Best Englishvocabulary Podcasts (2024)

1
America's South is booming (Safety net) 20:00

1h ago20:00

20:00

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 fr…

1
What it's like to live in the Midwest (Fall on hard times) 21:14

1h ago21:14

21:14

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://plai…

1
A typical American household budget (All in) 19:55

6m ago19:55

19:55

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 ac…

1
Typical U.S. salaries by profession (Take out) 21:26

1h ago21:26

21:26

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.c…

1
America's best small museums (Pop culture) 19:18

2d ago19:18

19:18

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 collec…

1
The best big museums in America (Make a difference) 18:59

16d ago18:59

18:59

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 …

1
Is west-coast living really better? (Year-round) 21:40

12d ago21:40

21:40

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-rou…

1
East-coast living: the pros and cons (Focus on) 20:10

13d ago20:10

20:10

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 …

1
Dollar stores dominate rural America (Fall out of fashion) 20:45

17d ago20:45

20:45

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,…

1
Bad harvests are pushing up orange juice prices (Worthwhile) 21:35

29d ago21:35

21:35

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 E…

1
Lost luggage: What happens to it? (Track down) 20:21

1M ago20:21

20:21

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 F…

1
Flying cars: are they finally here? (Creep closer) 20:23

27d ago20:23

20:23

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 ca…

1
Beethoven's hair provides clues to his hearing loss (Suffer from) 18:54

1M ago18:54

18:54

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 exp…

1
Heat pumps: the green way to heat a home (Heat up) 20:05

1M ago20:05

20:05

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 …

1
Mona Lisa background: mystery solved? (Stand up to scrutiny) 20:27

2M ago20:27

20:27

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 Engli…

1
Surge of dengue in Latin America (Buy up) 19:39

2M ago19:39

19:39

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…

1
Impressionism turns 150 (Fall into) 22:04

2M ago22:04

22:04

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 'fa…

1
Three big ideas from behavioral science (Stick with (someone)) 25:55

2M ago25:55

25:55

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 w…

1
Daniel Kahneman and behavioral economics (Pass away) 21:26

2M ago21:26

21:26

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. Le…

1
Updates on Iceland, Trump, and recent stories (Nod off) 21:29

2M ago21:29

21:29

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:…

1
Quebec is squeezing Montreal's English speakers (Squeezed out) 26:11

2M ago26:11

26:11

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 Mont…

1
Canada's complicated bilingualism (In a pinch) 22:28

2M ago22:28

22:28

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…

1
The translator at the center of a sports betting scandal (Caught up in) 25:57

3M ago25:57

25:57

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 i…

1
How zoo animals behaved during the eclipse (Quiet down) 20:41

3M ago20:41

20:41

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 t…

1
Paris's Olympic dream: swimming in the Seine (Run through) 19:04

3M ago19:04

19:04

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…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Englishvocabulary Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Plain English

Plain English

1
Simple English Listening

Tristan Palumbo

1
America's South is booming (Safety net) 20:00

1
What it's like to live in the Midwest (Fall on hard times) 21:14

1
A typical American household budget (All in) 19:55

1
Typical U.S. salaries by profession (Take out) 21:26

1
America's best small museums (Pop culture) 19:18

1
The best big museums in America (Make a difference) 18:59

1
Is west-coast living really better? (Year-round) 21:40

1
East-coast living: the pros and cons (Focus on) 20:10

1
Dollar stores dominate rural America (Fall out of fashion) 20:45

1
Bad harvests are pushing up orange juice prices (Worthwhile) 21:35

1
Lost luggage: What happens to it? (Track down) 20:21

1
Flying cars: are they finally here? (Creep closer) 20:23

1
Beethoven's hair provides clues to his hearing loss (Suffer from) 18:54

1
Heat pumps: the green way to heat a home (Heat up) 20:05

1
Mona Lisa background: mystery solved? (Stand up to scrutiny) 20:27

1
Surge of dengue in Latin America (Buy up) 19:39

1
Impressionism turns 150 (Fall into) 22:04

1
Three big ideas from behavioral science (Stick with (someone)) 25:55

1
Daniel Kahneman and behavioral economics (Pass away) 21:26

1
Updates on Iceland, Trump, and recent stories (Nod off) 21:29

1
Quebec is squeezing Montreal's English speakers (Squeezed out) 26:11

1
Canada's complicated bilingualism (In a pinch) 22:28

1
The translator at the center of a sports betting scandal (Caught up in) 25:57

1
How zoo animals behaved during the eclipse (Quiet down) 20:41

1
Paris's Olympic dream: swimming in the Seine (Run through) 19:04

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