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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

14:47

Castro steps (partially) aside in Cuba | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/04/30

Raúl Castro will formally step aside as Cuba’s president and Miguel Díaz-Canel, the vice president, is the Communist Party’s nominee to replace him. The 57-year-old was born after Fidel Castro took power in the Cuban revolution, but has been a loyal servant to the party and the government, so it’s not clear if Cuba will change after a new generation takes over the presidency. Plus, we review the English phrase “to keep a low profile.” Read the full transcript of this episode at

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15:36

Avicii, star DJ, found dead at 28 | Learn English...

Plain English ·

2018/04/26

The music world was shocked at the news that Swedish DJ Avicii, known for his high-energy concerts, was found dead in the Middle Eastern nation of Oman. He was 28. Avicii had retired from touring, citing the negative effects on his health of the touring lifestyle. But he continued to release albums, including one last year. In the second half of the show, we review the English phrase “take its toll.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/41 Transcripts are

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13:54

Prosecutors detail evidence against ‘El Chapo’ |...

Plain English ·

2018/04/23

The US government released a 90-page memo detailing much of the evidence they plan to use in the trial of drug lord Joaquin Guzman, also known as El Chapo. Among the charges are that he personally interrogated rivals, had them killed, and ordered their bodies burned in a hole in the ground. El Chapo pulled of two dramatic prison escapes—and in today’s episode, we’ll talk about the English phrasal verb “pull off.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/40

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13:45

Canada shocked by junior-hockey bus tragedy | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/04/19

Canada is mourning the loss of 16 people in a tragic bus crash that killed junior hockey players, coaches, and staff on their way to a playoff game. Ten of those killed were players between the ages of 16 and 21. Across Canada, people paid tribute by placing hockey sticks outside their homes and businesses. In the second half of the show, we discuss the English phrase “come to grips.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/39 Transcripts are always free and

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14:57

Brazil’s Lula surrenders after tense stand-off |...

Plain English ·

2018/04/16

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the ex-president of Brazil who was convicted of corruption as part of the country’s massive ‘Car Wash’ scandal, surrendered to police last week after a tense three-day standoff that pitted his supporters against police. The ex-president is in jail while he appeals his conviction. Plus, we review the English phrase, “give voice to.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/38 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español

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14:43

Japanese baseball star doubles his impact in America...

Plain English ·

2018/04/12

Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani started the 2018 year in America’s Major League Baseball and hopes to become the first player to be both a superstar pitcher and a superstar batter since Babe Ruth revolutionized the sport 99 years ago. He’s off to a great start with two dominant pitching performances and three home runs. Plus, we talk about the English phrase “flip a switch.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/37 Transcripts are always free and

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15:49

Peru’s president resigns amid scandal | Learn English...

Plain English ·

2018/04/09

Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigns amid a corruption scandal. The ex-President left after having alienated his supporters and antagonized his opponents in Congress. His resignation comes after he pardoned another ex-president, Alberto Fujimori. In the second half of the episode, we talk about the English expression “the last straw.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/36 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala

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15:08

Why some people want to #DeleteFacebook | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/04/05

Facebook is suffering from a series of scandals related to data privacy. As a result, some people are trying to #DeleteFacebook. Do you know how much information Facebook knows about you? Some users were surprised at what the social network had collected about them. At the end of the episode, we’ll talk about the English phrase “to gather steam.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/35 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala

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16:16

Netflix series explores Brazil’s ‘Car Wash’ scandal |...

Plain English ·

2018/04/02

Operation Car Wash—the massive investigation into corruption in Brazil that has stretched on for five years—will be the topic of a new series on Netflix directed by José Padilha. The eight-part series, called “The Mechanism,” centers on one criminal money-launderer and two investigators. The crux of the scandal is corruption—and we talk about how to use the word “crux” in English. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/34 Transcripts are always free and

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15:46

Self-driving Uber kills pedestrian in Arizona | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/03/29

A self-driving Uber car struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona, raising questions about the safety of the entire industry of autonomous vehicles. The 49-year-old woman was walking her bike across the street when she was hit by the Volvo SUV. The human operator, whose job was to intervene in an emergency, wasn’t looking at the road at the time. Could this be a turning point for self-driving cars? We also review the English phrase “turning point.” Read the full transcript of this episode at

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16:37

Competitive video-gaming is the new trend in sports |...

Plain English ·

2018/03/26

eSports—competitive video-gaming—are gaining in popularity in the United States among males under age 25. As a result, new venues are being built to accommodate live video-game competitions. One venue took over NBC Studios in California; another is being built in Texas. eSports are starting to catch on in the United States; we’ll also review how to use the phrasal verb “catch on.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/32 Transcripts are always free and

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14:05

Stephen Hawking dies | Learn English phrase ‘do justice’

Plain English ·

2018/03/22

Stephen Hawking, the physicist who studied gravity, black holes and the origins of the universe, and who used a distinctive computerized voice after losing his ability to speak, died last week at age 76. He lived for 50 years with ALS after having been given just a few years to live after his diagnosis. The English phrase today is “do justice.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/31 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala

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13:09

Celebrating Ireland on St. Patrick's Day | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/03/19

St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Irish culture around the world, featuring parades, Irish music and dance, whiskey, and beer. The holiday originally honored St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who brought Catholicism to the island and taught the inhabitants about the Holy Trinity by using a three-leaf clover. Plus, we talk about how to use the phrasal verb “scale back.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/30 Transcripts are always free and

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16:34

Frida Kahlo doll sparks backlash in Mexico | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/03/15

Toymaker Mattel has released a Frida Kahlo Barbie Doll in honor of International Women’s Day—but some in Mexico think it’s not an accurate representation of the famous Mexican artists. Plus, one of Frida Kahlo’s descendants claims Mattel didn’t secure the rights to the artist’s image. Even so, Mattel seems to be on solid legal ground—and we also talk about what it means to be on solid ground. Link to Frida picture: http://www.PlainEnglish.com/Frida Read the full transcript of this episode at

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14:09

Spotify reveals some secrets | Learn English phrase...

Plain English ·

2018/03/12

The hit music streaming service Spotify is preparing to go public—and in the process is revealing some information about its business for the first time, including its ambitions to change the entire music industry. Learn how many users it has, what major labels get payouts, and how people have tried to game the system—and what the English expression “game the system” means. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/28 Transcripts are always free and available now

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15:17

‘Shape of Water’ wins Oscar for Best Picture |...

Plain English ·

2018/03/08

The Shape of Water won Best Picture at the Oscars on Sunday night, while Frances McDormand won Best Actress for her role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Gary Oldman won Best Actor for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro won for his work on The Shape of Water. Learn how to use the English phrase “cut a deal.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/27 Transcripts are always free and available

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15:18

China to remove term limits for its president | Learn...

Plain English ·

2018/03/05

The Communist Party of China has proposed changing to constitution to remove term limits for Chinese president Xi Jinping in a break with the country's tradition of changing leaders every decade. The move caused a backlash on Chinese social media. In the second half of the podcast, we talk about the English expression “akin to.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/26 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português

en

15:28

Iconic preacher Billy Graham dies | Phrasal verb...

Plain English ·

2018/03/01

Billy Graham, the American preacher whose crusades personally reached hundreds of millions of people, died at age 99. He became just the fourth private citizen to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. Through his remarkable career, he counseled 12 U.S. presidents, preached with Martin Luther King, Jr., and consoled the American people after tragedy. In the second half of the program, we review how to use the phrasal verb “carry out.” Read the full transcript of this episode at

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13:27

Another school shooting in the US | Learn English...

Plain English ·

2018/02/26

A 17-year-old shot and killed 17 people at a school he once attended in Florida. Another 12 people were injured in the attack. Mass shootings at schools and in public places are an unfortunate exception to the improving overall safety in America. The English phrase “pour out” means to empty. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/24 Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode

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14:05

China welcomes Year of the Dog | Learn English...

Plain English ·

2018/02/22

The Lunar New Year began this week with celebrations across Asia. In China, families follow traditions associated with good luck, dressing in new clothes, eating long noodles to symbolize a long life, and giving gifts wrapped in red. Large cities around the world mark the New Year with fireworks and parades. In the second half of the program, we talk about the phrasal verb “sweep away.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/23 Transcripts are always free and

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