Easy Stories in English

Epizódy

• I Can't Keep Doing This (Intermediate) 04.05.2026 27min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Enough is enough. Something has to change. I’m sorry everyone, but I can’t do episodes every fortnight anymore. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Cant for the full transcript. New Vocabulary Binge – to do a lot of one thing in one go, e.g. to binge a TV show A leap of faith – a big, scary decision in your life – comment and let me know what leap of faith you’ve been putting off in your life! Watching paint dry – an expression we use to refer to a very boring activity On the back burner – when you keep putting off an important project because it’s not urgent ‘That sucks’ – a colloquial way of saying something is bad Fortnight – two weeks, or fourteen days (UK English) To kick in – to start taking effect, e.g. when a medicine kicks in Anodyne – boring, uninspired, unoriginal Anecdote – a small story from everyday life A preview – when you get to see/hear part of something before it’s released Video about North Korean pop culture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T-pPPUAppk 00:00 Intro 01:24 New Vocabulary 07:37 How tastes have changed 10:45 Me vs. the other English learning podcasts 14:04 Bored of my own style 16:34 I need more time 18:19 Big plans 19:42 Story preview! 24:27 Vocabulary Recap 25:29 Tell me about your leap of faith! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Cambodia is Hard to Talk About (Conversation) 06.04.2026 30min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! I discuss my friend visiting me from the UK, and an emotional holiday in Cambodia. I touch on the heartbreaking topic of the genocide, but also something more fun: eating a giant spider! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Cambodia⁠⁠⁠ for the full transcript. 00:00 Intro 01:07 A visitor 03:16 Two big empires 05:59 Visa-free travel 07:01 Force-fed in a teahouse 08:23 My new spirit animal 11:36 My most important job 13:55 Cambodia 18:00 Yummy spider! 20:13 The challenge of talking about this 25:31 Summer plans 27:01 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Herding Mountains to Make a Forest (Pre-Intermediate) 23.03.2026 26min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! The Stone Forest in Yunnan is a beautiful karst mountain range. But how did it come to be? Learn all about the Sani people and the magical origins of this Chinese nature site in today's episode. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Mountains⁠⁠ for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Herd, Bucket, Spirit, Order, Whip, Unfurl, Dam, Rooster, Freeze. Setting: China. Word Count: 681. Author: Chinese Myths. 00:00 Intro 00:52 The Sani people 01:39 My full circle momoent 04:12 Leaving Chinese 06:19 Coming back to Chinese 08:57 Busy busy! 11:14 Stumbling across the origin story 13:30 Vocabulary 17:34 Herding Mountains to Make a Forest 23:31 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Doing Stand-Up Comedy in Chinese (Conversation) 09.03.2026 25min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Comedy is hard enough, but doing it in Chinese? Oh, Ariel, you do love a challenge! Hear all about my performance adventures and upcoming travel in this laughs-packed episode. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Comedy⁠⁠ for the full transcript. 00:00 Intro 01:18 Batching episodes 03:09 Discovering pine cones 05:14 The nightmare of tones 08:33 Trying comedy in Chinese 11:37 This is your host! 13:45 London vs. China 15:48 I've arrived 17:56 Upcoming holidays 19:33 Wicked 2 22:31 Let's gallop! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Animals' Peace Party (Pre-Intermediate) 23.02.2026 20min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! The cows and horses have argued with the pigs for too long. It's time to have a peace party and finally settle things. But one very talkative pig has a different view... Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Peace⁠ for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Hoarse, Filthy, Greedy, Settle a dispute, Master (leader), Amongst, Farmhand, Favour (verb), Wisdom, Squeal. Setting: China. Word Count: 1044. Author: Mary Hayes David, Chow Leung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• All the Housemates I've Ever Had (Conversation) 09.02.2026 59min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Living with people isn't easy, and I've had it really hard. The Illuminati, the silent treatment, and deadly narcissists - I've seen it all. If you live alone, this episode will fill you with relief, and if you have housemates, it'll make you think 'Maybe they aren't so bad after all!' Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Housemates⁠ for the full transcript. Cover art image of dirty dishes by Johan Hansson CC BY 2.0 00:00 Preview 00:39 Intro 03:48 The ethics of this episode 05:50 Living in Bristol 13:46 Moving in with a 'friend' 20:16 Choosing my next housemate 22:36 A brief interlude 23:21 Moving to London 27:27 Down to Eltham 32:20 Finally, up to Walthamstow 38:40 The confrontation 48:58 The actual building 52:11 Would I do it again? 55:07 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• How the Moon Became Beautiful (Beginner) 26.01.2026 18min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! The moon is beautiful, but it wasn't always that way. True love was needed, as well as breaking a mother's heart... Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Moon for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Astronomy, Poem, Pick (flower), Sharp, Gentle, Ridiculous. Setting: China. Word Count: 843. Author: Ariel Goodbody. 00:00 Intro 01:11 Vocabulary 04:53 How the Moon Became Beautiful 12:58 Transcription problems 16:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Christmas in Japan (Conversation) 12.01.2026 1h 7min

  Hear all about my time in the bars of Osaka and Fukuoka at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Christmas in Japan isn't like Christmas in the UK. For one thing, it includes humiliation. It also includes very strange food. And don't forget the hot springs! Vocabulary: Elephant in the room, Onsen, Thatched house, Bullet train, Purikura, Chazuke Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Japan for the full transcript. 00:00 Preview 00:31 Intro 01:34 The elephant in the room 03:23 New Year's resolutions 07:03 A spicy train journey 12:25 The hotel tricked me! 14:19 A smooth flight 15:57 The little things 18:32 Public behaviour 20:38 The wonderful resort 23:26 My first onsen experience 27:41 Let's go to the murder village! 34:13 The panda has left the building 36:14 Meeting the locals 39:15 Pew pew trains 40:51 Bright lights, big city 42:25 Ariel, you tease! 43:58 Welcome to the New World 46:54 The magical disappearing hangover 49:09 Onwards to Fukuoka! 50:51 Embarrassing ourselves at the Pretty Club 52:54 Crooning like robots 53:59 Exploring Fukuoka 57:23 But what about Christmas? 59:34 Culture shock-ish 01:02:35 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Hansel and Gretel (Pre-Intermediate) 30.12.2025 36min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! What if the witch in Hansel and Gretel was Chinese? Well, then things would be very different. In this twisted version of the classic fairy tale, the two young children run away from the house of sweets and end up somewhere far more exotic... Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Hansel for the full transcript. Level: Pre-intermediate. Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Woodcutter, Sweet tooth, Twig, Abandon, Breadcrumbs, Quitter, Betrayal, Witch, Belly, Prison bars. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2357. Author: Ariel Goodbody. 00:00 Intro 10:55 Hansel and Gretel 29:52 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• It's My Podcast and I'll Ramble If I Want To (Conversation) 15.12.2025 37min

  Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Have you ever eaten bone marrow? You know, the fat inside of animal bones? Have you ever wondered whether ancient humans sucked out the marrow like a tube of yoghurt? Yeah, that's the kind of stuff I've been doing recently. Have a listen. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Ramble for the full transcript. 00:00 Intro 00:48 Friday dreams vs Saturday realities 02:57 Dreaming of any colour Christmas 05:06 Whammageddon 06:42 Yummy bones 09:56 Style change! 12:22 Japan for Christmas 17:06 Osaka is Daban, apparently 23:52 No more faffing about with thumbnails! 30:34 Me, Myself and AI 34:03 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Three Goats (Rerun) 01.12.2025 21min

  Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at ⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠. Your support is appreciated! Three goats live happily in a field eating grass. But one day, there's no more grass. They decide to cross a bridge to another field. But when they try to cross, a monster jumps out, and he wants to eat them! Go to ⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/ThreeGoats⁠ for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Goat, Eldest, Middle child, Greedy, Flow, Silly, Drown, Narrow, One by one, Troll, Annoying. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1232. Author: Fairy Tales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Hangzhou and the Joy of Cycling (Conversation) 17.11.2025 43min

  Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! This episode has come out very late because of my appendicectomy. Apologies! I have recovered now and we should be back to our regular schedule soon enough. 'Above there is heaven, and below there is Hangzhou.' So it must be a pretty great city, right? I sure thought so! In today's episode, I tell you all about my visit to this ancient Chinese city, with its lovely lake, temples and food. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Hangzhou⁠⁠ for the full transcript. 00:00 Intro 00:53 A rite of passage 02:54 A new view 06:03 Hali Bote 09:57 Hang Joe! Do it! 11:36 Bustling with history 13:30 A mouldy hotel 14:24 That West Lake vibe 16:59 Soaking up the temples 19:22 Amazing noodles 21:37 Back on the bike! 25:44 An unfortunate incident 28:07 New frames 29:18 Where's this cafe?? 31:13 The results of my Japanese exam 34:07 Random China things 37:49 The best tissues in the world 40:22 Stay in the light? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Demon Cats (Beginner) 30.10.2025 21min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Would you go fishing on Halloween night? That's when demons walk the Earth, and nobody is truly safe... But Murdo McTaggart doesn't believe in superstitions like that, and he heads out to catch fish while the other villagers go to church. He'll come to regret that mistake as the Devil - Auld Clootie himself - comes to him in the form of 13 tone-deaf cats. Have a spooky time with today's Scottish folk tale! Apologies for the changes to the usual schedule - I'm recovering from an appendicectomy (having my appendix removed) so I've had to move things around a bit. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/DemonCats⁠ for the full transcript. Level: Beginner Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Demon, Fisherman, Superstition, Fur, Disappear, Bone, Stab, Scratch, Bite, Priest, Holy water. Setting: Scotland. Word Count: 1423. Author: Ariel Goodbody. 00:00 Intro 01:09 Pumpkin Day? 02:28 Vocabulary descriptions 02:32 Demon 03:12 Fisherman 03:30 Superstition 04:10 Fur 04:24 Disappear 04:47 Bone 05:09 Stab 05:35 Scratch and bite 06:01 Priest 06:16 Holy water 06:52 The Demon Cats 08:02 Murdo ignores the warnings 09:14 Something dark is coming... 10:13 The cats sing a cumha 11:48 The first gift 12:32 Another 'song' 13:20 Another offering 13:54 More singing?! 14:57 A clever trick 16:11 A fight to the death? 17:07 A cry for help 18:01 Just in time! 19:32 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Doggo and Kitty Bake a Cake (Pre-Intermediate) 13.10.2025 29min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! It's Kitty's birthday! And how better to celebrate than by baking a cake? Just one problem: how do you do it? Well, if you add five delicious things, it will be five times as delicious, and if you add a hundred delicious things... Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/CakeL2 for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Sandpit, Nuts, Eggshell, Divine, Pretend, Wag, Naughty, Stomach rumbles, Mud. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1947. Author: Ariel Goodbody. 0:00 Intro 0:52 You can see me! 2:31 Relevelling 6:26 Vocabulary 11:03 Doggo and Kitty Bake a Cake 26:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• How Slow Can I Go? (Conversation) 06.10.2025 36min

  Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Listen to me articulate and enunciate every word as I discuss unusual beverages, insane apps, doing Pilates in Chinese, and how I'm feeding you all worms. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Slow⁠ for the full transcript. Vocabulary: Latte, Beetroot, Pistachio, Red envelope, Massage, Pilates, Monologue, Worm, Nest 0:00 Intro 01:41 How slow can I go? 05:33 A mysterious drink 08:10 Crazy Chinese apps 13:00 Inappropriate videos 17:20 Pilates à la Chinoise 19:15 Levelling up abroad 20:59 Autumn, anyone? 22:00 Where to find my funky food pics 24:20 My upcoming travels 27:08 Let's speed things up a bit 32:23 Mother has arrived 33:19 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Juniper Tree (Advanced) 29.09.2025 51min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Skin as white as snow and eyes as red as blood. Some would call it beautiful, but to Nicholas's parents, he is a demon child. But when Nicholas discovers that his 'mother' is not his real mother, his whole world starts to change. Today's story has themes of child abuse, cannibalism and violence. It is not appropriate for children. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Juniper⁠⁠ for the full transcript. Level: Advanced. Genre: Horror Vocabulary: Juniper berry, Torment, Console, Demon, Witch, Chest (box), Padlock, Millstone. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 4623. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• My Morning Routine (Conversation) 15.09.2025 42min

  Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! What I do every morning, in excruciating detail. When do I floss, how do I know when to put on deodorant, and what do I eat for breakfast? All these fascinating questions, and more, answered for you. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Routine for the full transcript. Vocabulary: Night owl, Equator, Dental floss, Mouthwash, Yoga block, Yoga strap, Cork, Bar soap, Shower gel, Deodorant, “He could talk for England”, Grind, Muesli 00:00 Intro 00:50 Throwback to French class 02:59 Are you a morning person or a night owl? 06:22 Brushing and flossing 10:41 Adventures in Listerine 11:55 Yoga time! 16:11 Getting clean 18:27 Deodorant tactics 22:40 Talking for England 23:32 A coffee fiend 26:40 What's for breakfast? 31:21 Eating isn't enough! 35:03 Dumping rubbish 37:43 Easy like Sunday morning Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Before the Light Dies (Beginner) 08.09.2025 29min

  Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! The king asks a clockmaker to repair an old magical clock. But when the clockmaker tries to repair the clock, nothing works... until he discovers a secret that will change his life. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Clockmaker⁠ for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Romance. Vocabulary: Clockmaker, Ancestor, Repair, Ban, Apprentice, Gear, Rush, Symbol, Diary, Honesty, Secret. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1753. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Hello from China! (Conversation) 01.09.2025 44min

  Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Spicy bullfrog, fights with policemen and getting locked out... my first two weeks in China have certainly been eventful! Find out all about my move to Ningbo in today's episode. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/China2⁠⁠ for the full transcript. Vocabulary: Bureaucracy, Ultrasound, Bedside manner, SIM card, Apartment complex, Congee, Adzuki bean, Bullfrog, Red bayberry, 'Mad dogs and Englishmen', Sweat, Cicada, Pale, 'A fish out of water', Scavenger hunt 00:00 Intro 01:56 The flight 05:07 The fastest train in the world 06:33 Assaulting a policeman 07:48 Making friends with the locals 10:00 The joys of bureaucracy 15:46 My home away from home 17:46 Finally, I'm rich! 19:32 Get your chopsticks out 25:49 It's too darn hot! 27:50 Comfortable and livable 29:15 Security 32:10 Locked out of the system 34:06 My new job 37:23 The hardest thing you can do 40:35 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Running (Pre-Intermediate) 19.08.2025 24min

  Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Her mind runs, so she runs. She runs to stop her mind running. But one day, she sees an owl in the park, and reality stops running smoothly. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Running for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Philosophical. Vocabulary: Squirrel, Leash, Freedom, Owl, Mad, Hunt, Bin, Otter, Footprint, Pawprint, Hoofprint. Setting: Modern. Word Count: 1448 Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices