American English Podcast Shana Thompson

Boston is situated in present-day Massachusetts, right on the northern Atlantic coastline.  It’s picturesque, it’s lively and it’s steeped in stories of how the United States gained its independence from Britain. Today you’ll hear those tales of organization, patriotism and madness: This is the  Boston Tea Party. 

I've also put together a page to Prepare for the U.S. Citizenship test. 

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This lesson has two parts. In part one, you'll learn the common English expression "my cup of tea" you'll hear a joke and you'll do some pronunciation exercises.
In part two (which will be posted shortly), you'll learn about one of the most iconic events in U.S. history, the Boston Tea Party. It's one of the major events that fueled our fight for independence from Britain, and the story is just nuts. It's not your average tea party! If you're interested in learning about the beginning of the U.S., or you're taking the U.S. Citizenship test soon, listen to this episode!

I've also put together a page to Prepare for the U.S. Citizenship test. 

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Every year, more and more people buy clothes online, but today, you are heading to the mall with your stylish friend, Katrina. Your mission is to buy a new wardrobe (a whole new set of clothes). 

Listen and learn the vocabulary, phrases and collocations we use when talking about clothing in English! You'll learn adjectives to describe the good, the bad and the ugly, expressions to comment on style and so much more. If you ever intend to buy clothes in the United States, you can't miss this episode. 
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Sleepy Hollow is a quaint village nestled in the Hudson Valley, in New York. There, many many years ago a peculiar schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane gets wrapped up in the spooky legend of the Headless Horseman.

Today you’ll hear “the Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and  learn about the heart-pounding events that took place on one fateful Halloween night. It’s a story of love, rivalry, and the supernatural and I’ve simplified it for intermediate and advanced English learners. Get ready for some excitement and some suspense, you're about to hear a story that has been passed down from generation to generation for over 200 years.

Cheat Sheet

eerie = unsettling; haunting
vengeful = eager to take revenge
peculiar = strange
stout = plump; robust
jovial = happy
lanky = skinny
smitten = infatuated
brawny = muscular
spine-chilling = frightening

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Moose are majestic creatures and an iconic symbol of wilderness in North America. They inhabit many northern states in the U.S.; the state with the biggest population is Alaska. 

In this episode, you'll learn many English words related to nature and animals, but it's much more than a National Geographic style lesson. You're about to step into the funny, wild and sometimes tragic tales that emerge as humans and moose try to live harmoniously.

In this lesson, we'll answer questions like: 
What is it like to live near moose?Will I be attacked by a moose in the Northeast?Do Americans hunt moose? Do they eat moose?Take time to appreciate moose! :) (yes, moose is the plural form)

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This lesson has two parts. In part one, you'll learn the common English expression "to steer clear," you'll hear a joke and you'll do some pronunciation exercises.
In part two (which will be posted shortly), we'll be talking about moose in the US. You know what a moose is, right? It's a large mammal in the deer family. It has big antlers — these sort of long, pokey branch-like things that stick out of their heads — and they live in many northern states in the United States. Often these massive creatures and humans interact with each other, which can be funny, scary and very real. So I want to share some of those stories with you, as well as a lot of information about these incredible creatures! Be sure to stay tuned for part two in order to hear that.
This lesson has a FREE PDF with the transcript and a listening comprehension quiz. 

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2. Click on Episode 151: "Preview"
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