Culips Everyday English Podcast

What does it mean to troll someone? Trolling has become a big problem online. In this Catch Word episode, Andrew and Jeremy explore the words you can use when talking about online trolling. Fun facts In the United Kingdom, some people have been sent to prison for trolling. They were imprisoned for online harassment. Expressions included in the study guide * To troll * To flame * Avatar * First Nations * Invite * Toxic Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free Photo: Jay Wennington (Unsplash.com)

Fruits and vegetables are essential to maintaining a healthy diet. And there are so many to choose from! In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Jeremy discuss their favourites. Fun facts The durian is a fruit native to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. Many people call it the “king of fruits” due to its size. It is also famous for its odour. In Singapore, for example, there are many signs banning the eating of durian in public places because of its strong smell. But it’s actually really good! Expressions included in the study guide * Significant blow * To troll * To bother * Genetic * Pickled * Love affair Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free Photo: by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne answer a listener’s question about the pronunciation of “-less.” Fun facts The Culips team loves answering questions from listeners. If you have a question you’d like answered, send an email to contact@Culips.com. Material included in the study guide * Transcript * Practice exercises * Bonus audio downloads * To push to the limit Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

Have you ever thought about buying a motorcycle and cruising through the neighbourhood at breakneck speeds? Then this is the topic for you! In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Morag talk all about these two-wheeled vehicles. Fun facts The very first motorcycle was invented by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Germany in 1885. The Dodge Tomahawk, the fastest motorcycle nowadays, can reach speeds over 550 kilometres per hour and accelerate from 0 to 96 kilometres per hour in less than 3 seconds! Expressions included in the study guide * General opinion * Exposed * Thinking seriously about [something] * To push to the limit * Flat out * Chunky * Wiped out Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

Out with the old, in with the new; bye-bye 2018, hello 2019! In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew highlights the major events in his life in 2018 and looks ahead to 2019. Fun facts New Year’s resolutions have been around for a long time. The most common ones are to eat healthier and to do more exercise. With obesity on the rise in many Western and Asian countries, it looks like those resolutions will be around for a while. Expressions included in the study guide * Holy moly * To highlight * To conquer * Leaps and bounds * To fall off the wagon * To let the cat out of the bag Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

Happy holidays, everyone! The holiday season is in full swing in Canada; therefore, Andrew and Morag are here to talk to you about the holiday season in this Simplified Speech episode. Sit back, drink a cup a cup of cocoa, and enjoy! Fun facts In Canada, the day after Christmas is known as Boxing Day. On Boxing Day, stores provide many after-Christmas sales, and families come out to look for great bargains. Many important sports events are also televised on Boxing Day. Expressions included in the study guide * To be a fan of [something] * To be bumped * Friendsmas * To be frank * Retail * Bargain * At the stroke of midnight * Smooch Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

Since most of the human body is composed of water, drinking water is very important to everyone. In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Morag talk about water preferences. Fun facts Lake Baikal in Siberia is the world’s largest freshwater resource for drinking water. It contains 27% of all the fresh water found in lakes! Expressions included in the study guide * Time flies when you’re having fun * I’m curious * Hard/soft water * Hardy * Advisory * School of thought Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

Are you blessed with perfect vision or are you like the majority of the people in the world who must use glasses or contact lenses to see the world around them? In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Morag talk all about eyesight and the vocabulary associated with it. If you are farsighted, don’t forget to grab your glasses so that you don’t have to squint while reading this study guide. Enjoy! Fun facts The number of people who need corrective lenses grows with each passing year. Why is it that the number is increasing so drastically? Some say it is due to too much reading and technology use, which puts a lot of strain on the eyes. However, some studies have concluded that eye health is linked to the amount of time spent outdoors. Therefore, children who spend more time outdoors as their bodies grow and mature will have better eyesight than children who spend the majority of their time indoors. Expressions included in the study guide * Speak of the devil * Nearsighted/farsighted * Brag * So far, so good * Blurry * To squint * Only time will tell Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

Have you ever gotten so distracted that you forgot to do something very important? Have you ever wondered if there’s a way to explain that situation in English? Well, look no further than this Catch Word episode! Andrew and Jeremy walk you through a few useful expressions about losing focus during an important task. Make sure to study hard, you wouldn’t want to fall asleep at the wheel during your English learning journey! Fun facts Drowsy driving, or driving while tired, is a common and serious problem nowadays. Driving with poor or little sleep decreases your ability to focus, make quick decisions, and use your fine motor skills, which are all necessary for driving. Over 72% of drivers in Ontario, Canada, have admitted to driving while fatigued. Expressions included in the study guide * Asleep at the wheel/switch * It will cost you * A buddy * To catch a lucky break * To sneak in/out * To drop the ball * To drop the mic Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

Do you like jogging? Can you jog 42.195 kilometres? Not many of us can. In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Suzanne talk about the joys and difficulties of long-distance running. Fun facts In September 2018, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya broke his own world record for the marathon with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute, and 39 seconds. The running world is anxious to see who will be the first to run a marathon in under 2 hours! Expressions included in the study guide * Grey * To keep well * Staple * To be decked out * To be gassed * Boisterous Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

In this exciting Simplified Speech episode, Andrew recounts a crazy experience he had during his trip to Vietnam. Vacation is supposed to be a time to kick back, relax, and let loose, but sometimes things don’t go the way we plan. Tune in to find out about Andrew’s travel nightmare! Fun facts In this episode, Andrew talks about his trip to Da Nang, Vietnam. Did you know that Da Nang is the fourth largest city in Vietnam? It is situated halfway between the capital, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. The city is famous for its abundance of white-sand beaches and crystal-clear water that is perfect for enjoying water sports, fishing, or just relaxing in the sun! Expressions included in the study guide * To kick back * All-inclusive * To stash * To catch a flight * Safe and sound * In one piece Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

Are you married? If not, have you been to a wedding recently? In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne discuss the similarities and differences between Western weddings and South Korean weddings. This episode is chock-full of interesting stories, so grab your headphones and press play! Fun facts Did you know that engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was once believed that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart? Men believed that if they covered this “love vein” with a ring, it would signify that they had captured the woman’s heart. Expressions included in the study guide * Chock-full * Destination wedding * Dope * Honeymoon * Reception * Candid * Party favour * Cringeworthy Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

On to Washington State! In this Simplified Speech episode, Suzanne talks with Andrew about the tail end of her summer trip, Washington State. Fun facts Washington State is the only American state to be named after a former president. Expressions included in the study guide * Gateway drug * Practice makes perfect * To border [something] * Crappy * Treacherous * High season Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

What happens when someone comes to you with a suggestion you really don’t like? That could be awkward. In this Real Talk episode, Andrew and Suzanne discuss ways of politely offering alternative options.  Fun facts Native English speakers often contract don’t you to sound like don’t cha. In fact, Don’t Cha is the name of a popular song by The Pussycat Dolls. Expressions included in the study guide * Don’t you think it’d be better if we * To kick things off * It’s supposed to * To lean towards [something] * To book [something/someone] * Bossy Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free

In this episode, Suzanne talks to Andrew about her recent trip to the state of Oregon. While Oregon is not the most well-known state in the union, Suzanne tells us it has so much to offer. Have a listen! Fun facts Nike Inc., one of the world’s largest sports apparel companies, has its world headquarters in Oregon. Nike’s founder, Phil Knight, is a born and raised Oregonian. Expressions included in the study guide * Best-kept secret * Dude * To implode * Tree line * Malleable * Y’all Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free