In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about the music he listened to this year. Plus, he teaches you about a useful English expression, to reign supreme. 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.

Are you a saver or a spender? In this episode, Andrew and Anna share their experiences handling finances and give some tips on how to spend less money. If you’re interested in personal finance, be sure to give it a listen! Chatterbox is a series that features natural conversations between native speakers. This series is designed for intermediate and advanced learners. Listening to our Chatterbox series is a great way to improve your vocabulary and listening skills. Take your English fluency to the next level! Fun facts The tallest rollercoaster in the world is Six Flags’ Kingda Ka rollercoaster. It first opened in 2005 and is 456 feet tall (almost 139 metres) at its highest point. Expressions included in the study guide To have a handle on [something] Night and day To kick the bucket To push the boat out Peace of mind To delve into [something] Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Opening music from Pixabay.com Image: Karolina Grabowska (Pexels.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew shares the story about how his half marathon went last week. He also talks about the World Cup and who he’s cheering for. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you the expression slim to none. 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.

Most children in the U.S. and Canada have had at least a few experiences visiting amusement parks. In this Simplified speech episode, Andrew and Kassy describe their childhood experiences going to amusement parks and theme parks. They discuss their opinions on them and offer several tips on getting the most fun out of your visit. Listen to the episode and decide for yourself whether you think these classic summertime destinations sound like fun! Simplified Speech is the Culips series that features easy to understand conversations that help beginner and intermediate English learners improve their communication skills. We have quality study guides and transcripts available for all Culips members. Study with the interactive transcript here. Fun facts The tallest rollercoaster in the world is Six Flags’ Kingda Ka rollercoaster. It first opened in 2005 and is 456 feet tall (almost 139 metres) at its highest point. Expressions included in the study guide To not be a fan of [something] To pay off Claim to fame To get butterflies To date [oneself] Once in a lifetime Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Matt Bowden (unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about a decision he made in the past that has come back to haunt him. He also shares a story about a website that helped him to relive some childhood memories. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you about the expression to pay the price. 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.

It is always a great time picking up a new hobby! In this episode, Kassy talks with Andrew about some new hobbies of hers. Listen in to find out what they are! Simplified Speech is a Culips series where native speakers have natural conversations about everyday topics using clear and easy to understand language. These episodes are designed to help beginner and intermediate English language learners improve their listening skills. Study with the interactive transcript here. Fun facts In this episode, Andrew mentions Alex Honnold, a famous free solo climber. In 2017, he climbed El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, a 3000 feet tall rock formation, without ropes or any other protective equipment. The climb took him 3 hours and 56 minutes. Expressions included in the study guide If I recall correctly To get where [someone] is coming from To have a hard time [doing something] To blow [one’s] socks off Notorious To be on the verge of [something] Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Karolina Grabowska (Pexels.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about the drama that’s unfolding at Twitter. Plus, he gives you some behind the scenes updates about some new things happening at Culips and teaches you a funny idiomatic expression: a dumpster fire. 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.

Have you ever travelled abroad during summer vacation? Depending on where you travel, summer can be one of the best times to take a trip. In this episode, Andrew and Anna talk about Anna’s trip to Scotland during the summer. Listen to this Chatterbox episode to hear about the food, sites, weather, and more that Anna experienced on her trip. Chatterbox is a series of natural conversations between two native English speakers about diverse and interesting topics. This series is designed to help intermediate and advanced English learners improve their listening and speaking ability in a fun and engaging way. Fun facts In this episode, Anna and Andrew talk about haggis, one of Scotland’s most iconic foods. There is a myth about haggis that some travellers may hear, which is that haggis is a small four-legged creature with a mane that is hunted in the Highlands of Scotland. Most people know this is not true, but if you ever have the opportunity to eat haggis you may also end up hearing this legend! Expressions included in the study guide To recharge (one’s) batteries To take it away Picky and choosy Quite the hike Bucket list Achilles’ heel Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image:Andrew Ridley (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about why his dog Pinky is a conversation starter and shares some stories about what he did over the weekend. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you the idiomatic expression to be someone’s strong suit. 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.

Emergencies can be extremely stressful, but they certainly make for some good stories. In this Simplified Speech episode, hosts Andrew and Kassy recount several stories from their childhoods about emergency situations. You’ll hear stories about stubborn children, bee stings, and getting stuck in theatre chairs. Listen to their tales and find out if you’ve gone through anything similar! Simplified Speech is a Culips series that features easy to understand conversations that help beginner and intermediate English learners improve their listening skills.. Fun facts Did you know that 911 (in North America) and 112 (in the European Union) are the most common emergency service numbers? Even if you can’t remember the right emergency number for the country you’re in, dialing either of these numbers on your smartphone should connect you to an emergency line immediately. Expressions included in the study guide Lighthearted To storm out Alas To go nuts Bad influence To be bound to happen Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image:Roger Brown (pexels.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about some exciting news! Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you a useful English expression: a fixer-upper. 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.

Where is your office? Is it located in a big building owned by the company you work for, or are you a digital nomad, able to work anywhere in the world? Andrew and Anna talk about what it must be like being a digital nomad and discuss the good and the bad that comes with this lifestyle. Culips’ Chatterbox series is designed for intermediate and advanced English learning. All Chatterbox episodes feature natural conversations between two native English speakers. Listening to these audio lessons helps to improve your grammar, vocabulary, and listening skills so that you can become fluent. You’ll be able to speak English naturally while also learning what it’s like to be a digital nomad. Fun facts As of 2021, there are over 35 million digital nomads in the world. Curious about where they live? Well, 51% live in hotels, 41% live with friends or family, 36% live in Airbnbs, and 16% live in hostels. Expressions included in the study guide Living the dream Not all it's cracked up to be i.e. Location freedom Never say never Hit the nail on the head Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Avi Richards (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about getting a 24-hour bug, visiting an industrial office tower, and failing the exercise portion of the Sober October Challenge. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you an idiomatic English expression: To lose it. 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.

No one ever expects to be in an emergency, but sometimes we may be in a situation where we need to call for help. In this Real Talk episode, Andrew and Kassy teach you common expressions you can use when talking to a 911 dispatcher. Real Talk is a series that helps you learn practical English expressions that you can use in every day natural conversations. Be sure to listen carefully to this episode for all the useful expressions! Fun facts 911 is an emergency phone number used globally in many North, Central & South America countries. It first began being used by the fire department in the United States in 1957 because it had never been used as an area code. Other regions of the world use different universal emergency phone numbers such as 112 in Europe and 119 in many Asian countries. Expressions included in the study guide Hit and run Blow through Stay on the line What's (someone's) condition Yada yada Clog up the line Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: JOSHUA COLEMAN and Charanjeet Dhiman (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew shares a few stories about what he got up to last week. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson he teaches you about the expression a grind. 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.

Have you ever thought about living abroad? That’s the discussion topic for this Chatterbox episode. Join Andrew and Anna as they share their experiences of living in a foreign country and talk about the ups and downs of living abroad. Chatterbox is a series for intermediate and advanced English learners in which native English speakers have natural conversations on interesting topics. This series is designed to help you improve your English listening and speaking fluency in a fun way. Fun facts Did you know that the United Arab Emirates’ population mostly consists of foreigners? Expats constitute over 88% of this country’s population. That means only 12% are native-born residents. Expressions included in the study guide Red tape To bend over backwards A loophole To keep [someone] on [their] toes To be on the fence YOLO Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Images: GeoJango Maps and Clay Banks (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about the Sober October challenge and shopping for new shoes. Plus, he teaches you a useful idiomatic expression out of pocket. 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.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where it was best to just remain quiet? In English, there are many ways to say, “I don’t want to talk about it”. In this episode, Andrew and Kassy teach you two idiomatic expressions you can use to talk about being quiet and not talking. The Catch Word series helps intermediate and advanced English language learners understand idioms, phrasal verbs and expressions that you may encounter in daily life. This Culips audio lesson will help you improve your listening skills, build your vocabulary, and give you interesting conversation topics to use every day. Fun facts Some people enjoy being in the spotlight and having the attention of an audience, but research has reported that about two-thirds of people say that they feel anxious and struggle to speak in front of large groups. Expressions included in the study guide To take the fifth To clam up In a jovial manner [Someone’s] eyes pop out of [their] head In the running Goody two-shoes Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Image: Jelleke Vanooteghem (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about visiting an international festival in his neighborhood and about trying some cuisine from a couple different countries. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson he teaches you about the idiom for the time being. 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. Also, check out The Daily that we mentioned in this episode here.

What is life like after marriage? Andrew and Kassy have both had their weddings recently and, in this episode, they talk about adjusting to married life and share their experiences dealing with it. In our Simplified Speech series, Native speakers have natural and easy-to-understand conversations about everyday topics. These episodes are designed to help you improve your listening skills and expand your vocabulary. Fun facts According to New Statistics, 53% (20 million) of marriages that happen around the world are arranged. In an arranged marriage, a person doesn’t choose who they marry; their relatives do it instead. Expressions included in the study guide To embark on To bring up [something] [Something]-wise To see eye to eye Under the gun Dire Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Image: Drew Coffman (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew shares talks about getting attacked by mosquitos and a near disaster. Sound intriguing? Listen to the episode to learn the whole story. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, you’ll learn how to use the adjective stricken to describe negative situations. 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:

Greetings from Thailand! Kassy and her husband have finally arrived in Thailand and are starting to get settled in Bangkok. In this episode, Kassy tells Andrew about her first impressions of the new country and shares a couple of funny and interesting stories from her first days there. Tune in to hear about Kassy’s adventures in Bangkok. Simplified Speech is the Culips series that is designed to help you improve your English listening and speaking fluency in a fun and exciting way. Fun facts Drinking tap water is not safe in Thailand. Drinking beer, on the other hand, is. The high level of alcohol content in Thai beer makes it impossible for the germs to survive. Apart from that, the cost of Thai beer is relatively low, which is why the drink is so popular around the country. Expressions included in the study guide To go hand in hand Apart from Piping hot To have no words To take [something] in stride To be drowned out by [something] Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Image: Evan Krause and Waranont (Joe) (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew shares some stories about what he got up to last week, including searching for his wife’s wallet and selling his PS4. He also tells you about an awesome new Culips feature, the interactive transcript. Then, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you a great phrasal verb: to piece [something] together. 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.

Have you ever wanted to pack up and move to a whole new country? Kassy recently did just that, moving from South Korea to Thailand. In this episode, Andrew and Kassy talk about her recent move and share their stories about what it’s like to prepare for an international move. Simplified Speech episodes are designed to help you improve your English listening and speaking skills. Listen as two native English speakers have a natural conversation using clear and easy to understand language. Fun facts In 2020, it was estimated that 3.6% of the world’s population (281 million people) were migrants. Migrants are people who live in a country different from the one in which they were born. Expressions included in the study guide So to speak Gold standard Flood the market Get/kick into high gear Good sport Live vicariously through [someone] Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Image: Karolina Grabowska (Pexels.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about commuting to work in a typhoon, celebrating Chuseok, and the passing of Queen Elizabeth. Plus, in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you how to use the expression to go into [something] mode. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com.

Who doesn’t love a hot cup of tea? Most countries have some kind of tea culture. However, the British think of tea as especially important to their culture. In fact, many people think of tea when they think of elements of British culture. In this Chatterbox episode, Anna talks with Andrew about her country’s relationship with tea and how important it is. So put the kettle on and sit back for an interesting conversation! Chatterbox is a Culips series for high and intermediate English learners in which native English speakers have a conversation on an interesting topic. Listening to this series will help to improve your listening skills and to expand your vocabulary. Fun facts In this episode, Anna mentions that Turkey is the country with the highest consumption of tea in the world. The average Turkish person drinks 3.16 kg of tea per year, whereas people in the #2 country, Ireland, drink 2.19 kg of tea per year. Every other country surveyed consumes, on average, under 2 kg of tea per year. There must be some amazing tea in Turkey! Expressions included in the study guide To come on the scene Fabric of social culture [Something] tea Criminal Just a splash To dress up Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Sincerely Media and Rachel Cheng (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about some of the highlights from the past week and teaches you a useful expression you can use when you’re tired: wiped out. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com.

In this episode Kassy and Andrew talk about Kassy’s trip home to the United States of America. On this trip, she finally got a chance to spend some time with her family and friends that she had not been able to see in person for years. Kassy talks about how she and her husband got to travel to different states, visiting attractions, eating local delicacies, and most importantly, partying at their long-planned second wedding reception. Simplified Speech is a Culips series that features clear, natural, and easy to understand conversations about interesting topics. Listen in to improve your listening and speaking skills, as well as to expand your vocabulary with many useful expressions that will help you to become more fluent in English. Fun facts Did you know that travelling makes you smarter? Not only do you get to tour new destinations—making memories of the unique sights, smells, and tastes—but travelling also stimulates your brain to think more creatively as you navigate new locations. Expressions included in the study guide To keep up with [something] To digress If I had to pick one, it would be… To digest [information] You can thank us later To be antsy Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Jason Pischke and Timothy Klingler (Unsplash.com)

In this bonus episode, Andrew shares some stories from the monster of a week he had last week. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you a useful English expression: on point. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com.

Who doesn’t like to have a good laugh? In this Catch Word episode, Kassy and Andrew teach you some useful expressions that help you to talk about comedy and things in your life that make you laugh a lot. Catch Word is the Culips vocabulary series for intermediate and advanced English language learners that will help you improve your listening and speaking skills. At the same time, you’ll be able to increase your vocabulary by learning some useful and important expressions that English speakers use in their everyday lives. Fun facts Most laughter is not about humor, but rather about relationships between people. We are 30 times more likely to laugh in a social situation than when we are alone (with no books, TV, or other gadgets around to make us laugh). Expressions included in the study guide In stitches To crack [someone] up To overexert oneself To catch one’s breath To take [something] to heart A real character Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Priscilla Du Preez (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about a random day he had last week where he registered his marriage and got an IV drip. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you an extremely common idiomatic expression: for good. Support Culips and take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips Member. To sign up, visit Culips.com.

Zombies are everywhere! From movies and TV shows to video games and more, zombies are supernatural monsters that appear in almost every culture’s folklore. In this episode, Andrew and Kassy talk about everything they know about these undead creatures. Simplified Speech episodes feature two native English speakers having clear, natural, and easy-to-understand conversations about interesting topics, like zombies. Studying with this series helps you to improve your English listening skills and speak English naturally.. Fun facts The word “zombie” first appeared in 1819 when poet Robert Southey used it in his book History of Brazil to refer to a rebel leader named Zumbi. Expressions included in the study guide My [something] Game over To blank on [something] For days on end To the bitter end If you can’t beat them, join them Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Nathan Wright (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about how he kept himself entertained while being sick at home with COVID. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you an expression you can use when you regret saying something: to eat your words. For information about becoming a Culips Member, visit Culips.com

Have you ever heard of high intensity interval training? That’s quite a mouthful, isn’t it? Luckily, we usually just call this type of workout HIIT. It’s a training style that has recently gained a lot of popularity. In this Chatterbox episode, hosts Andrew and Anna explain the entire concept of HIIT and share their stories related to it. Chatterbox is a Culips series where two native English speakers have a quick and natural conversation about interesting topics. This series is designed to be beneficial for intermediate and advanced English language learners. Fun facts Although HIIT has been gaining in popularity recently, the concept has been around for a long time. Famously, British athletics coach Peter Coe used the principles of HIIT to help train his son, Sebastian Coe, who would later go on to win several Olympic medals as a middle distance runners! Expressions included in the study guide A mouthful Hard to pinpoint To resonate with [someone] To be beat To be plausible There’s a time and a place To fall into place To fall by the wayside Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Element5 Digital (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about why he had to cancel his trip to Canada at the last moment. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you a useful expression for telling bad news: all around. For information about becoming a Culips Member, visit Culips.com

There’s always someone in a friend group that’s not very observant. Maybe it takes them too long to understand a joke, or maybe they always say the wrong thing at the wrong time. There are many different phrases in the English language to describe these oblivious kinds of friends. Today, Kassy and Andrew explain two of these expressions: tone-deaf and turn a blind eye. Culips’ Catch Word series teaches you idioms, phrasal verbs, and expressions that help improve your English listening and speaking skills. With Catch Word, you learn common phrases used by native English speakers while listening to a casual, natural conversation. Fun facts When travelling the world, it is very easy to commit a faux pas or act tone-deaf. That’s because each culture has unique social rules and etiquette. Before you travel, it’s always a good idea to look up the common mistakes that tourists make at your destination so that you won’t be a tone-deaf tourist, or accidently commit a faux pas! Expressions included in the study guide Tone-deaf Turn a blind eye Faux pas To be/get roasted Average Joe Grain of truth Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Naomi Suzuki (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew shares some stories about what he got up to last week and talks about his upcoming trip to Canada. Plus he teaches you a useful expression: to wait it out. For information about becoming a Culips Member, visit Culips.com

Everyone knows about Christmas and Valentine’s Day, but do you know there’s a Strange Music Day and a Burger Day? In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Kassy explore the wonderful world of international days. Give it a listen and you might discover a special day just for you! Simplified Speech is a Culips series where our hosts have a clear and natural conversation designed to help beginner and intermediate English language learners improve their skills. Fun facts Most special international days are joyful events meant to focus interest in some area of life. However, International Workers’ Day has a long political history of protests and riots aiming to improve the rights of workers across the world. It is celebrated on May 1st in most countries. In North America, it is celebrated on the first Monday of September and is called Labour Day. Expressions included in the study guide To raise awareness To be a riot Just because Avant-garde/cutting edge To be out there To do some digging It just so happens To stand out Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Blessing Ri (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew shares a story about celebrating his wife’s birthday and baking her a cake. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you how to use a common idiomatic expression: to have your work cut out for you. The Culips Member July live stream is happening on Tuesday July 26th, at 7:30PM KST. To join the live stream, follow this link: For information about becoming a Culips Member, visit Culips.com

A beautiful flower arrangement can help to change the whole look of a room. But how do you order flowers at a flower shop in English? Don’t worry! In this Real Talk episode, hosts Andrew and Kassy walk you through the expressions and vocabulary you will need when buying flowers to decorate your home or give to a loved one. Real Talk is the Culips series for beginner and intermediate English learners, which teaches you practical English expressions for real-world situations. Fun facts If you like big flower arrangements, you might like one at the Dubai Miracle Garden. At roughly 72,000 square meters, and shaped like an Airbus A380, it holds the record for biggest flower arrangement in the world. Expressions included in the study guide Florist Bouquet/arrangement I’d like to buy I can help you with that Did you have anything particular in mind? What are you thinking for the budget? [Something] would be fine To ring [someone] up Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Waldemar Brandt and Uljana Borodina (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew talks about a short road trip he took to a small city at the southern tip of South Korea called Tongyeong. Plus in the vocabulary lesson, he teaches you how to use a common idiomatic expression: to bad-mouth [someone]. Visit Culips.com to get the 100% free transcript for this episode.

Everyone owns special and precious things, things they think of as valuable and unique. In this episode, Kassy and Andrew get together to talk about the things that they value the most and, in fact, can’t imagine their lives without. Listen in to learn about what things both Andrew and Kassy consider to be their most prized possessions. Simplified Speech episodes feature two native English speakers having clear, natural, and easy to understand English conversations about interesting topics. By listening to Kassy and Andrew talk about their most prized possessions, you’ll improve your English listening skills and increase your vocabulary. Fun facts How much would you pay to buy a feather? The most expensive feather in the world was found in New Zealand and belongs to an extinct bird called the huia. It was sold at an auction for almost $10,000 US. Expressions included in the study guide TMI Sentimental value Safety blanket Think back on Using time as countable/non-countable noun To be particular about (something) Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Clay Bank (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew shares some stories about what he did last week.  Plus, he teaches you a useful and common idiomatic expression that native speakers use all the time: to be at the top of your game. Visit Culips.com to get the 100% free transcript for this episode.

Making decisions isn’t always easy, especially these days, when there are so many options for us to pick from. If you’ve ever felt stuck when faced with choices, you’re not alone! This sensation is called decision paralysis and many people face it, including Culips hosts Andrew and Anna. Listen in as they talk about this sensation and how they work through it. Culips’ Chatterbox series is designed for intermediate and advanced English learners. All Chatterbox episodes feature natural conversations between two native English speakers. Listening to these audio lessons helps to improve your grammar, vocabulary, and listening skills so that you can build your fluency. You’ll be able to speak English naturally with Culips, and you might even learn something interesting along the way. Fun facts Studies show that decision paralysis, also known as choice paralysis or analysis paralysis, often leads to procrastination. Those who experience this become so overwhelmed with the options available that they avoid making a decision, and instead do something else Expressions included in the study guide To let the world pass you by In the heat of the moment On a whim Click of a finger Put one’s finger on it Grass is always greener Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Victoriano Izquierdo (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s bonus episode, Andrew tells a story about losing his wedding ring. Plus, he teaches you an idiomatic expression that native speakers use all the time: on and off. Visit Culips.com to get the 100% free transcript for this episode.

There are things that we like, and then there are things we really obsess over! But watch out: you don’t want your obsession to turn into an addiction. In this Simplified Speech episode, hosts Andrew and Kassy explore expressions dealing with our obsessions. Simplified Speech is a series featuring easy and natural English conversations. Both beginner and intermediate language learners can benefit from this series. So be sure to go through our full catalogue online! Fun facts As our hosts mention in this episode, Obsession is also the name of a famous perfume from Calvin Klein. It became extremely popular in the ’80s and ’90s, largely due to its iconic marketing campaign. Expressions included in the study guide Flippantly Well put To the detriment of [something] [One’s] thing To trigger Thought experiment Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Clay Bank (Unsplash.com)

In this week’s update episode, Andrew shares some stories about the monsoon season and dog sitting a poodle! Plus, he teaches you about an extremely useful phrasal verb: to stick with [something]. Visit Culips.com to get the 100% free transcript for this episode.

At some point, we’ve all found ourselves scrolling through the news or social media for hours on end. Sometimes the things we discover make us feel good (cute puppy videos!), and other times we find things that makes us feel bad (most news article about the world nowadays!). In this episode, Andrew and Kassy teach you two idiomatic expressions that you can use to talk about spending time on the Internet. The Culips Catch Word series teaches you idioms, phrasal verbs, and expressions used in everyday life. Listening to this Catch Word audio lesson will help you improve your English listening and speaking skills, while also giving you interesting new ways to talk about the internet and social media. If you’d like to watch the video Andrew mentions in this video, you can find it here. Fun facts While people have used doomscrolling to describe their internet usage since early 2018, it only became popular and entered everyday usage in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Expressions included in the study guide Doomscrolling Break the internet Apt Doom and gloom Pack If I do say so myself Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Music Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Image: Adrian Swancar and LinkedIn Sales Solutions (Unsplash.com)