ESL Pod Official - Speak English Fluently by Listening (with Text)

By Dr. Jeff McQuillanEducation Language Learning

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ESL Pod Official - Speak English Fluently by Listening (with Text) episodes

September 02, 2025 ESLPodcast 024 - Driving on the Freeways
Driving in a big city like L.A. can be so stressful. It sometimes feels like I'm doing battle just to get to the grocery store, much less across town. What is it about getting behind the wheel that brings out people's aggressive side? The most mild-mannered mother of three turns into a race car driver when she gets on the road. In L.A., people rely on the freeway to commute to their jobs or just to get around town. I think driving on the freeway has it's good and bad. On the one hand, there are no stoplights and the speed limit is over 55 miles per hour so you can get somewhere in a flash. But, on the other hand, there are drawbacks, too. People like to gun their engines and cut off other cars to get ahead. The other day, I saw a guy in a Porsche get into the passing lane, race ahead of the Honda that was in front of him, and cut that person off. Then, the guy in the Honda tries to catch up to the Porsche. They're both zipping in and out of traffic, almost causing an accident. They were speeding and changing lanes without looking or signalling. I was sure they were going to cause a big pile up. As an alternate to the freeway, I sometimes take surface streets. Of course, surface streets have their drawbacks, too. If you have a long commute to work or school, it can take you ages to get there. There are stop signs, stop lights, and crosswalks to deal with. And, people sometimes tailgate if they think you're not going fast enough. Now that I think about it, there's sometimes even more congestion on surface streets than on the freeways! There's no getting around it living in L.A. We need better public transportation and more people to walk, bike, or rollerblade to work. But as the famous song goes, "Nobody Walks in L.A." [by the Missing Persons]Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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21 min
September 01, 2025 ESLPodcast 023 - Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning is supposed to take place before summer, not after it. But, as usual, I procrastinated and now I have to finally get rid of all the junk I've accumulated over the year. But now there are no if's, and's, or but's about it--the cleaning must be done!I start in my bedroom. I have a king bed, with a sheet on the mattress and a top sheet, with pillow cases on the pillows. At top all that I have a down comforter. Well, they all need to be washed, so into the machine they go. Next I start in on the closet. What a mess! I've got boxes and bins full of stuff that need sorting . Finally, I have to vacuum the carpet and dust. Whew! Quite a job! Good thing I don't have any drapes, just shades on the windows.But I'm not done yet. It's time to move on to the kitchen. I have a combination stove and oven, both of which I need to clean. I start with the fridge, though, which needs the most work. I take out the shelves and rinse them all off. Then I dump anything that has passed its expiration date. Then it’s back to the stove, which I need to scrub clean of the grease and stains , and the same for the oven. Finally, I wash all the dirty dishes and put them in a dish rack next to the sink. Spring cleaning is always a mixed bag for me. It's a lot of work, but I also find things I've been missing for the past year! Maybe next time I'll manage to do my spring cleaning in the spring.Script by Dr. Jeff McQuillan
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18 min
August 31, 2025 ESLPodcast 022 - Seeing Old Friends
This is turning out to be a month for seeing old friends. I got an email a couple of weeks ago from an old friend from graduate school. She and her family are visiting L.A. for a week. They plan to see family and to visit old friends. Since she moved out of the country, I hadn't seen her in ages. I'm looking forward to meeting her new kids and seeing her again. Another old friend called this week. She and I were buddies in our undergraduate days. She plans to swing by L.A. on her way to San Francisco. We've made plans to have lunch. She works in Washington D.C. as a political advisor and is usually very busy. I'm glad she could make time for us to get together.When we say good-bye to our friends, we always hope to keep in touch. But, what with this and that, it's sometimes hard to do. With friends that I've fallen out of touch with, it's sometimes hard to meet up again and pick up where we left off. We've both moved on to a different phase in our lives. Some of my old friends have become very successful, are living lives in the fast lane. Other friends are struggling along and are just making ends meet. But, no matter how they're doing, it's always nice to touch base again. I'm really looking forward to seeing these old pals of mine and catching up after all this time.Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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16 min
August 29, 2025 ESLPodcast 21 - Tell Me About Yourself
Well, I was born and raised in Minnesota, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to be exact. I won't say how long ago that was, but let's just say I'm no spring chicken. I grew up there with my rather large family of 8 brothers and 2 sisters. (I was the baby of the family, but I swear I wasn't spoiled!) We were 13 in all, probably the biggest family in the neighborhood, maybe in the state. I had a mostly happy childhood. My father and mother didn't have a lot of money, but we were never worried about keeping up with the Joneses. I wasn't much into sports like my brothers were, but I enjoyed reading and listening to music growing up. I went to grade school near my house, and then to a high school about 2 miles from where I lived. After graduating from high school, I went on to the University of Minnesota to get my bachelor's degree. It took me a while to learn the ropes at the university, but I finally graduated nearly 6 years later. Better late than never, as my father used to say. I then went to Mexico for a couple of years to teach English and to study Spanish. When I returned, I decided to become a teacher, so I went back to school to get my Master's degree. After teaching for a few years, I was offered a job in California, so I moved to Los Angeles in 1991. After working here a few years, I went back to school (again!) to get my Ph.D. I was starting to become a professional student. Well, I finished up my degree in four years, and then taught at the university for several years. Now, I work at a small research organization here in L.A. I am happily married, and I still enjoy reading and listening to music, and, of course, hosting ESL Podcast.
Script by Dr. Jeff McQuillan
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14 min
August 28, 2025 ESLPodcast 020 - Buying a New Computer
My computer has been acting up on me. It's a pretty old model, and I need to replace it. So I decided to call up my friend Kevin to ask for his two cents. Kevin is a computer whiz. He knows PC really well since he worked on them for years, but in his heart of hearts, he is a big Mac fan. So, I thought he would be good person to ask. I have always used a PC. I do mostly word processing so I don't need anything fancy. But, I see people I know doing cool things with photos and video, so I’d like to take a crack at some new programs in the future. Well, I called up Kevin to tell him what I needed. He immediately started throwing out specs: "You need at least a 2 Gigahertz processor and 1 Gig of memory, and make sure it has a writable DVD drive." "Whoa," I said. "All of that is way over my head. Let's back up for a a minute." Then he laughed and said he had gotten carried away . "Okay," he said. "Let's start at the beginning. Now, the processor determines how easily and how fast you can use the programs on your computer. Got that?" I said that I did. Then he continued, "How much RAM memory you have is very important, too. Your computer will go faster the more you have. So, I recommend getting at least 1 Gigabyte of RAM memory." "I think I'm following you so far, " I said. "Great," he said. Another thing you want is a drive that handles both CDs and DVDs. Some drives can just read DVDs and some can record onto blank ones. If you want to burn your own videos, you'll want a writable DVD drive. Remember though, that's just the computer itself. Don't forget that you'll need a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and speakers." "OK," I said. "I think I've got all that. Now, here's the burning question: Mac or PC? He said: "Now that's a whole different thing. Do you have a couple of hours?‚"
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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17 min
July 29, 2023 ESLPod019 - Going Shopping
ESLPodcast 19 - Going Shopping
Tags: Shopping
Audio Index: 15:33
Believe it or not, I don't own an iPod. I know, I know. I'm really behind the times, but I have an excuse. I've been so busy at my work lately, I haven't had time to take a break. So finally yesterday I went shopping for an iPod down at the mall in Santa Monica.
I walked into the Mac store there and was immediately greeted by a salesperson. He asked, "Can I help you find something?" "No," I said, "just looking." I don't like the feeling of high-pressure salespeople. Anyway, I looked around the store some more, and finally made my way to the iPod section. Then I decided to ask the salesman a question. "Excuse me, can I ask you something?" "Sure," he said. "Go right ahead." "I'm thinking of picking up an iPod, but I'm not sure which one is right for me. What do you recommend?" He replied, "Are you going to be using it for running, jogging, working out, in your car?" "Yes," I said, "all of those, except the running, jogging, and working out." He laughed at my somewhat lame joke. "Okay, well, I recommend you get the iPod Mini to start." "How much is that?" I asked. "Well, it just went on sale, so I think we can offer you a good price on it." "I'll take one," I said, and we made our way to the cash register. "Will that be credit or debit?" he asked me. "Credit card," I said, as I swiped the card through the reader. I waited, and nothing happened. "Could you swipe that card again? It didn't go through." "Sure," I said, and swiped it again. Finally, the card processed and he handed me the charge slip to sign. "I'm sure you'll be very happy with your purchase." "Oh," I said. "It's not really for me. It's for my wife! ‚"
Script by Dr. Jeff McQuillan
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16 min
July 28, 2023 ESLPod018 - Getting Around (Fast)
ESLPodcast 18 - Getting Around (Fast)
Tags: Daily Life , Transportation
Audio Index: 15:34
Getting around in the United States is sometimes not very easy. Most people own their own cars, but not everyone can foot the bill for the car, plus the insurance, gas, and maintenance. Most big cities have buses, but they are much slower than a car. Several cities in the U.S. have subway systems, but many do not. There are even fewer trains that transport daily commuters. In cities such as Los Angeles, public transportation is much more limited than in other countries.
If you take some form of public transportation, you need to pay a certain fare. In most big cities the fare is anywhere from 1 to 2 dollars. But don't expect the bus driver to change a bill for you. You usually need exact change if you're going to ride a bus, train, or subway. Whatever you take, you always have to pay for it!
My friends here in Los Angeles all have different ways of getting to work. One friend, who lives out in the boonies, rides the train everyday. He takes the train because it's easier for him than driving or taking a bus. Another friend I know who works close to where he lives rides a bike everyday. Still another friend drives his car. I don't know anyone who rides the bus, but I've taken it once or twice when my car was in the shop. Worse comes to worst, you can always hop in a taxi. Taking a taxi is expensive here, though, so be prepared for a big fare‚not including the tip!
Script by Dr. Jeff McQuillan
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16 min
July 27, 2023 ESLPod017 - Going to the Movies (Fast)
ESLPodcast 17 - Going to the Movies (Fast)
Tags: Entertainment
Audio Index: 20:00
I love watching movies. I like a lot of different genres. No matter what my mood is, I can always find something that fits the bill. When I'm feeling down, I sometimes like a good comedy. My favorite are romantic comedies. The plot is pretty simple. A boy meets a girl and there are road blocks to them getting together. The lead actors are usually likable people, the supporting cast give comic relief and villains are people we love to hate. In the end, though, there is usually a happy ending. Romantic comedies, or comedies in general, can be predictable but they're also pretty entertaining. I don't go out of my way to see slapstick or physical comedies that much. But, once in a while, I catch a good one on TV.
I like dramas, mysteries, and action and adventure stories, not to mention documentaries. My favorite are movies that have surprise endings that throw you for a loop. Just when you thought you had the whole thing figured out, there's a plot twist. Good screenwriters or directors can pull it off.
One type of movie I don't like that much are horror movies. Scary movies just don't do it for me. But, there is one exception. I like movies by the director Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock was born in England but made most of his films in the U.S. Before he died in 1980, he made a lot of movies that are now considered classics. Most of them are nail- biters; some are mysteries and some are horror stories.
The scariest movie I think he made and that I've ever seen was a movie called Psycho. The movie is set in a seedy motel called Bates Motel. The main character owns the motel and lives there with his mother. Strange things happened at this motel. People check in, but sometimes, they don't check out. One day, a very pretty woman checks in to the motel. We know something bad is going happen to her. Sure enough, we see her get murdered. At the very end, we find out who the murderer is. It's one of those surprise endings. Just when you thought you have it figured out, it turns out to be a shocker. I won't spoil the ending for you if you haven't seen it. I recommend it though and give it a big thumbs up. But, be warned. It's not for the faint-hearted.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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20 min
July 26, 2023 ESLPod016 - Summertime Vacations (Fast)
ESLPodcast 16 - Summertime Vacations (Fast)
Tags: Travel
Audio Index: 18:41
I think the best summer vacation I've ever taken was when I went out East a few years ago. Two of my friends and I went on a two-week road trip. At the time, I was living in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the Midwest of the United States. Anyway, we started off camping every night, but that got real old, real fast. So we started checking in to hotels after about the third day. We were headed for Washington, DC first. Checking in to the hotel was always a bit of a hassle. I wanted to sleep in a double bed, my friends wanted to get a king to share. Lodging is more expensive at a hotel than in a campground, but it is much, much more comfortable!
We went to the major tourist attractions in Washington, D.C. - the Capitol, Lincoln's Memorial, the White House. We then headed north, passing through Boston and headed towards Canada, to Quebec City. When we arrived at the Canadian border, we had to pass through customs and immigration. Customs was easy. We had nothing to declare. Immigration was more of a pain. We were asked the standard questions. How long will you be staying in Canada? What is the nature of your visit? Finally, we were permitted to enter, and we drove on to our destination.
Quebec City is beautiful! Unlike many cities, there are no tourist traps to sidetrack you. We spent two days there, then drove on to Montreal. Of course, we had to pass through customs and immigration again when we re-entered the United States. Our bags were searched in customs, but other than that we got through fairly easily. A few days later, we were back in Minnesota--home sweet home.
Script by Dr. Jeff McQuillan
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19 min
July 25, 2023 ESLPod015 - Going to a Concert II (Fast)
ESLPodcast 15 - Going to a Concert II (Fast)
Tags: Entertainment
Audio Index: 14:52
My friend Ben and I have been waiting a month to see our favorite band in concert. This was the night. We were so excited. In a small venue like the Whiskey, there wouldn't be a bad seat in the house.
So, we get to the Whiskey really early to find street parking and snagged a spot about four blocks away. Then, we got in line which was already about 20 deep. There were two bouncers outside of the bar and they weren't letting anybody in yet. We waited and waited in line. Finally, the line started to move. When we got to the head of it, one of the bouncers checked our tickets and one of the other employees of the club put a wrist band on each of us. I guess this was to let the employees in the bar know that we belonged there and we weren't crashing the party.
Anyway, we got inside and tried to get as close to the stage as possible. There were already a bunch of people standing in front of the stage in a special roped-off section. These were probably VIPs or maybe they were groupies. Who knows? Anyway, I just know that security wasn't letting anyone get that close.
Before too long, people started to cheer and I knew that the opening act was about to come on. This was a band I’d never heard of before so I wasn't that excited to hear them. They did come out and they started played a set. I couldn't believe it. They were really horrible. The people standing next to Ben and me started boo-ing the band. Other people started throwing things on the stage, like their drinks and their food. After a little while, the boo-ing got so loud, you could hardly hear the band. Finally, they finished their song and left the stage.
The concert-goers were pretty rowdy by this time. Some were yelling, others were getting up on top of the bar and dancing. Just when I thought there was going to be riot, someone got on the microphone and started to introduced the headlining band . All of a sudden, everybody calmed down and started cheering. The band came on stage and started their first number. Then, the room was full of happy campers. Ben and I were both a little nervous for a second there. We didn't know if things were going to get out of hand. But when the band started playing, we knew that everything would be ok. This was turning out to be a great night, just like we’d imagined.
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
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16 min

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English as a Second Language Podcast (ESL Pod) You can only master a language by comprehending what you hear. If you don't get it, you're not learning anything. Our lessons are simple, clear, and easy…