Giving up alcohol for ‘Dry January’ | Pumping their own gas in Oregon | English words ‘sober’ and ‘quirky’

A UK charity encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of January. Those who do experience better sleep, weight loss, and better health—but does it make a big difference? Oregon is one of only two states that have full-service gas stations, but that’s about to change. Plus we review English words “sober” and “quirky.” GREAT NEWS if you speak CHINESE, FRENCH, or SPANISH! Follow along with interactive transcripts at plainenglish.com/12 - hover over (or tap) a highlighted word for an instant translation. PLAIN ENGLISH is a weekly podcast for intermediate English students. The pace of the show is a little slower than native English speech and listeners can read the transcript as they listen so they never miss a word. FULL TRANSCRIPTS of the show are available for free online at plainenglish.com. Practice your English by reading transcripts as you listen. This episode is available at http://www.plainenglish.com/12 Stay in touch with us! Sign up to receive email updates and exclusive content at plainenglish.com/mail ¿Hablas español? No hay problema. Lee transcripciones interactivas con traducciones de palabras y frases en español. Visita a plainenglish.com/es y busca este episodio. ENGAGE with the show by writing to Jeff on Twitter (@plainenglishpod) or Facebook (plainenglishpod) USE your new English! Each episode has English vocabulary, phrasal verbs, and English expressions. Use your new English vocabulary in a sentence in the comments at the bottom of the show’s web page or send us a message on Twitter or Facebook and I might read your example on an upcoming show. Questions? Email me! [email protected] Plain English recommends... Do you transfer money overseas? If so, TransferWise is the best and cheapest international money transfer service out there. Stop paying hidden fees to banks and money agents. Visit plainenglish.com/money to read more about TransferWise.Mentioned in this episode:Practice what you learn (and get human feedback)Don't just listen to the expression: put it into practice! Every time you learn an expression at Plain English, write your own example using that expression. And then an expert English speaker will read your example and give you personal feedback on how to improve. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com