Join a Culips speaking class!
Practice real English conversations with our teachers and students from around the world. Build fluency fast through live speaking practice.
See Class Schedule
Simplified Speech #197 – The rat race
In this Simplified Speech episode, hosts Andrew and Kassy talk about the “rat race.” They discuss what it means, whether their jobs feel like a rat race, and how people might escape it. Kassy chose this topic because of a book she recently read called “Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop.” The conversation turns into an interesting discussion about modern life, competition, goals, dreams, and personal happiness.
What You Will Learn:
- What “rat race” means and how it relates to a busy life.
- How pressure from society makes people feel stuck in competition.
- Personal stories about being in or escaping the rat race.
- New words and expressions related to the topic.
How This Episode Will Improve Your English:
- Learn vocabulary, expressions, and idioms about work-life balance and social pressure.
- Improve your listening skills with a natural conversation.
- Understand expressions like “to be in the thick of something” and “to be cut out for.”
- Practice your English speaking and communication skills by sharing your own experiences on our Discord server.
The best way to learn with this lesson:
Culips members get an interactive transcript, helpful study guide, quiz, ad-free audio, and more for this episode. Take your English to the next level by becoming a Culips member.
Sign up and become a Culips member now!
Members can access the ad-free version here: Click here.
Join our Discord community to connect with other learners and get more English practice. Click here to join.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Simplified Speech #197 – The rat race
In this Simplified Speech episode, hosts Andrew and Kassy talk about the "rat race." They discuss what it means, whether their jobs feel like a rat race, and how people might escape it. Kassy chose this topic because of a book she recently read called "Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop." The conversation turns into an interesting discussion about modern life, competition, goals, dreams, and personal happiness. What You Will Learn:
- What "rat race" means and how it relates to a busy life.
- How pressure from society makes people feel stuck in competition.
- Personal stories about being in or escaping the rat race.
- New words and expressions related to the topic.
- Learn vocabulary, expressions, and idioms about work-life balance and social pressure.
- Improve your listening skills with a natural conversation.
- Understand expressions like "to be in the thick of something" and "to be cut out for.”
- Practice your English speaking and communication skills by sharing your own experiences on our Discord server.
Sign in to access Quiz
Sign in- How many books does Kassy usually read a year?
- What does Kassy say happens to the character Minjun in the book “Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop”?
- What did Andrew major in at university and what does he think about that decision in retrospect?
- What are some of the business ideas Kassy and Andrew discuss for escaping the rat race?
- Why was Yeonju Andrew’s favorite character in the book?
Comprehension Quiz Answers:
- 100
- In the book, Minjun is a college student who excels academically and graduates from a top university in Seoul. Despite his excellent grades and connections, he struggles to find a job, spending two years going to numerous interviews without success.
- Andrew said he chose to study English literature and history at university. This was because he was interested in getting educated and learning, not making a lot of money, although he now thinks maybe he should have chosen a more technical subject.
- Kassy discusses opening a small bakery and English library or a mini golf course and ice cream parlor. Andrew talks about having a café where he could DJ and play music or opening a concert venue.
- Yeonju is Andrew’s favorite character because she’s really passionate about book curation, finding the right books for her customers, organizing lectures and study groups, etc. Her way of leaving the rat race was very appealing to Andrew and therefore he connected with her.
Popular Podcasts
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our English learning platform.
- They are Canadian and American
- Have master’s degrees and work in professions related to English education (Andrew is a university English professor, Suzanne is a pronunciation coach and voice actor, and Morag is a writer).
- Actively study second languages as adults. Our team understands the ups and downs of studying foreign languages as adults who live busy lives.
