x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Plain English

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.

education language learning

All Episodes

20:05

The backlash against too much tipping (Once in a while)

Plain English ·

2024/01/15

" It can be hard to know when to tip in any culture. But tipping has increased in the United States since the pandemic. New touch-screen payment systems often encourage a minimum tip of 20%. But now, consumers are increasingly frustrated with requests to leave tips and are starting to cut back on the habit. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/640 -- Learning English

en

18:56

Theft at the British Museum (Go missing)

Plain English ·

2024/01/11

" When a private dealer of gems and jewels noticed a great bargain on eBay, he had no idea that it would eventually lead him to uncover a major scandal at the British Museum, one of the world's pre-eminent cultural institutions. But that's exactly what happened. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/639 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about

en

19:22

New York gets serious about its trash (Get rid of)

Plain English ·

2024/01/08

" It's an all-too-common sight on the streets of New York City: piles of black garbage bags on the sidewalks, waiting to be collected. America's largest city has no alleys, so its apartments and businesses leave trash in heaps right on the street. But the mayor has plans to eliminate this 'all-night buffet' for rats. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/638 -- Learning

en

18:55

McDonald's is making changes to its burgers (Fall...

Plain English ·

2024/01/04

" McDonald's is preparing to roll out big changes to its number-one menu item: burgers. The world's biggest burger chain says it will adjust how its patties are grilled and how its burgers are assembled in a bid to make them more palatable to consumers. The changes will apply to the Big Mac and to its other burgers. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/637 -- Learning

en

20:44

The hard work after a snowstorm (Buy in bulk)

Plain English ·

2024/01/01

" A few inches of snow can be beautiful. But for local governments, it's hard work to clear it and keep everyone moving. Today, we look at everything that has to get done to get back to normal after a snowstorm. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/636 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about current events and trending topics you care about:

en

20:03

Six ways to fail (Root cause)

Plain English ·

2023/12/21

" Failure is part of life. But not everything that goes wrong is the same. Sometimes, we should assign blame. Other times, failure is a good thing. A Harvard professor put failure into six categories. Knowing them can help you understand the things that go wrong in your own life. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/635 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our

en

18:36

Drought in Panama complicates canal traffic (In place)

Plain English ·

2023/12/18

" The Panama Canal connects Asia and the east coasts of North and South America. Manufactured goods, energy, food, cars, and more all pass through the canal. On a normal day, 38 to 40 ships can cross. But drought in Panama means the canal can accommodate many fewer ships. That means higher costs for shippers--and for consumers. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/634

en

20:38

Iceland braces for a volcanic eruption (Up close)

Plain English ·

2023/12/14

" A 15-kilometer-long corridor of magma (melted rock) has accumulated just below the Earth's surface in the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. The accumulation has caused thousands of earthquakes in just a few days. It may cause a large eruption or it may break to the surface in unexpected places--including underwater. A fishing town has been completely evacuated as a precaution. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free

en

19:58

Battle for sunken treasure off Colombia's coast...

Plain English ·

2023/12/11

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. Now, the government of Colombia is working to bring the tr

en

17:52

The new attraction in Las Vegas is a giant ball (Get...

Plain English ·

2023/12/07

" 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 is this: the exterior is covered in screens, so it can look like a basketball or the surface of Mars to onlookers. The venue will be best for concerts and films but can host other events, including e-sports. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a

en

19:33

Can’t sleep 8 hours? There’s still hope (Catch up)

Plain English ·

2023/12/04

" 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 in tests and suffer physically. Today, learn what ""regular sleep"" means and what its benefits are. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/630 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s

en

21:55

SBF: Villain or a careless founder in over his head?...

Plain English ·

2023/11/30

" 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 businesses. But the defense argued that this was a terrible mistake, but not a fraud. The jury found him guilty. After a monthlong trial, jurors needed just five hours to decide. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found

en

21:28

The sad story of Sam Bankman-Fried | Learn English...

Plain English ·

2023/11/27

" 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 years after he started it, it all collapsed. Here is part one of the story. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/628 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about

en

20:37

Celine Dion is keeping New Zealanders up all night |...

Plain English ·

2023/11/23

" 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 because their speakers don't produce bass, they play songs from artists like Celine Dion. Not everyone in this town is happy about it. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/627 --

en

20:59

Why are movies getting longer? | Learn English...

Plain English ·

2023/11/20

" 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 like short movies. But hit movies are getting longer. Today, we take a look at why. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/626 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons

en

19:35

The Twinkie refuses to die | Learn English expression...

Plain English ·

2023/11/16

" 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 shut down and stopped making Twinkies. But then, a group of investors revived the classic cake--and now the Twinkie is stronger than ever. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/625 --

en

21:18

Super-shoes help propel runners to marathon records |...

Plain English ·

2023/11/13

" 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 of their shoes, aimed at helping marathoners go faster. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/624 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about current events and

en

20:44

American football is smitten with Taylor Swift |...

Plain English ·

2023/11/09

" 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 Chiefs. The union brings together separate worlds of fandom, as Swifties tune in to football games for the first time. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/623 -- Learning English should

en

19:33

Biden's uphill battle for re-election | Learn English...

Plain English ·

2023/11/06

" 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 won last time, he faces some serious challenges in his re-election effort. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/622 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about

en

20:51

Fernando Botero, Colombia’s artist of over-sized...

Plain English ·

2023/11/02

" 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 to features and expressions. ""What I paint is volume,"" he said, in a nod to Italian and Greek artistic tradition. Botero died in September at age 91. -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at:

en

881 results

Similar Podcasts

Science Talk

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

五分钟心理学

柠檬心理

Daily Facts

Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.

Les dents et dodo

BFMTV

Veterinary Clinical Podcasts

The Royal Veterinary College