka the alter ego of Iron Man, is back! In the newest movie in this blockbuster trilogy, Stark is traumatized from a recent near-death experience, and he keeps having panic attacks. Meanwhile, he must face a powerful new enemy: the Mandarin. Iron Man is an interesting superhero, because unlike Superman or Spiderman, he doesn’t actually have any special powers. It’s just the suit that Stark has built that makes him powerful. Some people like this aspect of the movie, because they feel it gives Iron Man more human qualities. Many people must agree, because the movie is doing great business at the box office! -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com