Another unexpected short story by the world-famous British writer. This story will be read in one episode.  

Stories to Stimulate!

The Butler - by Roald Dahl

This episode is a companion to Chapter 10 of The Little Prince. In this chapter our little prince's epic journey begins and he arrives at the first planet he visits. 🪐

Here are the vocabulary words featured from this chapter:

inhabited (v.) – to live in a place
clad (adj.) – dressed or covered in
majestic (adj.) – beautiful, powerful or causing great admiration
subject (n.) – a person who lives in or what has the right to live in a country with a king 
or queen
etiquette (n.) – a set of rules or customs that control accepted behaviour
vexed (adj.) – difficult to deal with an causing a lot of disagreement
authority (n.) – the moral or legal right or ability to control
disobedience (n.) – refusing to do what somebody in authority tells you to do
promptly (adv.) – immediately 
insubordination (n.) – refusing to obey orders from people in authority

I hope you enjoy this episode! Farewell, until we meet again for Chapter 11! 🌟

Please note: This podcast is based on the English translation by Katherine Woods. 📚 

Book Club: The Little Prince

Let's Explore The Little Prince: Chapter 10

Un elenco di parole che si scrivono nello stesso  modo ma hanno una pronuncia diversa e di conseguenza un diverso significato. Prova a scriverle e ripeterle.

Ascolta in italiano

Parole omografe. L'accento cambia il significato

In today's episode we learn an anecdote about the American tourists who once met the Queen and had no idea who she was. Here's the story. 

Key Vocabulary:
An anecdote   /ˈanɪkdəʊt/   noun  = a short, interesting story about a real incident or person.
To play a prank on someone = To carry out a trick, deception, or practical joke on someone.
To pull someone's leg  =  to deceive someone playfully; tease someone.
Cantankerous	/kanˈtaŋk(ə)rəs/ adjective   = bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.
To be a fly on the wall =  you would like to hear what will be said or see what will happen while not being noticed

Former Royal Protection Officer, Richard Griffin said he and the Queen met the American hikers one day while they were walking near Balmoral Castle, her holiday home in Scotland.
"The Queen would always stop and say hello," Griffin said. "And it was clear from the moment we first stopped that they hadn't recognized the Queen."
Griffin said one of the Americans asked the Queen where she lived.
"She said, 'Well I live in London, but I've got a holiday home near here,"' Griffin recalled. 
The hiker then asked if she had ever met Queen Elizabeth.
"Well I haven't, but Richard here meets her regularly," the Queen replied.
The hiker then turned to Griffin and asked: "Oh, you've met the Queen? What's she like?"
"I decided to pull her leg, so I said, 'she can be very cantankerous at times, but she's got a lovely sense of humour".
The American then got his camera out, and gave it to the Queen, asking if she could take a picture of him with the royal protection officer. "Then we swapped places and I took a picture of them with the Queen and we waved goodbye". "The Queen said to me, 'I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he shows those photographs to their friends —  hopefully someone tells him who I am.'"

Learn English with Cambridge David

The Queen and the American tourists

Standing desks have been promoted as a healthy alternative for office workers who don't want to stay seated in front of a computer all day. But a new study suggests that standing desks may not be so good for us after all.

A research team, led by scientists at the University of Sydney, has found that standing for over two hours a day may increase the risk of developing circulatory diseases that can prevent the proper flow of blood in the body.

The researchers looked at data from over 83,000 adults in the UK who were not suffering from heart disease at the start of the study. For seven days, the participants wore a device on their wrists that recorded the time they spent sitting or standing each day.

After collecting this data, the researchers recorded any heart disease or circulatory health problems the participants experienced over the following seven years.

The research team calculated that after standing for two hours, every extra 30 minutes someone stands increases their risk of having a circulatory disease by 11%.

And although standing was not associated with an increased risk of health problems like heart disease or stroke, standing does not reduce the risk of developing such health problems either.

Speaking to The Guardian, Matthew Ahmadi, one of the authors of the study, said the key point of the study's findings is that standing instead of sitting doesn't provide any health advantage, and could increase health risks for some people.

Emmanuel Stamatakis, one of the other authors of the study, told The Guardian that moving around during the day and getting regular exercise are better ways to reduce the risk of heart disease.

"Take regular breaks, walk around, go for a walking meeting, use the stairs, take regular breaks when driving long distances, or use that lunch hour to get away from the desk and do some movement," he said.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Standing Desks Could Be Bad for Your Health

Descrizione dell’episodio

In questo episodio di Italiano Chiaro, esploriamo alcune abitudini italiane che potrebbero sembrare strane ad altre culture. Dalla colazione al bar alle regole non scritte sul cappuccino, passando per il temuto “colpo d’aria” e la missione per prevenire la “congestione,” vi svelerò alcuni dettagli curiosi della vita quotidiana italiana.

Parleremo anche di famiglia e delle particolarità italiane: il ruolo centrale dei nonni, i giovani che vivono con i genitori fino a tarda età e, ovviamente, l’approccio rilassato alla puntualità.

Se state pianificando di trasferirvi in Italia o siete semplicemente curiosi di capire meglio la nostra cultura, questo episodio è per voi. Buon ascolto e a presto!

Italiano Chiaro - Cultura e Tradizioni 

Abitudini italiane curiose

In this episode of English Learners Boost, we explore the power of consistency in language learning. I’ll share practical tips, real-life examples, and the inspiring journey of my student, Matus, who has stayed motivated for four years using Duolingo’s gamification and streaks. As his tutor for two years, I’ve witnessed his incredible progress in fluency. Plus, don’t miss a special invitation to book an English lesson with me on iTalki! Tune in and discover why small, daily efforts can lead to big results. 🎧✨ #KeepGoing #ConsistencyMatters

English Learner's Boost

How Being Consistent Helps

Como se põe em pratica o método de estudo : A prática da recuperação?
Vamos aprender,  a estudar melhor em conformidade com a  evidência científica.
Neste episódio, vou explicar como deves estudar para teres melhores resultados e memorizares os conteúdos!