Inky the Octopus: 'Escape Artist' and Celebrity

This is What’s Trending Today… A small New Zealand octopus has become an international celebrity. His name is Inky. Inky had been living in an aquarium at the National Aquarium New Zealand since 2014. But, three months ago, Inky managed to escape. And no one has seen the octopus since. Just this week, Inky has been in newspapers around the world. And the story of his mysterious escape went viral on social media.   New Zealand’s Napier County communications manager, Robyn McLean, said in a media release that the aquarium staff noticed Inky was missing one morning. She said the top to Inky’s tank was slightly open. The staff then saw a wet path across the floor. The path led to a drainpipe to the Pacific Ocean. Although Inky was about the size of a soccer ball, octopuses have no bones. They are able to fit in very small spaces, like narrow drainpipes. National Aquarium Manager Rob Yarrall told the Guardian newspaper that octopuses are known for being good “escape artists.” He called the animals curious and intelligent. It’s probable that Inky is now enjoying life in the vast Pacific Ocean. And that’s What’s Trending Today… I'm Marsha James. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story drainpipe – n. a pipe for carrying off rainwater or liquid refuse from a building  

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'Keesh' by Jack London

Our story this week is "Keesh."  It was written by Jack London. Here is Shep O’Neal to tell you the story. Keesh lived at the edge of the polar sea. He had seen thirteen suns in the Eskimo way of keeping time. Among the Eskimos, the sun each winter leaves the land in darkness. And the next year, a new sun returns, so it might be warm again. The father of Keesh had been a brave man. But he had died hunting for food. Keesh was his only son. Keesh lived along with his mother, Ikeega. One night, the village council met in the big igloo of Klosh-kwan, the chief. Keesh was there with the others. He listened, then waited for silence. He said, “It is true that you give us some meat. But it is often old and tough meat, and has many bones.” The hunters were surprised. This was a child speaking against them. A child talking like a grown man! Keesh said, “My father, Bok, was a great hunter. It is said that Bok brought home more meat than any of the two best hunters. And that he divided the meat so that all got an equal share.” “Naah! Naah!” the hunters cried. “Put the child out! Send him to bed. He should not talk to gray-beards this way!” Keesh waited until the noise stopped. “You have a wife, Ugh-gluk,” he said.  “And you speak for her. My mother has no one but me. So I speak. As I say, Bok hunted greatly, but is now dead. It is only fair then that my mother, who was his wife, and I, his son, should have meat when the tribe has meat. I, Keesh, son of Bok, have spoken.” Again, there was a great noise in the igloo. The council ordered Keesh to bed. It even talked of giving him no food. Keesh jumped to his feet. “Hear me!” he cried. “Never shall I speak in the council igloo again. I shall go hunt meat like my father, Bok.” There was much laughter when Keesh spoke of hunting. The laughter followed Keesh as he left the council meeting. The next day, Keesh started out for the shore, where the land meets the ice.  Those who watched saw that he carried his bow and many arrows. Across his shoulder was his father’s big hunting spear. Again there was laughter. One day passed, then a second. On the third day, a great wind blew. There was no sign of Keesh. His mother, Ikeega, put burned seal oil on her face to show her sorrow. The women shouted at their men for letting the little boy go. The men made no answer, but got ready to search for the body of Keesh. Early next morning, Keesh walked into the village. Across his shoulders was fresh meat. “Go you men, with dogs and sleds. Follow my footsteps. Travel for a day,” he said.  “There is much meat on the ice. A she-bear and her two cubs.” His mother was very happy. Keesh, trying to be a man, said to her, “Come, Ikeega, let us eat. And after that, I shall sleep. For I am tired.” There was much talk after Keesh went to his igloo. The killing of a bear was dangerous.  But it was three times more dangerous to kill a mother bear with cubs. The men did not believe Keesh had done so. But the women pointed to the fresh meat. At last, the men agreed to go for the meat that was left. But they were not very happy. One said that even if Keesh had killed the bear, he probably had not cut the meat into pieces. But when the men arrived, they found that Keesh had not only killed the bear, but had also cut it into pieces, just like a grown hunter. So began the mystery of Keesh. On his next trip, he killed a young bear…and on the following trip, a large male bear and its mate. Then there was talk of magic and witchcraft in the village. “He hunts with evil spirits,” said one. “Maybe his father’s spirit hunts with him,” said another. Keesh continued to bring meat to the village. Some people thought he was a great hunter. There was talk of making him chief, after old Klosh-kwan. They waited, hoping he would come to council meetings. But he never came. “I would like to build an igloo.” Keesh said one day, “but I have no time. My job is hunting. So it would be just if the men and women of the village who eat my meat, build my igloo.” And the igloo was built. It was even bigger than the igloo of the Chief Klosh-kwan. One day, Ugh-gluk talked to Keesh. “It is said that you hunt with evil spirits, and they help you kill the bear.” “Is not the meat good?” Keesh answered. “Has anyone in the village yet become sick after eating it? How do you know evil spirits are with me? Or do you say it because I am a good hunter?” Ugh-gluk had no answer. The council sat up late talking about Keesh and the meat. They decided to spy on him. On Keesh’s next trip, two young hunters, Bim and Bawn, followed him. After five days, they returned. The council met to hear their story. “Brothers,” Bim said, “we followed Keesh, and he did not see us. The first day he came to a great bear. Keesh shouted at the bear, loudly. The bear saw him and became angry. It rose high on its legs and growled. But Keesh walked up to it.” “We saw it,” Bawn, the other hunter, said. “The bear began to run toward Keesh. Keesh ran away. But as he ran, he dropped a little round ball on the ice. The bear stopped and smelled the ball, then ate it. Keesh continued to run, dropping more balls on the ice. The bear followed and ate the balls.” The council members listened to every word. Bim continued the story. “The bear suddenly stood up straight and began to shout in pain." “Evil spirits,” said Ugh-gluk. I do not know,” said Bawn. “I can tell only what my eyes saw. The bear grew weak. Then it sat down and pulled at its own fur with its sharp claws.  Keesh watched the bear that whole day. For three more days, Keesh continued to watch the bear. It was getting weaker and weaker. Keesh moved carefully up to the bear and pushed his father’s spear into it.” “And then?” asked Klosh-kwan. “And then we left.” That afternoon, the council talked and talked.  When Keesh arrived in the village, the council sent a messenger to ask him to come to the meeting. But Keesh said he was tired and hungry. He said his igloo was big and could hold many people, if the council wanted a meeting. Klosh-kwan led the council to the igloo of Keesh. Keesh was eating, but he welcomed them. Klosh-kwan told Keesh that two hunters had seen him kill a bear. And then, in a serious voice to Keesh, he said, “We want to know how you did it.” Did you use magic and witchcraft?” Keesh looked up and smiled. “No, Klosh-kwan. I am a boy. I know nothing of magic or witchcraft. But I have found an easy way to kill the ice-bear.  It is head-craft, not witchcraft.” “And will you tell us, O Keesh?” Klosh-kwan asked in a shaking voice. “I will tell you. It is very simple. Watch.” Keesh picked up a thin piece of whalebone.  The ends were pointed and sharp as a knife. Keesh bent the bone into a circle. Suddenly he let the bone go, and it became straight with a sharp snap. He picked up a piece of seal meat. “So,” he said, “first make a circle with a sharp, thin piece of whalebone. Put the circle of bone inside some seal meat. Put it in the snow to freeze. The bear eats the ball of meat with the circle of bone inside. When the meat gets inside the bear, the meat gets warm, and the bone goes snap! The sharp points make the bear sick. It is easy to kill then. It is simple.” Ugh-gluk said, “Ohhh!” Klosh-kwan said “Ahh!”  Each said something in his own way. And all understood. That is the story of Keesh, who lived long ago on the edge of the polar sea. Because he used head-craft, instead of witchcraft, he rose from the poorest igloo to be the chief in the village. And for all the years that followed, his people were happy. No one cried at night with pains of hunger. You have just heard the story, "Keesh."  It was written by Jack London. Your storyteller was Shep O’Neal.  This is Shirley Griffith. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Eskimo - n. a member of a group of peoples of northern Canada, Greenland, Alaska, and eastern Siberia​ igloo - n. a house made of blocks of snow or ice in the form of a dome​ spear - n. a weapon that has a long straight handle and a sharp point witchcraft - n. magical things that are done by witches; the use of magical powers obtained especially from evil spirits​ whalebone - n.  a hard substance that is found in the jaw of some types of whales​ ​

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US Reports on Human Rights Around the World

The U.S. State Department’s 2015 report on human rights explores rights issues around the world. Many of the issues are linked to long-term problems, such as crises in governance or authoritarianism. Others relate to violence and threats of brutality by terror groups. Yet, the report, presented to U.S. lawmakers this week, notes signs of progress. The major subject in the report is the Islamic State group's campaign against minorities in Syria and Iraq. The group’s campaign of violence has fueled a refugee and humanitarian crisis in Europe and the Middle East. The report says that just within Iraq alone, 3.2 million people have been displaced. In Syria, where fighting began in 2012, the situation is worse. An estimated 250,000 people have been killed since the country’s civil war began. Islamic State fighters are blamed for more than 2,000 deaths in Syria. The report says the militants have sought to kill or expel rights activists and civil society groups. Secretary of State John Kerry said some of the world’s worse rights violations last year took place in Syria. “The most widespread and dramatic violations in 2015 were those in the Middle East, where the confluence of terrorism and the Syrian conflict caused enormous suffering,” he said. The human rights report also noted violence by extremists in African countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger. It said that good governance would go far in stopping militant groups such as Boko Haram and al-Shabab.  The report accused security forces in Nigeria of using heavy-handed tactics to make the country’s civilians to feel threatened. It called on the Nigerian government to put military reforms in place to better protect human rights. The State Department also accused the governments of China, Turkey, Russia, Iran, and Cuba of targeting media workers, civil society groups, and their critics.  The first part of the report sought to answer concerns that civil society groups present a threat to government power. These non-governmental groups deal with social issues and often demand change. “Civil society organizations do not have that power – all they can do is to propose policies and ideas, something that people should have a right to come together to do,” the report says. The U.S. report criticized China for a campaign against rights lawyers. It said the government’s actions against lawyers and legal groups were severe, adding that the campaign was marked with “repression and coercion.” The report also criticized North Korea for severe human rights abuses. The U.S. government and South Korea have each announced measures to punish North Korea and its leadership. The United Nations Security Council also has approved sanctions against the country. The State Department report noted that, in Myanmar -- also called Burma, discrimination against the Rohingya minority continues. The report noted heavy-handed actions against activists in Vietnam. And in Cambodia, it said, 55 people were tried “in an unfair manner and for largely political reasons.” However, Secretary Kerry noted political gains in many countries, too. “We have seen important democratic gains in such countries as Tunisia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Burma, though in each there are challenges that still need to be overcome but we are working closely with each of those countries in efforts to help meet those challenges.” This is the 40th year that the U.S. government has released its Human Rights Report, which is mandated by Congress. The report offers information to help guide policy on foreign assistance, said Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski. "You can be certain that whenever we have credible evidence that a unit or an individual member of a foreign security force has committed gross violations of human rights, we do not and we will not provide assistance to those units and individuals." Some observers say human rights issues should carry more influence in shaping U.S. foreign policy. On Wednesday, Secretary Kerry told reporters that the often repeated purpose of the report is simple. “Respecting human rights isn’t just a moral obligation; it’s an opportunity to harness the full energy of a country’s population in building a cohesive and prosperous society,” he said. Kerry noted that human rights are not opposed to order. He added, “And it doesn’t jeopardize stability; it enhances it.” Sarah Margon is the Washington Director of Human Rights Watch. "I think one of the concerns we have at Human Rights Watch is that even though this document is so accurate and so clear-eyed about what's going on in many of these countries, it isn't often used in the way that it should be." I’m Mario Ritter.   Nike Ching reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional material from RFE/RL and RFA. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   authoritarianism – n. government that demands obedience to laws without allowing for personal freedom brutality – n. severe cruelty, violence confluence – n. a place where two things come together heavy-handed – adj. with too much force, something that is overdone coercion – n. to cause someone to do something by force or threat jeopardize – v. to put in danger enhance – v. to increase or improve accurate – adj. correct

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Russia Says Flyover of US Ship Was ‘Safe’

Russian military airplanes flew over an American warship in international waters earlier this week. The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that its SU-24 planes were performing test flights in the Baltic Sea at the time of the flyovers. The first of the two incidents took place April 11. Two Russian attack aircraft flew past the USS Donald Cook 20 times, according to U.S. officials. They said the aircraft came within 1,000 meters of the ship. The planes reportedly flew as low as 30 meters above the sea. On April 12, Russian aircraft did 11 simulated attack passes above the Donald Cook. This time, the planes were joined by a Russian military helicopter that took pictures of the U.S. ship. At the time of the incident, the ship was in waters near Kaliningrad, a Russian territory between Lithuania and Poland. The Donald Cook had just come from Poland and was sailing out to sea. The Russian Defense Ministry said its aircraft observed all international rules when they flew over the U.S. ship. It also said the ship was in “operational proximity of the Russian navy’s Baltic fleet base.” The Russian news agency Tass reported the Donald Cook was about 70 kilometers from the base. Sailors on the Donald Cook tried to contact the planes by radio, a U.S. official said, but there was no response. The official added that according to “the commanding officer [of the Donald Cook] – his assessment was that this was unsafe and unprofessional.” The official described the Russian aircraft as “wings clean.” That means the ship’s crew did not see any weapons on the planes. The U.S. military says a formal investigation of the incident is underway. I’m Jim Dresbach.   Marissa Melton wrote this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted her story 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   flyover – n. when an airplane or group of airplanes passes low over someone or something warship – n. a military ship that has many weapons and is used for fighting in wars simulated – adj. made to look, feel or behave like something proximity – n. the state of being near unprofessional – adj. not having or showing the experience or skill that is expected or appropriate in a person who is trained to do a job well

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They Say That Reported Speech is Easy

We often need to tell others what someone else said. There are two ways to do this. One is to say the same words and use quotation marks. That is "direct speech." The other method is to summarize, or tell about what someone said. This is called "reported speech."  Before we get into the rules for reporting speech, here are the terms we are using to explain it.     In the sentence, "She said that she wanted a cookie," 'she' is the subject, 'said' is the reporting verb, 'that' is the conjunction and 'she wanted a cookie' is the reported speech clause.                                       Subject noun or pronoun Reporting verb Conjunction Reported speech clause She said that she wanted a cookie. Rules for reporting speech To get this kind of sentence right, there are four things you should keep in mind: The first rule is to choose a reporting verb and tense. When did the speech happen? With current, repeated or recent events, the reporting verb is in the present tense. "He says he is hungry, so let's go to lunch." A habitual or repeated statement is in the present tense: "Everyone says the water is safe to drink." For reporting less immediate speech, choose the past tense. The reporting verb is often said, but it can also be told, or other verbs like ordered, stated, or reported, depending on the situation. When reporting questions, you can use verbs like asked or requested. The second rule is to change the perspective, or point of view. That means I becomes he, she, or they. "Mary said 'I ate the pie."' becomes "She said that she ate the pie." "The boys said, 'We are coming tomorrow'" becomes "They said they are coming tomorrow." Next, choose whether to include "that or "if." You can say, "He says he is at home" or "He says that he is at home." That is a conjunction here, linking the two parts of the sentence. It is optional. Another conjunction, if, is required when reporting on a question: "He asked me if I knew how to play tennis." The fourth rule is to "backshift" the tense. This is the trickiest part of reported speech. When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported clause is in the past tense, too. The verb aspect, showing whether the action is completed, matches. Here are some examples:​ "I am buying my ticket." (present continuous) -> He said he was buying his ticket. (past continuous) Ashley: "I have fixed my bicycle." (present perfect) -> She said she had fixed her bicycle. (past perfect) Reporting speech in English would be easy if these rules were all learners needed to know. But as usual, there is more to learn. Let's look at what happens with questions and modals. Reporting on questions When we report questions, we have to pay attention to the auxiliary verb. These are words like do, be, and have. Yes or no questions begin with an auxiliary, such as        "Do you like pizza?" To report that question, drop the auxiliary and add if:        He asked me if I liked pizza. Learners often make the mistake of leaving the auxiliary verb in the reported speech: He asked me do I like pizza. Don't say it like that! That is a mistake. Information questions start with a question word:        "Where are you going?" To report on these, simply change the pronoun and word order.        She asked me where I was going. Here, learners often make the mistake of keeping the same word order: She asked me where was I going. Don't say it like that! That is a mistake. A similar word order switch appears with the verb "be" in questions. They asked, "When is the party?" -> They asked me when the party was. The question word "when" remains. "Be" moves from a position before the noun to after the noun. Reporting speech with modals Finally, pay attention to whether the speech you are reporting uses a modal verb. Will, can, and shall change to would, could, and should when reported. Will is used to make statements about the future in English. When reporting this kind of statement, will becomes would. Compare these sentences: Kelly said, "I will pick up the sandwiches." -> Kelly said she would pick up the sandwiches. Modal verbs may appear in questions, as well: Caty asked, "Can you answer the phone while I'm out?" -> Caty asked me if I could answer the phone while she was out. If the modal verb is already in its past form, it does not change when reported. George stated, "I would not do that." -> George said he would not do that. Test your knowledge Let's try a few sentences. I'll say the direct speech, and you make a sentence in reported speech. Our boss said, "You can all go home early today." -> Our boss said we could all go home early. Anna asked "When is your birthday?" -> Anna asked me when my birthday was. Adam said, "I am leaving on Tuesday." -> Adam said he was leaving on Tuesday. Chris said, "I will bring the cake." -> Chris said he would bring the cake. Reported speech in song Reported speech sometimes shows up in popular songs. The singer Lisa Loeb begins the song "Stay" with a reported verb in the present tense to show that the action is a habit. you say I only hear what I want to you say I talk so all the time so Later she reports something in the past. So the reported speech verb is in the past tense. you said that I was naive, and I thought that I was strong. I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave." but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you. Follow these simple rules and you will be reporting speech like a pro. She said that you would be reporting speech like a pro. I'm Pete Musto. And I'm Jill Robbins.   Reference                                          Reporting Verb Tense Direct Speech Direct Speech Tense   Indirect Speech Reported Speech Tense Present Adam says, "I have a headache. I can't go." Present simple Adam says he has a headache, so he can't go."  Present Simple (it is still true) Past Adam said, "I am going to Seattle." Present continuous Adam said he was going to Seattle. Past continuous Past Ashley said, "I can clean up." Present Modal form Ashley told us she could clean up. Past Modal form Past Ashley said, "I have never been to Seattle." Present Perfect Ashley said she had never been to Seattle. Past perfect Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story. Adam Brock was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story aspect – grammar : the characteristic of a verb that expresses the way an action happens auxiliary verb – n. a verb (such as have, be, may, do, shall, will, can, or must) that is used with another verb to show the verb's tense, to form a question, etc. modal verb – n. a verb (such as can, could, shall, should, ought to, will, or would) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission Now it's your turn. Try changing these sentences into reported speech. Write your sentences in the comments section and we will give you feedback. Trung asked,  "Did you eat dinner?" Pete said, "I have been looking for a new car." Ashley says, "Come into my office." ​

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Most Young Arabs Reject Islamic State

  The large majority of young Arab adults say they do not support Islamic State (IS) militants. And more than 75 percent say they do not believe that the Islamic State will create a caliphate, or government based on Islamic law. These are among the findings from interviews done with 3,500 young Arabs in 14 nations. They were aged 18 to 24. The interviews were done by ASDA’A Burson Marsteller, a public relations company. The research comes at a time European governments worry about radicalized young people joining the Islamic State and carrying out terrorist attacks. Seventy-eight percent of young adults reject the Islamic State even if it “did not use so much violence.” Thirteen percent, down from 19 percent in 2015, say they would support Islamic State if it was less violent. As to why some young people join the militant group, 24 percent said they believe it is because of a shortage of jobs. Seventeen percent say the support comes because some like the Islamic State’s view of Islam. Hassan Hassan is an Islamic State expert at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy in Washington, D.C. He offered his views on the survey and why young people continue to join the Islamic State. “It did not simply invent the problems the responders identified as factors. “Put another way," (Islamic State) "is a symptom of a growing disease that needs to be tackled, and not just the disease itself,” he said in a statement. Some other findings of the survey include: More than half of Arab young adults said they believe that religion is too big an influence in the Middle East. 63 percent said they view the United States as an ally, 32 percent as an enemy. But in Iraq, just 6 percent of young Iraqis view the United States as an ally and 93 percent as an enemy. Fewer than half the young Arabs, 44 percent, said they believe they can get good jobs in their countries. Only 2 percent of young people in Yemen say they can get good jobs. In Libya, the percentage is 7 percent. Just 36 percent of young Arabs feel the Arab world is better off after the Arab Spring uprisings. That is down from 72 percent in 2012, at the height of the unrest. I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English.  Kathleen Struck 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   interview – n. a meeting at which people talk to each other in order to ask questions and get information radicalized – adj.  someone who becomes more radical especially in politics responder – n. a person who reacts to a request for information or help factor – n. something that helps produce or influence a result symptom – n. a change which shows that something bad exists tackle – v. to deal with something difficult stability – n. the quality or state of something that is not easily changed or likely to change survey – n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something

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World Bank to Invest in Education for Girls

The World Bank Group plans to invest close to $2.5 billion over five years in education projects to help girls between the ages of 12 and 17. The bank says that about 75 percent of these investments are expected to come from its program for the world’s poorest countries. Most of the countries are in South Asia and in Africa, south of the Sahara. Those areas reportedly have the highest number of out-of-school girls. The investments were announced by Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank Group. “Empowering and educating adolescent girls is one of the best ways to stop poverty from being passed from generation to generation,” Kim said. He spoke Wednesday at the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The meetings are taking place through Sunday in Washington, D.C. Michelle Obama, the wife of U.S. President Barack Obama, also spoke at the announcement. She said the investments in education will benefit millions of girls. The First Lady also said it will help build the workforce in each country. The World Bank says a total of almost 62 million girls around the world are not in school. A World Bank study found that a woman’s lifetime earnings increased by 18 percent for every year she attended school. The bank said its investments will support efforts to provide a quality education in secondary school and financial assistance to adolescent girls. The money will help to finance clean drinking water and toilets in schools. I’m Marsha James.   Jim Dresbach adapted this story from VOANews.com. Additional material came from The World Bank Group. 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 empowering – v. to give power to someone adolescent – n. a young person who is developing into an adult

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Trending Today: Kobe Bryant’s Final NBA Game

This is What’s Trending Today. The regular National Basketball Association, or NBA, season ended on Wednesday night with two memorable games. In one, the Golden State Warriors from Oakland, California won their 73rd game of the season, setting an NBA record for wins in a season. Also on Wednesday, Kobe Bryant played his final game for the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 60 points and helped Los Angeles defeat the Utah Jazz. Bryant played 20 years for the Lakers. During that time, the team won five NBA championships. Earlier this season, Bryant said this year would be his last. He finished his playing career with over 33,000 points. That makes him third on the all-time scoring list. This season was a largely ceremonial one for Bryant as he said goodbye to NBA fans from coast to coast. Every game he played away from Los Angeles had a large crowd. Many people wanted to see him play one last time. Wednesday night, he played his last Lakers’ game. A lot of famous players and people came to the Staples Center in Los Angeles to watch. Fans even signed a big goodbye message for him at the sports center. ​ But many people did not know what to expect in Bryant’s last game. In recent years, he missed a lot of games because of injuries. This season, the Lakers were not a good team. They only won 17 of 82 games. But Bryant saved a truly amazing performance for last. He scored 60 points, including the shot that gave his team the lead late in the game. Los Angeles defeated Utah, 101 to 96. After the game, Bryant said “I can’t believe this happened, this is crazy to me! What? There is no way I could possibly imagine this happening.” Lots of people watched the television broadcast of the game, making Bryant one of the top trending topics overnight on Twitter. But since the game was played in California, many people on the East Coast missed it and woke up to see the news on Thursday morning. Also Wednesday night, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 125-104. By doing so, Golden State set a record for wins in a season. They broke the record of 72 wins set by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls 20 years ago. Steph Curry scored 46 points in the game Wednesday night. He made 10 three-point shots to reach 402 for the season. In basketball, most shots are worth two points. But you get an extra point if you shoot it from 6.7 or more meters away from the basketball hoop. Steve Kerr is the coach of the Warriors. He was a player on that Chicago Bulls team. “I'd never in a million years would have guessed that that record would ever be broken,” he said. The website 538.com says Curry is so good that he is leading a “revolution” in the NBA and changing some of the ideas about how the game is supposed to be played. But wait. If you liked Wednesday, the exciting night was just the beginning. There are more games coming soon. The NBA playoffs start Saturday. They continue until a team wins the championship sometime in June. And That’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What did you think of Kobe Bryant’s last game? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page, and let us know. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story score – n. the number of points, goals, runs, etc., that each player or team has in a game or contest arena – n. a building for sports and other forms of entertainment that has a large central area surrounded by seats title – n. the status or position of being the champion in a sport or other competition hoop – n. in basketball, a metal ring that the ball must go through in order to score points amazing – adj. causing great surprise or wonder goodbye – n. a remark or gesture made when someone is leaving ​

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News Words: Doping

This news word tells you about a hidden practice. Watch as your hosts explain what it means.

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Once A Year, These Parks are Free

This year, the National Park Service turns 100. And the organization is celebrating all year long. In addition to the birthday, National Park Week is coming up, and admission to all parks is free from April 16-24.

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