Episodes
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Bonus episode #070 - A real nice surprise
Episode description
In this episode, Andrew shares a story about a surprise visit from an old friend. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the idiom not your first rodeo.
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Andrew and Kassy discuss how to handle noisy neighbours in this Real Talk episode. Dealing with noisy neighbours can be challenging, but with the right approach you might be able to solve the problem without losing your cool. This episode features several useful expressions for bringing up topics that aren’t easy to discuss and for addressing conflict.
Fun facts
There are often local laws called noise ordinances. These limit how much noise you are allowed to make at certain times of day, such as between 10 PM and 7 AM. You should always try to communicate with your neighbours and solve noise problems among yourselves first. However, in extreme cases, you may be able to file a complaint that your neighbour is violating your area’s noise ordinance.
Expressions included in the study guide
To bother [someone]
I wanted to talk to you about something
What’s on your mind?
To wind down
To appreciate [something]
Don’t hesitate to [verb]
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For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Pablo de Haro (pexels.com) -
Bonus episode #069 - Goodbye King Pinky
Episode description
In this episode, Andrew talks about saying goodbye to his pet dog, Pinky. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you the expression to set off your alarm bells.
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Bonus episode 57: click here
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In this episode, Kassy and Andrew talk about Kassy’s trip to Europe. Kassy shares her adventures in Sweden, Italy, and Scotland. During this trip, she visited her family, went hiking, stayed in a 15th-century castle, and volunteered at an Eco Lodge. Listen to this Simplified Speech episode to hear all the exciting details!
Fun facts
Did you know that around 80% of Scandinavians speak English fluently? English is prioritized in their education, starting from a young age. But there’s something else: instead of dubbing movies and TV shows, as is common in many other countries, Scandinavians use subtitles. This means that even as children, they get to hear the original English dialogue. This practice improves their listening skills and helps them develop authentic English pronunciation and intonation from an early age.
Expressions included in the study guide
To buckle up
A red-eye (flight)
An acquired taste
To fill [someone] in on [something]
Hit-or-miss
To hit [someone] up
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Ali Elliott (Unsplash.com) -
Bonus episode #068 - The sixth spot
Episode description
The bonus series is back! Join Andrew as he shares a story about his recent adventure down south in Gwangju, where he caught up with friends and tackled a challenging half marathon along a scenic forest road. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, Andrew will teach you a useful English idiom: "To snore your head off."
Study with the interactive transcript here:
Listen to the interview with Indiana here:
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In our modern world, technology is changing our lives all the time, and mostly, it’s making things better. But there are some tech innovations that can be a little worrying, even scary. In this episode, Andrew and Anna dive into the world of deepfakes. They explore their pros and cons and discuss how they might affect our future. If you’re interested in the world of modern technology and its hidden dangers, this episode is for you!
References in this episode:
Savages by Alltta: click here
Miles Fisher: click here
Pentagon attack deep fake: click here
South Korean documentary, Meeting You: click here
Fun facts
In this episode, Andrew and Anna explore both the dangers and the positive aspects of deepfakes. An interesting example of deepfake entertainment takes place at the Dalí Museum in Florida, where visitors can virtually meet the famous surrealist painter, interact and take selfies with him.
Expressions included in the study guide
To have got [something] down
In the limelight
To reap the benefits
To an extent
A hard sell
To take [something] with a pinch of salt
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Sander Sammy (Unsplash.com) -
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed someone to wait patiently while you handled something? In this Catch Word episode, Andrew and Kassy teach you two expressions you can use in such situations: bear with me and hang tight.
Catch Word is a Culips series that teaches you idioms, phrasal verbs, and expressions used in everyday life. With Catch Word, you learn common phrases used by native English speakers while listening to casual, natural conversations.
Fun facts
Did you know that waiting can be quite stressful for our bodies? Studies have shown that while waiting, our heart rate can increase, stress and anxiety levels go up, muscles get tense, and our perception of time changes. On the bright side, if we’re waiting for something exciting, our bodies releases endorphins, which make us feel happy.
Expressions included in the study guide
Bear with me
Hang tight
To line up [something]
To come across as
To get [something] across
Can’t bear [something]
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Ben White (Unsplash.com) -
Bonus episode #067 - Early in the morning
Episode description
Andrew talks about a new app that he’s become addicted to and how he used that app to make an early morning purchase. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson he teaches you how to use the idiomatic expression to put words in [someone’s] mouth.
Study with the interactive transcript here:
Listen to the interview with Indiana here:
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Details about the Culips course: -
In this episode, Andrew interviews one of Culips’ study guide writers, Indiana! He asks her about how she got interested in languages, how she became an English teacher, and what her hobbies are. Plus, Andrew and Indiana share an exciting piece of news – a free Culips course that starts in October! Listen to this episode to find out more about this exciting English learning opportunity.
Join our first live course to study Simplified Speech episodes with a native English-speaking teacher for free! Click here for more details.
Fun facts
Indiana mentions that she lives in New York State, but not New York City. The State of New York has a total area of 54,555 square miles. Meanwhile, NYC only consists of 472 square miles!
Expressions included in the study guide
The floor is yours
Drip
Beta
To drop in
To cap [something] at
To pat oneself on the back
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Indiana -
Bonus Episode #066 - Let’s clear the air
Episode description
Andrew shares a story about a miscommunication, meeting up for lunch with his brother-in-law, a funny thing that happened at the Apple store, and more in this edition of the bonus episode. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the idiom to clear the air.
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How often do you go to museums and art galleries? In this episode, Andrew and Kassy chat about the different kinds of art exhibits they enjoy visiting. They also talk about some of the reasons they do not always enjoy spending time at art galleries, including anxiety and the behaviour of other gallery-goers.
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Fun facts
Did you know that there is a special word in the United States to refer to museum tour guides? Individuals who lead guided tours through art or science museums are sometimes called docents (pronounced doe-sents).
Expressions included in the study guide
Poser
To be bogged down
Can’t help but [verb]
To lose [one’s] cool
Over the top
To touch base with
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Snow White (pexels.com) -
Bonus Episode #65 - Sandwich day
Episode description
Andrew talks about forest fires raging in his hometown, marathon training, gifts from his mother-in-law, and more. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, you’ll learn about the phrasal verb: to ramp up.
Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member.
To sign up, visit Culips.com.
Study with the interactive transcript here:
Join the Culips Discord server here:
Check out the cake quest and marathon test episode here:
Check out the mushroom mystery episode here: -
Do you prefer quality over quantity, or the other way around? Your answer will probably vary depending on the situation. In this Simplifies Speech episode, Andrew and Kassy talk about the idea of quality versus quantity when it comes to making choices in life. They share their preferences and discuss when quality matters more than quantity, and vice versa. Listen in to find out more and learn useful vocabulary to express your thoughts on quality and quantity in English!
Fun facts
When it comes to studying English, you will achieve better results if you focus on the quality of your learning over how much—or the quantity—you are learning. Spending shorter, concentrated study sessions on specific language skills is usually more effective than studying for long hours without a clear goal.
Expressions included in the study guide
To slip through the cracks
To come down to [something]
More bang for your buck
It goes to show
The real deal
When/if push comes to shove
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Romain Briaux (Unsplash.com) -
Bonus Episode #064 - The mushroom mystery
Episode description
Andrew talks about a fascinating and sad news story involving three deaths from eating poisonous mushrooms. Accident or crime? Listen to and decide for yourself! In the vocabulary lesson, you’ll learn about the phrasal verb to feel for (someone).
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To sign up, visit Culips.com.
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Participate in the live stream here:
Read the news article about the mushroom mystery here: -
Have you ever tried something new that completely changed the way you live your daily life? These new technologies and experiences are often called game changers. In this episode, Andrew and Kassy discuss game changers, such as having a GPS in your car, AI assistants like ChatGPT, and streaming services like Netflix.
Fun facts
When you call something a game changer, it usually sounds positive. However, it can also be used neutrally or negatively. In any case, the most important criteria for a game changer is having a significant impact on a situation.
Expressions included in the study guide
Status quo
Could you imagine
Fallout
To plug into
To go on and on about [something]
In the blink of an eye
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Brecht Denil (Unsplash.com) -
Bonus Episode #063 - Heat wave
Episode description
In this edition of the bonus episode, Andrew talks about his weekend of cancelled plans. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the word copycat.
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To sign up, visit Culips.com.
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In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Anna discuss quiet quitting. This term gained popularity during the COVID pandemic, and it refers to a situation where workers do the bare minimum of their employment responsibilities and do only the job that they’re being paid to do. Through this, employees refuse to engage in hustle culture. The question is, is quiet quitting a problem or a solution? Tune in to find out what our hosts think about it!
Fun facts
Quiet quitting is a popular topic these days, but have you heard of quiet firing? Quiet firing is when an employer tries to get rid of an employee without directly firing them. They make the employee's job less important or exclude them from important tasks, hoping that the employee will leave voluntarily. It seems like both employees and employers have found their own indirect ways of dealing with workplace challenges!
Expressions included in the study guide
Fed up
To put [one’s] best foot forward
Stiff upper lip
To get on board with [something]
Laid-back
Ripped off
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Gustavo Fring (Pexels.com) -
Bonus Episode #62 - Tourist in your town
Episode description
In this edition of the bonus episode, Andrew talks about the trip he took without even leaving the city! Intrigued? Listen to find out the details. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the idiomatic expression to rub shoulders with someone
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Study with the interactive transcript here:
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In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Anna explore the fascinating life of Alan Turing, a visionary mathematician and codebreaker whose genius has shaped our modern world of technology. Join our hosts as they discuss the remarkable achievements and personal struggles of this legendary figure.
Chatterbox is the Culips series designed for intermediate and advanced English learners, featuring two native English speakers having natural conversations. Learning with Chatterbox will help you improve your listening and speaking skills and expand your cultural awareness.
Fun facts
Did you know that Alan Turing was the one who came up with the idea of differentiating humans from machines? He played a key role in developing CAPTCHA, those little puzzles we solve online to prove we're human. CAPTCHA stands for Completely Automated Public Turing Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. So, the next time you see a CAPTCHA, remember Turing's innovative idea behind it!
Expressions included in the study guide
Savvy
To wreak havoc
Mind-blowing
Legend has it
Big deal
Ahead of the pack
Copyright: Culips.com
For more information about this episode, visit culips.com.
Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free
Image: Christian Lendl (Unsplash.com) -
Bonus Episode #061 - Cake quest and marathon test
Episode description
In this edition of the bonus episode, Andrew shares two stories about what he did last week. The first is about his wife’s birthday party and the second is about starting to train for a marathon. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about a useful English idiom: to put your money where your mouth is.
Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member.
To sign up, visit Culips.com.
Study with the interactive transcript here:
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