The Cask of Amontillado

by Edgar Allan Poe Our story today is called "The Cask of Amontillado." It was written by Edgar Allan Poe.  Here is Larry West with the story. Storyteller:  Fortunato and I both were members of very old and important Italian families. We used to play together when we were children. Fortunato was bigger, richer and more handsome than I was. And he enjoyed making me look like a fool. He hurt my feelings a thousand times during the years of my childhood. I never showed my anger, however. So, he thought we were good friends. But I promised myself that one day I would punish Fortunato for his insults to me. Many years passed. Fortunato married a rich and beautiful woman who gave him sons. Deep in my heart I hated him, but I never said or did anything that showed him how I really felt. When I smiled at him, he thought it was because we were friends. He did not know it was the thought of his death that made me smile. Everyone in our town respected Fortunato. Some men were afraid of him because he was so rich and powerful. He had a weak spot, however. He thought he was an excellent judge of wine. I also was an expert on wine. I spent a lot of money buying rare and costly wines. I stored the wines in the dark rooms under my family's palace. Our palace was one of the oldest buildings in the town. The Montresor family had lived in it for hundreds of years. We had buried our dead in the rooms under the palace. These tombs were quiet, dark places that no one but myself ever visited. Late one evening during carnival season, I happened to meet Fortunato on the street. He was going home alone from a party. Fortunato was beautiful in his silk suit made of many colors: yellow, green, purple and red. On his head he wore an orange cap, covered with little silver bells. I could see he had been drinking too much wine. He threw his arms around me. He said he was glad to see me. I said I was glad to see him, too because I had a little problem.   "What is it?" he asked, putting his large hand on my shoulder. "My dear Fortunato," I said, "I'm afraid I have been very stupid. The man who sells me wine said he had a rare barrel of Amontillado wine. I believed him and I bought it from him. But now, I am not so sure that the wine is really Amontillado."   "What!" he said, "A cask of Amontillado at this time of year.  An entire barrel? Impossible!" "Yes, I was very stupid. I paid the wine man the full price he wanted without asking you to taste the wine first. But I couldn't find you and I was afraid he would sell the cask of Amontillado to someone else. So I bought it." "A cask of Amontillado!" Fortunato repeated. "Where is it?" I pretended I didn't hear his question. Instead I told him I was going to visit our friend Lucresi. "He will be able to tell me if the wine is really Amontillado," I said. Fortunato laughed in my face. "Lucresi cannot tell Amontillado from vinegar."   I smiled to myself and said "But some people say that he is as good a judge of wine as you are."   Fortunato grabbed my arm. "Take me to it," he said. "I'll taste the Amontillado for you."   "But my friend," I protested, "it is late. The wine is in my wine cellar, underneath the palace. Those rooms are very damp and cold and the walls drip with water."   "I don't care," he said. "I am the only person who can tell you if your wine man has cheated you. Lucresi cannot!" Fortunato turned, and still holding me by the arm, pulled me down the street to my home. The building was empty. My servants were enjoying carnival. I knew they would be gone all night. I took two large candles, lit them and gave one to Fortunato. I started down the dark, twisting stairway with Fortunato close behind me. At the bottom of the stairs, the damp air wrapped itself around our bodies.   "Where are we?" Fortunato asked. "I thought you said the cask of Amontillado was in your wine cellar." "It is," I said. "The wine cellar is just beyond these tombs where the dead of my family are kept. Surely, you are not afraid of walking through the tombs. He turned and looked into my eyes. "Tombs?" he said. He began to cough. The silver bells on his cap jingled. "My poor friend," I said, "how long have you had that cough?"   "It's nothing," he said, but he couldn't stop coughing.   "Come," I said firmly, "we will go back upstairs. Your health is important.You are rich, respected, admired, and loved. You have a wife and children. Many people would miss you if you died. We will go back before you get seriously ill. I can go to Lucresi for help with the wine." "No!" he cried. "This cough is nothing. It will not kill me. I won't die from a cough."   "That is true," I said, "but you must be careful." He took my arm and we began to walk through the cold, dark rooms. We went deeper and deeper into the cellar.   Finally, we arrived in a small room. Bones were pushed high against one wall. A doorway in another wall opened to an even smaller room, about one meter wide and two meters high. Its walls were solid rock. "Here we are," I said. "I hid the cask of Amontillado in there." I pointed to the smaller room. Fortunato lifted his candle and stepped into the tiny room. I immediately followed him. He stood stupidly staring at two iron handcuffs chained to a wall of the tiny room. I grabbed his arms and locked them into the metal handcuffs. It took only a moment. He was too surprised to fight me. I stepped outside the small room. "Where is the Amontillado?" he cried. "Ah yes," I said, "the cask of Amontillado." I leaned over and began pushing aside the pile of bones against the wall. Under the bones was a basket of stone blocks, some cement and a small shovel. I had hidden the materials there earlier. I began to fill the doorway of the tiny room with stones and cement. By the time I laid the first row of stones Fortunato was no longer drunk. I heard him moaning inside the tiny room for ten minutes. Then there was a long silence.   I finished the second and third rows of stone blocks. As I began the fourth row, I heard Fortunato begin to shake the chains that held him to the wall. He was trying to pull them out of the granite wall. I smiled to myself and stopped working so that I could better enjoy listening to the noise. After a few minutes, he stopped. I finished the fifth, the sixth and the seventh rows of stones. The wall I was building in the doorway was now almost up to my shoulders.   Suddenly, loud screams burst from the throat of the chained man. For a moment I worried. What if someone heard him? Then I placed my hand on the solid rock of the walls and felt safe. I looked into the tiny room, where he was still screaming. And I began to scream, too. My screams grew louder than his and he stopped. It was now almost midnight. I finished the eighth, the ninth and the tenth rows. All that was left was a stone for the last hole in the wall. I was about to push it in when I heard a low laugh from behind the stones.   The laugh made the hair on my head stand up. Then Fortunato spoke, in a sad voice that no longer sounded like him. He said, "Well, you have played a good joke on me. We will laugh about it soon over a glass of that Amontillado. But isn't it getting late. My wife and my friends will be waiting for us. Let us go." "Yes," I replied, "let us go." I waited for him to say something else. I heard only my own breathing. "Fortunato!" I called. No answer. I called again. "Fortunato!"  Still no answer. I hurried to put the last stone into the wall and put the cement around it. Then I pushed the pile of bones in front of the new wall I had built. That was fifty years ago. For half a century now, no one has touched those bones. "May he rest in peace!"

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April 8, 2016

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

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‘Eye in the Sky' Looks at Drone Strikes

Should the life of one innocent be sacrificed to save many others? That is the thematic question of director Gavin Hood’s new film. "Eye in the Sky."  The movie is set in 2015. The United States and Britain are set to carry out a joint drone attack. They aim to kill a terrorist before he carries out a suicide bombing that could kill many people. The thriller follows the drone operation which is about to strike a terrorist cell in Nairobi, Kenya. Officials are faced with moral questions as an innocent civilian enters the area where the missile is expected to strike. Military officials in different parts of the world watch video of the target area provided by a tiny spy drone. They observe as a Briton-led group of terrorists prepares for a major suicide attack in Nairobi. The officials consider moving from their capture-only drone operation to a deadly one. The military and political debate over the decision delays action and that worries Helen Mirren’s character, Colonel Katherine Powell. She is the leader of the joint military operation. Time is running out. The situation becomes even more complex after a child enters the drone target area. Colonel Powell watches from London. She is ready to kill the terrorists. Her goal, as she sees it is to prevent a possible terrorist massacre. But others consider the political and diplomatic results of such an attack. One character describes the weight of the military decision simple. He says “If they kill 80 people, we win the propaganda war. If we kill one child, they do.” No easy answers Gavin Hood says "Eye in the Sky" shows that there are no easy answers when it comes to drone warfare. “Will you sacrifice, will you definitely take one innocent life in order to possibly prevent the loss of 80 lives? What if there were five innocent lives close to this kill zone? What if the estimate of the loss of life (by the terrorists) was only 20? What if it was 2,000?" he asks. The filmmaker hopes "Eye in the Sky" will generate discussions among his audiences on the human, political and strategic costs of drone warfare. “If you are not there and you are only attacking from the sky, how [do you expect] the local population to respond?” he asks. Hood says his film is imaginary but the story was fully researched. "We spoke to people from all areas. From the military lawyers, who were involved in this, to drone pilots, to military intelligence officers. He said a real drone pilot was permanently on set to make sure that everything was correct. Real life dilemmas Along with Helen Mirren, the late actor Alan Rickman plays the sharp but cool under fire Lt. General Benson.  Aaron Paul is the emotional drone pilot Steve Watts. Together they successfully communicate the message of "Eye in the Sky" -- that as exact as drone missiles might be, they are still guided by often conflicted human beings.   In Gavin Hood’s words, “there are military people who seriously question the use of the drone and there are people within the military who think it is the best thing that ever happened." Gavin Hood says the debates we see dramatized in “Eye in the Sky” are very much like the debates happening in real war rooms, and elsewhere in the real world. I’m Marsha James.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on Facebook. _________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   thriller – n. a novel, movie or theatrical production that is exciting; a story full of exciting action, mystery or suspense cell – n. a small group of people who work together secretly as part of a larger organization or group massacre – n. the violent killing of many people zone – n. an area that is different from other areas cool under fire – expression of calm at a time of threat or unease

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VOA English Newscast: 1200 UTC April 8, 2016

  From Washington, this is VOA News.       I’m Steve Karesh reporting. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has launched a series of talks with Iraqi officials on Friday during a one-day visit to Baghdad to underscore U.S. support for the government as it addresses security, economic and political challenges. “This is obviously a very critical time here in Iraq and the region, and you and I have been working on a lot of different issues over the past few years. So it’s good to come and be able to visit…” That is Kerry speaking with Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari.  He will also meet with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Kurdistan regional government Prime Minister Nechrivan Barzani. In addition to showing U.S. support for the government, Kerry is also expected to discuss the multi-national coalition's ongoing support for Iraqi-led efforts to defeat Islamic State, said State Department spokesman John Kirby, ahead of the trip. Kerry's visit comes as Iraqi-led forces push to re-take the northern city of Mosul, which fell to Islamic State militants in 2014. A group of 45 Pakistani migrants has reached Dikili, in Turkey, making the short trip from a migrant camp on the Greek islands where they were staying. At least two activists were arrested for trying to prevent the Turkish vessel from leaving. A second group of migrants is expected to arrive in Turkey later on Friday. Greek authorities say none of the migrants sent to Turkey have applied for asylum in the EU. Myanmar has begun releasing political prisoners, as promised by ruling party leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday. Families had begun gathering at prisons since Aung San Suu Kyi's announcement, awaiting word of their loved ones. She said amnesties would be granted as part of the celebration of the Buddhist New Year. From Washington, this is VOA News. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast   underscore – v. to show the importance of something addresses – v. to deal with; to give attention to challenge – n. a difficult problem; something that is hard to do obviously – adv. clearly critical – adj. involving or using careful judgment about something region – n. an area multi – prefix. More than two; many ongoing – v. continuing to exist or happen ahead – adv. or adj. in or toward the front; before migrant – n. someone who moves from one place to another, usually for economic reasons vessel – n. a ship or boat applied – v. requested amnesty – n. a pardon; a decision to free a prisoner or group of prisoners   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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April 7, 2016

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

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Relatives of Chinese Leaders Named in 'Panama Papers'

Relatives of members of the Chinese Communist Party’s past and current top leadership have been named in leaked documents known as the Panama Papers. More than 11-million confidential documents were taken from the law business Mossack Fonseca in Panama. The documents were then given to a group of reporters. The documents show information about more than 214,000 offshore companies. They include the identities of shareholders and directors of the companies. The documents show how rich individuals, public officials and their families placed money into businesses hidden from the public.  The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released the documents. Family members of at least seven current or former members of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee have been named in the documents. No one has been accused of any wrongdoing. Family members of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Peng were also named. One of Xi’s family members employed Mossack Fonseca to open one offshore company in 2004 and two in 2009, according to the ICIJ. Li Xiaolin is a businesswoman and the only daughter of former premier Li Peng. The Associated Press reports that the law firm helped her buy an investment company. Ownership of the investment company was hidden by the use of documents that did not show the names of the owners. The Associated Press also says Chen Dongsheng, a family member of Mao Zedong, created a company called Keen Best International Ltd. He was the only owner. He also heads a life insurance company and a company that sells art. Few people openly talk about the large amounts of money controlled by the families of China’s ruling party members. Little is known about how the country’s rich and powerful people hide their wealth. The Chinese public wants to know more about the financial dealings of the country’s officials and their families. But experts say it is not clear if the Panama Papers will cause the government to limit the use of banks outside the country by political leaders. Putting money in banks of other countries is not illegal. These accounts can be used to legally avoid paying taxes. But reports say the Panama Papers show how banks, law firms and individuals violated the law and helped people hide wealth. Since coming to power, President Xi has punished corrupt officials. Chinese media have reported on the actions to show that the Communist Party is serious about stopping corruption. But officials have blocked news stories by reporters outside China that tell about investments and financial gains by top officials and their family members. Few reports about the Panama Papers have appeared in Chinese media. The Global Times, a Communist party-supported newspaper, printed an opinion column this week. It said the documents that were released unfairly told only about non-Western leaders. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman would not speak about the possible involvement of China’s leaders and their family members in illegal acts. I’m Ashley Thompson.   William Ide reported this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted the story for Learning English. The editors were Mario Ritter and Christopher Jones-Cruise. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story confidential – adj. secret or private offshore account – n. a bank or business account located or based in a foreign country that is not subject to tax laws offshore companies – n. companies incorporated for the purpose of operating outside the country of its registration and/or the place of residence of its directors, shareholders and beneficial owners shareholders – n. someone who owns shares in a company or business scrutiny – n. the act of carefully examining something, especially in a critical way

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Vietnam’s Parliament Approves New Prime Minister

Vietnamese lawmakers approved Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the country’s new prime minister Thursday. Phuc was the only candidate for the position. He was chosen at the Vietnamese Communist Party’s congress three months ago. Vietnam’s parliament is not independent. Its members vote as the country’s leaders direct them to. These kinds of legislatures are often called “rubber-stamp” parliaments. As Phuc took office, he said “before the flag of the motherland, before the assembly, in front of the people of Vietnam, I swear to have the utmost loyalty to the country, the people and the constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. He added, “I promise to try my best to fulfill the responsibilities and missions given to me by the Party, the government and the people.” Nguyen Xuan Phuc is 61 years old. He formerly served as Vietnam’s deputy prime minister. He follows Nguyen Tan Dung, who was prime minister for ten years. Dung enacted a series of measures that led to an increase in foreign investment in Vietnam. He also strengthened Vietnam’s relationship with the United States. And he publicly criticized China’s attempts to claim much of the South China Sea. During Dung’s years as prime minister, Vietnam’s debt increased sharply, and he was not able to end widespread corruption. And inefficiency remained a problem at state-operated businesses. Nguyen Xuan Phuc is now one of the country’s three main leaders. The other two are the Communist Party’s Secretary-General, Nguyen Phu Trong, and President Tran Dai Quang. Tran was elected to the largely ceremonial position of president last week. In January, during the party meeting, Trong beat back Nguyen Tan Dung for a seat on the party’s ruling Politburo. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOANews.com reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. George Grow 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   rubber-stamp – n. a person or organization that automatically approves everything that someone does or decides utmost - adj. greatest or highest in degree, number or amount mission – n. a task or job that someone is given to do inefficiency – n. the lack of ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time or energy; the quality or state of being inefficient; not efficient      

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New York's Emergency Crews Learning Mandarin

When emergency workers arrive at an old firehouse in New York City, the way they greet each other is not what you might expect. These first responders say, "Ni Hao!” “Ni Hao” means "hello" in Mandarin Chinese. First responders are the first emergency workers to arrive at a fire, traffic accident or other emergency. Some first responders are fire fighters, while others can be Emergency Medical Technicians -- also known as EMTs -- or paramedics. In Brooklyn, New York, over 20 first responders are studying Mandarin Chinese for about two hours a week. The class is the first of its kind. It is offered by the Fire Department of New York's Phoenix Society and the New York City Fire Department Foundation. New York City is a diverse area. The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that some New York neighborhoods are made up mostly of immigrants. Some people have predicted that the Chinese community is likely to become New York's largest immigrant group. They think the city will have the largest Chinese community outside of Asia. The Census Bureau also found that almost 200 languages are spoken in the city. So, knowing different languages is important, especially if you are a first responder. Growing need Lieutenant Steve Lee is president of the Fire Department’s Phoenix Society. Lee says that first responders must be able to communicate quickly and effectively when an emergency happens. He explains that first responders enters neighborhoods and communities to assist people regardless of where they are from. Lee says that many times first responders do not speak the same language as the people they are called to help. He adds that it is vital, or very important, that first responders are able to communicate with the people calling for help. Without help from homeowners and others, Lee adds, discovering exactly where a fire is burning can be a real problem. First responders need to ask questions such as "What building? What address? What apartment?” And one of the most important questions, “Is there anybody left in the building and where?" The Census Bureau findings demonstrate the great need for multilingual skills. There are currently 450,000 non-English speaking Asians in New York City. On any given day, only six Asian-American firefighters are working the city streets. Lily Cheung is teaching Mandarin Chinese to the first responders. She calls the first group taking the classes "amazing." Cheung says she can see amazing progress they have made with this language, which -- according to her – is one of the hardest languages in the world. She explains that these first responders work long hours. Some, she says, come to class right after working a night shift without resting in between. “This is really a dedicated group,” she adds. Chueng started teaching Mandarin when she was 11-years old. And she has her own method of teaching, something she calls the "Chinglish Way." She says she first explains the English order of the sentence, followed by the Chinese order. Then she takes an English sentence and says it in Chinese. Cheung says breaking up the sentence and then combining the parts together can make it easy for students to understand. One of her students is first responder Doraun Ellis. He has been a paramedic for 14 years. Ellis explains that Cheung goes to each and every single student in the class and goes over the lesson until the whole class understands it completely. He adds that the teacher really shows the class how to use to the language they are learning. Ellis adds that the more he is able to communicate with a patient on an emergency call, the more at ease that patient feels. The students have already used their language training. Jacob Dutton has been a firefighter for 10 years. Recently, he followed up on a report of a gas leak in an apartment building. Dutton says he arrived to an apartment where the two residents spoke only Mandarin. Speaking Mandarin with them, he was able to find the gas leak and explain to the residents how to fix it. Other Mandarin classes are planned, along with training in other languages. I'm Anna Matteo. In the Comments Section, let us know your opinions regarding first responders learning other languages. Or simply practice with the words and expressions found in the article. VOA’s Bernard Shusman reported on this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story paramedic – n. a person whose job is to provide emergency medical care to sick or injured people who are being taken to a hospital diverse – n. made up of people or things that are different from each other Census Bureau – n. A division of the federal government of the United States Bureau of Commerce that is responsible for conducting the national census at least once every 10 years, in which the population of the United States is counted. The Bureau of Census is also responsible for collecting data on the people, economy and country of the United States. Also known as the "United States Census Bureau." multilingual – adj. able to speak and understand several languages amazing – adj. causing great surprise or wonder : causing amazement night shift – n. a period of time during the night (such as from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.) in which a person is scheduled to work dedicated – adj. devoted to a cause, ideal, or purpose resident – n. living in a particular place usually for a long period of time    

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More People Move to Houston in US

More people moved to the Houston, Texas area in one year than to any other metropolitan area in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau recently released information about the growth of America’s cities in 2015. It noted that five metropolitan areas in Texas -- Midland, Odessa, Austin, College Station-Bryan and Houston -- are among the 20 fastest-growing areas in the country. Texas gained almost a half-million new residents from July 2014 to July 2015. That is more than any other state. Many people have also moved to Atlanta, Phoenix, New York and Los Angeles. The Census Bureau reported that Los Angeles County has more than 10 million people. It leads the nation’s 3,100 counties. Metropolitan areas in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina are also growing fast. Last year, the population of North Carolina increased by more than 100,000 people. It is now the ninth state with 10 million or more residents. Most of the growth took place in or near the cities of Raleigh and Charlotte. North Carolina’s metropolitan areas attract people because they have many different kinds of jobs and large universities and research organizations. Rebecca Tippett is the director of Carolina Demography at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Population Center. She told VOA that North Carolina has “everything from the mountains to the coast.” She moved there from Ohio. She says North Carolina is warmer. The Villages, an area in Florida west of Orlando, was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States, and has been for the past three years. The Villages grew 4.3 percent between 2014 and 2015. Five other metropolitan areas in Florida are among the top 20 fastest-growing areas in the country. Stefan Rayer is a population specialist at the University of Florida. He told VOA that “young people generally move either for education or for a job, and Florida is one of the largest states in the country. It’s very attractive. It has big metropolitan areas, it has good job opportunities, so that’s why people are moving to Florida.” About 275 million people lived in the country’s metropolitan areas in 2015. That is an increase of about 2.5 million from 2014. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Dora Mekouar reported on this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise 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   metropolitan – adj. of or relating to a large city and the surrounding cities and towns resident – n. someone who lives in a particular place demography – n. the study of changes (such as the number of births, deaths or marriages) that take place over a period of time in human populations

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Turks Questioning Migrant Deal with EU

A small group of Turkish activists welcomed the first deported migrants as they arrived at the Turkish port of Dikili. However, many Turks are questioning whether their country can or should absorb them. The deportees from Pakistan and other countries arrived in Turkey from Greece this week. They have been taken from the docks where, they disembarked, and were brought to a center 500 kilometers away. Turkey is expecting to receive another group of 200 migrants from Greece on Friday. The move is part of a deal reached in March between the EU and Turkey to ease Europe’s migrant crisis. The deal with the EU offers a list of incentives for Turkey. It includes billions of dollars in aid and the possibility of travel to Europe without a visa for Turkish citizens. Also, efforts for Turkey to join the EU are to restart. However, some Turks are condemning the deal. They say it does little to increase their long-sought access to Europe. The agreement is seen as a good opportunity for Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He is facing criticism for his government’s offensive against Kurdish separatists in Turkey’s southeast and its crackdown on the media. Questions about the deal continue Under the deal reached in March, Turkey will receive more than $3 billion in aid to take care of the migrants. For every migrant returned, Turkey sends one Syrian refugee to the EU. Greece and the EU were to deport all migrants who arrived on Greek soil after March 20. Greece reports that between 300 and 500 people continue to reach its shores each day. But that number is less than before the agreement went into effect.  Officials say more than 400 people have died over the past year while trying to make the short, but dangerous, crossing between Turkey and some Greek islands. In Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city, many migrants found acceptance. Today, parks and areas once filled with migrants are now empty. Some in the city miss their business. “They do no harm to us, no harm at all. On the contrary, the business I did last year was double than this year,” Aydogan Kirisci, a spice vendor told VOA. Not all Turks are as ready to accept the migrants. Concern about hosting them in large numbers has grown. That is especially the case after a series of deadly terrorist attacks in the country recently.  Even supporters of the deal for Turkey to take in migrants share the concern. In Izmir’s city center, Turkish travelers form a long line in front of a private business that processes visas for Turks who want to visit EU countries. One of them, who identified himself only as Emre, said the possibility of having visa-free travel to the EU is, for him, not enough to justify the agreement. Some wonder how long the migrants will stay. “This is the main thing, that we don’t know what (is) going to happen because we don’t know those people and where they will live and if they (are given) a place anywhere in Turkey if it is a secured place,” he told VOA.  Turkey’s government is ensuring that the deported migrants remain out of sight. Experts say this is meant to limit tensions. The government says Syrians will be placed in refugee camps and others will be sent to their home countries. I'm Mario Ritter.   Luiz Ramirez reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   absorb – v. to take in, to bring in disembarked - v. to leave or get off of something, like a ship or airplane incentives – n. something meant to encourage a person or group to take some action or agree to some plan crackdown – n. a forceful attempt to stop people from doing something that is not permitted by authorities on the contrary – phrase, shows that the following sentence describes something that is the opposite of the one that came before

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Raising a Glass for National Beer Day

This is What’s Trending Today. April 7 was National Beer Day in the United States. National Beer Day is not a real holiday. But a lot of Americans are celebrating on social media. One Twitter user, RadarX, wrote, “I hear it’s #NationalBeerDay and I feel fortunate to live where they make so much of it.” Other Twitter users joined in by posting photographs of glasses of cold beer. The magazine Men’s Journal published a list of what it called the “100 Best Beers in America.” The beers are not in any special order. They are listed alphabetically by the state where they are produced. Some of the beers have unusual names, such as Sloth, Fuzzy Baby Ducks and Lizard King. April 7 is an important day in beer history. On that day in 1933, Americans could legally buy beer again after 13 years. Sales of beer had been barred under the U.S. Constitution. The 18th Amendment to the constitution took effect in 1920. It prohibited “the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors.”   In December 1933, the 21st Amendment to the constitution officially ended prohibition. But a few months before that, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an act to permit the sale of low-alcohol wine and beer. That was on April 7. Roosevelt reportedly said, “I think this would be a good time for a beer.” And the people who agree with Roosevelt's words helped make the hashtag #NationalBeerDay, What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Is beer prohibited in your country? If it is not, what is your favorite beer? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fortunate – adj. having good luck alphabetical – adj. of or related to organizing something in the order of the letters of the alphabet intoxicate – v. to make (someone) unable to think and behave normally prohibit – v. to bar or ban something

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