 The idiom "to take its toll" means to be damaging or harmful, cause loss or destruction. It is often used to describe the negative effects of something over time, such as a health problem taking its toll on both sides. The phrase is derived from the taking of a toll, like a  tax. It can also be used to describe the negative effects of stress on people, such as the constant stress taking its toll on emergency hospital staff.

Teacher Joseph's Podcast

Taking its Toll

Today's phrase for ESL learners is to be "knocked" down.

It can mean anything which has been knocked over, it can also mean when someone is involved in a car accident.
Examples:
My little cat sometimes knocks things over (or knocks things down).
My friend was knocked down by a passing car.




To Be Knocked Down

We all want our friends and relatives to be happy, but who is responsible for their care?
Today we read a story about a 95 year old woman in the UK.

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h_1HX3Bsi1CMHmMKQoPT0G36CwgMdNBS0uekz6NK7EE/edit?usp=drivesdk


Extract: 
We're going to go through a new story today and it begins with anger as a 95 year old (is)  told to take out her bins. Now, I just want to give you some background to this first of all. So, here in the UK, we have to put our bins on the streets for them to be collected and emptied.
So we have large bins, which are referred to as wheelie bins, And we must put those on the street. Depending on your relationship with your neighbours if you live in an apartment block, someone may do this for you. But the council employees, the people who come to empty the bins, will not come upon your property to collect them. They used to. But they don't any more. Depending on the council and depending on their funding, You may be able to request them to help you if you're old or infirm. As money is tight  these days for everyone, more and more councils are refusing to do this. A council is simply a local area government.
 Now we're going to read through a story here about what's happened to a 95 year old. Now, bearing in mind that here in the UK, we don't generally mix with our neighbours unless we know them very well or are related to them.
As I’ve often told you, we view  the Government almost like a mother or father, we expect them to do the things, which perhaps in your country is done by a community.





Care for Older People in the UK (with transcript)

Finland tops the charts as the happiest place to live, while Glasgow in the UK is a chart topper for different reasons.