Desert Island Discs, Chris’ choice

Desert Island Discs, Chris’ choice

27, July, 2026

Episode 243: Desert Island Discs, Chris’ choice

In this podcast, we imagine we are castaway on a desert island with just 8 discs. The discussion around the choice of discs is a great way to remind us of certain moments in our lives.

Welcome back to English-Podcasts In this episode we talk about music and link it to some significant moments in our lives. It’s a great way to talk about the past as well as musical preferences. 

Notes

Desert Island Discs is a well known radio show on the BBC, in fact it’s been on air since 1942 ! That first Desert Island Discs was recorded in the BBC’s bomb-damaged Maida Vale studio on 27th January 1942 and aired in the Forces Programme at 8pm two days later. Nowadays it is a staple of BBC radio with over 1000s of people interviewed over the years.

The principle of the show is that the interviewee has to imagine they are castaway on a desert island with only 8 discs to listen to. That is a real challenge ! 

Which discs would you choose? Would you choose music which reminds you of people, of situations or significant experiences in your life ?

Listen in to our choices and reasons for chosing them. In this podcast you can hear Chris’ choice and in another podcast you can hear Sue’s choice. 

Recap & Takeaways

Talking about 8 discs is a great way to talk about your life and important experiences.

While listening to the podcast, make a note of Chris’ songs and why he choose them.

Now think about your choice. How would you explain your choice? Do you know all the vocabulary? Can you explain in a clear and engaing way? This is an opportunity to practice talking about events and experiences in your life…. get going and enjoy your moment as a castaway on a desert island !

Why not go to the BBC Sounds website and listen in to some of the interviews. You might become a fan !

 

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Desert Island Discs Sue’s choice

Desert Island Discs Sue’s choice

27, July, 2026

Episode 242: Desert Island Discs, Sue’s choice

In this podcast, we imagine we are castaway on a desert island with just 8 discs. The discussion around the choice of discs is a great way to remind us of certain moments in our lives.

Welcome back to English-Podcasts In this episode we talk about music and link it to some significant moments in our lives. It’s a great way to talk about the past as well as musical preferences. 

Notes

Desert Island Discs is a well known radio show on the BBC, in fact it’s been on air since 1942 ! That first Desert Island Discs was recorded in the BBC’s bomb-damaged Maida Vale studio on 27th January 1942 and aired in the Forces Programme at 8pm two days later. Nowadays it is a staple of BBC radio with over 1000s of people interviewed over the years.

The principle of the show is that the interviewee has to imagine they are castaway on a desert island with only 8 discs to listen to. That is a real challenge ! 

Which discs would you choose? Would you choose music which reminds you of people, of situations or significant experiences in your life ?

Listen in to our choices and reasons for chosing them. In this podcast you can hear Sue’s choice and in another podcast you can hear Chris’ choice. 

Recap & Takeaways

Talking about 8 discs is a great way to talk about your life and important experiences.

While listening to the podcast, make a note of Sue’s songs and why she choose them.

Now think about your choice. How would you explain your choice? Do you know all the vocabulary? Can you explain in a clear and engaing way? This is an opportunity to practice talking about events and experiences in your life…. get going and enjoy your moment as a castaway on a desert island !

Why not go to the BBC Sounds website and listen in to some of the interviews. You might become a fan !

 

Stay Tuned For Our Latest Episodes

Subscribe to our Facebook group and page, our Youtube channel and to our Instagram to get all the latest podcasts, quizzes and blog posts.

Planning a Holiday Getaway

Planning a Holiday Getaway

27, July, 2026

Episode 236: Planning a Holiday Getaway

In this podcast, you can hear us plan a holiday getaway in real time. You’ll be challenged by numbers, numbers and more numbers!

Planning a holiday getaway
Welcome back to English-Podcasts In this episode we plan a holiday getaway in real time, you’ll hear us clicking away, making mistakes and finally coming up with a good destination which fits Sue’s budget.

Notes

Have you ever tried to book a holiday on line? It’s pretty confusing, isn’t it?

Listen to Chris and Sue go through the different options, flights and prices. There’s a lot of detailed information in this podcast, so you may need to listen several times.

This podcast is a great way to practice number comprehension; listen out for the times of flights, the dates of the holiday, the holiday budget, and the times of the stopovers.

There’s plenty of work do with this one! Not forgetting that planning a holiday getaway is a great way to boost your morale in these cold winter months.

Recap & Takeaways

BEFORE LISTENING, THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS

What’s the furtherest you’ve ever travelled?

How do you feel about flying?

Where have you been?

What’s your usual budget for a holiday?

What do you usually do on holiday?

What type of souvenirs do you buy from your holiday?

AFTER LISTENING

Write down all the numbers you heard. Can you reconsitute the flight itinery?

 

 

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Buying and Selling on-line

Buying and Selling on-line

27, July, 2026

Episode 233: The World of Buying and Selling on-line

In this podcast, Chris talks Sue through some of the pitfalls and joys of buying and selling on-line. Can you guess some of the vocabulary already?

Buying and selling on-line
Welcome back to English-Podcasts In this episode we talk about buying and selling on-line. It may seem straight-forward but sometimes there are scams and other safety issues. Listen in to this interesting conversation.

Notes

Have you ever sold anything online? In recent years it has become part of our everyday life. The internet is full of sites specializing in selling second-hand items from houses, to cars, to handbags, to children’s toys.

  • E-commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet.
  • It is conducted over computers, tablets, smartphones, and other smart devices.
  • Almost anything can be purchased through e-commerce today, and it has lowered the barriers to entry for many types of businesses, such as retailers.
  • E-commerce can be a substitute for brick-and-mortar stores, though some businesses choose to maintain both.
  • E-commerce operates in several market segments, including business-to-business, business-to-consumer, consumer-to-consumer, and consumer-to-business.

Can you guess some of the vocabulary that we’ll use?

Recap & Takeaways

Listen out for these key words and expressions. This podcast is bursting with everyday useful vocabulary.

Time wasters

Secure payment

Stuff

Conmen

You need your wits about you.

Do the benefits outweigh he pitfalls?

To knock someone down  – to knock a bit off

To be above board

To be messed about.

To be in awe of someone

To be on your guard

 

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AI, a great tool or laziness ?

AI, a great tool or laziness ?

As an English learner do you think it’s a great tool or just cheating and laziness ? 

This is the hot question at the moment.

Do you use Google translate to help you with your written English ? Do you enhance your text by putting it through an a.i software?

Are you tempted to rely on a:i  to help you produce a written text quickly?

Listen as we discuss the pros and cons of a.i and see how we think it’ll affect the learning and teaching experience.

Take a look at these options which an a.i software produced from one of our blogs about Food Hell.

This is what we wrote : What’s the worst thing you’ve ever eaten ? Snails ? Eels ? Sheep’s brains ? Listen as we discus the worst things we’ve eaten. Do you agree with our choice? Do you think our choices are cultural or universal tastes?  Why do you detest these foods? Is it the texture, the smell, the taste or just the idea? To get in the mood here are the foods we discuss. Build your vocabulary by associating tastes, and adjectives to each choice*https://english-podcasts.com/food-hell/

This is what the a.i wrote in different styles. What do you think?

Friendly: Do you agree with our choices? Do you think our choices are cultural or universal tastes? What’s the worst food you’ve ever eaten ? Snails ? Eels ? Sheep’s brains ? We discuss all this and more in this episode of the podcast.

Witty: What’s the worst thing you’ve ever eaten? Snails? Eels? Sheep’s brains?! Yeah, we thought so. In this episode of The Listening Project we ask the question: what’s the worst thing you’ve ever eaten? Listen as we discuss how old you had to be to eat some weird things, why some people can literally eat anything and where the best place is for napa cabbage

Empathetic: The worst things I’ve eaten? Snails, eels, sheep’s brains and worse. Do you agree with our choices? Do you think they are cultural or universal tastes? To get in the mood here are the foods we discuss. Build your vocabulary by associating tastes, and adjectives to each choice.

Luxury: What would constitute the worst thing you’ve ever eaten? Snails ? Eels ? Sheep’s brains ? Listen as we discuss the worst things we’ve eaten eaten. Do you agree with our choice? Do you think our choices are cultural or universal tastes? Why do you detest these foods? Is it the texture, the smell, the taste or just the idea?

Adventurous: This is a lively and fun podcast that discusses the worst things we’ve eaten. We are passionate about food, and so are you. We believe each culture has foods that they consider disgusting which we put in a list. In this podcast episode we discuss the reasons why these foods are considered some of the most unsavory in our culture. If you have suggestions for future topics please email me at suggestions@podcasts.com

Persuasive: We all have foods that we detest. When someone tells you to try something, how do you respond? You like it or not? Why do people put themselves through this ritualistic thing of eating all these things they don’t like? This is your chance to find out. Listen as we discuss some of the things most people won’t eat, but that we did.

  Listen out for these words in the podcast

Did your mum write your cover letter?

Lazy

To put your finger on it

Cheating

Enhance

There/ they’re/ their

A mindset change

A can of worms

A glaring mistake

Christmas Market in Toulouse

Christmas Market in Toulouse

27, July, 2026

Episode 241: Discover The Christmas Market in Toulouse, France

In this Vodcast, we visit and discover what is in store at The Christmas market, as we do every year. Sue, who is a huge fan of Christmas continues her mission to get Chris into the Christmas spirit.

Welcome back to English-Podcasts In this episode we get out and about with our video camera to discover the food and drink of the Christmas season in the centre of Toulouse, France. Will Sue be able to ‘sell’ Christmas to Chris, who is not 100% convinced?

Notes

Join us in the bustling centre of Toulouse on an unusually cold evening.

See the stalls and produce that is on sale, some of it quite original and others that are the stalwarts of the Christmas Market.

We discover some the unique and the traditional, along with the things that seem a little off-the-wall for the Christmas season.

One thing is for sure, love it hate it, The Christmas Market is certainly a lively and a very friendly place to go.

Recap & Takeaways

Packed with vocabulary about the Christmas season, along with lots of expressions to describe the tastes and sensations about food and drink.

Once again we visit the growing Christmas market in the centre of the beautiful city of Toulouse to soak up the Christmas spirit.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more cultural explorations!

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