Hear You Go

A Short Story about Tulips and a Royal Baby | English Listening Practice

Tulips everywhere, in yellow, red, pink, white, orange, and even purple and black. They line the streets and the canal. They attract hundreds and hundreds of people to admire them and post their beauty on Instagram. Where? Right here, in Ottawa, Canada, every May.
 
It’s the annual Tulip Festival, and it’s a sight to behold. The Tulip Festival in Ottawa has historical significance, and I’d like to share that with you in today's English listening episode, to share some pride in my city and my country.
 
We’ll:
take a brief look at what tulips are and where they originate (it’s not Holland)
we’ll explore the importance of tulips in Ottawa and its special tulip history (it involves a princess), and 
we’ll wrap up by looking at flower festivals and their pros and cons in today’s social media landscape
English listening challenge:
🛑In this English listening episode, I draw your attention to connected speech specifically. Listen carefully for where words are dramatically reduced and/or connected. 
 
Sign up for my newsletter to receive the colour-coded transcript of each episode. It includes links to other resources and highlights language to notice, such as: 
advanced English vocabulary
 collocations and phrasal verbs
 idioms
interesting pronunciation features
Transcripts are available in my newsletter. Sign up here: English With Catherine.
Thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. 
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram.
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!
Catherine 

Julia Child - Breaking Bread and Barriers | English Listening Practice

Who was Julia Child? Why is she important?
 
If you like to eat, cook, and enjoy cooking shows, join me on a journey into the world of Julia Child, the iconic figure who revolutionized American food culture.
 
In this episode, we learn about Julia's exciting life story, from her privileged childhood to her adventurous spirit that led her to fall in love with French cuisine in post-war Europe.
 
We'll explore how Julia's passion for cooking turned into a career that challenged societal norms and inspired millions through her bestselling cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," and groundbreaking television show, "The French Chef."
You know, lots of people underestimated her.
They didn't think she had the right to teach cooking.
Don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't learn English.
Don't let anyone discourage you from speaking English your way.
Be like Julia - break barriers! 
We'll see that her life and legacy changed the world of food and cooking, and helped advance feminist goals (to a degree). She's had a lasting impact on future generations of cooks and food enthusiasts that I hope to champion today. Bon appétit!
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For those of you inspired to watch the TV series, you can learn more about it here.
 
Sign up for my newsletter to receive the colour-coded transcript of each episode. It includes links to other resources and highlights language to notice such as: 
advanced English vocabulary
collocations and phrasal verbs
 idioms
interesting pronunciation features
Thanks for listening, and thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. 

The Elegance of English with Maria Glazunova | Intermediate English Conversations

The elegance of English.
I'd never thought of English that way, but my guest, Maria
Glazunova, explains why English has such an emotional hold her on. It's a beautiful English conversation we have for you today.
Maria and I talk about:
her history with English: learning and teaching it
burnout and how that led her to adopt a dogme approach to teaching English
how her book literally saved her life
how she uses a reactive teaching approach with tech professionals
how my English pronunciation course helped her better diagnose her clients' problems, and empowered her to teach pronunciation
Whether you're learning English or you're an English language teacher, or both, this episode is going to offer you plenty to think about, in addition, as usual, to lots of interesting language and messy, delightful, imperfect spoken conversational English.
 
And if what you hear from Mary about my Pronunciation for Teachers course makes you curious, be sure to contact me ASAP. The course is offered twice a year. Learn more about it here: Pronunciation for Teachers.
Transcripts are available in my newsletter. Sign up here:
English With Catherine.
 
Be sure to follow Maria on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/in/maria-glazunova
You can buy her book here: "How to reduce your time preparing for online classes and prevent emotional burnout."
Thanks for listening!
 
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on LinkedIn.
Website: www.englishwithcatherine.com
Thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. They have a few new songs coming out soon, so follow them on Instagram for details about that. I'm excited! 

On turning 55 | English Listening Practice

In about a week, I'm going to celebrate my 55th birthday. I remember when I once thought that was old. Hahaha!!!In honour of my 55th birthday, I want to share some thoughts on aging, specifically aging as a woman:
what it means to get old and look old (smashing the beauty myth!)
the very real possibility of losing mental agility
research that suggests age is a mindset, not a number
I believe to my core that getting older is not something we should take for granted: it’s a privilege and should be welcomed and celebrated. 
So come celebrate with me as I step through the door on my way to 60. I'm not rushing to get there, but I AM hoping to get there! 
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on all this :)
English listening challenge:
This episode is chock-full of idioms and common collocations - listen for them. How many can you find? Which do you know? Which ones can you use this week in your language practice?
Thanks for listening, 
Catherine xoxo
 
Transcripts are available in my newsletter. Sign up here:
English With Catherine.
 
Thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. They have a few new songs coming out soon, so follow them on Instagram for details about that. I'm excited! 

Navigating Language and Identity with Urmi Hussain | Intermediate English Conversations

Welcome to Episode 41 of Hear You Go!
I'm joined in an intermediate English conversation this week with Urmi Hossain, an inspiring polyglot who shares with us her experiences learning languages, the importance of getting out of your comfort zone and speaking your languages, and how language influences and shapes our identity.
What language feels like home to you?
What languages can you say "belong" to you?
How about speaking in public: is this something you do or do you avoid it at all costs?
There's lots to take away from this conversation - enjoy it and let me know your thoughts.
As always, thanks for listening.
Catherine
*** Colour-coded transcripts are included in my twice monthly newsletter. Be sure to receive it by signing up here: Newsletter
--> And follow me on Instagram.
Follow Urmi here:
Instagram
Blog: My Ways
Her book: Discovering Your Identity : A Rebirth From Interracial Struggle Kindle Edition
YouTube
 

C is for Creativity, Crafts, and Connection | English Listening Practice

Will you be surprised to learn that creative activities that occupy our hands are crucial for positive mental health, and that these activities contribute to happiness and fulfillment?
  
The focus of today’s English Listening episode is on creativity, crafts, and connection.
We’ll look at:
the Arts and Crafts movement and define arts and crafts – what are they?
we’ll explore this new Maker Movement and the physical and mental benefits of making things with our hands
we'll conclude by sharing my personal history of being “creative”, and I’ll share some ideas about how you too can add creative activities to your weekly schedule. 
It's important to do things with our hands, don't you agree?
Would you believe me if I told you that doing things with your hands, while you think in English might help you learn English in a relaxed but effective way? 
Listen and find out more.
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Important information:
1. To access the colour-coded transcript, links to articles and videos about this topic, and tons of extra materials (a mini-lesson really), get my weekly newsletter.
 
2. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram.
 
3. Finally, give a listen to Amos the Transparent, the band that provides my theme music. They're a talented group. 
 
Thanks for listening!
Catherine
P.S. Have you reviewed Hear You Go podcast on Apple or Spotify? I'd appreciate it if you did and shared with the world how much you love it :) 

Walking to Connect with Your English with Joanna Radomski | Intermediate English Conversations

It was -16 degrees Celsius yesterday, but the sun was shining. It's on days like these when it's easy to stay inside, under a blanket, sipping cups and cups of hot tea or hot chocolate.
 
It's for this very reason that I not only asked Joanna Radomska of Walking Languages to join me in an English conversation, but I also joined her 3-week Doable Walks course to get me outside, walking each day, AND practicing my target languages---French and Italian---no matter the weather.
 
We know that moving our bodies is good for us. We humans are made for walking. What we also know is that we learn better when we move. 
Walking and practicing English are a winning combination.
 
So, if you too need a kick in the behind, a little motivation to move your legs and incorporate some English language practice at the same time, take a half hour walk and listen to our conversation.
You'll hear about Joanna's language journey, as well as all the benefits of walking, talking, listening and learning: a perfect combination, if you ask me!
You can follow Joanna here:
1. Join her mailing list and see her courses here.
2. Instagram: walkinglanguages
 
You can contact me these ways:
1. English with Catherine
2. Instagram: catherineangus_hearyougo
3. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-angus12/
 
Thanks as always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. 
 
And thank YOU for listening! 

Chocolate is a 2-syllable word | English Listening Practice

With Saint Valentine's Day around the corner, I thought we'd explore chocolate because every supermarket and pharmacy I go to these days has boxes of chocolates on display, front and center. Do you like chocolate? Silly question: who doesn't?
 
In today's short English listening episode, I'll share:
a brief history of chocolate (what it is and its origins),
then we'll explore whether it's good for us and if it's an aphrodisiac, and
we'll wrap up by looking at the ugly side of the chocolate business 
You'll also learn how to pronounce chocolate in English.
Additionally, you'll hear a fair number of idiomatic expressions, some advanced English vocabulary, and a conscious effort on my part to stress certain words for effect.
Take note of all this as part of your English listening practice, and think about why I chose to emphasize these words. 
 
Here are some of the links I mention in the episode:
History of chocolate - Wikipedia.
The history of chocolate video: https://youtu.be/ibjUpk9Iagk?si=iOvj7zk5XvswGbXE
How chocolate is made: https://youtu.be/7XaTay21-Ag?si=txl-keUgWV0_U0Wl
 
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram and to sign up for my monthly newsletter, where you'll get a link to the colour-coded transcript that draws your attention to all kinds of useful advanced English.
Finally, give a listen to Amos the Transparent, the band that provides my theme music. They're a talented group. 
Thanks for listening!
P.S. Have you reviewed Hear You Go podcast on Apple or Spotify? I'd appreciate it if you did and shared with the world how much you love it :) 
 

Journaling to Connect to Your English with Sarah Morgan | Intermediate English Conversations

Do you journal? 
Do you know that journaling can be a written and/or spoken practice?
Did you know that journaling in English (or another language you're learning) can be one of the most useful tools in exploring language and transforming your mindset vis-à-vis learning?
Journaling is a good way to learn English and to practice your English writing. 
Join me in conversation with a very special guest, English language teacher Sarah Morgan of Meaningful English.
You'll hear us talk about Sarah's experiences learning languages in the past and in the present.
You'll also learn about journaling: what it is, how it can help  you learn English (and more!), and some incredibly easy and useful tips to help you begin this practice (or stay motivated if you already journal). 
 
It's an intermediate English level conversation full of heartfelt and inspiring content, and terrific language for you to explore as well.
 
Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge! 
 
Thank you for listening! 
Find Sarah here:
Instagram
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmorgan-meaningfulenglish/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeaningfulEnglishOnline
Website: https://meaningful-english.com/
Find me here:
Instagram
English with Catherine
 
Thank you as always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. 
 

Go ahead, laugh! | English Listening Practice

Charles Dickens wrote in A Christmas Carol that “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
 
Lord Byron said of laughter: “Always laugh when you can, it is cheap medicine.”
Pablo Neruda shared that: "Laughter is the language of the soul."
 
And Maya Angelou declared: “I don't trust anyone who doesn't laugh.”
Let's start 2024 with a dose of laughter, or at least an English listening episode that invites us all to find more laughter in our lives.
 
Laughter can help you speak English better - really!
 
We’re going to explore the science of laughter (that is, what happens in our bodies when we laugh), as well as the physical and psychological benefits of laughing, and conclude with why laughter is important when learning English, or really any language. I laugh a lot as I make mistake after mistake in French and Italian. 
 
Here are the links I mentioned in the episode:
The science of laughter.
Test Yourself: Psychologists Created a Quiz to Define Your Sense of Humor
 
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Thanks for listening!
You can find me here:
Website: English with Catherine
Instagram: catherineangus_hearyougo
 
Thanks, as always, to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.