Plain English

Today's story: A hand-copied manuscript of a musical composition believed to have been written by Mozart has been discovered in the archives of a German library. Mozart experts believe the composition dates to the 1760s, when Mozart was between 10 and 13 years old. An analysis of the music suggests that the piece is consistent with Mozart's style from this period. The piece is now titled 'Ganz kleine Nachtmusik' and was performed for the first time in Salzburg, Austria.

Learn this English expression: Every now and then

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/727

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Today's story: The backflip has been a controversial move in figure skating for decades. It was first performed in high-level competition at the 1976 Olympics by American skater Terry Kubicka, but was quickly banned due to safety concerns. Despite its prohibition, some skaters continued to perform it in exhibitions. Now, nearly fifty years later, the International Skating Union has decided to legalize the backflip once again, though the move won’t earn skaters extra points in competition.

Learn this English expression: Give away

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/726

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Today's story: Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish made from various animal organs mixed with oats and spices. In the traditional recipe, it's cooked in the lining of a sheep's stomach. It's a beloved part of Scottish culture (even if outsiders aren't always brave enough to try it).

Learn this English expression: 'Out of reach' refers to something that is inaccessible or unattainable

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/725

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Today's story: Scientists have completed a ""connectome"" of an adult fruit fly, mapping all 140,000 brain cells and the 55 million connections between them. The map will allow scientists to study in much greater detail how a brain works. And the complete connectome of the fruit fly may pave the way for mapping larger, more complex brains, including those of mice and, potentially, humans.

Learn this English expression: 'On a roll' means experiencing a series of successes or feeling confident and energized.

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/724

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Today's story: When the sun rises on Election Day, about half of Americans will have already voted. But here's what the experience is like for the tens of millions of people who cast their votes in person on the first Tuesday of November. Plus, learn why it takes so long to count the votes.

Learn this English expression: 'Pull something off' means to succeed in doing something difficult or unexpected.

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/723

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Today's story: Dengue fever has spread to Italy, which has seen 500 cases this year. M-pox vaccines are now being distributed in Africa for the first time. Shohei Ohtani’s translator has pleaded guilty to bank fraud, and Netflix’s new ""Monsters"" series, based on the Menendez brothers' case, has hit number one on the charts.

Learn this English expression: 'Sooner or later' means that something will definitely happen, even if the exact timing is uncertain.

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/722

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Today's story: Across the English-speaking world, the cost of housing (to buy or to rent) has far outpaced increases in incomes. That has caused governments to take a critical look at policies that have limited homebuilding, especially apartments. From London's green belt to cities in America, Canada, and Australia, people are increasingly saying ""yes"" to more building.

Learn this English expression: A person who is ""out of touch"" doesn't keep up with latest trends in culture, technology, or a particular group. It can also imply that someone is disconnected from the experiences of others.

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/721

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Today's story: Netflix recently released season four of its hit show ""Emily in Paris."" Television critics in France and the U.S. panned the show for its unrealistic, Instagram-worthy fantasy of life in Paris. But audiences love it: the show reached number one on Netflix when its fourth season was released (and yes, it was popular in France, too). ""Emily in Paris"" will return for a fifth season, with main character Emily spending time in Rome as well as the French capital.

Learn this English expression: The expressions 'keep an eye on' and 'keep an eye out' both involve being watchful and paying attention, but in different ways.

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/720

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Today's story: America’s complicated system of choosing a president can be traced back to its origins as a union of individual states. The process involves two elections: a popular vote by citizens and an electoral vote by states. This indirect system places more emphasis on the results of the election in the individual states. Learn why Americans will cast hundreds of millions of votes, but only 538 votes really matter.

Learn this English expression: 'On track' means making progress toward a goal as planned or expected.

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/719

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Today's story: James Earl Jones, the actor known as the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, overcame a childhood stutter and developed one of the most distinctive voices in Hollywood. His booming baritone lent authority to any character he played (including his comedic roles). He died in September 2024 at age 93.

Learn this English expression: ""Up in the air"" describes something that is undecided or uncertain, often used when a decision has not yet been made.

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/718

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
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Mentioned in this episode:

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