Join Tim for 'Tea, Talk & Textbooks,' where British culture meets English learning. Ideal for B1-B2 learners or British culture enthusiasts. Enjoy narratives, language tips, and a spot of humour.

Tea, Talk & Textbooks: An ESL Podcast

There's a video on TikTok in which a user takes a jar of seasoning called "Everything But the Bagel" and carefully separates the ingredients into small piles to find out the secret to the recipe.

The video has been viewed almost 2 million times — a sign of just how popular this seasoning mix, made by US company Trader Joe's, has become.

People like to put it on top of bagels and use it in lots of different meals.

However, fans of the mix have been finding out that it's not welcome everywhere in the world.

Signs have been posted at Incheon Airport in Seoul, telling passengers they can't bring jars of the seasoning into the country.

The reason is that one of the ingredients is banned in South Korea.

The mix contains things like sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion and salt — but poppy seeds are the problem.

Poppy seeds are banned in South Korea because they are narcotic-related items, according to the airport. The ban is not new but travelers have said that airports are now cracking down on the seasoning mix.

The seeds are also banned in a number of other countries, including Saudi Arabia and Singapore.

The poppy plant is used to make drugs like heroin and morphine, although the seeds don't contain any opiates.

However, the country worries that the seeds could be contaminated by opiates.

In fact, in the US, members of the armed forces have been advised not to eat products containing poppy seeds in case they affect the results of drug tests.

Drug tests can be very sensitive but experts say that it would be almost impossible to eat enough poppy seeds to feel any narcotic effect.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

South Korea Cracks Down on Popular Seasoning Mix

谢小奇是聪明的小朋友吗？来听听他的故事吧。

謝小奇是聰明的小朋友嗎？來聽聽他的故事吧。

好听的中文故事 | 好聽的中文故事 | Great Chinese Stories

你变聪明了 | 你變聰明了

In this episode, Saam (my son) and I are narrating the wonderful story of Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang (in Farsi and English).  Hope you enjoy! 

Farsi with Zubin 

Episode 3: Grumpy Monkey 🐒 کی گفته من بد اخلاقم؟ 

LUKE: Hello? Hi, Stephanie, how are things at the office?
STEPHANIE: Hi, Luke! How are you? Can you please stop and pick up 
extra paper for the computer printer?
LUKE: What did you say? Can you repeat that, please? Did you 
say to pick up ink for the printer? Sorry, the phone is 
cutting out.
STEPHANIE: Can you hear me now? No, I need more computer paper. 
Listen, I’ll text you exactly what I need. Thanks, Luke. 
Talk to you later.
LUKE: Thanks, Stephanie. Sorry, my phone has really bad
reception here.



LANGUAGE NOTES
• There are a few ways to express a lack of understanding and to request additional 
information. The most common ones are stated, but you can also say “Excuse me” or 
simply “I can’t hear you.” In a more formal situation, try saying “I’m sorry?” or “I beg 
your pardon?” (with a rising intonation).
• When asking someone to clarify information try saying Can you please repeat that? / 
Can you spell that for me? / Can you please write down the address for me?
• Cutting out describes a difficulty in understanding a caller due to poor cellphone 
reception. If you are having trouble understanding the caller, you can also say The 
line is breaking up / I am losing you. If the phone call is disconnected because of poor 
reception, you can say The call dropped.
• Talk to you later is the equivalent in a phone conversation of “See you later” in a 
regular, face-to-face conversation.
• Reception here means the availability of cellular service, the possibility to receive and 
give calls on a cellphone. Cellphone reception can be limited in remote areas, inside 
large buildings or underground (in the subway, for instance).

English Conversation practice (30-day challenge)

Day 7: Asking them to repeat

В трех верстах от деревни Обручановой строился громадный мост. Из деревни, стоявшей высоко на крутом берегу, был виден его решётчатый остов, и в туманную погоду и в тихие зимние дни, когда его тонкие железные стропила и все леса кругом были покрыты инеем, он представлял живописную и даже фантастическую картину. Через деревню проезжал иногда на беговых дрожках или в коляске инженер Кучеров, строитель моста, полный, плечистый, бородатый мужчина в мягкой, помятой фуражке; иногда в праздники приходили босяки, работавшие на мосту; они просили милостыню, смеялись над бабами и, случалось, уносили что-нибудь. Но это бывало редко; обыкновенно же дни проходили тихо и спокойно, как будто постройки не было вовсе, и только по вечерам, когда около моста светились костры, ветер слабо доносил песню босяков. И днем иногда слышался печальный металлический звук: дон… дон… дон…

Нескучные истории - Not boring stories

А.П. Чехов "Новая дача"

In this episode I will be discussing the term "Believe" and the meaning behind the word , but I also hope that this Episode can help uplift and motivate someone out there. 

Sit & Sip with Herriet

B E L I E V E

"Greetings - the foundation of every conversation in Swahili.”

Kiswahili Kitukuzwe

EP 1 - Greetings in Swahili

2週間前に左手首を骨折したことを話します。私が「どこで」「なにをしているとき」に骨を折ったのでしょうか。そして、今は？
I'm talking that I broke my left wrist 2 weeks ago. Where and what did I break my bone and what is my situation now?