Flash in the Pan - 22 June 2026

Gossip goes by many names: the poop, the scoop, the lowdown, the dope, the scuttlebutt, the 411, the grapes, the gore, and hot tea. Plus, John Donne’s love poems are among the greatest in the English language, even as they’re famously difficult to unravel. A new biography hails t ...  Show more

Novelist Charles Dickens and the musician Prince were very different types of artists, but they also had a lot in common. A new book chronicling their extraordinary careers becomes a larger meditation on perfectionism and creativity itself. Plus, the military origins of the term ...  Show more

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 stor ...  Show more

Listen with FREE Interactive Transcript only on the RealLife App. Have you ever wondered why the same word can mean something totally different in the US, UK, and Australia? In this fun and fast-paced RealLife English episode, Ethan, Andrea, and Olly explore some of the most comm ...  Show more

Words to Know

Master the American English phrase "sound too hot" in this fun and free ESL podcast lesson! Join Coach Shane to improve your English speaking, listening, and pronunciation with clear explanations and real-life examples. Today's Expression: doesn't sound too hot I'm going to the B ...  Show more