Dreams I've had about animals

Vocabulary:
to pick up: to go to someone's home to get something or someone, to give them a ride
to get a hold of: to reach or contact someone by phone or text
antique: old and valuable
mewling: meowing
to foster: to take care of an animal temporarily
socialize: to help an animal get used to humans
waving: to move from side to side
otherworldliness: mystical, from another world
cactus: a spiny plant that grows in the desert
structure: something built by people
shallow: not deep
to go missing: disappear

Spelling of some of the animals mentioned: eel, otter, chameleon, toucan

Learn English with Stories

Animal Dreams

Lingua Juice Podcast

Are you a  Introvert Or Extrovert?

嗰晚，朱古力收到雞胸嘅深情問候電話，究竟發生了什麼事？
Shownote:大家如果開長途想睇沿途天氣，可以用天氣app雷達圖睇一路上係咩環境。會從灣區出發向北行嘅朋友，可以用https://www.gotahoenorth.com/road-conditions/ 睇下路上有冇限制，提前做好準備


夠鐘煲粥 Congee Time

EP.26 那一夜，朱古力收到雞胸嘅雪地急Call

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere — but which AI tools actually help English learners, OET candidates, and IELTS speakers improve? In this episode, Kevin breaks down the difference between companion bots, language‑learning apps, and general AI assistants like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Grok.

You’ll learn:

Why “companion bots” (Character AI, Replika, Nomi, etc.) create the illusion of connection

The risks of emotional dependence and why these bots are not real training tools

Which language apps genuinely help with fluency, pronunciation, and confidence

How tools like Duolingo Max, Speak.com, Elsa Speak, Practica, Bold Voice, and others compare

Why AI cannot replace a real teacher — especially for OET and IELTS

How to use ChatGPT/Copilot/Grok properly for OET role‑play, speaking practice, and delayed feedback

The three criteria that define a real training tool (forced output, delayed feedback, repetition)

Kevin also explains his own workflow for creating OET audio exemplars, transcripts mapped to clinical communication criteria, and how learners can combine AI with human coaching for the best results.

If you’re preparing for OET, IELTS, or simply want to improve your English speaking skills using AI, this episode gives you a clear, honest roadmap — without the hype.

Kev's English Podcast

AI for Language Learners: The Truth About Chatbots, OET Training, and Language Apps

¿Quieres hacer amigos españoles? Mi marido extrovertido te cuenta todos sus trucos para hacer amigos, qué cosas nunca decir a un español o frases útiles que usamos en España cuando hacemos amigos. 

Se armó la Marimorena - Spanish Podcast

Los consejos de mi marido para hacer amigos españoles

Students regularly ask me, "How do I know what comes after a verb?"  This is a tough question, and it's no surprise that most EFL textbooks don't talk much about it.  There aren't any easy answers but at the same time, there are some guidelines.  

To access the full text of this podcast, please go to https://www.difficultenglishexplained.com/what-comes-after-verb-1/.

Difficult English Explained

What comes after a verb? "To do", "do," or "doing"? (Part 1)

f you're going to exercise, you have to stretch, right?

Well, maybe not.

The answer might depend on your goals, and what you mean by "stretch."

There are different types of stretches.

In what are known as "static" stretches, you hold a single position for perhaps as long as 60 to 90 seconds. These stretches are great for increasing flexibility.

But there are also "dynamic" stretches, where you repeatedly — but carefully — move your joints through their full range of motion.

Expert opinion on how to use these stretches has changed over the years. But it's now generally believed that dynamic stretching is best before you exercise, while static stretching is better after.

As Alisa Bowman writes for the Mayo Clinic, dynamic stretching helps improve blood flow and joint mobility, which gets your body ready to exercise. Studies have even found that dynamic stretching before exercise can improve your performance.

Meanwhile, some research has found that static stretching can temporarily weaken your muscles, which is why it's generally no longer recommended before certain sports — and especially not for high-performance athletes.

Instead, static stretches are typically recommended for helping to relax your muscles after exercise. Since you've been moving and increasing blood flow to your joints and muscles, you'll actually be more flexible, so you'll get more benefit from those stretches.

But while you may have been told that stretching will reduce soreness after you exercise, research has found that it really doesn't make much difference.

You've also probably been told to stretch to avoid injuries. But research doesn't seem to support that either — especially for static stretching.

Writing for WebMD, Sonya Collins says that, as long as you stretch sometime, it's fine if you don't do it around the time you exercise.

In fact, some experts say if you're short on time, it's better to exercise without doing any stretching than to cut your workout short!

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Do You Really Need to Stretch When You Exercise?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VQtmZP0pXTL0o_u-Daq6SG7Ykwirpc9k/view?usp=drivesdk

Teacher Joseph's Podcast

Marrying Beneath You (an idiom) (with transcript)

Being creative can speed up your learning.