Podcasts by Plain English | Improve your English with current events

Battle for sunken treasure off Colombia's coast (Destined for) from 2023-12-11T12:00

The San José, a Spanish treasure ship carrying gold, silver, and valuable jewelry, sank off the coast of Colombia in 1708. The shipwreck, and its treasure, have been untouched for over 300 years...

The new attraction in Las Vegas is a giant ball (Get going) from 2023-12-07T12:00

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The 'Sphere' is the newest entertainment complex in Las Vegas. It boasts an immersive, wraparound 16K LED screen, haptic seating, and thousands of speakers. But the most striking part i...

Can’t sleep 8 hours? There’s still hope (Catch up) from 2023-12-04T12:00

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Most sleep advice focuses on how much sleep you get. And while that's important, a new study also shows that consistency is also important. People who get irregular sleep perform worse ...

SBF: Villain or a careless founder in over his head? | Learn English expression 'in tatters' from 2023-11-30T12:00

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The trial of Sam Bankman-Fried lasted over a month. During that time, the prosecution called several witnesses that detailed fraud against customers and lenders of Bankman-Fried's busin...

The sad story of Sam Bankman-Fried | Learn English phrasal verb 'pay off' from 2023-11-27T12:00

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After making a fortune trading cryptocurrencies, Sam Bankman-Fried started an exchange called FTX. That, he promised, would be the safest place to trade crypto assets. But just a few ye...

Celine Dion is keeping New Zealanders up all night | Learn English expression 'rig together' from 2023-11-23T12:00

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A subculture of Pasifika people in New Zealand has a strange tradition: playing music through megaphones and loudspeakers. They try to play music as loud and as clearly as possible. And...

Why are movies getting longer? | Learn English expression 'upper hand' from 2023-11-20T12:00

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Oppenheimer. Killers of the Flower Moon. Babylon. What do they have in common? They're all box office hits. And they're all over three hours long. Consumers, producers, and theaters all...

The Twinkie refuses to die | Learn English expression 'try your hand at' from 2023-11-16T12:00

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The Twinkie is a submarine-shaped yellow cake with a vanilla filling. Invented in 1930, it became one of America's favorite indulgences. After losing money for years, its parent company...

Super-shoes help propel runners to marathon records | Learn English phrasal verb 'lace up' from 2023-11-13T12:00

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Kelvin Kiptum and Tigst Assefa, respectively, set records for the men’s and women’s marathon this year. But Nike and adidas are also winners. The runners were wearing a new generation o...

American football is smitten with Taylor Swift | Learn English expression 'lean into' from 2023-11-09T12:00

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Just when you thought nothing could make American football more popular, Taylor Swift comes onto the scene. She is reportedly dating a football star, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chi...

Biden's uphill battle for re-election | Learn English expression 'play into someone's hands' from 2023-11-06T12:00

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About a year from now, Americans will go to the polls--and they're likely to get a rematch between sitting President Joe Biden and his immediate predecessor, Donald Trump. Though Biden ...

Fernando Botero, Colombia’s artist of over-sized subjects | Learn English expression 'call attention to' from 2023-11-02T11:00

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Fernando Botero was Colombia's most famous artist--and his whimsical, rotund figures are famous around the world. By painting everything in exaggerated dimensions, he called attention t...

The Great Paris Bedbug Battle of 2023 | Learn English phrasal verb 'creep out' from 2023-10-30T11:00

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A bedbug infestation is spreading across Paris, even affecting the Métro, trains, hospitals and schools--according to social media. But many reported cases turn out not to be bedbugs at...

Surge pricing comes to the pub | Learn English phrasal verb 'cut short' from 2023-10-26T11:00

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""Dynamic pricing"": it's when businesses constantly change the price of a product, based on the current demand. We're used to it when booking airline tickets, hotel rooms, or even Uber...

The latest on Threads, X, Wagner, Trump and more | Learn English phrasal verb 'settle down' from 2023-10-23T11:00

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It's time to take a look back and learn the latest on several topics we've talked about in Plain English recently, including ChatGPT, Netflix, Threads, Donald Trump's legal woes, and mo...

Is a lab-grown diamond as good as the real thing? | Learn English word 'intangibles' from 2023-10-19T11:00

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Diamond rings, bracelets, and earrings have a timeless beauty. They are in high demand, but they're expensive. But now a combination of forces may help bring prices down. The most surpr...

Is this the largest animal ever? | Learn English expression 'come as a surprise' from 2023-10-16T11:00

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Scientists in Peru discovered fossils of an enormous whale, which lived about 37 million years ago. Based on the size and density of the fossils, they estimate that the whale weighed be...

Kidfluencers: big money in a legal grey area | Learn English expression 'on the backs of' from 2023-10-12T11:00

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Child social media influencers--or 'kidfluencers'--can make big money online. But they do so in a legal grey area, where there are few or no rules about who get to keep the money. In ad...

The kiss that shook Spanish soccer | Learn English phrasal verb 'pile on' from 2023-10-09T11:00

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The Spanish national team won the women's World Cup in Australia earlier this year. But the stunning victory was quickly overshadowed by a controversy. The head of the Spanish soccer fe...

Life in Mexico: One year later | Learn English phrasal verb 'on hand' from 2023-10-05T11:00

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There are many similarities between Mexico and the U.S., but there are also some differences that become clear only after living in another place. Today, learn about some small differen...

The 7 design ideas for the new euro bills | Learn English expression 'in-depth' from 2023-10-02T11:00

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The European Central Bank has identified seven possible design themes for the redesign of its paper bills. Now, European citizens have their say on which theme comes out on top. The the...

What should go on the new euro banknotes? | Learn English expression 'hard-pressed' from 2023-09-28T11:00

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The euro paper currency is over 20 years old. Now, the European Central Bank has started the process of redesigning the banknotes. Many countries put monuments, famous leaders, or natio...

Edible microchips to track authentic Italian cheese | Learn English expression 'bear resemblance to' from 2023-09-25T11:00

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""Parmigiano Reggiano"" is a nutty, salty cheese with a 900-year history. Under European rules, only cheese made in a certain region in Italy, and only cheese made under strict rules, c...

Do you really need 10,000 steps? | Learn English phrasal verb 'capitalize on' from 2023-09-21T11:00

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Pedometers and health apps all recommend we take 10,000 steps a day. Most people fall far short of that number. But is there any magic to it? How many steps do you really need to stay h...

Courts grapple with how to interpret emojis | Learn English expression 'figure that' from 2023-09-18T11:00

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Court cases often hinge on what words mean. But what happens when a dispute involves an emoji? To decide cases or rule on motions, judges often have to decide what a 👍 or a 💓 means. T...

Crisis averted as oil safely offloaded from FSO Safer | Learn English phrasal verb 'go back on' from 2023-09-14T11:00

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As the oil tanker FSO Safer deteriorated off the coast of Yemen, U.N. diplomats scrambled to get access to the vessel, and to raise the money for a rescue. Finally, a U.N. team complete...

How a rusting oil tanker threatened the Red Sea | Learn expression 'accident waiting to happen' from 2023-09-11T11:00

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The FSO Safer is an oil storage vessel, meant to store oil waiting to be shipped to the market. But when rebels took over the coast of Yemen, they held the ship hostage. That was in 201...

Employers sour on remote work | Learn English expression 'come full circle' from 2023-09-07T11:00

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Zoom, the teleconferencing company, promised a fully remote future. Employers (and especially employees) embraced the flexible, work-from-anywhere mindset. But a growing body of researc...

Fish&chips: British comfort food | Learn English expression 'sentimental value' from 2023-09-04T11:00

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""Fish and chips"" is the classic British comfort food: sold in to-go stands and fine dining restaurants alike, it's a combination of fried white fish and French fries (sprinkled with s...

Games, rides, and food at the State Fair | Learn English expression 'come home with' from 2023-08-31T11:00

A "State Fair" is a huge statewide party featuring music, parties, food, games, rides, and more. What started as a way for farmers to show off their livestock and browse the latest farm technolo...

The Minors: small towns and the quest for baseball fame | Learn English phrasal verb 'weed out' from 2023-08-28T11:00

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Minor league baseball is a staple of small-town American summers. They're the leagues just below the majors, where developing players try to prove themselves and make the major-league r...

Flags in the English-speaking world | Learn English expression 'in use' from 2023-08-24T11:00

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We take a look at the flags of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Union Jack (Britain's flag) has heavy influence on the flags of Au...

'Barbie' was just the beginning | Learn English phrase 'get off the ground' from 2023-08-21T11:00

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""Barbie"" has grossed over $1 billion at the box office--not a bad debut for Mattel, a toymaker that had never made a feature film before. Now, Mattel has plans to release movies based...

Wine thief swipes bottles worth $600K | Learn English expression 'make off with' from 2023-08-17T11:00

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A thief drilled a hole into the roof of a California wine store and robbed hundreds of bottles of rare wines and liquors, in one of the biggest wine robberies in state history. The perp...

Tony Bennett bridged musical generations | Learn English idiom 'fall apart' from 2023-08-14T11:00

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Tony Bennett's career peaked before the age of rock-and-roll. When new stars burst onto the scene, it seemed like his style of music belonged to the past. But he reinvented his career a...

Tony Bennett and the 'Great American Songbook' | Learn English phrasal verb 'give way' from 2023-08-10T11:00

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Antonio Dominick Benedetto--later 'Tony Bennett'--had one of the great American entertainment careers. Born in Queens, New York, he rose to fame by singing early American jazz and music...

Why it's so hot this summer | Learn English phrasal verb 'cool off' from 2023-08-07T11:00

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For many in Asia, North America, and Europe, the theme of summer 2023 is heat. That's because the jet stream is caught in an unusual pattern that traps heat over certain places for exte...

A look at the world's largest cruise ship | Learn English expression 'set sail' from 2023-08-03T11:00

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Cruise operator Royal Caribbean is making final preparations to launch the ""Icon of the Seas,"" the first in a new class of cruise ships. The ships are bigger and offer lavish amenitie...

Strong start for Meta's Threads app | Learn English expression 'Get off to a good start' from 2023-07-31T11:00

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Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, launched a new app designed to compete with Twitter. Threads, as the new app is called, attracted over 150 million users in its first...

Pat Sajak's last spin on 'Wheel of Fortune' | Learn English phrasal verb 'slip up' from 2023-07-27T11:00

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""Wheel of Fortune"" is a game show staple in the kitchens of American homes. Three contestants compete to solve word puzzle games, as millions of Americans play along at home. For the ...

The war over live video game streaming | Learn English phrasal verb 'roll back' from 2023-07-24T11:00

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The most popular streaming platforms serve up professional content. But another type of platform focuses on user-generated content. Twitch is famous for letting users watch others play ...

Take a year or two off your age? It's true in South Korea | Learn English expression 'imagine that' from 2023-07-20T11:00

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Age is just a number, but in South Korea, it has been two (or even three) numbers. The country has long maintained a traditional way of calculating a citizen's age, where babies are bor...

Russia shaken by private army mutiny | Learn English expression 'overplay your hand' from 2023-07-17T11:00

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A private army working for the government of Russia turned on the country's official military last month, taking control of a major city and marching toward Moscow. The revolt briefly a...

'Titan' captain repeatedly dismissed safety warnings | Learn English expression 'buyer beware' from 2023-07-13T11:00

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Stockton Rush, the founder of OceanGate, was a tireless advocate of the Titan and its carbon-fiber design. He insisted the design was ""way safer"" than SCUBA diving and angrily dismiss...

Titan: another shipwreck in the North Atlantic | Learn English phrase 'off the coast' from 2023-07-10T11:00

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Five people died after their submersible 'Titan' imploded deep in the Atlantic Ocean, hours after they left on an exploratory mission to the site of the Titanic shipwreck. On today's le...

Comic Sans: the font we love to hate | Learn English expression 'play a role in' from 2023-07-06T11:00

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Comic Sans is a typeface that was designed to be used in cartoon quote bubbles and in other childlike, informal situations. But since the font was included in an early version of Window...

'The Morning Show': a serious drama with a star-studded cast | Learn phrasal verb 'star in' from 2023-07-03T11:00

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""The Morning Show"" on Apple TV+ is about morning network news, a light-hearted way to start your day. But the show is anything but fluffy: it's a serious drama with a star-studded cas...

Fish farming moves to dry land | Learn English expression 'put to use' from 2023-06-29T11:00

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Global fish consumption is rising, but natural fisheries have reached their capacity. Fish farming is typically done in oceans and rivers, near where fish normally grow. However, new me...

Colombian kids rescued after surviving Amazon plane crash | Learn English expression 'no trace' from 2023-06-26T11:00

The Colombian military announced the dramatic rescue of four children who survived alone in the Amazon jungle after their plane crashed on May 1. All adults onboard died in the crash. When rescu...

The hot new trend is an ice-cold bath | Learn English expression 'if all else fails' from 2023-06-22T11:00

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Cold plunges are the new health trend championed by high-fliers and ordinary people alike. By submerging yourself water that's 15 degrees Celsius (or colder!), you can manage stress, re...

What it's like in a low-security federal prison | Learn English expression 'serve time' from 2023-06-19T11:00

Elizabeth Holmes was a young self-made billionaire entrepreneur until her company was revealed to be a fraud. Now, she's about to serve 11 years in a minimum-security prison. Here's what the fac...

Kia and Hyundai thefts affect more than just owners | Learn English expression 'spend time' from 2023-06-15T11:00

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Thousands of Kia and Hyundai cars are stolen every month in the United States. And while that's distressing and expensive for car owners, many more people are affected. Law enforcement,...

Why Kia and Hyundai cars keep getting stolen | Learn English expression 'cut corners' from 2023-06-12T11:00

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Thefts of Kia and Hyundai cars have plagued American cities after TikTok and YouTube videos showed just how easy it is to steal them. Certain models sold in the U.S. can be stolen in ju...

Streamers plan price increases, content cuts, and more | Learn English expression 'all of a sudden' from 2023-06-08T11:00

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Streaming giants of all kinds have spent lavishly on expensive new productions and large content libraries, hoping to win new customers. But the services have often lost money and inves...

Big-budget streamers changed our TV habits | Learn English expression 'big deal' from 2023-06-05T11:00

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Television changed forever when streaming services like Netflix started producing more (and better) series. Today, we look at three categories of streamers and why they're spending so m...

Bud Light in hot water after trans influencer video | Learn phrasal verb 'blow over' from 2023-06-01T11:00

ChatGPT Challenge: Time is running out to join the Plain English ChatGPT Challenge, where we teach you all about the new site that everyone is talking about.

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Ed Sheeran wins copyright infringement trial | Learn English expression 'building blocks' from 2023-05-29T11:00

ChatGPT Challenge: Time is running out to join the Plain English ChatGPT Challenge, where we teach you all about the new site that everyone is talking about.

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ChatGPT: What to use it for | Learn English phrasal verb 'write something off' from 2023-05-25T11:00

**New course: Join the Plain English ChatGPT Challenge

Our free 5-day course will introduce you to ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence tool tha...

ChatGPT: The AI tool that answers your questions | Learn English expression 'hit home' from 2023-05-22T11:00

**New course: Join the Plain English ChatGPT Challenge

Our free 5-day course will introduce you to ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence tool tha...

Can a 'smart gun' prevent accidental deaths? | Learn English phrasal verb 'hold up' from 2023-05-18T11:00

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A Colorado startup has developed a gun that only fires when an authorized user is holding it. The purpose is to provide owners with the self-defense, but also prevent accidental shootin...

Jerry Springer was king of trash TV | Learn English expression 'push the boundaries' from 2023-05-15T11:00

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Jerry Springer, a politician-turned-talk-show-host, invented a new genre of television: daytime trash. On his show, guests threw food, punches, and expletives, all while a bemused Sprin...

'Phantom of the Opera' closes on Broadway after 35 years | Learn English expression 'set the stage' from 2023-05-11T11:00

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""The Phantom of the Opera"" played its final show at the Majestic Theater in New York, ending its 35-year run on Broadway. The story is based on a novel by Gaston Leroux. Composer Andr...

Pickleball: the newest outdoor craze | Learn English expression 'backed by' from 2023-05-08T11:00

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Pickleball is a family-oriented paddle sport played on a hard surface with low net. Fans like it because it's easy to learn and easy to play. But this very social sport makes a lot of n...

New Orleans: music, parties, and lots of good food | Learn English phrasal verb 'wind through' from 2023-05-04T11:00

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New Orleans, Louisiana, is a mixture of unique cuisines and cultures. Located where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico, the city suffered a devastating hurricane in 2005. Bu...

India is now the world's biggest country by population | Learn English phrase 'headed in' from 2023-05-01T11:00

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India has passed China to become the world's most populous country, according to U.N. population projections. About 1.4 billion people live in both, but India's population will continue...

Chick-fil-A, popular fast-food chain, to expand internationally | Learn expression 'stay in your lane' from 2023-04-27T11:00

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What to know about Trump's indictment | Learn English phrasal verb 'drag on' from 2023-04-24T11:00

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Updates on Chile, hippos, TikTok and more | Learn English expression 'with a straight face' from 2023-04-20T11:00

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The ozone layer is repairing itself | Learn phrasal verb 'thin out' from 2023-04-17T11:00

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Mass of seaweed heading for Caribbean beaches | Learn English phrase 'wash up' from 2023-04-13T11:00

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Sargassum is a type of seaweed that fl...

Banking confidence shaken after series of failures | Learn English expression 'herd mentality' from 2023-04-10T11:00

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Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse, an...

Activated charcoal: What is it? | Learn English phrasal verb 'come across' from 2023-04-06T11:00

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Activated charcoal is carbon treated with oxygen and heated at very high temperatures. The result is a fine and porous powder. In a medical setting, it can combat poisoning, aid the kid...

The robot therapist will see you now | Learn English phrase 'cracks in the system' from 2023-04-03T11:00

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The pandemic put a new focus on mental health, but many people still don't (or can't) access the therapy they need. Others might want some general counseling, but don't need a full ther...

The puzzle of office-to-apartment conversions | Learn English expression 'get wind of' from 2023-03-30T11:00

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As prices of old office buildings fall, developers are looking into converting them into apartments. This would help city centers, but a variety of practical and economic challenges mak...

New York misses its commuters | Learn English phrase 'inflection point' from 2023-03-27T11:00

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Three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the world has ""returned to normal."" But for New York City-area commuters, that normal means making the long commute into ...

How drugs get their names | Learn English expression 'plenty of' from 2023-03-23T11:00

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Xoloft, Ibrance, Zocor, Mounjaro: How do drug companies come up with these names? When a pharmaceutical company develops a new treatment, the company creates both the generic (scientifi...

New treatments seek to control obesity | Learn English phrase 'to spare' from 2023-03-20T11:00

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Obesity affects over a billion people worldwide and can lead to chronic diseases like heart attacks, stroke, and cancer. Now, a new class of drugs has been shown to reduce weight in obe...

Mario mania as Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios | Learn English phrasal verb 'team up' from 2023-03-16T11:00

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Super Mario Brothers was one of the first games available on the original Nintendo video game console, and it went on to become one of the most popular video games of all time. Now, it'...

Turkey asks why earthquake caused so much damage | Learn English expression 'bear the blame' from 2023-03-13T11:00

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A strong earthquake struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria last month, causing immense human and property damage. But the rubble in Turkey shows that many buildings were not cons...

'Titanic' movie 25 years later | Learn English phrasal verb 'root for' from 2023-03-09T12:00

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The movie ""Titanic"" shattered box-office records, demonstrated the possibility of special effects, and elevated artists like Leonardo DiCaprio and Celine Dion to stardom. Now, 25 year...

Spy balloons: Real danger or just hot air? | Learn English expression 'blown off course' from 2023-03-06T12:00

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A white balloon floating high above American airspace originated in China. The two sides don't agree on much more than that. The Americans say it was loaded with surveillance equipment ...

Fentanyl and drug overdose deaths | Learn phrasal verb 'mix in' from 2023-03-02T12:00

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Fentanyl is a powerful painkiller used legally in hospitals. It can also amplify the effects of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and counterfeit prescription drugs. But because it's so...

Missing: radioactive capsule the size of a pea from 2023-02-27T12:00

A radioactive capsule the size of a pencil eraser fell of a truck in Western Australia. The capsule was part of a machine used in mining for iron ore. That led mining giant Rio Tinto and the Aus...

Netflix password rules: how much pain&how much gain? | Learn English phrasal verb 'grow up' from 2023-02-23T12:00

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As Netflix plans to roll out its new policies on password sharing, it faces a balancing act between two priorities: getting password-sharing viewers to pay up, while also not angering l...

Netflix falls out of love with password sharing | Learn phrasal verb 'come up' from 2023-02-20T12:00

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After turning a blind eye for many years, Netflix is now planning to tighten its rules around password sharing. Out of 215 million paying accounts, the company says, perhaps 100 million...

What a layoff is like (for both parties) | Learn English phrasal verb 'bulk up' from 2023-02-16T12:00

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Big technology (and non-tech) companies are laying off thousands of workers. It's the first round of layoffs in many years, so how are employers (and employees) handling it? It's not ea...

Legacy of Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister | Learn English expression 'overstay your welcome' from 2023-02-13T12:00

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Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand at age 37; she was the world's youngest female country leader. Her COVID policies were harsh, but effective, and she won high approva...

Gas vs. electric stoves: Which is better? | Plus, learn the phrasal verb 'win out' from 2023-02-09T12:00

Natural gas stoves have many advantages, but they may come with some health hazards. Are electric stoves any good? And what about induction? We talk about the pros and cons of each in today's le...

Alec Baldwin and the 'Rust' shooting | Learn English phrase 'meet the definition' from 2023-02-06T12:00

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Actor Alec Baldwin and another crewmember have been charged with involuntary manslaughter, after a gun accidentally fired and killed a cinematographer during the filming of a movie in 2...

When cemeteries run out of space | Learn a new way to use 'short' from 2023-02-02T12:00

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Death is forever, but at many cemeteries, a burial plot may not be. That's because some cemeteries are running out of space for new caskets. What can be done about it? Here are some way...

What happened at FTX | Learn English phrasal verb 'pay up' from 2023-01-30T12:00

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FTX was a cryptocurrency futures exchange. However, the firm suddenly collapsed into bankruptcy in late 2022, leaving millions of customers without their deposits. The 30-year-old found...

Copyright starting to expire on Hollywood icons | Learn English phrasal verb 'slim down' from 2023-01-26T12:00

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Copyright on films, drawings, and literature lasts a long time...but it doesn't last forever. While classic novels have been in the public domain for decades, some Hollywood icons like ...

Past banking crises hold lessons for crypto | Learn English phrase 'sour on' from 2023-01-23T12:00

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How does a bank get in trouble? It's usually one of two problems: a liquidity crisis or a solvency crisis. Both are bad, but a solvency crisis is worse. Knowing this can help us underst...

Dublin: Guinness, whiskey, music, literature, and more | Learn English phrasal verb 'plan ahead' from 2023-01-19T12:00

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Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland, is a great place to explore the best of Irish culture: the music, the drinks, and the literature. While you're there, you can also explor...

New drug reduces progression of Alzheimer's | Learn English phrase 'show promise' from 2023-01-16T12:00

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A new drug has been shown to slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease by targeting protein buildup in the brain. While this drug makes just a small difference, it opens up a new avenue ...

Qatar: pros and cons of first Middle East host | Plus, learn English expression 'at the last minute' from 2023-01-12T12:00

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Qatar, the first World Cup host in the Middle East, faced criticism for its migrant labor system and human rights record. Critics questioned whether the country won the rights to host t...

Four stories from the 2022 World Cup | Learn English phrase 'grow closer' from 2023-01-09T12:00

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The World Cup was full of on- and off-the-field stories. Argentina won in a thrilling final on penalties, making host Qatar the real winner. Morocco carried the banner of the Arab world...

Stories to watch in 2023 | Learn English phrase 'intent on' from 2023-01-05T12:00

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As the world flips the calendar to 2023, we discuss four stories that will have an impact in the next twelve months. How long will the war in Ukraine last? Will China experience a nasty...

Why is New Year's Day on January 1? | Learn English phrase 'seek to' from 2023-01-02T12:00

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Our current calendar is the Gregorian calendar and it's over 400 years old. But the basics (12 months, 365 days, leap years) have been in place for over two thousand years. A small chan...

'Peanuts' showed the world through children's eyes | Learn English term 'comic relief' from 2022-12-29T12:00

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""Peanuts"" characters Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, and more, entertained millions of readers for half a century. Charles Schulz, the creator, drew every one of his 17...

4 classic Christmas movies | Learn English phrasal verb 'fend off' from 2022-12-26T12:00

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Christmas-themed movies are almost as old as the movies themselves. In today's lesson, you'll hear about four classic Christmas movies from four different decades (and two movies that d...

The cool way to get around is on a snowmobile | Learn English expression 'familiar with' from 2022-12-22T12:00

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In this first of our four holiday specials, we talk about a snowmobiling, a cold-weather activity that's only possible in parts of the world that get a lot of snow. A snowmobile is like...

Trust us: buy your next mattress online | Learn English expression 'fine-tune' from 2022-12-19T12:00

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Forget pushy salesmen and rows of mattresses to try in a store: the new way to buy a mattress is online. New direct-to-consumer companies are upending the industry, focusing on quality,...

Venezuelan elite victims of luxury-home scam | Learn English expression 'in the dark' from 2022-12-15T12:00

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A pair of Venezuelan immigrants to Miami pulled off a bold scheme to defraud members of their country's elite. These individuals were under sanctions, so they couldn't visit their luxur...

How the super-rich protect their assets in U.S. real estate | Learn phrasal verb 'cook up' from 2022-12-12T12:00

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American real estate is considered a safe asset for wealthy people in unstable economies. They like to buy luxury homes in the U.S. because real estate is considered a guard against inf...

Ukraine's 'second army' of rail workers | Learn English expression 'work around the clock' from 2022-12-08T12:00

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As fighting continues, Ukraine's railways have adapted to move refugees, supply the front lines, and keep exports flowing. The rail network has proved critical to Ukraine's war effort a...

New York says to job posters: Show them the money | Learn English expression 'push the envelope' from 2022-12-05T12:00

"

A new law in New York City requires all job postings to include a ""good faith"" range of base pay. The purpose is to help jobseekers negotiate fairer compensation. The law's authors ho...

What is the 'pig butchering' scam? | Learn English expression 'show your true colors' from 2022-12-01T12:00

"

The texts seem innocent at first: a case of mistaken identity or a request for advice. But for many victims, these random messages were the first step in an elaborate scam that cheated ...

Ethics of making (and watching) true crime | Learn English expression 'go about your business' from 2022-11-28T12:00

"

From ""Monster"" to ""Making of a Murderer,"" true crime has never been as popular as it is now. Many of these, though, are fictionalized, meaning the dialogue and details are invented ...

Netflix's newest hit: a true crime series about a serial killer | Learn English expression 'take liberties' from 2022-11-24T12:00

"

In the ultra-competitive world of streaming, Netflix has found a worldwide hit: its series called ""Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story."" In ten parts, the series tells the story of one ...

Another populist falls: Lula ousts Bolsonaro in Brazil | Learn English phrase 'on a technicality' from 2022-11-21T12:00

"

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, will return to presidency in Brazil, after defeating incumbent Jair Bolsonaro by 50.9% to 49.1%. The election marks a stunning comeback for Lul...

World Cup starts Monday | Learn English phrase 'risk it' from 2022-11-17T12:00

"

The World Cup is the most-watched sports tournament in the world, and the 2022 edition starts Monday in the desert nation of Qatar. Here are some facts to get you ready for the big tour...

Elon Musk owns Twitter after long ordeal | Learn English expression 'stand to' gain or lose from 2022-11-14T12:00

"

Elon Musk, the world's richest man by some measures, has purchased Twitter, a social media network, for $44 billion, using a mixture of his own money and loans. Like many things with Mu...

Americans can't agree on what to call these 5 things | Learn what it means to 'change your ways' from 2022-11-10T12:00

We all know that different countries call things differently (lift vs. elevator, for example). But even within the U.S., there are surprising differences in vocabulary. And these differences per...

Updates on BTS, monkeypox, and more | Learn English expression 'distance yourself' from 2022-11-07T12:00

"

Today's lesson is a look back at some recent lesson topics. Just months after the exit of Boris Johnson, British politics was plunged into tumult. Just one result: a recent prime minist...

American states fight each other over immigration | Learn English expression 'find your way' from 2022-11-03T11:00

"

America's national immigration policy has been broken for decades. Now, border state governors and big-city mayors are locked in a fight, with newly-arrived immigrants caught in between...

BBC turns 100 this month | Learn what it means for people to 'band together' from 2022-10-31T11:00

"

The British Broadcasting Corporation turns 100 years old this month. The BBC started as a way for radio makers to convince people to buy a ""wireless."" Today, it supplies news, enterta...

Asteroid crash: a test run to save humanity | Learn English phrasal verb 'set off' from 2022-10-27T11:00

"

If an asteroid were on a collision course with Earth, could we avoid disaster by pushing the asteroid off course? That's the question NASA attempted to answer by crashing an unmanned cr...

Europe braces for two cold winters | Learn phrasal verb 'run on' from 2022-10-24T11:00

"

Natural gas powers factories, heats homes, and generates electricity. And in Europe, much of the gas supply came from Russia. However, Europe is in a rapid transition away from Russian ...

Cheating allegations in top-level chess | Learn what it means to 'stop short of' something from 2022-10-20T11:00

"

The world of chess has been turned upside down after Norwegian Magnus Carlsen accused American teenager Hans Niemann of cheating. Though Niemann's rise has been swift, there's no eviden...

How chess has evolved over centuries | Learn English phrase 'tailor made' from 2022-10-17T11:00

"

One of the most famous strategy games in human history, chess spread around the world over 1,000 years ago. Though the rules have changed a little, the biggest change has come with the ...

Would you eat a purple tomato? | Learn the English expression to have ‘an edge’ from 2022-10-13T11:00

"

A new type of tomato is about to hit American grocery stores. It’s purple, it has enhanced nutrition, and it’s genetically-modified. But will the purple tomato be able to overcome skept...

The illusion of ESG investing | Learn the expression ‘welcome with open arms’ from 2022-10-10T11:00

"

Are ESG funds all that they’re cracked up to be? Last week’s lesson covered what ESG investing is, and in theory, investing in companies that want to do more good sounds like a pretty g...

ESG funds and investing in good | Learn the English expression ‘nagging doubt’ from 2022-10-06T11:00

"

ESG stands for “environmental, social, and governance,” and ESG investing is a way to funnel your investments toward companies that meet higher standards in these three categories. Not ...

Are AI-generated images art? | Learn the phrasal verb ‘sift through’ from 2022-10-03T11:00

"

A first-place finish at the Colorado State Fair art competition is sparking debate in the art community about whether AI-generated art should be considered art. The winning piece at the...

The unlikely path to Queen | Learn the English metaphor ‘open the door’ from 2022-09-29T11:00

"

As Queen Elizabeth II grew into adulthood, it was increasingly clear that she would, someday, be queen. But no one thought it would happen as soon as it did. This lesson covers her unli...

Queen Elizabeth II’s long rule comes to an end | Learn the English expression ‘pay respects’ from 2022-09-26T11:00

"

Britain and the world are mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II. She died peacefully at the Balmoral Castle in northern Scotland earlier this month at age 96. She served as Britain’s...

The resurgence of the mullet | Learn the phrasal verb ‘catch on’ from 2022-09-22T11:00

"

The mullet hairstyle is known for looking like business in the front, party in the back, and have typically been worn by men from rural, lower income areas of Australia. However, in rec...

Chilean voters reject rewritten constitution | Learn the phrasal verb ‘boil over’ from 2022-09-19T11:00

"

Chilean voters recently voted not to adopt a proposed constitution. It all started in 2019, when in response to protests, Chileans first voted on whether they wanted a new constitution....

#QuietQuitting: Is this a good idea? | Learn the English expression 'above and beyond' from 2022-09-15T11:00

"

Reeling from burnout and an always-on culture, many in Gen Z are subscribing to #QuietQuitting, the idea that they shouldn't give too much at work. But there are multiple interpretation...

Ben&Jerry's takes its parent company to court | Learn the English expression 'take exception to' from 2022-09-12T11:00

"

Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's decided not to sell its product in the Palestinian territories, claiming that it didn't want to be part of an illegal occupation. But that stance got the c...

Part 1: the rise of Ben&Jerry’s ice cream | Learn the phrasal verb ‘come in’ from 2022-09-08T11:00

"

Ben & Jerry’s has always taken a unique approach to running its business. When they were acquired by Unilever, they made some unique demands, and Unilever accepted. The company is also ...

Lesson 500: Jeff and JR's favorite places in Chicago from 2022-09-05T11:00

On this 500th episode, Jeff and JR talk about their favorite places in Chicago, including:

• Restaurants
• The lakefront
• Shedd aquarium
• Neighborhoods
Listen

Destination Chicago: the capital of the Midwest | Learn the English expression ‘wiped out’ from 2022-09-01T11:00

[Countdown to 500] Get ready for the 500th lesson live stream by joining us on social media:

• Follow @plainenglishpod on Instagra...
  Listen

[Countdown to 500] The great team behind Plain English from 2022-08-31T00:41:25

500 lessons is a lot of work! While you only hear my voice, there is a huge team behind Plain English. Here are the amazing people who make it happen.

Follow Listen

Electric vehicles will soon be required to make more noise | Learn the English expression ‘walk by’ from 2022-08-29T11:00

[Countdown to 500] Get ready for the 500th lesson live stream by joining us on social media:

• Follow @plainenglishpod on Instagra...
  Listen

[Countdown to 500] What I like most about the Plain English audience from 2022-08-29T01:13:52

As we get ready to celebrate 500 lessons together this Saturday, I'm sharing some thoughts on why I like this audience so much. 

Remember to Listen

What it’s like to stare at a painting for a full hour | Learn the phrasal verb ‘run out’ from 2022-08-25T11:00

[Countdown to #500]

To celebrate our 500th lesson, we'll be live-streaming on Facebook and Instagram. It will be on September 3 at 9 am New York time.

Make sure to connect with us ...

[Countdown to 500] Plain English: the back story from 2022-08-24T11:00

In this "behind-the-scenes" episode, Jeff shares some of the history of Plain English as a business, including how he snagged the domain, plainenglish.com. 

Today's episode is a special b...

Remembering Vin Scully, the voice of baseball | Learn the English phrasal verb ‘treat someone to’ from 2022-08-22T11:00

[Countdown to #500]

We're getting ready to celebrate Lesson #500! We'll be live-streaming the lesson on September 3. Here are three ways you can help celebrate:

#1 - Listen

[Countdown to 500] What does 'Plain English' mean? from 2022-08-21T20:05:23

In this "behind-the-scenes" episode, Jeff shares what the term "Plain English" means and why he chose that as the name for this business.

Today's episode is a special bonus as we prepare ...

[Countdown to 500] What does 'Plain English' mean? from 2022-08-21T20:05:23

In this "behind-the-scenes" episode, Jeff shares what the term "Plain English" means and why he chose that as the name for this business.

Today's episode is a special bonus as we prepare ...

How did monkeypox become a public health crisis? | Learn the English expression ‘clamor for’ from 2022-08-18T11:00

COUNTDOWN TO 500: Are you ready to help celebrate our 500th lesson? Here are 4 ways to get involved:

1. Record a video - Help us celebr...
   Listen

Will healthcare be the next industry Amazon revolutionizes? | Learn the English expression ‘time will tell’ from 2022-08-15T11:00

"

Amazon is acquiring One Medical, a popular network of doctors’ office in the United States. One Medical takes a modern, hybrid approach to primary care by offering a blend of the in-off...

Webb telescope’s long journey to launch | Learn the English expression ‘a crack at’ from 2022-08-11T11:00

"

The James Webb telescope is already sending back breathtaking images from space, but it apparently wasn’t easy getting the telescope up and running. The project hit several bumps along ...

Asian carp or copi? An ugly fish gets a tasty rebrand | Learn the English expression ‘overrun with’ from 2022-08-08T11:00

"

Asian carp were first introduced in the United States in the 1970s as a solution to a growing algae problem. Now, the species has created more problems than they’ve solved. As the invas...

James Webb telescope is like a time machine | Learn the phrasal verb ‘turn over’ from 2022-08-04T11:00

"

The James Webb Space Telescope launched in December 2021, and just seven months later, it has sent its first images from deep in space back to Earth. This has been a project twenty year...

The Elon Musk v. Twitter saga | Learn the phrasal verb ‘side with’ from 2022-08-01T11:00

"

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has gone back-and-forth about buying Twitter over the past few months. They finally came to an agreement for Musk to buy the company, but then the st...

Boris Johnson era is coming to an end | Learn the phrasal verb ‘go after’ from 2022-07-28T11:00

[Free workshop] Don't miss our free Active Learning workshop at PlainEnglish.com/active  

In the workshop, you'll learn:

• The di...
  Listen

21 teenagers died at a South African nightclub, and nobody knows why | Learn the English expression ‘pass out’ from 2022-07-25T11:00

"

Twenty-one teenagers were tragically found dead in a South African nightclub after they were out celebrating the end of the school term. One survivor said she smelled a bad odor in the ...

California dreamin': kids can snooze their alarm clocks | Learn the phrasal verb ‘stay up' | Active learning workshop from 2022-07-21T11:00

[Free Workshop]: Make faster progress in English by being an active learner. See a preview of our free workshop at Pla...

Planning for your digital death | English expression ‘up to date’ | New workshop from 2022-07-18T11:00

Announcing: Want to make faster progress in English? Check out our new workshop, all about active learning strategies at Listen

What happens when you (online) die | Learn the English expression ‘in progress’ from 2022-07-14T11:00

"

In estate planning, it’s common to think about who will inherit personal possessions, bank accounts, investments, real estate, and other property. But we rarely consider what happens to...

K-pop band BTS is taking a break | Learn the English expression ‘loom over’ from 2022-07-11T11:00

"

BTS – the most popular band in the world –are taking a “temporary break.” The band announced the break during a live-streamed anniversary dinner party for fans. They spent over 40 minut...

Should you bring your ‘whole self’ to work? | Learn the English expression ‘on the surface’ from 2022-07-07T11:00

"

In an effort to improve company culture and employee morale, many companies have put out messaging encouraging employees to bring their “whole selves” to the workplace. But what does th...

A controversial new tour is dividing the golf world | Learn the phrasal verb ‘pass up’ from 2022-07-04T11:00

"

An upstart league called LIV Golf is disrupting the tranquility that has long defined professional golf. The decision to join – or not join – the tour has torn the golf world into two. ...

My news&the future of Plain English from 2022-07-01T20:58:31

• T...
  Listen

The benefits of keeping a journal | Learn the expression ‘get off on the right foot’ from 2022-06-30T11:00

"

Journaling is an age-old practice that is known for its mental health benefits. There are many ways to keep a journaling practice that don’t require long entries on pen and paper. In fa...

A Wimbledon without rankings points | Learn the phrasal verb ‘hand out’ from 2022-06-27T11:00

"

Wimbledon is the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, but this year, players won’t earn any points towards their world rankings by competing in the tournament. Wimbledon is ...

Just how big is the world’s largest plant? | Learn the phrasal verb ‘look into’ from 2022-06-23T11:00

"

The world’s largest plant was recently discovered off the western coast of Australia. The plant is a ribbon weed that researchers estimate to be about 4,500 years old. It grows entirely...

A royal party for 70 years as Queen | Learn the English expression ‘look down on’ from 2022-06-20T11:00

"

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in the over 1,000-year history of the United Kingdom. She has been Queen of the U.K. for 70 years, or since 1952, when she was just 25...

Unlock the hidden features of Google Maps | Learn the English expression ‘brand-new’ from 2022-06-16T11:00

"

Google Maps, the world’s most popular mapping application, is known for helping people get from one place to another. But did you know that the app is packed with other hidden features?...

The American UFO craze | Learn the English expression ‘raise the stakes’ from 2022-06-13T11:00

"

The US government has kept a running list of UFO sightings since the 1940s, and until recently, the list was kept secret. Today, we’re talking about the strange history of UFO’s in Amer...

What’s the best hard seltzer? | Learn the English expression ‘take the plunge’ from 2022-06-09T11:00

"

In Tuesday’s lesson, we talked about how hard seltzers have become one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the US in just the last few years. Today, we’re revealing the results o...

Hard seltzer industry isn’t fizzling out anytime soon | Learn the English expression ‘fit the bill’ from 2022-06-06T11:00

"

Hard seltzers burst on the scene just a few years ago, and now they are one of the most popular drink options among Americans. Hard seltzers are marketed as a lower-calorie option than ...

Updates on Covid companies, Djokovic, NFTs, and more | Learn the English expression ‘to have a history of’ from 2022-06-02T11:00

"

Today, we review the latest news on six previous topics: how the Covid business winners are doing two years later, Novak Djokovic’s return to competition, a drastic price drop for a pop...

Buy now, pay later: what could possibly go wrong? | Learn the English expression ‘egg someone on’ from 2022-05-30T11:00

"

Buy now, pay later started as an option for people without credit cards to pay for big purchases, like furniture or airline flights, in installments. But now, people are using buy now, ...

The rise of buy now, pay later | Learn the English expression ‘think twice’ from 2022-05-26T11:00

"

Buy now, pay later is on the rise as Americans learn to love the Brazilian way to pay. People without credit scores and credit cards are able to spread out paying off purchases over lon...

A new highway across South America | Learn the phrasal verb ‘work on’ from 2022-05-23T11:00

"

A new highway will connect the landlocked regions of South America to the Pacific Ocean, and the first link from Paraguay was just completed. South America produces a lot of the world’s...

A dog's personality is more than its breed | Learn the English phrasal verb 'bring back' from 2022-05-19T11:00

"

Labrador Retrievers are friendly; pit bulls are aggressive; poodles are playful. These generalizations are often true, but a new study shows that a dog's breed only explains a small par...

Timeline of Musk's Twitter takeover | Learn the English expression 'come up with' from 2022-05-16T11:00

"

Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla, SpaceX, and other companies, surprised the business world by offering to buy Twitter, a publicly-traded company, for about $44 billion. Not ...

Turkey is getting a name change | Learn the English expression ‘turn the tables’ from 2022-05-12T11:00

"

Turkey, the country, officially changed its English name. If you Google “Turkey,” chances are there will be a mix of search results: everything from ugly birds, to a fungus, to the coun...

Poland has been a friendly neighbor to Ukraine | Learn the phrasal verb ‘ride out’ from 2022-05-09T11:00

"

As the situation in Ukraine gets increasingly dire, Ukrainians are leaving the country in droves. Five million people have already left the country. The majority of the refugees have go...

The good and the bad of company mission statements | Learn the phrasal verb ‘come away’ from 2022-05-05T11:00

"

Company mission statements are supposed to articulate what a company does and how it helps the world. Ideally, mission statements should send a positive public signal and also motivate ...

The search for meaningful work | Learn the English expression ‘day-to-day’ from 2022-05-02T11:00

"

Covid prompted many employees to take a step back from the endless emails and Zoom calls and reevaluate what they want out of their jobs. Many people left their jobs to find work that w...

‘Succession’ gives us a different angle of the rich | Learn the English expression ‘to curry favor with’ from 2022-04-28T11:00

"

‘Succession’ is all about media mogul Logan Roy and his children, who are all trying to succeed him as CEO of the family company. Instead of envying the rich, the overwhelming emotion w...

Volodymyr Zelensky: actor turned President turned war hero | Learn the English expression ‘stand out’ from 2022-04-25T11:00

"

Volodymyr Zelensky has emerged as the surprising hero of Ukraine’s resistance efforts, but his resume might surprise you. Before he was Ukraine’s president, he played a president on a T...

Passwordless authentication is the future | Learn the phrasal verb ‘pass along’ from 2022-04-21T11:00

"

An organization dedicated to creating simpler, strong authentication – i.e. killing the password – has published a broad outline of how this will work. The end of the password might act...

Passwords may be dying a slow death | Learn the phrasal verb ‘fall for’ from 2022-04-18T11:00

"

The pattern – for some of us – of setting, forgetting, and resetting passwords might soon be behind us. Passwords are slowly dying out and simpler, more secure forms of authentication t...

Lost ship found in Antarctica after 100 years | Learn the phrasal verb ‘eat away at’ from 2022-04-14T11:00

"

Over one hundred years ago, an explorer’s ship sunk off the coast of Antarctica, and amazingly, the entire crew of 28 survived the wreck. Just last month, a team finally found the ship,...

We’re getting closer to a birth control pill for men | Learn the English idiom ‘shoulder the burden’ from 2022-04-11T11:00

"

The University of Minnesota is close to kicking off human trials for a male birth control pill. Researchers have developed a pill for men that was found to be 99 percent effect in mice....

How do animals safely cross highways? | Learn the phrasal verb ‘cut through’ from 2022-04-07T11:00

"

The US is investing in more animal overpasses to help wildlife navigate around highways. If you think about it, highways are fast and convenient for humans to get from place to place. A...

Ukraine’s not-so-secret weapon in the war | Learn the phrasal verb ‘play out’ from 2022-04-04T11:00

"

The Ukraine-Russia war is the first time the world is seeing social media and crowdsourced intelligence having a major impact on the battlefield. Both Russians and Ukrainians are levera...

The hidden costs of inflation | Learn the English expression ‘apples-to-apples’ from 2022-03-31T11:00

"

Inflation is a hot topic around the world as countries are recording their highest inflation rates in decades. In the U.S., inflation recently hit its highest rate in over 40 years: 7.9...

Birdnesting: the divorce trend where the parents rotate homes | Learn the phrasal verb ‘move on’ from 2022-03-28T11:00

"

“Birdnesting” is a co-parenting trend where the kids of divorced or separated parents stay in the same home they had always lived in, and the parents take turns staying in the home with...

Will COVID-19 be with us forever? | Learn the English expression ‘build up’ from 2022-03-24T11:00

"

COVID-19 seems to be on the trajectory to becoming an endemic disease, meaning that it follows a regular and predictable pattern. Diseases move from epidemic to endemic when its spread ...

A post Russia-Ukraine war world | Learn the English expression ‘set your sights on’ from 2022-03-21T11:00

"

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could spark a complete re-ordering of how the world works. Everything from supply chains to payment systems could change as the world scrambles to figure ou...

Companies are dropping out of Russia | Learn the English expression ‘take it upon yourself’ from 2022-03-17T11:00

"

Companies from around the globe are pulling out of Russia in a second wave of voluntary sanctions. These go above and beyond the government sanctions already in place against the Russia...

The US and EU are hitting Russia hard with sanctions | Learn the English expression ‘change of heart’ from 2022-03-14T11:00

"

After Russia invaded Ukraine, the West imposed a predictable – and usually ineffective – round of financial sanctions on Russia entities like banks, businesses, and government officials...

The friendly way to divorce | Learn the phrasal verb ‘work through’ from 2022-03-10T12:00

"

Would you go on a weekend getaway with your partner to finalize a divorce? More and more services are popping up that are aimed at making the divorce process less nasty. There is a tren...

Canada’s truckers protest vaccine mandate | Learn the English expression ‘in droves’ from 2022-03-07T12:00

"

Thousands of truckers united to block North America’s busiest international border crossing in protest of Canada’s Covid-19 measures. Canada requires anyone who crosses the border to be...

Spotify, Joe Rogan, and the content moderation wars | Learn the phrasal verb ‘call out’ from 2022-03-03T12:00

"

Spotify came under fire after Joe Rogan, who has an exclusive podcast deal with the streaming service, spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines on his podcast. Social media sites h...

Elizabeth Holmes: Theranos founder convicted of fraud | Learn the English expression ‘buy into’ from 2022-02-28T12:00

"

Elizabeth Holmes, the ex-CEO of startup Theranos, was once the talk of Silicon Valley. Her company was on a mission to revolutionize blood testing by making it less painful and more acc...

The ‘right to repair’ movement | Learn the English expression ‘down the line’ from 2022-02-24T12:00

"

The “right to repair” movement is a consumer-led movement that wants to force companies like Apple and John Deere to provide parts and knowledge necessary to allow consumers to make the...

The SAT exam is going all digital | Learn the English expression ‘just in case’ from 2022-02-21T12:00

"

The SAT exam is a standardized test high-schoolers in the United States take in preparation for college. It has always been administered the old-school way: with paper and pencil. Howev...

Immersive Van-Gogh is a no-Gogh | Learn the English expression ‘turn off’ from 2022-02-17T12:00

"

As we covered in last week’s lesson, there is a lot of hype surrounding multi-sensory art exhibits. The immersive Van Gogh exhibit is especially popular, so we decided to try it out for...

Turkmenistan might be closing its Gates of Hell | Learn the phrasal verb ‘burn off’ from 2022-02-14T12:00

"

The Gates of Hell, a huge crater in Turkmenistan that has been burning for 50 years, is the country’s biggest tourist attraction. But now, they are considering extinguishing it. There a...

Immersive art exhibits are the modern museum | Learn the English expression ‘breathe new life into’ from 2022-02-10T12:00

"

Immersive art exhibits are exploding in popularity around the globe. These exhibits allow people to experience art in a new, modern, and immersive way – a stark change from the formal, ...

Volcanic eruption cut off Tonga from the world | Learn the phrasal verb ‘turn back’ from 2022-02-07T12:00

"

Last month, a massive undersea eruption cut off Tonga from the rest of the world. Just one undersea cable connects the small island nation to the outside world, and the cable is about t...

Gaming addiction is now an official medical diagnosis | Learn the English expression ‘put ahead of’ from 2022-02-03T12:00

"

The World Health Organization added gaming addiction to its list of disorders, meaning people can now officially, and medically, be addicted to playing video games in the same way they ...

Novak Djokovic deported from Australia | Learn the English expression ‘on the eve of’ from 2022-01-31T12:00

"

Novak Djokovic was poised to compete for his tenth Australian Open championship. If he won, he also would have held the title for the most Grand Slam championships ever, edging ahead in...

Egypt is building a swanky new capital city | Learn the English expression ‘from scratch’ from 2022-01-27T12:00

"

Egypt is moving its capital city and most government functions to a new city. The plans for the unnamed capital are impressive, and include constructing the tallest building in the worl...

The technology that powers Teslas | Learn the English expression ‘take care of’ from 2022-01-24T12:00

"

There are three things that make Teslas’ technology unique: the user experience, the auto driving features, and over-the-air updates. We took a Tesla out for a test drive, and we’re sha...

Behind the wheel of a Tesla test drive | Learn the English expression ‘check the boxes’ from 2022-01-20T12:00

"

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to take a Tesla out for a spin? It has all the ordinary features of a luxury car, plus all of the benefits – and thrills – of an electric car, like...

The direct-to-consumer email newsletter revolution | Learn the English expression ‘spring up’ from 2022-01-17T12:00

"

E-mail is one of the oldest ways to communicate on the Internet, and it’s making a comeback in media. E-mail newsletters are on the rise as consumers seek curated, digestible content fr...

The winners of the digital media revolution | Learn the English expression ‘eat into’ from 2022-01-13T12:00

"

The internet era completely changed the media industry. The internet affected all news outlets, but print newspapers probably took the biggest hit. News publications have consolidated a...

Destination Boston: New England’s history hub | Learn the English expression ‘founded in’ from 2022-01-10T12:00

"

Boston, Massachusetts is one of the oldest cities in the United States, and it’s chock-full of history to show for it. The city also has lots of culture, great education, delicious seaf...

Pandemic supercharged the mental health movement | Learn the phrasal verb to ‘open up’ from 2022-01-06T12:00

"

Mental health and wellness has historically been a fairly taboo topic. But the pandemic supercharged the mental health movement and made it much more upfront and open. Apps, podcast, an...

The electric vehicle charging station revolution | Learn the English expression ‘have the luxury’ from 2022-01-03T12:00

"

At some point, you have probably waited in line to fill up a car at a gas station. Well, imagine that scenario at an electric vehicle charging station, where the wait time to fully char...

A very big fuss over a little French word, “iel” | Learn the phrasal verb ‘point out’ from 2021-12-30T12:00

"

The gender-neutral pronoun, “iel,” was recently added to the French dictionary, and is meant to be used when you don’t want to specify the gender of the person or people you’re talking ...

UAE has new weekend plans | Learn the phrasal verb ‘decide on’ from 2021-12-27T12:00

"

The UAE announced that it’s changing its weekend from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday to match the western world. Friday has historically been the Islamic day for prayers, so to acco...

The many uses of QR codes | Learn the phrasal verb ‘fill out’ from 2021-12-23T12:00

"

QR codes have a variety of uses in the modern economy. They help us do everything from purchasing train tickets to getting COVID tests. The technology was actually invented in 1994, but...

‘Red’ (Taylor’s Version) is changing music industry contracts | Learn the English expression ‘take something lying down’ from 2021-12-20T12:00

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Taylor Swift rerecorded and rereleased her 2012 album ‘Red,’ and it’s making a statement across the music industry. The difference isn’t necessarily in the music, it’s in the money. Tay...

The rise of QR codes | Learn the English expression ‘the naked eye’ from 2021-12-16T12:00

QR codes have exploded in popularity in recent years. The codes are integrated in ordering at restaurants, getting vaccines at COVID testing centers, purchasing bus tickets, and more. But have y...

Pancake enthusiasts, fear not! Canada avoids a global maple syrup shortage | Learn the English expression ‘tap into’ from 2021-12-13T12:00

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A weaker maple syrup harvest this year put Canada in a bit of a sticky situation. As the world leader in maple syrup production, Canada had to tap into its maple syrup reserves to avoid...

Angela Merkel’s lasting legacy in Europe | Learn the phrasal verb ‘step aside’ from 2021-12-09T12:00

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Angela Merkel has been the German chancellor since 2005. Since then, the world and Europe have endured the global financial crisis of 2008, Britain leaving the European Union, COVID-19,...

End of the Angela Merkel era for Germany | Learn the English expression ‘preside over’ from 2021-12-06T12:00

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Germany is preparing to say goodbye to Angela Merkel, its center-right Chancellor of the past sixteen years. Her upbringing and academic studies seemed to guide her approach to governin...

Portugal bans bosses texting employees after hours | Learn the English expression ‘stick to’ from 2021-12-02T12:00

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Portugal’s parliament passed a new law that gives employees a “right to rest.” In practice, this means that bosses are no longer legally permitted to text or email their employees outsi...

The end of one conglomerate era, and the beginning of another | Learn the English expression ‘at first glance’ from 2021-11-29T12:00

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Big companies like Johnson & Johnson, Toshiba, and General Electric are breaking into smaller companies. In many cases, the smaller companies focused on just one business line are value...

The five-star rating system isn’t working | Learn the English expression ‘rave about’ from 2021-11-25T12:00

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Leaving a five-star review has become customary for any experience that is excellent, good, average, or even acceptable, and anything below five-stars means terrible in the world of onl...

New COVID-19 treatment that comes in a pill bottle | Learn the English expression ‘a step forward’ from 2021-11-22T12:00

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Merck and Pfizer have developed antiviral pills that are effective at reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. Pfizer also pledged to make the pills accessible to lower-income cou...

Vertical farming is on the rise | Learn the English expression ‘take up space’ from 2021-11-18T12:00

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Vertical farming is a new way to farm that is done all indoors and – get this – doesn’t require any soil. There are many advantages to vertical farming, and the new technique has alread...

First successful pig-to-human kidney transplant | Learn the phrasal verb ‘hook up’ from 2021-11-15T12:00

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Scientists temporarily attached a pig kidney to a human, and it worked for 54 days. This has the medical world excited and optimistic about the possibilities for future animal-to-human ...

Hello, you’ve reached the Bogota Anti-Machismo Calm Line | Learn the English expression ‘root cause’ from 2021-11-11T12:00

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Bogota launched an anti-machismo “Calm Line” hotline to help men manage feelings that can lead to abuse. The pilot program launched last December, and 2,000 men have already taken advan...

The global supply chain has had better years | Learn the English expression ‘stay afloat’ from 2021-11-08T12:00

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The global supply chain has had a rough couple of years. First, of course, there was the pandemic. Then, the container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal. To top it off, there have been s...

A volcano in Spain has been erupting for a month | Learn the English expression ‘at risk of’ from 2021-11-04T11:00

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The Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma in Spain has been erupting for a month, and unfortunately, it shows no signs of stopping. The full island still has not been evacuated...

Part 2: the three-way international prisoner exchange | Learn the English expression ‘go out of your way’ from 2021-11-01T11:00

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The U.S., China, and Canada came to an agreement to release three high-profile international prisoners. Last week’s lesson #411 covered how Meng Wanzhou and two Canadians named Michael ...

Meng Wanzhou and the two Michaels finally return home | Learn the English expression ‘against your will’ from 2021-10-28T11:00

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Meng Wanzhou, Michael Spavor, and Michael Kovrig are three people that got tangled up in the American-Chinese rivalry. They all have something in common: they were detained by a foreign...

Inside Facebook going dark for six hours | Learn the phrasal verb ‘cut off’ from 2021-10-25T11:00

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Earlier this month, Facebook and its entire portfolio of apps went dark for six hours. For most people, it was a minor inconvenience to not be able to get and give likes and text friend...

An unpredictable flu season is upon us | Learn the English expression ‘come to pass’ from 2021-10-18T11:00

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Flu season was a breeze last year, largely because everyone stayed home and wore masks. But that is putting experts in a tricky and unpredictable situation this year. Some are warning t...

Updates on the Britney Spears conservatorship, Havana syndrome, and more | Learn the English expression ‘stack up’ from 2021-10-14T11:00

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This lesson reviews the latest updates on previous Plain English topics: Britney Spears’ conservatorship legal battle with her father; Havana syndrome in American diplomats; progress on...

El Salvador bets big on Bitcoin | Learn the English expression ‘stretched thin’ from 2021-10-11T11:00

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Earlier this summer, El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, announced that El Salvador would be the first country to adopt Bitcoin as a legal currency – without consulting the country’s...

COVID travel: how I traveled to five countries | Learn the English expression ‘in order’ from 2021-10-07T11:00

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Are you thinking about taking an international trip? I just got back from a vacation to five European countries. Each country had different and constantly changing COVID-related rules t...

International travel in the COVID era | Learn the English expression ‘to get back on your feet’ from 2021-10-04T11:00

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Do you need to be vaccinated, get tested, or quarantine to travel internationally? Short answer: it depends. Each country has its own set of rules that are subject to change at any time...

Disney World celebrates its golden anniversary | Learn the expression ‘come to fruition’ from 2021-09-30T11:00

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Walt Disney World, the most-visited theme park in the world, is turning 50 years old. To celebrate, the park has planned the “World’s Most Magical Celebration,” which is expected to las...

6 key ingredients to a good apology | Learn the expression ‘put your money where your mouth is’ from 2021-09-27T11:00

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We all know what a bad apology sounds and feels like, the non-apologetic apologies. It’s easy for apologies to miss the mark, so how do we craft sincere ones? Turns out, psychologists h...

4 chocolate pairings to satisfy your sweet tooth | Learn the English expression ‘hear me out’ from 2021-09-23T11:00

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If you walk down the candy aisle in a grocery store, there are endless chocolate bar options: dark, milk, white, salted, fruity, you name it. Today’s lesson reveals four professional ch...

Flip or flop? Samsung releases modern flip phone | Learn the English expression ‘hold up’ from 2021-09-20T11:00

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Flip phones were popular in the early 2000s, but Samsung wants to bring them back. They just released the Galaxy Z Flip 3, a modern flip phone with paper-thin folding glass. The glass i...

Part 2: Inside the 9-11 Museum's extensive collection | Learn the expression ‘go to great lengths’ from 2021-09-16T11:00

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The September 11 Museum has a wide-ranging collection of artifacts, including architectural remnants, recovered artifacts, and electronic media. The collection on display is powerful ye...

Part 1: September 11 Memorial and Museum honors victims | Learn the English expression ‘strike a balance’ from 2021-09-13T11:00

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Last week, lesson 397 discussed what happened on September 11, 2001. In part 1 of 2 lessons, today covers the Ground Zero Museum and Memorial in New York that was built where the Twin T...

20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks | Learn the English expression ‘wrest control’ from 2021-09-09T11:00

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September 11, 2001 is a day Americans will never forget. Americans that were alive at the time have moments that stuck with them, like where they were when it happened or bits and piece...

Streaming services are the new musical gatekeepers | Learn the English expression “light on” from 2021-09-06T11:00

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In the past, artists needed record labels and agents to promote their music and try to land radio spots. Now, with streaming services like Spotify and Deezer, artists can upload music t...

“Stillwater” movie tells a different Amanda Knox story | Learn the English expression ‘inspired by’ from 2021-09-02T11:00

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The new movie “Stillwater” stars Matt Damon and Camille Cottin. The movie is inspired by the real-life crime story about Amanda Knox, the American student who was convicted of murdering...

A Messi breakup for football star and FC Barcelona | Learn the English expression ‘bid farewell’ from 2021-08-30T11:00

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Lionel Messi is one of the greatest footballers of all time, and he’s spent his entire career thus far with FC Barcelona. He moved to Barcelona at age 13 to join the young programs asso...

Webtoons are the comics for the 21st century | Learn the English expression ‘identify with’ from 2021-08-26T11:00

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Comics and cartoon drawings date back to the 1800s. Until recently, comics were typically published in newspapers or books and tell a story over time. But now, there are Webtoons: digit...

Japan’s Olympic-sized disaster | Learn the English expression ‘back away from’ from 2021-08-23T11:00

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Japan drew the short straw with hosting the 2020-turned-2021 Olympic Games. Under pressure from the International Olympic Committee, Japan hosted the most expensive and controversial Ol...

100-year-old American food brands that are still in business | Learn the English expression ‘still around’ from 2021-08-19T11:00

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Several American food brands have been around for over a century, including a coffee brand from 1850 and a condiment that dates all the way back to 1876. Some things, and recipes, never...

Delta variant is giving Americans whiplash | Learn the English expression ‘out of the woods’ from 2021-08-16T11:00

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Several American food brands have been around for over a century, including a coffee brand from 1850 and a condiment that dates all the way back to 1876. Some things, and recipes, never...

Judge Judy is hanging up her gavel after 25 years | Learn the phrasal verb ‘abide by’ from 2021-08-12T11:00

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“Judge Judy” is an American daytime courtroom television show that’s been airing for over 25 years. The popular show attracts 10 million American viewers each weekday afternoon. Judge J...

Reasons for Covid vaccine hesitancy | Learn the English expression ‘pale in comparison’ from 2021-08-09T11:00

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The Delta variant is rapidly spreading throughout the globe, and it’s causing a higher percentage of hospitalizations and serious cases than the original strains of COVID-19. Yet, some ...

A skilled Belgian sniper was on the loose for 35 days | Learn the English expression ‘swept up in’ from 2021-08-05T10:00

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Jürgen Conings was a Belgian soldier that stole military weapons and set off a massive 35-day manhunt in May. He was apparently radicalized by far-right online conspiracy theories. Coni...

Richard Branson wins the billionaire space race | Learn the English expression ‘on the way’ from 2021-08-02T11:00

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On July 11, Richard Branson traveled aboard his own Virgin Galactic rocket ship on the first private flight to space. He beat out his billionaire rivals: Jeff Bezos of Blue Origin and E...

Is virtual learning for schoolchildren here to stay? | Learn the phrasal verb ‘space out’ from 2021-07-29T11:00

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For at least 100 years, kids have been learning in schools in the same format: a teacher and a class full of students with little technology. Then, Covid abruptly forced teachers and sc...

China's Communist Party celebrates its 100th birthday | Learn the English expression ‘take place’ from 2021-07-26T11:00

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China’s Communist Party celebrated 100 years in power this month. From its humble beginnings in a house in Shanghai, to strict control over more than a billion people, this lesson walks...

New York City is experimenting with a new way to vote | Learn the phrasal verb ‘square off’ from 2021-07-22T11:00

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New York City is experimenting with ranked-choice voting, where you rank the candidates in order of your preference. Countries like Australia and Ireland have been doing this for a cent...

Condo building tragically collapsed in Surfside, Florida | Learn the phrasal verb ‘act on’ from 2021-07-19T11:00

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A fully occupied condominium building in Surfside, Florida tragically collapsed in the middle of the night. Rescue efforts ran into several complications, and many people are still unac...

Inside the #FreeBritney movement | Learn the English expression ‘raise awareness’ from 2021-07-15T11:00

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When Britney Spears was 26, she had just gone through a series of personal meltdowns. As a result, her father was legally appointed as her financial and personal conservator, meaning he...

Tiny semiconductor chips are causing big supply chain problems | Learn the English expression ‘cutting edge’ from 2021-07-12T11:00

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The world is facing a semiconductor shortage. Semiconductor microchips are in everything nowadays: from laptops, to cars, and even some toothbrushes. Demand for these tiny chips was alr...

Law&Order adds a new spinoff series to the franchise | Learn the phrasal verb ‘land on’ from 2021-07-08T11:00

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This spring, Law & Order introduced its latest installment in the franchise: “Law & Order: Organized Crime.” One of the Law & Order series is the longest-running live-action drama in Am...

Gen Z has spoken and skinny jeans are out | Learn the phrasal verb to ‘break out’ from 2021-07-05T11:00

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After a year of pandemic life and working from home in comfortable pants, Gen Z has declared that skinny jeans should be gone for good. Some millennials are rejoicing about ditching the...

The great gig economy debate | Learn the English expression ‘middle ground’ from 2021-07-01T11:00

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The gig economy – the future of work – is here, and consumers love it. We can get a ride, order food, or even have our dogs walked with the tap of an app. But the gig economy relies on ...

New giant dinosaur discovered in Australia | Learn the English expression ‘named after’ from 2021-06-28T11:00

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A new dinosaur was discovered in Australia, named the “Australotitan cooperensis,” or “Cooper” for short. The dinosaur was enormous, even for dinosaur standards. It was two stories tall...

Swipe left on these dating app scams | Learn the English expression ‘raise a red flag’ from 2021-06-21T11:00

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Tourism was put on hold for 2020. As the world recovers from the pandemic-induced recession, cooped-up consumers are ready to spend money on travel again. But the global hospitality ind...

Long Covid: the lingering mystery after the disease | Learn the English expression ‘for a living’ from 2021-06-17T11:00

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“Long Covid” refers to the approximately ten percent of Covid sufferers whose symptoms do not go away within a few weeks. For some, the lingering effects of the disease has impacted eve...

Belarus hijacked plane to seize opposition journalist | Learn the phrasal verb ‘cover up’ from 2021-06-14T11:00

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A Ryanair flight from Greece bound for Lithuania was hijacked by the government of Belarus. The flight received a message that there was a bomb threat against the plane, so it had to be...

Chile is hitting refresh on its 1980 constitution | Learn the English expression ‘hold out hope’ from 2021-06-10T11:00

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The current Chilean constitution is a controversial document, and many people don’t consider it legitimate. The group in charge of drafting the new constitution hopes to address long-he...

Why does America still write checks? | Learn the English expression ‘reverse course’ from 2021-06-07T11:00

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Check-writing is a low-tech, burdensome, and time-consuming form of payment. Some countries, like China, South Korea, and Japan, completely skipped personal checks and went straight fro...

How ransomware hackers shut down a critical U.S. gasoline pipeline | Learn the phrasal verb ‘lock out’ from 2021-06-03T11:00

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Every 11 seconds, a company is a victim of a ransomware attack. Often, companies discreetly pay the ransom to avoid embarrassment. But recently, a ransomware attack unintentionally shut...

China’s recent census reveals slowing growth | Learn the phrasal verb ‘make up’ from 2021-05-31T11:00

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China is the world’s most populous country, and according to the recent 2020 census, China now has 1.41 billion people. But over the last ten years, China only added 72 million people –...

The high cost of cognitive switching | Learn the phrasal verb ‘leave off’ from 2021-05-27T11:00

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What is cognitive switching? It’s when you switch your attention from one task, or one type of task, to another. Cognitive switching could be robbing you of up to 40 percent of your dai...

A preventable tragedy in Mexico City | Learn the English expression ‘in charge of’ from 2021-05-24T11:00

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A metro overpass collapsed in Mexico City as a train was traveling over it. Before the deadly accident, it was obvious there were structural problems with the line. There were cracks in...

Updates on justice for George Floyd, Tokyo Olympics, WeWork, and more | Learn the English expression ‘hold firm’ from 2021-05-20T11:00

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This lesson reviews the latest news on previous Plain English topics: justice for George Floyd in the Derek Chauvin case; Volkswagen’s all-electric passenger van is coming soon; Tokyo i...

The rise of Brood X, the 17-year cicadas | Learn the phrasal verb to ‘live on’ from 2021-05-17T11:00

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Cicadas are one of nature’s strangest mysteries. Trillions of insects live underground for 17 years and all emerge at the same time for a few weeks, mate, and die shortly after. Then, t...

Inside the Super League’s quick demise | Learn the expression ‘at the mercy of’ from 2021-05-13T11:00

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European soccer fans erupted in protests across the continent after the Super League announcement on April 12, and it didn’t take long for teams to start backing out of the league. This...

European Super League ends up being a super flop | Learn the phrasal verb ‘shell out’ from 2021-05-10T11:00

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On April 12, twelve of Europe’s most elite soccer clubs announced they would withdraw from the UEFA Champions League and form their own “Super League.” They promised excitement and dram...

The work from home tech wish list | Learn the phrasal verb ‘filter out’ from 2021-05-06T11:00

With more than a year of work from home experience under our belts, we have some specific ideas to upgrade work from home tools and technology. We’re ready for video calls to be less awkward and...

The first green jacket for golf-crazy Japan | Learn the English expression ‘let loose’ from 2021-05-03T11:00

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In an exciting final day of competition, Hideki Matsuyama held off last-minute comeback attempts from two challengers to win the 85th Masters golf tournament. His win made him the first...

The great remote work debate of 2021 | Learn the English expression ‘hand-in-hand’ from 2021-04-29T11:00

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40 percent of Americans were able to work remotely during the worst parts of the pandemic. Some of those people are still fully working from home, some are part-time at home and part-ti...

The significance of closed borders for US-Canada border towns | Learn the English expression ‘closely-knit’ from 2021-04-26T11:00

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Many American and Canadian border towns operate as one big town. The border is simply an invisible boundary that residents cross several times each day. But during the pandemic, the bor...

Your COVID vaccine questions, answered | Learn the English expression ‘a feature, not a bug’ from 2021-04-22T11:00

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Which vaccine should I get? How many doses do I need? Will there be side effects? Allergic reactions? What about protection from all of the new variants? As the world launches its vacci...

The rise of digital nomad visas to attract remote workers | Learn the English expression ‘get around’ from 2021-04-19T11:00

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How would you like to work from the beaches of Barbados? Or perhaps you’d rather experience the shopping and architecture of Dubai? A growing list of countries are now offering extended...

The last Blockbuster Video store | Learn the expression ‘at its peak’ from 2021-04-15T11:00

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In the early 2000s, Blockbuster Video was a thriving business. It had 9000 locations in 14 countries around the world. But their dominance in the video rental market did not last foreve...

An epic traffic jam in the Suez Canal | Learn the English expression “back up” from 2021-04-12T11:00

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In March, a massive cargo ship called the Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal for six days. The canal is one of the most important routes in global trade, and just six days without i...

Volvo is going fully electric by 2030 | Learn the expression ‘stay on top of’ from 2021-04-08T11:00

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Volvo’s recent announcement to be fully electric by 2030 and move sales online is a huge stray from the car dealership model, which has been around almost as long as cars have. The age-...

What in the (cyber) world are NFT’s? | Learn the English expression ‘bragging rights’ from 2021-04-05T11:00

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Non-fungible tokens, or NFT’s, are the latest craze in the online world. NFT’s offer a way for digital artists to sell their artwork, and recently, a digital piece sold for a record $69...

Why you should question vaccine passports | Learn the expression ‘weight on your shoulders’ from 2021-04-01T11:00

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Vaccine passport: the idea that once you get a vaccine, you can use a smartphone app to prove you’re vaccinated and have access to some pre-COVID activities. This sounds great – in theo...

Could more remote work opportunities benefit organizational neurodiversity? | Learn the English expression ‘catch-all’ from 2021-03-29T11:00

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Before the pandemic, there were many companies that were resistant to offering employees flexibility to work from home. A lot has changed over the past year, and companies are increasin...

Duty-free shops had a rough 2020 | Learn the English expression ‘add up’ from 2021-03-25T11:00

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Duty-free shopping is a strange loophole in the retail industry. You can buy expensive, luxury items without paying the usual hefty taxes, but only international travelers can take adva...

Sports betting is coming to America | Learn the expression ‘stay out of it’ from 2021-03-22T11:00

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For years, sports betting was illegal in most of the United States. But in 2018, a Supreme Court ruling opened the door for individual states to legalize sports gambling. Things are ram...

‘Nomadland’ turned real people into unlikely movie stars | Learn the English expression ‘make ends meet’ from 2021-03-18T23:00

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The ‘Nomadland’ cast only had two professional actors, and the rest were people that actually live the nomad life in America. The unconventional cast helped portray the real-life commun...

‘Nomadland’ explores a house-less life on the road | Learn the phrasal verb ‘run into’ from 2021-03-15T11:00

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Chloé Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ explores the reality of nomad life in America through the lens of a widow forced into life on the road. It takes you through an exciting and mysterious plot and...

Serrana, Brazil is hoping to unravel a coronavirus mystery | Learn the expression ‘get in on the action’ from 2021-03-08T12:00

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The sleepy town of Serrana, Brazil was selected as the site for an important vaccine experiment. We know that coronavirus vaccines are effective at preventing symptoms, deaths, and seri...

Serrana, Brazil is hoping to unravel a coronavirus mystery | Learn the expression ‘get in on the action’ from 2021-03-08T12:00

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The sleepy town of Serrana, Brazil was selected as the site for an important vaccine experiment. We know that coronavirus vaccines are effective at preventing symptoms, deaths, and seri...

Bezos is retiring from Amazon, sort of | Learn the English expression ‘step back from’ from 2021-03-04T18:00

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Jeff Bezos founded Amazon from his Seattle home in 1994. Since then, Bezos has built Amazon into the world’s largest online retailer. Twenty-seven years and billions of dollars later, B...

TV shows are already weaving in COVID-19 storylines | Learn the expression ‘skirt the issue’ from 2021-03-01T12:00

It was only a matter of time before the pandemic made its way into pop culture, and some TV shows have already started airing COVID-19 inspired storylines. But is it too soon? This lesson evalua...

America’s beloved regional chain restaurants | Learn the expression to ‘go well with’ from 2021-02-25T12:00

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Everyone knows about the mega American fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s. But America’s regional chain restaurants are some of the most loved. Several of these ...

Australian cane toads evolving at rapid speed | Learn the phrasal verb ‘pick up’ from 2021-02-22T12:00

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Normally, species evolve or thousands, or even millions, of generations. Evolution occurs far too slowly for humans to observe it happening in our relatively short lifetimes. But one sp...

Tips for communicating while masking up | Learn the phrasal verb ‘get away with’ from 2021-02-18T12:00

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Many people around the world are now accustomed to wearing face masks daily, but an unexpected side effect of this new norm is difficulty communicating. Not only do face masks make it h...

The GameStop stock frenzy | Learn the expression ‘run for cover’ from 2021-02-15T12:00

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To start off 2021, GameStop's stock was sitting at about $18 per share. Investors thought it was a dying business. But by the end of the month – and in a matter of just a few days – the...

Tribute to TV legend Larry King | Learn the English expression ‘partial to’ from 2021-02-11T12:00

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Larry King, who interviewed countless celebrities, politicians, and anyone else with a story to tell, passed away at the age of 87 last month. He hosted the highest-rated cable televisi...

Man lived at Chicago airport for 3 months | Learn the expression ‘rely on’ from 2021-02-08T12:00

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A 36-year-old man lived in the Chicago-O’Hare airport for nearly three months before anyone noticed. Back in October, Mr. Singh was reportedly on his way home to India via a connection ...

The ins and outs of left-handedness | Learn the English expression ‘cater to’ from 2021-02-04T12:00

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Since just 10 percent of the human population is left-handed, the world is designed for the 90 percent right-handed majority. Everything from using a scissors to computer design to swip...

Tab: the rise and fall of Coca-Cola’s first diet soda | Learn the phrasal verb ‘turn to’ from 2021-02-01T12:00

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Coca-Cola has officially retired Tab, its first diet soda, in an effort to trim its portfolio. Tab was originally intended for diabetics, but the soda took off amongst dieters seeking a...

An all-new PlainEnglish.com is here! from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Today's the big day! We have released an all-new PlainEnglish.com! Explore the best features, including our new Libraries, exercises, and online community.

Boeing’s 737-MAX is flying the skies again | Learn the English expression ‘in the eyes of’ from 2021-01-28T12:00

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After a couple deadly crashes grounded Boeing’s 737-MAX two years ago, the aircraft has finally been approved for takeoff again. All eyes have been on Boeing and its fuel-efficient 737-...

A rocky start for the vaccine rollout | Learn the expression ‘make arrangements’ from 2021-01-25T12:00

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The biggest vaccination effort in world history is underway. But with that, of course, comes a host of problems, and vaccinations haven’t even begun in the developing world yet. Progres...

Starbucks new expansion plans are brewing | Learn the phrasal verb ‘shake up’ from 2021-01-21T12:00

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Starbucks is accelerating its plans to open more small format locations, adding more contactless ordering and pickup-only options. Fueled by changing consumer preferences – and likely p...

Wikipedia turns 20 years old | Learn the English expression ‘over the years’ from 2021-01-18T12:00

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Wikipedia’s first official edit was on January 15, 2001, and since then, the nonprofit has built the largest collection of crowdsourced knowledge in the world. But Wikipedia as we know ...

A new appreciation for the television show “The Office” | Learn the English expression ‘put on a brave face’ from 2021-01-14T12:00

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Remember how we used to go to this place every weekday and spend the whole entire day with a roomful of people? Today, we’re taking a nostalgic look back on the television show “The Off...

Hollywood’s theatrical window is closing | Learn the English phrase ‘cash in on’ from 2021-01-11T12:00

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Not surprisingly, theater revenue was down 70 percent in 2020, and the pandemic boosted an already-accelerating trend toward streaming movie releases. But with the end of the pandemic (...

Cruisin’ in Kruger: A South African safari destination | Learn the phrasal verb ‘blend in’ from 2021-01-07T12:00

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South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the world’s top safari destinations. Its vast area – nearly two million hectares – has extraordinary natural features and is one of the bes...

How secure are your passwords, really? | Learn the English expression ‘a breeze’ from 2021-01-04T12:00

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You know what’s the worst? Remembering passwords. But you know what else is the worst? Getting your account hacked or a big security breach. 2021 should be the year for improving your p...

Five predictions for 2021 | Learn the English expression ‘for good’ from 2020-12-31T12:00

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2020 was a guessing game. We never knew what the next month was going to throw at us. Hopefully, 2021 will be a little more predictable. Today’s lesson ponders five questions for 2021: ...

What a wild ride: 2020 in review | Learn the English expression ‘arms race’ from 2020-12-28T12:00

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It’s hard to believe that we started the year with Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex stepping back from their royal duties and mourning Kobe Bryant. January through March of 2020 –...

2020’s latest curveball: mysterious monolith sculptures | Learn the English expression ‘without a trace’ from 2020-12-24T12:00

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Just when you thought things were getting really weird… Mysterious monolith sculptures have been popping up in random locations around the globe. It’s unclear who is behind the statues,...

The arduous journey of the COVID vaccine | Learn the English expression ‘known for’ from 2020-12-21T12:00

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Less than a year after the first case of COVID-19, the vaccine rollout has officially begun. But distribution won’t be easy. From extreme temperature requirements to the vaccine’s compl...

Remembering Argentinian soccer superstar Diego Maradona | Learn the phrasal verb ‘catch up with’ from 2020-12-17T12:00

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Diego Maradona is widely considered one of soccer’s all-time greatest players. He broke many records and played a key role in Argentinian teams that won World Cups. But he was also all ...

Beethoven’s 250th birthday has gone virtual | Learn the phrasal verb ‘burn through’ from 2020-12-14T12:00

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This week we are celebrating one of the greatest composers of all time. It’s Beethoven’s 250th birthday week, but it’s not at all how the classical music world originally planned it. No...

Rewind: Cyber Monday circa the 2000s | Learn the phrasal verb ‘back up’ from 2020-12-10T12:00

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Cyber Monday has become a worldwide phenomenon where people shop online deals from the end of October through the New Year. But Cyber Monday deals haven’t always lasted for weeks. We’re...

The evolution of Black Friday | Learn the expression ‘for better or for worse’ from 2020-12-07T12:00

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Black Friday used to be a fun family tradition for when families got together for the long Thanksgiving weekend. But over the years, American consumerism has driven Black Friday from a ...

Water on the Moon | Learn the expression ‘cut down on’ from 2020-12-03T18:00

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NASA scientists have discovered water on the dark side of the Moon. Until recently, researchers had only confirmed water in the sunlit portions. The implications of this discovery are e...

The Trump presidency report card | Learn the phrasal verb ‘figure in’ from 2020-11-30T12:00

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In 2016, Trump campaigned on radical slogans and ideas, like building a wall along the Mexican border and “draining the swamp.” But – tweets and drama aside – when you consider the Trum...

A COVID vaccine breakthrough | Learn the English expression ‘in sight’ from 2020-11-26T12:00

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Finally, some encouraging news in 2020. Pfizer, the global pharmaceutical company, announced that their COVID vaccine candidate was more than 90% effective in advanced trials. Several c...

Joe Biden’s winning strategy: opposites attract | Learn the expression ‘make or break’ from 2020-11-23T12:00

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Just like everything else in 2020, the American presidential campaign season was far from normal. President Trump’s campaign tried to carry on with business as close to usual as possibl...

The new way to buy a used car | Learn the expression ‘nook and cranny’ from 2020-11-19T12:00

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Last week, we talked about how much of a hassle it is to buy a used car. In this lesson, several companies around the world are revolutionizing the used car buying process. They’re tryi...

Biden topples Trump to become 46th American president | Learn the English expression ‘tread carefully’ from 2020-11-16T12:00

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Election week in the United States was a bit messier than usual, but after several days of vote counting, Joe Biden was finally elected as the next American president. After a tumultuou...

Why buying a used car is so unpleasant | Learn the English expression ‘peace of mind’ from 2020-11-12T12:00

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Buying a car, especially a used car, is one of the worst consumer shopping experiences. The buyer is at a disadvantage, and the seller is in the driver’s seat, so to speak. But with suc...

The second wave of COVID-19 is officially here | Learn the expression ‘balancing act’ from 2020-11-09T12:30

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The second wave of COVID-19 is officially here. Across Europe, new lockdown orders are being put in place as countries are seeing a sudden spike in cases. Will it be any easier the seco...

Five things you can do with fall’s favorite fruit: part 1 | Learn the phrasal verb ‘stick with’ from 2020-11-02T12:00

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Pumpkins are a staple in American fall traditions, activities, and recipes. In the first of our two lesson on pumpkins, we’re talking about two things you can do with fall’s favorite fr...

Five things you can do with fall’s favorite fruit: part 1 | Learn the phrasal verb ‘stick with’ from 2020-11-02T12:00

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Pumpkins are a staple in American fall traditions, activities, and recipes. In the first of our two lesson on pumpkins, we’re talking about two things you can do with fall’s favorite fr...

Foods you should never order for delivery | Learn the English expression ‘hit or miss’ from 2020-10-29T11:00

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The pandemic has made food delivery more popular than ever. We’re sharing the inside scoop on the foods and factors that are ideal for delivery – and those that aren’t. Hopefully, you’l...

Rafael Nadal is officially the King of Clay | Learn the English expression ‘wreak havoc’ from 2020-10-26T11:00

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Rafael Nadal won the twentieth Grand Slam title of his career at the French Open, tying Roger Federer’s record. Like usual, the tennis tournament was played on Paris’s famous red clay c...

The brilliant colors and business of fall foliage | Learn the phrasal verb ‘roll around’ from 2020-10-22T11:00

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At this point, people are taking any excuse to pack their bags and head out of cities, and right now is prime time for fall foliage and “foliage tourism” across North America. Some plac...

Uruguay is open for business (and new residents!) | Learn the English expression ‘fed up’ from 2020-10-19T11:00

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Uruguay might be the only country in the world that is currently welcoming foreigners with open arms. The tiny country of 3.5 million is trying to attract 200,000 new residents. For wha...

The multiplying danger of junk in space | Learn what a ‘close call’ is from 2020-10-15T11:00

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Did you know there are hundreds of thousands of man-made objects circling our planet? The objects are also multiplying: they collide into each other and split into smaller pieces. Scien...

The world’s largest annual party has been canceled | Learn the expression ‘keep your options open’ from 2020-10-12T11:00

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It’s all fun and games until all the fun and games are canceled. In the latest in pandemic-related cancelations, Rio’s carnival parade has been postponed indefinitely. Vendors that rely...

Update: Alexei Navalny, scooters, sports, drinks, and the vaccine | Learn the phrasal verb to ‘break down’ from 2020-10-08T11:00

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Today, we are revisiting five previous episode topics: Alexei Navalny was poisoned; e-scooters and micromobility are making a comeback in the pandemic era; a new zero-alcohol drink was ...

JR's Top 5 Lessons in Plain English history from 2020-10-06T11:00

JR shares with you his Top 5 favorite lessons. Plus: a special message from Plain English listeners.

Links to JR's favorite lessons:

Lesson #...

Live music as we know it could be over | Learn the English expression ‘weather the storm’ from 2020-10-05T11:00

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The live music industry is in trouble. Their business model isn’t exactly pandemic-friendly: they rely on packing as many people into a small indoor space as possible. Live music venues...

A new era of pet ownership | Learn the English expression ‘stepping stone’ from 2020-10-01T11:00

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Pets are known to provide emotional support and reduce anxiety in times of stress – like during a pandemic – so it’s no wonder pet ownership is booming in 2020. But even before the pand...

What is fueling Trump’s re-election campaign | Learn the English expression ‘take credit for’ from 2020-09-28T11:00

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It might seem puzzling to people outside of the US – who have astonishingly low approval ratings for Trump – that so many Americans will still vote for Trump in November. But if you con...

Four companies winning the pandemic | Learn the English expression ‘come to the rescue’ from 2020-09-24T11:00

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COVID-19 has undoubtedly taken a huge economic hit on businesses across the world. But even in the bleak economy, new pandemic spending patterns have given some companies huge boosts. T...

Joe Biden leading polls as American election heats up | Learn the expression ‘off the cuff’ from 2020-09-21T11:00

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The United States is six weeks out from its presidential election, and polls show Biden with a comfortable, but slimming lead over the sitting president. Biden has been criticized for h...

The current state of hotels during the pandemic era | Learn the English expression ‘go by’ from 2020-09-17T11:00

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To the hospitality industry’s delight, many Americans are slowly returning to travel. But people are discovering that travel isn’t the same in the pandemic era. Hotels have cut back on ...

Yellowstone National Park is alive with wildlife, geysers, and tourists | Learn the English phrase ‘pull over’ from 2020-09-14T11:00

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Yellowstone National Park draws in millions of tourists every year with its beautiful landscapes, boiling mud, and the many animals that roam there. With more than 10,000 hydrothermal f...

5 expert tips for better sleep | Learn the English phrase ‘swing it’ from 2020-09-10T11:00

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In episode 292, we discussed why sleep boosts brain function. Today, we’re discussing five expert tips for improving your sleep habits based off sleep scientist Matthew Walker’s book “W...

Why sleep is the best performance enhancer for your brain | Learn the English expression ‘treat yourself’ from 2020-09-07T11:00

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We all know that sleep helps us beat the feeling of fatigue, but there’s so much more to sleep than just that. It is one of the most powerful – and underrated – performance enhancers fo...

Remembering television’s great Regis Philbin | Learn the phrasal verb ‘go on to’ from 2020-09-03T11:00

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After a life in front of the cameras, the iconic TV show personality and talk show host, Regis Philbin, died at age 88. He will forever be remembered for his hit daytime talk show on AB...

Japan’s new public restrooms with see-through walls | Learn the phrasal verb ‘make out’ from 2020-08-31T11:00

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Tokyo just unveiled the latest innovation in public restrooms: toilets with transparent walls. To be clear: the walls are transparent when empty, but after a person enters and engages t...

Where in the world is Spain’s ex-king Juan Carlos? | Learn the English expression ‘come to light’ from 2020-08-27T11:00

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Spain’s ex-king Juan Carlos has fled Spain, adding to his string of scandals that have surfaced since 2012. Very few people know where he fled to. But we do know that since he isn’t kin...

Can UV light kill COVID-19? | Learn the English expression ‘at once’ from 2020-08-24T11:00

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Ultraviolet light has been used to disinfect hospitals for about 10 years. Scientists are now testing whether this “disinfecting light” can help contain the spread of COVID-19 in public...

Mysterious seeds appearing in mailboxes around the world | Learn the phrasal verb ‘turn in’ from 2020-08-20T11:00

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In 2020’s latest curveball, mysterious seed packages are showing up in mailboxes around the world. The US Department of Agriculture has been investigating the seeds to determine if they...

Beirut blasts and the unexplained explosive material | Learn the phrasal verb ‘pass through’ from 2020-08-17T11:00

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Two explosions erupted at the Port of Beirut on August 4: one small, followed by a much larger one that shook the city with the force of a 3.3-magnitude earthquake. The explosions kille...

Discovery in Mexico challenges theory of first humans in Americas | Learn the English expression ‘piece together’ from 2020-08-13T11:00

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Mexico is rich with archaeological gems, but one recent discovery in a cave in central Mexico is challenging the history of humans in the Americas. The research team found thousands of ...

COVID-19 vaccine race is heating up | Learn the phrasal verb ‘line up’ from 2020-08-10T11:00

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There are currently 165 COVID-19 vaccines being tested around the world. Testing new vaccines is usually a long, multi-phase process, but six vaccines are already in phase III of trials...

Seven Panama students killed on hike | Learn the phrasal verb ‘rule out’ from 2020-08-06T11:00

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On July 17, 13 Panamanian students went for a hike together, but only six returned alive. The six survivors confirmed that two gunmen attacked the group. Panama’s police arrested one pe...

Hong Kong security law is worse than anyone imagined | Learn the English expression ‘safe haven’ from 2020-08-03T11:00

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People are getting arrested. Books are being removed from libraries. Residents and shop owners are tearing down posters and artwork. And international companies are closing down their H...

Hagia Sophia controversially converted from museum to mosque | Learn the English expression ‘a tiny sliver’ from 2020-07-30T11:00

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For the second time in its history, Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, a prized, architectural jewel, will be converted into a mosque. Turkey’s conservative supporters welcomed the change. Other ...

Retail apocalypse 2.0: malls converted into e-commerce warehouses | Learn the phrasal verb ‘spread out’ from 2020-07-27T11:00

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While brick and mortar retail struggles through the pandemic, online shopping is surging. E-commerce giants are buying warehouses like they’re hotcakes, and there’s a new push to move f...

Can malls and hotels survive the pandemic? | Learn the phrasal verb ‘to make up for’ from 2020-07-23T11:00

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Hospitality and retail are two of the hardest-hit industries by the pandemic. Travel will eventually come back, but will it be back soon enough to rescue hotels? Malls were already stru...

Egypt and Ethiopia in troubled waters over Nile dam dispute | Learn the English expression ‘sit well’ from 2020-07-20T11:00

Ethiopia plans to fill an enormous reservoir, but Egypt is worried it will threaten its main water supply | Learn the English expression ‘sit well’

'Better Call Saul': A prequel as good as the original | Learn the English expression ‘live in someone’s shadow’ from 2020-07-16T11:00

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It is almost a fact that a movie’s sequel can never be better than the original. But fans and critics alike agree that Vince Gilligan’s prequel “Better Call Saul” rivals the original TV...

Covid month seven: updates from around the world | Learn the English term ‘downplay’ from 2020-07-13T11:00

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As we enter month seven of the coronavirus’ existence, the world is in an awkward position. Europe is opening its borders, but only to an exclusive list of countries. The US is cracking...

The Segway scooter is no more | Learn what it means to be a ‘flop’ from 2020-07-09T11:00

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The Segway scooter was supposed to revolutionize personal transportation. But after its highly hyped launch in 2001, the scooter has struggled to find a market. People don’t find it as ...

Illegal fireworks displays lighting up the US | Learn the English expression ‘in a bind’ from 2020-07-06T11:00

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Fireworks have long been a summer tradition for Americans. But with many official fireworks displays cancelled this summer, Americans have turned to setting off their own fireworks – an...

The era of private space travel is upon us | Learn the English expression ‘dry spell’ from 2020-07-02T11:00

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For the first time ever, a private company – Space X – sent an astronaut into space. As people are getting more comfortable with the idea of private companies venturing into space, they...

Thousands of crew members are stranded at sea | Learn the English expression ‘grind to a halt’ from 2020-06-29T11:00

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After months at sea, an estimated 200,000 crew members’ contracts are ending. But these seafarers are unable to step foot on land due to quarantine rules, much less return home to see t...

Edward Hopper’s isolationist paintings resonating in social distancing era | Learn the expression ‘on the outskirts’ from 2020-06-25T11:00

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Edward Hopper was...

China proposes controversial Hong Kong security law | Learn the English expression ‘stacked against’ from 2020-06-22T11:00

** YOUR LAST CHANCE ** to join Plain English Plus+ as a Founding Member and pay the lowest price ever! PlainEnglish.com/Plus

As part of the ag...

Will university campuses be empty this fall? | Learn the English expression ‘holding pattern’ from 2020-06-18T11:00

Universities are in a uniquely difficult position preparing for classes after the pandemic. Some institutions have already announced that they will have a virtual fall semester, while others are...

Police responding to protesters’ demands for reform | Learn the English expression ‘set in motion’ from 2020-06-15T11:00

As protests enter their third week in the US, police departments are beginning to respond to protesters’ calls for action. Protesters have seen signs of hope along the way: police chiefs joining...

George Floyd’s death sparks protests across the world | Learn the phrasal verb ‘call for’ from 2020-06-11T11:00

Eight minutes and 46 seconds: the amount of time George Floyd was pinned down by a white police officer in Minneapolis, ultimately leading to his death. This was not an isolated incident of poli...

Fans are eager to have live sports back, but it will be a while before they will be able to sit in the stands. Plus, learn ‘drown out.’ from 2020-06-08T11:00

Sports leagues are navigating their returns under coronavirus restrictions, budget cuts, and without fans for the foreseeable future. Some leagues had just a few games left in their seasons, but...

Funerals in the age of COVID-19 | Learn the English expression ‘all walks of life’ from 2020-06-04T11:00

The United States has just passed a grim milestone: 100,000 deaths officially attributed to COVID-19. The death care industry is completely overwhelmed, and mourning family and friends have few ...

Summer of the RV | Learn the phrasal verb ‘stock up’ from 2020-06-01T11:00

RVs might just be the perfect way for a family to travel and vacation in 2020. Think about it: they’re social distancing approved because you don’t have to get on a plane or stay in a hotel. The...

Rare wild horse species thriving in radioactive Chernobyl | Learn the English expression 'fend for yourself' from 2020-05-28T11:00

The Chernobyl accident – the worst nuclear accident in history – left the surrounding land permanently scarred for what scientists thought would be 20,000 years. But now, just three decades late...

Pandemic unleashing a wave of loneliness | Learn the English expression ‘set in’ from 2020-05-25T11:00

Whether you’re at-home quarantined with your family, alone in your apartment, or just seeing the same small group of people at work from six feet away, everyone is likely seeing fewer people tha...

South Korean pop culture is having a moment | Learn the English expression ‘spring into action’ from 2020-05-21T11:00

South Korean pop culture is booming: from K-pop bands like BTS, to award-winning movies like Parasite, to innovative K-beauty brands that use snail extract (yes, for real) – the world can’t get ...

Who are the world’s hottest new celebrities? Scientists | Learn the English expression ‘rise to the occasion’ from 2020-05-18T11:00

Coronavirus scientists are experiencing newfound fame across the globe, as virologists and epidemiologists are now the national faces of the crisis and relied on for the latest information and g...

Reopening the world: first steps | Learn the phrasal verb ‘die out’ from 2020-05-14T11:00

After weeks of shutdown, countries are preparing to reopen. Restaurant servers will have to wear masks, shops will have stricter capacity limits, and you still won’t be able to party at nightclu...

Where in the world was Kim Jong-un? | Learn the phrasal verb ‘pore over’ from 2020-05-11T11:00

Kim Jong-un went weeks without public appearances, and the world is still wondering what he was up to. There is widespread speculation, including that he underwent heart surgery, was in COVID-19...

Netflix is winning quarantine | Learn the phrasal verb "pull back on" from 2020-05-08T11:00

The cameras stopped rolling a while ago, and the TV industry is struggling to fill their lineups at a time when more eyeballs are glued to TVs than ever. Networks are filling prime time slots wi...

Why Zoom video calls are so exhausting | Learn the phrasal verb “come through” from 2020-05-04T11:00

We’re not commuting to work, not busy running from place to place, and definitely not breaking any Fitbit step records. So why are we feeling so tired every afternoon? Experts say Zoom fatigue i...

The post-pandemic workplace | Learn the English expression “big picture” from 2020-04-30T11:00

Working from home is the name of the game for most people still able to work right now. Many companies that were reluctant to provide work-from-home flexibility to their employees before the pan...

How to stop procrastinating and start doing | Learn the English expression “on your plate” from 2020-04-27T11:00

For most people, procrastination is an occasional problem. But for about twenty percent of us, it’s more than that: it’s something more serious. In the second half of our two-part lesson on proc...

Why do we procrastinate? | Learn the English expression "buckle down" from 2020-04-23T11:00

We have something important to discuss today. It might even change your life. But first, when is the last time you cleaned your bathroom? Or went through your email inbox? Do you ever find yours...

Wuhan lockdown restrictions lifted | Learn the English expression "pent up" from 2020-04-20T11:00

After 76 days in lockdown, the Chinese government is beginning to lift restrictions in Wuhan. People are returning to work, factories and public transportation have started up again, and travele...

Updates on Notre-Dame, Mt. Everest, NYC Subway and more | Learn the English expression "under way" from 2020-04-16T11:00

Today, we review the latest news on six previous topics: a public spat over the Notre-Dame restorations; Mt. Everest is strengthening safety measures; NYC Subway is getting a bit more high-tech;...

Tokyo's Olympic ambitions are frozen in time | Learn the phrasal verb “call off” from 2020-04-13T11:00

#Tokyo2020 will now officially start in 2021. The Olympics are a big deal for any host nation, but Japan in particular invested more money, more hope, and more civic pride into these Olympics th...

What’s the COVID-19 end game? | Learn the English phrase “stuck with” from 2020-04-09T11:00

We are only a couple weeks into social distancing, self-quarantining, and trying to flatten the curve, and people are already antsy to get back to normal life. With a COVID-19 vaccine still over...

Developing world on the brink of coronavirus impact | Learn the English expression “by and large” from 2020-04-06T11:00

If you thought the coronavirus was bad in the rich world, it could be many, many times worse in the developing world. Flattening the curve will be a much greater challenge in areas without runni...

Guyana is bracing for an oil boom | Learn the English phrase “on par with” from 2020-04-02T11:00

There’s a new oil producer on the block. Guyana, a tiny nation of less than a million people, and the third-poorest nation in South America, just discovered oil reserves off its coast. Guyana is...

How to stay sane in quarantine | Learn the English expression “for the time being” from 2020-03-30T11:00

Millions of people worldwide are adjusting to life under quarantine. While everyone’s day-to-day might look different depending on where you are in the world, we’re sharing some universal tips f...

Coronavirus pandemic halts entertainment industry | Learn the phrasal verb "come into contact" from 2020-03-26T11:00

Stadiums are empty. Sports channels have no events to cover. Cruise ships are docked. Broadway is dark. Movie sets are quiet. The entertainment industry came to a halt to help slow the spread of...

Italy starts life under lockdown to slow coronavirus | Learn the English phrase “out and about” from 2020-03-23T11:00

Italy is the first nation to impose a nationwide quarantine in an attempt to contain the coronavirus. The Italian government imposed serious constraints, including restricted travel, social guid...

Pablo Escobar’s former hippo herd is threatening Colombia | Learn the English phrase “to give rise to" from 2020-03-19T22:17:52

In the 1980s, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar imported four hippos from Africa for his private zoo. After Escobar’s death, the hippos were too big and expensive to move and were left to roam a...

America’s former vice president is back from the dead | Learn the phrasal verb 'write off' from 2020-03-16T11:00

After a disastrous start to the Democratic primaries, former vice president, Joe Biden, completed one of the most dramatic political turnarounds in recent memory. It’s now a two-man race with Se...

Swarms of locusts endanger East Africa's food supply | Learn the English phrase 'know-how' from 2020-03-12T11:00

In today's episode, we review the latest news on five previous topics: Hong Kong, the yellow vest protesters, Alex Trebek, Boeing, and Trump's challengers.

Should governments allow safe-injection sites for drug users? | Learn the English phrase 'grapple with' from 2020-03-09T11:00

Safe-injection sites are places where individuals can bring their own drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, and take them with clean needles under supervision of trained medical personnel. ...

Scientists discover a new ‘ghost’ ancestor from human DNA | Learn the English phrase 'for the most part' from 2020-03-05T12:00

By analyzing the DNA of living men and women in today’s West Africa, scientists have discovered a new branch of humanity. Until recently, our knowledge of human lineage came primarily from the s...

Global economy starts to feel coronavirus effects | Learn the English phrase 'silver lining' from 2020-03-02T12:00

The coronavirus has already taken a significant human toll, with tens of thousands infected and over 2500 deaths worldwide. But in addition to the human toll, the world economy is starting to fe...

Inside the direct-to-consumer revolution | Learn the phrasal verb 'try on' from 2020-02-27T12:00

What do brands like Warby Parker eyeglasses, Bonobos pants, Casper mattresses, and Harry’s razors have in common? They are all part of the direct-to-consumer revolution that is disrupting the tr...

More than just hipsters, Brooklyn is a city unto itself | Learn how to use, 'you can tell' from 2020-02-24T12:00

In the fourth in our series of destinations, we visit Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs of New York City. Brooklyn is known for its thriving art and literature scene, brownstone architectural s...

Cable rupture slows internet in Africa | Learn the English phrase 'slow to a crawl' from 2020-02-20T12:00

In late January, two of the biggest undersea cables serving Africa unexpectedly broke, resulting in slowed internet speeds for hundreds of millions of users across the continent. Turns out, the ...

Revealed: most effective way to guard against coronavirus | Learn phrasal verb 'guard against' from 2020-02-17T12:00

The paper face mask is now trending in Asia and globally as people scramble to protect themselves from the deadly coronavirus. Tens of thousands of coronavirus cases have been reported in China,...

Americans snooze through Trump's impeachment | Learn the English phrase 'take over' from 2020-02-13T12:00

The third-ever impeachment of an American president didn’t appear to change much in American politics. Throughout the proceedings, most Americans either went about their usual business or had th...

Sports world mourns Kobe Bryant | Learn the English phrase 'eligible for' from 2020-02-10T12:00

Kobe Bryant, one of the world’s biggest sports superstars, along with his teenage daughter and seven others, were killed in a helicopter crash outside of Los Angeles. Since then, the sports worl...

Human body temperatures are dropping | Learn the English phrase 'average out' from 2020-02-06T12:00

For 150 years, the conventional wisdom has been that the normal human body temperature is 98.6 degrees. But new research suggests that the new normal is more than a degree cooler. Researchers ar...

Coronavirus researchers racing to develop vaccine | Learn the English phrase 'to put something in perspective' from 2020-02-03T12:00

The latest coronavirus that broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan has already infected hundreds, killed dozens, and spread across the world. Researchers worldwide are working to develop a vacci...

Domino’s Pizza to open 850 stores in Italy | Learn the English phrase 'win over' from 2020-01-30T12:00

Domino’s announced plans to open 850 American pizza chain stores in the birthplace of pizza itself. While many people – including local Italians – doubt whether Domino's can succeed in Italy, th...

Prince Harry and Meghan step down from royal duties | Learn the English phrase 'work something out' from 2020-01-27T12:00

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked the world and the rest of the Royal Family with their announcement to step down from their roles as senior royals. They are still negotiating the terms of ...

First things first: Japan debates a name change | Learn the English phrase 'bend to' from 2020-01-23T12:00

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Japan announced it is reversing the way Japanese names are written in English by putting the family name first, the same way they are written in Japanese. Many Japanese are in favor of ...

Quest to care for animals in Australia | Learn the English phrase 'in the face of' from 2020-01-20T12:00

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The latest Australian wildfires are some of the most dangerous and destructive fires in recent history. The fires have already burned millions of acres, destroyed thousands of homes, an...

Father of preventative medicine is still working at age 100 | Learn the English phrase 'play a part' from 2020-01-16T12:00

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Dr. Jeremiah Stamler is credited as the father of preventative medicine, and he is still working at 100 years old. Dr. Stamler spent his career researching how lifestyle adjustments and...

Former Renault-Nissan CEO escapes Japan | Learn the English phrase 'take a hit' from 2020-01-13T12:00

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Carlos Ghosn, former Renault-Nissan CEO, was awaiting trial in Japan for a number of white-collar crimes. Japanese officials kept delaying his trial, so Ghosn secretly fled Japan for Le...

Premium economy: more ‘economy’ than ‘premium’ | Learn the English phrase 'to come in handy' from 2020-01-09T12:00

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In between economy class (in the back) and business class (in the front), airlines have created a new class of service called ""premium economy."" This is aimed at travelers who will pa...

Is a supernova on the horizon? | Learn English expression 'ebb and flow' from 2020-01-06T12:00

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Betelgeuse, the star that represents the hunter's shoulder in the constellation Orion, is dimmer than it has been in almost 100 years. Stars of that type tend to become dimmer just befo...

So long, Big Bird: Puppeteer Caroll Spinney dies | Learn phrasal verb 'cut back on' from 2020-01-02T12:00

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Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who played Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and other characters on television's ""Sesame Street"" died at age 85. For almost half a century, Spinney played the...

Cookie announcements: the most annoying thing on the internet | Learn phrasal verb 'show up' from 2019-12-30T12:00

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Cookies, the little bits of text that are stored in web browsers that tell sites things about ourselves and our behaviors, have long been a part of the Internet. But new data privacy re...

Landing on autopilot | Learn English phrase 'prone to' from 2019-12-26T12:00

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Garmin, the company that once dominated GPS navigation in cars, has developed an automated landing system for small planes. The system is designed to land a small plane automatically in...

UK elections: how the parties fared | Learn English phrase 'for good measure' from 2019-12-23T12:00

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Britain's historic election will upset the balance of power in Parliament, as the Tories will have an 80-seat majority to press their Brexit plans. The opposition Labour party ran on a ...

Boris wins big in vote dominated by Brexit | Learn English phrase 'wind at your back' from 2019-12-19T12:00

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The UK's Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, won a convincing victory in Parliamentary elections on December 12 on the strength of its campaign promise to ""get Bre...

Tom Hanks plays American icon Mr. Rogers perfectly | Learn English phrase 'get down to business' from 2019-12-16T12:00

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Over the course of 31 years and over 900 half-hour episodes, Fred Rogers was a friendly television neighbor and mentor to generations of American children, who knew him as simply ""Mr. ...

London attacker stymied by brave bystanders | Learn English phrasal verb 'hold off' from 2019-12-12T12:00

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A man wielding two knives attacked conferencegoers at a building near the famous landmark London Bridge. Bystanders used whatever they could - including a spear and a whale's tooth - to...

Court finds Picasso's handyman had stolen artwork | Learn phrasal verb 'zero in on' from 2019-12-09T12:00

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A French appeals court has found that Pierre Le Guennec, the former handyman to Pablo Picasso, was in possession of stolen work by the famous artist. Le Guennec said that the paintings ...

30-year anniversary of Berlin Wall's fall | Learn English phrase 'take something for granted' from 2019-12-05T12:00

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November 9 marked thirty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the concrete and razor-wire barrier that sliced through the German capital, symbolizing the differences between the lib...

The rise of alcohol-free cocktails and beer | Learn English phrasal verb 'pop up' from 2019-12-02T12:00

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Beverage makers, restaurants and bars are working hard to attract a new demographic of drinkers: those who don't drink at all, or who want to cut down on their alcohol consumption. New ...

NFL recovered from controversy in time for 100th birthday | Learn English phrase 'turn a corner' from 2019-11-28T18:27:54

America's most popular sport is football, and the National Football League is preparing to turn 100 years old next year. Just a few years ago, it looked like the NFL was on the decline, after a ...

Inside the world's most intense haunted house | Learn English phrasal verb 'to get yourself into' from 2019-11-25T12:00

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McKamey Manor will lock you in a coffin, bury you alive, attack you with spiders, pull out your fingernails: anything that perfectly matches up with your worst fears. One customer said ...

How delivery-only kitchens aid experimentation | Learn English phrasal verb 'keep up with' from 2019-11-21T12:00

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In the second part of a two-part series, we introduce our fictional restaurant, ""Mariscos by JR"" and we talk about how off-site kitchens can help restauranteurs serve their customers ...

'Ghost kitchens' and the insatiable demand for delivery | Learn English phrasal verb 'whip up' from 2019-11-18T12:00

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Demand for food delivery is booming around the world and restaurants are looking for new ways to satisfy customers who want to eat at home. Increasingly, they are turning to ""ghost kit...

How streaming is changing pop music | Learn English phrase 'stick around' from 2019-11-14T12:00

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Long, mellow song intros are a thing of the past in the age of streaming, as artists scramble to catch your attention in the first 30 seconds of every track. That's because streaming se...

Soccer fans in for a culture shock at Qatar World Cup | Learn English phrasal verb 'look on' from 2019-11-11T12:00

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Qatar, a tiny, oil-rich nation with a sweltering climate, few sports fans, and a dodgy record on human rights, is preparing to host the world's biggest sporting competition: the 2022 Wo...

NYC to shutter infamous Rikers Island jail | Learn English expression 'uphill battle' from 2019-11-07T12:00

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The jail at Rikers Island, which houses 7,000 short-term inmates per night, will close by 2026, following a vote in the New York City Council. The jail, once heralded as a model incarce...

TikTok reaches 1 billion downloads | Learn phrasal verb 'serve up' from 2019-11-04T12:00

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The latest social media app on the scene is TikTok, with over a billion downloads. TikTok features user-generated videos no longer than 15 seconds: the most popular videos show teenager...

WeWork's stunning near-collapse | Learn English phrase 'fall from grace' from 2019-10-31T11:00

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In a story that will be studied in business school for ages, WeWork, the world's biggest co-working office company, lost 80 percent of its value and nearly ran out of money. It all star...

Biopics breathe new life into music legends | Learn English phrase 'pass off as' from 2019-10-28T11:00

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The latest trend to hit the silver screen is the musical biopic, a genre of film that traces the life of a singer or band members. Recent hits like ""Bohemian Rhapsody"" and ""Rocketman...

Midnight marathon at sweltering athletics championships | Learn English phrase 'come under fire' from 2019-10-24T11:00

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The world's top track and field athletes battled the sweltering heat of Doha, Qatar, at the 2019 championships. The marathon started at midnight so runners wouldn't have to contend with...

Differences between living in Canada and the US | Learn English phrase 'every now and then' from 2019-10-21T11:00

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Life in Canada and the United States is similar in many ways, but there are differences. In today's episode, Jeff describes the ways in which life between the two countries can be diffe...

Trading stocks is now free* in the US | Learn English phrase 'follow suit' from 2019-10-17T11:00

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After years of intense competition, several discount stock brokers are now offering free stock trades in the United States. This will give smaller investors the ability to buy and sell ...

Porsche challenges Tesla with its all-electric Taycan | Learn English phrase 'live up to' from 2019-10-14T11:00

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Porsche is diving into the electric market with its new performance Taycan, a sports car that looks like the classic 911 and is expected to challenge Tesla's dominance in the luxury ele...

New spray aims to extend avocados' shelf life | Learn English phrase 'to go bad' from 2019-10-10T11:00

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A new product from the startup Apeel Sciences aims to extend the shelf-life of avocados and other fruits and vegetables. The product is a natural spray that strengthens the existing ski...

Is there a future for traditional travel agents? | Learn English phrasal verb 'come around' from 2019-10-07T11:00

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Do travel agents have a future? It's tempting to say that they do not due to budget online booking tools and the wealth of information on the internet. However, a lot of travelers still...

Collapse of British travel agency leaves travelers stranded | Learn English phrasal verb 'come through' from 2019-10-03T11:00

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British travel agent Thomas Cook, which traces its history back to 1841, collapsed suddenly last week, stranding 150,000 on foreign vacations. The British government is scrambling to br...

Japanese workers wake up to a nap's benefits | Learn English phrasal verb 'kick in' from 2019-09-30T11:00

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A new trend in Japan's hard-charging, competitive office culture: reserving the nap room for a 30-minute break. Sleep cafes are opening in Tokyo and some companies are installing nap ro...

'Downton Abbey' film picks up where series left off | Learn English phrasal verb 'shy away from' from 2019-09-26T11:00

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The British hit show Downton Abbey, which traces the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and the crew that serves them, has moved to the big screen--and the movie picks up where th...

Subscriptions are coming to a movie theater near you | Learn English phrase 'in the sweet spot' from 2019-09-23T11:00

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A company offering unlimited movies in theaters for just $10 a month has gone out of business, but the subscription model is here to stay, as large theater chains begin offering their o...

Confronting the opioid crisis in America | Learn English phrase 'root out' from 2019-09-19T11:00

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Abuse of legal and illegal opioids has become a public health crisis in the United States; overdoses of opioids now kill more people than car crashes or guns. After years of seeing pres...

Update episode: the latest news on 5 previous topics | Learn English phrase 'thorn in your side' from 2019-09-16T11:00

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Today we present the latest news on five previous topics: French President Emmanuel Macron has recovered from the gilets jaunes protesters; Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam offers a...

Lung illnesses from vaping | Learn English phrasal verb 'take up' from 2019-09-12T11:00

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Over 450 people, mostly young, have fallen ill with lung disease after using electronic cigarettes. Five have died, including a 15-year-old in New York state. Public health authorities ...

Greenland and influence in the Arctic | Learn English phrase "float an idea" from 2019-09-09T11:00

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US President Donald Trump suggested he would be interested in buying the world's largest island. Although Denmark has no desire to sell Greenland, the episode put a focus on the changin...

The mustache is making a comeback | Learn English phrase 'all the rage' from 2019-09-05T11:00

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Don't look now, but the mustache is making a comeback. If the 1990s were about goatees and the 2000s were about beards, then the mustache is now ready for its moment. Actors, sports sta...

FAST VERSION of Episode 186 on international money transfer from 2019-09-04T09:00

Let's speed things up a little! One key benefit of Plain English Plus+ is a faster version of every episo...

Why is sending money across borders so slow and expensive? | Learn English phrase 'on hand' from 2019-09-02T11:00

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Sending money via money-transfer agents or even large banks is slow and expensive. To make a transfer work, several banks charge fees; the process takes a long time; and consumers don't...

Brazil struggling to respond to Amazon fires | Learn English phrase 'up to the task' from 2019-08-29T11:00

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A sharp increase in the number and scale of forest fires in the Amazon is threatening the world's largest rainforest. The fires have a variety of causes, but are principally the result ...

Take your English to the next level with Plain English Plus+! from 2019-08-28T08:30

Are you ready to take your English learning to the next level? Today, Jeff announces Plain English Plus+, the new membership that will help you e...

New meatless burgers actually taste good | Learn English phrase 'in keeping with' from 2019-08-26T11:00

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Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat are two companies chasing a new trend: veggie burgers that taste like the real thing. Fast-food chain Burger King now has an Impossible Whopper and Katy...

New suicide barrier at Golden Gate Bridge | Learn English phrase 'in your prime' from 2019-08-22T11:00

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The Golden Gate Bridge is a marvel of engineering and the symbol of San Francisco, but it is also a magnet for suicides: over 1,700 people have jumped to their deaths since the bridge o...

Egan Bernal is Tour de France's first winner from Latin America | Learn English phrase 'to make a push' from 2019-08-19T11:00

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Colombian Egan Bernal became the first cyclist from Latin America, and the youngest in over 110 years, to win the Tour de France. He took the lead in the second-to-last stage of the thr...

Hong Kong protests intensify in 10th week | Learn English phrasal verb 'let up' from 2019-08-15T11:00

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Protests in Hong Kong continue to escalate as they enter their tenth week. What started as a protest against an extradition bill has expanded into a widespread movement that has at time...

The complicated relationship between money and happiness | Learn English phrase 'better off' from 2019-08-12T11:00

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Research has shown that having more money equals more happiness, but with some major exceptions. First, more money means more happiness with incomes up to about $50,000 to $75,000 per y...

Can happiness be measured? | Learn English phrase 'give away' from 2019-08-08T11:00

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Is it possible to measure happiness? Scientists have tried various methods, but the most reliable way to measure a person's happiness is simply to ask via a survey. Happiness science ha...

Searching for missing girl, Vatican finds thousands of human bones | Learn English phrase 'dogged by' from 2019-08-05T11:00

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A decades-old mystery of a missing girl took a surprising turn after thousands of unidentified bones were discovered in a cemetery beneath the Vatican City. The family of Emanuela Orlan...

João Gilberto, master of bossa nova music, dies at 88 | Learn English phrase 'keep to yourself' from 2019-08-01T11:00

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João Gilberto, the Brazilian singer who created the ""bossa nova"" musical style in the 1950s, died at age 88. Over a 60-year musical career, the singer won several Grammys, performed a...

How much vacation time do people get around the world? from 2019-07-29T11:00

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Surf's up and people around the Northern Hemisphere are thinking of taking some time off for vacation. On today's episode, we talk about how paid vacation time varies around the world--...

New life for rare species in Honduras | Learn English phrase 'at the behest of' from 2019-07-25T11:00

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Scientists have discovered hundreds of species of butterflies, frogs, fish, and other animals deep in the rainforest in Honduras. The government sent a team of explorers to document the...

Mumbai is India's beating heart | Learn English phrasal verb 'clear out' from 2019-07-22T11:00

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In the third in our series of destinations, we visit Mumbai, India's largest city and its cultural and financial capital. It's home to majestic buildings, a thriving film industry, deli...

Scent is the next frontier in branding | Learn English phrase 'latch onto' from 2019-07-18T11:00

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Call it the next frontier of marketing: big companies, including hotels, are using scents to build brand loyalty. The companies want to use scents to create positive memories among cust...

Cheers, telescopes, and yoga: watching the solar eclipse | Learn English expression 'put to use' from 2019-07-15T11:00

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An eclipse of the sun crossed Chile and Argentina on July 2, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists. The eclipse zone crossed Chile's desert areas, which include observatories. Thoug...

Istanbul election backfires on Turkey's president | Learn English expression 'bow to pressure' from 2019-07-11T11:00

Ekrem Imamoglu won a convincing victory in a re-run of last spring's mayoral election in Istanbul. Imamoglu won the first vote by 0.2%, but the vote was canceled under pressure by the powerful A...

'Lost wallet' experiment: how honest are people around the world? | Learn English expression 'get your hopes up' from 2019-07-08T11:00

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A group of behavioral economists studied how people around the world react to finding a ""lost"" wallet. 17,000 wallets later, they discovered whether a wallet with cash is more or less...

What is killing American tourists in the Dominican Republic? | Learn how to use 'can't help but...' from 2019-07-04T11:00

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Nine American tourists have died so far this year while vacationing in the Dominican Republic, including several people who got sick and died after drinking alcohol. Authorities now sus...

Facebook looks to shake up finance with new currency | Learn English phrasal verb 'hold up' from 2019-07-01T11:00

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Facebook announced a new cryptocurrency, the Libra, which will be governed by a nonprofit in Switzerland. The currency, which will be available in 2020, has the backing of major e-comme...

How 5G will transform the mobile internet | Learn English phrasal verb 'roll out' from 2019-06-27T11:00

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The newest generation of mobile technology--called 5G--will transform the mobile internet as much as 4G did. The fast speed, high capacity, and low latency will make a lot of new things...

Earliest use of marijuana was 2,500 years ago | Learn English phrasal verb "pin down" from 2019-06-24T11:00

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Archaeologists have discovered the earliest-ever evidence of cannabis use for its psychoactive properties. Scientists believe that cannabis with high levels of THC, the active chemical ...

Meet the 24 Democrats running against Trump | Learn English phrase "to scratch your head" from 2019-06-20T11:00

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Twenty-four candidates are all vying to be the Democratic nominee for president, each hoping for the chance to go head-to-head against Donald Trump in November 2020. The first debate wi...

I.M. Pei, designer of Louvre pyramid, dies at 102 | Learn English phrase "to cause a stir" from 2019-06-17T11:00

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I.M. Pei, the Chinese-American architect who designed the Louvre museum's iconic glass pyramid and whose work spanned museums, skyscrapers, hotels, and symphonies around the world, died...

China battling a deadly pig virus | Learn English phrasal verb "to spell out" from 2019-06-13T11:00

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The African Swine Fever, a deadly virus that affects pigs but is harmless to humans, is sweeping through China's pig population. The virus is difficult to contain, as it spreads quickly...

Would you see a 'hologram' concert? | Learn English phrasal verb 'turn down' from 2019-06-10T11:00

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The estate of Whitney Houston, the pop singer who died in 2012, announced a hologram tour. Holograms reproduce the singer's image in what looks like a three-dimensional image on a stage...

Introducing IELTS Advantage from 2019-06-08T11:00

Plain English is excited to partner with IELTS Advantage! 

Are you studying for the IELTS exam? If so, you won't want to miss the ...