M: Do like stories?

R: I mean, doesn't everyone? A little escapism is always a fun break from everyday life.

M: Do you prefer reading or listening to stories?

R: Well, usually I like reading them, but I've listened to a few audio books and podcasts, and those were good to have on when I was doing other things at the gym, or just as background noise while I'm working.

M: What stories did you like in your childhood?

R: I used to love adventure stories, like the Famous Five and Secret Seven. Anything by Enid Blyton, really. Which makes sense since I was the target audience, even though they were written decades ago, they have this sort of timeless quality, which is very engaging.

M: Have you ever written a story or stories?

R: I have indeed. I've published a few science fiction novels over the years, and sometimes I write in my free time when I have the urge to. I don't think I'd publish most of the stuff I'd written, though, it's mostly just drivel.

M: Yay, dear listener, stories! So the topic is stories. So it's pretty much about any stories from books, from stories that people tell you, and we tell stories. Okay? So tell me a story. Rory story. Rory, tell me a story.

R: I'll save that for speaking part two.

M: Exactly. So do you like stories? You know, like, yes? Like, I mean, who doesn't, right? And you can ask this question, which is not actually a question. It's kind of like, who doesn't like stories? Like, everybody loves a good story, right? And Rory tells us, like, I mean, doesn't everyone? Kind of doesn't everybody like a story, a good story? So it's okay. Like, doesn't everyone? And everyone has, everyone loves, so everyone is like he or she, okay? That's why we say, doesn't everyone like stories? Not don't everyone, doesn't everyone. What's escapism? Escapism?

R: That's very true. What is escapism? I know what it means, but if I had to define it in a sentence, what would I say?

M: An educated native speaker, go, go, go.

R: It's like an escape from the boring parts of life. So you sort of escape into these fantasy worlds.

M: Exactly. Escapism, okay? From escape. A way of avoiding an unpleasant or boring life, especially by thinking, reading, watching some movies, listening to IELTS Speaking for Success podcast, premium. The link is in the description. About more exciting but impossible activities. So you watch, think or read about something exciting, usually impossible. For example, adventure movies are pure escapism, all right? Or, for many people, going on holiday is a form of escapism, all right? Rory, give us another sentence with escapism. Escapism.

R: It's only really used for talking about stories.

M: But books, books, movies?

R: I indulge in a little bit of escapism every day because I read every day.

M: But what about scrolling? If we go on Instagram, on Facebook, so is it a form of escapism?

R: Um...

M: No?

R: I suppose it could be, although escapism is about delving into a fantasy world really. Supposedly, social media is about real people. But that's a matter for debate, I suppose.

M: Yeah, so a very good point. So if you use this word, escapism, you kind of escape real life, and you go to a fantasy world. For example, the Lord of the Rings, The Game of Thrones, and you are just there. You are in this fantasy world, impossible things, but not in real life. Okay. We can read, listen to stories, and here we can talk about audio books, which are becoming more and more popular these days. For me, for example, I listen to books. I rarely read anything. I prefer to listen to books. So you can say that I like reading. I like reading stories. I enjoy listening to stories, to audio books and podcasts. So there are stories in different podcasts. And when does Rory listen to audiobooks and stories? When he was doing things at the gym.

R: Or as background noise while I'm working here.

M: Yeah, you can say that I enjoy listening to stories as background noise while I'm working. Okay? So you're working, and somewhere in the background there are people speaking English or Japanese. For some people, it's really disturbing, so they can't do it. But if you are at the gym or if you are doing some housework, so why not have some background noise?

R: I don't think most people can. I think you probably tune it out when you're or as you're working.

M: Yeah. But some people prefer to listen to music, right?

R: Yeah. But again, if you're focused on a task, do you really enjoy the music in the same way?

M: Well, it depends on the music. If it's some meditation music without words, yeah.

R: Well, that's true, actually, yeah.

M: Yeah. And also, like classical music, they say that when you're learning a language, some certain classical music is good, but again, you need to know the songs. Not the songs, not the songs, but what, what do they call them? Classical music pieces.

R: Baroque music.

M: We have different kinds of stories. And in your childhood, when I was a child, I preferred adventure stories, for example.

R: And that is stories about adventures. I cannot think of another way to describe that.

M: Or perhaps fantasy stories. It's like Harry Potter. Or maybe romantic stories.

R: What stories did you like in your childhood, Maria?

M: Ooh, fairy tales.

R: Ooh, that's a good one to have, actually. Yes...

M: Yeah, like different fairy tales, like folk fairy tales, traditional fairy tales.

R: Like the Grim fairy tales, which are like really grim, apparently. They're super dark compared to the sanitized versions we have nowadays.

M: You know, the Grimm brothers wrote some stories? I think they're still popular all over the world.

R: They are, but the how filtered they are depends on the culture. I think Russian and German children have a much... How should I say this, a much more violent version compared to children in my country.

M: Oh, really?

R: Oh, yeah, like, like, Hansel and Gretel is quite a brutal story

M: Well, I know some British stories for children, you know, like, oh, this caterpillar ate this, ate this. Yum, yum, yum. Oh, she's dead, of course, she's eaten so much.

R: Oh, the old lady, yes.

M: Oh yeah, the story about the old lady. Can you imagine? It's for children, children's book. So the old lady was hungry. She ate this and that and that, and she ate like, I don't know, animals, people, objects and like, well, she's dead, of course. Jesus... It's like, wow...

R: Maria is not a fan.

M: No, it's strange.

R: Yes.

M: For children, I think.

R: It's probably a bit inappropriate, yeah.

M: So we have fiction stories and non fiction stories. Fiction stories involve imagined worlds and characters. So you can say fairy tales, folklore. Non fiction stories are real life stories. So there are stories about nature, history, family, personal experience. So Rory, which stories do you prefer, fiction or non fiction?

R: Oh, that's not fair. I like to read a fiction book and a non fiction book at the same time. Hmm, if I had to choose one, what would I choose? I want to say non fiction, because it's important to be well informed, but really, I'd like a good made up story.

M: Nice.

R: So I probably would choose fiction, I suppose.

M: You can also say that I enjoy narratives about history, nature. Narratives? Like stories. But it's a good narrative. It's a good story. Rory gave us an example of an adventure story like the Famous Five. Yeah. They were written ages ago or decades ago. Decade is 10 years.

R: I can't remember when the Famous Five were written, but it is a really long time ago.

M: The Famous Five.

R: Can I remember all of their names? Julian, Anne, Dick, George and Timmy the dog, I think. Am I right? Oh, yay.

M: Oh, yes, yes. Yes, Anne. Aha, George. Yeah, the Famous Five is a series of children's adventure novels and short stories written by English author Enid Blyton. Yes, books, novels about a group of young children, there are four of them, and their dog. Very nice, very cute. So if you want to read something that English children read, so the Famous Five.

R: And Scottish children.

M: Is it still popular?

R: I I couldn't say, actually, I don't know. I mean, I want to believe they are still popular. Because, like I say, those stories are timeless. They're amazing. So every child should have a chance to enjoy this sort of magic.

M: You can say that I liked fairy tales when I was a child about, you know, like myths, legends that are passed down through generations. Ooh... Something, you know, like... Little Red Riding Hood, actually, is a kind of like a fairy tale.

R: It's another horror story.

M: Yeah, the wolf ate people... So pretty much, well, yeah... But the happy ending, they kind of, they kill the wolf. Oh, you know the drill. You can say that I liked novels, plays. I don't know. Maybe you read Shakespeare. But also you can say that I read stories about history, stories about family stories and some stories have timeless quality. For example, this the Grimm brothers, Little Red Riding Hood. It's, you know, it's timeless. It was written, I don't know, a long time ago, but still, like people read these stories. And the final question like, have you ever written a story? And Rory, yes, I've written a couple of books. A couple of novels. Nice.

R: A little bit of self promotion. But I don't think most people have so we should consider alternatives. You could say I wrote some in elementary school or primary school, but I haven't since then. Then you have the complex grammar.

M: Or you can lie, dear listener, you can, yes, actually, I'm an author, and I've just published two novels. Yeah, in Japanese. There you go. Feel free to lie. Like, why not?

R: Yeah, you heard it here first, folks, Maria says it's okay to lie.

M: Yes, absolutely. Rory was specific. He said that I've published a few science fiction novels. You see? So like they are also stories. And sometimes I write in my free time when I have the urge to write. So when you have urge, what happens?

R: I want to do something. It's a strong desire to do something.

M: For example.

R: Well, you might have the urge to write a story or to change your job.

M: Can I have the urge to work?

R: Or you might lack the urge to work. It's more likely.

M: Urge. Actually, it's C-2 word, proficiency band nine. A strong wish, especially one that is difficult or impossible to control. So you know, like when you get up at the middle of the night and you just want to party, or I don't know, you want a massage, or I don't know. What do people want at the middle of the night?

R: To sleep.

M: But what about if, if I want McDonald's. You know? I just like feel that I want McDonald's so much. Is it an urge, or is it a craving?

R: An urge to eat McDonald's or a craving for McDonald's. McDonald's, thank you very much for sponsoring us and giving us advertising money.

M: Yes, free McDonald's for us. So yeah, people, the urge to do things. You can say that, ooh, I felt an urge to tell my friends about this. Or I can't resist the urge to laugh. Resist? Like you shouldn't laugh, but you just can't control your laughter. Yeah. Or I had a sudden urge to hit him, or a sudden urge to kiss him.

R: Oh, my...

M: Yeah, I know... So, yeah, when I have the urge to write, you can also talk about blog posts. Maybe you write something on social media. This is also a story, right? A personal story. When I was at school, I used to write horror stories, Rory.

R: Ooh. Did you publish the collection? Horror stories, yes.

M: No, no, it's only just...

R: Come on, Maria, do it. I believe in you.

M: Yeah, it was, it was comics.

R: That's cool. I didn't know this.

M: Horror comics about teachers who killed each other.

R: Okay, now I can believe this.

M: There was all the blood, and they were killing each other, and I used teachers' names. So if a teacher just, you know, took these little books and I drew them myself, so there was some text and horrible pictures of teachers and blood, and I designed the little books, you know, like from paper, and drew some stuff. Yeah, they were quite popular among the classmates, and they respected me, even the bullies and once bullies took all the books from me, read them all, laughed out loud and gave them back. You see, they didn't destroy them. So which, which was very nice.

R: Oh, I love a childhood story.

M: Yeah. They were pretty horrible, though. Murder, blood. Oh, dear listener, yeah, okay. Such a lovely Maria.

R: Some parental advisories on Maria stories.

M: Yeah, luckily, those books were never found by teachers. Right, dear listener, stories. Okay? Choose your favorite stories. Lie. All right? Now you know things about different types of stories. Okay? We'll see you in our next episode.

R: Oh... No quiz?

M: Oh, my God, I forgot.

R: Maria almost forgot the quiz. How dare you?

M: Rory's vocabulary quiz.

R: So the first question was, do you like stories? And I used a word to describe this idea of getting away from reality, because it's boring. But what was that word I used, Maria?

M: Escapism.

R: Yes. The second question was about reading or listening to stories, and I talked about having stories on but not listening to them specifically, they're just to have as noise to fill the air, but it's a specific kind of noise. What is that?

M: To have stories as background noise.

R: Excellent. Then, I spoke about the kind of audience that was the focus of a particular book. That's who it's for. But what do we call that?

M: The target audience.

R: Nice, almost there, Maria. Last one, I described a particular genre of story when I was asked if I had ever written a story or stories. But what is that called

M: Science fiction.

R: Oh, four out of four. That means there's a fifth bonus question for you. And a final question, a final bonus question, because Maria got all of them right. I have published stories, but there are some I did not publish because they are unpublishable. They are just nonsense, and no one would want to read them or listen to them. But I used a special word to describe this idea of poor quality stories.

M: Drivel.

R: Hey! Drivel, nice.

M: Drivel is like negative. Drivel is nonsense, boring, unnecessary information. So it's just like, ah, all the drivel you read on the internet. So like, these stories are just drivel, nonsense.

R: But our podcast is not drivel. So thank you very much for listening!

M: Thank you! Bye!

R: Bye!

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