What killed the clerk in Chekhov’s story "The Death of a Government Clerk"? 🤔 How did a simple sneeze turn into a real tragedy for him? We discuss the meaning, irony, and deep subtext of this story. We talk about Russian people in Russian literature.

If you want to read more in Russian, write to me, and I will send you materials (А1 - B2) for free! 📚✨

Мороз и солнце: русская литература

Why Did the Clerk Die? Analyzing Chekhov’s Story

In this episode of Hebrew on the Go, I'll guide you through a story about asking for directions in Israel. You'll pick up key Hebrew phrases and vocabulary to help you navigate any city with confidence. Great for travelers and anyone looking to explore!

Hebrew on the Go! - עברית על הדרך - Иврит на ходу

Ordering Food in Hebrew: A Tasty Journey

You just got into bed after a long day, and you're exhausted. You plan to spend a few minutes on your phone — maybe scrolling Instagram or TikTok — and then sleep.

But when you try to sleep, it's not as easy as you thought it would be. You were so tired — what happened?

According to a new study, your phone may be the problem.

The study, done by researchers at New Zealand's University of Otago, involved 85 kids aged 11 to 14. They each spent a week wearing a body camera on their chest starting from three hours before they got into bed.

A second camera was also placed in their bedrooms to monitor their phone use once they were in bed. They also wore a device that tracked their sleep.

The researchers found that 99% of the participants used their phones in the two hours before bed. More than half used their phones while they were in bed, and about a third used their phones after trying to go to sleep.

The results showed that screen time in bed affected participants' sleep — it stopped them from going to sleep for about half an hour, and also reduced the amount of sleep they got.

The impact was larger when participants had a more interactive experience — such as playing a game — or if they used more than one screen. For every additional 10 minutes of this type of screen time, sleep time was reduced by the same amount.

Interestingly, phone use in the two hours before bed had little impact on sleep.

According to lead researcher Bradley Brosnan, the results suggest that, while current guidelines recommend no screen time in the hour or two before bed, keeping phones out of the bedroom might be enough for a better night's sleep.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Keep Screens Out of Bed for Better Sleep

Here I give you some study tips to get the most out of the podcast and we get to learn our first Amharic words

Learn Amharic with Nadir

#1 Study tips & Your First Amharic Words

in this audio, you will learn the history of popcorn with very clear and slow Chinese .hope you enjoy learning something new and interesting in Chinese. 

Story learning Chinese with Annie

Story learning Chinese with Annie----the history of popcorn

Learn how to use the common English idiom "A Dime a Dozen" on the latest episode of Stairway to English!

👉 Book with me: https://italki.com/teacher/8476284

Stairway to English: Short easy to understand episodes to improve your English grammar and fluency

Don't buy that! They're a dime a dozen! Learn how to use the English idiom "A Dime a Dozen"

Listen and repeat then sing along.
I eat fruit in my new suit.

Follow me for more phonics.


Phonics Long Vowels and Consonant Blends

Long vowels ui

"Less is more," they say. And a new social media trend is supporting this idea by encouraging people to stop buying new things, and use what they already have.

"Underconsumption core" content shows people using items and wearing clothes they've had for a long time, instead of buying new things often promoted by influencers.

In the last decade or so, social media has become the home of influencer marketing, where popular content creators use their platforms to promote products to their followers.

This might be anything from showing clothes they've recently bought to opening — or "unboxing" — new products and reviewing them.

According to Statista, 28% of TikTok users bought products influenced by celebrity content in 2022. But some people are growing tired of being told what to buy.

Diana Wiebe, a TikTok creator and self-named "de-influencer," went viral in 2023 when she posted a video of herself reacting to an influencer shopping at Target, an American discount retail chain.

In the video, Wiebe can be seen calling almost every item she sees "garbage," adding, "You don't need that." Many TikTok users supported her message in the comments.

Talking to Atlanta-based Scripps News, Wiebe explained that the new trend is "a direct rejection of overconsumption."

Another TikTok creator, Sabrina Pare, is sharing the same message to her 250,000 followers through videos showing her using items she's had for years, as well as reusing old materials and wearing secondhand clothes.

The content shows followers how underconsumption saves money and is better for the environment.

A 2017 report estimated that 83 million metric tons of shoes and clothing was thrown away in 2015, and that could increase to 134 million metric tons by 2030.

While Wiebe told Scripps News that companies making new products may have the biggest impact on the environment, she added, "If we consume less, they're not going to produce as much, and hopefully there will be less waste as well."