In 2006, beekeepers started to see many bees dying. This was a sad thing because bees help to pollinate most of the plants that give us food. Scientists don’t understand why bees are dying. There are many possible reasons. However, one thing that can help is to give bees good homes. Now, beekeeping is a very popular hobby in the US.

Some people are terrified of bees. They are afraid of being stung, and they might have an allergy. But many people are not fazed by bees. They stay calm in a swarm and can work easily with these small creatures. The have a good symbiotic relationship with their bees. They take care of them, and the bees give them tasty honey.

Marni’s neighbor is working with a swarm of bees. Will she also become a beekeeper? Learn more in today’s English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Were you ever supposed to watch someone, and then you lost that person? This is a difficult situation. How do you explain that you let this person out of your sight? Sometimes, this happens when you are supposed to watch another person’s child. Children love to play and run, and as soon as you look in another direction, you might lose them. It can be difficult to keep tabs on children!

When you keep tabs on someone, you watch them to keep them safe. You can’t be spacey when you are keeping tabs on someone. You might not even want to leave to go to the bathroom. If you lose this person, then someone else might blame you. We use this expression to show who is responsible for watching someone or something. For example, if your friend asks you to keep tabs on their car, you should stay near that parking spot.

Andy and Dominique were supposed to keep tabs on Kelsey, but they lost her. Watch today’s English soap opera to see if Jordin can help. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Many people miss reading and writing on paper. There is something magical about it. It’s hard to describe why. Maybe, it feels more real than typing. Maybe, people like the stroke of their pen on paper. Writing something down just feels permanent and tangible. On the computer, everything comes and goes so quickly. Now, one could call handwriting a “lost art.”

It’s not hard to figure out why. People don’t try to get better at handwriting. So when they write, no one can read it! Their handwriting is illegible and atrocious. Even if they write in standard script, it’s still difficult to read. In the past, people tried very hard to write in good cursive. Now? Cursive is very, very rare.

Kelsey just got a handwritten note from her friend. Listen as Marni tries to help her read it in today’s English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

IKEA is a magical place. It is a huge store full of modern and crafty furniture. People who live in small spaces buy IKEA furniture to save space. Other people buy their furniture because it is easy to assemble. They can put it together on their own! And if you lose a piece, they have a wall full of useful bits and pieces. But IKEA is not just about the furniture. Some would say IKEA is an experience.

The store sucks you in with all of its aisles and goodies. Sometimes, they serve really good cookies as snacks for the shoppers. They even have childcare for parents who want to shop freely. Most of the time, you are in good hands when you shop at IKEA. If people complain, they usually think the instructions are cryptic and confusing. They may have a hard time assembling their beautiful new furniture!

Kelsey is having trouble assembling her IKEA dresser. Listen as she tells Marni about her troubles in today’s English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“You can’t mistake kindness for weakness, and don’t come for me.”—Singer Katy Perry, speaking about her new album (Cosmopolitan) -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

You are getting ready to clean the bathroom, but you don’t have any rubber gloves? You could clean with no gloves and only your hands, but think about all the germs in your bathroom. Maybe, you could wash your hands after you clean and then use hand sanitizer. But is that good enough? Cleaning without gloves might gross you out.

It’s possible that we’re overthinking this situation, but for some people, the fear of cooties is just too high. These people are germophobes. A germophobe fears germs. This might be an irrational fear, but for these people, it’s very important to be clean and healthy all the time. They don’t want even a single cootie touching them. This might seem like overkill, but for a germophobe, it’s just the right amount of fear.

Jordin wants to share food with Marni. Find out which one of them is a germophobe in today’s English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Getting hungry is part of being human. Many cultures eat about three meals each day. In the US, we call these meals breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At each meal, there is often fruit or vegetables, meat or another protein, and something like bread or rice. But what about when your stomach is growling between meals? Many of us like to just grab a bite at these times.

When you grab a bite to eat, you usually have a snack. This isn’t a substantial meal but just something small to keep you feeling good. For example, you might snack on pretzels with mustard, potato chips, or beef jerky. On the other hand, you might prefer something healthier, like an apple, a small salad, or a peanut butter sandwich. No matter what, when your stomach growls, it’s time to grab a bite.

Kelsey is finally awake, but she is hungry! Find out if the team has time to get a quick bite in today’s English soap opera. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

People do many wacky things when they need to relax. People want to get away from technology. They want a break from the stress of everyday life. They want to unwind. Lots of people are trying float tanks. Float tanks are large tanks filled with salt water. People can float in these tanks. It is very quiet and very dark. For many people, floating in these tanks is very soothing.

Some people say that float tanks can help if you have a lot of muscle pain. Maybe, you have a job as a waitress. Waitresses are on their feet all day. This might make your knees hurt or your back hurt. Spending some time in a float tank might take this pain away. Even if you think float tanks are spooky, it might be worth the pain relief!

Listen as Jordin tells Kelsey about float tanks in this English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

Body image is a big deal in the United States. Our media, movies, and television shows have many lean and skinny people. Everyone does not look like this, of course. Statistics show that two of three adults in the US are overweight or obese. They are often stigmatized and criticized for their size.

Some people take dieting too far. Sometimes, they will not eat anything. Other people will exercise, eat healthy food, and still be overweight. Does this mean they are unhealthy? Some people are talking about HAES, Health at Every Size. This idea says that if people exercise and eat right, then it should not matter what size they are.

Gary believes in HAES, but Dominique disagrees. Find out why in today’s English lesson. -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com

“[A]cting is about the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and that doesn’t need to be separated into two different categories.”—Actress Emma Watson, speaking about receiving the MTV award for best actor in a movie (Buzzfeed.com) -- View this and other great English lessons at www.englishbaby.com