Who doesn’t want to be empathetic? Isn't it a good thing to be kind and generous? Don't we all aspire to be more empathetic?

Imagine my surprise when I came across a video that argued against empathy!

One of the teachers in my Pronunciation for Teachers Course had a similar reaction to mine: she too was surprised by the argument that empathy might not always be a good thing.

So let’s explore this argument in today's English Listening episode, an argument that is actually quite persuasive.

Here's the link if you want to watch it yourself:https://bigthink.com/the-well/why-empathy-is-bad/.

I can only touch the surface of this topic in the next 15 minutes, so please sign up for my newsletter where you'll get links to more articles, videos and audios about empathy, and some of the English language I use in this episode. You can also get a link to the transcript.

Practice your English listening and reading skills when you follow me on Instagram.

You know I love winter, but it was a very long and snowy one this year, and I've been waiting and waiting to see spring flowers. Today, I talk to a flower farmer!

Simegn Mengesha, the owner of King's Creek Blossoms, joins me in this intermediate English conversation. We talk about her journey to become a flower farmer, as well as the challenges she confronts in order to offer her beautiful flowers to customers in the Ottawa area. You don't have to live here to admire her work. Please follow her on Instagram at King's Creek Blossoms.

As you listen today, please appreciate that English is not Simegn's first language. She was nervous to speak English with me on the podcast. She was afraid of making mistakes. She was concerned you wouldn't understand her.

Speaking in English is hard.

I think she was amazing!

So, think about your passions, and about how the act of growing plants is similar to growing your English skills. What challenges do you face when listening in English, when speaking English, when writing in English? How do you confront these challenges and keep growing?

As always, thanks for listening!

Books: They might be my favourite things to talk about.

Is there really a day to celebrate books?

Yes, there is, and it's coming up on April 23rd. In order to celebrate this day, I thought we'd talk about reading, why it's important in general, but specifially for learning English and boosting our advanced English through vocabulary and other expressions. I'll also ask if it matters whether we read paper books or digital books.

So if you like books, if you read in English and if they help you improve your English, stay with me for the next 15 minutes, and then I'd love to hear from YOU about why reading matters to you.

• Why do you read?

• What kind of books do you read?

• Do you read fiction or non-fiction?

• Do you read e-books or physical books, or both?

• How does reading help you improve your English?

• What was the last book you read that had an impact on you?

• What will YOU do to celebrate World Book Day?

Sorry. Mum. Pasta.

These are three words I don't pronounce in English the same way my New Jersey friends do. My Canadian friends say them like I do, but my French Canadian friends say them a little differently. Accents are everywhere, and they're not something to be ashamed of. Not at all.

Accents can be a controversial topic, and by that I mean they're related to the issue of native-speakerism. I do not believe that "native" English speakers are better English language teachers, and I don't believe that accents are a problem. In fact, I think accents are fascinating.

Do you feel badly about speaking your English?

Are you nervous people will make fun of you when you speak English?

Some people are jerks, but most just want to connect with you, no matter how you speak English.

What do you think? I would love to hear from you about this important topic.