podcast

Thinking in English

by Thomas Wilkinson

390. What are the “New” Seven Wonders of the World? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

01.06.2026 • 00:31:38

Thousands of years ago, Ancient Greek travellers created a list of the most extraordinary sights they encountered: the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Wo...

389. What Was the First Book Ever Written? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

25.05.2026 • 00:28:31

Humans have been speaking languages for tens of thousands of years. We told stories around fires, passed down myths from parents to children, and memo...

388. Is the American Dream Dead? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

18.05.2026 • 00:26:05

If you work hard, can you build yourself a better life? For a long time, millions of people believed the answer in the USA was yes. The “American Dre...

387. Why Are Some People Always Late? The Cultural Meaning of Time (English Vocabulary Lesson)

11.05.2026 • 00:24:17

You are invited to a party. The invitation says the party starts at 20:00. What time will you arrive? Your answer to this question has a lot to do ...

386. Who Was Leonardo Da Vinci? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

04.05.2026 • 00:20:59

Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the greatest minds in history. He painted some of the most famous works of art ever: the Mona Lisa, Last Supper, and mor...

385. Should We Boycott the 2026 World Cup? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

27.04.2026 • 00:22:25

Four years ago, I made an episode titled “Should we boycott the Qatar World Cup?” As you might remember, the tournament in Qatar was surrounded by cr...

384. The Scramble for Africa (English Vocabulary Lesson)

20.04.2026 • 00:29:03

In the 1870s, about ten percent of Africa had been colonised by European countries. But over the next few decades, over ninety percent of the continen...

383. What Is Talent? And Do You Need It to Learn English? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

13.04.2026 • 00:21:05

“I’m just not good at learning languages.” I’m sure many of you listening right now have thought this before. And I’m sure you’ve thought the opposit...

382. Rwanda: Economic Miracle or Authoritarian State? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

06.04.2026 • 00:25:38

In 1994, the small African country of Rwanda experienced one of the worst genocides in modern history. Over a one-hundred-day period, an estimated 800...

381. Easter Island: Mystery, Moai, and the Edge of the World (English Vocabulary Lesson)

30.03.2026 • 00:23:05

Imagine living in a place so remote that the nearest inhabited land is over two thousand kilometres away. No neighbours. No easy escape. Just ocean in...