Today's story: America's national parks are an important part of the country's natural landscape and they attract millions of visitors per year. Some parks preserve wilderness areas. Others have pristine beaches. Two parks include networks of caves. All are preserved for future generations and open to visitors. Learn this English expression: Something is 'one of a kind' if it's unique Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/700 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world...
Aug 12, 2024•24 min•Ep. 700
Today's story: You fold it in New York. You put caviar on it in California. You make in a pan for car-parts in Detroit. And you eat it with a knife and fork in Chicago. Pizza is a perfect dish for sharing at parties and around a family dinner table. But pizza is not the same everywhere. Here are four regional varieties in the United States. Learn this English expression: Use 'made of' to describe the fundamental ingredients of a thing Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/699 -- Plain English he...
Aug 08, 2024•22 min•Ep. 699
Today's story: School is about learning. But for many students, school is about so much more: sports teams, after-school clubs, drama, and free time during the school day. Learn what social and after-school life is like at a typical American school. Learn this English expression: To 'try out' is to compete for a role in a play or on a team Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/698 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural Engli...
Aug 05, 2024•21 min•Ep. 698
Today's story: Math, science, history, reading. Learning these things in school is, now, almost a universal experience. But the specifics of the school day differ from country to country. Here, learn what a typical school day is like in the United States. Learn this English expression: To be 'spread out' is to have a lot of space between each one Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/697 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natura...
Aug 01, 2024•22 min•Ep. 697
Today's story: America's west is its most visually stunning region, with Rocky Mountain peaks and the bright lights of Las Vegas. The mountain west has beautiful national parks and forests. The southwest is characterized by bigger (and newer cities) and the desert. Learn this English expression: To 'take cover' is to seek protection from danger (often weather) Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/696 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English...
Jul 29, 2024•22 min•Ep. 696
Today's story: The American South used to be an agricultural region, which lagged behind the rest of the country in education, income, and modernization. But that is no more, as the South is now the destination of choice for families moving within the United States. Learn this English expression: A 'safety net' is all the things that protect you from financial misfortune Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/695 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve y...
Jul 25, 2024•22 min•Ep. 695
Today's story: The Midwest may not have the diversity of the east or the spectacular outdoors of the west coast. But it offers a good quality of life at reasonable cost, with a diversified economy and plenty to do inside and outside. Learn this English expression: To 'fall on hard times' is to experience financial hardship Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/694 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you...
Jul 22, 2024•24 min•Ep. 694
Today's story: Have you ever wondered what a typical American family budget is like? Today, you'll learn about the spending habits of the average household. You'll learn how much typical American families spend on housing, transportation, health care, entertainment, and more. Learn this English expression: 'All in' describes the total cost of an activity Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/693 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear...
Jul 18, 2024•21 min•Ep. 693
Today's story: Have you ever wondered about the typical salary for American workers? If so, this episode is for you. Learn what people in different professions make, from lawyers and doctors to journalists and teachers. Learn this English expression: Use 'take out' to describe obtaining a loan or insurance policy Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/692 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can under...
Jul 15, 2024•22 min•Ep. 692
Today's story: We've all heard of the largest museums. But the United States has many smaller museums, too, often focused on just one subject. From the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh to the National World War II museum in New Orleans, learn about some of the nation's best smaller museums. Learn this English expression: 'Pop culture' is the collection of images, people, and ideas that are popular and well-known Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/691 -- Plain English helps you improve your En...
Jul 11, 2024•20 min•Ep. 691
Today's story: In this lesson, you'll learn about the nation's great art museums: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Getty Center. You'll also explore air and space, the history of the automobile, the 9/11 attacks, and the world's biggest children's museum. Learn this English expression: To 'make a difference' is to have a positive impact Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/690 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve...
Jul 08, 2024•20 min•Ep. 690
Today's story: Life on the west coast really is different. The weather is pleasant, people are healthy, and Western states are often at the forefront of cultural change. It's home to Hollywood and high-tech and has some great public universities. But car culture dominates west-coast cities. Learn this English expression: Something happens 'year-round' if it's not seasonal Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/689 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve ...
Jul 04, 2024•22 min•Ep. 689
Today's story: The east coast of the U.S., between Washington, D.C., and Boston, is home to about 50 million people. It has rich history, great cultural treasures, top-notch universities, and four distinct seasons. But the winters are harsh, costs can be high, and the pace of life is fast. Learn this English expression: To focus on something is to dedicate time and attention to a specific project Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/688 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn abo...
Jul 01, 2024•21 min•Ep. 688
Today's story: Dollar stores started as a novelty, a place where consumers could hunt for amusing bargains. But now, they're a big business. Customers can buy cleaning supplies, hardware, clothes, and some food there, all for rock-bottom prices. But not everyone loves dollar stores. Learn this English expression: If something 'falls out of fashion,' it is no longer popular Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/687 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve...
Jun 27, 2024•21 min•Ep. 687
Today's story: Orange juice is the world's favorite fruit juice. But a series of bad harvests in Brazil and Florida is threatening the global supply. Now, producers are wondering whether to use lower-quality juice blends or add other citrus fruits to their orange juice. And farmers are asking whether it's worthwhile to plant new trees. Learn this English expression: Something is 'worthwhile' if it's worth the time and effort Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/686 -- Plain English helps you im...
Jun 24, 2024•22 min•Ep. 686
Today's story: Have you ever wondered what airlines do with all the lost luggage? If they can't find owners after three months, they go to auction. Here's what happens to all the lost clothes, jewelry, and electronics (and how you might get in on the action). Learn this English expression: To track something down is to find it after a long search Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/685 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natura...
Jun 20, 2024•22 min•Ep. 685
Today's story: Almost since the invention of the car, people have fantasized about flying cars. But it has always been a dream. Now, though, new startups are ready to start transporting passengers in drone-like flying vehicles. The biggest hurdle now is not the technology, but permission from the government. Learn this English expression: A date can 'creep closer' as it approaches Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/684 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and...
Jun 17, 2024•21 min•Ep. 684
Today's story: A new analysis of Beethoven's hair has found elevated levels of lead, mercury, and arsenic. And while these don't explain the famous composer's death, they may explain some of his many ailments, including gastrointestinal issues, kidney disease, and, yes, hearing loss. Learn this English expression: Use 'suffer from' when someone experiences a specific, negative condition Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/683 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the wor...
Jun 13, 2024•20 min•Ep. 683
Today's story: Most homes in cold-weather places have furnaces or boilers to provide heat indoors. These are effective and are relatively cheap to install, but they run on fossil fuels. A greener option is heat pumps. But like electric cars, heat pumps face barriers to wider adoption. In this lesson, learn how a heat pump works and why it might be the future of heat in cold-weather climates. Learn this English expression: To 'heat up' is to get hotter Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/682 --...
Jun 10, 2024•21 min•Ep. 682
Today's story: The Mona Lisa is the most famous portrait in the world, but much is not known about it. The background shows a lake, rock formations, and a stone arch bridge, but the location has never been known definitively. Now, a geologist and art historian says she has identified the background: Lecco, near Lake Colmo in Italy. Learn this English expression: To 'stand up to scrutiny' is to be valid even after close analysis Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/681 -- Plain English helps you...
Jun 06, 2024•21 min•Ep. 681
Today's story: Dengue fever is a tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. Though it's not deadly in the vast majority of cases, about five percent of patients require hospitalization. And cases are surging in Latin America. There have been more dengue cases in four months of 2024 than in all of 2023. Governments are trying to stop the spread, but the tools for doing so are imperfect. Learn this English expression: To 'buy something up' is to buy large quantities (maybe all that is available) Full ...
Jun 03, 2024•20 min•Ep. 680
Today's story: Impressionism, the art movement that celebrates bright colors, thick brushstrokes, and outdoor settings, turns 150 years old this month. Though Monet, Degas, Renoir, and others are celebrated in museums and art schools around the world, their work was initially rejected by the art establishment. Learn this English expression: Use 'fall into' to describe how things fit into categories Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/679 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn a...
May 30, 2024•23 min•Ep. 679
Today's story: "Behavioral science" is the field of studying how humans behave in the real world. Today, take a look at three groundbreaking findings from the career of Daniel Kahneman. First, we feel pain more intensely than we feel pleasure. Second, we make decisions using two different systems. And finally, our judgment is often far worse than we think it is. Learn this English expression: If something 'sticks with you,' it makes a lasting impression Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/678 ...
May 27, 2024•27 min•Ep. 678
Today's story: Daniel Kahneman was a trained psychologist who became the ""grandfather of behavioral economics"" with his experiments on human behavior and decision-making. Though he never took an economics class as a student, he won the 2002 Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences for his work on how humans make decisions. He died in March at age 90. Learn this English expression: 'Pass away' is a gentle way of saying someone has died Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/677 -- Plain English helps y...
May 23, 2024•22 min•Ep. 677
Today's story: A corridor of magma below the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland burst to the surface through a series of volcanic eruptions. The Golden Bachelor couple is getting a divorce. Trump is nodding off at his first criminal trial. You'll hear the latest on these stories and more in our semi-annual update episode. Learn this English expression: To 'nod off' is to fall asleep momentarily Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/676 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the...
May 20, 2024•22 min•Ep. 676
Today's story: Quebec, Canada's only French-speaking province, has long protected its language. But now, some English speakers say the province has gone too far. New policies by the provincial government restrict the use of English in certain circumstances. And Quebec recently raised tuition for out-of-province students by 33%, a direct hit at Montreal's two biggest international universities. Learn this English expression: To be squeezed out is to be forced out by the actions of others Full les...
May 16, 2024•27 min•Ep. 675
Today's story: Canada is a bilingual country, offering government services in both English and French. But the balance isn't 50-50. French is the dominant language in just one province, Quebec. Only 20 percent of Canadians speak French natively. And francophones are more likely to be bilingual than anglophones. Here's how French and English coexist in Canada and Quebec. Learn this English expression: To be in a pinch is to have a problem that needs a quick solution Full lesson: https://plainengl...
May 13, 2024•23 min•Ep. 674
Today's story: Shohei Ohtani is a superstar baseball player in Los Angeles. Since his arrival in the U.S., he has used a Japanese translator. But the translator stands accused of stealing money from Ohtani and using the money to pay off sports gambling debts. Ohtani himself is considered the victim. Learn this English expression: To be 'caught up in something' is to be involved in something (usually bad), often unintentionally Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/673 -- Plain English helps you ...
May 09, 2024•26 min•Ep. 673
Today's Story: How do animals behave during a total solar eclipse? It's a difficult question to answer because eclipses are so rare and they don't often pass over zoos or areas where animals can be observed. But the path of totality of this year's eclipse passed directly over six zoos, allowing animal researchers to study their reactions. Also in today's episode: Learn English expression 'in a pinch' Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/672 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn...
May 06, 2024•21 min•Ep. 672
Today's story: Swimming has been prohibited in the River Seine for over 100 years, and for good reason: it has been filthy for much of that time. But Olympic organizers pledged to clean up the river and hold swimming events in central Paris. The Olympics start in June, but bacteria levels are still high. Learn this English expression: Rivers, roads, and other things in a line 'run through' the surrounding area Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/671 -- Plain English helps you improve your Engl...
May 02, 2024•20 min•Ep. 671
