Why do we dream? In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Indiana share their own theories about what dreams are for, the strangest recurring nightmares they've had, and a uniquely Korean kind of dream that's said to predict pregnancy. They also get into sleepwalking, snoring, and the small habits that can quietly ruin your sleep.

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References:

Wikipedia, Conception dreams — Read here:

Keep an ear out for these phrases during the episode:

Fresh off the dome

To ring true

Every now and then

To build up to

The OG

Story of my life

In this bonus episode, Andrew shares a story about a weekend trip he took to visit two old friends in another city. They met up to hang out, do a challenging activity, and then enjoy some good times together. Listen along to learn some vocabulary that will help make your English more natural and to improve your listening fluency.

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GLOSSARY EXPRESSIONS

Get your act together

In for a world of pain

Talk your ear off

Crash out

Kaput

Rip-off

Putter around

Lightheaded

Toughen up

Bounce back

Why does paying with cash feel different from tapping your phone? In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Anna talk about the psychology of spending money. They share what they happily pay extra for, what they refuse to spend on, and the small tricks companies use to get more money out of our wallets. Along the way, they look at why we sometimes feel like we got a great deal even when we just spent five times what we intended.

Listening to many natural responses is one of the best ways to build your everyday listening skills in English.

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References:

Dan Ariely TED Talk, Are we in control of our own decisions? — Watch here:

Keep an ear out for these phrases during the episode:

To recoil

Hit or miss

To break a bill

Couldn't give a toss

To be averse to

To game

How do you answer the question, "How are you?" It sounds simple, but native English speakers actually use a wide variety of answers. In this Real Talk episode, Andrew and Kassy share more than 30 common replies, including standard answers, sarcastic ones, and phrases people use on a busy or tough day. They explain what each phrase really means and the situations where you'll hear it.

Listening to many natural responses is one of the best ways to build your everyday listening skills in English.

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Keep an ear out for these phrases during the episode:

To put someone through the wringer

A scholar and a gentleman

Murky

Not one's cup of tea

To be foiled

To chuck something

Have you ever felt the fear of missing out on something exciting? In this bonus episode, Andrew talks about FOMO, finding yourself in a funk, exercising your green thumb, and growing your own food. Listen along to learn some vocabulary that will help make your English more natural and to improve your listening fluency.

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English Expressions featured in this episode

FOMO

On the ball

To full send (it)

To throw your hat into the ring

To keep your eyes peeled

To mull (something) over

To hit (someone) like a ton of bricks

To snap (yourself) out of (something)

In a funk

Green thumb

From Cornwall to Bangkok: Cycling, Podcasting, and Pop Culture with Michael Lavers

Would you leave England to start a new life in Bangkok? Would you plan a cycling trip across an entire country?

In this episode, Andrew interviews Michael Lavers from the Level Up English Podcast, a British podcaster who is doing exactly that. They chat about growing up in Cornwall, moving to Thailand, cycling adventures, and the challenges of learning Thai. Andrew ends the conversation with some quick questions about British pop culture that surprise even Michael!

Listening to long conversations like this one is a fantastic way to improve your listening skills and pick up natural English expressions in context.

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🔑 Key Expressions

Keep an ear out for these phrases during the episode:

To put someone through the wringer

A scholar and a gentleman

Murky

Not one's cup of tea

To be foiled

To chuck something

Have you ever returned food at a restaurant? Fired a real gun? Used a fake ID to buy alcohol? Andrew and Indiana play Never Have I Ever in this episode, a popular North American game where players share the surprising things they have or have not done in their lives. Who has done more? Listen to find out, and learn some useful English expressions along the way.

Listening to natural English conversations like this one is a great way to improve your fluency.

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In this bonus episode, Andrew shares a couple of stories about what he's been up to so far this spring, including a hike up a mountain in Seoul to see some spring flowers and doing a big deep clean of his house. Listen along to learn some vocabulary that will help make your English more natural and to improve your listening fluency.

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Are robots about to take over our houses? In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Kassy catch up and share what's new in their lives. Kassy talks about the new robotics program at her school and the family members coming to visit her in Korea, and Andrew explains the strange little experiment he tried to finally get over his fear of the stock market.

Kassy also mentions an older episode about the GameStop story, which you can hear in Chatterbox 261 - “Meme stocks”

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Have you ever been on a great date, only to suddenly feel completely turned off by something small and unexpected? In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Anna talk about "the ick," that sudden feeling of disgust toward someone you're dating. They share their own icks, from almond milk to vocal fry, and look at why these reactions happen. Are they silly snap judgments, or could they actually be rooted in something deeper, like evolution or personal values?

Practice using the expressions from this episode in your own conversations, and you'll sound more natural in no time.

- Andrew references articles from Time and Psychology Today: in the episode.

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