A boy named Merryl is on a date with a girl named Honey. He realizes he can't remember the names of certain items so he tries to explain what he means by using the wrong words. Later he goes to the store and to the doctor and has the same problem. This story is written by me. Vocabulary: salt and pepper shakers: containers for salt and pepper thingamajig: a word people use when they don't remember the right word pepper spray: a spray used for self-defense baby wipe: a moistened paper towel used to clean a baby napkin: a paper towel used to clean the mouth after eating food smushed: smashed pico de gallo: salsa used in Mexican food croutons: small pieces of toasted bread used in salad cooking spray: a spray that keeps food from sticking to the pan goo: sticky, thick substance salad dressing: a liquid mixture used for salads stethoscope: a tool doctors use to listen to a person's heartbeat

In todays episode I would like to discuss the importance of budgeting your income and thinking about your future.

In todays episode I would like to discuss the most common idioms used in English.

A visit to a Food Festival in Paisley, Southwest Scotland.

Every time you're online, you are bombarded by pictures, articles, links and videos trying to tell their story. Unfortunately, not all of these stories are true. Sometimes they want you to click on another story or advertisement at their own site, other times they want to upset people for political reasons. These days it's so easy to share information. These stories circulate quickly, and the result is … fake news. There is a range of fake news: from crazy stories which people easily recognise to more subtle types of misinformation. Experts in media studies and online psychology have been examining the fake news phenomenon. Read these tips, and don't get fooled! 1. Check the source Look at the website where the story comes from. Does it look real? Is the text well written? Are there a variety of other stories or is it just one story? Fake news websites often use addresses that sound like real newspapers, but don't have many real stories about other topics. If you aren't sure, click on the 'About' page and look for a clear description of the organisation. 2. Watch out for fake photos Many fake news stories use images that are Photoshopped or taken from an unrelated site. Sometimes, if you just look closely at an image, you can see if it has been changed. Or use a tool like Google Reverse Image search. It will show you if the same image has been used in other contexts. 3. Check the story is in other places Look to see if the story you are reading is on other news sites that you know and trust. If you do find it on many other sites, then it probably isn't fake (although there are some exceptions), as many big news organisations try to check their sources before they publish a story. 4. Look for other signs There are other techniques that fake news uses. These include using ALL CAPS and lots of ads that pop up when you click on a link. Also, think about how the story makes you feel. If the news story makes you angry, it's probably designed to make you angry.

In this audio I go over my way of preparing my students to succeed in Part 2 of IELTS speaking exam. Please listen to it and try to catch the logic behind the process. The topic: The most important benefit of the internet. Connection, communication, sharing, other people, social media, internet wars, conflicts, misunderstandings, whatspp, wechat, fraud theft, banks, photos, videos, messenger. Let me know what you think, let me know what you'd like me to go over and if you need more from me - join my private classes now.

In this episode, I speak about the phenomenon of the "collateral effect" and how it can help us learn a language.

Water is the essence of life! In this episode, I speak about water and the need for it. I hope you enjoy it and learn from it.

“One city that I really find so interesting is Venice, which I think has to be one of the most amazing, and fascinating cities in the world. Venice is located in… I think….the north of Italy, on the coast,and is one of the most popular tourist destinations… not just in Italy but, anywhere in the world today. Venice is known as the city of canals, and there are so many things Venice is famous for including its beautiful bridges, gondola rides, historical buildings…. interesting old streets…..Oh! and also the Venice carnival, which looks like so much fun. I remember I first learned about Venice back when i was in high school, and we studied the Shakespeare play “The merchant of Venice……. I can still remember my English teacher showing us a short video showing all the sites of Venice……… I remember thinking…..wow! This has to be one of the most amazing cities i’ve ever seen, and decided this is a place i must visit in the future. Venice with all of its magnificent….. historical buildings, ancient bridges and water really looks like no other city in the world today. It almost looks like something from a movie set, and it’s amazing to think that this is actually a real place, that still remains and looks the same as it did hundreds of years ago. I think that’s what really makes it so interesting in my mind. There are no ugly modern or high rise buildings, which again just makes it such an interesting city compared to other popular tourist cities. I really think there are no other cities that can be compared to Venice, and it is truly a unique city, with more interesting and fascinating sites than you can imagine.” Thank you……

A few short jokes to make you giggle.