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. Become a Culips member: click here Study with the interactive transcript: click here Join the Culips Discord server: click here Bonus episode 57: click here Culips Instagram: click here

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: Join the Culips Discord server here: Details about the Culips course:

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: Join the Culips Discord server here: 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. Study with the interactive transcript here: Join the Culips Discord server here:

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. Join the Culips Discord server here: 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). 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: 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. 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:

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 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:

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: Join the Culips Discord server here:

Do you like remakes, or do you believe that nothing can beat the original? In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Kassy discuss remakes of movies and video games, and whether the remakes can be better than the originals of our childhoods. They also talk about why remakes have become so popular lately and share their own opinions on this matter. Tune in to find out what they think while improving your English conversation skills! Fun facts “Perfect Strangers”, a 2016 Italian comedy-drama directed by Paolo Genovese, is holding the Guinness World Record for the most remade movie in the history of cinema. Within three years since it was first released, it was remade 18 times in many different languages! Expressions included in the study guide To drive someone up the wall Let alone Right up [one's] alley Off the top of [one's] head Top-notch Up to snuff Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Evan (Pexels.com)

Bonus episode #60 - Round 2 Episode description In this week’s edition of the bonus episode, Andrew talks about teaching Korean for the first time, catching COVID for the second time, and how he spent his 5-day bedroom quarantine. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the expression: to chalk [something] up to [something]. 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: Listen to Catch Word #271 here:

There are many different ways to talk about things that are old and worn out in English. In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne teach you two idiomatic expressions you can use to describe these things: seen better days and worse for wear. Catch Word is the Culips vocabulary series designed for intermediate and advanced English learners. This series teaches you how to use everyday expressions, idioms, and slang to improve your speaking and listening skills. Fun facts In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne talk about giving old things new life by fixing them up. What’s interesting is that sometimes people do just the opposite: they buy new things and intentionally make them look old. This technique is known as distressing. It involves creating artificial signs of wear and tear in order to give items a vintage appearance. Expressions included in the study guide Seen better days Worse for wear TLC Heyday Past its prime Wear and tear Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Pixabay (Pexels.com)

In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Anna talk about the concept of setting boundaries. Setting boundaries means creating limits between ourselves and others. For instance, one example of a boundary you could set is to not respond to work-related calls after dinner time. You can set boundaries for yourself, your friends, family, and even your coworkers and boss. Setting boundaries is an important way to take control in your life and show respect for yourself. If you’d like to hear about how Andrew and Anna set boundaries in their own lives, then this is the episode for you! Fun facts The term “work-life balance” became popular in the 1980s. Setting boundaries between your personal life and your professional life is an important strategy for taking care of your mental health. One simple way to set a boundary between working hours and after hours is to turn off e-mail notifications from your work e-mail during that time. Expressions included in the study guide to cross a line/boundary to set a precedent to run the risk to count as to have one’s [noun] hat on to walk all over [someone] Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Paolo Chiabrando (Unsplash.com)

Bonus Episode #059 - Books and buddies Episode description In this week’s edition of the bonus episode, Andrew talks about having some guests over to his house, professional development, and a new book by one of his favorite writers. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the expression to stay on your toes. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Join the Culips Discord server here:

In this episode, Andrew and Kassy discuss Kassy’s plans for the summer. Kassy and her husband are going to Europe to volunteer at an Eco Lodge in Scotland. Tune in to find out all the details! Simplified Speech is a Culips series that features two native English speakers having clear and natural conversations about fascinating topics. These episodes are designed to help you improve your English listening and speaking skills in a fun and exciting way. Fun facts An interesting aspect of volunteering abroad is that it often offers an immersive language learning experience. Volunteers often improve their language skills and cultural understanding by interacting with hosts and fellow volunteers in foreign countries. Expressions included in the study guide The sky is the limit To stick out To be in the same boat To play by ear Hustle and bustle On the flip side Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Paolo Chiabrando (Unsplash.com)

Bonus Episode #058 - One step forward, two steps back Episode description In this week’s edition of the bonus episode, Andrew talks about some trials and errors he went through when trying to upgrade the storage drive in his old computer. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the phrasal verb to swap out. 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: Listen to Simplified Speech #172 here:

We’ve all been in situations where our options were limited, and we had to accept something less than what we wanted. In this episode, Andrew and Kassy explain two idiomatic expressions that you can use to describe these situations, bottom of the barrel and slim pickings. Catch Word is the Culips vocabulary series designed for intermediate and advanced English learners. By listening to these audio lessons, you can learn idioms, expressions, and phrasal verbs that native speakers use all the time. Tune in to take your fluency to the next level! Fun facts Andrew mentions the expression “slim chance” in this episode. Did you know that the phrase “fat chance” means the exact same thing, even though “slim” and “fat” are opposites? English can be quite fascinating, don't you think? Expressions included in the study guide Bottom of the barrel Slim pickings To settle for [something] To inch towards [something] Decent What can you do? Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Mauro Lima (Unsplash.com)

Bonus Episode #057 - The good, the bad, and the ugly cry Episode description In this week’s edition of the bonus episode, Andrew talks about what he’s been up to over the last couple of weeks, including moving to his new house and a health scare with his pet dog Pinky Boy. Listen, learn, and improve your English fluency with real-life stories. 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: Watch the Discord tutorial here:

Do you use tabs a lot? Do you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts or mouse clicks? In this episode, Andrew and Suzanne talk about the different ways to browse the internet. They share their different styles of surfing the internet and explore the pros and cons of each approach. Simplified Speech is the Culips series for beginner and intermediate English language learners that features easy to understand conversations about everyday topics. These episodes are designed to help you improve your listening skills and expand your vocabulary. We have quality study guides and transcripts available for all Culips members. Fun facts Do you know these handy Windows shortcuts that can make your browsing more efficient? To open a new tab, press Ctrl + T To close a tab, press Ctrl + W To open a previously closed tab, press Ctrl + Shift + T Expressions included in the study guide One thing led to another Quirk Now that we’ve established Facade Willy-nilly Funky Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Cottonbro studio (Pexels.com)

Bonus Episode #056.5 - Status update Episode description Andrew quickly checks in to give you a status update about what’s new at Culips this week. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com. Join the Culips Discord server here: Watch the Discord tutorial here: Listen to Chatterbox #306

Stepping outside of your comfort zone can be scary, but it helps you grow as a person. In this episode, Andrew and Anna explore the science of stepping outside of your comfort zone, talk about why it’s important to push yourself, and share their own stories of personal growth and overcoming challenges. Culips’ Chatterbox series is designed for intermediate and advanced English learners. Chatterbox episodes feature two native English speakers having natural conversations. Listening to these audio lessons is a great way to improve your grammar, vocabulary, and listening skills so that you can build your fluency. Fun facts Stepping outside of your comfort zone has a lot of benefits that include personal growth, improved self-confidence, and a greater sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in life. By embracing new experiences and facing fears, you create memorable moments and a richer, more vibrant life. Expressions included in the study guide In [one’s] element Second nature Sweet spot To put [oneself] out there In the long run In the deep end Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke for Free Image: Cottonbro studio (Pexels.com)