About this episode
The episode discusses the impact of urban noise on anxiety and explores ways to make cities feel quieter.
What do you prefer – the sounds of birdsong and wind rustling in the trees, or the hum of traffic and chatter of people passing by? Some people like the quiet of the countryside and others love the noise of the city, but did you know that constant exposure to loud noise has been found to increase anxiety? That's why some people have been trying to find ways to make our cities feel quieter. Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260521 Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com
People in this episode
Hosts: Neil, Georgie
Topics covered
- urban noise
- anxiety
- city life
- countryside
- vocabulary
Keywords
- cities
- noise
- anxiety
- countryside
- vocabulary
- sounds
- traffic
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BBC Radio
More episodes of 6 Minute English
- How advertisers make us spend money · June 11, 2026 · 7 min
- The power of poetry · June 4, 2026 · 7 min
- Living with debt · May 28, 2026 · 7 min
- How reading shapes your brain · May 14, 2026 · 7 min
- Searching for life on another planet · May 7, 2026 · 7 min
- Should we eat ultra-processed food? · April 30, 2026 · 7 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the 6 Minute English podcast page.