Ancient Shipwrecks Found, But No Missing MH370

During the search for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, experts have found lost shipwrecks and undiscovered volcanoes. But they have not found any wreckage from the missing jetliner. The passenger plane was traveling from Malaysia to Beijing, China, in March 2014. The flight disappeared over the Indian Ocean. On board were 239 people, and all are presumed dead.   An American company specializing in underwater searches will examine the waters off the west coast of Australia. The company will scan large areas of the ocean floor. A Chinese rescue ship will assist looking for MH370. The Malaysian aircraft is thought to have crashed in very deep water. Parts of the Indian Ocean in the area are up to 6,000 meters deep. Searches have failed to find any debris. The ocean floor in the search area is treacherous. An Australian search report mentioned “underwater mountains, crevasses, ridges and 2,000-meter sheer cliffs,” are making missions difficult. An underwater sonic device collided with a tall mud volcano in January. The cable snapped, and the device sunk to the ocean floor. But two shipwrecks have been found. Sonar photos found a ship made of steel or iron from the 19th century. Wreckage from another ship was located in May. The only wreckage of Flight 370 found so far was a piece of the plane washed up on Reunion Island in 2015. Reunion Island is in the western Indian Ocean near Madagascar. The search area is now limited to 60,000 square kilometers off of Australia. Investigators say they will end all search efforts in June. I’m Jim Dresbach.   Carolyn Presutti reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted her report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story jetliner – n. a large jet airplane used for carrying passengers treacherous – adj. very dangerous and difficult to deal with debris – n. the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed crevasses – n. deep, narrow openings or cracks in an area of thick ice or rock cable – n. a thick, strong rope made of wires that are twisted together sonar – n. a device used for finding things that are underwater by using sound waves

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Classified Data Found on Republican's Personal Email

Top diplomats under former President George W. Bush received “classified” information on personal email accounts, says a State Department report. The report said former Secretary of State Colin Powell and aides to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice received the emails. The two served the Republican Bush administration. Classified information is considered too sensitive to be shared outside of top government officials. It is supposed to be kept under tight security.   Critics of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton point to her use of her personal email account. The new State Department report could help show that she was not alone in this use. Clinton has been forced to defend reports she received classified information via emails as secretary of state in the Obama administration. The State Department official, Steve Linick, who questioned the Clinton emails, also looked into Bush administration officials sharing classified emails. In his report, Linick said his office reviewed 19 emails sent to Powell and aides to Rice. He said State Department officials decided 12 of the 19 contain classified information. Powell said this in a statement: “I have received the messages and I do not see what makes them classified.” An aide to Rice told the Associated Press that Rice did not use emails as secretary of state. The aide said 10 emails now questioned by the State Department “contained no intelligence information.” John Podesta, chair of the Clinton campaign, said “Hillary Clinton agrees with her predecessors” that emails are being wrongly labeled as classified. I'm Bruce Alpert.   VOA News reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Share your views on our Facebook Page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   classified – adj. kept secret from all but a few people in the government sensitive – adj. likely to cause people to become upset tight -- adj. strict, very close controls review – v. an act of carefully looking at or examining the quality or condition of something or someone predecessor – n. a person who had the same job before you

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Record Number of Jailed Americans Cleared of Crimes

Floyd Bledsoe walked out of prison last December after 16 years in jail. Bledsoe was freed after government lawyers in Kansas decided that a court’s 2000 ruling against him was a mistake. The court found him guilty of killing his sister-in-law. The U.S. National Registry of Exonerations says Bledsoe was one of 149 prisoners cleared of criminal charges last year. That is the largest number of exonerations ever, it reported this week. The registry is part of the University of Michigan Law School. “There is a growing awareness that false convictions are a substantial, widespread and tragic problem,” the report said.   More than two-thirds of those cleared last year had been jailed for killings or drug cases, the registry said. Five people were sentenced to death. Floyd Bledsoe was 23 years old when he was sentenced to life in prison in 2000. The court’s decision was based largely on statements made by his brother, according to the Midwest Innocence Project. The group worked for years to free Bledsoe. His brother, Tom Bledsoe, took his own life in November 2015. He left a note admitting he did the killing. Floyd Bledsoe’s lawyers said the note and genetic evidence helped win his release from prison. After he left jail, Bledsoe, now 39, asked the Kansas Legislature to abolish death sentences.  “We must stop the death penalty today,” he told legislators. “Tomorrow, it might be too late for one person.” I’m Bruce Alpert.   Chris Hannas reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook Page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   registry – n. a place that keeps records exoneration – n. to prove that someone is not guilty of a crime abolish – v. to end or cancel something

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Sierra Leone Releases 70 from Ebola Quarantine

Sierra Leone is releasing more than 70 people from quarantine after declaring them Ebola-free. World Health Organization (WHO) official Anders Nordstrom reported on Wednesday that they were kept under observation in the country’s north. The Associated Press news service reported his comments. All of the individuals were thought to be at risk of becoming infected with the disease. They were kept away from the rest of the population last month after two new cases of the Ebola virus were confirmed. They came in contact with a woman who died of Ebola. Doctors feared they might spread the disease to others. Ebola virus was formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever. It can affect many organs, damage blood vessels and affect the body’s ability to fight infection. The quarantine period for Ebola is 21 days. Doctor Nordstrom said the WHO is still looking for almost 50 other people who might have been exposed to the virus. He said 18 of those people are at high risk of infection. The WHO says it will continue to investigate all deaths in Sierra Leone until June to watch for new cases of Ebola. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has killed over 11,000 people since 2013. Sierra Leone lost 4,000 people to the virus before the country was declared Ebola-free last November. A public health spokesperson in Sierra Leone says his country will be able to control any new cases of the virus and prevent its spread. I’m Dan Friedell.   James Butty wrote this story for VOANews.com Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Do you think Sierra Leone will be able to find the remaining people who may have been exposed to Ebola? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   hemorrhage – n. condition in which a person bleeds heavily and cannot stop the flow of blood quarantine – n. the period of time during which an infected person or animal is kept away from others to prevent a disease from spreading expose – v. to leave something unprotected or uncovered

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Islamic State Widow Shames IS Leaders

The wife of a dead Islamic State fighter has voiced rare criticism of the terror group’s leaders. The woman, who calls herself al-Muhajirah, posted a letter online. In the letter, she complained about the treatment of widows and families of dead fighters. The letter has been shared widely on pro-Islamic State social media sites. Public criticism of Islamic State leaders is rare. Critics face severe punishment, including beatings, torture and execution. The letter is titled, "A Reminder to the Leaders of the Islamic State." It was first posted on January 27 on JustPaste.it, says the Middle East Media Research Institute, or MEMRI. The Washington-based group monitors jihadist online activity. Anat Agron is a researcher at MEMRI. She says that such criticism is “almost never found in such a widely circulated document. In the past, IS members have publicly criticized aspects of life in the Islamic State, however, normally such posts were swiftly deleted.” Some men who have left the terror group also have recently criticized the poor treatment of widows of IS fighters. The men talked with researchers from the U.S.-based International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism. They discussed how widows were forced to marry other fighters soon after their husbands had been killed in battle. The men’s statements were published in the journal Perspectives on Terrorism in December. The article said the Islamic State leaders were not following the normal Sharia practice of having a woman wait before remarrying. The four-month, 10-day waiting period ensures that the woman is not pregnant by her former husband. The Sharia practice, called Iddah, is considered a woman’s right, and allows her time to grieve. In her online letter, widow al-Muhajirah tells IS leaders:  “Every wife of a martyr ... is under your care. ... Fear Allah in the way you cater for her needs. She is your responsibility and all her needs now rest on your shoulder. … This is your trust, she is under your care, so do not abandon her.” Observers say women are used as a form of currency by the Islamic State. Foreign and Syrian male recruits are told they will be given wives as well as homes and money. Observers say those promises can be a major reason for joining the Islamic State, especially for young men from poor communities in North Africa. I'm Ashley Thompson.   VOA correspondent Jamie Dettmer reported this story from Rome. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story    widow - n. a woman whose husband has died torture - n. the act of causing severe physical pain as a form of punishment or as a way to force someone to do or say something​ abandon - v. to leave and never return to (someone who needs protection or help)​ currency - n. a specific kind of money​

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Why Does Saudi Arabia Consider Iran a Threat?

Tensions continue to grow between Saudi Arabia and Iran. As Iran rejoins the world community after reaching an agreement to limit its nuclear activities, some Saudis say Iran will threaten their country as it grows stronger. Tensions increased between the countries last month when Saudi Arabia executed a well-known Shi’ite Muslim religious leader. After the execution, protesters attacked Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran, the Iranian capital. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates either cancelled or limited diplomatic relations with Iran. The Iranian government condemned the attack. It said more than 100 people had been arrested. But some Saudis still place responsibility for the attack on Iranian leaders. Saudi Arabia and Iran have opposed each other for many years. Some experts say the tensions began more than 1,000 years ago, when the Muslim religion Islam split into Shi’ite and Sunni sects. Iran is the world’s most powerful Shi’ite-led nation. Saudi Arabia is the strongest Sunni-led country. There are also ethnic differences between the two countries: Saudis are Arab, and Iranians are Persian. The countries support opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Many Saudis say if the group supported by Iran wins in either country, it would threaten the kingdom militarily and psychologically. Iran supports the Syrian government in its war against rebels and Islamic State militants. Many experts say Iran supports Houthi rebels fighting Yemen’s government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia. Saudi experts say Iran’s actions in Syria and Yemen are an effort to create allies in the Middle East. Jamal Khashoggi is a well-known Saudi journalist. He notes that there are Shi’ite militias in Iraq. And Egypt is growing closer to Russia -- which also supports Syria. He says Iran is trying to control the Middle East in the same way that Germany tried to control Europe in World War II. Hamad al-Shehri is an adviser to the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs. He says Saudi Arabia believes its influence has declined over the past year as Iran has become more important. As Iran negotiated an agreement to limit its nuclear program in exchange for an end to economic sanctions, it promised to be less militant. Al-Sheri said Saudis were unhappy that during the negotiations, Western nations did not demand that Iran end its actions in Syria, Yemen and other conflicts in the area. “The United States are our allies,” he said. “We wanted them to send a clear message to the Iranians to stop their interfering and to stop supporting (the) smuggling (of) weapons to those militias.” He says Saudis are less worried about Iran building a nuclear weapon than about the threat of a war in the Middle East. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on Saudi Arabia to end what he called its “hostile policies” toward Iran. Saudis say Iran must change its policies before relations can improve. One Saudi expert says “good relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran…is good for the Muslim world. It is good for the Arab world.” I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.     VOA's Heather Murdock reported on this story from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   psychological – adj. of or relating to the mind sect – n. a religious group that is a smaller part of a larger group and whose members all share similar beliefs; a religious or political group that is connected to a larger group but that has beliefs that differ greatly from those of the main group smuggle – v. to move (someone or something) from one country into another illegally and secretly  

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US Promises Billion in Aid for Syrian Refugees

Hours after talks to bring peace to Syria were stopped, the United States has promised almost $1 billion in aid for Syrian refugees. International donors met in London to talk about Syria’s political and humanitarian crisis. Fighting between the Syrian government, its opponents and Islamic militants continues. Refugees are fleeing the country by the thousands, most recently escaping fighting in the city of Aleppo. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the meeting was critical to helping solve the human crisis. He called on the Syrian government and its ally, Russia, to halt attacks so that aid could reach those who need it. The donors’ conference opened Thursday in London. The goal was $9 billion, but more than $10 billion was raised, said British Prime Minister David Cameron. Last year, donor nations agreed to raise $4.5 billion. The new amount is for support of people in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The neighbor countries are strained by a huge flow of people escaping the fighting. Cameron said life-saving aid is needed to support international efforts to help people. “If ever there was a moment to take a new approach to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, surely it is now,” he said. Migrant crisis Last year, 1 million people, largely from Syria, moved into Western Europe. Estimates say that will grow to 4 million this year. Some European countries have said they will take fewer asylum seekers than before. Geneva peace talks suspended The peace talks in Geneva were suspended Wednesday after opposition members said the Syrian government continued to battle Syrian rebels around Aleppo. A rights group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said 40,000 people fled the area this week alone. U.N. special envoy Staffan de Mistura said Wednesday that indirect talks could be suspended until as late as February 25. “It is not the end, and it is not the failure of the talks,” de Mistura told reporters. He said the Syrian government and the opposition remain “interested in having the political process started.” The opposition has demanded that Syrian and Russian governments end the airstrikes on civilians. It also wants barriers lifted on aid to areas held by rebels. And the group has demanded that Syria release thousands of detainees. The head of the opposition delegation said the group would not return to the talks “until we see positive steps” on these issues. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Caty Weaver adapted this story from VOA news reports. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Post your message in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   host – v. to hold an event strain ­– v. to cause problems or trouble for (something) approach – n. a way of dealing with something : a way of doing or thinking about something envoy – n. a person who is sent by one government to represent it in dealing with another government positive – adj. good or useful

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English in a Minute: Fall Through the Cracks

Falling is no fun. You can get hurt. "Falling through the cracks" sounds even worse. But, what does this expression really mean? Find out in this week's English in a Minute!

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Lesson 1 - Welcome!

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Politicians Suggest Ways to Reduce Tuition

U.S. presidential candidates are talking about the problem of high costs in higher education. From 2002 until 2012, tuition increased by around 39 percent, on average, among public or government-funded universities. Among private universities, it rose around 16 percent on average. The presidential candidates agree that the cost of education is a problem, but they disagree about what to do about it. What do the Democrats propose? The two main Democratic contenders are Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. They both have plans for addressing the high cost of education. Hillary Clinton's plan is called the New College Compact. The plan calls for giving grants to states. Grants are money given to states from the federal government. They help boost other financial aid to students, and help pay for living costs and tuition. Under Clinton's plan, community colleges would be tuition-free. She also proposes reducing interest rates on student loans, giving support to private colleges, and basing loan repayment on a graduate’s income. Clinton says her plan will be paid for by limiting tax spending on wealthy taxpayers. She estimates the cost of the plan would be around $350 billion over 10 years. Bernie Sander offers a plan with six steps. The first step is to make tuition free at public colleges and universities. The second step is to stop the federal government from profiting on the interest on student loans. Other steps include reducing interest rates students pay to borrow money and allowing students to refinance student loans. Sanders also favors need-based financial aid and work study programs. Sanders proposes paying for this plan by making 'Wall Street speculators' pay a tax. Sanders estimates the cost of the program to be around $75 billion a year. "We have a crisis in higher education today. Too many of our young people cannot afford a college education, and many of those who are leaving school are faced with crushing debt."  What do the Republican candidates propose? There are three front-runners in the Republican Party: Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump.   Rubio is the only one who has officially shown a plan for dealing with high costs. Rubio says he does not think tax money should support the current higher education system. He also says that universities raise fees too often, and too quickly. "The higher ed cartel pushes skyrocketing tuition and degrees that don't lead to jobs. Yesterday's leaders want to raise taxes and dump more money into this broken system."  ​ Rubio's plan proposes that students apply for “Student Investment Plans.” These plans would link students to private investors. In return for funding from investors, students would pay back part of their income to those investors for a set number of years. Unlike loans, students would not have to pay back the full amount that they borrow from private investors. However, they would still have to pay a percentage of their income for the amount of time that they agreed to. Repayment based on income after graduation would become standard for student loans, says Rubio's website. Rubio says higher education in the U.S. needs to fit the economy. He recommends increasing access to career and vocational education, encouraging apprenticeships and on-the-job training, and easing access community and state colleges. Rubio also says he wants to make statistics -- such as graduation rates, average student debt, and the likelihood of employment after graduating -- available to students and families. What about the candidates who don't have official plans? Neither Donald Trump nor Ted Cruz has officially released plans for dealing with high costs in education. However, both men have spoken about dealing with high costs. In an interview with the Hill, Donald Trump criticized the federal government for making a profit on student loans. He suggests that the government should not make money from student loans. In his words: “That’s probably one of the only things the government shouldn’t make money off — I think it’s terrible that one of the only profit centers we have is student loans.” In 2012, Ted Cruz suggested that financial aid be given by states, not the federal government. In Cruz's words:  “We should take the funding, give it to the states and put the states in the position to make the decisions how to have the greatest impact in their communities.” Which plans would have the greatest success? Some experts, such as N. Gregory Mankiw, a professor at Harvard, do not think that the plans of the presidential candidates will work well. The problem with Sanders' plan, writes Mankiw, is that it doesn't make college free. It forces taxpayers to pay for the college education of others. Mankiw says that the government faces long-term budget problems. It must pay for Social Security and other government programs. He says it is not a good idea to add another new, costly government program. Mankiw suggests that Rubio's plan suffers from a different problem: it is not clear that private investors would support students. Even if investors support students, they may only choose to support certain types of students. Beth Akers, an expert at the Brookings Institute, criticized Clinton's plan. Akers suggested that Clinton's plan wastes money. Clinton's plan calls for allowing students to refinance their loans. However, the households with the largest loan debts also tend to be wealthy households. This means, writes Akers, that Clinton's plan is helping wealthy families more than poor families. In other words, Clinton's plan does not give relief to the borrowers who need it the most. Akers also says that the $350 billion dollar cost of the program is probably low. She thinks Clinton's program would cost much more than that. The debate over what to do about the problem of expensive higher education is likely to continue for some time. I'm John Russell. And I'm Jill Robbins John Russell reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck and Jill Robbins were the editors. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   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 address – v. to deal with (a matter, issue, problem, etc.) refinance – v. to get a new loan to pay (an older debt) favor – v. to approve of or support (something) speculator – n. a person who invests money in ways that could produce a large profit but that also involve a lot of risk front-runner – n. the person or thing that is most likely to win a race or competition income – n. money that is earned from work vocational – adj. relating to the special skills or training that you need for a particular job or occupation apprenticeships – n. a position as an apprentice (an apprentice is a person who learns a job or skill by working for a fixed period of time for someone who is very good at that job or skill) on-the-job training – n. learned or done while working at a job

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'Athenaise,' by Kate Chopin

Our story today is called "Athenaise." It was written by Kate Chopin. Here is Barbara Klein with the story.   Athenaise went away one morning to visit her parents, ten miles back on the Bon Dieu River in Louisiana. She did not return in the evening, and Cazeau, her husband, was worried. Cazeau expressed his worries to his servant, Félicité, who served him dinner. He ate alone by the light of a coal-oil lamp.  Félicité stood nearby like a restless shadow. “Only married two months and she has her head turned already to leave! It is not right!” she said. Cazeau shrugged his shoulders. Félicité’s opinion of his wife’s behavior after two months of marriage did not matter to him. He was used to being alone and did not mind a night or two of it. Cazeau stood up and walked outside. The night was beginning to deepen and gather black around the groups of trees in the yard. Far away, he could hear the sound of someone playing an accordion. Nearby, a baby was crying. Cazeau’s horse was waiting, saddled. He still had much farm work to do before bed time. He did not have time to think about Athenaise. But he felt her absence like a deep pain. Before he slept that night Cazeau was visited by an image of Athenaise’s pale, young face with its soft lips and sensual eyes. The marriage had been a mistake. He had only to look into her eyes to feel that, to sense her growing dislike of him. But, the marriage could not be undone. And he was ready to make the best of it and expected the same effort from her. These sad thoughts kept Cazeau awake far into the night. The moon was shining and its pale light reached into the room. It was still outside, with no sound except the distant notes of the accordion. Athenaise did not return the next day, although her husband sent a message to do so through her brother, Montéclin. On the third day, Cazeau prepared his horse and went himself in search of her. Athenaise’s parents, the Michés, lived in a large home owned by a trader who lived in town. The house was far too big for their use. Upstairs, the rooms were so large and empty that they were used for parties. A dance at the Miché home and a plate of Madame Miché’s gumbo were pleasures not to be missed. Madame Miché was sitting on the porch outside the house. She stood up to greet Cazeau. She was short and fat with a cheery face. But she was clearly tense as Cazeau arrived. Montéclin was there too. But he was not uneasy. He made no effort to hide his dislike of Cazeau. “Dirty pig!” He said under his breath as Cazeau climbed the stairs to the porch. Montéclin disliked Cazeau for refusing to lend him money long ago.  Now that this man was his sister’s husband, he disliked him even more. Miché and his oldest son were away. They both respected Cazeau and talked highly of him. Cazeau shook hands with Madame Miché who offered him a chair.  Athénaise had shut herself in her room. “You know, nothing would do last night,” Madame Miché said. “Athenaise just had to stay for a little dance. The boys would not let their sister leave!” Cazeau shrugged his shoulders to show he knew nothing about last night. “Didn’t Montéclin tell you we were going to keep Athenaise?” she asked. But Montéclin had told him nothing. “And how about the night before?” asked Cazeau. “And last night? Do you have dances every night?” Madame Miché laughed and told her son to go tell Athenaise her husband had arrived. Montéclin did not move. “You know as well as I do that it is no use to tell Athenaise anything,” said Montéclin. “You and pa have been talking to her since Monday. When Athenaise said she was not returning to Cazeau she meant it.” Two fiery red spots rose to Cazeau’s cheeks. What Montéclin said was true. Upon arriving home, Athenaise had announced she was there to stay. It was difficult for her to understand why she had married. Girls were just expected to get married. And she did like Cazeau. Montéclin had asked Athenaise to explain herself. He had asked her if Cazeau abused her, or if he drank too much. “No!” Athenaise had said. “It is just being married that I hate. I do not like being Missus Cazeau. I want to be Athenaise Miché again. I do not like living with a man, all his clothing everywhere and his ugly bare feet.” At the time, Montéclin had been sorry his sister had no serious evidence to use against Cazeau. And now, there was Cazeau himself looking like he wanted to hit Montéclin. Cazeau stood up and went inside the house to his wife’s room. “Athenaise, get ready,” he said quietly. “It is late and we do not have time to lose.” Athenaise was not prepared for his calm request. She felt a sense of hopelessness about continuing to rebel against the idea of marriage. She gathered her hat and gloves. Then, she walked downstairs past her brother and mother, got on her horse and rode away. Cazeau followed behind her. It was late when they reached home. Cazeau once more ate dinner alone. Athenaise sat in her room crying. Athenaise’s parents had hoped that marriage would bring a sense of responsibility so deeply lacking in her character. No one could understand why she so hated her role as wife. Cazeau had never spoken angrily to her or called her names or failed to give her everything she wanted. His main offense seemed to be that he loved her. And Athenaise was not a woman to be loved against her will. At breakfast, Athenaise complained to her husband. “Why did you have to marry me when there were so many other girls to choose from?” she asked. “And, it is strange that if you hate my brother so much, why you would marry his sister!?" “I do not know what any of them have to do with it,” Cazeau said. “I married you because I loved you. I guess I was a fool to think I could make you happy. I do not know what else to do but make the best of a bad deal and shake hands over it.” It now seemed to Athenaise that her brother was the only friend left to her in the world. Her parents had turned from her and her friends laughed at her. But Montéclin had an idea for securing his sister’s freedom. After some thought, Athenaise agreed to his plan. The next morning, Cazeau woke up to find his wife was gone. She had packed her belongings and left in the night. Cazeau felt a terrible sense of loss. It was not new; he had felt it for weeks. He realized he had missed his chance for happiness. He could not think of loving any other woman, and could not imagine Athenaise ever caring for him. He wrote her a letter stating that he did not want her back unless she returned of her own free will. Athenaise had escaped to the big city of New Orleans. She was staying at a private hotel that Montéclin had chosen and paid to rent for a month. A woman named Sylvie owned the hotel and took good care of Athenaise. Athenaise soon became friends with Mister Gouvernail, who was also staying at the hotel. This friendship helped her feel less lonely about missing her family.  But Mister Gouvernail soon started to fall in love with Athenaise. He knew she was uninformed, unsatisfied and strong-willed. But he also suspected that she loved her husband, although she did not know it. Bitter as this belief was, he accepted it. Athenaise’s last week in the city was coming to an end. She had not found a job and was too homesick to stay any longer. Also, she had not been feeling well. She complained in detail about her sickness to Sylvie. Sylvie was very wise, and Athenaise was very stupid. Sylvie very calmly explained to Athenaise that she was feeling sick because she was pregnant. Athenaise sat very still for a long time thinking about this new information. Her whole being was overcome with a wave of happiness. Then, she stood up, ready to take action. She had to tell her mother! And Cazeau! As she thought of him, a whole new sense of life swept over her. She could not wait to return to him. The next day Athenaise spent travelling home. When she arrived at Cazeau’s, he lifted her out of the horse carriage and they held each other tight. The country night was warm and still except for a baby crying in the distance. “Listen, Cazeau!” said Athenaise. “How Juliette’s baby is crying! Poor darling, I wonder what is the matter with it?” You have heard the story “Athenaise” by Kate Chopin. Your storyteller was Barbara Klein. This story was adapted and produced by Dana Demange.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   shrug - v. to raise and lower your shoulders usually to show that you do not know or care about something sensual - adj. relating to, devoted to, or producing physical or sexual pleasure gumbo - n. a thick soup made in the southern U.S. with meat or seafood and usually okra role - n. the character played by an actor secure - v.  to get (something) by using effort homesick - adj. sad because you are away from your family and home overcome - v. to affect (someone) very strongly or severely - usually used as (be) overcome

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