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Learn the English expression, "track down" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/track-down -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com

Today's story: Hachette, a major book publisher, pulled a horror novel from bookstore shelves after online critics found the text was full of the telltale signs of artificial intelligence. The author, Mia Ballard, says that a freelance editor may have used ChatGPT, but that the story was her own work. The case raises questions in the literary community about how much artificial intelligence can be used in creating a work of fiction. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/857 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/857 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Learn the English expression, "Add up" Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/add-up -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Today's story: Mahjong, a traditional Chinese tile game, is gaining popularity again around the world. Once a major trend in the U.S., it declined for decades but survived in small communities. Now, clubs, apps, and pop culture are introducing it to new players, drawn by its mix of strategy, luck, and social interaction. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/855 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/855 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Learn how to use the English phrasal verb, "figure out" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/figure-out -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Today's story: GLP-1 drugs, originally developed for diabetes and later used for weight loss, are now showing surprising benefits in other areas of health. Patients taking these medications have lower rates of heart attacks, strokes, and fatty liver disease, along with improvements in sleep apnea and addiction. Scientists believe these effects may be linked to reduced inflammation in the body, but more research is needed to understand their full potential. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/853 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/853 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Learn the English expression, "come up with" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/come-up-with -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Today's story: Pennsylvania Station was once one of the most beautiful train stations in the United States, but the building was demolished in 1963. New York almost immediately regretted the loss of its grand old station. For decades, leaders have promised to rebuild it, but a series of political and architectural obstacles have stood in the way. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/851 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/851 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Learn how to use the English expression "up close" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/up-close -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Today's story: Alex Honnold, a 40-year-old American climber famous for his "free solo" climbs without ropes, thrilled millions of viewers by climbing a 101-story skyscraper without any safety gear. The climb was broadcast live on Netflix. His wife, watching the climb from inside the office building, said she was panicking the whole time. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/849 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/849 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Learn the English expression, "show up" Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/show-up -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Today's story: For decades, the United States followed other wealthy democracies in becoming less religious. The share of Americans identifying as Christian fell sharply, while the number of people with no religious affiliation grew. But new data suggest that this long decline may have slowed. Younger generations are no less religious than Millennials, and adults today are not becoming less religious as they age. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/847 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/847 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Learn how to use the English expression, "come to grips" Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/come-to-grips -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Today's story: The 2026 Winter Olympics were kind to some 40-something competitors, but devastating to the skier Lindsay Vonn. Mikhail Shaidorov brought Kazakhstan its first gold medal since 1994 after defeating the self-proclaimed "Quad God." Team GB won its first event on snow, and Brazil became the first South American country to claim a Winter Olympic gold medal. And an anonymous woman somewhere in Norway got quite a shock. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/845 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/845 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com

Learn the expert-level English expression "turn the tables" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/turn-the-tables -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com