There are about 375 million people who speak English as their first language (language learned from parents; first language we learn as a child). By some estimates (guesses based on available information), there are between half a billion and a billion people around the world who speak English as a second language (language learned after your first).

We all know that English is useful or important to you in some way, or else you wouldn’t be listening to ESL Podcast or reading this blog.  But we thought it would be interesting to know your particular reason(s) for improving your English.

The poll below lists some of the most popular reasons.  Check as many as applies to (is true for) you.  If your reason isn’t listed, tell us in the comments.

~ Lucy

P.S.  A few of you have noted Jeff’s absence (being missing) from the blog recently. He has been very busy working on ESL Podcast projects for you, our listeners, and I am filling in (doing some of his work) in the meantime . However, like the Terminator, he’ll be back — soon.

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From time to time, I have selected songs and provided the lyrics (words in songs), with explanations.  They are usually songs I like, so you’ve had to suffer (go through the pain of) my choices.

Finally, it’s your turn to be DJ (disc jockey; the person on the radio who selects the music to be played and who announces the songs).  We’d like to hear what songs you’d like to hear and which lyrics you’d like explained.

We sometimes get questions from podcast listeners who ask about lyrics from Elvis songs, Beatles songs, or songs by other well-known and legendary (remarkable; very famous because of their talent) artists, so I thought we’d start with some of these, taking the top five in record sales (the number of records or CDs sold), and then adding a few other popular recording artists (anyone who records music for sale).

Tell us who your favorite recording artist is of all time.  If the artist does not appear in the poll below, tell us who it is by posting a comment. Also, suggest a particular song in the comments that you’d like to hear.  Let’s see which artist/song gets the most votes or the most mentions and you’ll see that here on the blog.

~ Lucy

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It wasn’t long ago that the main sources of news were the daily newspaper and the daily television news broadcast (show).  Things have changed, and both newspapers and television news continue to lose readers and viewers as more and more people get their news on the Internet.

I know this is true for me.  I’ve never liked reading the large format (shape and size) newspaper of most U.S. newspapers, which for me, is too big and unwieldy (difficult to manage), and I don’t like getting newsprint (ink from newspapers) on my hands.

I’ve always preferred news magazines.  I still read news magazines today, but more and more, I get my news from the Internet.  I get daily emails from major newspapers and news magazines with the headline (most important) stories of the day, and I usually visit the websites of several major news agencies each day.  I also visit several news-related blogs regularly.  I still read the newspaper in print (on paper) on Sundays, and I’ll occasionally watch the evening news on TV, but I get most of my news from online sources these days.

How about you?  How do you primarily (mainly; mostly) get your news?

~ Lucy

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Cell phones are everywhere, but should cell phones be used everywhere?

This year in California, a new law went into effect banning (making illegal) the use of cell phones while driving without a hands-free (not holding it with one’s hand) device.  Some critics say that this new law doesn’t do enough, that even using a hands-free phone doesn’t remove the  distraction of (taking attention away from) talking on the phone.

Other than laws related to cell phones and driving, there are no others that I know of that restrict (not allow) cell phone use.  However, many people believe that using a cell phone in some public places is rude (not polite) and annoying (irritating).

What do you think?  Where is it acceptable and not acceptable to use a cell phone?

~ Lucy

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It’s summertime and the movie theaters are full of blockbusters (very successful; earning a lot of money) movies. The number 1 movie in the U.S. this week is The Dark Knight, a movie about Batman. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve read good reviews.

This got me thinking about when I was younger and how I wished I had superpowers, or powers and abilities that would allow me to do great things.

Here’s a poll question: If you could any superpower, which superpower would you want? If it’s not listed in the options, submit a comment and tell us what that power would be.

~ Lucy

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