English Learning for Curious Minds | A More Interesting Way To Learn English

  He was a former American marine who would go on to assassinate one of the most popular presidents in American history.   In this episode, we look at the unhappy life of Lee Harvey Oswald and ask ourselves why he pulled the trigger.   The assassination of JFK The early life of Lee Harvey Oswald Joining the US Marines Developing left-wing views Leaving for the Soviet Union Returning to the USA Buy...

  Whether it's Carrie from Sex and the City or the advertising executives in Mad Men, people are drinking more cocktails than ever before.  In this episode, we take a look at the fascinating stories behind six popular cocktails, from the Bloody Mary to the White Russian.  The early history of cocktails Fredric Tudor - “The Ice King” Cocktail #1: The Margarita Cocktail #2: The Bloody Mary Cocktail...

  The British and Americans were suspicious that there was a mole. They were right; in fact, there were five double agents.   In the final part of this three-part mini-series, we see what happened when the net started closing in, and why some people think that the Cambridge Five got away unpunished.   Kim Philby realises their cover is blown Recap of parts one and two The alcoholic downfall of The...

  In the early 1930s, five high-flying Cambridge University students were recruited to become Soviet spies.  These five men enjoyed decades-long careers at the top of the British establishment and were some of the most successful double agents in history.  In part one of this three-part mini-series, we see how it all got started.  The recruitment of Kim Philby Background to The Cambridge Five Life...

  He was the leader of Nazi Germany and was responsible for the most deadly war in human history.  In this episode, we'll explore the murderous life and legacy of Adolf Hitler.  The last hours of Adolf Hitler  The early life of Adolf Hitler  Moving to Munich Serving in the First World War The politics of Adolf Hitler The Beer Hall Putsch Writing Mein Kampf The death of Angela Raubal Hitler seizes...

Enjoy this bonus episode from Easy Stories in English . Angeline and Annabelle are a classic sister act. Annabelle writes the songs and they sing together, but Angeline gets all the compliments. When a music producer offers a deal to Annabelle, she realises she can’t let the opportunity go. But what starts as a harmonious collaboration soon turns into a discordant nightmare… You can find the trans...

  He was credited with defeating Hitler and industrialising Russia. But he was also a ruthless dictator who was responsible for tens of millions of deaths.  In this episode, we explore the brutal life and legacy of "The Grey Blur".  The capture of Yakov Dzughashvili, Stalin's son The early life of Josef Stalin His radicalisation Where does the name “Stalin” come from? The 1917 Revolution The death...

  She seized power from her weak husband and would go down in history as a strong and powerful Empress.  In this episode, we look at how Catherine The Great managed it, and how she was a victim of terrible double standards against women.  The arrival of a 14-year-old princess The early life & character of Catherine the Great Her relationship with her husband, Peter Her miscarriages & the b...

  She was the second wife of King Henry VIII of England but fell out of favour after failing to produce a male heir.  In this episode, we look at the fascinating life of Anne Boleyn and ask ourselves whether things could have ended differently.  The early life of Anne Boleyn Henry declares his love for Anne Appealing to Rome The birth of Elizabeth The affairs of Henry VIII The downfall of Anne Ann...

  British football fans have a well-deserved bad reputation for hooliganism and violence.  In this episode, we explore where this comes from, why British football stadiums have historically been violent places, and why things have started to change.  A scene at a football riot The British claim to have invented football 12th-century versions of “football” When the king banned football The term “ki...

  He was best known for being the author of books such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Mathilda", but he was also a critically acclaimed poet and adult fiction writer.  In this episode, we explore how this former airforce pilot went on to become one of the best-loved children's authors of all time.  Extract from "Boy" The early life of Roald Dahl The mischievous childhood of Roald Dahl...

  He was the author of "Alice in Wonderland", and has gone down in history as one of the greatest children's writers of all time.  But he had some very unusual habits, preferred the company of children to adults, and took his secrets to the grave.   ln this episode, we explore the bizarre life of Lewis Caroll.  The famous boat ride of 4th of July of 1862 The early life of Lewis Caroll His speech i...

  Modern life would be impossible without standardised measurements.   In this episode, we look at the development of measurements through history, explaining they evolved over time and why some succeeded where others failed.  Imagining a world without measurements English measurement of distance: The Furlong Early measurement in France: The Setier Egyptians measurements of time The metric system...

  A lot has happened in 2022.   In this episode, we look at some of the most unusual British news stories of the year, including footballer's wives, the crime of treason, and the shifting demographics of the United Kingdom.  Being convicted for treason for trying to kill the Queen The Wagatha Christie Trial Boris Johnson’s misbehaviour Neil Parish and the “tractors” Chris Pincher: “Pincher by name...

  It went from nothing to billions of users in the space of a few years.  In this episode, we look at the rise of TikTok, the criticisms it has faced, and how it is changing technology patterns all over the world.  What is TikTok? Early history of Tiktok Growth in the United States Design of TikTok algorithm Tiktok’s machine learning Controversy in the United States Security concerns American vs....

  Artificial Intelligence technology is more advanced than ever before.  What does this mean for language learners, and how can you, as an English learner, use AI to supercharge your language learning?  An AI's answer to the question of “What impact will AI have on language learning?” Introduction to ChatGPT A brief overview of Artificial Intelligence Existing forms of Artificial Intelligence Incr...

  He has been waiting to become king for 70 years, and was the longest king-in-waiting in British history.  In this episode, we look at the life of King Charles III.  The early life of Charles III School & university The duty of finding a wife Meeting Lady Diana Spencer "Whatever "in love" means"... Charles' approval rating Criticism in the media Charles' affair with Camilla Divorce from Diana...

  In this episode, we look at two of the most famous hostage crises of the 20th century: the Florida Hostage Crisis and the Munich Hostage Crisis.  Both took place within a year of each other and went on to have a lasting impact on the world of hostage negotiation.  Introduction to the Florida Hostage Crisis of 1971 The unusual trio arrive on the runway The situation turns nasty The FBI is alerted...

  Ancient Rome was powered by the blood, sweat and tears of millions of slaves.  In this episode, we look at what life was like for really like people unlucky enough to be sold into slavery in Ancient Rome.  The capture of a slave in Ancient Rome Aristotle & Slavery How slaves were recruited How many slaves were there in Ancient Rome? Who could become a slave? What happened to slaves after the...

  The FIFA World Cup is full of controversy, on and off the pitch.  In this episode, we look at five of the most controversial episodes in World Cup history and finish up with five interesting facts about the world's most popular football tournament.   Controversy #1: Diego Maradona & The Hand of God Controversy #2: The murder of Andres Escobar Controversy #3: The Kuwait Goal Scandal Controver...

  He was the undisputed King of Pop, with 13 number-one hits, hundreds of millions of fans and a legacy that will continue to inspire artists for generations to come.  But beneath the surface, Michael Jackson's life was plagued by insecurity, loneliness, and deep-rooted demons that would ultimately lead to his untimely and tragic death.  The early life of Michael Jackson His relationship with his...

  For centuries, a woman could be accused of being a witch for the simple crime of being too poor, too rich, or too old. For those accused, the trials were deeply unfair, and the punishment was often torture and death. In this episode, we explore the unfair and bloody history of witches. The Salem Witch Trials The punishments given for witches at Salem What actually was a "witch"? Reasons people c...

  For hundreds of years, people have been afraid of blood-sucking creatures that rise from the dead. But where does the vampire myth actually come from, what happened to the people accused of being a vampire, and what if there was a simple, biological explanation for it all? The start of Bram Stoker's Dracula The fundamental characteristics of vampires Vampires in ancient European folklore Why peo...

It has been 5 years since the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. In part three of this three-part mini-series, we look at what has happened since then and ask ourselves whether we are any closer to knowing the truth. Recap of the story so far Vince Muscat starts talking to the police Melvin Theuma: the middleman Yorgen Fenech & 17 Black The phantom job Melvin Theuma starts getting paranoid The...

A few months after Daphne's brutal assassination, the Maltese police raided a potato shed. They would "find" three men who would later admit to being involved in the murder, but were they really any closer to the truth? The initial investigations of Daphne's murder The December raid on the potato shed Vince Muscat & The DeGiorgio Brothers How the police caught the hitmen November 2019: when ev...