Plain English | Improve your English with current events Podcast
1) ⚖️ Emoji in the courtroom
Enjoy this episode from the Plain English archives. Emoji are everywhere, including some unlikely places...like the courtroom.Court cases often hinge on what words mean. But what happens when a disput...Show More
2) How stolen vehicles move around the world
Today's story: How do stolen cars move around the world? Easy. They're loaded into standard shipping containers and sent overseas using the same freight network that moves legal goods. Weak customs en...Show More
3) Car theft goes global
Today's story: Car theft is on the rise, and it's high tech and global. Thieves in rich countries steal luxury SUVs using relay devices and other tools, then ship them overseas to markets in Africa an...Show More
4) Women are making inroads into officiating men’s sports
Today's story: Umpire Jen Pawol made history as the first woman to officiate a Major League Baseball game in 150 years. Her milestone highlights the growing presence of female officials in men’s sport...Show More
5) Italy envisions a bridge to Sicily
Today's story: Italy has approved plans for the Messina Bridge, a €13.5 billion suspension bridge linking Sicily to the mainland. If completed by 2033, it would be the world’s longest suspension bridg...Show More
6) The era of slim clothing is over
Today's story: Skinny jeans and tight-fitting clothes are out, and loose, oversized fashion is in. The shift is driven by comfort after the pandemic, greater body inclusivity, and a wave of 1990s nost...Show More
7) ‘Coldplay couple’ in a viral nightmare
Today's story: A playful concert tradition took a serious turn when Coldplay’s “Jumbotron Song” captured an embrace between a tech CEO and his HR director. The viral video ignited a nationwide scandal...Show More
8) How prescription drugs get their names [archive episode]
Xoloft, Ibrance, Zocor, Mounjaro: How do drug companies come up with these names? That's exactly what we explored in this classic episode of Plain English.When a pharmaceutical company develops a new ...Show More
9) What it’s like to stare at a painting for a full hour [archive episode]
It can be hard to focus on one thing for an extended period of time. An art class at Harvard takes this to the extreme. All students get an assignment during the class. They have to go to a museum and...Show More
10) Egypt’s long-awaited mega-museum nears completion
Today's story: After years of delays, Cairo’s Grand Egypt Museum is finally nearing completion. The massive museum will house over 100,000 artifacts from Ancient Egypt, including more than 5,000 items...Show More