Intermediate English

This time Benjamin learns about something completely new: a sport that involves 22 people chasing a ball around a field. He knew nothing about it before, but now he knows quite a bit. Rob Tilson from Not So Fantasy Football was substituted in at the last minute to save the day. Listen to Rob's podcast Not So Fantasy Football.

Friend of the podcast Alex is given the right to reply in this week's episode. He chose to talk about Episode 14, 'Posh'. Dig out your bow ties and ball gowns.An article about British architecture in American Universities

A little bonus episode to wish you a Happy New Year and share some exciting news.

Looking at the monarchy in the 20th and 21st centuries, this is the second part of the double episode on the British royal family. 

She is on our postage stamps, our notes and our coins, but how did she get there? I didn't vote for her. Over the following two episodes, Intermediate English explores the twists and turns in Britain's monarchy, and the case for its continuation. Music: Dragon Rider by Dogon LightsFind out more about Scottish history hereFind out more about Republic here

Intermediate English looks over the pond to the United States, which chose its 46th president on 3 November. We answer four questions about the American election, and discuss what may or may not be one of the great turning points in American politics.

Here at Intermediate English, we thought that we would like to continue our series of short stories that we began with Episode 10 (A Prisoner of Time). Today Benjamin reads out Jack London's famous tale of survival in the wilderness, 'To Build a Fire'.Music: Dragon Rider by the Dogon Lights.

Here at Intermediate English we speak to our resident literature correspondent Alex about arguably the greatest British writer, William Shakespeare. How should a student of English approach such old and complicated texts? Who was this mysterious man from Stratford? And is he all he's cracked up to be?

This week Intermediate English delves into the upper echelons of British society, politics and education, in a search to discover what it means to be posh and whether it matters. Music: Dragon Rider by Dogon Lights

British chefs are global household names, and the food scene in the UK is one of the most diverse you can find. So why does British cuisine still carry a negative reputation? Intermediate English investigates.

When was the last time I taught you any grammar...? Come to think of it, never. Is grammar worth learning? Is it useful for English learners? Or am I just too lazy?

The question ever Brit gets asked abroad. How could the UK choose Boris Johnson to be its prime minister? This week, Intermediate English explains how Johnson got to where he is today, and what his success tells us about politics and culture in Britain. 

Intermediate English reads Ray Bradbury's science fiction story 'The Pendulum'. Music: Dragon Rider and The Source by Dogon Lights

Should you learn grammar? How can you chat with English speakers? Should you listen or read? Intermediate English gives away their top 5 tips for learning the world's top global language.Cover Art by MILY Web DesignMusic:Dragon Rider, The Source, Seyewailo and Adama by Dogon Lights, licensed under Creative Commons

Intermediate English turns to the history of race, racism and slavery. Dr Joy Banner of the Whitney Plantation Museum explains how this institution has shaped the inequalities that continue to this day.Music: Dragon Rider, The Source and Adama by Dogon Lights (licensed under Creative Commons)Cover Art: MILY Web Designhttps://www.whitneyplantation.org/https://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/jacobs/jacobs.htmlhttps://guides.loc.gov/slavery-in-america#:~:text=The%20collections%20of%20the%20Library,recorded%20oral%20histories%2C%20and%20books.https://www.amazon.com/12-Years-Slave-Solomon-Northup/dp/1631680021/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=twelve+years+a+slave&qid=1592292025&s=books&sr=1-1https://www.amazon.com/Stamped-Antiracism-National-Award-winning-Beginning/dp/0316453692

The novel coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic has killed hundreds of thousands of people around the globe and changed the way we live our lives. This week, Intermediate English speak to a scientist working with the World Health Organisation to find out more about the biggest event that will define 2020.Cover Artwork by MILY Web DesignMusic: Dragon Rider by Dogon Lights, licensed under Creative CommonsThe full interview with Dr Henry Laurenson-Schafer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvnZZCW2yW8The WHO's covid-19 page: https://covid19.who.int/

Britain's universities are known around the world. But what is it actually like to be a student in the UK? This week Intermediate English look at one of the best-known higher education sectors and the many roles it plays in the lives of people in the country and across the world, giving you the vocabulary you need to navigate this subject.Contact Intermediate English at intermediatepods@gmail.comCover Artwork by MILY Web DesignMusic featured:Dragon RiderAdamaThe SourceSeyewailoFor the PeopleLove is Like the Sunby Dogon LightsandOther Side Bluesby Brandon RossAll licensed under Creative Commons 

English is a global language that has evolved over hundreds of years.But it is not the only global language, and this week we're looking at Esperanto, a language created in 1887.To find out more about Esperanto, Intermediate English spoke to Evildea, one of the top Esperanto Youtubers. He reveals the surprising story of the world's most-spoken constructed language, from its roots in the 19th-century Russian Empire to its growing popularity in the digital age.Watch the full interview with Evildea here.Music used:Dragon RiderThe SourceAdamaSeyewailoby Dogon LightsLicensed under Creative Commons

Are the British the politest people on the planet? This week, Intermediate English investigates this question, and discovers that politeness has deep roots in language and culture.Watch the full film of As Others See Us (1953):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0jM0qhXzWgThe ECSTRA project:https://web.archive.org/web/20070715230333/http://www1.ku-eichstaett.de/SLF/EngluVglSW/mediawiki/index.php/Category:ECSTRACover artwork by MILY Web DesignMusic:The SourceAdamaFor the PeopleDragon RiderSeyewailoLove is Like the Sunby Dogon LightsCreative Commons licenseOther Side Blues by Brandon RossCreative Commons license

Do we care more about other people or about ourselves? Why do we behave in generous ways? Are humans the only species to give to others without any hope of a reward? The third episode of Intermediate English looks at these issues, searching for answers with the help of neuroscience, evolutionary theory and global economics.https://www.cafonline.org/docs/default-source/about-us-publications/caf_wgi_10th_edition_report_2712a_web_101019.pdfhttps://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/08/human-altruism-traces-back-origins-humanity#https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/two-ways-doing-good-affects-moodhttps://www.wired.com/2007/07/the-early-scien/Cover artwork by MILY Web DesignMusic:The SourceAdamaFor the PeopleDragon RiderSeyewailoby Dogon LightsUsed with a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike licenseEnclosedNature ShuffleIt’s Roxyby KetsaUsed with a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works licenseOther Side Blues by Brandon RossUsed with a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works license