Thanksgiving is a North American tradition that comes around every year at this time of year, but what is it all about?
Episode 204: What is Thanksgiving all about?
The last Thursday in November is a major celebration day in the USA, it is a national holiday and a time for friends and family to get together.
You have surely heard of Thanksgiving, it is often portrayed in American movies and TV series, but do you really understand why it’s so important to Americans.
In this podcast Chris and Sue, as 2 Brits, discuss some of the interesting traditions, facts and controversies surrounding this North American national holiday .
Why is it celebrated? How many Thanksgiving Dinners were there? Who were the first Pilgrims? Where did they come from? What do people eat at this dinner?
Notes
But even though Thanksgiving is a special holiday and a precious time spent with friends and family for many North American, Chris and Sue raise the issue that for many others it is considered to be a “national day of mourning” to be viewed as a terrible time when colonists wiped out Native Americans and their culture. They feel that this period of history is “white-washed” out of history – which leads many Americans to ignore the holiday.
Recap & Takeaways
Enjoy the podcast and listen out for useful vocabulary, and of course you can consolidate your knowledge and vocabulary by doing the Thanksgiving quiz with 20 great questions.
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Sue and Chris meet for dinner at a restaurant in England, as usual, Sue is late.
The Restaurant Episode 1 – Meeting for Dinner deals with meeting and greetings, arriving at a restaurant, checking a booking and finding a table.
One of the most difficult aspects in learning and using English in a social setting is eating and drinking in the restaurant, which is obviously vital for survival, but in a business context is a hugely important part of relationship building with clients, colleagues and suppliers.
The main difficulties arise from the vocabulary used to describe foods and drinks and the way that they are prepared, but an additional issue is the background noise that is often present in eateries and places where people go to eat and drink.
There is also the fact that the conversation can change from subject to subject very quickly, so as a learner you need to be constantly on your toes – and hopefully enjoy the experience.
In this series on The Restaurant, you will learn some useful ways of asking questions, describing foods, tastes and drinks as well as a host of vocabulary and real English to talk about food and drink.
Series 1 starts with two people meeting in a restaurant for dinner, they then go into the restaurant to take their place at the table they reserved only to find a disagreeable surprise.
The following section takes us to discussing the food and drink on a typical menu in a British Gastro pub, where food is served to clients, known as diners.
The two diners are greeted by a less than friendly and pretty unprofessional waitress, who tends to their needs from their entrance into the restaurant until the point where they pay their bill.
Along the way they battle their way through some of the, often ambiguous descriptions on the menu to a few surprises with the food that they order.
There are some simple quizzes that you can take at the end of each podcast to check your understanding.
Restaurant Podcast 1 Meeting for Dinner
Test your listening skills with this comprehension quiz to see how much you understood.
Remember you can do the quiz as many times as you like.
It's full of great vocabulary.... enjoy, listen and learn !
Not only is the vocabulary of the foods varied, but the way they are cooked can be confusing even to English native speakers.
Listen to Sue and Chris as they decide what they are going to eat and drink in the restaurant.
One of the most difficult aspects in learning and using English in a social setting is eating and drinking in the restaurant, which is obviously vital for survival, but in a business context is a hugely important part of relationship building with clients, colleagues and suppliers.
The main difficulties arise from the vocabulary used to describe foods and drinks and the way that they are prepared, but an additional issue is the background noise that is often present in eateries and places where people go to eat and drink.
There is also the fact that the conversation can change from subject to subject very quickly, so as a learner you need to be constantly on your toes – and hopefully enjoy the experience.
In this series on The Restaurant, you will learn some useful ways of asking questions, describing foods, tastes and drinks as well as a host of vocabulary and real English to talk about food and drink.
Series 1 starts with two people meeting in a restaurant for dinner, they then go into the restaurant to take their place at the table they reserved only to find a disagreeable surprise.
The following section takes us to discussing the food and drink on a typical menu in a British Gastro pub, where food is served to clients, known as diners.
The two diners are greeted by a less than friendly and pretty unprofessional waitress, who tends to their needs from their entrance into the restaurant until the point where they pay their bill.
Along the way they battle their way through some of the, often ambiguous descriptions on the menu to a few surprises with the food that they order.
There are some simple quizzes that you can take at the end of each podcast to check your understanding – if you like these then please sign up for premium membership where you will find over 120 hours of stimulating activities for each podcast series on this site.
Restaurant Podcast 2 The Menu
Test your listening skills with this comprehension quiz to see how much you understood.
Remember you can do the quiz as many times as you like.
It's full of great vocabulary.... enjoy, listen and learn !
Episode 203: How can I improve my listening skills?
The ability to listen, hear and understand English is a vital skills in order to learn a language and without good listening skills, it is almost impossible to learn any language?
Episode 203: How can I improve my listening skills?
Understanding what people are saying to you is the first step to taking part in a conversation….. but the problem for many learners is UNDERSTANDING ! But just what is the problem? Accent ? Vocabulary? Speed of speech ?
Many learners say “Accent” and as we know there are many, many English accents this can really cause difficulties. In this podcast we talk about accents and how to get used to them.
Notes
Improving listening skills is one of the most important aspects of language learning and one of the skills that is often not focused on by teachers and trainers of languages.
The long and short of it is that if you can’t hear, listen to or understand what is being said, then you have very little chance of learning that language.
Recap & Takeaways
Here we give some ideas of how you can work independently on listening skills – nobody else can do it for you.
However, it is not a quick fix and takes a lot of work and time – but a vital element of language learning.
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Subscribe to our Facebook group and page, our Youtube channel and to our Instagram to get all the latest podcasts, quizzes and blog posts.
In a series, Beat by beat, on the history of music genres, this episode is dedicated to the cultural sensation that is Northern Soul.
Episode 202: The story of Northern Soul
From the popular dance halls of the north of England in The Wigan Casino and the Spinning Wheel club in Manchester to its influence on music in The 21st century.
Northern Soul is not just a music genre, it also represents a thriving community of music and dance enthusiasts that brought obscure American music to the masses.
Listen along to find out about this musical phenomenum that started in the north of The UK and spread throughout the world, without most of us even knowing it.
Notes
Welcome to another episode of “Beat the Beat” the podcast where we delve into the fascinating world of music history. I’m your host, [Your Name], and today, we have a special journey planned for you as we explore the unique and enduring phenomenon known as Northern Soul. Over the next 15 minutes, we’ll chart the beginnings and the popularity of Northern Soul and see where it stands in today’s music landscape.
Recap & Takeaways
In this episode we will see how this subculture, Northern Soul, born out of a love for obscure American soul music, has left an indelible mark on music history. Its impact can still be felt today, from the dance floors of underground clubs to the inspiration it provides to contemporary artists.
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Episode 101: What can I listen to to learn English?
Welcome, English enthusiasts, language learners, and word wizards from around the globe! You’re tuning in to the one and only English-Podcasts.com, your go-to source for leveling up your English skills, no matter where you are on your language journey. We are here to help you with ideas and tips and today, we’re going to be looking at what you can listen to to level-up and improve your English listening skills.
What can I listen to to learn English
by English-Podcasts.com | Episode 101: What can I listen to to learn English
Are you struggling with phrasal verbs? Puzzled by pronunciation? Fumbling with grammar? Lost in the maze of what is out there to listen to?Or simply looking to finesse your fluency and sound like a native?
Whether you’re an absolute beginner or an advanced learner looking to sharpen your listening skills, we are talking about YOU and what you can do to keep your listening skills as sharp as a pin!
If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the content that is available on the web, on streaming services or on the radio, it can be difficult to find out what is the best way to improve your listening skills.
Fear not! We’ve got a little something for everyone. You can pick and choose, mix and match, and discover the English that suits you best.
Notes
So, no matter where you are, whether you’re commuting, sipping tea or coffee at home, listening on the go, or chilling at the beach, let us help give you some ideas and to navigate all of the material and resources out there. We promise to motivate, inspire, and keep you coming back for more.
Recap & Takeaways
We give you some tips on what you should be listening to along with some ideas of links that you can visit to help improve your listening.
Remember that you can suggest topics, subjects or specific learning points that you would like us to explore – and we will mention you on our podcasts, so get involved, drop us a line and let’s help you to improve your English learning!
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Click the bell to be notified of our latest podcasts, videos, vodcasts, quizzes and English learning content and please subscribe to our Youtube channel, follow us on Instagram and Facebook too!
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