Podcast

Learn C1 English Through Stories | The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen

In this lesson, we read "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian Andersen, a satirical and timeless 19th-century Danish fairytale about a vain monarch whose obsession with vanity and social status leaves him vulnerable to two clever tricksters. A sharp meditation on pride, human folly, and the collective silence born from the fear of appearing foolish.

Suitable age: 8+ (children, teenagers, and adults)

Learn C2 English Through Stories | The Elixir of Life by Honoré de Balzac

In this lesson, we read "The Elixir of Life" (L'Élixir de longue vie) by Honoré de Balzac, a dark and unsettling 19th century French tale about Don Juan Belvidéro, a charming but ruthless nobleman who abandons his dying father at a banquet, only to discover the old man possesses a magical elixir capable of restoring life. A sardonic meditation on selfishness, death, and a life lived without love.

Suitable age: 15+ (older teenagers and adults)

Learn B2 English Through Stories | The Last Lesson by Alphonse Daudet

In this lesson, we read "The Last Lesson" (La Dernière Classe) by Alphonse Daudet, a deeply moving and famous 19th-century French short story set during the Franco-Prussian War that explores themes of language, identity, and patriotism. A young French boy arrives late to school, only to discover that today is his last lesson ever taught in French.

Suitable age: 12+ (middle school and above)

Learn C1 English Through Stories | The Passage of the Red Sea by Henri Murger

In this lesson, we dive into "The Passage of the Red Sea" by Henri Murger, a humorous chapter from Scènes de la vie de bohème (1851) — the famous 19th-century French masterpiece that inspired Puccini's opera La Bohème.

The story follows a struggling painter, Marcel, in the bohemian world of Paris as he faces an amusing challenge that reveals the creativity, hardship, and humour of artistic life.

Suitable age: 13+ (teenagers and adults)