Obama Seeks $1.8 Billion to Combat Zika

President Barack Obama is asking Congress for more than $1.8 billion to fight the Zika virus in the United States and other countries. The White House said Monday that most of the money would be spent in the United States on programs to combat the virus, which is spread by mosquitos. These initiatives include mosquito control programs, vaccine research and health care services for low-income pregnant women. President Barack Obama urged calm in an interview that aired on Monday. “The good news is this is not like Ebola, people don’t die of Zika. A lot of people get it and don’t even know they have it,” he told CBS News. “But there shouldn’t be panic on this, this is not something where people are going to die from it. It is something we have to take seriously.” Spread of Zika virus The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the top federal public health agency. It has reported 50 cases of Zika among U.S. travelers from December 2015 to February 2016. In the latest outbreak, Brazil reported the first case of Zika virus in May 2015. The Pan American Health Organization said 26 countries and territories in the Americas have reported cases of the virus since. Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika a global health emergency. The global health organization also predicts that Zika could infect as many as 4 million people in the Americas this year. Zika causes no symptoms in 80 percent of people who are infected and only mild symptoms in people who fall ill. Scientists believe it can cause microcephaly, a birth defect that causes babies to have abnormally small heads and problems with learning. U.S. health officials said their greatest concern is for pregnant women who develop Zika. The Zika virus is a disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available. But drug companies in India, Japan and France announced that they are working to develop possible vaccines.   I’m Mary Gotschall.                  Mary Gotschall adapted this story for Learning English from VOANews.com and other sources. Hai Do 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   mosquito – n. a small flying insect that bites the skin of people and animals and sucks their blood symptom – n. a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present panic – n. a situation that causes many people to become afraid and to rush to do something — usually singular territory – n. an area of land that belongs to or is controlled by a government  

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Confusion, Criticism at Presidential Campaign Events

  This is What’s Trending Today. The Republican debate Saturday night in New Hampshire was one last chance for presidential candidates to appeal to voters ahead of the state’s primary vote on February 9. But before the debate even began, something funny happened. And people are still talking about it today.​ ABC News showed the debate live on television. At the beginning of the broadcast, the debate announcers called each candidate's name. The candidates were to walk out on stage one-by-one. First they announced New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. He walked out onto the debate stage. Next, they announced Ben Carson. Dr. Carson took a few steps, and then he stopped. He did not come out on stage when his name was called. A worker for ABC News backstage told Carson “go, go, go.” But Carson continued to wait in the hallway that led to the stage. Next, the announcers introduced Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Cruz had a funny look on his face, and walked right past Dr. Carson onto the stage. Then they introduced businessman Donald Trump. But, he did not come out onto the stage, either. So for a few minutes, the camera showed Carson and Trump standing together in the hallway. The rest of the candidates looked confused as they walked past them onto the stage. The announcers did not know what to do either. The TV comedy show Saturday Night Live made a joke about the incident just a few hours later. One of the show's comedian joked: “Here is actual footage of Ben Carson’s entrance, where the one thing he forgot to do was enter.” On social media, people posted about the debate's confusing beginning. Many people wondered what happened. One Twitter user posted: “I never thought watching 7 people walk onto a stage would be so funny..." Another trending campaign incident this weekend happened during Hillary Clinton’s rally in New Hampshire. Clinton is in a close race with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination.  At the rally on Saturday, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright introduced Hillary Clinton to the crowd. Albright was the first woman to serve as Secretary of State, a position Hillary Clinton also held. Clinton would be America’s first woman president if she is elected in November. During the introduction, Madeleine Albright asked women to be more supportive of Clinton. Albright said that while Bernie Sanders talks about a political “revolution,” a true revolution for America would be electing a woman president. She also said, “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.” Albright has said that line before at events in the past. On social media, people reacted to Albright’s words. Some felt the statement was offensive. ​ Also this weekend, women's rights advocate Gloria Steinem also spoke about the importance of women supporting Clinton.  On a television show Friday night, Steinem suggested that young women support Bernie Sanders because he has a lot of young men working on his campaign. Young women, she said, are working to elect Sanders because they have a better chance of finding romance along the way. The comments made some people angry. And they voiced their concern on social media. ​ And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Who do you think will become the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   impress – v. to cause (someone) to feel admiration or interest romance – n. an exciting and usually short relationship between lovers stage manager – n. a person who is in charge of the stage, scenery, lighting, etc., for a performance in a theater confuse – adj. unable to understand or think clearly rally – n. a public meeting to support or oppose someone or something primary – n. an election in which members of the same political party run against each other for the chance to be in a larger and more important election

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February 8, 2016

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

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Citing Betrayal, Some Syrian Rebels Withdraw From Front

After a week-long attack from Russian warplanes, some Syrian rebels are withdrawing from the fight in northern Syria. The rebels are fighting against forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Some anti-Assad forces have taken shelter in tunnels or bomb-made craters, but some fighters are quitting. Ahmad is a 20-year-old rebel fighter. He made the decision to withdraw from the fighting. He told VOA about the battles near Aleppo in northern Syria. “The first day, the fight, it was easy,” he said. “After that, the second days and the third, it was very difficult. We lost a lot of people, a lot of friends, a lot of fighters.” On the fourth day of fighting, Russian warplanes bombed everything in the area. Ahmad said he could feel and hear the force of the Russian bombs. About 100 fighters withdrew from the battles. Ahmad said they withdrew because they felt betrayed. He said “friends of Syria” like the United States, western countries and other Gulf nations betrayed the fighters. He also blamed the Free Syrian Army rebels and other Islamist brigades for not joining forces to defeat the Assad government's forces. It might be too late, he said. The civil war in Syria will enter its fifth year this March. I'm Jonathan Evans.   Jamie Dettmer reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Hai Do 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   tunnel – n. a passage that goes under the ground crater – n. a large round hole in the ground made by the explosion of a bomb  quit – v. to stop doing an action or activity

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Earthquake Survivors Found in Building in Taiwan

Two people have been rescued from a collapsed 17-story apartment building in Tainan, Taiwan where a powerful earthquake struck Saturday. Officials say a woman was found under the body of her husband Monday morning. The body of their two-year-old son was found near them. Rescue workers are searching for five other members of the woman’s family. A man was also found alive. He is reported to be talking to rescue workers. The powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.4 struck early Saturday morning. At least 36 people have died. Liu Shih Chung is the deputy secretary-general of the city of Tainan government. He told VOA that more than 300 people have been rescued from the building. He says about 100 people are missing. Sixteen rescue teams from across the country are helping search for survivors. Liu says workers are now “entering into the most difficult part” of the rescue effort. That is because most people must be found within 72 hours after being trapped. Workers are using cranes, tools and their hands to dig through collapsed buildings. Medical workers are ready to help anyone found alive. Taiwan’s official Central News Agency says nine buildings were destroyed in the quake, all of them in the historic city of Tainan. Many other buildings are unsafe, forcing people who lived or worked in them to leave. Markets, banks and other companies that operated in the buildings are closed. Liu says hotels will let people stay in rooms without charge for a week. Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau said there have been several smaller quakes since Saturday. The quake struck two days before the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar.  I’m Mario Ritter.   VOANews.com reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter 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   story –n. one floor level of a building of at least two levels apartment –n. a room or group of rooms in a building that is usually rented and is used as a place to live survivor – n. a person who continues to live after an accident, illness, war, etc.

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Broncos, Bruno Mars, Beyonce Win Big at Super Bowl 50

Football is the most popular professional sport in the United States. The National Football League (NFL) championship is called the Super Bowl. The game is always played on a Sunday, and that day is called "Super Bowl Sunday." It is such a big day, it is almost like a holiday for some people. People throw big parties to celebrate and then gather around large televisions to watch the game. This year, the Denver Broncos football team defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10 to win the championship. Before the game, most people thought Carolina, the team based in the North Carolina city of Charlotte, would win. So the final score is what people call an "upset."       It is more than just a game About 70,000 people watched the game in person at Levi's Stadium in California. And over 100 million people in the U.S. alone watched the game on television. But "Super Bowl Sunday" is not only about what happens on the football field. Some like to watch the TV commercials for car companies, beer manufacturers and Internet sites. Many others are more interested in the entertainment than the game itself. Before the game started, Lady Gaga sang the national anthem. But all people could talk about was her sparkling red suit and red-white-and-blue platform high-heel shoes. She even had glittery red eye makeup. Most people agreed she did a good job with a difficult song. There is always a short concert by a popular music group or singer at halftime of the game. This year, the main performer was the British band Coldplay. Coldplay performed its hit songs "Viva La Vida," "Paradise" and "Adventure of a Lifetime."  Coldplay decorated the stage with colorful flowers and displayed rivers of color on the stage using projectors and video boards. After three songs, Bruno Mars took the stage to perform "Uptown Funk," one of his most popular songs. But singer Beyonce stole the show with her performance. Beyonce and her back-up dancers took the field wearing military-inspired jackets to perform her new song "Formation." The song talks about police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement. It was released the day before the Super bowl. As for the jackets and the berets worn by her dancers, many compared them to those worn by the Black Panthers, a 1960s radical group that advocated black power. I'm Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.   Did you watch the Super Bowl where you live? What did you think? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sparkling – adj. shining and reflecting light glittery – adj. something that shines brightly and reflects light spectacle – n. a very impressive show commercial – n. an advertisement on radio or television popular – n. liked or enjoyed by many people stole the show – phrasal verb – what happens when a person who is not the main performer in a show or event receives the most attention

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Rocket Launch May Strengthen Kim Jong Un

North Korea’s rocket launch on Sunday and the international criticism of its nuclear test last month may have strengthened its leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea’s state media regularly report that Kim’s actions defend the country against hostile American and South Korean forces. Reports in the North say the rocket launch showed the country is increasing its technological knowledge. The U.S. Joint Space Operations Center said the rocket launch placed two objects in Earth orbit. But it is not known if either of the objects is operating. North Korea launched a satellite in 2012. It orbits the Earth every 95 minutes. North Korea says the satellite has cameras that can send images to Earth. But no signal has ever been heard from it. On Sunday, the United Nations Security Council condemned North Korea for testing ballistic missile technology. The council rejected North Korea’s claim that it was launching a satellite. It said the rocket launch was designed to help in the “development of nuclear weapon delivery systems.” The council has approved resolutions banning North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missile technology. Since 2006, it has approved four resolutions placing economic and political sanctions on North Korea. Experts say the recent rocket launch and nuclear test send a clear message to the world that North Korea will not end its nuclear program. They say North Korea’s ruling Kim family was influenced by the removal of Moammar Gaddafi as ruler of Libya in 2011. In 2003, Gaddafi had promised to end his country’s nuclear program. Experts say this has caused the North’s rulers to increase their support of nuclear weapons tests. Daniel Pinkston teaches international relations at Troy University in Seoul. He says he does not believe “any kind of sanctions or anything else, other than force or some internal revolutionary change in North Korea, would get them off this track. It’s part of their identity.” I’m Mario Ritter.   VOA Correspondent Brian Padden reported this story from Seoul. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his report into VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter 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   orbit – n. the curved path that something (such as a moon or satellite) follows as it goes around something else (such as a planet) signal – n. something (such as a sound, a movement of part of the body, or an object) that gives information about something or that tells someone to do something sanction – n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc. (usually plural) track – n. the course along which someone or something moves or proceeds

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US Gives Less Foreign Aid than Americans Think

The United States will spend $37.9 billion on foreign aid in 2016. That is about $2 billion more than 2014. But it still amounts to less than 1 percent of the U.S. government’s $4 trillion budget.  Most Americans believe the percentage is far greater. The Kaiser Family Foundation last year asked 1,500 Americans what portion of the federal budget goes to foreign aid. The average answer was 25 percent, Kaiser said. That is 25 times the correct percentage. Which nation gets the most aid? A new breakdown from the State Department shows the top 15: Israel, $3.1 billion Afghanistan, $1.51 billion Egypt, $1.45 billion Jordan, $1 billion Pakistan, $803 million Nigeria, $607 million Also on the top 15 list are Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda and the West Bank and Gaza. Others include Ethiopia, South Africa, Iraq, South Sudan and Somalia. You can see how much the United States provides in foreign aid to countries and territories at this U.S. State Department website. Foreign aid is not a big issue in the 2016 presidential race. The top issues are terrorism, immigration and how to improve the U.S. economy. But members of Congress often debate whether foreign aid is effective. They also debate whether the foreign aid budget is divided up in a smart and fair way. The Congressional Research Service says it is hard to tell. “In most cases, the success or failure of U.S. foreign aid programs is not entirely clear, in part, because historically most aid programs have not been evaluated,” the research service says. The United States first offered foreign aid after World War II, helping to rebuild Europe. The programs have continued ever since. Still, the Kaiser Family Foundation said Americans remain doubtful about foreign aid. Kaiser said nearly half believe the United States spends more than its fair share on international health problems. As an example, Kaiser cites the Ebola crisis in Western Africa during 2014 and 2015. Hillary Clinton, a Democratic presidential candidate, strongly supported foreign aid as U.S. Secretary of State and continues to do so. “The 1 percent of our budget we spend on all diplomacy and development is not what is driving our deficit,” Clinton said. Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders has not made campaign statements on foreign aid. But as a senator, he tried – unsuccessfully – to cut funding for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said he wanted the money for the IMF to go to foreign aid for poor nations. On the Republican side, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida said a lot of foreign aid has been wasted. But if spent effectively, he said, foreign aid can advance U.S. foreign policy goals. Presidential candidate Donald Trump has not spoken in detail about foreign aid. But Trump said he would send U.S. funding to create a safe area for Syrians displaced by the civil war. He sees that as an alternative to accepting more Syrian refugees in the United States. “I would help them economically, even though we owe $19 trillion,” Trump said, referring to the current U.S. deficit. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, another Republican presidential candidate, said the United States must “stop sending foreign aid to nations that hate us.” I'm Mario Ritter.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Share your views in the comments section, or by reaching on our Facebook Page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   billion – n. the number 1,000,000,000 : one thousand million trillion – n. the number 1,000,000,000,000 : one thousand billion effective – adj. producing a result that is wanted : having an intended effect afford – v. to be able to pay for something advance – v. to move forward displace – v. to take the job or position of (someone or something alternative – n. something that can be chosen instead of something else  

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UN Condemns N. Korea Missile Launch

The United Nations Security Council strongly condemned North Korea’s launch of a long-range rocket at an emergency meeting on Sunday. All 15 council members, including China, approved the statement. The members pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with “significant” new sanctions against North Korea. After the meeting, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said the resolution must include “unprecedented measures.” China’s Ambassador Liu Jieyi, however, said the new resolution should reduce tension, work towards denuclearization, maintain peace, and encourage a “negotiated solution.” China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It can stop council resolutions from being approved. China must support any sanctions if they are to be effective, because China gives large amounts of economic aid to North Korea. Since 2006, the council has approved increasingly stronger economic restrictions on North Korea for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles tests. North Korea said the rocket was carrying a satellite. It was launched early Sunday morning near the northwestern border with China. The North said the launch is part of its peaceful space program to send satellites into orbit. But many experts said the space program is being used to hide its tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles systems. The U.S. Congress is also considering measures to target companies and banks that trade with North Korea. Many of them are in China. South Korea and U.S. will discuss missile defense Meanwhile, South Korea and the U.S. announced a plan to begin talks on deploying a missile-defense system. A joint statement by the militaries of the two countries said they will meet to talk about the possibility of sending the system to South Korea and begin operating it “at the earliest possible date." Yoo Jeh-Seung is South Korea’s deputy defense minister. He said the system would strengthen “the missile defense of the Korea-U.S. alliance.” Yoo said the alliance is considering deploying the system because of the North Korean rocket launch. He said the North has refused to talk about removing nuclear weapons from the peninsula. He spoke during a meeting with Lieutenant General Thomas Vandal, the commander of the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea. The missile defense is known as THAAD. The system is carried on trucks and can fire rockets than can destroy ballistic missiles “inside or outside the atmosphere.” Three years ago, when South Korea talked about deploying it, China said it threatened its security. On Sunday, China again criticized the plan to discuss a possible deployment of the THAAD missile defense system. A foreign ministry spokeswoman said China is, in her words, “deeply concerned” that the system may soon operate in South Korea. She said the system would increase tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the area. I’m Jonathan Evans.   VOA’s Margaret Besheer at the U.N. and Brian Padden and Youmi Kim in Seoul reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the reports into VOA Learning English. Hai Do 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   atmosphere – n. the whole mass of air that surrounds the Earth

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Temporary Workers Taking Bigger Role in US Workforce

Employers are more and more hiring temporary workers, or workers who do not have the same status as permanent, full-time workers. This practice has been called “freelance nation,” “outsourcing,” or the rise of “solopreneurs.” Solopreneur combines the words “solo” and “entrepreneur” to mean individual entrepreneurs. These workers are usually paid by the hour. Some are paid one fee for the project, or contract. For some workers, freelance or contract work offers them more flexibility. They can hold more than one freelance or contract position. They are not bound to the same rules or expectations as a full-time staff position. For other workers, freelance or contract work may be all that is available. In some areas and sectors, the market of freelance positions has grown, while the market of full-time staff positions has shrunk. But freelance work may not include benefits such as health insurance, paid vacations, or retirement plans. These are benefits that were typically offered to full-time, permanent employees before the Great Recession of 2007-2009 led to fewer jobs. The Great Recession resulted in “massive job loss” of 8.4 million U.S. jobs, or 6.1 percent of all payroll employment, said the Economic Policy Institute. It was the most severe job loss since the Great Depression of the 1930s. After World War II, many employers hired women as temporary workers in clerical jobs. Women filled in for permanent employees who were ill or away on vacation. But since the Great Recession, use of temporary employees has increased. More employers are hiring temporary workers on a permanent basis and calling them independent contractors. And they are using them for a variety of professional positions. These positions include information technology, marketing, advertising, payroll and human resources, noted Rick Dacri, a human resource consultant. During the recession, companies fired or laid off employees to offset losses they experienced. As profits declined, they sought to cut expenses. Employees and benefits are the largest portion of a company’s expenses. Paying employees benefits like health insurance and pensions create additional costs. Employers also use independent contractors because they often have the latest skills in technology and other fields. With temporary workers, they can easily increase or decrease the size of their workforce in response to changing market conditions. Size of gig economy is in dispute There is disagreement about the size of the gig economy. It depends on how it is measured. The Economic Policy Institute is a think-tank in Washington, D.C. In 2015, the institute said that about 27 million workers – about 1-in-6 U.S. workers — are unemployed or underemployed. “Once workers get laid off from a job in this labor market, the odds are stacked strongly against them finding another one anytime soon,” reported the study. Some sectors are hiring more contract positions and hiring fewer full-time staff. At American universities, more adjunct professors are hired by contract and fewer full-time professors are offered tenure, or job security agreements. These positions often last one to three years and do not become permanent, said the American Association of University Professors.  The U.S. Department of Labor said benefits for permanent employees are worth 30 percent above an employee’s salary. For example, if an employee receives $50,000 a year in salary, it can cost the employer $15,000 in benefits. So that means the total value of the compensation package for the employee is $65,000. The Great Recession’s impact on the labor market Since the recession ended in 2009, the U.S. economy has not created jobs needed to match population growth and to return workers to the labor force, said the Economic Policy Institute.  More low-wage jobs than high-wage jobs have been created during the past four years. High-wage industries lost 1 million positions, while low-wage jobs increased by 1.8 million in that time period, reported the National Employment Law Project (NELP). Charlie Jeszeck is director of Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues at the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO). He and his colleagues wrote studies on the contingent workforce. “We don’t know the size of the gig economy,” he said. “There aren’t good data on this issue. Also, analysts disagree about who should be included in the concept of the contingent workforce.”   I’m Mary Gotschall.    Mary Gotschall wrote this story for VOANews.com. Hai Do and Kathleen Struck were the editors. 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   expectation – n. a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen insurance – n. an agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and the company promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies, or to pay money equal to the value of something (such as a house or car) if it is damaged, lost, or stolen retirement – n. the period after you have permanently stopped your job or profession recession – n. a period of time in which there is a decrease in economic activity and many people do not have jobs massive – adj.  very severe consultant – n.  a person who gives professional advice or services to companies for a fee lay off – verb phrase the act of ending the employment of a worker or group of workers adjunct – adj. added to a teaching staff for only a short time or in a lower position than other staff tenure - n. the right to keep a job (especially the job of being a professor at a college or university) for as long as you want to have it contingent – adj. depending on something else that might or might not happen   

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Lesson 1: Welcome!

Let's Learn English is a new course for English learners. Certified American English teachers designed the course for beginners. The course continues for 52 weeks. Each week, there will be a new lesson with video showing the lives of young Americans. The lesson includes instruction in speaking, vocabulary and writing. There are also printable worksheets, assessments and lesson plans for individual learners and English teachers. We encourage you to follow the weekly lessons and share your progress with us through comments and email.   Summary Anna moves to Washington, DC. She meets Pete at her new apartment.    Conversation      PETE: Hi! Are you Anna? ANNA: Yes! Hi there! Are you Pete? PETE: I am Pete. ANNA: Nice to meet you. ANNA Let’s try that again. I’m Anna. PETE: I’m Pete. “Anna” Is that A-N-A? ANNA: No. A-N-N-A. PETE: Well, Anna with two “n’s” … Welcome to … 1400 Irving Street! ANNA: My new apartment! Yes!   Learning Strategy Each week we teach a new learning strategy. The first one is Set a Goal. ​ When we set a goal, we decide what we want to do or learn. You are studying English with VOA Learning English. What do you want to learn? Here is an example: Pat works at a coffee shop. She wants to greet her customers in English. She sets a goal: "In three months, I will feel confident in greeting customers in English." Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. Setting a goal is an important learning strategy because it give you a strong reason to keep studying.  What is your goal? Write to us in the Comments section.    Listening Click on the video below to learn about the listening quiz. Each question has a video. Play the video and choose the correct answer.   Speaking Practice Watch the video and record yourself. Listen to yourself. Then listen to the video again. Pronunciation Practice In careful speech, we say words with a small break. In everyday speech, the sounds come together with little or no break. Watch the video to learn about how the sounds change. Practice the example. Writing Introduce yourself in the Comments section. For a fun way to learn the alphabet, watch the alphabet video below.  New Words apartment - n. a usually rented room or set of rooms that is part of a building and is used as a place to live. She lives in an apartment. meet - v.  to see and speak to someone for the first time. Pete meets Anna on the street. new - adj. not known before; recently bought or rented. Anna has a new friend. nice - adj. good and enjoyable​. It is nice to see you. street  - n. a road in a city, town, or village. Anna lives on Irving Street. try - v. to make an effort to do something. Please try to say it again. welcome - interjection. used as a friendly greeting to someone who has arrived at a place. Welcome to America! _______________________________________________________________ Download the activity sheet. Learn to say the letters and numbers. Grammar focus to be + name in introductions to be + location Topics Meeting people Personal information Alphabet (Activity sheet) Numbers 1-20 (video) For teachers: download a lesson plan for this lesson here. Let us know your thoughts about this lesson in our Comments section or send us an email.

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