Clocks fell back this week: time to finally end the twice-a-year change?
Should we lock the clocks on daylight saving time year-round, or stick with standard time?
A radio-style debate on a real news story, written for A1 learners of English (beginner): short, slow sentences about everyday things, with the most common words.
Hear the whole debate in the app Free every day: today's episode at your level, with a synced transcript and the key vocabulary.
Get it on Google Play iPhone: join the waitlistThe debate in brief
Should the U.S. stop changing clocks between standard and daylight time? The debate centers on whether permanent standard time or permanent daylight time better serves sleep health, children's safety and school schedules, and business needs.
Key vocabulary
| English | Meaning and example from the episode |
|---|---|
| daylight | natural light from the sun during the day“Late daylight helps a lot.” |
| permanent | lasting or continuing without change forever“Permanent.” |
| clock | device that shows and measures time“The problem is not the clock, it's the switch.” |
| lock | to fasten or fix something in place“Then lock it on daylight.” |
| switch | a change from one thing to another“The problem is not the clock, it's the switch.” |
| committee | group of people appointed for a specific function“The committee does not move.” |
Who's talking
- Host
- Margaret Chen
Sleep clinic director with fifteen years of
Permanent standard time is best; morning light helps sleep and waking. Permanent daylight time harms the body's natural clock, regardless of what the Sunshine Protection Act says. - James Morrison
Small business owner—runs three coffee shops
Lock the clock on daylight time permanently. Evening daylight keeps people out longer, they eat and shop more, and stopping the seasonal switch solves the real problem. - Patricia Valdez
Parent of two school-age children
Permanent daylight time matters most for children. School starts at eight every year and does not move; only permanent daylight gives kids that extra evening hour to play safely.
The panelists are fictional characters, and their voices are generated with AI.
What they debate
- Does one extra hour of evening light actually change how you spend your time?
- What matters more: your sleep or your kids playing outside safely?
- Would you rather wake up in darkness or lose evening playtime?
- Trump says lock it now—why hasn't Congress finished the job?
- If your state already skips the clock change, should everyone else too?
Transcript (beginning)
Welcome to RoundTalk. Clocks went back Sunday. Should we stop changing time? Margaret works with sleep. James runs restaurants. Patricia has two kids.
Margaret, clocks just changed. What does your body need?
I want standard time. Permanent. My body needs light in the morning. Not at night. Morning light wakes me up. People can sleep better.
James, you run shops. Does evening light help your business?
Yes! Late daylight helps a lot. People stay out. They eat. They buy more. Monday at six, nobody comes.
Patricia, you have two kids. Evening light or morning light? What matters more?
Late daylight. My son plays ball at five. On Monday he can't see. Practice stops. Kids need that hour.
Morning light? Margaret, nobody goes out at seven.
No way. Millions go out at seven. Kids walk to school. People drive to work. They need morning light, because they can't see.
No, no, wait. My daughter walks to school at seven. The street is not light. That is real, James.
James.
Patricia, schools can start later; shops can't.
Margaret, James says shops matter more. But the Sunshine Protection Act says permanent daylight or standard time. Which one?
Permanent standard time. Not daylight. Scientists say this. I see it every week at work. Morning light helps sleep. The Sunshine Protection Act picks wrong.
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