“Normally they come in to give you a little breather, to give you time to rest a bit, and also to give you some advice.”

Major League Baseball pitcher Pedro Martinez, talking about the role of coaches -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Are you a busy person who likes to learn new things? If you are, you might enjoy listening to podcasts. You can find these audio programs on the internet and listen to them on your phone or on your computer. Instead of listening to a radio DJ blabbering about silly things, try a science or history podcast. Be inspired by an interview with a famous person. Learn about the day-to-day of life in another country in a travel podcast.

Serial is a very popular documentary podcast that started in 2014. Serial makes content about the lives of different people. Over 5 million people have downloaded this podcast! You can listen to it online for free to improve your English. A great place to look for other engaging podcasts is NPR, or National Public Radio. NPR has many podcasts about money, politics, books, and music. One of NPR’s most popular podcasts is Car Talk, a funny program about car problems. And, of course, you can always do a Google search to find a podcast about other topics you like.

Jessica is a new listener. Listen as she and Andy talk about their favorite kinds of podcasts. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

There are many ways to get local and world news. Some people read newspapers, watch TV, or listen to the radio. Others use social media like Twitter to keep up-to-date about what’s happening. It may seem hard to believe, but it’s possible to stay well-informed just from reading social media.

Twitter is also a good way to catch up with your favorite musicians or actors. Celebrities often share personal stories with their fans with a simple “tweet.” Some fans are able to have a conversation with a movie star, even if it is only 140 characters long.

Rafael is a fan of Twitter, but Brian thinks it’s a waste of time. Find out more in today’s English lesson about social media. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“I just had something embarrassing happen to me. Somebody asked me for my number, and I totally drew a blank.”

—Ebaby!’s Dominique, speaking about forgetting her phone number -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

There comes a time when some of us are single and ready to mingle. But just because we’re ready to date doesn’t mean that it’s easy to find someone. Some people are too busy with work or school, or they don’t know how to make new friends.

Online dating websites have helped a lot of people to find partners by making it easy to connect with one another. Anyone who uses the internet can use online dating sites. It’s convenient for people to search for love.

Rafael tells Lily that he’s ready to date. But how will he go out and meet people? Learn more in today’s lesson about dating. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“I fight to carve out the time. My friends are such a priority because they were what I had for most of my life.”

Actress Drew Barrymore, talking about spending time with her friends -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

It may feel like a simple and small decision that many people make every day. “What kind of bag should I use when I go to the market?” People are learning more about how their choices can affect the environment. Even small decisions about what kind of bag to use can have a big impact.

In the US, there are cities that ban the use of plastic bags. More stores are only using paper bags. Another way that some stores try to get their customers to bring their own bags is to make customers pay for them. All of this may seem like a lot of trouble to go through for bags, but it can make a big difference in the health of our planet.

Lily tells Rafael about what types of bags she uses and why she thinks it’s an important decision. Read on in today’s English lesson about everyday choices that can affect the environment. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

There’s a well-known tongue twister in English: “She sells seashells by the seashore.” It might be difficult to say, but it creates an interesting picture in your mind. A regular beachgoer will tell you that they’ve never seen anyone sell seashells because you can pick them up off the sand anywhere.

Seashells are like small houses for sea animals that live inside of them. By the time seashells wash up onto the beach, they are empty. Seashells come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some people collect them as souvenirs.

Jeff and Rafael talk about how much they like seashells. Learn more in today’s English lesson about ocean life. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“When I got out of the shower, it was 7:10. As you can tell, I didn’t really get ready too much. But that was because I was in a rush.”

—Ebaby!’s Kat, speaking about not having enough time -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Do you ever wonder where your food comes from? Like the glass of milk you’re drinking, to the plate of vegetables for dinner? A farmer had to raise a cow for the milk, and to grow crops of carrots and lettuce for your salad.

Many of us live in cities and don’t know very much about farm life. For example, farmers have a different schedule than city people. They get up very early, just as the sun is rising. There’s also a lot of physical work around the farm.

Gary tells Jessica about his experience at a farm, and how he enjoys the animals but not the work. Find out more in today’s English lesson about life in the country. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com