Lesson 11: This Is My Neighborhood

  Summary Anna has many things to do. She needs to go to the library, post office, bank, and store. Marsha helps her find these places in their neighborhood. Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words. Learn to thank someone for giving you help. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about the places in your neighborhood. Pronunciation ​In this video, you ​learn to show strong feelings by saying words slower and louder. Conversation   Anna: Hello! DC is a city for walking. In our neighborhood, I can do all my errands. Marsha, before we get ice cream, I need to return three books to the library. Where is the library? Marsha: It is on this street on the corner. Anna: Awesome! Marsha: Let's go! Anna: Marsha, I can return the books here. Marsha: Anna, what are those in the books? Anna: Marsha, these are letters to my family and friends back home … four letters! Is there a post office near here? Marsha: Um, no. The post office is far from here. But there is a mailbox across from the store. Anna: Awesome! Let’s go! (At the mailbox) Anna: Marsha, now I need to buy stamps. Marsha: Do you have cash? Anna: No. Is there a bank near here? Marsha: There is a bank behind you. Anna: Thanks, Marsha. You know our neighborhood so well. Anna: Now I have cash. I can buy stamps. Marsha: That store sells stamps. Anna: Wait here. Anna: I have stamps. Marsha: Wow, you’re fast. Anna: Thank you, thank you letters, for sending my words… my love … to my family and friends -  Marsha: Do you have more cash? Anna: I do! Marsh and Anna: Ice cream!! Anna: I love my new neighborhood! Everything is near our apartment! Even hair salons*, and ice cream! Anna: Until next time! *salon - n. a business that gives customers beauty treatments (such as haircuts) Writing Where do you do errands in your neighborhood? Write to us to tell us about three places you go in your neighborhood. Send us an email or write about them in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend.       Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is ​Ask Questions. When we are learning a language, asking questions helps us practice and get new information. Here is an example. Tatiana is visiting her friend in New York. Her friend goes to work one day and gives Tatiana a map of the city. Tatiana wants to run in Central Park. She walks out of the apartment and sees a woman with two children. Tatiana thinks, "I need help with the map. I do not know where this apartment is on the map." She asks the woman, "Excuse me. Is Central Park near here?" The woman smiles and says, "Yes, walk to the bus station and turn left. It's not far away." Tatiana asks, "Thank you. Can you show me where we are on the map?" The woman shows Tatiana her friend's street on the map. "Have a nice day!" she says as she walks away. Tatiana is happy she can ask questions in English. She soon finds the park and has a great run. How do you ask questions to practice speaking English and learn in English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Listening Quiz Desktop Computer: Click here to go directly to the Listening Quiz. Click on the button below if you are on a mobile device or our mobile site.  ______________________________________________________________ New Words   bank - n. a business where people keep their money, borrow money, etc., or the building where such a business operates buy - v. to get (something) by paying money for it cash - n. money in the form of coins and bills corner - n. the place where two streets or roads meet errand - n. a short journey that you take to do or get something fast - adj. moving or able to move quickly get - v. to obtain (something) ice cream - n. a frozen food containing sweetened and flavored cream library - n. place where books, magazines, and other materials (such as videos and musical recordings) are available for people to use or borrow mailbox - n. a public box in which letters and packages are placed to be collected and sent out post office - n. a building where the mail for a local area is sent and received return - v. to bring, give, send, or take (something) to the place that it came from or the place where it should go sell - v. to exchange (something) for money send - v. to cause (a letter, an e-mail, a package, etc.) to go or to be carried from one place or person to another stamp - n. a small piece of paper that you buy and then stick to an envelope or package to pay the cost of mailing it store - n. a building or room where things are sold ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials   Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice a conversation about activities.   For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Prepositions (across from, behind); Cardinal numbers indicating quantity; Singular/Plural introduction Topics: Describing neighborhoods; Asking for information​ Learning Strategy: Ask Questions Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Expressing gratitude, emphasis on words expressing feelings ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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English in a Minute: Keep Your Eye on the Ball

A lot of idioms in American English come from sports. "Keep your eye on the ball" comes from baseball, but we can use this expression for many situations.

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Disease Threatens World Banana Supplies

A disease called “Panama” is threatening supplies of the world’s most popular fruit – banana. Two years ago, the United Nations warned that the “Panama disease” could destroy “much of the world’s banana crop.” Since then, things have not gotten better. A new outbreak was discovered last year in Australia. The disease started in Asia in the 1990s, and later spread to Africa and the Middle East. World health officials worry the disease could travel to Latin America, one of the top banana producers in the world. All this is a big concern because bananas are an important source of income and nutrients for millions of people. They are grown in 135 tropical nations. The United Nations lists bananas as one of the most important foods, along with rice, wheat and corn. In 2011, farmers produced 107 metric tons, the UN said. The website ultimatesuperfoods.org says bananas also contain serotonin, which it says makes people feel happy. “No matter who you are, you’ll enjoy the calming effects and positive vibes,” the website says of the banana. Concern in the banana industry Randy Ploetz is a professor at the Tropical Research & Educational Center at the University of Florida. Many consider him as America’s top banana expert, or, “top banana.” As he explained, Panama disease affects the Cavendish banana. The Cavendish is one of more than 500 kinds of bananas. But it is the most popular. “The industry is waking up to the problem,” Ploetz said. “They are pretty scared.” He was speaking Thursday by telephone from Miami, Florida, where he is among 1,000 people attending the International Banana Congress. The meeting was supposed to take place in Costa Rica, but was moved at the last minute.  There were concerns banana growers could spread Panama disease from dirt collected on their shoes, Ploetz said. Ploetz said reports Cavendish banana production could end are not correct. But if the disease spreads to Latin America, it could hurt the world’s economy along with food supplies for millions of people. Still, he said there is reason for hope. Scientists in Australia are working on a genetically engineered banana that might not be at risk of getting Panama disease. But Ploetz wondered if people are ready to accept genetically engineered bananas. Robert Bertram is chief scientist for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He said bananas are important to many millions of people all over the world. “In Africa, Asia and tropical America, bananas and plantains are an important food source for more than 100 million people,” he told VOA. “As a cash crop, bananas are sold in local, regional and international markets,” Bertram said. Banana exports provide jobs and foreign money that producing countries need, he said. Bertram said USAID is organizing a worldwide effort to stop the growth of Panama disease. A fungus, known as TR4, causes the Panama disease. Before 2013, Bertram said, it was limited to Asia – China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. Since then, it spread to the Middle East – Jordan, Lebanon, Oman and Pakistan and to Africa, in Mozambique. In the 1960s, the same fungus wiped out the ‘Gros Michel’ banana crop, which at the time was the world’s most popular. The Cavendish replaced it. John McQuaid, author of “Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat” said some people think the Gros Michels “tasted better.” At Wageningen University in the Netherlands, researchers are looking for Cavendish replacements. Their work is difficult. Researchers said a replacement  will have to resist Panama disease, and survive the shipping time needed to get bananas to stores thousands of miles away from banana fields. And, yes, they will have to taste good.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook Page. And do let us know if you like bananas and why. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   banana – n. a long curved fruit with a thick peel that is yellow when it is ripe outbreak – n. a sudden start or increase of a disease serotonin -- n. a compound present in blood vibes – n. feelings top banana – n. the top person in a field plantains – n. a greenish fruit that comes from a kind of banana plant and is eaten after it has been cooked fungus – n. any one of a group of related plants, such as molds, mushrooms, or yeasts, that live on dead or decaying things replacement – n. the act of replacing something

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If You Did Not Get into Harvard, Do Not Worry

Fewer than 5 percent of the students who applied to Stanford University in California were accepted this year. About 6 percent of the applicants to Yale University in Connecticut were admitted. But one writer says if you did not get into a school like Stanford, Yale or Harvard University, do not despair. Jillian Berman writes for MarketWatch.com. She says “students shouldn’t panic if they don’t get a spot. It is still possible to be successful.” Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger wrote a paper in 2011 that says students who apply to universities like Stanford and Harvard -- but do not get in -- are likely to do well anywhere. The researchers say that confidence and ambition may predict success better than other factors. Those other factors include good grades, high SAT scores and activities out of school. The researchers say people who apply to these selective schools do well even if they are not accepted to schools like Princeton University or Dartmouth College. Berman wrote a story last year saying a study by the Brookings Institution might be more valuable than other lists: it ranks schools based on how much value they provide their students. The Brookings list shows how much more money students would earn graduating from one school over another. The list includes small colleges and technical schools that focus on agriculture, engineering, nursing and medical jobs. The idea about ambition and confidence does not always apply to minority students. The Dale and Krueger study says minority students should reach for these selective schools. That is because they can make social connections that may be useful for advancing their careers in the future. The list created by Brookings fits with another story posted on the website 538.com. The story is called “Shut Up About Harvard.” The writer is Ben Casselman. He says television and newspaper stories about universities fail to reflect real and honest college experience. Very few people attend a university lined with trees and brick buildings. These days, college is often a part-time or two-year experience. Students live at home and commute to classes. Movies that takes place on a college campus, he says, are more fiction than truth. More truthful is a picture of an American university student who attends class part time while working and raising children. The most popular courses are no longer literature and philosophy. The most popular are business and health care. It is exciting to read about a student who is accepted by eight Ivy League schools. But these writers say those students will be successful anywhere. They say that students who need help getting to class and completing a degree are a greater concern. A professor from the University of Wisconsin spoke with Casselman. She says most of the stories about higher education in the U.S. skip the most important issue: “People can’t afford to spend enough time in college to actually finish their darn degrees.” But if they do, Casselman writes, the degree “remains the most likely path to a decent-paying job.” That is why students can be successful even if they do not get into a school like Harvard. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on reporting by Marketwatch.com and 538.com. Kathleen Struck  was the editor. What do you think about the auto makers trying to sell larger vehicles in the U.S.? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   campus –n. the area and buildings around a university, college, school, etc. fiction –n. something that is not true shut up –phrasal verb -  to stop talking, laughing, etc. decent –adj. adequate or acceptable rank –v. to place (someone or something) in a particular position among a group of people or things that are being judged according to quality, ability, size, etc. selective –adj. careful to choose only the best people or things confidence –n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something ambition –n. a desire to be successful, powerful, or famous panic –n. a state or feeling of extreme fear that makes someone unable to act or think normally darn –adj. used as a more polite form of damn reach –v. to succeed in achieving (something) after making an effort over a period of time

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Migrants Crossing US-Mexico Border Drop to Lowest Level

  The number of Mexican migrants blocked from crossing the U.S. border in 2015 was at its lowest level in nearly 50 years. The information comes from reports by the Pew Research Center and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency. The border agency and the Obama administration give two reasons for the low numbers: Better border security and an improved economy in Mexico. “The nation’s long-term investment in border security has produced significant and positive results,” said the border agency in a statement. It points to more border agents, and increased use of airplanes, including drones. That makes crossing the border illegally much more difficult, the agency said. A new Pew Research Center report said the U.S. public is divided on immigration. It said 78 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters believe immigrants make the United States better. But only 35 percent of Republicans share this view of immigration, Pew researchers said. Overall, Pew said that 59 percent of Americans believe immigration is good for the United States. On Monday, the Supreme Court heard arguments over a lawsuit that seeks to block an Obama administration order allowing about 4 million undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. and get work permits. President Barack Obama said the U.S. government cannot deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants. He said his policy keeps people with family ties in the United States, while allowing them to work legally and support their families. But Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said during arguments Monday that such a decision should be made by Congress, not the president acting alone. The court may be divided 4-4 on the case. If the court is divided, it would let stand a lower court ruling saying the Obama administration does not have the power to keep 4 million people free from deportation. Numbers Blocked at Mexican Border Down According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency, 188,122 “apprehensions” of Mexican migrants were made in 2015. That is 18 percent fewer than in the year before. And, it is the lowest number since 1969. An apprehension takes place each time people are stopped from crossing the border and entering the United States. Apprehensions from other countries decreased by an even larger percentage in 2015. They were down 68 percent, according to the border control agency. Candidates have put forward their positions on immigration Immigration is an important issue in the U.S. presidential race. The three Republican candidates for president said enforcement is not nearly tough enough. Businessman Donald Trump said he would build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and have Mexico pay for it. He also said he would remove all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has not joined Trump in calling for deporting all illegal immigrants. Instead, he has proposed filing criminal charges against people who stay past their visa deadlines and allow U.S. state governments to enforce immigration laws. Ohio Governor John Kasich, another Republican candidate, has called for better enforcement. However, he supports a program that would permit the millions of people in the United States illegally to gain legal status so they can work. Democratic candidates, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont support a different policy. They have said they would like a path toward U.S. citizenship for undocumented immigrants. I'm Mario Ritter. Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English.  Mario Ritter 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   migrant – n. a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work significant – adj. large enough to be noticed or have an effect positive – adj. good or useful drones – n. unmanned aircraft undocumented – adj. not having official documents deadline – n. a date or time when something must be finished

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Pyramid vs. Ponzi Scheme. Which One Is Worse?

And now for the VOA Learning English program, Words and Their Stories. When you work hard for your money, you do not want to lose it. And if you invest your hard-earned money, you want to see great returns. But if you’re looking to invest money, be careful!   We have an expression: If a deal is too to be true, it probably is. There are many ways to be tricked out of your money. There are frauds, schemes, scams and cons carried out by fraudsters, schemers, scammers and con artists. Two types of rip-offs that are good to know are pyramid schemes and Ponzi schemes. First, let’s talk about pyramid schemes. It may sound like they started in ancient Egypt. But they did not. A pyramid scheme is a dishonest and usually illegal business in which the money of later investors is used to pay the people who invested first. The fraudsters behind a pyramid scheme make their marketing scheme look real with many types of products or services. However, pyramid schemers simply use money coming in from new investors to pay off early stage investors. When they can’t raise enough money from new investors to pay earlier ones, the pyramid scheme falls apart. As it comes crashing down, many people can lose lots of money. A Ponzi scheme is similar, but also different. In both Ponzi and pyramid schemes, existing investors are paid by the money of new investors. But there is a big difference between a Ponzi and pyramid scheme. In a Ponzi scheme participants believe they are actually earning returns from their investment. In a pyramid scheme, participants are aware that they are earning money by finding new participants. They become part of the scheme. A Ponzi scheme is an investment trick. Ponzi scheme is named after Charles Ponzi. In the 1920s, Charles Ponzi tricked thousands of people into investing in a postage stamp scheme. At the time of his scheme, the annual interest rate for bank accounts was five percent. Ponzi promised investors a high return -- 50 percent -- in a very short amount of time. However, there were no investments. There were no honest returns. Ponzi used incoming funds from new investors to pay the returns to the earlier investors. A man named Bernie Madoff ran the largest and longest-running Ponzi scheme in the United States. The website BusinessInsider.com says Madoff made off with about $20 billion of investors’ funds.   One reason Madoff was able to fly under the radar for so long is because he was very well-known and trusted in the financial industry. He started his own investment firm in 1960 and helped start the Nasdaq stock market. But no matter how financially smart you are, a Ponzi scheme can only work if the clients keep their money in the scheme. Madoff’s world came crashing down when his clients demanded to be paid about $7 billion and Madoff had only $200 - $300 million. In 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to running a Ponzi scheme and stealing $17.5 billion from investors. He is serving a 150-year sentence in prison. But that is cold comfort to the thousands of investors, some of whom lost their entire life savings. So consider yourself warned! If an investment scheme sounds too good to be true, it is. I’m Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. The song at the end is “Take the Money and Run” by The Steve Miller Band.

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Researchers Repair Brain Injuries With New Cells

A group of researchers at Rice University in Texas are learning how to help the brain heal from serious injuries. Brain cells, called neurons, connect with each other through chemical and electrical signals. They form networks. They use proteins to grow. The researchers want to find out if they can direct the growth of neurons and help them form these important links. If the researchers can understand this process, they think they will be able to help people who have suffered brain injuries stimulate new nerve tissue. Amina Qutub is a bioengineer who studies the brain. She studies what happens when a person’s brain does not receive enough oxygen. When the brain lacks oxygen, it is having a stroke. Qutub says scientists used to think brain cells were “static.” That means everyone was born with a limited number of brain cells, and the number of those cells could never increase. “But a lot of new research shows we’re able to regenerate nerve cells,” she says. Qutub works with an electrical engineer and a biologist on the research team. The goal is to learn how to repair parts of the brain that are damaged in a stroke. The brains can be damaged by a degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s disease. Or in a traumatic injury, such a getting hit in the head. The networks the brain forms as called neural networks, and they are complex. Pre-neurons are even harder to understand. "They form very elaborate and beautiful networks and the different network structures relate to what they do, their function. And what we are trying to do is figure out  what are the chemical signals that lead to a particular structure and, in turn, how does that structure lead to the electrical signals you get when you have active neurons." The Rice research is supported in part by President Barack Obama's $300 million BRAIN Initiative, which is modeled after the Human Genome Project. Qutub says the research “opens up a huge door to better understanding the brain." A small, tropical fish is contributing to the research. It is called a zebrafish because of its stripes. Zebrafish embryos are being used by the research team because their embryos are transparent. That way they can see a living brain work. Qutub says that is not possible with humans. “In zebrafish, we can watch the neural progenitor cells become neurons.” The research program will create a computer model. That model will help researchers get a better idea of how the brain works. One day, they may be able to provide better treatment for people with brain injuries. I’m Dan Friedell. Greg Flakus wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. How close are we to being able to help brain cells regenerate? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   degenerative – adj. causing the body or part of the body to become weaker or less able to function as time passes elaborate – adj. made or done with great care or with much detail : having many parts that are carefully arranged or planned embryo – n. a human or animal in the early stages of development before it is born, hatched, etc genome – n. an organism’s complete set of DNA huge – adj. very large neuron – n. a cell that carries messages between the brain and other parts of the body and that is the basic unit of the nervous system progenitor– n. something that begins the development of something else static – adj. showing little or no change, action, or progress stimulate – v. to cause or encourage (something) to happen or develop traumatic– adj. related to or caused by a severe injury to your body tropical fish – n. a small, brightly colored fish that lives in warm water in tropical areas function– v. to work or operate

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Prince

Music fans and professionals are mourning the loss of revolutionary performer Prince Roger Nelson, better known as Prince. The artist was found dead in his home near Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday. He was 57 years old. Prince was a highly skilled musician. He played many instruments including guitar, piano and drums. He wrote popular songs that crossed many musical borders. He had a powerful voice with a wide high to low range. Prince’s music brought together many musical styles including jazz, rhythm & blues, rock and roll, funk, and disco. He had his own unmistakable sound. Prince had music in his blood. His father was a jazz musician and his mother was a singer. He became a performer at a young age. His first album, “For You” came out in 1978. Prince was 19 at the time. Prince was famous for more than just his music. He wore makeup and bright, sexy clothing, including pink furs, shiny purple brocade, and high boots. Sometimes he wore very little at all. Many of the performer’s lyrics described or referred to sex. One song, “Darling Nikki,” came under special attack by a powerful critic: Tipper Gore. She was married at the time to then Senator Al Gore. Tipper Gore helped lead a parents' movement to place Parental Advisory messages on albums that included offensive words or language about sex, drugs. She said that she decided to act after watching her young daughter listen to “Darling Nikki.” Another of Prince’s best-known songs is the 1984 single, “Purple Rain.” The album of the same name sold 20 million copies. “Purple Rain” was also made into a movie starring Prince. He won an Academy Award for the movie’s music. Prince was a seven-time Grammy award winner. He was admitted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. The Hall of Fame said Prince “rewrote the rule book, forging a synthesis of black funk and white rock that served as a blueprint for cutting edge music in the 80s.” Yet, the performer also fought with his record company, Warner Bros., over control of his music. He even temporarily changed his name to a symbol after a contract dispute. For a time, reporters called him “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” He left the record company, but returned several years ago. Prince sold more than 100 million albums around the world with hit songs such as “Little Red Corvette,” “1999,” “When Doves Cry.” He also wrote hit music for other performers including Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and The Bangles’ “Manic Monday." Many celebrities have been remembering Prince on social media sites.  Stevie Wonder praised him for bringing different cultures together in music. Katy Perry tweeted “the world lost a lot of magic.” Madonna called him “a true visionary.” President Barack Obama also honored the musician. He called the artist “a creative icon.” He said “As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all.”Doctors will examine Prince’s body to try to learn the cause of death. Official say police found the musician in his home after they received an emergency call. They tried to rescue him but he died. Prince was hospitalized last week. His private airplane made an emergency landing in Illinois after concerts in Georgia. Some reports said he was suffering from the flu. I’m Caty Weaver.   Materials from VOA News, AP and the New York Times were used in this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise and Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   range –n. from highest to lowest, including all parts of a set in his blood –idiom, meaning a person was born with an ability forge –v. to create with great effort synthesis –n. bringing two or more things, often ideas, together to create something new blueprint –n. the plans for building something cutting edge –n. the newest, most modern part of some activity or movement symbol –n. an object that represents an idea, movement or group icon –n. someone who is the object of devoted attention prolific –adj. producing a large amount of something  

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Fans Remember Music Icon Prince

The 57-year-old artist died Thursday morning at his home outside the northern U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Born Prince Rogers Nelson, the multi-talented and influential musician is known for such songs as "1999," "Little Red Corvette," and "Purple Rain," the title track of his breakthrough 1984 album and movie.

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For Prince or Queen Elizabeth? Niagara Falls Turns Purple

This is What’s Trending Today. The death of music superstar Prince shocked and saddened the world yesterday. In his honor, many famous monuments turned purple.  The color was chosen in memory of his hit song “Purple Rain.” ​ Yesterday, even Niagara Falls - in Canada - turned purple. People on social media were impressed that such huge waterfalls could turn purple in such short notice. ​ But, the purple color was not, in fact, meant to honor Prince. The agency that manages Niagara Falls had been planning to make the falls purple on April 21 in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. Purple is the color of royalty. Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Canadian travel site Canoe.com wrote on Twitter: “Niagara Falls goes purple for the Queen’s birthday -- and, inadvertently, for Prince.” Another Canadian landmark, Toronto's CN Tower, also glowed purple Thursday night. That, too, was for the Queen’s birthday. A Toronto politician tweeted the reason: The confusion has made “Niagara Falls” a trending topic on social media. And, even though it is now clear that officials planned to make the falls purple to honor the Queen’s birthday, many people are choosing to believe it was also in memory of Prince. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Ashley Thompson wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   inadvertently - adv. not planned or intended glow - v. to shine with a steady light  

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India Wants to Recover Crown Jewel from Britain

  The Indian government has launched an effort to recover a priceless diamond from Britain. The Koh-i-Noor diamond was given to Britain’s Queen Victoria as a present in 1850, when India was a British colony. The diamond is now kept as part of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. Ownership of the Koh-i-Noor was the subject of a hearing this week in India’s highest court. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the Supreme Court Monday that the diamond belonged to Great Britain. “It was given to the British as compensation for help in the Sikh Wars,” he said. “The Koh-i-Noor is not a stolen object.” His comments shocked many Indians. In a written statement, India’s Ministry of Culture said the government does not agree with Kumar’s position. The statement said the government would like to bring back the diamond in what it called “an amicable manner.” Media reports say India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have each tried to claim ownership of the Koh-i-noor. In recent years, the four nations have demanded its return from Britain. The mother of Queen Elizabeth II wore the diamond in her crown prior to her death in 2002. The name Koh-i-Noor means "Mountain of Light" in Persian. Several media sources reported the diamond to be worth as much as $200 million. I’m Anna Matteo.   VOANews.com reported on this story. Jim Dresbach adapted the report 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   compensation – n. payment amicable – adj. showing a polite and friendly desire to avoid disagreement and argument manner – n. a way in which something is done crown – n. an object shaped like a circle that is worn on the head of a king or queen

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