Today I’d like to share some resources for interesting short videos for English listening practice. If you get exhausted by listening to 20-minute TED Talks and news reports, check out these 3 YouTube channels that offer interesting, high-quality short videos (typically 3-7 minutes):

1. TED-Ed: I’m sure that you’re familiar with the longer TED Talks, but did you know that they also produce short, informative animated videos about many different topics, such as this one about why cats have vertical pupils: Why do cats have vertical pupils? - Emma Bryce - YouTube

2. Wall Street Journal: If you’re interested in economics, business, or technology, the Wall Street Journal produces a range of short, high-quality videos like this one about the economics of IKEA: The Economics of IKEA: Why Does Labor Lead to Love? | The Economics Of | WSJ - YouTube

3. Vox: Looking for something a bit random and quirky? Check out Vox’s range of short videos that explain the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of things, like this one about how oysters can stop a flood: How oysters can stop a flood - YouTube 

I recommend these channels because I personally listen to and enjoy them every week, and I hope that you find one (or all!) of them to be interesting and useful as well! 

You can watch these videos purely for entertainment or combine them with reading, writing, or speaking practice to deepen your understanding and knowledge of new words and ideas. If you have time (and energy!), consider taking vocabulary notes while watching, writing a brief summary after the video, or speaking to someone (like a Cafetalk tutor) about the topic to maximize your learning. 

Well, that’s all for now. Have a great day and stay curious!