Obamas Light the National Christmas Tree

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"One Thousand Dollars," by O. Henry

Our story today is called “One Thousand Dollars.”  It was written by O. Henry.  Here is Steve Ember with the story. "One thousand dollars," said the lawyer Tolman, in a severe and serious voice.  "And here is the money.” Young Gillian touched the thin package of $50 bills and laughed. "It's such an unusual amount," he explained kindly to the lawyer. “If it had been $10,000, a man might celebrate with a lot of fireworks. Even $50 would have been less trouble." "You heard the reading of your uncle's will after he died," continued the lawyer Tolman. "I do not know if you paid much attention to its details. I must remind you of one. You are required to provide us with a report of how you used this $1,000 as soon as you have spent it. I trust that you will obey the wishes of your late uncle." "You may depend on it," said the young man respectfully. Gillian went to his club. He searched for a man he called Old Bryson. Old Bryson was a calm, anti-social man, about 40 years old.  He was in a corner reading a book. When he saw Gillian coming near he took a noisy, deep breath, laid down his book and took off his glasses. "I have a funny story to tell you,” said Gillian.  "I wish you would tell it to someone in the billiard room," said Old Bryson. "You know how I hate your stories." "This is a better one than usual," said Gillian, rolling a cigarette, and I'm glad to tell it to you. It's too sad and funny to go with the rattling of billiard balls. I’ve just come from a meeting with my late uncle's lawyers. He leaves me an even $1,000. Now, what can a man possibly do with $1,000?" Old Bryson showed very little interest.  "I thought the late Septimus Gillian was worth something like half a million." "He was," agreed Gillian, happily.  "And that's where the joke comes in. He has left a lot of his money to an organism. That is, part of it goes to the man who invents a new bacillus and the rest to establish a hospital for doing away with it again. There are one or two small, unimportant gifts on the side. The butler and the housekeeper get a seal ring and $10 dollars each. His nephew gets $1,000 thousand dollars." "Were there any others mentioned in your uncle’s will?" asked Old Bryson. "None." said Gillian. “There is a Miss Hayden.  My uncle was responsible for her. She lived in his house. She's a quiet thing … musical … the daughter of somebody who was unlucky enough to be his friend.   "I forgot to say that she was in on the ring and $10 joke, too. I wish I had been.  Then I could have had two bottles of wine, given the ring to the waiter and had the whole business off my hands. Now tell me what a man can do with $1,000." Old Bryson rubbed his glasses and smiled. And when Old Bryson smiled, Gillian knew that he intended to be more offensive than ever. There are many good things a man could do with $1,000,” said Bryson. "You?" he said with a gentle laugh. "Why, Bobby Gillian, there's only one reasonable thing you could do. You can go and buy Miss Lotta Lauriere a diamond necklace with the money and then take yourself off to Idaho and inflict your presence upon a ranch. I advise a sheep ranch, as I have a particular dislike for sheep.” "Thanks," said Gillian as he rose from his chair. "I knew I could depend on you, Old Bryson. You've hit on the very idea. I wanted to spend the money on one thing, because I have to turn in a report for it, and I hate itemizing.” Gillian phoned for a cab and said to the driver:  "The stage entrance of the Columbine Theatre." The theater was crowded. Miss Lotta Lauriere was preparing for her performance when her assistant spoke the name of Mr. Gillian. "Let it in," said Miss Lauriere. "Now, what is it, Bobby? I'm going on stage in two minutes." “It won't take two minutes for me. What do you say to a little thing in the jewelry line?  I can spend $1,000." “Say, Bobby,” said Miss Lauriere,  “Did you see that necklace Della Stacey had on the other night?  It cost $2,200 at Tiffany's.” Miss Lauriere was called to the stage for her performance. Gillian slowly walked out to where his cab was waiting.  "What would you do with $1,000 if you had it?" he asked the driver. "Open a drinking place," said the driver, quickly. "I know a place I could take money in with both hands. I've got it worked out -- if you were thinking of putting up the money.” "Oh, no," said Gillian. “I was just wondering.” Eight blocks down Broadway, Gillian got out of the cab. A blind man sat on the sidewalk selling pencils. Gillian went out and stood in front of him. "Excuse me, but would you mind telling me what you would do if you had $1,000?” asked Gillian. The blind man took a small book from his coat pocket and held it out. Gillian opened it and saw that it was a bank deposit book. It showed that the blind man had a balance of $1,785 in his bank account. Gillian returned the bank book and got back into the cab. "I forgot something," he said. "You may drive to the law offices of Tolman and Sharp.” Lawyer Tolman looked at Gillian in a hostile and questioning way. "I beg your pardon," said Gillian, cheerfully.  "But was Miss Hayden left anything by my uncle's will in addition to the ring and the $10 dollars?" "Nothing," said Mr. Tolman. “I thank you very much, sir," said Gillian, and went to his cab. He gave the driver the address of his late uncle's home. Miss Hayden was writing letters in the library. The small, thin woman wore black clothes. But you would have noticed her eyes. Gillian entered the room as if the world were unimportant. “I have just come from old Tolman's," he explained. “They have been going over the papers down there. They found a …”  Gillian searched his memory for a legal term.  “They found an amendment or a post-script or something to the will.  It seemed that my uncle had second thoughts and willed you $1,000. Tolman asked me to bring you the money.  Here it is.” Gillian laid the money beside her hand on the desk. Miss Hayden turned white. "Oh!" she said. And again, "Oh!" Gillian half turned and looked out the window. In a low voice he said, "I suppose, of course, that you know I love you." "I am sorry," said Miss Hayden, as she picked up her money. "There is no use?" asked Gillian, almost light-heartedly. "I am sorry," she said again. "May I write a note?" asked Gillian, with a smile.  Miss Hayden supplied him with paper and pen, and then went back to her writing table. Gillian wrote a report of how he spent the $1,000: “Paid by Robert Gillian, $1,000 on account of the eternal happiness, owed by Heaven to the best and dearest woman on Earth." Gillian put the note into an envelope.  He bowed to Miss Hayden and left. His cab stopped again at the offices of Tolman and Sharp. “I have spent the $1,000," he said cheerfully, to Tolman. "And I have come to present a report of it, as I agreed.” He threw a white envelope on the lawyer's table. Without touching the envelope, Mr. Tolman went to a door and called his partner, Sharp. Together they searched for something in a large safe. They brought out a big envelope sealed with wax. As they opened the envelope, they shook their heads together over its contents. Then Tolman became the spokesman. "Mr. Gillian," he said, “there was an addition to your uncle's will. It was given to us privately, with instructions that it not be opened until you had provided us with a full report of your handling of the $1,000 received in the will. “As you have satisfied the conditions, my partner and I have read the addition.  I will explain to you the spirit of its contents. “In the event that your use of the $1,000 shows that you possess any of the qualifications that deserve reward, you stand to gain much more. If your disposal of the money in question has been sensible, wise, or unselfish, it is in our power to give you bonds to the value of $50,000. But if you have used this money in a wasteful, foolish way as you have in the past, the $50,000 is to be paid to Miriam Hayden, ward of the late Mr. Gillian, without delay. “Now, Mr. Gillian, Mr. Sharp and I will examine your report of the $1,000.” Mr. Tolman reached for the envelope. Gillian was a little quicker in taking it up.  He calmly tore the report and its cover into pieces and dropped them into his pocket. "It's all right," he said, smilingly. "There isn't a bit of need to bother you with this.  I don't suppose you would understand these itemized bets, anyway. I lost the $1,000 on the races. Good-day to you, gentlemen." Tolman and Sharp shook their heads mournfully at each other when Gillian left.  They heard him whistling happily in the hallway as he waited for the elevator. Now it’s your turn to use these Words in this Story. In the comments section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on your use of vocabulary and grammar.​ ________________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   will - n. (law) a legal document in which a person states who should receive his or her possessions after he or she dies billiards - n. any one of several games that are played on a large table by hitting solid balls into one another with the end of a long stick bacillus- n. a straight rod-shaped bacterium that requires oxygen for growth safe - n. a strong metal box with a lock that is used to store money or valuable things ward - n. a person (such as a child) who is protected and cared for by a court or guardian  

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December 4, 2015

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

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US Downgrades Thai Air Safety

  Thailand’s Prime Minister, Prayut Chanocha, has ordered air transport officials to improve flight safety because of international criticism. On Tuesday, the United States lowered its rating of Thailand’s air safety. That move could hurt the Thai tourism industry.  The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration moved Thailand from a category one rating to category two. The FAA did not provide details on its decision. It said officials found Thailand’s civil aviation administration lacking in one or more critical areas. This could include technical expertise, training processes and inspection systems. The U.S. decision follows earlier criticism. In March, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) reported concerns about Thailand’s aviation safety. Soon after the organization’s report, South Korea, Japan and China limited Thai-based airline operations in their airspace. Reports say some of those restrictions have been eased since. Thailand’s national carrier, Thai Airways International, said the FAA decision would have no immediate effect. Some experts disagree. They have expressed concerns about the effect on Thailand’s critical tourism industry. Thai Airways President, Charamporn Jotikasthira, spoke with VOA earlier this year. He noted that the airline no longer flies directly to the United States. He told VOA he is more concerned about the judgement of European air officials. A critical report from them would affect Thai flights to all European destinations. The European Aviation Safety Agency is to release results of its investigation on December 15. I’m Caty Weaver. Ron Corben wrote this story for VOANews. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Have you flown on Thai airline carriers? Please leave a Comment or a post on our Facebook page.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tourism – n. the business of providing hotels, restaurants, entertainment, etc., for people who are traveling aviation – n. the business or practice of flying airplanes, helicopters, etc. category – n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way expertise – n. special skill or knowledge: the skill or knowledge an expert has destination – n. a place to which a person is going or something is being sent​  

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Holiday Celebrations Kick Off with New York’s Rockettes

The Rockettes have been entertaining New Yorkers and tourists from around the world since 1925. Many American families take their children to New York to see their performances during the holiday.

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Obamas Light the National Christmas Tree

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Tension Increases Between Turkey-Russia Over Syria

Tensions continue to rise between Turkey and Russia as both sides increase their military power at the Turkish-Syrian border. Accusations between the two countries grew after Turkey shot down a Russian military jet last week. Turkey said Russia invaded Turkish airspace illegally after being warned to fly out. Since then, the two world leaders have thrown complaints and charges at each other. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Turkey of aiding Islamic State oil smuggling. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan challenged Putin to prove it. Erdogan said he would resign if Russia could prove the charge. Russia offered no evidence to support the smuggling claim. Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told journalists in Moscow this week that Turkey is the main destination for the oil stolen from its legitimate owners, which are Syria and Iraq. Turkey resells this oil. He said the appalling part about it is that the country's top political leadership is involved in the illegal business — President Erdogan and his family. Charges that Turkey profits from buying cheap oil from smugglers is a sensitive topic. Erdogan’s son, Bilal, has been named in the issue. The Turkish president denied his son’s involvement and any wrong doing. On the Syrian border with Turkey, military forces were added this week. Russia announced that its Su-34 bombers that are flying over Syria now carry air-to-air missiles for self-defense. The Turkish air force increased its patrols along the border. Tuesday, Turkey called for the two countries “to gather around the table and talk.” Turkey added it would talk but would also continue to protect its borders and airspace. In another developing story on Wednesday, NATO foreign ministers invited Montenegro Wednesday to join the military alliance. It would be NATO’s first addition since 2009. It also defies Russian warnings that Balkan countries joining NATO is “irresponsible.” Montenegro is an ex-Communist country on the Adriatic Sea. It borders Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Montenegro plans on becoming a full NATO member in 2016. I’m Anne Ball.   Dorian Jones wrote this story for VOAnews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of the Turkey/Russia situation? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   jet – n.  a fast airplane that has one or more jet engines smuggle – v.  to move something from one country into another illegally and secretly airspace – n.  the space that is above a country and that is legally controlled by that country

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Brazil Pursues Impeachment Against Rousseff

A senior Brazilian lawmaker approved impeachment hearings Wednesday over allegations against President Dilma Rousseff. During Rousseff’s presidency, unemployment has increased, the economy has slowed, and she is accused in an oil scandal. The impeachment process will examine Rousseff’s connection to the Petrobras oil and energy company. The scandal centers on money payoffs to politicians and executives. Rousseff was chairwoman of the Petrobras board when a questionable oil refinery purchase was made in 2006. She also will be questioned about the government’s accounting and spending history, according to the Washington Post. Rousseff has denied any wrong doing. The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies will vote on articles of impeachment. If two-thirds of the chamber – or 342 members – vote for impeachment, Rousseff will be suspended. A final vote will be held by the country’s senate. Rousseff has faced opposition before. She served three years in prison from 1970 to 1973 and was tortured for subversion for fighting a military dictatorship. She helped found the Democratic Labor Party and was Brazil’s Minister of Mines and Energy. She also was Chief of Staff for then-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Rousseff has faced low public-opinion poll numbers. A September poll revealed only 10 percent of Brazilians think the government is doing a good job.   She first took office in 2011 and narrowly won reelection in 2014. I'm Anne Ball.   Jim Dresbach wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of Rousseff’s possible impeachment? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   hearing – n. a meeting or session at which evidence and arguments about a crime or complaint are presented to a person or group who will have to decide on what action should be taken subversion – n. an act or acts to secretly try to ruin or destroy a government, political system

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San Bernardino Shootings, FIFA, and Loretta Lynch

This is What's Trending Today... #SanBernardino Social media remained intensely focused on yesterday’s shootings in San Bernardino, California. Fourteen people died and 21 more were injured. It marked the deadliest mass shooting in three years in the United States. On Twitter the hashtag #SanBernardino reflected the divide in America on gun laws. News reports Thursday said that all four guns used by the two shooters were purchased legally. That hashtag also contained thousands of messages asking for prayers for the victims. Some of those messages came from conservative U.S. politicians who support gun rights. The New York Daily News ran a controversial cover Thursday morning that read “God Isn’t Fixing This.” It implied that the politicians sending prayers on social media need to do more than pray to prevent mass shootings. ​The cover sparked intense debate on social media. Loretta Lynch and FIFA U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch trended worldwide on Twitter Thursday, following the announcement that 16 other FIFA members were being charged with corruption.   Among them include the president of the South American confederation, the head of FIFA’s North and Central American and Caribbean governing body, and a former Brazilian FIFA federation head. Lynch spoke to the media Thursday about the latest charges. Quotes from her speech spread on social media. Many applauded her intensity and determination in the corruption investigation. "The betrayal of trust set forth here is outrageous," Lynch said. "The scale of corruption alleged herein is unconscionable." Fourteen other men connected to FIFA were charged in May. And that's What's Trending Today. I'm Ashley Thompson. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   controversial - adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument imply - v. to express (something) in an indirect way spark - v. : to cause (something) to start or happen outrageous - adj. very bad or wrong in a way that causes anger : too bad to be accepted or allowed unconscionable - adj. extremely bad, unfair, or wrong    

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30 Phrasal Verbs to Help You With Technology

Welcome back to Everyday Grammar from VOA Learning English. This is our third episode on phrasal verbs. As you know, a phrasal verb is a phrase with two or more words: a verb and a preposition or adverb, or both. Today we look at very current phrasal verbs: ones used with technology. The digital age has created many new words and phrases in English. The world of technology is fast-changing, and it has broken many traditions. It is natural that the language of computers would also change and be informal. Not only is the language of technology full of phrasal verbs, it is also full of new nouns. Many of those nouns grew out of phrasal verbs, as you will learn in this episode. Getting started Let’s go back to 1969, when the first verb sent over the Internet was a phrasal verb: log in. To log in is to enter a code, key or password to gain access to the computer’s abilities. We have been logging in ever since then. Sometimes we say we have to sign in to a web page. Like now, we started a computer started by hooking up wire cables and then powering it up or turning it on. Some computers took a long time to boot up, or get ready to run programs. Now, we do not have to wait as long. To install new applications on the computer, users run a set up program. Then we click on the icon, or image, for a program to run it. After opening a program, you choose commands from a menu. These menus are stored in a pull down or drop down bar near the top of the screen. A click of the mouse – the hand-held device that guides the cursor around the computer screen – shows more commands on the bar. That bar is often called the navigation bar, or nav bar. This leads us to our first noun from a phrasal verb, pulldown. When we give instructions to a friend about using a web page, we can say, “Look in the nav bar for the pulldown and choose a command.” Another verb that describes up-and-down movement on the screen is scroll up or scroll down. A wheel on the mouse allows you to scroll up or scroll down to read a web page. We can click on an arrow to move to the next screen, too. Storage and other problems Installing upgrades can sometimes damage files. So, users should always back up their files. That is, copy files and folders to another location, like an external disk drive. A user who stores many large files will soon run out of room on the computer, so keeping files on an extra hard drive is a good idea. This phrasal verb became a noun, too. Experts tell us, “Put your backups in a safe place.” My parents used to print out their emails because they wanted to keep a permanent copy, and here is another new noun: a printout. The phrasal verb print out is a separable phrasal verb, like the ones we talked about in a previous episode. That means you can put a pronoun between the verb and preposition, as in “Let me print it out for you.” Even when we use passwords, criminals have learned to enter a computer or a network without permission. They are hacking into the network. Hacking can make computer systems go down, or stop working. A disaster could happen if the hacker wiped out, or erased all the information on a computer system. That is why you back up your system. Annoying advertising Internet advertisements, or ads, pop up on the screen over a web page. This created a new noun from the phrasal verb, popup. People said they needed a tool to block those annoying ads, so the “popup blocker” was born. This feature is part of the browser software. Speaking of browsers, another phrasal verb that became a noun is plug in. You know that you can plug a wire into the wall. Now, we add small programs to perform specific tasks in the computer, and call them plugins. Companies often will ask for your email address. They create a large list of users from their email addresses. When we sign up to use a website, we key in our name and email address. The organization running an online service usually asks us to opt in, or choose to receive email messages. Usually those messages are asking us to buy products. There are so many of these emails now that many people try to filter out all messages from advertisers – otherwise known as spam. Getting off the grid If you think that the Internet is full of too many advertisements, and your email is nothing but spam, just click on the menu to shut down and turn off your devices for the day. Get off what we called “the information superhighway” and take a walk outside. Wait! There is one final phrasal verb to describe that: go offline. For Learning English Everyday Grammar, I’m Jill Robbins. And I’m John Russell. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Now it’s your turn. Does your language borrow English phrasal verbs for computer terms? Do you know any new expressions to talk about our digital life? Write to us about them in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.   Here is a list of the phrasal verbs in this story: Phrasal Verbs for Technology and Computers Phrasal Verb Meanings Example log in sign in sign-in v. connect to a computer using a username and password n. page or act of registering permission to use a program To begin, log in to your desktop system. hook up to connect wires from machines to a power source or other machines Would you please help me hook up the Internet cable? power up turn on provide power to a machine Press the red button to power up your tablet. boot up start up begin running a computer system Wait a second, my computer is booting up. set up v. to install a new computer program or assemble a computer system n. the process of adding information using a computer program This application took a long time to set up. pull down pulldown v.  choose from a menu of options in a computer application extending down from the action bar like a window blind n. a menu of options Look for the file menu and pull down to “Save As…” click on move a mouse over an item and press to select Click on the start menu to begin. scroll up scroll down to move slowly to the top or bottom of a text The news story was so long I had to scroll down a lot to read it all. run out of exhaust a supply of something You will run out of disk space if you save copies of all your emails. back up backup v. make an extra copy of a file n. an extra copy of a file Be sure you back up your files before you change systems. print out printout v. send an electronic document to a printer n. a printed document I have to print out the directions before I leave home. hack into enter a computer or network illegally Someone hacked into my bank and stole millions of dollars. go down stop operating properly I cannot send any emails because the server went down. wipe out completely erase or delete files Before you donate your computer, be sure you wipe out the hard drive. pop up popup v. to appear suddenly n. an advertisement that appears suddenly on a computer screen If you do not want to see the ads, turn on your pop up blocker. plug in plug-in v. insert a cord into an outlet or port n. an addition to a software program that performs a certain task Plug in your laptop over there. sign up register with a service She signed up for an online dating service. key in type or enter characters using a keyboard It takes too much time to key in that long password. opt in / out choose to receive advertising or messages The company asked me to opt in to get special offers by email. filter out remove unwanted email messages Can we filter out all the spam on this account? turn off shut down power down end a session on the computer by closing an application or removing power I’m tired, so I’m going to shut down the computer for today. go online/offline to use the Internet / not use the Internet I will send you that information as soon as I can go online. . ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   preposition – grammar. a word or group of words that is used with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object adverb – grammar. a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a sentence and that is often used to show time, manner, place, or degree informal – adj. (of language) relaxed in tone; not suited for serious or official speech and writing cable – n. a group of wires, glass fibers, etc., covered in plastic or rubber and used to carry electricity or electrical signal upgrade – n. an occurrence in which one thing is replaced by something better, newer, more valuable, etc. browser – n. a computer program that is used to find and look at information on the Internet specific – adj. having a particular function or effect opt – v.  to choose to do or be involved in something filter – v. to remove (something unwanted) by using a filter spam – n. e-mail that is not wanted or e-mail that is sent to large numbers of people and that consists mostly of advertising   ​

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Who Doesn't Have a Tattoo? Body Ink Surges

Soccer star David Beckham, voted “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine, has more than 40 of them. Actress Reese Witherspoon has an image of a star with blue swallows.   Even the British Prime Minister’s wife, Samantha Cameron, has one decorating her ankle. Tattoos are no longer the sign of a sailor, soldier or criminal. They are wildly popular.   In America today, lots of people are getting tattoos — especially younger people. Forty percent of men and women aged 26 to 40 have at least one tattoo, according to Astanza, a laser technology company. As a result, the American tattoo business is booming. In 1960, there were only about 50 professional tattoo artists in the United States, reported The Atlantic. By 1995, that number had soared to over 10,000. Today, IBISWorld reports there are almost 55,000 people working as tattoo artists in the U.S. In Britain, tattoos are also surging in popularity. The Guardian reported that a fifth of all British adults have been “inked” – another term for being tattooed. Celebrities have popularized tattoos. Actress Angelina Jolie had Thai tattoo master Sompong Kanphai ink a large image of a tiger on her back. David Beckham has several tattoos that are tributes to his wife and children. He told People that “Dream big, be unrealistic,” written on his right knuckles, is one of his favorites.     What’s driving the wild popularity of tattoos? It could be a search for identity. “Tattoos, recent research suggests, don’t just express identity, they help define it,” writes Chris Weller in The Atlantic. In an era of rapid and unpredictable change, driven by technology, a tattoo can be a source of stability and permanence. This is particularly true for Millennials, who grew up with the Internet, notes Weller.  “Body art has taken on greater significance, and people want their ink to say something about who they are,” he writes.    The cost of tattoos varies widely. It depends on the size of the tattoo and the complexity of the design. Professional artisans usually charge $100 to $300 per hour, notes the website Tattoo-Models.net. A large tattoo can cost thousands of dollars. Tattoos are also more expensive in big cities and cheaper in small towns.   Butch Johnson is owner of Champion Tattoo Company in Washington, D.C., located near the Capitol. He’s been doing tattoos for over 20 years. His tattoos generally cost $80 to $200. He has a wide-ranging clientele and says many clients get multiple tattoos. Johnson, who studied art in college, can do complex designs, using Japanese, Native American and Celtic designs. Tattoos are made by using a needle or other sharp instrument to inject various colors of ink into the skin. Modern tattoos have intricate patterns and use a wide range of colors.      Decorating the body with tattoos is an ancient art that dates back to the Stone Age.  Tattoos have been found in every part of the world. In many cultures, they are used for decoration, rites of passage or signs of status. In Russia, for example, a 2,500-year-old mummy of a Siberian princess was found about two decades ago, sporting “remarkable tattoos,” wrote The Siberian Times. Some depicted mythological animals, a snow leopard, and a deer. They were strikingly similar to designs of modern tattoos. Natalia Polosmak is a Russian scientist who discovered the Siberian princess, a member of the Pazyryk people. “Tattoos were used as a means of personal identification,” said Polosmak. The Pazyryks believed “tattoos would be helpful in another life, making it easy for the same family and culture to find each other after death.”      In the Mediterranean world of the 6th century, there were sacred tattoos to mark people as followers of “particular gods,” writes Mairin Odle in The Appendix. Soldiers were tattooed with the number of their unit, to prevent desertion. And slaves were tattooed as punishment for misbehavior. Native Americans used tattoos for a variety of purposes, writes Odle. British trader James Adair, living among the Chickasaw tribe in the 1740s, noted that war heroes were decorated with tattoos to show their bravery.      Temporary tattoos are an option for those who want to make a fashion statement, but don’t want the permanence or the expense of the real thing. For example, Tattify sells a twin rose tattoo or a tiny elephant tattoo for just $2.99 each. You can also get a selection of strange animal tattoos for $9.99. The tattoo removal business has grown along with the popularity of tattoos. As many as half of all people who get tattoos later get them removed, reports the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery. Dermatologists use laser treatments to get rid of tattoos, which range from $350 for a small tattoo, up to $1,000 or more for a large one. I’m Mary Gotschall.     Mary Gotschall wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you have an opinion about this topic? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below, or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   knuckles – n. any one of the thick, bony parts (called joints) in your fingers stability – n. the quality or state of something that is not easily changed or likely to change needle – n. a very thin, pointed steel tube that is pushed through the skin so that something (such as a drug) can be put into your body or so that blood or other fluids can be taken from it decorate – v. to make (something) more attractive usually by putting something on it rite of passage – noun phrase an act that is a symbol of an important change in someone's life mummy – n. a dead body of a person or animal prepared for burial in the manner of the ancient Egyptians by treating it with oils and wrapping it in strips of cloth princess – n. a female member of a royal family remarkable – adj. unusual or surprising : likely to be noticed mythological – adj. based on the myths of a particular group or culture leopard – n.  a large brownish-yellow cat with black spots that lives in Asia and Africa  deer- n. a large wild animal that has four long thin legs, brown fur, and antlers if male desertion – n. the act of leaving the military without permission and without intending to return bravery – n. the quality that allows someone to do things that are dangerous or frightening    ​

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