English, baby! Daily Podcasts

It’s hard enough to take care of ourselves and our loved ones and children, but what happens when a pet gets sick? When that happens, it’s time to go to the veterinarian, or vet, for short. Unfortunately, most animals don’t enjoy going to the vet. They might run for cover when you get out their pet carrier. Or they might growl at or try to attack the vet when you get there. And even worse than the experience at the vet is the experience when you see the vet’s bill. Unfortunately, a trip to the vet can sometimes break the bank. Find out about Marni and Lily’s experiences at the vet in this pets English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“Prince—and he wasn’t even up for anything! I root for him even if he takes the stage to announce something.” - Singer Frank Ocean on who he hoped would win a Grammy. (Us Weekly) -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Even kids need weekends. But just like adults sometimes have to work on Saturday, many children go to Sunday school. Instead of extra pay or respect from their boss, they learn about religion. These lessons may help form who they are. But are they the lessons the Sunday school teachers hope to teach? Sunday school is when Christian or Catholic children go to special religious classes. Other religions have classes like this too. They don’t always take place on Sunday. Some kids like Sunday school, but others would rather not go. While some of the lessons may sink in anyway, sometimes kids grow to resent Sunday school and rebel against their religion. Find out what effect Sunday school had on Lily and Mason in this religion English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

It can feel so nice to make plans with a group of friends. You might get together and decide that you’re all going to go out to dinner together, or go to the movies. You feel included in the group, and like you really belong. Then maybe another friend comes up who wasn’t part of the original group. He asks if he can join your plan. He wonders, would it be OK if he tagged along?A tag on a piece of clothing at the store is the piece of paper hanging off the clothing that lists the price. A tag, in general, is hanging off something else. So when you tag along, you’re joining on to a group. You weren’t originally part of the plan, and the group may or may not be happy to have you join.Lily, the new intern, has her own set of friends. Find out who wants to tag along with her in this hanging out English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

In the US and some other countries, many people get more than just money from their job. They also get health insurance, retirement funds, and other benefits, if they’re lucky. There was a time when most jobs in the US came with many benefits. Now, there are fewer benefits available. Health insurance is the most common benefit, but even that isn’t a guarantee. Dental insurance? Forget about it. Despite these changes, American society is set up in a way that expects that people will have benefits from their jobs. It’s very hard to pay for health insurance and retirement without benefits. Listen to Mason and Greta discuss these issues in this work English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

When sailors went on long voyages, they would take citrus fruits like limes or oranges with them. Without them, or specifically, the vitamin C inside them, the sailors would die! These days, sailors have vitamin C pills, but that doesn’t mean that eating a grapefruit isn’t good for your health. Citrus fruits are a tasty way to stay well. One way many people enjoy citrus fruits is in juices. Orange juice is a common breakfast beverage in the US. Find out if Jeff and Sara take theirs with or without pulp in this food English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“You have so much passion and such a bleeding heart. You believe not only in your films but what your films can do for people, and that is the most important thing that I have learned from you.”- Actress Jennifer Lawrence on her Silver Linings Playbook director, David O. Russell. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Everyone knows Americans love football, baseball, and basketball. But there’s another sport that’s extremely popular, especially in the colder states. While the American passion for hockey may not be as great that of the Canadian fans, those who do love the sport are truly dedicated. They have to be. Hockey requires a lot of equipment. You need pads, skates, sticks, a puck, goals, and of course ice. You also need balance and grace as well as toughness and strength. Hockey is a very rough sport, but also subtle. Hockey players famously love to fight on the ice, and that helps draw in the fans too. Listen to Amanda tell Jeff what brought her out to a recent hockey game in this sports English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

When someone is paying attention to you, you get a nice, warm feeling. It might even feel as if that person is giving off a glow, and you are warming yourself at the fire. You may want to stay and bask in their warmth for as long as you can.But when someone treats you badly, or ignores you, you feel a chill. It’s as if the whole room gets colder. Rather than turning towards you and showing you their face and warm smile, that person has turned their back on you. They have given you the cold shoulder.Jeff has his eye on the new intern in the office, and someone feels as if she’s getting the cold shoulder. Find out who’s feeling frozen in this dating English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

When it’s cold in the winter, scarves can do a great job of keeping you warm. The wind might be blowing and the snow might be falling, but a scarf made of a warm material can keep you nice and toasty.Scarves aren’t just for warmth, though. Some people find them very fashionable. They wear scarves in bright colors or edgy patterns, or they wear them to match their outfits. Other people like to knit scarves themselves and give them to friends as gifts. Find out whether Sara and Lily like scarves in this fashion English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Two-thirds of the world is covered in water. The ocean seems huge and empty, but actually it’s full of wonderful things to eat! From shellfish to swordfish, there are almost as many kinds of seafood as there are kinds of food. Seafood is often used to refer to fish that come from rivers and lakes too. Some seafood, like caviar, is very expensive and considered a delicacy. Others, like canned tuna, make great everyday meals. Many of the healthiest foods in the world come from the sea, but not everyone likes seafood. Some people think there’s just something, well, fishy about eating fish. Find out what Lily and Mason think in this food English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“It was horrifying because I’m of a certain age and I kept thinking, ‘If I don’t do it right I will drop dead halfway through this and someone else will get the role!’”- Actress Sally Field on playing the role of Mary Todd Lincoln in the film Lincoln. (US Weekly) -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Regular people can’t help but wish they were celebrities sometimes. Undoubtedly, celebrities find themselves wishing they were normal people occasionally, too. Few celebrities have more drama or success than Rihanna. The singer, who was born in Barbados, has released seven albums since 2005, and all of them have gone gold or platinum. But her romantic life is less steady. She was famously beaten by boyfriend Chris Brown in 2009. They broke up, but now, she might be back together with him. Or is she the reason Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez broke up? In addition to being a great artist, Rihanna seems like a good person, too. Her fans want her to be happy, because she makes them happy. Listen to Greta and Amanda talk about Rihanna’s exciting music and personal life in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

You’re single, and you’re looking for someone to date. You might decide that you want to find someone with a particular color of hair, or with similar interests to yours. Maybe you want someone with a good sense of humor, or someone who’s very serious. Do you also think about what age you want the person to be? Do you come up with a preferred age range?People date people who are different ages from them all the time. But is there such a thing as going too young? If you’re 30, do you think it would be fine to date someone who is 20? Or would that make you feel as if you’re dating someone who’s just not mature enough? When someone is dating someone who is much younger than seems appropriate, you might say that they’re robbing the cradle. A cradle is a bed that a baby sleeps in. Obviously, the person isn’t dating a baby, but you might use the expression to show your disapproval. Jeff is single, and he’s got his eyes on someone in the office. Find out whether Marni thinks he’s acting in an age-appropriate manner in this dating English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

If you live somewhere that’s warm all year, all you have to worry about is getting too tan or letting too many bugs in your house. For the rest of us, when wintertime comes, it means paying lots of money to stay warm. Buildings can be heated with electric heaters, solar power, or furnaces that burn gas or oil. Of course, there are lots of tricks to keeping your heating bill low, like insulating your house and plugging leaks. Blankets and sweaters don’t hurt, either. Listen to Mason and Lily talk about how they are staying warm in this winter English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com