Easy Stories in English

Answer my survey and get the free beginner story, The City Mouse and the Country Mouse: https://www.easystoriesinenglish.com/ask Leah's mother dies, and her brother leaves home, and Leah is so sad that she cannot speak. Her father plants a rose garden on her balcony, and every day she gives a white rose to a seagull and kisses it three times, sending it to her brother. But dark magic is also travelling across the sea, and soon Leah will find that every rose is not so sweet... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Kiss for the full transcript. Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Ruby, Grief, Servant, Dragon, Witch, Seagull, Courage, Slave, Smash, Bathtub. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2405. Author: Gordon Urquhart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Answer my survey and get the beginner story, The City Mouse and the Country Mouse: EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Ask Today, I have a confession to make. I thought I knew what you all wanted, but I was wrong. In this episode, I ask for your help. Get the transcript: https://easystoriesinenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRANSCRIPT-I-have-a-confession-to-make.pdf Level up your English with Story Builders, an eight-week online course https://www.easystoriesinenglish.com/build Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Level up your English with Story Builders, an eight-week online course https://www.easystoriesinenglish.com/build A woman has a loving husband and children, and she's great at her job. So why is she sad? One day, she opens the freezer door and sees the way into another world. If she goes, she will lose her husband and children. But could she be happy there? Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Door for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Freeze, Freezer, Cheek, Pick at, Kid, Nightmare, Gooseberry, Cliff, Sober, Weigh something up, Parallel universe. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1517. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get 25% off my Story Builders course by signing up by the end of today! https://easystoriesinenglish.com/build Today I talk to Bree Aesie from the Into the Story podcast about how to use stories in your everyday life, what makes a great communicator and some interesting memory techniques. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Bree for the full transcript. Check out my appearance on Bree's podcast, Into the Story: https://intothestorypodcast.com/stories/63-having-the-courage-to-stand-up/ Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get 25% off my Story Builders course by signing up before 1st October! https://easystoriesinenglish.com/build In today's episode, learn all about the second-largest city in Germany with the world's largest model railway, how I'm conquering my fears with a piece of paper, the controversial new smoking bans in the UK and my fabulous new course Story Builders! Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Hamburg for the full transcript. Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Vocabulary: ‘How did you find…?’, Streak (record), Leafy, Suburb, Model railway, Nerd, Cityscape, VR, Overwhelmed, Demolish, Bulge out, Privilege, Cobbled, Mortar, Rest on your laurels, CV, Bubbly, Rejection, Trial shift, Bucket list, Resilient, Ban, Phased ban, Nanny state, Vaping, Second-hand smoke HealthyGamerGG’s video ‘Why Your Identity Dooms You To Failure’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmJmvaMIjIY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A king meets a woman who grows pumpkins. She gives him water in a dirty old jug, and then she breaks it. The king thinks this is strange, but he likes the woman. So he gives her a challenge: if she can put a big pumpkin in a small jug, he will marry her. But she cannot break the jug or the pumpkin. Can she do it? Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Jug for the full transcript. Join my email newsletter and find out as soon as my Story Builders course is open: EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Email Interested in one-to-one classes with me? Find out more and book a free chat with me: EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Classes Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Romance. Vocabulary: Pumpkin, Jug, Pick (flowers), Poppy, Thirsty, Bow (verb), Hole, Fit, Rule (noun), Impossible, Landslide victory, A good match, Come into season. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1348. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Misty the Snake loves eating other people's pets. This does not make the people of the United Kingdom happy. So her owner takes her to Brazil, but really she wants to go home to Ghana... This episode is a rerun, BUT I add some new commentary and talk about my exciting new project, Story Builders. Story Builders will be an eight-week online language course where we will work together to create a story based on all our experiences that will then appear on the podcast. To hear as soon as sign-ups for Story Builders are open, join my email newsletter at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Email. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/MistyRerun for the full transcript. Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Comedy Vocabulary: Sneak, Parcel, Queue, Bubble wrap, Marmite, Lick, Ex, Prison bars, Put a bounty on someone’s head, Owner, Tongue, Yeast. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1457. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode, I talk all about how I injured my leg at my sister's wedding, the race riots currently happening in the UK, not so nice, and end with some motivation for all of you. Very nice. Keep listening to learn English! Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Wedding for the full transcript. Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Vocabulary: Buddy, Nomenclature, Yap, Gen Z, Segment, Ramble, Civil partnership, Registrar, Brother-in-law, Bonfire, Cartwheel, Pull a hamstring, Ceilidh, Gaelic, Calves, Killing me, Polyamorous, Sedate, Woo woo, Stoic, Two sides of the same coin, Adman, Conscript, Eyewitness, Testify, Tabloid newspaper, Beaver, Rewilding, Double whammy, Food for thought, Ultra-processed food, A rule of thumb, Livestock, Calf (cow), Fasting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Tobias arrives at St Gummarus' School for Nasty Children. At first, he thinks his parents might have made a mistake, because all the kids here are badly behaved and nasty. But he soon realises that deep down, they are good, and they're threatening his mission to do evil. So Tobias decides to use goodness as a weapon... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Evil2 for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Intermediate. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Frame someone for something, Theology, Wet the bed, Ripple, Detention, Do-gooder, Put your head down, Oxbridge, Indoctrination, PE, Brush yourself off, A-level, ‘Even if I die trying’, Practically vibrating. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 4021. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. When Tobias's parents ask him what he wants to be when he grows up, he says, 'Evil.' There's just one problem: his parents are devoted Christians! As Tobias does more and more bad things, his parents try to find ways to make him good, until finally there is only one option left... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Evil1 for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Intermediate. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Evil, Lord, Mass, Hypocrisy, Rota, Seven deadly sins, Spit, Test the waters, Tabernacle, Chapel, Host (Christianity), A cross to bear, Satan, Boarding school, Bullying, Atheist. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 3625. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. A fisherman finds a golden fish. The golden fish says it can grant his wishes. But the fisherman doesn't wish for anything. However, when his wife gets home she says she wants a new house. So the next day the fisherman catches the golden fish again and wishes for a new house. That starts a series of events that ends in disaster... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Fish for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Fisherman, Hut, Stormy, Calm (weather), Let go of, Grant a wish, Nag, Education, Politics, Revolution. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1086. Author: Fairy Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode comes from the Into the Story podcast. Check it out if you like the idea of learning English with real-life stories - and I'm sure you do! Laurie Skreslet and a team of climbers face difficult conditions as they attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest — will they make it? If you haven't already listened to Climbing Mount Everest Part 1, go listen now! 🚐 Ready to take your English further? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE FOR FULL EPISODE PACKAGE⁠⁠⁠⁠ with vocabulary, test, and transcript! Level: Upper-intermediate Accent: Canadian  5 words and expressions in today's story: - TO BRACE YOURSELF: means to prepare yourself for something that might be difficult or unpleasant.   - TO KEEP PACE WITH vs TO FALL BEHIND: To keep pace means to stay at the same speed or level. To fall behind means to not keep up with others. - TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS: to start focusing on an important task or activity, and stop wasting time.  - TO BE TOUCHED BY SOMETHING: used figuratively, this means to be emotionally moved or affected by something.  - TO SINK IN: means to start to understand or realize the truth of something.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode comes from the Into the Story podcast. Check it out if you like the idea of learning English with real-life stories - and I'm sure you do! When Laurie Skreslet attempted to climb Mount Everest in 1982, he faced dangerous avalanches, the closure of the only route up the mountain, and a life-changing moment. Level: Advanced Accent: Canadian   🚐 Ready to take your English further? ⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE FOR FULL EPISODE PACKAGE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with vocabulary, test, and transcript! 5 words and expressions in today's story: - TO IGNITE: to start something, either literally by starting a fire or figuratively by sparking an idea or feeling, as Laurie discusses igniting a passion for climbing. - LITTLE DID I KNOW: expresses discovering or experiencing something unexpectedly, often referring to unexpected consequences. For instance, loving a food you thought you would hate or finding a test more difficult than expected. - DIVING BOARD: is a platform used for jumping off into a pool, commonly used in the sport of diving. - LEAP: refers to a big jump, like a cat jumping from a table to the ground, or a sudden change, such as starting a business after years of working in the same job. - TO GIVE IN: means to agree or surrender to something you didn't want to do, while "to give up" means to stop doing something or quit trying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I talk about everything I've been up to for the past two months: visiting a friend, what I'm wearing, a romantic encounter in the supermarket, my try at stand-up comedy, the Royal Academy of Art, eating in the dark: there's just too much to summarise! Listen to it!! Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Natter for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Buy me a coffee, you know, if you feel like it: https://ko-fi.com/arielgoodbody Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Book a class with me! If you book a package of 10 classes, you can get 33% off: EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Classes An old couple wish for a son and instead have a daughter with long, magical hair. They don't see the value in it, and sell her off to an old man who keeps her in a tower. Every day, he massages the oil from her hair and sells it. But the girl gets tired of this life, and makes a plan to escape... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Cut for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Pre-intermediate. Genre: Romance. Vocabulary: Loom, Get caught on, Scalp, Pharmacist, Suit of armour, Sword, Chew, Treat someone like, Trapped, Starve, Nail. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 3658. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Book a class with me! If you book a package of 10 classes, you can get 33% off: EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Classes A cat and a mouse live together as friends, and what strange friends that makes! One day, the cat suggests they store some food for the winter, so they buy a pot of fat and hide it in a church. But while the mouse happily cleans the house, the cat starts to think about the food... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/FriendsL4 for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Advanced. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Altar, Fantasise, Christening, Godmother, Crumbs, Savour, Disposition, Kitty, Ponder, Might as well, “For all the good it will do you”. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1554. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Hector is a snail, so of course he's very slow. But he dreams of becoming fast. He decides to find a wizard and ask the wizard to swap his body with an ostrich's. What could go wrong? Well, a lot, actually... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Snail for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Snail, Snail trail, Wizard, Swap, Ostrich, Human, Cave, Solve a problem, Ride, Kick, Free (verb), All over, False eyelashes. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1033. Author: Ariel Goodbody Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Żgugina lives on the coast of Malta with her son. When pirates attack, she rushes to the church to pray to St Demetrius. 'St Demetrius,' she says, 'if you save my son I will light a lamp that burns forever!' What happened next was too much for her to believe... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Light for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Portrait, Faithful, Saint, Kneel, Captain, Treasure, Basement, Tie up, Horizon, Hoofprint, Earthquake. Setting: Malta. Word Count: 979. Author: Saviour Pirotta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zumPreis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Oktober 2024. Einfach auf https://www.babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. The wind carries a pea to a crack by a window. Inside the house, a boy is sick and dying. The pea wants to help the boy, and slowly it grows into a plant. When the boy sees the plant he is so happy, and he helps the plant grow. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Pea for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Kind-hearted, Pea, Pod, Harvest, Blow, Crack, Afford, Shoo, Water (verb), Shaped like Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1081. Author: Saviour Pirotta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Problems for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! In this episode of Easy Stories in English, host Ariel Goodbody discusses the concept of 'normal people problems' as opposed to more serious issues, drawing on his own experiences of moving to London and finding his community. Ariel reflects on his challenging past, including changing gender twice and dealing with identity crisis, while contrasting these with his current 'normal' problems such as itchy back due to hard water, adjusting to a slower pace in relationships, and struggling to find good cider in London. He also addresses the dynamics of friendship when one is thriving and the other is not, and invites listeners to share their own 'small fish' problems on the show's website and YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's story I wrote with Alastair Budge from the English Learning for Curious Minds podcast. In last week's episode, we brainstormed the story together, and today we present to you A Visitor from Chilly Bottom. A man who has lived in Antarctica all his life visits the UK for the first time. Technically, he is a British citizen, as he grew up on British Antarctic Territory. And he has an important message for the king! It's just that, the king has no idea who this man is... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Chilly for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Intermediate. Genre: Comedy. Vocabulary: Chilly, Royal seal, Bonkers, Butler, Tailcoat, Worship, Spit, Regurgitate, Colony, Crumbs, Poo, Furrow your brow, Captive, Press release, Waddle. Setting: UK. Word Count: 3272. Author: Ariel Goodbody and Alastair Budge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I brainstorm a story with Alastair Budge. We start with the concept of someone from Antarctica moving to London and experiencing culture shock and peculiarities of life in the UK. We come up with cultural references and humorous situations involving misunderstandings about British culture. After this episode, Alastair went off and wrote the story, which I then edited, and next week you'll be able to hear the recorded version. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Together for the full transcript. Watch it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RpDGfqiOP8 Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Advanced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SqPoEVhjGnU Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! In this episode of Easy Stories in English, Ariel Goodbody, the host, discusses a recent controversy involving a blasphemous phrase in a podcast episode titled 'The Holy Cat,' leading to its removal after feedback from Muslim listeners. Ariel apologizes and reflects on the learning experience. Additionally, Ariel talks about experimenting with recording formats and locations for YouTube, changes to the availability of episode transcripts, and premium content adjustments. Ariel also shares personal updates, including a recent live stream, an Easter experience, a mindset shift in professional self-perception, pricing adjustments for teaching services, efforts to improve the YouTube channel, upcoming birthday plans, and a collaboration with Alistair from English Learning for Curious Minds. The episode concludes with a promotion for Ariel's English classes and an invitation to subscribe to the email newsletter for live stream notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An old man lives in an old house. The house is so old that it has changed shape and many things are broken. Every day, the man must climb up a big hill to get to the kitchen. Lots of people tell him he needs to leave the house, but the old man refuses. But one day, the house makes sure he will never leave. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/House for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Crooked, Moisture, Warp (wood), Hook, Zip-line, Roll, Fern, Drain (noun), Plumber, Association, Pretend. Setting: UK. Word Count: 1753. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dinewan gets married to Bohra the kangaroo, and they go for a walk in the desert. But Dinewan soon gets bored. Bohra is a magic kangaroo, and his spirit can walk through the sky. Dinewan thinks it would be interesting to see Bohra's spirit... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Emu for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Emu, Kangaroo, Feather, Spirit, Desert, Shelter, Scratch, Hole, Thorn, Rub, Twig. Setting: Australia. Word Count: 741. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I talk about the kinds of performance I've been doing recently - storytelling in a sauna, spinning a tale at the London Esperanto Club, improvising at an open mic night, moderating a talk-show discussion and singing in a church choir. I've been busy this past month! No wonder I've been a bit sick, but hopefully my croaky voice won't stop you from enjoying this episode :) Get the transcript for this episode by joining Easy Stories in English Premium! Your support is appreciated! (after you join, go to this episode's description on the Premium feed to get the transcript link) Level: Intermediate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam works in the stupidest department of his company: the 'Synergy Snakes'. What they're actually supposed to do, he has no idea, but he's managed to create a system where he doesn't have to talk to his co-workers and does as little work as possible. The only problem is, the company is looking to get rid of some people, and Sam's an easy target... Content warning: this episode contains rude language, sexual harassment and bullying. It is not suitable for children. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/MakeASnake for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Advanced. Genre: Drama. Vocabulary: Synergy, Line manager, Touch base, Drill down, Filing cabinet, Get the memo, Squeeze out, Minutes, Dread, Scroll (computer), Piss, Urinal, Sexual harassment. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 6590. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A cat hunts all the mice in the town, so it goes to the fields. But the mice in the fields are too fast. So the cat decides to start praying... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Holy for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Holy, Hunt, Hole, Prayer beads, Purr, Run away, Sin, Learn by heart, Test, Damn. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 758. Author: Palestinian Folk Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I talk about my challenges finding stable friendship and love in London as a single in my 30s. I argue that technology has encouraged ghosting and 'no contact' culture, and because of this it's harder to form stable relationships and integrate into local communities. However, it's not all doom and gloom! I also talk about finding comfort in spending time with myself - taking myself out on dates - and focussing on slow, simple things like darning my socks. The book I discuss in the episode is Conflict is Not Abuse by Sarah Schulman. Get the transcript for this episode by joining Easy Stories in English Premium! Your support is appreciated! (after you join, go to this episode's description on the Premium feed to get the transcript link) Level: Intermediate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A woman's husband dies, and she visits his grave every week to pray. When she dies, she goes to the land of the dead, and is excited to finally see him again. But she can't find him... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Widow1 for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Romance. Vocabulary: Widow, Tear (crying), Grave, Float, Land, Death, Ghost, Skin, Petal, Smile, Lonely. Setting: Latin America. Word Count: 816. Author: Daniel from Argentina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get 20% off Gymglish! Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Courses and use the code DRAGON2024. Buddha is about to leave Earth, and he wants to say goodbye to the animals in a special way: he will have a race, and name the years after them in the order they win. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Race for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Earth (planet), Stupid, Cheat, Amazed, Blow, Hide, Rope, Don’t care. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1076. Author: Chinese Myths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apologies that this episode is a bit late. I've been fighting both catatonia and a cold. In this episode I talk about the history of the podcast, give an update about my life and discuss the genocide taking place in Palestine. Follow me on Instagram @arielgoodbody to get updates about Queer Stories For Queer Folks. The next date will be 23rd February at 7pm. Find out more about CI Sleepover, an unconference for teachers who use comprehensible input, at comprehensible.uk. Get the transcript for this episode by joining Easy Stories in English Premium! Your support is appreciated! (after you join, go to this episode's description on the Premium feed to get the transcript link) Level: Intermediate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gemma finds a strange red book on her way home from school. She starts reading it, and it is a story about a boy called Nai. In the story, Nai also finds a red book, and when he starts to read it, the story is about Gemma... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/RedBook for the full transcript. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Pile, Leaf, Push, Wrap, Treasure, Keep doing, Dive, Scary, Run away. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1821. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conversational episode, I do a tarot reading. Tarot is a type of playing cards that can be used to read your future. The tarot is made up of the major arcana and the minor arcana. Get the transcript for this episode by joining Easy Stories in English Premium! Your support is appreciated! (after you join, go to this episode's description on the Premium feed to get the transcript link) Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Level: Intermediate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harold has terrible luck. Bus shelters collapse on him, he makes his dates vomit, and no matter how many good-luck charms he wears, his luck won't change. So he decides that this New Year's Eve, he's going to follow every tradition and superstition in the world, to see if he can change his luck around. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Year for the full transcript. Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Intermediate. Genre: Comedy. Vocabulary: Superstition, Good-luck charm, Signify, Noodles, Doughnut, Pomegranate, Lead (metal), Ashes, Choke, Clock strikes midnight, Coal, Shortbread. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 2081. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A blind boy lives in Greenland with his parents and his aunt. The aunt is always complaining, so the boy's mother sends her away, but one night, there is a storm and the boy hears his aunt being struck by lightning. The aunt goes mad, and only the blind boy can save her, but he'll have to travel far from home to do so... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Tusk for the full transcript. Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Intermediate. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Narwhal, Tusk, Keen (ear), Raven, Grumble, Exile, Yank, Bolt of lightning, Migrate (illness), Rot, Flesh, Whittle, Harpoon, Igloo. Setting: Greenland. Word Count: 2831. Author: Howard Norman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A woman grows a really big turnip. She wants to pull it out of the ground but she can't. Her husband helps her, but together they still can't pull the turnip out of the ground. How much help will they need? Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/GiantTurnip for the full transcript. Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Giant, Turnip, Weak, Ground, Pull on, Llama, Snake charmer, Nanny, Waste, Granny. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1061. Author: Slavic Fairy Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! A mother dreams that her daughter is going to get married, but her dress will be made of water and tears. Her daughter doesn't listen, though, and goes to do laundry at the lake. Someone else there has dreamt of marriage, a certain monster waiting under the water... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Water for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Horror Vocabulary: Froth, Swirl, String of pearls, Seaweed, Mild, Brine, Bend someone’s will, Tea (food), Make to do something, Flesh and blood. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 753. Author: Karel Jaromír Erben. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! It's a lovely day, and Doggo and Kitty go for a walk in the forest. But when Doggo gets into a fight with a rabbit, he tears his trousers, and now everyone is laughing at him! How can they mend his trousers when they're just a dog and a cat? Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/TrousersL4 for the full transcript. This is a levelled-up version of a beginner story. To listen to the beginner-level version of Doggo and Kitty Tear Their Trousers, go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Trousers. Level: Advanced. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Parasol, Uneven, Thorn, Giggle, Needle, Thread, Curl up, Knot, Unravel, Peck, Wriggle, Seamstress. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1766. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a bonus episode from The Level Up English Podcast with Michael Lavers, answering the question 'How long does it take to get fluent in English?'. Get the transcript here: https://www.levelupenglish.school/podcast213/ Here are the key lessons from the episode: There is no “100%” in language learning It’s not easy to set specific in language learning Students often reach a level of fluency before they realise it There are many factors that affect learning speed (focus, your mind, your free time, etc) If you focus on “when” and “how long”, you will never enjoy the journey. If you don’t enjoy the process of learning, you will probably learn more slowly. The process of learning is always much longer than the achievement of having learnt something. Focus on enjoying the longer one, because that is your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! In this episode, I explore methods you can use to teach your language to your friend or partner. It builds upon the information in the previous episode How to Learn a Language, so I highly recommend listening to that episode first. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Teach for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Other. Vocabulary: Build upon, CI, Target language, Aid, Cognate, Mime, Physical, Word wall, Crosstalk, Command, Clip chat, Story listening. Setting: Other. Word Count: 3061. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Red loves playing tricks on the adults in her village, so one day her mother sends her to bring bread and milk to her grandmother. On the way, Red meets a strange man, Wolf, who suggests they play a game: he'll walk the path of pins, she'll walk the path of needles, and they'll see who gets to Grandmother's house first. But when Red arrives, she finds something very different to what she expected. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Pins for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Pins and needles, Sneak, Tickle, Stray from, Get the better of you, Wolf down, Sense (verb), Wet yourself, Intestines. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2024. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Three goats live happily in a field eating grass. But one day, there's no more grass. They decide to cross a bridge to another field. But when they try to cross, a monster jumps out, and he wants to eat them! Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/ThreeGoats for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Goat, Eldest, Middle child, Greedy, Flow, Silly, Drown, Narrow, One by one, Troll, Annoying. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1232. Author: Fairy Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Simon gets a new job, but everything goes wrong. He doesn't wear enough deodorant and smells at work. He tries walking, taking the bus, the train, a taxi, but he always gets there too early or too late. One day, it all becomes too much... Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Job for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Comedy. Vocabulary: Tear (pulling), Sweat, Deodorant, Still, Smell, Put the heating on, Stick to, Chase, Scream, Control. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1033. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mit dem Code easystories erhältst du das 12-Monatsabo von Babbel zum Preis von nur 6 Monaten. Das Angebot gilt bis zum 31. Dezember 2023. Einfach auf babbel.com/audio einlösen und loslegen. Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! In this episode, I explain the theory behind second language acquisition, or the way that we learn languages and how best to study languages. I introduce Stephen Krashen's Theory of Comprehensible Input and discuss the five hypotheses that make it up, and then explain how I used this theory when creating Easy Stories in English. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Learn for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Other. Vocabulary: Second language acquisition, Memorise, Innate, Hypothesis, Theory, Comprehensible input, Make a deal, Researcher, Criticise, Bibliography, State (say), Figure out, Conscious, Subconscious, Controversial, Abstract, Monitor, Output, Affective filter, Negative emotions, Panic, Cognate, Data, Spark an interest Setting: Other. Word Count: 5130. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rendez-vous sur babbel.com/parler et obtenez 6 mois supplémentaires gratuits de Babbel en vous abonnant au plan de 6 mois et en utilisant le code "FACILE". Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Rats come to the town of Hamelin, three times as big as normal rats. The townspeople don't know what to do. But then a piper comes to town and says he can get rid of the rats with his music. The only problem? The price! But when the mayor refuses to pay him, the piper plays a different kind of music... Today's story is The Piper of Hamelin. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Piper for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Piper, Times (maths), Mayor, Get rid of, Lead, Drown, Disappear, Limp, Blind, Deaf. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1588. Author: Fairy Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rendez-vous sur babbel.com/parler et obtenez 6 mois supplémentaires gratuits de Babbel en vous abonnant au plan de 6 mois et en utilisant le code "FACILE". Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! An elephant is travelling to meet his family, bringing delicious honey as a gift. He stops to give a hare a ride over the river, but the hare smells the honey and can't resist just having a taste... Today's story is The Elephant and the Hare. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/ElephantL3 for the full transcript. This is a levelled-up version of an beginner-level story. You can listen to the original version of The Elephant and the Hare at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Elephant. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Herd, Savanna, Sack, Hare, Hop, Crush, Wily, Trunk (Elephant), Skin (verb), Spit. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1294. Author: Fairy Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rendez-vous sur babbel.com/parler et obtenez 6 mois supplémentaires gratuits de Babbel en vous abonnant au plan de 6 mois et en utilisant le code "FACILE". Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! There is a king who loves only his clothes. One day, two brothers come to town and say that they can make magic clothes for the king. If you are stupid or bad at your job, you can't see the clothes. But what happens when the king can't see them? Today's story is The King's New Clothes. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/KingL1 for the full transcript. This is a levelled-down version of an intermediate-level story. You can listen to the original version of The King's New Clothes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/King. Level: Beginner. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Wardrobe, Outfit, Council, Weaver, Lie, Pretend, Stupid, Parade, Knight (verb), Naked. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1439. Author: Hans Christian Andersen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rendez-vous sur babbel.com/parler et obtenez 6 mois supplémentaires gratuits de Babbel en vous abonnant au plan de 6 mois et en utilisant le code "FACILE". Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! In a small town, the people look after each other. When someone is hungry, the others give them food. But one day, the Voice of Reason comes to town and changes everything. Content warning: hanging. Today's story is The Voice of Reason. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Voice for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Reason, Spread, Pitchfork, Tame, Bandit, Ignore, Land (verb), Hedge, Property, Jeweller, Hanging, Obey. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2303. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Buy a 3 month Babbel subscription and immediately receive 3 extra months free. Use code: INGLESE at check out at www.babbel.com/parla Two people live in buildings next to each other: a clean man and a messy woman. Each day, they look through the window into the other's flat and imagine what their life is like. But in the end, only one person knows the truth... Content warning: suggestions of drug use, addiction and depression. Today's story is Four Windows. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Windows for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Scrub, Mundane, Warfare, Quirk, Aerosol can, Pristine, Sleep in, Rut, Distort, Moral (story). Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1609. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sign up for Easy Stories in English Premium and use the code 'easy' to get your first month free! EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support Transcript Hello everyone! It’s me, Ariel Goodbody, here with an exciting announcement. You’ve probably noticed that there are advertisements during episodes of the podcast now, and if you’re paying close attention, you will have seen that I’m not making new content on Patreon anymore. That’s because I’m starting Easy Stories in English Premium. Easy Stories in English Premium is a way to get all the episodes of the podcast without adverts, as well as bonus episodes from me. So why have I decided to do this? Well, having adverts on the podcast helps me do things like buy food and clothes, which I hear are quite important. But I understand that not everyone wants to hear adverts, and many people prefer to support in a more direct way. Also, it lets me give you all something ‘extra special’ – that’s what premium means, by the way, ‘extra special’. The bonus episodes are my way of saying thank you for supporting me. And I’m really excited about these new episodes. At the moment, I’m working on an episode about a recent holiday I took in Cornwall, and I interview my girlfriend Artoria as part of it. I also want to talk to you, my listeners, and record the conversations. So if you think you’ve got a star inside you, or you’d just enjoy having a chat with me on Zoom, this is your opportunity. On Patreon, I experimented with all kinds of bonus content, but it wasn’t an easy platform to use. With Easy Stories in English Premium it’s much easier. As soon as you sign up you’ll get your own podcast feed – that’s the list of episodes – without adverts and with bonus episodes. To sign up, go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support and use the code ‘easy’ to get your first month free. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, just go to the top of the feed and click ‘Try Free’! The Patreon isn’t disappearing, by the way – you can join it to get access to the archive of all the content I made for it – that’s exercises for old episodes, bonus podcasts, stories and so on. But I won’t be making any new content there. Thank you to everyone for listening, thank you to people who have supported me on Patreon, and I look forward to seeing you all on the Easy Stories in English Premium podcast feed! One more time, because I know it’s easy to forget how links are spelled, go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support and use the code ‘easy’ to get your first month free. Thank you so much! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! === The year is 2039 A group of scientists, linguists and historians have invented a time travel machine. Each can return to a place and time, but only for one hour. Some choose to go back to change the course of world history, while others go back to a period in their personal lives. One even travels to the future. It doesn’t quite go as planned… === A few weeks ago I interviewed Alastair, who led the Pioneers of the Continuum project, and today I'm so excited to share with you my episode! You can find all the episodes on the Leonardo English website, or on your podcast app. === Buy a 3 month Babbel subscription and immediately receive 3 extra months free. Use code: INGLESE at check out at www.babbel.com/parla Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support. Your support is appreciated! Buy a 3 month Babbel subscription and immediately receive 3 extra months free. Use code: INGLESE at check out at www.babbel.com/parla Ken finally has his holiday. But his eyes hurt! Maybe watching TV will help. Lisa loves brushing her teeth - she does it EVERYWHERE. But what will happen when she goes to the dentist? Vladimir has beautiful, long toenails... but does his boss agree? Today's story is Eyes, Teeth and Toenails. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Eyes for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Comedy. Vocabulary: Notice, Cavity, Filling, Smile, Hammer, Nail, Sandals, Radiator, Destroy, Hero. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1165. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy a 3 month Babbel subscription and immediately receive 3 extra months free. Use code: INGLESE at check out at www.babbel.com/parla Recently, I worked with Alastair Budge on Pioneers of the Continuum, an eight-part audio drama featuring your favourite ESL podcasters as narrators. Today, we talk about Pioneers of the Continuum and Alastair's other work. Alastair also hosts the English Learning for Curious Minds podcast, where you can learn about history and inspiring stories in accessible English. Pioneers of the Continuum comes out today! Find it on your favourite podcast app. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Pioneers for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Conversation. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy a 3 month Babbel subscription and immediately receive 3 extra months free. Use code: INGLESE at check out at www.babbel.com/parla With every month that passes, Eileen gets cleverer. The kids at school hate her, and her parents are afraid of her. There's something not... human about this child. This story covers my feelings about AI (artificial intelligence). I talk a lot about an episode of another podcast, Your Undivided Attention, which explains the dangers and possibilities of AI. Today's story is Eileen. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/AI for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Exponential, Precocious, Bully, Disguise, Bruise, Acid, Climate change, Come up with, Hack, Disprove. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1449. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

St George is a famous mythical figure throughout Europe. Most versions of his story involve him fighting and killing a dragon who is causing problems in a city. But in my version, things are bit... smellier. Today's story is Saint George and the Dragon. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/George for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Saint, Dragon, Dew, Kingdom, Desert, Tame, Well (water), Pass out, Knight, Scratch, Collar. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1662. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heorhiy lives happily as a peasant, but one day a rich man comes to his house and tells him he has a family debt. Heorhiy works three years to pay it off, but the rich man doesn't want to let him go, so he thinks of a way to trick him... Today's story is The Rabbit Man. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/RabbitMan for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Comedy. Vocabulary: Solidarity, Peasant, Starve, Manor house, Forefather, Shirk your duty, Interest (money), Hare, Graze (eating), Lira, Strangle. Setting: Medieval. Word Count: 1932. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Get exclusive NordVPN deal here: https://nordvpn.com/easystories. It’s risk- free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Francis's mother dies, and his father gets very sad. One day, Francis's father starts making pancakes. Francis loves the pancakes, so his dad makes bigger and bigger pancakes. But maybe they're too big... Today's story is The Pancake Man. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Pancake for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Drama. Vocabulary: Pancake, Frying pan, Flip, At first, Giant, Sick of something, Connect (person), Run (business), Space, Lift weights, Grave. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1194. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Get exclusive NordVPN deal here: https://nordvpn.com/easystories. It’s risk- free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A woman keeps ending up in bad relationships. A businessman works so hard he has heart problems. A young man killed his friend by drunk driving and now he can't stop drinking. All three of them are lost. All three of them go to drive. They go to the place where all roads lead: the labyrinth. Today's story is The Labyrinth. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Labyrinth for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Labyrinth, Smash, Image, Ignore, Chest, Tight, Poison, Ashes, Urn, Fork (road), Melt, Hourglass. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1532. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Get exclusive NordVPN deal here: https://nordvpn.com/easystories. It’s risk- free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a bonus episode from English Learning for Curious Minds. Listen and enjoy! Get the transcript at https://bit.ly/LifeOfLewisCarroll Subscribe to the podcast at https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You have nowhere else to go. Beth left. Kai attacked. Faruq crashed. You hid. So one day, you go to that place you've heard about, where you can buy a certain drug. It's a crazy idea, but maybe you'll feel less lonely. Your cat is your only friend left, after all. Today's story is The Hunt. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Hunt for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Science Fiction. Vocabulary: Baptise, Womb, Hunter-gatherer, Rock bottom, Epiphany, Holy water, Intended recipient, Cave in (willpower), Crush, Whiskers, Curl up, Belly, Transition. Setting: Future. Word Count: 2568. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rory has always wanted a pet, but his parents don't like animals. When Rory finishes university, he decides to get a pet. First, he gets a dog, but then things start going wrong... Today's story is The Perfect Pet. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Pet for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Mean (unkind), Allergy, Social, Bite, Pee, Covered in, Scratch, Guinea pig, Lock, Blood, Butcher, Named after. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1424. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the beginning, there were two brother gods, Kimesh and Musesh. Kimesh created the planets with loud fire, and Musesh created the plants and animals with calm thought. Everything was fine for a while, until Kimesh decided the world needed some more colour... Today's story is Why Blood is Red. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/BloodRed for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Passion, Reflection (thought), Debate, Spit (noun), Urine, Organ, Varied, Confusion, Flame, Dye. Setting: Ancient. Word Count: 1007. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doggo and Kitty want to be like the adults, and adults put on clothes when they go outside. But there's a problem: Doggo and Kitty's clothes are dirty! Well, they'll just have to do laundry. That should be simple, right? Today's story is Doggo and Kitty Do Their Laundry. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/LaundryL4 for the full transcript. This is a levelled-up version of a story. To listen to the beginner-level version of Doggo and Kitty Do Their Laundry, go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Laundry. Level: Advanced. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Alas, Wriggle, Claw, Glitter (verb), Seeing as, Spit out, Foam, Scrub, Ponder, Leap, Turn up your nose in disgust, Lather, Clamber. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2115. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Goldilocks goes into the forest and gets lost. She finds a house with porridge by the window, and it smells so good... The old man who lives there would want her to go and eat it, wouldn't he? Today's story is Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Bears for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Judge, Sunrise, Lonely, Smell, Porridge, Normal-sized, Try (Food), Shout, Owe, Fur coat, Swan. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2115. Author: Ariel Goodbody. === If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Every day, the lord of the castle goes hunting and Gawain stays in bed, bantering with the beautiful lady. Each night, Gawain and the lord exchange their 'gains' for the day. But Gawain cannot stop worrying about meeting the Green Knight, and when the lady offers him help, he can't resist... Today's story is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. This episode contains parts 3 and 4. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Gawain2 for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Solely, Banter, Bargain, Flatter, Triumph, Handsome (a lot), Wild boar, Long for, Coarse, Prey, Vow, Tick (clock), Sin, Tact, Dodge, Fellow (person), Waver, Flinch, Nick, Wreck, Bind, Decrepit, Immortal, Make a mockery, Sham, Noble, Owe it to yourself. Setting: Medieval. Word Count: 4006. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table live peacefully at Camelot. But on New Year's eve, a terrible knight rides into the castle, made entirely of green. He gives them a challenge: a man must come and attack him with his axe, and if the Green Knight survives, he will attack the man in a year and a day. Arthur's nephew, Gawain, accepts the challenge, but things are not as they seem... Today's story is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. This episode contains parts 1 and 2. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Gawain1 for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Rhyme, Alliteration, Court (royalty), Knight, Chivalry, Feast, Sire (verb), Trencher, Holy, Axe, Blow (hit), Step in the ring, Bless, Offspring, Be on your guard, Chapel, Mass (religion), Suit of armour, Shield, Chastity, Lord (Middle Ages), Lady, Siege, Potion, Hag, Chatter, Hop, Wicked, Spoils, Fruits of …. Setting: Medieval. Word Count: 2910. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Kandata was an evil thief when was alive, and now he lives in Hell. Buddha remembers a time when Kandata did good, and decides to give him a chance to show that he isn't truly evil. Will Kandata become good, or is he simply a bad person? Today's story is The Spider's Thread. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/SpiderL2 for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Take a few liberties, Thread, Needle, Heaven, Buddha, Hell, Suffer, Demon, Truly, Evil, Just as, Crawl. Setting: Japan. Word Count: 1501. Author: Ryuunosuke Akutagawa. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Two women come to the king with a baby. Both say that the baby is theirs. Who is the real mother? The king must decide. Today's story is Whose Child Is It?. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Whose for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Whose, Give birth, Midwife, Breastfeed, Lie, Smother, Adviser, Split in two, Real (true), Miserable, Complain. Setting: Medieval. Word Count: 857. Author: Fairy Tales. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === One day, God came down and took all life from earth. Except humans. But how can you survive in a world without life? Today's story is The End. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/End for the full transcript. Level: Advanced. Genre: Fantasy. Vocabulary: Buzzard, Intentional, Bioregionalism, Cathartic, Cymbals, Horizon, Millennium, Curl up, Solace, Roar, Tinnitus, Mourn, Umbilical cord, Agony, Cannibalism, Base instincts, Bloom, Tapestry. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 866. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Angeline and Annabelle are a classic sister act. Annabelle writes the songs and they sing together, but Angeline gets all the compliments. When a music producer offers a deal to Annabelle, she realises she can't let the opportunity go. But what starts as a harmonious collaboration soon turns into a discordant nightmare... Today's story is Sisters, Sisters. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Sisters for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Drama. Vocabulary: Fiddle, Sprinkles, Keep your nose clean, Compliment, Flirt, Pinch, Flap, X meets Y, Broadsheet, Note (music), Hike, Dye, Vocals, Synthesiser, Cut out. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 5405. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === In this episode, I present the story I won second prize with in the 2022 Summer Reflex Fiction flash fiction competition, and I also talk about my recent ADHD diagnosis. Today's story is I Bet I Could Taste It. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Taste for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Science Fiction. Vocabulary: Low-frequency, Association, Poetic, Gravy, Gooseberries, Turkish delight, Howl, Rice pudding, Magician, Conjure, Beetroot, Hum, Mould, Whipped cream, Glittery, Radiation, Diagnosis, ADHD, Genetic disorder, Stereotype, Fidget, Medication. Setting: Future. Word Count: 331. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === King Herla is fighting a war against the Saxons and winning. A group of dwarves comes to his wedding and makes a deal with him: if they can come to his wedding, then in the future the king will go to the dwarf king's wedding. He thinks the dwarves will give them amazing gifts, but he doesn't know the risk he's taking... Today's story is The Last King of the Britons. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Last for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Rule, Give up (defeat), Dismount, Banquet, Do someone an honour, Faerie folk, Dwarf, Risk your life, Make a deal, Crack, Shepherd, Be reunited. Setting: Medieval. Word Count: 1272. Author: British Myths. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === One day, a young man called Anders hears his brother say, 'Oh, those scary stories make me shudder!' 'I wonder what it means to shudder?' Anders thinks, and he goes out on a journey to find out. Today's story is The Boy Who Knew No Fear. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/FearL1 for the full transcript. This is a levelled-down version of a pre-intermediate story. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Fear to listen to the pre-intermediate-level version. Level: Beginner. Genre: Comedy. Vocabulary: Stupid, Shudder, Scary, Priest, Ring a bell, Ghost, If only, Hanging, Burn, Lathe, Axe, Warm (verb), Claw, Bone, Skull, Bowling, Coffin, Stone, Bucket. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2740. Author: Fairy Tales. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hector is a snail, so of course he's very slow. But he dreams of becoming fast. He decides to find a wizard and ask the wizard to swap his body with an ostrich's. What could go wrong? Well, a lot, actually... Today's story is Hector the Snail. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Snail for the full transcript and PDF. Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. New Vocabulary: Snail, Snail trail, Wizard, Swap, Ostrich, Human, Cave, Solve a problem, Ride, Kick, Free (verb), All over, False eyelashes. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1033. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, you can support me on Patreon, buy me a coffee or follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war is raging on, and the government needs a part from her wheelchair. The only problem is, her wheelchair is now a part of her body. And she's illegally modified it. Today's story is The Digital Fugitive. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Digital for the full transcript and PDF. Level: Advanced. Genre: Science Fiction. New Vocabulary: Fugitive, Nerve endings, Powerchair, Cog, Prosthetic, Middle management, Underclass, Scrap, Merge, Accessibility, Physiotherapy, Painkiller, Bodybuilder, Puff. Setting: Future. Word Count: 1170. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, you can support me on Patreon, buy me a coffee or follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A young man called Arran hates eating his vegetables. One day, his mother locks him out. Arran finds a house with a strange old woman inside, and a dog that talks. Will he find his way home, and will he discover the secret of the house? Today's story is The Turnip Princess. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Turnip for the full transcript and PDF. Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. New Vocabulary: Turnip, Princess, Chest, Lock out, Witch, Curse, Familiar, Collapse, Bite, Carve. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1648. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, you can support me on Patreon, buy me a coffee or follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

God is trying to make humans, but something is wrong. His calculations look right, but the humans are staying babies for fifty years. What is the problem? Today's story is His Latest Experiment. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Experiment for the full transcript and PDF. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Science Fiction. New Vocabulary: Graduate, Move on, Economy, Drag (art), Gender, Heartwarming, After-show party, Flash fiction, Disaster, Earthling, Calculation, Magnesium, Error, Coding, Bark (dog), Pregnancy, Rounding (maths), Heaven, Lifespan, Times (maths). Setting: Ancient. Word Count: 522. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, you can support me on Patreon, buy me a coffee or follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The North Wind and the Sun are always arguing about what true power is. Does power come from strength, or from kindness? So the North Wind challenges the Sun to a competition to see who is right. Today's story is The North Wind and the Sun. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/WindL2 for the full transcript and PDF. You can listen to the beginner-level version of this story at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Wind. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Children's. New Vocabulary: Retreat (holiday), Bathe, Harmony, Strength, Bam, Kindness, Weakling, Suffocate, Bitter cold, Hold tightly, Sweat. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 862. Author: Aesop's Fables. If you enjoy the podcast, you can support me on Patreon, buy me a coffee or follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harold has terrible luck. Bus shelters collapse on him, he makes his dates vomit, and no matter how many good-luck charms he wears, his luck won't change. So he decides that this New Year's Eve, he's going to follow every tradition and superstition in the world, to see if he can change his luck around. Today's story is A Lucky New Year. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Year for the full transcript and PDF. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Comedy. New Vocabulary: Superstition, Good-luck charm, Signify, Noodles, Doughnut, Pomegranate, Lead (metal), Ashes, Choke, Clock strikes midnight, Coal, Shortbread. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 2081. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, you can support me on Patreon, buy me a coffee or follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Easy Stories in English is back! But there are a few changes: There will only be a new episode once a fortnight (once every two weeks) I am stopping teaching I am going to start scripting the conversation section instead of improvising it The email newsletter will just contain information about new episodes and other news I am changing the content of the Patreon levels For all the details, check out the transcript. New Vocabulary: Fatigue, Burn out, Fortnight, Evergreen content, To do with, Improvise, Script, Pledge, Bonus, Q&A, Sum up. If you enjoy the podcast, you can support me on Patreon, buy me a coffee or follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Update from 04/06/2022: The podcast is returning! Listen out for an official announcement on 14th June. Today's episode is voiced by John Rayment. You can find him on Twitter here. Transcript Welcome to Easy Stories in English, the podcast that will take your English from OK to Good, and from Good to Great. I am not Ariel Goodbody. I'm Ariel's friend, John. I'm recording this message for Ariel, because he's unable to speak at the moment. So here’s what Ariel has to say: ‘Hello, everyone. Some of you may know that I’m autistic. I talked about it earlier this year, when I did the pre-intermediate version of The Little Frog with the Big Mouth. ‘Basically, it means that my brain works a bit differently to most people’s. I am more sensitive to bright lights, loud sounds and strong smells. I don’t talk or act like most people do, so I often mask. Masking is when an autistic person “puts on a mask”, basically pretends to be like everyone else. ‘Because of these things, being autistic can be very tiring. It’s very hard for us to just exist in the world, because the world is full of bright lights, loud sounds and strong smells, and people want us to pretend we’re different to who we actually are. ‘So often, when things are too difficult for us, we shut down. This is when your body says, “No more!” Sometimes, it just means being alone in a room for a long time and resting. ‘But this year, I’ve been having more serious shutdowns. I’ve started going non-verbal—losing the ability to speak. As I’m writing this message, I’ve been non-verbal for 12 days. As well as this, I’ve also had movement difficulties, and I can’t easily do lots of things that I was able to do before, like travelling or shopping. ‘I’m telling you all this because, obviously, if I can’t talk, I can’t record Easy Stories in English. I really hate not being able to do the podcast, but right now, my body needs to rest. I don’t know how long it will be for, and to be honest, I don’t know how reliable my voice will be in the future. I’ve done some research into what’s happening to me, and I seem to have a health problem called autistic catatonia. There isn’t much research on it, and it’s difficult to treat, but I’m trying my best. ‘I want to thank you all for your support. I already talked about this on Patreon and in my email newsletter, and so many of you sent kind messages. I’m sorry I couldn’t respond to them all. I have found it very hard to keep up with emails. ‘So, for now, I will have to take a break from the podcast. Hopefully, I’ll be able to start again in the new year. I hope you all have wonderful holidays, if you do celebrate holidays around this time of year. ‘Thank you for listening, and hopefully I’ll see you soon.’ Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Grella is a strange dragon: she'll eat everything except jewels, and what dragon doesn't eat jewels? So one day, her mother takes away all the other food in the house, and Grella is forced to try the dreaded jewels. Except she finds out she likes them, and in fact, she likes them a bit too much... Today's story is The Very Hungry Dragon. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/DragonL1 for the full transcript. You can listen to the intermediate level version of this story at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Dragon. Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. New Vocabulary: Jewel, Dragon, Taste of something, Spit out, Smell, Ignore, Cart, In one go, Reputation, Freezer, Hug, From now on. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1290. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Everyone gets their tattoo when they turn 18, but Gary doesn't want one. Finally, his parents make him get one. So he shaves off all his hair and gets an X-shaped tattoo on his head. Everyone hates it, and things only get worse... Today's story is The Tattoo. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Tattoo for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Science Fiction. New Vocabulary: Tattoo, Months in advance, Lie, Shape, Anxious, Hidden, Bum, Treat someone like, Barber, Shave your hair off, Go bald, Original, Remove. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 2244. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Hale's lover, Bulan, has died. He went off in hunt of the dragon they were supposed to kill together. With nothing left to live for, Hale wanders the streets alone, drunk and miserable. But then the dragon returns, and something is very different about it... Just a warning: today’s episode contains mentions of sex, bodily functions—specifically going to the toilet when you don’t want to, as well as throwing up—strong swearing and mild gore—that’s blood and violence and things like that. This episode will not be suitable for children. Today's story is The Flesh and Blood We Share. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Flesh for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Romance. New Vocabulary: Flesh and blood, Dragon, Slay, Prostitute, Armour, Bladder, Alley, Sorcerer, Beast, Disarm, Claw, Dignity, Tame, Choke on your own spit, Penance. Setting: Medieval. Word Count: 4436. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Two-Eyed isn't beautiful and clever, and unlike her sisters, she only has two eyes. But when a man tries to marry her, her mother and sisters will do anything to ruin Two-Eyed's life. She will need the help of a magical deer to show that, in the end, love always wins. Today's story is One-Eyed, Two-Eyed, Three-Eyed. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/EyeL1 for the full transcript. You can listen to the pre-intermediate level version of this story at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Eye. Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. New Vocabulary: Work hard, Fringe, Marry, Skin, Goat, Asleep, Awake, Hoof, Horn, Dig a hole, Pick (fruit). Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2083. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === A strange girl goes to university, but she doesn't have many friends. One day, she disappears. Her friend tells us what he knows about her... Today's story is Have You Seen This Woman?. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Woman for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Science Fiction. New Vocabulary: Lecture, Christian society, Doughnut, Embarrassed, Drunk, Hungover, I wish I had…, Surprised, Poetry. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1345. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === In the Blue Castle, everything is soft and blue. In the Red Castle, everything is bright and strong. The two lands each have their princesses, and the two lands hate each other. But the princesses will have to work together to create peace... Today's story is Sleeping Beauty. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/SleepingAdv for the full transcript. You can listen to the beginner-level version of this story at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Sleeping. Level: Advanced. Genre: Children's. New Vocabulary: Beloved, Compassion, Dye, Compliment, Gladiator, Throne, Cloak, Under a spell, Curse, Seafoam, Crack. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2354. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === After World War III, nuclear weapons were banned. So in World War IV, America got creative. But in the end, they only end up hurting themselves... Today's story is It's a Small World. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Small for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Science Fiction. New Vocabulary: Throne, Beehive, Sting, Gut instinct, Apocalypse, Seed, Shrink, Nuclear weapon, Cure, Squirrel. Setting: Future. Word Count: 1811. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Ricky and his friends have gotten into the foundation programme, except for Max. It's awkward between them, and nobody wants to talk about it, but eventually Max says he's leaving the football team. They get into an argument, and then a shadow attacks... Today's story is The Shadow Club. This is chapter twelve, The Elephant in the Room. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Shadow12 for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Action. New Vocabulary: Elephant in the room, Assume, Jealous, Knight, Step down, Shake your head, Pretend, Seagull, Swoop, Distract. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 2178. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === There is a cat and mouse, and they are very good friends. They live together, and everyone calls them the "Strange Friends". But they must buy food and keep it for winter. So they get a pot of fat, and put it in the church, but the cat gets hungry... Today's story is Strange Friends. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/FriendsInt for the full transcript. You can listen to the beginner version of this story at EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Friends. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Children's. New Vocabulary: Altar, Fantasise, Christening, Anticipation, Spare (Give), ‘Good things come in threes’, From top to bottom, Deter, Gravely, Evoke memories. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1384. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Ricky's family goes on holiday to Spain, but all his parents want to do is look around cathedrals. Willow is sad, and Ricky realises that his parents have taken away her Fighting Cats books, so he asks them why. Later on, he gets a text from Larry with some very exciting news... Today's story is The Shadow Club. This is chapter eleven, Fighting Cats and Fighting Bulls. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Shadow11 for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Action. New Vocabulary: Echo, Apparently, Copy (Media), Share a look, Get the feeling, An escape, Through gritted teeth, Fluent, Foundation programme, Football academy. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1929. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === A man is walking on a tightrope between two tall buildings. Everyone is watching. They want him to make it. But one man doesn't want him to make it... Today's story is The Tightrope Walker. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Walker for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Action. New Vocabulary: Tightrope, Leak, Drop by drop, Suddenly, Step by step, Worried to death, Imagine, Beauty, Shoot, Break the law, Arrest. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1147. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Everything is very uncomfortable after Mr Burne shouted at The Shadow Club. But they have more important things to worry about: there's a football match this Saturday. They win the game easily, but why can't Ricky feel happy about it? Today's story is The Shadow Club. This is chapter ten, An Easy Game. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Shadow10 for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Action. New Vocabulary: ‘The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife’, Awkward, Catholic, Shut up, Weird, Pale, Bible, Tackle, French toast, Girly. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 2185. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Misty the Snake loves eating other people's pets. This does not make the people of the United Kingdom happy. So her owner takes her to Brazil, but really she wants to go home to Ghana... Today's story is Misty the Snake. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Misty for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Comedy. New Vocabulary: Sneak, Parcel, Queue, Bubble wrap, Marmite, Lick, Ex, Prison bars, Put a bounty on someone’s head, Owner, Tongue. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1457. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === The Shadow Club wants to make friends with Sanjeet, so they go with him to the library to read at lunchtime. There, they are shushed again and again by the librarian, Mr Burne. After school, Max goes to pick up a book from the library, and what he finds shocks him... Today's story is The Shadow Club. This is chapter nine, Now We Know. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Shadow9 for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Action. New Vocabulary: Struggle, Whisper, Incredibly, Paperwork, Tense your muscles, Focus on something, Unconscious, Chew, Vision swims, Bitter. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 2271. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === Little Peter lives with his old mother, because he doesn't want to work. He decides to make money a different way, by tricking people. But when he tricks his brother Big Peter, things don't go very well... Today's story is Big Peter and Little Peter. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Peter for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Philosophical. New Vocabulary: Stupid, Woollen, Priest, Shove, Basket, Tell the future, Let someone out, Chop off, Scared, Heaven. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2016. Author: Norwegian Myths. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === The school librarian, Mr Burne, is watching The Shadow Club, and they can't do regular club activities. But on the weekend they meet up to practise with their new weapons, and on Monday, some nasty bullies are attacking Sanjeet... Today's story is The Shadow Club. This is chapter eight, Ready to Fight. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Shadow8 for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Action. New Vocabulary: Golf club, Slingshot, For once, Ease something, Scribble, Fantasy novel, Evil, Drag, Punching bag, Sweat. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 2225. Author: Ariel Goodbody. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buy me a coffee to say thank you for the podcast! === The King is obsessed with clothes, so when two weavers promise to make him a magical outfit, he is thrilled. The cloth cannot be seen by those who are stupid or unfit for office. There's just one problem: nobody in the castle can see it! Are these weavers really who they say they are? Today's story is The King's New Clothes. Go to EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/King for the full transcript. Level: Intermediate. Genre: Action. New Vocabulary: Outfit, Rule, Thread, Weave, Trickster, Unfit for office, Loom, Moth, Adviser, Knight (verb), Train (clothes). Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1772. Author: Fairy Tales. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting me on Patreon. For just a few dollars a month you can get extra episodes, conversational podcasts, exercises, and much more. Support Easy Stories in English by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/easystoriesinenglish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices