Thinking in English

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People often say history repeats itself… but does it really?

When we look back at the past, certain events feel strangely familiar. Pandemics that spread across the world. Wars that change everything. Economic crashes that seem to happen just when people feel most confident about the future. 

Even though the details are different, the patterns can feel… repeated.

Also, when we talk about history, time matters. Not just what happened, but when it happened. How specific we are, and how we describe time in English. We talk about events in certain centuries, on particular days, and at exact moments that changed the world.

So in today’s episode, we’ll do two things. 

First, I’ll give you a short and clear grammar lesson on prepositions of time: in, on, andat. Then, we’ll explore some big moments from history and ask whether history really does repeat itself. As you listen, pay attention to how I use in, on, and at!

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TRANSCRIPT - ⁠https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2026/01/26/372-does-history-repeat-itself-prepositions-of-time-english-grammar-lesson/

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In the 19th century, a quiet, curious naturalist named Charles Darwin proposed a theory that went on the shake science, religion, and philosophy. Darwin introduced a new way of thinking about life itself.

His theory of evolution by natural selection revealed that every species (humans included) changes over time, adapts to its environment, and shares common ancestors.

In today’s episode of Thinking in English, I want to explore the life of Charles Darwin, look closely at his most important discoveries, and discuss how his ideas still influence modern biology.

And finally, we’ll discuss a big question: Is Charles Darwin the greatest scientist of all time?

And while we are doing this, we’ll practice our English listening comprehension and learn some new English vocabulary!

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2026/01/19/371-charles-darwin-greatest-scientist-of-all-time-english-vocabulary-lesson/

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People love to debate history, especially when it comes to who was first. Last year, I made an episode about the oldest country in the world. I argued that the answer might be San Marino, because it has a long, continuous history as an independent state.

And the reaction from listeners was… quite intense! I received comments from people around the world saying things like: “No, Egypt is older!” or “China has been around for thousands of years!” or “What about Iran?”.

All of these arguments were interesting. But I think they were also missing something important: a country and a civilisation are not the same thing.

So today, instead of talking about the oldest country, we’re asking a deeper question: What is the world’s oldest civilisation?

This question is not easy to answer. In fact, it depends on how we define civilisation itself. And historians don’t always agree on that definition. But there is a popular idea called the Cradles of Civilisation. These are places in the world where human societies first grew into complex, organised, urban cultures.

So, in today’s episode, we’ll explore these ancient cradles, find out what makes a civilisation, and decide whether there really is one society we can call “the oldest civilisation in the world,” all while learning some new English vocabulary!

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2026/01/12/370-what-is-the-worlds-oldest-civilisation-english-vocabulary-lesson/

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Australia is a country that many English learners dream of visiting, studying in, or even working in. Its beaches, culture, and cities are famous all over the world. But how much do you really know about the history of this country?

In today’s episode, I want to discuss the development of Australia, from the first Aboriginal Australians who arrived tens of thousands of years ago, to the European settlers, the creation of modern Australia, and life today.

Along the way, I’ll explain important vocabulary and expressions, so you can improve your listening and speaking skills as we explore the fascinating story of Australia together.

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2026/01/05/369-history-of-australia-english-vocabulary-lesson/

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Last year, I made an episode where I openly shared my goals and New Year’s resolutions for 2025. Now, it’s time to look back and see how I did.

In this episode, I’ll review my 2025 goals. I’ talk about what I achieved, what I only partially achieved, and where I failed. And there were definitely some failures.

 I’ll also share my personal and professional goals for 2026 and hopefully give you some ideas for your own New Year’s resolutions.

Remember, I’m not perfect, and neither are you, but we can try! Let’s take a look at what I learned last year and what’s coming next.

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TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2025/12/29/368-how-to-make-resolutions-for-2026-english-vocabulary-lesson/

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