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Hello everyone and welcome to English Pod. My name is Marco.

My name is Katherine. And as you've probably noticed on our website, this is one of many different parts of a series all about having an interview in English. This is a job interview. And at this point, we're at about part seven.

That's right. So today what we're going to talk about is uh the key question whenever uh you're having a job interview is they ask you to describe your key strengths and this is our word for vocabulary preview today. So let's take a look at it.

Vocabulary preview.

Okay, so you might have heard the word strength before. This is something that you're good at. And so key strength or key strengths plural would be things that you think are most important about you as far as the things that you do well.

That's right. So, as we mentioned, your boss or your potential boss might ask you to describe your key strength. So, you're going to mention a lot of adjectives, positive adjectives, saying how how good of a worker you are. So, why don't we uh listen to our dialogue? Let's see what Rebecca has to say about her key strengths. And uh we'll look at those in a little bit.

DialogueMr. Parsons: Okay, Rebecca, now you've given me a good idea of your work and academic background, but what about you as a person? How would you describe your key strengths?

Rebecca: Well, Mr. Parsons, as I mentioned before, I'm someone who needs new challenges. I'm really focused and hardworking. I think my academic results prove this.

Mr. Parsons: Yes, true. But how about other personal qualities?

Rebecca: Well, I believe I'm a good team player, but I can also work well independently. I'm very enthusiastic and well, I hope my colleagues would agree. I'm fun to work with.

Mr. Parsons: What would you say is your most positive quality?

Rebecca: Hm, that's a tough question, but I would have to say my passion. I'm really passionate about journalism and passionate about my career.

Language TakeawayAll right. So, she obviously has a lot of good key strengths. Why don't we analyze a couple of those on language takeaway?

Announcer: Language takeaway.

So, one of the first things that Rebecca mentions is that she's really focused. Okay. So, this this word focused, what does this mean?

All right. So, if a person is focused, uh, basically you're saying that you concentrate on your work.

That's right. And someone whose focus might be very good in a noisy office or in a place that is full of distractions like you said because they don't stop their work and think about the noise or move around or go talk to people. Someone who is focused just sits down and can do a lot of work all at once.

That's right. So she describes herself as focused and hardworking. So hardworking means basically what it sounds like that someone works very hard. That means they put in a lot of hours. They can um they get their work done. They're really really dependable.

That's right. So, as you as you can see, we use the word hardworking together. So, if you work hard, you don't say I I work hard. You can say that, but if you want to use it as an as an adjective, you say, "I am hardworking." The opposite, of course, would be lazy.

That's right. Okay. So, uh, we're focused, we're hardworking, and she also said that she is a good team player. Okay, this is a really key phrase here because it's something that employers, so people who are hiring new staff, like to look out for because most jobs, you don't work alone. You work with other people. And so, a team player is someone who works well in a group or works well with others.

That's right. So a team player, everyone wants to have a good team player working for their team, for their company. And apart from being a good team player, you also want to be enthusiastic.

That's right. So this means that you are interested in what you do. You are excited about it. It's not like, oh god, I have to do this report. It's like, oh wow, I get to do this report. I'm enthusiastic. I'm really interested. I'm going to put a lot of energy into it.

That's right. Okay. Okay. So, an enthusiastic person not only can be about working, you can be enthusiastic about anything. About uh I don't know, painting your house, about uh going on a trip.

Mhm. Exactly. Enthusiastic.

All right. And our last word for language takeaway is also a good quality to have if you are passionate about what you do or what you're doing.

So, someone who is passionate about something really really likes that thing. That means that they uh love to do it or love to see it. Um, passion is the opposite of not interested. Okay. So, you're really really emotional and excited and interested in something.

That's right. So, you are passionate about something. Uh, it comes from the noun passion. So, you have a passion for painting. Maybe you love to paint. So, you're very passionate about painting.

Mhm. So, a lot of great adjectives there to describe yourself in a good way. Why don't we listen to our dialogue again and we'll be back with Fluency Builder.

Dialogue RepetitionMr. Parsons: Okay, Rebecca, now you've given me a good idea of your work and academic background, but what about you as a person? How would you describe your key strengths?

Rebecca: Well, Mr. Parsons, as I mentioned before, I'm someone who needs new challenges. I'm really focused and hardworking. I think my academic results prove this.

Mr. Parsons: Yes, true. But how about other personal qualities?

Rebecca: Well, I believe I'm a good team player, but I can also work well independently. I'm very enthusiastic and well, I hope my colleagues would agree. I'm fun to work with.

Mr. Parsons: What would you say is your most positive quality?

Rebecca: Hm, that's a tough question, but I would have to say my passion. I'm really passionate about journalism and passionate about my career.

Fluency BuilderAll right. So, on Fluency Builder today, we've picked out three key phrases. Let's take a look at the first one when uh Rebecca said, "I'm someone who needs new challenges." Okay, so this structure, "I'm someone who..." is something that you hear a lot of and you can actually fill in the end of that sentence with a number of different phrases. So, in here, we heard I'm someone who needs new challenges. We could also say, "I'm someone who needs structure."

All right. So, we can also change the verb, right, from needs to "I'm someone who likes a challenge."

Mhm.

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Hello my dear friends. I'm Catherine. How are you? Me? I had a bad day today. I made lots of mistakes. I took the wrong train to work. I said wrong things in an important meeting. I bought the wrong cake for my friend's birthday. You see, a lot of mistakes. But it's okay. I'm still fine. I'm sure we all make mistakes sometimes, right? And I know you feel bad about it. The thing is, it's okay to make mistakes. Really, I'm not saying that you should go and make mistakes. What I mean is, you don't have to feel bad about it. Mistakes happen, but we can choose how to feel about them. So, you can choose to feel good about it. How can we do that? Stay with me and let's see.

What is a mistake? It's when you do something and the result is not good. Maybe you spilled coffee on your shirt. Maybe you forgot your keys. Maybe you said the wrong word in English. It makes you feel bad. I know that feeling. Why? Because I make mistakes, too. In fact, everybody makes mistakes. You make them. Your parents make them. Your friends make them. Your teachers make them. Your bosses make them. Even the best people in the world make mistakes. It's just a part of being human. We are human. So we make mistakes, right? You must accept that we are not perfect. Nobody is. Perfect people don't exist. Everyone has problems. That doesn't mean people are not important. In fact, problems help us grow. We can't get better if we are already perfect. Do you understand? Problems or mistakes help us grow.

I talked about this with my friend once. He said, "I'm pretty sure there are perfect people. They never make mistakes." "Who? Tell me a name," I asked him. He thought for a while and said, "Leonardo da Vinci. He was one of the greatest people in the world." My friend was right. Da Vinci was in fact one of the greatest people in the world. But that doesn't mean he never made mistakes. We can see only his final works. They are perfect because Da Vinci learned from his old failed projects. He knew what to do and what not to do. If you think about it this way, you can say mistakes are like practice.

Think about learning a sport like soccer. When you practice soccer, you try to kick the ball. Maybe you miss. The miss is a mistake. But the miss is not a failure. The miss is only part of practice. The miss gives you information. It tells you try to move your foot here next time. Your life is like this. Mistakes are practice. They give you information for your next try. They help you make a better plan. Mistakes don't mean that you are bad. They mean that you are trying. If you are trying, you're good.

So if mistakes are good, why don't they make us feel happy? That's a good question, my friends. The truth is the lesson from a mistake is good. But the result of a mistake can be bad and that is what makes us feel bad. We can learn from mistakes and that makes us grow. But we also have to see the result of the mistake. If you spill coffee on your shirt, you might ruin it. If you forget your keys, you might not get into your house. If you say something wrong in English, someone might laugh at you. We can't run away from the results of our mistakes. The feeling after we make a mistake isn't good. It is often very strong. Maybe you feel scared. Maybe you feel hot. Maybe you want to scream. Maybe you want to say bad things.

Now, let me tell you one thing. You can't change the result of your mistake right away. But you can change how you feel about it. When we make mistakes, it's important to stay calm. We can only learn well if we're calm. The first thing you must do is stop. Do not be scared. Do not run away. Just stop and breathe. Take a slow deep breath in. Then breathe out slowly. We use our breathing to help our mind stay calm. When the mind is calm, we can see the problem clearly. Look at the mistake like you look at a raincloud. It is there but it will go away. The rain is not forever. The mistake is not forever. Remember this. Mistakes are a normal part of life. Like rain is a normal part of the sky. This is true. Do not fight the truth.

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You came into my home like I was dangerous. You don't know what it's like to have 10 officers yelling at you while your mother cries in the hallway.

Understand? When we act, it's because we follow evidence. And right now, everything points to you. You are the thief.

Can someone finally explain why I'm here? I've been sitting in this chair for hours. You broke into my house this morning, shouted at me to get down, and took me away like some criminal. I haven't done anything wrong. I don't even know what this is about.

Calm down, Mr. Lewis. We are not here to fight. We are here to understand what happened. That's it. You were brought in because you match the description of a suspect involved in a robbery that happened this morning. Is it clear?

What? A robbery? That's ridiculous. I was at home. I didn't do it. You can ask my neighbor, Mrs. Taylor. She saw me leave the house at 8:00. Not before, I promise. I mean, how can I be accused of something I didn't do? Please, I need to go to work. I can't be here. It is a mistake.

Look, I get that you're upset, but let's start from the beginning. When we arrived at your house, you refused to open the door. You shouted, saying you didn't know who we were. And when we came in, you resisted arrest. That's not good. You tried to pull away. That's already a serious matter.

Of course, because you didn't tell me what was going on. You scared my mother half to death. How could you do that? You kicked the door open like I was some murderer. I am not. Anyone could resist if a stranger burst into their house like that. I was just scared. I panicked. I didn't know how to react. I think anyone could react that way if they were in the same situation.

Mr. Lewis, we had a warrant and we had a reason to be there. The victim's statement gave us a clear lead. That's why we did that.

Victim? What? What victim? Who are you talking about?

All right. At approximately 7:25 this morning, a woman named Laura Bennett was walking to her office on Maple Street. She claims a man approached her from behind, grabbed her phone and money, and pushed her when she tried to stop him. She was hurt. The suspect then ran toward the corner, jumped onto a black motorcycle, and left quickly. Everything is in the report and it's clear.

She described the man as mid-30s, short brown hair, red t-shirt, and riding a black motorcycle license plate ending with "2K". You perfectly match the description given to us by the robbery victim.

What? Wait, a black motorcycle? You're serious? Because there must be hundreds of black motorcycles in this city. Mine's been parked all week. I haven't used it. I promise you can ask my neighbors. They will tell you the truth.

Yes, of course. That's what we're going to verify. But the thing is that the partial plate matches yours and the victim identified your photo from the database. That's why you're here.

That's crazy. She's making a mistake. Who's that woman? I've never seen that woman in my life. Why would I steal her phone and money?

That's what we are trying to find out. I have to check. You don't have a record, which helps you, but your behavior this morning—resisting arrest—makes things complicated.

You think I resisted because I'm guilty, but I resisted because I'm innocent. You came into my home like I was dangerous. You don't know what it's like to have 10 officers yelling at you while your mother cries in the hallway.

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Hello everyone and welcome to English Pod. My name is Marco.

My name is Katherine. And today we're going to continue in our series about job interviews.

That's right. And on this occasion, we're taking a look at part five of our interview series where we explain why we left our previous job.

Okay. And so in interview, this is a very popular question. "Why did you leave your last job?" Learn some tools for answering this question in today's dialogue. We're going to take a listen to it first and we'll be back in a moment.

The DialogueOkay. Now, I'd like to find out more about your last job. I see you spent almost 4 years at the London Weekly. Is that right?

Yes, that's right. To be honest, the first year was quite tough for me. I was really just treated more like an intern. I didn't have many responsibilities and I found it quite frustrating.

So what changed?

Well, slowly but surely I proved myself and the new editor liked me so he promoted me to features writer.

Wow, a real step up.

Yes, I was responsible for restaurant and food reviews mostly. I spent 3 years in that position, but to be honest, it wasn't an area of journalism I wanted to stay in long term.

I see. So why did you decide to leave finally?

I just felt that the paper couldn't offer me any new opportunities. I really needed a more challenging role to be honest.

Language TakeawayAll right, we're back. And as we saw, Rebecca handled it quite well, explaining why you left your last job. Because obviously, you don't want to say something like, "Well, I just really didn't like my company," or, you know, "The boss was a really bad guy,"

...or I was fired for being lazy.

Exactly. So, why don't we take a look at a couple of different words on language takeaway.

Okay. So, we've got some great descriptive words here. These are some adjectives. The first one is tough. So, Rebecca said, "To be honest, the first year was quite tough for me."

All right. So, she's describing that her first year at that company where she was working, it was tough. And that means hard, difficult.

That's right. So you could say this is a really tough situation. That means it's a difficult situation. It's hard because there's no easy answer.

Exactly. So if you describe something as tough, it means that it's very difficult. Now there is another meaning to this where it can be that you are a strong person.

Right. So that's different because we're talking about a person, not a situation. But if you're talking about a job or an experience or even homework, like this homework is really tough, it means that it's very hard. Exactly. Well, apart from her job of being a little bit tough, she said that it was also a little bit frustrating.

Okay. So, usually these things go together. If something is tough, like it's difficult, it's usually frustrating, too. Um, and so in this case, something is frustrating when it makes you unhappy or for example, it makes you feel stressed.

Um so something that's frustrating is not a good thing.

Exactly. So as you gave the example with the homework assignment, if you have maybe a math assignment that's very difficult and you can't solve it, you don't find the solution, then you get frustrated. You get maybe angry at yourself or you get very angry for not be able being able to solve it. So that's when something is frustrating.

I hate being frustrated.

Exactly. Well, it's not a nice feeling, but uh she said that well it was frustrating. It was tough. That you know after a while I proved myself.

Okay. So that means that um she was able to show someone that she can handle uh difficult things, difficult work, difficult situations and so she said um I proved myself and the new editor liked me. So basically she did a really good job.

Exactly. So if you prove yourself you're showing someone that you have great uh ability or capabilities of solving a problem or being able to handle a difficult job.

That's right. For example, I could say, you know, last year Bob didn't do very well at school, but this year he really proved himself. He studied hard and he got really good grades.

Exactly. And well, Rebecca, what she got in exchange for proving herself, uh, she got promoted.

This is great. So, promotions are good things. Um, the verb here is to promote or to be promoted. So, in this case, she was promoted. Um, you could say last year I was promoted. um or he will be promoted next week. He doesn't know yet.

Exactly. Now, remember that to be promoted means to uh get a better position in your job. Now, as we mentioned, the verb is to promote. And you may be asking yourself why you're using the verb to be in the past, was promoted. And this is because it's an -ed adjective. It's an adjective that ends in -ed. So, you may think it's a verb, but it's not. It's actually an adjective.

The verb here is to be.

Exactly. So, I was promoted. Was is obviously our verb here, the verb to be. But promoted is an adjective that ends in -ed.

Okay. And so, if I'm the boss, the action I do, the verb I do is I promote someone. Uh, so this can be a little bit tricky, but we recommend that you check out the website for more details because we have lots of examples of how to use this.

Exactly. Well, she got promoted and uh well, she was really happy for a while, but then she said, "You know what? I really needed a more challenging role, a more challenging job."

Okay. Challenging is a great adjective. It means something is difficult or it gives you a challenge. So that means it's not easy.

Yeah. So she found that her job was a little bit too easy. So she wanted something a little bit more challenging.

Okay. And so this is a really great word for job interviews in particular because you're basically saying, "I want hard work. I want to prove myself." There we go again. Prove. I want to show you that I'm a good employee or a hard worker and so I want a challenge. Something that's hard.

Exactly. So, uh something that is hard is a challenge or you want something challenging. So, why don't we review these words that we've taken a look at now? Let's go back to the dialogue and listen to it again.

Dialogue RepriseOkay. Now, I'd like to find out more about your last job. I see you spent almost 4 years at the London Weekly. Is that right?

Yes, that's right. To be honest, the first year was quite tough for me. I was really just treated more like an intern. I didn't have many responsibilities and I found it quite frustrating.

So, what changed?

Well, slowly but surely, I proved myself and the new editor liked me, so he promoted me to features writer.

Wow, a real step up.

Yes, I was responsible for restaurant and food reviews mostly. I spent 3 years in that position, but to be honest, it wasn't an area of journalism I wanted to stay in longterm.

I see. So, why did you decide to leave finally?

I just felt that the paper couldn't offer me any new opportunities. I really needed a more challenging role to be honest.

Fluency BuilderAll right, we're back. So, now let's take a look at a couple of phrases we picked out for you on Fluency Builder.

Okay, this first phrase is unusual because it actually happens at the end of sentences. This is very very common with people who are making small talk or who are doing interviews. Um, this is the phrase, is that right?

Mhm. So, basically, you saw that in the first line, Mr. Parsons was talking to her and said, "Well, I see you spent almost 4 years at the London Weekly. Is that right?" So, he's ending the sentence with this phrase. So, he's making the sentence a question. I see that you did this. Is that right? So, he's asking her to confirm the fact that he knows about her because maybe they've never really talked before. Uh so, this is a good way for him to ask her to uh give more details.

Mhm. Exactly.

So, for example, uh Marco, I hear that you're from Ecuador. Is that right?

That's right. So you apart from ending the sentence like this if maybe somebody asks you is that right you have to confirm you have to say yes that's right or yes it's also good to elaborate to give more details so yes I'm from Ecuador I was born there but I've lived in the United States this is a way to give more information because that's basically what the person's asking.

Yeah I think it wouldn't be very good if you're at a job interview and the person says is that right and you say yes that's right and and you don't say anything else.

So yeah, basically the point is you have to confirm or deny. You have to say yes that's right or no that's not right and then you have to give some information about the question.

Exactly. All right. Now uh moving on when Rebecca again was talking about her job she was saying it's tough and I didn't have many responsibilities and I found it quite frustrating.

Okay. So this is like lost and found like I lost my hat and I found it later.

No. No. This is what's interesting about this verb uh find. We are not actually looking for something or we didn't actually find something we were looking for.

This is kind of a realization, right?

That's right. It's like a feeling.

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Hello everyone. Welcome to Pod Chill.

We're so happy to have you here with us today.

If this is your first time listening to Pod Chill, think of it like we are sitting together in a small coffee shop.

Yeah. A small corner, warm lights, and no need to be perfect here. It's just you, me, and Gwen. Everything is very relaxed.

And today we want to talk about something everyone has experienced.

Something that can make your heart feel tired faster than running.

Right. And that's when comparing yourself to others.

Sound familiar?

Definitely familiar.

But today we won't give a lecture.

Not at all. We just want to share like friends, and we hope after this episode you'll feel a little lighter.

Okay, let's get into the topic.

Well, Gwen, do you believe that a few minutes on your phone can change your mood?

Hm, what are you talking about?

I'm talking about how people compare themselves to others online. I mean how we sometimes start looking at other people's lives online and feel like our life is not enough.

Oh, about that. I believe people often feel others' lives are better after seeing them on social media.

Yes. Like someone online got a big achievement, maybe a promotion, a popular project, or even just what looks like a perfect life in their highlight reel.

Right? And that highlight reel shows only the shiny parts.

That is the trick.

You are comparing your normal life with the best moments they show. So you ask yourself, "If I had that, would I be really happy?"

That is the hard question.

Sometimes we do not want a big success. We just see the shine from far away.

Oh, it is like watching a movie trailer and thinking you want the whole life it shows, but you do not know the full story yet.

That is why comparison comes quietly. It makes you forget that your life has important moments too. Even if they are quiet or slow.

Your life has its own bright moments, its own problems, its own wins. No video can show the full story of your life.

So when you feel the need to compare, take a deep breath, see the trap, and remember your own journey is important. Yes, the best moments they show look shiny, but your real life is more important with both good and hard times. But I feel that after dealing with many things in life, people forget what is behind a smile.

Yes, I see that too. When we compare, we only see the bright part.

Exactly. We do not see the hard work, the late nights or the small steps someone took. That is why comparison can hurt. It does not see your heart or your effort.

Right? It only shows the best moments. It makes you follow a shadow.

And following a shadow is always tiring. It does not make you stronger. You did not see the hours they spent practicing or the times they wanted to stop.

That is the point. Comparison does not see all small hard times. It only shows the bright moments. Then we think we are not enough.

Yes. Like we must reach that bright thing to be happy.

But happiness does not come from only bright moments. It comes from effort, too.

I'm pretty sure my mom would totally agree with that. Back then, my mom was compared to other kids a lot, but she didn't care.

That already shows your mom has a strong personality.

Yeah, something like that. But she really believed in herself and did her best at that time. She always told herself, "Look at your own steps, your own work."

Wow, your mom is amazing. That is a good idea. Ah, sometimes talking with a friend helps too.

Yes, a friend can comfort you and make you feel really calm inside because real love sees the heart, not only the shine.

Comparison does the opposite. It makes your heart heavy.

So when you see it, stop for a moment and breathe. Think about your own effort, your own wins.

Those are real. Even if quiet, they are yours, not someone else's best moments. Only we can understand the moments inside ourselves.

And here is the thing. Every journey has its hidden chapters.

Hidden chapters. That sounds magical. I like that. Tell me more.

These are just the parts of life people do not show. Those are the days they had problems. The nights they felt tired or unsure. The times they almost gave up.

Oh, so while we see there the best and shiny moments they show, we don't see all the steps, the mistakes, and the effort behind it. You know, the parts that look perfect to everyone almost cover that.

That makes a lot of sense. I remember my friend posting about their trip around the world, and it looked perfect on Instagram.

Exactly. But I didn't know they had worked extra hours for months to save money.

And they probably were very tired at times. Right.

Yes, completely. But on the outside it looks like a perfect life.

That's why comparison tricks us. We forget that every life has parts we cannot see. And honestly, we cannot understand all someone else's hidden chapters.

So thinking too much about other people's lives, it just wastes our energy.

Much better to focus on our own hidden chapters, the effort and challenges we face every day.

Yes, even if nobody sees them, they shape us.

And those hidden chapters are what make our story real and strong. So whenever you feel pulled into comparing, remember hidden chapters exist for everyone.

Exactly. That's a good way to start appreciating your own journey more and it gives us a natural step into the next thought. How we often measure ourselves unfairly.

True.

Wow, Gwen, I feel like our chat is making me think a lot.

Me, too. And maybe our friends need a small pause to breathe.

That's a good idea. Let's take a little break.

Yes. Stretch a bit. Relax your shoulders. Maybe get a drink.

And don't forget, if you like this episode, hit like and subscribe.

It really helps us keep making these chill talks.

Also, check the PDF tag on the right.

You can go there to get the transcript and follow along.

Okay, deep breath. Feel a little lighter?

I hope so. And now uh let's get back to the conversation.

Right. Before the break, we talked about hidden chapters.

Yes, those unseen moments that make everyone's story real.

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Hey there English learners from all around the world. Welcome back to the channel, your favorite space to improve your English in a real and practical way. Today's video is something that many of you have asked me about. Can you really learn English in 30 days? Is it even possible?

In today's episode, we'll listen to a full conversation between a young man who is in a hurry to improve his English and his experienced teacher. They'll explore what's actually possible in 30 days, how to create a focused routine, and how to make the most out of every single day. This lesson will be packed with real-life expressions, vocabulary, and strategies, and of course, an emotional and inspiring talk about goals and self-discipline. So, grab your notebook and let's dive into it.

Conversation: The 30-Day Plan

Hi, teacher. I've been meaning to talk to you about something urgent.

Of course, Leo, you seem a bit tense. What's on your mind?

Well, I just found out that there's an opportunity to apply for an international job position in 3 months. The thing is, my English needs to improve a lot, and I mean fast. I've been studying slowly for the past year, but now I feel like I need to cram everything into one final month. So, my question is, can I learn to speak English fluently in just 30 days?

Hmm, that's a very common question. And I'll be honest with you, if you're starting from zero, becoming fluent in 30 days is wishful thinking. But if you already have some foundation, then yes, you can absolutely level up your English significantly in 30 days with the right system and discipline.

Okay. So, it's not impossible.

Not at all. It's just not fluency in the magical sense. But you can become functionally fluent. Meaning you can express clearly and confidently in most everyday situations, especially in work-related contexts.

That sounds more realistic. What would I need to do exactly?

You'd need an intensive immersion routine structured around all four core skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. And most importantly, you'll need to show up every day. No excuses. So, let's break it down by week.

In week one, the focus is on immersion and rhythm. You want to expose your brain to English for at least four to five hours per day. Sounds like a lot, but it's doable and you split it into sessions. Start your day with 30 minutes of active listening. Choose a podcast or a YouTube channel you enjoy, something natural, conversational. Then you need 30 to 60 minutes of input-based reading—articles, short stories, or graded readers. Make sure to use a notebook for vocabulary mining. That's when you write down unfamiliar words in context.

That already sounds intense. What about speaking?

That's coming in the afternoons. Focus on shadowing and speaking practice. Shadowing is when you repeat what you hear immediately. It's one of the most underrated techniques for improving fluency.

I've heard of that, but never tried it.

Seriously, you'll need it now. Also, use language exchange apps or AI tutors to practice output daily.

In week two, we focus on activating what you've absorbed. That means more speaking, more writing. Every day, write a short essay or journal entry. Then read it out loud. Focus on clarity, coherence, and pronunciation. Add at least one 30-minute conversation session per day with a real person, even if it's just text chat. This week is about building linguistic agility, your ability to respond quickly and naturally.

Okay, I like this. It feels like a plan. What about vocabulary?

Every new word or phrase you learn, use it in context. Don't just memorize definitions. Make it part of your world. That's how you internalize the language.

Week three is all about fine-tuning. You'll now be focusing on your weak spots. If you struggle with listening, do more dictation. If you struggle with grammar, do focused grammar exercises, but always apply them in writing or speech. You'll also start practicing with mock interviews, presentation simulations, and summarizing articles or videos out loud.

That's intense but exciting. I've never pushed myself this much.

That's the key. Language doesn't grow by accident. It grows by deliberate practice.

Finally, in week four, you begin to integrate everything. You start doing real-life simulations every day. Start your day with a podcast, write a short summary, speak about it aloud, and send it to a partner or teacher for feedback. End each day with a recap video or voice memo, talk about what you learned that day. It's your daily check-in.

This sounds like a full-time job.

It is, but it's only 30 days. After that, you'll be operating at a much higher level. And your confidence, that's the biggest reward.

Thank you, teacher. I feel like I finally have a plan. Even if it's hard, I'm going to commit fully.

That's the spirit. Leo, consistency beats intensity. Always show up every day. Focus on the process, not perfection. And remember, you're not just learning English. You're building a version of yourself that can thrive globally.

I appreciate your honesty. No shortcuts, just smart work.

Exactly. Let's make these 30 days count.

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Hello everyone and welcome to English Pod. My name is Marco.

My name is Katherine. And today we have a new lesson in our series about interviewing for a new job. This is of course at the elementary level.

That's right. So this is part four of our interview series. Remember we are taking a look each week at giving you tips and also the proper language for when you have an interview in English. And on this occasion, we're going to talk about our work experience.

Okay. You'll remember we talked a little bit about educational experience and educational background. Well, today is all about your last couple of jobs.

Mhm. All right. So, I think we should just listen to the dialogue for the first time and we'll be back in a bit with language takeaway.

The DialogueInterviewer: Right, Rebecca? Now I see that after graduating from university, your first job was...

Rebecca: ...for a local paper in York called the York Herald. Actually, I started with them as an intern. I was really keen on getting some experience in journalism and this seemed like a good first step.

Interviewer: Certainly. And after your internship?

Rebecca: They seemed impressed and offered me a position as a junior local news reporter. I ended up staying 2 years there. Actually, I was in charge of the sports news section of the newspaper. I really enjoyed it there and it really helped me build my skills.

Interviewer: Yes, I see. But you decided to leave them in 2006, right?

Rebecca: Yes, that's right. My husband and I moved to London and so I managed to find a position with a national newspaper based in London.

Interviewer: The London Weekly, right?

Rebecca: Yes. In some ways, it was a step down from my previous job, but it did offer me much better prospects for the future.

Language TakeawayAll right, we're back. So, now we've picked out a couple of key words and we're going to take a look at those now on language takeaway.

Voiceover: Language takeaway.

So, Marco, a lot of people don't start out as a professional with a job. They have something else first. What is this?

That's right. A very popular way to begin your work experience. You become an intern or you work as an intern.

Okay. So, the name of the job we could say is intern. I'm an intern or he's an intern at my company.

Exactly. So, usually interns work at a company. Usually they're not paid, or if they are, it's very, very little pay. And the purpose of an internship or to work as an intern is to gain experience.

That's right. So, it's basically like a study opportunity for a job that you know you want. I could be an intern at a media company and I could learn all about media, but it's not really a full job.

Exactly. And usually it serves as an opportunity to maybe continue working at that company in a full-time job. So, you become an intern and the noun, or what you are doing, is called an internship.

So, I'm an intern but what I have is an internship.

Right.

It's like saying I have a job. I have an internship but I am an intern.

Exactly. All right. So we've covered those two words. Now, let's move on to when she's describing her work experience in the York Herald. And she described it as a very good first step.

Okay. So, a first step, you think about your foot, your step, you're moving. It means the very first thing you do when you're heading in some direction, right?

Right. And professionally, I guess your first steps are maybe becoming an intern.

Right. Or you could say my first step was working in the mail room at this big movie studio, but later I became a famous movie producer.

Exactly. So that's kind of like the way that you began your professional life. And well then they started talking about the newspapers and actually Rebecca was offered a position as a junior local news reporter.

Okay. So junior means usually lower ranking or not experienced, someone who is just starting out. And of course after junior we have senior. So, a senior news reporter is someone who's worked for many, many years as a reporter.

Mhm. Usually I guess a junior news reporter would make less money than a senior news reporter.

Exactly. You could also say junior executive or senior executive.

Junior manager. These are ways of describing length of experience. And in this case, she's junior, but what kind of a job does she have? Well, she is a news reporter for local issues.

Okay, so she's a local news reporter. Now, what exactly does that mean? If you're a local news reporter or for local issues?

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Hi everyone. Welcome back to Podcast and Chill. I'm Leo.

And I'm Gwen. I hope everyone is having a good day because today we will...

Uh Gwen, do you think I'm good-looking?

Leo, what? Where did that come from?

It's just I've been thinking. Many people think you need a perfect face or expensive things to look good. But I don't have money for expensive things and I can't change my face. So, does that mean I can never look good?

Leo, first of all, you look fine. And surprise. That is our topic today.

Really?

Yeah. Everyone wants to look good every day, but most people don't know where to start. So, today we're talking about eight things that make anyone look better with just small details.

Anyone?

Yep. Men, women, anyone. It's cheap, easy to do, and you don't need to wait to see a change.

That sounds perfect for me.

All right. Are you ready for the first one?

Yes. Gwen, teach us the secret.

Since you want to look better without changing your face or buying anything, let's begin with the simplest change

Which is?

Your posture.

Posture. You mean how I stand and sit?

Yes. So, if anyone listening is sitting with a bent back right now, sit up straight, please.

Okay. Okay. I'm sitting straight. But Gwen, how does standing up straight make me look better?

When someone always looks down, shoulders forward, back bent, what do you think?

Hmm. I guess they look tired or maybe sad.

Exactly. Bad posture makes you look like you're very tired and have no confidence at all.

And does good posture help?

Uh-huh. Good posture makes you look confident, healthy, and even a little taller. About 2 or 3 cm.

No way. So, all I need to do is just stand up straight.

Just keep your shoulders a little back, your chin up, and don't bend your back. It's simple.

That's it.

That's it. People will see you as more confident, and you don't even need to say anything.

Oh, I will sit straight all day today. Maybe I can look taller than you on camera.

Leo, you are already taller than me. Relax.

Well, now I want to be even taller.

Fine, whatever you like.

To be honest, that sounds easy, but I always forget after 2 minutes, especially when I'm sitting. How can I remember?

Put a small note on your computer that says, "Sit straight." Or every time you look at the clock on the wall, fix your posture. Use things you always see as your reminder.

Oh, okay. Just use things around me.

I can help you remember, too. I will just look at you straight in the eyes every time I see you sit wrong.

Please don't. That would be so weird.

Haha. All right. Once your posture looks good, there's something else people notice fast, and that's looking clean.

Looking clean. I take a shower every day. I'm very clean.

I know. I know. But it's the small things. Let's start with your hair and eyebrows.

What's wrong with them?

Oh, nothing. Just keep it clean and not crazy. A person with good hair tells people, "I know how to take care of myself."

Ooh. What about eyebrows? Please don't tell me I have to do something with these two.

You don't need to change them. Just clean the extra hairs. Neat eyebrows actually help shape your face better.

So, attack the lonely hairs.

You can say that. And don't forget to wash your face. A clean face gives you a real glow up.

What does glow up mean?

It means looking much better. Like your face is shining. Fresh skin makes you look awake and healthy.

Hmm. I do wash my face though.

Washing with water is good but using a face wash is better. It takes away the bad oil.

My face makes bad oil.

Uh no. Our skin has natural oil, but during the day that oil mixes with dirt and sweat from outside. So we call that mix bad oil. It can block your pores. You know those tiny holes and cause pimples.

Ah, got it. But then why does my face get so oily in the first place?

Well, your skin needs both oil and water to be happy. When you wash your face, you take away the bad oil, but you also take away some good water. This can make your skin dry.

So, if my skin is dry,

it will try to protect itself by making more oil. That's why it gets oily again so fast.

The face wash cleans, but it also makes my skin dry. Gwen, this is so confusing.

I know. That's when you use the face cream right after.

What does the cream do?

The cream puts the good water back. It will stay calm and won't need to make so much extra oil to protect itself. No more angry, oily skin.

Oh, I never thought about that.

Yeah, you probably should now. And one more thing, your nails.

Not my nails. Nobody sees my nails.

Everybody sees. Leo, you must keep your nails clean and cut short. Dirty nails are one of the first things people notice.

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I checked his social media. I tried to understand every strange silence. I became someone I didn't want to be. And I hate that. But sometimes love makes you blind, and fear makes you desperate.

All right, Sandra, before we begin, take a deep breath. You need to calm down. You look very tired and sad. Okay, now tell me what brings you here today.

I came here because I don't know what else to do anymore. Everything feels heavy, confusing. I don't feel good. It's a terrible feeling. I feel like my life is falling apart in slow motion, and I can't tell what's real and what's only fear. I don't know what to do.

Don't worry, you don't have to explain everything at once. Start slowly. Tell me what changed in your life recently.

Recently... I think it started long before recently. It began very quietly, like a small shadow. And I had this feeling, a feeling that something was wrong. But I didn't say anything back then. I just couldn't. I thought maybe it was just stress or maybe I was imagining things. I kept telling myself things were fine because I wanted them to be fine.

Tell me about that time. What did you feel?

I felt distance. Not big distance, just little signs. Like messages... He didn't want me to see. The smiles that didn't feel like the smiles he used to give me. And long nights when he worked late, but when he came home, he didn't want to talk. He didn't want to tell me anything about that. I tried to ask, but he always said everything is okay.

Honey, it's very late. I was so worried. What happened?

What? What are you talking about? Everything's fine. I just... I had a lot of work. My boss told me to finish some reports. We have to deliver an important project for Saturday. That's all.

Uh, sure. But is everything okay? You look... different. I mean, you've been quiet for days. What's wrong?

You are exaggerating. I'm just tired. Work is stressful. Please don't make it bigger than it is. I told you I'm fine.

I'm not trying to. I'm just worried.

Well, you worry too much. I'm fine. Everything's fine.

Then why does it feel like you're not here with me at all?

Oh, please. I don't want to listen to this. I am very tired. If you want to fight, that's your problem. I will rest a little.

You said that was just the beginning. What happened next?

The next part hurts more because I started noticing patterns. I saw him. He would put his phone face down all the time. He would shower as soon as he got home, even if he didn't usually do that. And he started saying he needed "personal space," which he never used to say. We were always a team, but suddenly it was a mystery.

I see. Did you ask him about these changes?

Yes, many times, but he always answered calmly. Almost too calmly, like he rehearsed it. “You're imagining things. You know I love you. Nothing is happening.” And each time he said that, I felt even more confused because I wanted to trust him. I really wanted to. But something inside me whispered, "You're losing him."

You're going out again tonight? That's the third time this week.

So, you're going to start controlling me?

No, I am not trying to control you. I'm just worried.

If you say so. Yeah, I have to meet a client. He wants to talk about a new project. It's something important.

A client? At this time? At 9:30 p.m.?

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Hello everyone and welcome to English Pod. My name is Marco.

My name is Catherine. And today we’ve got part three of an exciting series we’ve got for you at the elementary level.

That’s right. As you may remember, this is a series that we’re studying all about a job interview. So in the first part, we just talked about the introduction. The second part was talking about your personal background and now we’re going to talk about your educational background.

Okay. So, the key topic here today is education. Let’s take a listen to this dialogue and we’ll be back in a minute.

The DialogueInterviewer: Now, if I look here, I see that you completed a BA in English.

Rebecca: Yes, that's right. After graduating from high school in New York, I attended York University in the UK. My major was English and my minor was business. I completed my BA in 2004.

Interviewer: Yes. I'm pleased to see that you also got a distinction.

Rebecca: Yes, that's right. I've always enjoyed studying. My friends say I'm a bit of a bookworm, but my father always pushed us to succeed at school.

Interviewer: Well, it looks like his encouragement paid off, Rebecca. So, how about extracurricular activities at university?

Rebecca: Well, I've always been keen on writing, so I became the editor for the university student newspaper, which I really loved. Also, I volunteered for a group called Shelter to help the homeless in New York.

Interviewer: What did that involve?

Rebecca: Providing warm meals and shelter, especially in the winter months. I found it really fulfilling to be part of that group.

Interviewer: I'm sure. Okay. Now, let's move on to your work experience. Shall we?

Rebecca: Yeah. Okay.

Language TakeawayAll right. We’re back. So the girl was talking about her education, about her university, and she talked about some very interesting words. So why don’t we take a look at those in Language Takeaway.

So at the very beginning, Mr. Parsons, who’s the interviewer here, asks Rebecca about her background and says, "I see that you completed your BA in English."

Okay, so we have an acronym there, a BA.

This stands for Bachelor's or usually a 4-year degree at the beginning of your university studies.

That’s right. So, it’s a type of degree, right? A BA is, as you say, your bachelor’s degree, and it usually takes four years.

That’s right. You have a Bachelor of the Arts, BA, but you also have a Bachelor of Science, which is a BS.

So, as you can tell, one is for the arts, like art history, music, things like that. The other is for sciences like physics or chemistry.

Very good. All right. So she has a BA in English. So she obviously studied the English language in university. Then she moved on to talk about her major and minor.

That’s right. So as you know a degree is not just a degree in the arts in general, but it usually has a focus or an area of focus. So her area of focus, her major, was English. This is the most important part of her studies. So many of her courses, most of her courses at university, were in English.

That’s right. But she also has a minor in business studies.

Okay. That means she also studied business and business studies. That’s not as important as her English studies, but it was very much a part of her degree. So let’s say that when she was studying in university, 70% of what she studied was related to her major, English, and maybe 30% was her minor, which was business studies.

That’s right. And she goes on to talk about herself and her friends who describe her as a bookworm. This is a really nice adjective and very common in English.

That’s right. So if you are a bookworm or you describe yourself as a bookworm, it means that you like to study a lot. You like to read a lot of books.

So bookworm is just like what you said, is someone who really likes to read, someone who’s always reading. Maybe someone who lives in the library.

That’s why you call them a bookworm. They live in the library or they read a lot of books.

All right. So that’s the noun bookworm. Now moving on to other parts of university. When you’re studying, you’re not only studying English or sciences and things like that. Sometimes you also do other activities or other things.

That’s right. So you have your schoolwork which is during school. It’s English and business studies for this woman Rebecca. But you also have what you do outside of school. This is called extracurricular activities.

So that’s a long word. Extracurricular.

That’s right. So extracurricular means it’s not in the curriculum, right?

That’s right. It’s outside of school.

So, it’s not really like a specific subject or something that’s related to your studies. If you don’t do extracurricular activities, it’s okay, right?

That’s right. A lot of people don’t do any extracurricular activities, but many people do. For example, writing for the school newspaper or playing soccer.

Exactly. So, those are extracurricular activities. Anything that you want to do in university apart from studying, playing soccer, writing, etc.

And it’s not just university. You can do these in high school as well. Okay. Very good. So, those are the words that we have picked out for you today. I think they’re very specific to education. And I think we should go back, listen to the dialogue again, and we’ll be back in a bit with Fluency Builder.

Fluency BuilderAll right, we’re back. So, now let’s start off with our first phrase on Fluency Builder.