TingMate · English Learning

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Slow English stories for intermediate learners. One short story, told gently — then taken apart, piece by piece, until every word makes sense. Quiet listening practice for anyone learning English.

  1. Jul 25

    Day 64 · I Never Learn

    📝 Today's sentences ① I went to Costco again. ② And I bought a huge box of strawberries. ③ It looked like such a good deal. ④ But it's just the two of us. ⑤ There's no way we can finish it. ⑥ Half of it went bad in the fridge. ⑦ I do this every single time. ⑧ I know it's a trap, but I can't help it. ⑨ The big packs are always cheaper per unit. ⑩ It feels like I'm losing money if I don't. ⑪ But I always end up wasting more. ⑫ And I'll do the exact same thing next time. ⑬ I guess I just never learn. 🔑 Vocabulary • a good deal /ə ɡʊd diːl/ • the two of us /ðə tuː əv ʌs/ • no way /noʊ weɪ/ • went bad /went bæd/ • can't help it /kɑːnt help ɪt/ • per unit /pər ˈjuːnɪt/ • end up /end ʌp/ • never learn /ˈnevər lɜːrn/ 🎧 New episode every weekday Subscribe so you don't miss the next sentence.

    Day 64 · I Never Learn

  2. Jul 25

    Day 63 · One More Excuse to Fly Home

    📝 Today's sentences ① My hair is getting long again. ② But I keep avoiding the haircut. ③ Getting one here is expensive. ④ It's like sixty or seventy bucks, before tip. ⑤ And it's kind of a gamble. ⑥ They don't always know how to cut Asian hair. ⑦ Last time, I came home and fixed it myself. ⑧ So I'd rather just wait. ⑨ And get it all done back home. ⑩ It's cheaper there, and they do it right. ⑪ But you know how I am. ⑫ Some things I just save for home. ⑬ So now I've got one more excuse to fly home. 🔑 Vocabulary • getting long /ˈɡetɪŋ lɒŋ/ • before tip /bɪˈfɔːr tɪp/ • a gamble /ə ˈɡæmbl/ • know how to /noʊ haʊ tuː/ • fixed it myself /fɪkst ɪt maɪˈself/ • I'd rather /aɪd ˈræðər/ • do it right /duː ɪt raɪt/ • save for /seɪv fɔːr/ • one more excuse /wʌn mɔːr ɪkˈskjuːs/ 🎧 New episode every weekday Subscribe so you don't miss the next sentence.

    Day 63 · One More Excuse to Fly Home

  3. Jul 25

    Day 62 · Unexpected Item

    📝 Today's sentences ① I was at the store today, using self-checkout. ② I scanned a few things and bagged them. ③ Then the machine started beeping at me. ④ It kept saying, unexpected item in the bagging area. ⑤ But I didn't do anything wrong. ⑥ I took it out and put it back. ⑦ It still wouldn't work. ⑧ The line behind me kept getting longer. ⑨ I felt like everyone was staring at me. ⑩ I was so embarrassed. ⑪ Finally, I had to wave down an employee. ⑫ She tapped one button, and it was fine. ⑬ Next time, I'm just going with a real cashier. 🔑 Vocabulary • self-checkout /self ˈtʃekaʊt/ • put it back /pʊt ɪt bæk/ • wouldn't work /ˈwʊdnt wɜːrk/ • kept getting longer /kept ˈɡetɪŋ ˈlɒŋɡər/ • staring at me /ˈsterɪŋ ət miː/ • embarrassed /ɪmˈbærəst/ • wave down /weɪv daʊn/ • a real cashier /ə riːl ˈkæʃɪr/ 🎧 New episode every weekday Subscribe so you don't miss the next sentence.

    Day 62 · Unexpected Item

  4. Jul 25

    Day 61 · Everything Is a Drive

    📝 Today's sentences ① I've been back in Austin for a few days now. ② And I finally figured out what I miss most. ③ It's not the California sunshine. ④ It's the little café right by my old place. ⑤ Back there, it was within walking distance. ⑥ I could just shuffle over in my slippers. ⑦ Here, everything is a drive. ⑧ If I want a coffee, I have to get on the road. ⑨ That's a half hour round trip. ⑩ So now I just make it at home. ⑪ But it's not the same. ⑫ Maybe it's not really about the coffee. ⑬ It's the whole way of life that came with it. 🔑 Vocabulary • figured out /ˈfɪɡjərd aʊt/ • within walking distance /wɪˈðɪn ˈwɔːkɪŋ ˈdɪstəns/ • everything is a drive /ˈevriθɪŋ ɪz ə draɪv/ • get on the road /ɡet ɒn ðə roʊd/ • round trip /raʊnd trɪp/ • make it at home /meɪk ɪt ət hoʊm/ • not the same /nɒt ðə seɪm/ • way of life /weɪ əv laɪf/ 🎧 New episode every weekday Subscribe so you don't miss the next sentence.

    Day 61 · Everything Is a Drive

  5. Jul 25

    Day 60 · Back in the Texas Heat

    📝 Today's sentences ① I just landed back in Austin. ② The heat hit me the second I stepped outside. ③ It's like walking straight into a wall. ④ Three weeks of Bay Area weather, gone just like that. ⑤ And I already miss it. ⑥ I got in my car and cranked up the AC all the way. ⑦ On the drive home, I kept asking myself why. ⑧ Why do I keep doing this to myself? ⑨ But deep down, I already know the answer. ⑩ There's no state income tax in Texas. ⑪ And my rent here is about half the Bay Area price. ⑫ So I wiped the sweat off and reminded myself. ⑬ This is what I signed up for. ⑭ Maybe I'll get used to it in a few days. ⑮ I'm here now, but my heart hasn't caught up yet. 🔑 Vocabulary • landed /ˈlændɪd/ • hit me /hɪt miː/ • the second I /ðə ˈsekənd aɪ/ • just like that /dʒʌst laɪk ðæt/ • cranked up /kræŋkt ʌp/ • deep down /diːp daʊn/ • signed up for /saɪnd ʌp fɔːr/ • get used to /ɡet juːst tuː/ • caught up /kɔːt ʌp/ 🎧 New episode every weekday Subscribe so you don't miss the next sentence.

    Day 60 · Back in the Texas Heat

  6. Jul 10

    Day 59 · Back to Texas

    ① I just booked my flight back to Austin. ② I've been in the Bay Area for three weeks now. ③ I've had three weeks of nothing but beautiful sunshine. ④ Now it's time to head back to Texas. ⑤ And the weather there is just brutal. ⑥ I haven't even started packing, and I already feel awful. ⑦ When I got this job, I thought it was my dream company. ⑧ Moving to a new city was no big deal to me. ⑨ I told myself I'd move to Mars for it. ⑩ But it's only been five months, and I feel like I can't keep going. ⑪ I guess people are right. ⑫ Life comes first, and work is just part of life. ⑬ Or maybe I'm just being a little greedy. ⑭ I mean, every time I reach a goal, I just want more. ⑮ Once I get something, I stop appreciating it. 🔑 Vocabulary • booked /bʊkt/ • nothing but /ˈnʌθɪŋ bʌt/ • head back /hed bæk/ • brutal /ˈbruːtl/ • dream company /driːm ˈkʌmpəni/ • no big deal /noʊ bɪɡ diːl/ • keep going /kiːp ˈɡoʊɪŋ/ • comes first /kʌmz fɜːrst/ • I mean /aɪ miːn/ • stop appreciating /stɑːp əˈpriːʃieɪtɪŋ/ 🎧 New episode every weekday Subscribe so you don't miss the next sentence.

    Day 59 · Back to Texas

  7. Jul 10

    Day 58 · Probably an Eight

    A slow English story about An annual checkup, a pain level of eight, and a big mix-up over the American pain scale. 16 simple sentences. Word by word. About 17 minutes. 📝 Today's sentences ① This trip back, I also saw my family doctor for my annual checkup. ② My stomach has been bothering me lately. I wake up with a stomachache every morning. ③ The doctor asked, on a scale of one to ten, how bad is it? ④ I thought about it and said, probably an eight. ⑤ She was shocked and said, you should have come in way sooner. ⑥ She ordered a CT scan and blood work, all marked stat. ⑦ That freaked me out a little. ⑧ I said, I've been like this for years. Maybe Texas just made it worse. ⑨ She said, either way, go get the tests done first. ⑩ I had no idea what those medical terms meant. So I took a photo and asked ChatGPT. ⑪ ChatGPT said, an eight means severe pain, like you'd be rolling on the floor. ⑫ That's when it hit me. ⑬ She meant the standard pain scale doctors use. I was rating how miserable I felt. ⑭ What was I even thinking? ⑮ Fine, I'll still get the tests done. ⑯ But I'll tell them, it's not stat. Don't charge me for that. 🔑 Vocabulary • annual checkup /ˈænjuəl ˈtʃekʌp/ • bothering me /ˈbɑːðərɪŋ miː/ • on a scale of one to ten /ɑːn ə skeɪl əv wʌn tə ten/ • blood work /blʌd wɜːrk/ • stat /stæt/ • freaked me out /friːkt miː aʊt/ • either way /ˈiːðər weɪ/ • severe /sɪˈvɪr/ • it hit me /ɪt hɪt miː/ • miserable /ˈmɪzərəbl/ • charge me /tʃɑːrdʒ miː/ 🎧 New episode every weekday Subscribe so you don't miss the next sentence.

    Day 58 · Probably an Eight

  8. Jul 10

    Day 57 · Love-Hate Sunshine

    ① California sunshine is a love-hate thing for me. ② I love it, but it's rough on my skin. ③ This time, I forgot to bring my sunscreen. ④ And I'm pretty stubborn about it. ⑤ I only use one brand. It's this Chinese brand you can only buy back home. ⑥ So these days, I go out with a hat and sunglasses. ⑦ I keep putting off going to Sephora. And it's literally a five-minute drive. ⑧ I know I really should buy a new one. ⑨ I feel like my sunspots are coming back. ⑩ By the end of the year, I'm flying back to China. ⑪ I'll probably stop in Korea on the way. ⑫ I want to get laser treatment for these spots. 🔑 Vocabulary • love-hate /ˌlʌv ˈheɪt/ • sunscreen /ˈsʌnskriːn/ • stubborn /ˈstʌbərn/ • putting off /ˈpʊtɪŋ ɔːf/ • literally /ˈlɪtərəli/ • sunspots /ˈsʌnspɒts/ • on the way /ɒn ðə weɪ/ 🎧 New episode every weekday Subscribe so you don't miss the next sentence.

    Day 57 · Love-Hate Sunshine
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Slow English stories for intermediate learners. One short story, told gently — then taken apart, piece by piece, until every word makes sense. Quiet listening practice for anyone learning English.

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