These Models Make Money Hand Over Foot

Gisele Bundchen, Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss are some of the super-models of the fashion world.  But there are other highly paid models whose faces you’ve never seen. These people work in “body parts modeling,” a specialized area of the modeling business. You have probably seen their beautiful hands, exquisite feet or fabulous earlobes in advertisements for elegant gloves, designer shoes or expensive earrings. “Parts models are in huge demand from companies who want the perfect hands, legs, feet or other body parts to advertise their product,” writes Vanessa Helmer, a modeling expert, in a blog on modeling.about.com. Hands, feet and legs are the most requested body parts for both men and women models. But, Helmer notes, if you have beautiful eyes, hair, earlobes, lips or teeth, you can market those, too. It is quite a profitable business. Forbes.com reported that top parts models earn around $1,000 per day for TV commercials, and between $2,000 to $5,000 a day for print work. A female parts model with great legs and feet can earn about $75,000 a year – and even more in New York City, which is home to major advertising agencies.   If a modeling agency represents you and finds you modeling work, the agency will take a commission ranging from 10 percent to 20 percent, reports Jobmonkey.com.       As with super-models in the fashion world, there are top-of-the-line parts models who get high fees. An example is Ellen Sirot, one of the highest-paid hand and foot models in the U.S. She appeared on a TV show called “The Big Idea,” hosted by Donny Deutsch. Sirot said the very highest-paid hand models can earn as much as $10,000 a day, but “feet modelling doesn’t pay as much because there aren’t as many foot jobs.” Top foot models can earn from $500 to $2,000 per hour, she added. It is not enough to have beautiful hands and feet. You have to be able to “act” with them, too, said Sirot. You need those parts to show emotions and feelings to successfully sell a product. During a photo shoot, feet may need to act “like they’re getting a chill up the spine,” in order to create the right message for a particular product, she explained. To succeed in this area of modeling, you have to keep your hands or feet in exquisite shape. Sirot said she wears shoes one size too big to protect her feet. She said she never wears high heels or pointy shoes – except when she’s modeling. Nicki Donohoe, age 37, is a hand, foot and leg model in Great Britain. She told the Daily Mail that she goes to great lengths to protect them. She wears cotton gloves when she leaves the house -- even when she’s sunbathing. And she moisturizes her hands and feet “up to 10 times a day to keep her fingers and toes in tip-top condition.” Donohoe does about two body-part modeling jobs a week and has appeared on television ads around the world. The former makeup artist told the Daily Mail that being a body parts model is “the hardest work of any job I’ve ever had.”   I’m Mary Gotschall.                  Mary Gotschall wrote this story for VOA 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   fashion – n. the business of creating and selling clothes in new styles exquisite – adj. very beautiful or delicate fabulous – adj. very good earlobe – n. the soft part of the ear that hangs down from the bottom  commercial – n. an advertisement on radio or television commission – n. an amount of money paid to an employee for selling something spine – n. the row of connected bones down the middle of the back : backbone moisturize – v. to add moisture to (something, such as a person's skin)

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One Percent of US Visitors Overstayed Visas

About 1 percent of visitors to the United States who arrived by air or sea last year overstayed their visas, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Tuesday. About 45 million visitors came to the U.S. between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015. Some were business or pleasure travelers in the U.S. with visas that expired with time. Others were in the U.S. under a program that reviews them in advance. DHS said that by September 30, 2015, about 416,500 had not left the U.S. Another 66,500 people stayed past their leave dates, but later left the U.S. The number of visitors who overstayed in the U.S. was lowest among 38 countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). VWP allows some travelers into the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without a visa. Countries with the highest rates of visitors who did not leave were Djibouti, Bhutan, Burkina Faso and Afghanistan. The report did not include numbers of visitors that entered by land, especially visitors from Canada and Mexico. More than 200 million people entered the U.S. at land border crossings in 2015. The department says it will try to include them in future reports. The report did not include the kind of visas recorded in the survey. DHS says it would like the report to review more F, M and J visas. An F1 visa allows non-immigrant students into the U.S. M1 visas are issued to students who are working in the U.S. or training for a job. J visas are issued to students in exchange programs. Congress passed new rules in December that tighten the waiver program. Any citizen from Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan -- or anyone who traveled to one of those countries in the past five years -- is not eligible for a waiver and must get a visa to enter the U.S. I’m Jim Dresbach.   The VOA News staff reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section and on our Facebook page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   expired - v. ended reviewed - v. examined; studied advance - n. forward movement; progress in the development of something waiver – n. an official document indicating that someone has given up or waived a right or requirement issued - v. giving something in an official or public way ​

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English in a Minute: In the Spotlight

Some American English expressions like to be at the center of attention! What do you think "in the spotlight" means? Watch this week's English in a Minute to find out!

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Nearly 19,000 Iraqi Civilians Killed in Two Years

The United Nations says that nearly 19,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed in the fighting with Islamic State militants in the past two years. In addition to the 18,800 civilians deaths, the United Nations report says another 36,000 were wounded between January 2014 and October 2015. The report includes interviews from victims, survivors or witnesses of violations. Ravina Shamdasani is a U.N. human rights spokesperson. She says the numbers do not fully represent what is happening in Iraq. The report only includes the number of people directly killed by violence. It does not include many others who have died from lack of access to food, water or medical care. UN blames Islamic State U.N. observers blame most of these deaths on Islamic State militants. They say victims include those seen as being opposed to the terror group’s rule. Victims have included government civil servants, doctors and lawyers, journalists and tribal and religious leaders. The report says women and children are subject to sexual violence and sexual slavery. The report finds that people judged by Islamic State's self-appointed courts face punishments, such as stoning and amputations. It details examples of public executions. The examples include shootings, beheadings, burning people alive and throwing people off of buildings. Crimes against humanity The U.N. spokesperson says some of the incidents are war crimes and crimes against humanity.  She says the Islamic State targets ethnic and religious minorities. The U.N. finds pro-government forces also are guilty of human rights violations. It says it has received reports of unlawful killings and other abuses by those forces. The U.N. report notes some of these incidents may have been actions against supposed Islamic State supporters.   Lisa Schlein reported on this story for VOANews.com. Ashley Thompson adapted this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   spokesperson - n. a person who speaks for someone else or a group access - n. a way of getting at or near someone or something journalists - n. news reporters; media workers amputate – v. to cut off (part of a person's body)   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section and on our Facebook page. ​

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Major Snowstorm Covers Eastern US

Up to 85 million people are in the path of a major snow storm along the East Coast of the U.S. Hundreds of thousand are without power and thousands more are stranded.

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Do You Pay Full Tuition As Your Roommate Pays Less?

From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. The problem Congressional Research Services reports that over the past 25 years, college fees rose almost 2 percent faster than inflation every year. This suggests that college has become expensive relative to the cost of living. At the same time, a college education is increasingly valuable. College graduates earn more money and have better career prospects than those who only have a high school degree.   How do colleges get money? In the U.S., three main sources of money give revenue to colleges. They are government appropriations, gift and endowment revenue, and payments for tuitions and fees. If one source of revenue decreases, colleges often look to raise revenue in another place.   How do colleges determine prices? When students talk about the price of college, they are usually referring to payments for tuition and fees. Both public and private schools engage in price discrimination, which means charging different prices to different students. Adam Davidson, writing in the New York Times, says that the rise of college prices is a sign of market competition in elite colleges. If colleges publish a high price, they can attract top students with financial aid. The greater the reduction in the tuition, the more likely schools may be in attracting successful students to build the school's reputation. Davidson reports that colleges often use computer programs to give a price. The price reflects a student's willingness to pay, academic record, ethnicity, and the major that they are likely to choose. While colleges publish one price, the “sticker price,” they really have many price points. Davidson says the price offered to students is based on how attractive the student is to the school. One problem with this, says Congressional Research Services, is that it means that college costs are not transparent. Students are not able to directly compare the cost of schools.  Michael Leachman and Michael Mitchell are researchers at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. They write that the high sticker price of education may discourage poor students from applying to college. Leachman and Mitchell write that poor students, and particularly poor minority students, benefit from enrolling in selective, expensive schools. But many poor students may be unaware of the available financial aid. They are only aware of the sticker price. Many do not apply to colleges whose sticker price seems too high.   The impact of the Great Recession  In general, states cut funding to higher education during economic recessions. The recession of 2007 through 2009 was no different. States collected less tax money, and appropriated less money for higher education. In the U.S, states provide around 53 percent of the revenue used to support state schools. When states appropriate less per student, schools raise fees to pay expenses. Schools also cut other costs, such as the amount of financial aid given to students. Michael Mitchell, an expert at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities says:  “One way that state schools have been looking to try to make up the difference is by actually offering smaller scholarship packages or smaller grant packages to wealthier students – students that can actually pay the rest of that tuition price – and moving away from larger grant packages to low income students.”    What happens if students don't receive financial aid? Even if a student receives a scholarship or grant, they may still need to borrow money to pay for school. Student debt has become the largest source of household debt in the United States. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York estimates that student loans grew to almost $1.2 trillion dollars in 2014. Many students cannot pay back the money they borrowed. They default on their loans. The U.S. Department of Education says that of the 4.7 million students who started repaying their student loans in 2011, almost 650,000, or 13.7 percent, defaulted before the end of 2013.   Should endowments pay for tuition? Some, such as the Candidates for the Harvard Board of Overseers, suggest making endowments pay for college costs. Harvard, for example, has an endowment that is worth around $35.9 billion dollars. The University of Texas system, a public school system, has an endowment worth around $25.4 billion dollars. Endowments are investment funds maintained for the benefit of a college. However, donors may restrict how schools spend their endowment money. Congressional Research Services says that almost 40 percent of permanent endowment money is donor restricted. Jeff Neal, a spokesperson for Harvard, said that endowments are not like bank accounts, where money is easily deposited or withdrawn. Mitchell, at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, says that many schools have small endowments, or have no endowments at all. Those schools cannot use their endowment to pay expenses in an emergency. “Only a very small segment [of schools] that can really look at endowment as a viable safety net in that regard.”  From VOA Learning English, I'm John Russell.   John Russell reported on this story for VOANews.com. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Leave us a comments and post on our Facebook page._____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fee – n. an amount of money that must be paid revenue – n. money that is made by or paid to a business or an organization tuition – n. money that is paid to a school for the right to study there degree – n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university prospects – n. an opportunity for something to happen appropriation – n. an amount of money that is used or provided by a government for a specific purpose appropriate – v. to get or save (money) for a specific use or purpose endowment – n. a large amount of money that has been given to a school, hospital, etc. and that is used to pay for its creation and continuing support price discrimination – n. the action of selling the same product at different prices to different buyers, in order to maximize sales and profits sticker price – n. the stated price of something selective – adj. careful to choose only the best people or things scholarship – n. an amount of money that is given by a school, an organization, etc., to a student to help pay for the student's education

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US Student on 'Budget' Tour Held in N. Korea

An American student has been arrested in North Korea. The arrest is the latest in a series of arrests of U.S. citizens. Analysts say North Korea uses the citizens as bargaining chips.  The student is Otto Frederick Warmbier, 21, of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is studying economics at the University of Virginia.  He "was caught committing a hostile act against the state," the official North Korean news agency, KCNA, reported on Friday. Warmbier's actions were "tolerated and manipulated by the U.S. government," according to the dispatch.  Daniel Pinkston is a professor at Troy University in Seoul. He told VOA that: “We can only speculate why he has been detained. But it is quite risky to visit (North Korea) as a tourist given the sensitivities regarding anything about the state, the leadership, government, and political system, or geo-politics in general.” Warmbier was a member of a trip organized by China-based Young Pioneer Tours. He was detained January 2, four days before North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in defiance of United Nation sanctions. The United States and North Korea have no diplomatic relations. The U.S. State Department has, for years, issued strong recommendations and travel warnings against visiting North Korea because of the risk of arrest and longterm detention.  Many of the North Americans arrested by North Korea in recent years have had links to Christian Evangelical groups. But Warmbier's social media accounts show no religious connections.  Approximately 200,000 North Koreans are believed to be in prison for their political views or religious beliefs, according to human rights groups. I'm Mario Ritter.  Steve Herman reported this news for VOA News. Kathleen Struck adapted it for Learning English. Do you have an opinion to share about North Korea or student travel? Please leave us a Comment and post on our Facebook page, thank you.   _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bargaining chips -- n. chips or tokens or markets used in games of chance and gambling; chips used in exchange for something else economics -- n. the study of how a society or government earns and spends its money hostile -- v. showing anger or aggression manipulated -- v. controlled or influenced sensitivities -- n. feelings that might be easily offended or hurt ​ geo-politics -- n. relations between countries or governments detained -- v. held someone or something back, usually without consent defiance -- n. push back boldly, open resistance, bold disobedience  Christian Evangelical -- n. a religious group that spreads the word, or gospel, of Jesus Christ

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How America Elects: How To Raise Money

Candidates for U.S. President can receive money from individuals, political party, political action committee and the federal government for their campaign.

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How America Elects: Who Can Run For President?

Every four years, the citizens of the U.S. elect a president. The path is long and difficult. Find out what a candidate will need to run for president.

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Life in the Fast Lane

Now, Words and Their Stories -- a weekly program from VOA Learning English. It can be said that the United States is a driving culture. The U.S., after all, is a big country and many Americans love cars. So, it is no surprise that many Americans English expressions come from the world of driving. One exciting example is “life in the fast lane.” This expression comes from the country’s large system of highways. The roads are marked with painted lines to keep vehicles safely apart. These lines divide each road into separate lanes. Most highways in the U.S. are wide enough for three or four cars to travel side-by-side. Many areas require that slow drivers drive in the far-right lane. Faster moving traffic operates in the middle lanes. The fastest cars drive on the far-left side -- also called the fast lane. Someone living in the fast lane is like a fast-moving car. They live dangerously, at breakneck speed. It is a way of life marked by a fast pace and usually the chase of immediate satisfaction. A person who lives in the fast lane is not happy to just live life quietly like other people. No. For someone living in the fast lane life is one exciting experience after another. Every night is a party! Living life in the fast lane can be a selfish way to live. Sometimes these people only care about finding their next big thrill. Such people might drink a lot of alcohol or use other drugs. They do not think twice about how their lifestyle may affect them down the road or how it may affect others. So, who lives in the fast lane? Living in the fast lane has a high price tag. You need lots of money for this kind of life. Some Hollywood movie actors are famous for their rich, fast-paced lives. Sports stars can have days filled with events, parties and groupies – people who like famous people and follow them. But you do not have to be famous to live in the fast lane. Many politicians, lawyers and business tycoons live in the fast lane. For them, life is full of movement, excitement and action! However, most people -- even actors and sports stars -- need to be well-rested to perform well. If not, they could burn out quickly. But getting a full 8 hours is usually not part of life in the fast lane.   Many people who live in the fast lane are young. Sometimes, the fast lane leads them down a rocky road, or a very difficult phase. Others may hit a fork in the road. They must decide to stay in the fast lane or slow down to possibly have a longer and more meaningful life. And some never learn. Their life in the fast lane leads them to the end of the road – meaning they die. Rock musicians are known for living in the fast lane. We do not have time to name all of the performers who died young from their fast ways. Members of the rock band the Eagles lived in the fast lane. In fact, the group’s founders, Glenn Frey and Don Henley, co-wrote a song about it. “Life in the Fast Lane” is one of their biggest hits. The two men were honest about this way of life, singing it will “surely make you lose your mind.”                                           Glenn Frey died on January 18, 2016. The rock star suffered from health problems that he himself said came from a life lived in the fast lane. As he aged, Frey did slow down. He became interested health and physical fitness. But he died at the relatively young age of 67.    I’m Anna Matteo. They knew all the right people, they took all the right pills, They threw outrageous parties, they paid heavenly bills…   Do you have a similar expression in your language? Let us know in the Comments section and on our Facebook page. Anna Matteo wrote this program. Additional material came from an earlier report written by David Jarmul. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   exciting – adj. causing feelings of interest and enthusiasm breakneck – adj. very fast : dangerously fast to not think twice about (something) – informal phrase to do something quickly without considering it very much down the road – informal phrase in the future. tycoon – n. a very wealthy and powerful business person burn out – informal phrase exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration :  a person showing the effects of drug abuse full 8 hours – informal phrase a good night’s sleep rocky road – informal phrase a difficult period in a person’s life fork in the road – informal phrase a deciding moment in life or history when a major choice of options is required end of the road – informal phrase the end of the whole process : informal euphemism to die

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Thomas Jefferson: The Nation's Third President

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy welcomed Nobel Prize winners to the White House. He said “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”   Kennedy’s comment shows how vividly Jefferson lives in the American imagination – even more than 100 years after his presidency and death. In the United States, Jefferson’s name is often linked to the country’s history of self-government, slavery, separation of church and state, and public education. ​Founding father Jefferson was born in 1743 and raised in the hills and low mountains of Virginia. He was considered an aristocrat: his family’s wealth permitted him an excellent education in classic languages, science, literature, philosophy and law. Jefferson also learned to ride horses, dance and explore the natural world. In the 1770s Jefferson supported the coming American Revolution. He became a member of the Second Continental Congress and is famous for being the lead writer of the Declaration of Independence. The document declared the American colonies’ separation from England. It also asserted “that all men are created equal” and have the rights “to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Jefferson went on to hold many positions in the country’s new state and national governments. He was a governor of Virginia, a minister to France, a secretary of state for President George Washington, and the vice president under President John Adams. Virginia planter and slave owner But Jefferson often wrote to his friends about how he most wanted to retire from public service and return to his home in Virginia. In the 1760s he designed a house on a hilltop he called Monticello – the word means “little mountain” in Italian. Jefferson spent most of his life changing and improving the house. He hired dozens of workmen to build it. He also put some of his slaves to work on it. During his life, Jefferson owned about 600 slaves. That meant about 130 lived on Monticello at any time. They worked in Jefferson’s house, tobacco and wheat farms, and on special projects such as making cabinets and nails.  Jefferson expressed mixed feelings about slavery. He said he disliked the practice, and that he believed God would judge slave owners severely. In 1782, he wrote, “Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever…” And of course, many people pointed out that Jefferson himself wrote in the Declaration of Independence “all men are created equal,” yet Jefferson did not use his power to end slavery. He expected future generations would permit slavery in the United States to end slowly. Jefferson’s words and actions on slavery are contradictory. The contradiction is especially significant because evidence suggests he had a long relationship with a young slave at Monticello.  ​Her name was Sally Hemings. Most historians now believe what the Hemings family has said all along: Jefferson was the father of Sally Hemings’ six children of record. Presidential candidate: election of 1800 Thomas Jefferson left Monticello to become the country’s third president. The election of 1800 was important for several reasons. First, it resulted in a strange situation: both Thomas Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr, received the same number of electoral votes. The Constitution at the time did not require electors to say whether they were voting for president or vice president. So when the two men tied, the House of Representatives had to decide which man would take the lead position. But their votes, too, could not determine a winner. The election dragged on and on. Finally, one of Jefferson’s chief political enemies, Alexander Hamilton, decided that Jefferson was the lesser of two evils. In other words, he did not like either candidate but decided Jefferson was the better choice. Hamilton persuaded some of his allies to support Jefferson over Burr. After six days and 36 votes, the House of Representatives gave the presidency to Jefferson. The strange situation provoked a change to the Constitution. The Twelfth Amendment clarifies how the president and vice president are chosen. The election of 1800 was also important because it was a break from the earlier administrations. The first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams, were Federalists. In other words, they supported a strong federal government. Thomas Jefferson, on the other hand, was a Republican—although the term meant something different in his time than it does for today’s Republicans. Jefferson wanted to limit federal government. Historian Joseph Ellis explains that Jefferson supported the power of the states and the people themselves. “So, in some sense, he’s going to the federal government as the head of it to say we’re not going to do anything. Our job is to get out of the way and to allow the citizens of the republic to pursue their happiness without the interference of any federal authority whatsoever.” The Federalists disagreed with Jefferson’s point of view. However, they accepted the results of the election and permitted the government to transfer peacefully. Third U.S. president Some Federalists may have also been comforted by Jefferson’s inaugural address — the speech he gave when he officially became president. In it, Jefferson famously said, “We are all republicans — we are all federalists.” Many listeners probably believed Jefferson was saying his administration would support ideas from both Republicans and Federalists. But historian Joseph Ellis points out that Jefferson did not capitalize the names of the political groups in his speech. Instead, Ellis says, Jefferson was likely saying the American public supported a strong system of state governments united under a “federal bond.” Indeed, Jefferson led his administration by his Republican beliefs — mostly. As president he greatly lessened the power of the federal government. He cut the national debt. He reduced the military. He disliked the power of the Supreme Court over the laws Congress made. And he rejected appearances that made the U.S. president look like a European king. One of the lasting images of Jefferson in the American imagination is of him receiving guests in old clothes and slippers.  But as president, Jefferson also appeared strong and powerful when dealing with foreign nations. Jefferson increased American naval forces in the Mediterranean to combat threats to U.S. ships. And he permitted American officials to buy a huge area of land from France, even though the Louisiana Purchase added to the national debt and exceeded the power the Constitution gave the president. In general, historians consider Jefferson’s first term as president a success. Voters did, too, because he easily won a second term. But those last four years were more difficult. Jefferson’s popularity suffered especially when he stopped all U.S. trade with Europe. Jefferson aimed to limit American involvement in a war between Britain and France. Instead, he ruined the U.S. economy. When Jefferson returned to Monticello in 1809, he was happy to leave the presidency behind. And some people were happy to see him go. Criticisms and legacy Jefferson’s critics attacked both his political ideas and his personal qualities. Even friends such as John Adams and James Madison suggested in their letters that Jefferson was too idealistic. Federalists, including Washington and Hamilton, worried Jefferson’s Republican ideas would weaken the strong federal government and national economy they had worked hard to create. Jefferson is also negatively linked to the history of Native Americans and slavery in the U.S. He tried to get Indian nations to enter into treaties that ultimately took away their land. He asked that they become more like European-Americans. And his policies made them depend on the U.S. government. And Jefferson took no major action to end slavery, either in his personal life or as a public figure. In fact, historian Joseph Ellis points out that some of Jefferson’s actions increased the power of the slave-holding south and supported slavery in the western states. “Jefferson doesn’t put his presidency or the Louisiana Purchase on his tombstone. He never claims any great credit for that. It’s interesting. Because what happens is this area becomes the source of controversy that leads to the Civil War.” Jefferson instead wanted to be remembered for three things: writing the Declaration of Independence, supporting religious freedom, and creating the University of Virginia. For the most part, he is. Jefferson's political opponents accused him of not being a Christian although he said he was. But many Americans supported Jefferson’s views on the separation of church and state. He wrote that government should worry only about acts that hurt other people; however, he said, it does not harm him if his neighbor says, “there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” Jefferson also famously supported free public education, especially for those who could not pay for school. He established both the idea and the architecture for the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The public university remains one of the top colleges in the United States. Jefferson himself wrote proudly of these accomplishments at the end of his life. But his final years at Monticello had many sorrows. His wife, Martha, had died in 1782 after difficulty in childbirth. Five of the six children Martha had with Thomas Jefferson also died before him. So while Jefferson often wrote about how much he enjoyed family life, he returned to Monticello with only one living daughter, among those he acknowledged, and a few grandchildren. In addition, the cost of improving and maintaining the house, as well as the money he spent on fine wine and good food, had ruined him financially. Eventually, his daughter had to sell her father’s beloved Monticello and the slaves who lived there to pay his debts. Jefferson died at Monticello at the age of 83. The last detail of his life – which Americans love to tell – is that he passed away on America’s birthday, exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I’m Caty Weaver.   Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vividly – adv. seeming like real life because it is very clear, bright, or detailed aristocrat – n.  a member of the highest social class in some countries; a person who has more money and power than most people in society assert – v. to state (something) in a strong and definite way tremble – v. to shake slightly because you are afraid, nervous, excited, etc. contradictory – adj. involving or having information that disagrees with other information significant ­– adj. large enough to be noticed or have an effect slippers – n. light, soft shoes that are easily put on and taken off and are worn indoors soiled ­– adj. dirty; unclean pick pocket – v. to steal

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