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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.

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All Episodes

15:09

Thanks for being with us for 100 episodes!

Plain English ·

2018/11/06

Jeff and JR share some thoughts on how Plain English started, how we produce the program, and where our listeners are from. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from Plain English at http://www.plainenglish.com/mail Subscribers get exclusive links for

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21:42

Brazil elects Bolsonaro, riding global wave of...

Plain English ·

2018/11/05

Brazil overwhelmingly elected former army captain and congressman Jair Bolsonaro president, giving him 55% of its vote and signaling its discontent with the established Workers Party and the corruption that has plagued the country in recent years. Bolsonaro pledged to fight corruption and reduce crime, but his past statements were controversial. Plus, learn the English phrase “run the gamut.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/100 Transcripts are always free

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21:32

Popular destinations struggle with ‘over-tourism’ |...

Plain English ·

2018/11/01

As global tourism has increased in recent years, some popular tourist destinations like Amsterdam, Venice and Peru’s Machuu Pichuu have struggled with a unique problem: too many visitors. The increased visitors are raising prices of housing in central cities, putting strain on infrastructure, and damaging the environment. What can be done to accommodate tourists but also protect and preserve the destinations themselves? Plus, learn the English phrase ‘wear and tear’ Read the full transcript of this

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19:00

Marijuana is now legal in Canada | Learn phrasal verb...

Plain English ·

2018/10/29

Canadians can now buy recreational marijuana and grow four plants at home. As the first large country to legalize marijuana, Canada is beginning a national experiment that could become an example to other countries looking to follow suit. Will the experiment be a success? A lot depends on how the individual Canadian provinces regulate the new industry. Plus, learn the English phrasal verb “ramp up.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/98 Transcripts are

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17:34

Mystery surrounds death of Saudi journalist | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/10/25

Journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by a team of assasins in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to allegations made by the Turkish government. Saudi Arabia disputes the story, saying he died in a fight. But details paint a dark picture of what happened to the journalist in exile, and the story has roiled international relations in the last few weeks. Learn how to use “paint a picture” to describe details of a story. Read the full transcript of this episode at

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19:36

Should Japan have an army? | Learn the English...

Plain English ·

2018/10/22

Shinzō Abe, Japan’s prime minister, is considering major revisions to the country’s constitution—specifically Article 9, which prevents the world’s fifth-largest democracy from having any armed forces at all. With constitutional reform, Japan would be able to play a greater role on the world stage. But is that the highest priority for an aging nation? Plus, learn the phrasal verb “take effect.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/[xx] Transcripts are always

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19:32

New route is world’s longest flight: 18 hours,...

Plain English ·

2018/10/18

Singapore Airlines has re-introduced the world’s longest flight, a 10,300-mile journey from Singapore to Newark, New Jersey, near New York City. The flight has room for about 150 passengers and requires four pilots and thirteen flight attendants. Singapore Airlines is hoping this route can be profitable by using the newest long-haul planes made of lighter carbon fiber. They are also only selling premium seats for this flight. Learn the phrasal verb “pay off.” Read the full transcript of this episode

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21:04

Chile wins battle over sea access for landlocked...

Plain English ·

2018/10/15

Bolivia’s dream of regaining sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean suffered a setback after a UN court sided with Chile, saying that Chile was not required to give Bolivia access to the sea. Landlocked Bolivia has been trying to regain a Pacific port ever since it lost a long coastline to Chile in a war in the late 1800s. Chile says that a peace treaty signed in 1904 settled the matter, but for Bolivians, access to the Pacific is a matter of national pride. Learn how to use the English phrase “sigh

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16:29

French gangster recaptured after escaping jail in a...

Plain English ·

2018/10/11

Redoine Faid, a notorious French criminal who escaped from jail twice, most recently in a dramatic helicopter escape, has been recaptured and is in jail again. Faid has lived a life of crime, moving from stealing candy and sweets to robbing banks and armored vehicles. He was serving a sentence for an armored vehicle robbery that killed a police officer. He was inspired by Hollywood movies and said the director of the movie Heat was his technical advisor. Plus, learn the English phrase “in reality.”

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20:06

New look for London phone booths: digital ads and...

Plain English ·

2018/10/08

Classic-red phone booths are giving way to a new type of touch-screen kiosk on the streets of London. But the new kiosks are covered in digital ads and lack the stately charm London’s phone booths had been known for. Some critics think they are visual pollution and a “blot on the landscape.” Learn the English expression, “to put it mildly.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/92 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala

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19:22

Genetic change in mosquitoes may be key to...

Plain English ·

2018/10/04

Malaria infects millions of people each year, killing between 400,000 and 700,000 people—most of them children in sub-Saharan Africa. Now, scientists have developed a method for genetically modifying mosquitoes that could potentially eliminate or dramatically reduce cases of malaria. The change would prevent a certain species of mosquito from being able to reproduce, but the scientific removal of a species carries ethical questions. Plus, learn how to use “upside” and “downside.” Read the full

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18:16

Social media (reluctantly) decides who to disconnect...

Plain English ·

2018/10/01

Social media companies like Facebook, Twitter, Apple and even Spotify are now in the uncomfortable position of policing content and determining which users to disconnect from their services. They must navigate through hateful speech, people inciting violence, and even foreign governments trying to affect elections. Plus, learn the English phrase “come to a head.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/90 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas

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16:36

VW retires the Beetle, revives the Bus | Learn about...

Plain English ·

2018/09/27

The Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most recognizable cars on the road, but the Germany carmaker plans to retire the model for good, citing declining sales. But fans of classic cars can be happy about one other piece of news: VW is bringing back the Bus. The new version of the multi-passenger van will be all-electric and include all the newest technology. Plus learn what the counter-culture was. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/89 Transcripts are always

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16:34

Spain to remove Franco from Valley of the Fallen |...

Plain English ·

2018/09/24

The Spanish parliament voted to remove the remains of the military dictator Francisco Franco from the Valley of the Fallen monument. Though there was little formal resistance in parliament, opinions in Spain on the legacy of the former dictator are mixed. Plus, learn the English phrase “take for granted.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/88 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français

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18:15

How bad is the storm? Check the Waffle House Index |...

Plain English ·

2018/09/20

Hurricane Florence was the first big storm of the 2018 hurricane season, and US government officials are using a light-hearted way of determining how bad the storm’s damage will be. Businesses like 24/7 restaurants, Walmart, and home improvement stores help communities recover after a disaster. It’s said that if the Waffle House, a chain of breakfast restaurants, is closed, then things are bad; if it’s open, then the recovery will be swift. Plus, learn the English phrase, “in the wake of.” Read the

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20:22

Focus on security, digitization after museum fire |...

Plain English ·

2018/09/17

The fire that destroyed Brazil’s National Museum was a preventable tragedy. Museums around the world are developing safety and security plans to guard against similar tragedies from natural disasters and conflict in the future, but their efforts around the world are uneven. Another way to guard against a total loss is to digitize collections, but this is labor-intensive and expensive. Learn the English expression “come to grips.” Read the full transcript of this episode at

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20:52

Sadness and anger after Museu Nacional fire | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/09/13

Brazil’s National Museum and most of its 20 million artefacts were destroyed by a devastating fire this month. The collection held priceless artifacts from across human history, including fossils, artwork, and sound recordings. Among the priceless losses were a 12,000-year-old skeleton, the oldest human remains ever found in the Americas. Learn the English phrase “exempt from.” Read the full transcript of this episode at plainenglish.com/85 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas

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18:39

Europe may abolish Daylight Saving Time | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/09/10

The tradition of changing clocks forward in the spring and backward in the fall to preserve daylight hours in summer dates back to the early 20th Century, but many Europeans are in favor of abolishing the practice. Right now, all of Europe must observe Daylight Saving Time – or “Summer Time” as they say in Europe – by changing their clocks on the same day. But a new proposal would allow individual countries to decide to observe the time change or stay on one permanent time all year long. A survey of

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15:42

Lula ineligible to repeat as Brazil’s president |...

Plain English ·

2018/09/06

Brazil’s embattled ex-president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is currently serving a jail sentence for corruption, is not allowed to run for president on the Workers’ Party ticket, Brazil’s top electoral court has ruled. Lula had been leading in the presidential preference polls. The Workers’ Party will need to replace him as a candidate and millions of Brazilians will have to decide whom to support. Plus, learn what it means to be “in a bind.” Read the full transcript of this episode at

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16:04

Is a drink a day healthy? New research says no |...

Plain English ·

2018/09/03

A new study published in The Lancet medical journal refutes the myth that having a drink a day is healthy: it’s actually not, say researchers. The negative consequences of one drink per day are relatively minor, but the risk increases for heavy drinkers. Learn the English phrases “to put stock in” or “to put faith in.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/82 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu

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