English Learning for Curious Minds

You might know nothing about it. But it certainly does (or could do) know a huge amount about you. Let's take a look at this incredibly powerful company that can see into everything we do. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

A very different episode to normal. Today it's time to ask for your help... Curious? It's only 9 minutes long. Full transcript and key vocabulary available (for free) on www.leonardoenglish.com

The media might portray it as just a failed state run by a mad dictator, but today we'll find out that things might be just a little bit more complicated than they seem. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

Why do so many jobs seem quite so pointless? Today we're taking a look at the phenomenon of the bullsh*t job, and its effect on us individually and as a society. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

Confused about the difference between Great Britain and The United Kingdom, and always wondered when to call someone British instead of English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish? Let's clear it up, and explain how we got to this, admittedly, pretty complicated situation. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

It's time for Part 2 of our most common mistakes people make when learning English. Learn about why you shouldn't worry about grammar, why 'survival' listening isn't the answer, why you don't need to go to an English-speaking country to learn English, and how to set yourself effective goals and not get disheartened. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

It's time to take a look at the most common mistakes people make when learning English, and how to avoid them. From how to get over the fear of opening your mouth to why you shouldn't speak too fast. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

The fake meat industry is booming. Today we take a look at why that is, and ask ourselves whether there will ever be a day that 'real' meat vanishes from our dinner tables altogether. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

Today we are taking a look at conspiracy theories. Why people believe them, why they can be so seductive, and the damage that they can do. We'll also take a look at three of the wackiest ones out there - from why people believe Disney made Frozen to why people think the dinosaurs built the pyramids. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

You've probably heard of carbon offsetting, and heard people praise it as one potential tool in the fight against climate change. But how much do you really know about it? In today's podcast we go into how it really works, why people love it, why others hate it, and discuss whether it's a positive or a negative force in the fight to prevent global warming. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

It was called "Britain's biggest contribution to gastronomy" by the Wall Street Journal. Today, in part 4 of our mini-series on British food, we're looking at the sandwich, the story behind it, why it is so important for people in Britain, and how it reached such an iconic status. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

“To eat well in England you should have breakfast three times a day.” W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) The English Breakfast is a truly British institution, and its history goes back 700 years. In today's episode we go into the story behind the meal, and reveal how it went from favourite of lords and ladies to the way the working classes started the day. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

It's a British classic, but how much do you really know about it? Today we are diving into the fascinating history of fish and chips, and we'll discover that it might be not quite so British as you might think. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

Part 1 of our 4-part mini-series on British food. First up it's the oyster. It's not something you might normally associate with British food, but this little creature was hugely important for British cuisine, and has a fascinating history. Today we'll learn about how it went from the choice of emperors to food of the poor, hear about how one man (supposedly) ate 1,200 in a single sitting, discover the time when the average Londoner used to eat 1 oyster a day, and find out why they used to...

Why is the news always full of disasters? What would the world be like if it wasn't? In today's episode we take a look at some of the theories about why the news is always so negative, and imagine what kind of world might exist if it wasn't. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

Why are babies so good at language learning, and what can we learn from them to make us better English students? Today we take a look at 5 qualities that babies have that we should all incorporate into our language learning. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

Have you ever wondered why January 1st is the start of the new year? In today's episode we'll discuss the history of new year, talk about the longest year ever (it had 445 days), and you'll find out why new year is celebrated on January 1st, and not on any of the other 364 days of the year.

Today we're going to talk about a sea that disappeared, and find out what happens when a country tries to start a hub for cotton farming in the middle of a desert. Spoiler alert: it doesn't go well. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

Today we take a look at the book that is fundamental to our modern understanding of what makes Christmas, Christmas. No, it's not the Bible. It was written in Victorian London, and tells the story of an old miser who discovers the Christmas spirit. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com

Today we take a look at three of the most successful advertising slogans of all time. We'll explain how they work, why they work, and we'll go through any clever twists on language that they use. Full transcript and key vocabulary available on www.leonardoenglish.com