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Plain English: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Jeff at Plain English
Improve your English and learn about the world at the same time. Plain English brings you short, modern stories about culture, science, travel, business, and everyday life, all told in clear, natural English designed for learners.You’ll grow your vocabulary, improve your listening skills, and build your confidence one episode at a time.Like the show? Sign up free at PlainEnglish.com and get a personalized learning path.
Latest Episodes
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- 4 days ago12 min
Andy Burnham is Britain's most casual PM yet
Today's story: Andy Burnham became Britain's prime minister in July, and immediately faced a dilemma: should he continue to wear the polo shirts, jeans, and casual jackets that he wore when he was a mayor? His "hipster dad" style became a signature part of his personal messaging. Or would he follow the dress code of all (male) politicians in the House of Commons, wearing a suit and tie? Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/905Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/905--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
- 1 weeks ago16 min
The past and present of marathons
Today's story: The marathon takes its name from a Greek legend about a messenger who ran from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens with news of victory. That story isn't quite true, but it did inspire the modern-day race. Today, about 1.2 million people finish a marathon every year, in races that range from huge city events to unusual courses on the Great Wall of China and in Antarctica. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/904Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/904--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
- 2 weeks ago14 min
New way to catch burglars: DNA in the air
Today's story: Burglars often leave no fingerprints or hair behind, but they may still leave traces of themselves floating in the air. What if that could be used to help solve crimes? In an experiment in Oslo, Norway and Adelaide, Australia, researchers staged fake burglaries, and then tried to identify the "intruders" using DNA floating in the air. The result? They found evidence of the intruder more than half the time. But real-world use by police would be much more complicated. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/903Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/903--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
- 3 weeks ago16 min
New women's record to solve a Rubik's cube
Today's story: Six-year-old Lian Yunzhi from China set a new Rubik’s cube world record with an average time of 4.27 seconds, breaking her own record just three days after setting it. The Rubik’s cube has fascinated and frustrated puzzle lovers for decades, but competitive speedcubers have mastered the art of solving it in seconds. Lian began learning to solve cubes at age four and now trains for hours each day to compete at the highest level. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/902Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/902--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
- Oct 5, 202619 min
Five more favorites from 900 episodes
Today's story: We continue our look back at 900 Plain English lessons with five more favorite topics. We revisit stories about airport chapels, the history of QR codes, what makes a good apology, the debate over top sheets, and the surprising way anti-venom is made. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/901Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/901--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
- Sep 28, 202618 min
Highlights from 900 Plain English stories
Today's story: This week, Plain English is celebrating its 900th episode. We've touched on stories big and small over the years, and this is a time to look back on some of our favorites. In part 1, we look back on episodes about the movie "Crazy Rich Asians", a taste test that went awry, television personality Regis Philbin, and a surprising scam at McDonald's. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/900Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/900--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
- Sep 21, 202614 min
France lends the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum
Today's story: The Bayeux Tapestry, a nearly 1,000-year-old embroidered account of the Norman Conquest, has traveled from France to the British Museum for a rare exhibition in London. The fragile 70-meter work required carefully engineered transportation and will remain on display until July 2027. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/899Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/899--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
- Sep 14, 202616 min
America is united in opposition to data centers
Today's story: As artificial intelligence drives demand for more computing power, huge new data centers are being proposed across the United States. But local communities are pushing back over higher electricity costs, noise, and blight that go along with data centers. Opposition has brought together voters across political parties and led some towns to block or delay new projects. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/898Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/898--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
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About Plain English
Improve your English and learn about the world at the same time. Plain English brings you short, modern stories about culture, science, travel, business, and everyday life, all told in clear, natural English designed for learners.You’ll grow your vocabulary, improve your listening skills, and build your confidence one episode at a time.Like the show? Sign up free at PlainEnglish.com and get a personalized learning path.
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