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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.

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All Episodes

15:55

Nate Bargatze’s clean brand of comedy

Plain English ·

2025/06/19

Today's story: Nate Bargatze rose to fame by rejecting edgy or controversial comedy in favor of clean, relatable humor. His everyman style and family-friendly jokes have made him one of America’s most successful comedians, with sold-out tours, Netflix specials, major media appearances, and Hollywood ambitions.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/785--Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English.You might be learning English

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14:32

Breakfast: should you or shouldn’t you?

Plain English ·

2025/06/16

Today's story: The classic advice that breakfast is the "most important meal of the day" may be overstated. But eating a morning meal can bring important benefits to your nutrition, metabolism, and even cognitive functions. Before you write off breakfast, think about ways you can make the first meal of the day work for you.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/784--Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English.You might be

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12:51

Teaching in the age of ChatGPT

Plain English ·

2025/06/12

Today's story: As students use ChatGPT to write essays, solve problems, and complete assignments, teachers are left with difficult choices. Should they try to catch cheaters? Ban devices? Or embrace AI and teach students how to use it responsibly? Many teachers are also using AI themselves, to create materials, grade fairly, and save time—but not everyone is happy.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/783--Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events

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14:05

ChatGPT has upended education

Plain English ·

2025/06/09

Today's story: In just a few short years, ChatGPT has transformed what it means to be in school. Students can use AI to for help in their homework, or to do their assignments from start to finish. Educators worry that widespread cheating means that students today are not getting the problem-solving skills they'll need in the real world. "College is just how well I can use ChatGPT," one student admitted.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/782--Upgrade all your skills in English:

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15:22

The protein craze hits grocery shelves

Plain English ·

2025/06/05

Today's story: High-protein foods and supplements have gone mainstream, moving beyond gyms and into everyday grocery carts. From cottage cheese to high-protein soda, food makers are cashing in on the trend. But not all sources are created equal, and nutrition experts urge caution with processed, protein-enhanced foods.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/781Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/781 --Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast

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19:58

How books and movies get their local titles

Plain English ·

2025/06/02

Today's story: Book and movie titles often change dramatically in translation, and the reasons go beyond simple language differences. Local publishers and distributors choose titles based on cultural context, marketing strategy, and artistic goals—resulting in everything from literal translations to poetic rewrites and puzzling name changes.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/780Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/780 --Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best

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16:00

Did an extinct wolf really come back?

Plain English ·

2025/05/29

Today's story: A biotech company in Texas has created three wolf pups using DNA from extinct dire wolves and modern gray wolves. While the company claims this is the first-ever de-extinction, many scientists say the result is not a true dire wolf, but a synthetic animal that only resembles the original species.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/779--Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English.You might be learning

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15:11

Why airports have chapels

Plain English ·

2025/05/26

Today's story: Many major airports around the world have chapels or prayer rooms—some interfaith, some religion-specific—offering travelers and employees a quiet place for reflection, prayer, or emotional support. These spaces, first created mainly for airport staff, now serve religious and non-religious visitors alike, helping people find peace in stressful moments.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/778--Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events

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14:30

How makers of 'Adolescence' made their one-take episodes

Plain English ·

2025/05/22

Today's story: The four-part Netflix series “Adolescence” tells the story of a teenage boy accused of murder. The story is gripping and powerful. But for viewers, the tension is enhanced by the way the series was made. Each episode was filmed in a single take, using just one camera. The creative team overcame enormous technical challenges to deliver a raw, immersive experience.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/777--Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best

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16:19

Expression: Figure out

Plain English ·

2025/05/21

Great news -- the expressions are back!"Essential English Expressions" is a brand-new podcast from Plain English. All 14 episodes from Season 1 are available now for you to stream. Click this link to subscribe on your favorite player: https://essential-english.captivate.fm/listenIn the meantime, enjoy this sample episode!--There are two ways to use the phrasal verb "figure out."Number 1: "figure out" means to find the solution to a problem. Now be careful: it doesn't mean fixing a problem. It just

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14:45

Legendary investor Warren Buffett to retire

Plain English ·

2025/05/19

Today's story: Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors in history, announced his retirement at age 94 during his company's 2025 annual meeting. Buffett transformed Berkshire Hathaway, a failing textile business, into a holding company, where he pursued his disciplined value investing strategy. Over a sixty-year career, he consistently beat the market performance by a wide margin and amassed one of the world's largest personal fortunes.Transcript & Exercises:

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16:17

Canada’s Liberals stage an improbable comeback

Plain English ·

2025/05/15

Today's story: Mark Carney, former head of the central banks of Canada and the UK, led Canada's struggling Liberal party to an improbable, come-from-behind victory in the 2025 elections. He focused his campaign on protecting Canada’s interests, after Donald Trump imposed tariffs and threatened to make Canada the 51st American state.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/775Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/775 --In this lesson, you heard the English expressions "keep track of" and

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13:08

Expression: Make sure

Plain English ·

2025/05/14

Great news -- the expressions are back!"Essential English Expressions" is a brand-new podcast from Plain English. All 14 episodes from Season 1 are available now for you to stream. Click this link to subscribe on your favorite player: https://essential-english.captivate.fm/listenIn the meantime, enjoy this sample episode!--The English expression "make sure" means to confirm that things are as they should be, or that people have done what they should do.You probably "make sure" all the time. When you

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16:59

Dalai Lama leads Tibetan Buddhists from exile

Plain English ·

2025/05/12

Today's story: The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, one of three major schools of Buddhism. Though he leads only a fraction of the world’s Buddhists, his influence is global due to his role as a symbol of Tibet’s struggle for religious freedom. Now the Dalai Lama is 89, and confronting the fact that he will be the first in over 600 years to die outside Tibet.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/774Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/774 --In this lesson, you

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15:27

LinkedIn is now a place to share

Plain English ·

2025/05/08

Today's story: LinkedIn has evolved from a resume and networking site into a platform where users share personal stories, professional lessons, and insights. Changes to the algorithm, a shift in user behavior during the pandemic, and a more civil atmosphere have turned LinkedIn into a space for authentic content and unexpected influence.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/773Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/773 --Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best

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16:04

Expression: Make a difference

Plain English ·

2025/05/07

Great news -- the expressions are back!"Essential English Expressions" is a brand-new podcast from Plain English. All 14 episodes from Season 1 are available now for you to stream. Click this link to subscribe on your favorite player: https://essential-english.captivate.fm/listenIn the meantime, enjoy this sample episode!--Learn the English expression, "Expression: Make a difference"What does it mean to "make a difference?"This English expression has two meanings: Number one, to have a positive

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16:47

How a new pope is chosen

Plain English ·

2025/05/05

Today's story: When a pope dies or resigns, the College of Cardinals, made up of senior advisors, convenes at the Vatican to elect a successor. Cardinals under age 80 enter a secret Conclave inside the Sistine Chapel, where they vote in silence and prayer until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority. White smoke signals the world that a new pope has been chosen.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/772Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/772 --Upgrade all your skills in

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11:40

These new high-rises are made of wood

Plain English ·

2025/05/01

Today's story: Mass timber is a new type of engineered wood that allows buildings to reach heights once thought impossible for timber. It’s efficient to build, environmentally friendly, and gaining popularity in cities around the world, especially in Europe. But challenges like fire safety and moisture still remain.Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/771Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/771 --Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast

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17:48

Expression: Look forward to

Plain English ·

2025/04/30

Great news -- the expressions are back!"Essential English Expressions" is a brand-new podcast from Plain English. All 14 episodes from Season 1 are available now for you to stream. Click this link to subscribe on your favorite player: https://essential-english.captivate.fm/listenIn the meantime, enjoy this sample episode!--Learn the English expression, "Expression: Look forward to"Are you happy or excited about something in the future? If so, you're "looking forward to" itYou can look forward to an

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04:35

Big news: The Expressions are back!

Plain English ·

2025/04/30

Big news from Plain English....The Expressions are coming back!Announcing... a brand-new podcast, "Essential English Expressions" Every episode in "Essential English Expressions" shows you step-by-step how to use an important expression in English. All 14 episodes of Season 1 are available for you to download or stream right now!Here is what to do:Click here to find "Essential English Expressions": https://essential-english.captivate.fm/listenSubscribe to / Follow "Essential English Expressions" on

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