Doctor Heidegger’s Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne

We present the short story "Doctor Heidegger's Experiment" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Here is Barbara Klein with the story. That very unusual man, old Doctor Heidegger, once invited four friends to meet him in his office. There were three white-bearded gentlemen, Mister Medbourne, Colonel Killigrew, and Mister Gascoigne. And, there was a thin old lady whose husband had died, so she was called the Widow Wycherly. They were all sad old creatures who had been unfortunate in life. As a young man, Mister Medbourne had lost all his money in a badly planned business deal. Colonel Killigrew had wasted his best years and health enjoying the pleasures of women and drink. Mister Gascoigne was a ruined politician with an evil past. As for the Widow Wycherly, tradition tells us that she was once a great beauty. But shocking stories about her past had led the people of the town to reject her. So, she lived very much alone. It is worth stating that each of these three men were early lovers of the Widow Wycherly. And they had once been on the point of killing each other over her. "My dear old friends," said Doctor Heidegger, "I would like your help in one of my little experiments." He motioned for them to sit down. Doctor Heidegger's office was a very strange place. The dark room was filled with books, cobwebs, and dust. An old mirror hanging between two bookcases was said to show the ghosts of all the doctor's dead patients. On another wall hung a painting of the young woman Doctor Heidegger was to have married long ago.  But she died the night before their wedding after drinking one of the doctor's medicines. The most mysterious object in the room was a large book covered in black leather. It was said to be a book of magic. On the summer afternoon of our story, a black table stood in the middle of the room. On it was a beautiful cut-glass vase. Four glasses were also on the table. Doctor Heidegger was known for his unusual experiments. But his four guests did not expect anything very interesting. The doctor picked up his black leather book of magic. From its pages he removed a dried-up old rose. "This rose," said the doctor, "was given to me fifty-five years ago by Sylvia Ward, whose painting hangs on this wall. I was to wear it at our wedding. Would you think it possible that this ancient rose could ever bloom again?" "Nonsense!" said the Widow Wycherly with a toss of her head. "You might as well ask if an old woman's lined face could ever bloom again." "See!" answered Doctor Heidegger. He reached for the vase and threw the dried rose into the water it contained. Soon, a change began to appear. The crushed and dried petals moved and slowly turned from brown to red. And there was the rose of half a century looking as fresh as when Sylvia Ward had first given it to her lover. "That is a very pretty trick," said the doctor's friends. "What is the secret?" "Did you ever hear of the Fountain of Youth?" asked Doctor Heidegger. "The Spanish explorer Ponce De Leon went in search of it centuries ago. But he was not looking in the right place. If I am rightly informed, the famous Fountain of Youth is in southern Florida. A friend of mine has sent me the water you see in the vase." The doctor filled the four glasses with water from the Fountain of Youth.  The liquid produced little bubbles that rose up to the silvery surface. The old guests agreed to drink the water, although they did not believe in its power. "Before you drink, my friends," the doctor said, "you should draw up a few general rules as guidance before you pass a second time through the dangers of youth. You have had a lifetime of experience to direct you. Think what a shame it would be if the wisdom of your experiences did not act as a guide and teacher." The doctor's four friends answered him with a laugh. The idea that they would ever repeat the mistakes of their youth was very funny. "Drink, then," said the doctor. "I am happy that I have so well chosen the subjects of my experiment." They raised the glasses to their lips. If the liquid really was magical, it could not have been given to four human beings who needed it more. They seemed as though they had never known youth or pleasure. They looked like they had always been the weak, unhappy creatures who were bent over the doctor's table. They drank the water. There was an almost immediate improvement among the guests. A cheerful glow like sunshine brightened their faces. They looked at one another imagining that some magic power had really started to smooth the lines on their faces. "Quick! Give us more of this wondrous water!" they cried. "We are younger, but we are still too old!" "Patience!" said Doctor Heidegger who watched the experiment with scientific coolness. "You have been a long time growing old. Surely you could wait half an hour to grow young!" Again he filled their glasses. The four guests drank the liquid in one swallow. As the liquid passed down their throats it seemed to change their whole systems. Their eyes grew clear and bright. Their hair turned from silver to darker shades. "My dear widow, you are lovely!" cried Colonel Killigrew, who watched as the signs of age disappeared from her face. The widow ran to the mirror. The three men started to behave in such a way that proved the magic of the Fountain of Youth's water. Mister Gascoigne's mind turned to political topics. He talked about nationalism and the rights of the people. He also told secrets softly to himself. All this time Colonel Killigrew had been shouting out happy drinking songs while his eyes turned towards the curvy body of the Widow Wycherly. Mister Medbourne was adding dollars and cents to pay for a proposed project.  It would supply the East Indies with ice by linking a team of whales to the polar icebergs. As for the Widow Wycherly, she stood in front of the mirror greeting her image as a friend she loved better than anything in the world. "My dear old doctor," she cried, "please give me another glass!" The doctor had already filled the glasses again. It was now near sunset and the room was darker than ever. But a moon-like light shined from within the vase. The doctor sat in his chair watching. As the four guests drank their third glass of water, they were silenced by the expression on the doctor's mysterious face. The next moment, the exciting rush of young life shot through their blood. They were now at the happy height of youth. The endless cares, sadness, and diseases of age were remembered only as a troubled dream from which they had awoken. "We are young!" they cried. The guests were a group of happy youngsters almost crazy with energy. They laughed at the old-fashioned clothing they wore.  They shouted happily and jumped around the room. The Widow Wycherly - if such a young lady could be called a widow - ran to the doctor's chair and asked him to dance. "Please excuse me," answered the doctor quietly. "My dancing days were over long ago. But these three young men would be happy to have such a lovely partner." The men began to argue violently about who would dance with her. They gathered around the widow, each grabbing for her. Yet, by a strange trick owing to the darkness of the room, the tall mirror is said to have reflected the forms of three old, gray men competing for a faded, old woman. As the three fought for the woman's favor, they reached violently for each other's throats.  In their struggle, they turned over the table. The vase broke into a thousand pieces.  The Water of Youth flowed in a bright stream across the floor. The guests stood still. A strange coldness was slowly stealing over them all. They looked at Doctor Heidegger who was holding his treasured rose. The flower was fading and drying up once more. The guests looked at each other and saw their looks changing back. "Are we grown old again so soon?" they cried. In truth they had.  The Water of Youth had powers that were only temporary. "Yes, friends, you are old again," the doctor said. "And the Water of Youth lies wasted on the ground. But even if it flowed in a river at my door, I still would not drink it. This is the lesson you have taught me!" But the doctor's four friends had learned no such lesson. They decided at that moment to travel to Florida and drink morning, noon, and night from the Fountain of Youth. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vase - n. a container that is used for holding flowers or for decoration Fountain of Youth  - n. 1.  in stories and legends: a fountain with magic water or a source of the kind of energy or health that young people usually have wondrous - adj. causing wonder or amazement : very beautiful or impressive magic -  adj. having the power to make impossible things happen; having supernatural power nationalism - n. a feeling that people have of being loyal to and proud of their country often with the belief that it is better and more important than other countries temporary - adj. continuing for a limited amount of time; not permanent Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. Do you think people should look for a Fountain of Youth? Have you ever seen an older person who is trying to act younger than they really are?

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Clinton, Trump are a Study in Contrasts

American businessman Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are likely to face each other in the U.S. presidential election this year. Both candidates call New York State their home. But that might be the only thing they have in common. Donald Trump came from a wealthy family. He is known for building hotels and casinos around the world. The businessman says that the U.S. political system is broken and it will take a non-politician like himself to fix it. Trump has never held political office. He is known for his promise to “make America great again.” Trump is the likely presidential candidate of the Republican Party. But he has had difficulty getting the support of the party’s conservatives. On Thursday, Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, said he is “not ready” to support Trump as the nominee. Ryan was the party’s choice for vice president four years ago. Hillary Clinton grew up in a middle class family near Chicago. She has a lot of experience in politics. She has been a lawyer, a professor, activist, former First Lady, former U.S. Senator and former Secretary of State. Clinton now is campaigning to become the first woman president in U.S. history. Her last remaining opponent for the Democratic Party nomination, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, continues his campaign against her. He has gained surprisingly strong support from young Democratic voters. On National Security The experiences of Clinton and Trump have shaped their ideas about America’s place in the world. After the San Bernardino, California terror attacks of December 2015, Trump suggested banning all Muslims from entering the United States. Trump has said he supports the use of waterboarding when U.S. agents question suspected terrorists. He also supports the bulk collection of information on Americans' telephone data. Recently, Trump questioned whether the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is “obsolete.” And, he has said he wanted American allies like Japan and South Korea to pay more for their share of defense costs. Clinton said the United States should accept 65,000 refugees from Syria. But, she wants more careful screenings of travelers from countries where terrorists are active. She supports the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba and the banning of interrogation methods like waterboarding. She also has called for strengthening existing ties with American allies in Europe and Asia to contain Russian and Chinese influence. On Diplomacy Both Clinton and Trump support a stronger U.S. military presence in East and Southeast Asia to answer China’s influence. At the same time, both candidates want China to use its influence in dealing with nuclear-armed North Korea. As for Russia, Trump said that he “would probably get along with (Russian President Vladimir Putin) very well." Putin, in return, praised Trump as “a bright and talented person.” The two candidates have different ideas about the nuclear arms agreement with Iran. Trump calls it a “terrible” deal. He says it threatens Israel, an American ally, and opposes the lifting of sanctions against Iran. Clinton supports the Iran nuclear agreement, but says she will punish Iran for any violations. On Immigration Stopping illegal immigration is a central issue in Trump’s campaign. The businessman wants to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants. As for illegal immigrants already in the U.S., Trump wants to expel them. He also is calling for limits on the guest workers visa program and ending birthright citizenship. Clinton says immigration is an economic and “a family issue.” She supports new legislation to provide a path to U.S. citizenship for more than 11 million undocumented immigrants. On Trade Partnerships As Obama’s secretary of state, Clinton supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. She considered it an important part of the administration’s “pivot to Asia” policy. However, as a candidate, Clinton opposes the trade deal and says it will not create jobs for Americans. Trump says he supports free trade, but has opposed several free-trade agreements. He called the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) a “disaster.” He says the TPP helps China, Japan and big businesses, but not American workers. Trump wants to punish China for unfair trade actions. He calls China a currency manipulator and wants to tighten rules on theft of intellectual property. On Energy and Environment Trump says climate change is not a problem and wants to reduce the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He says the Obama administration has wasted billions of dollars on “green” energy programs. Trump calls for removing carbon emission limits in the U.S. He also supports expanding hydro-fracking oil drilling methods to increase oil production and reduce U.S. dependence on oil imports. Clinton says she wants to make the U.S. “the world’s clean energy superpower.” She says she will honor the Paris agreement to limit global carbon gas emissions and expand U.S. investment in “green” energy. Clinton opposes oil drilling in the Arctic areas of Alaska and the building of the Keystone pipeline across the U.S. Midwest. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Hai Do wrote this story based on information from VOA news and the Council of Foreign Relations. The editors were Mario Ritter and George Grow. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   screening – n. the act of examining people or things in order to decide if they are suitable for a particular purpose pivot – n. the act of changing the direction of a policy and moving in a different direction manipulator – n. a person who uses or controls other people in a clever and often unfair or selfish way; a manipulative person hydro-fracking – n. a method of drawing oil from the Earth using high-pressure water  

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English @ the Movies: 'Make Your Case'

The movie "Truth" is about a real event. A newsman and producer came under fire for a story they did about former President George W. Bush trying to avoid serving in the Vietnam War. Our English @ the Movies phrase is "make your case." Listen to see what it means.

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Goodbye, Boaty McBoatface

  This is What's Trending Today.... Two years ago, Britain’s National Environment Research Council (or NERC) started building a ship to carry out research in polar waters. The ship will cost almost $300 million. The submarine-sea vehicle needed a name. So the Council decided earlier this year to let people on the Internet choose its name. So it launched a campaign called “Name Our Ship.” NERC’s website said at the time officials wanted the name to be “inspirational and about environmental and polar science.” They hoped the public would choose to name the research ship after an important scientist or explorer. Online voting ended on April 16. But, instead of choosing an inspirational or serious name, online voters chose an unusual one: the RRS (or Royal Research Ship) Boaty McBoatface. The name received over 124,000 online votes, far more than any other proposed name. But, the name chosen by a huge majority of voters did not last very long. British officials said Friday that they have decided to instead name the ship after the famous researcher Sir David Attenborough. ​People on social media are not happy. There is even an online campaign asking Sir David to change his name to Boaty McBoatface. The hashtag #BoatyMcBoatface trended on Twitter Friday. ​The NERC did say from the beginning that it would make the final decision on the name of the research ship.  But many people still believe that the ship’s rightful name is Boaty McBoatface. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I'm Dan Friedell.  Ashley Thompson wrote this story with material from the Associated Press. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   inspirational - adj. causing people to want to do or create something  

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Singer Angelique Kidjo Wins Award for Human Rights Work

Benin-born musician Angelique Kidjo has won a major human rights award, along with three African youth activist movements. Kidjo and the groups were honored for their work to defend freedom of expression and peaceful protest. The groups are Y'en a marre (Fed Up), le Balai Citoyen (The Citizen's Broom), and Lutte pour Changement (LUCHA). The organization Amnesty International announced the winners Wednesday. It praised Kidjo and the groups for their work in Africa and around the world. Amnesty says the award honors those who have shown exceptional courage in standing up to injustice. It says winners also influence others to act the same. The Amnesty International honor is called the Ambassador of Conscience Award. Past winners include leaders Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi. Artists who have been honored including U2 band leader Bono, singer Joan Baez, and Chinese dissident Ai Wei Wei. Spreading ideas through music Angelique Kidjo fled Benin in the 1980s after being pressured to perform for the country's repressive government. She has since gained worldwide fame both for her music and her activism.  She has worked to support free expression, education for young women and birth certificates for children. She has lived in New York City for many years.  The singer has also won a Grammy award for her music. Kidjo spoke last year with VOA's French to Africa service. She said music helps her spread her messages of freedom and human dignity. She said, "I can't be in everyone's home physically -- my music will be there. And that's the power of an artist, compared to a politician. Because no one can give a speech as brilliant as what we can put on a CD." The Grammy winner said she has hope that African nations struggling with corruption can solve their problems through democratic methods.  Kidjo said, "The day when the people -- the people of Africa get up and say 'we're tired of this stupidity,' it will be everyone together who will decide, not me." Kidjo said the honor will help her stay active in human rights issues. Grassroots activism A group of Senegalese rappers and reporters won the award for their effort to get young people to register to vote. The group known as Y'en a marre, or Fed Up, has been active in teaching peaceful protest methods. They also pressure Senegal’s government to carry out land reforms, an issue important to the rural poor. Burkina Faso's le Balai Citoyen, or the Citizen's Broom, is a movement co-founded by reggae artist Sams'K Le Jah and rapper Smockey (Serge Bambara). It has been active in voter education. It also teaches young people to speak against political corruption. In a public comment about the award, Smockey said, “We want to reaffirm that our convictions remain as strong and safe as our dreams, which underlie them." Lutte pour Changement, or LUCHA, is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The community-based activist group works on social issues, human rights, and the protection of civilians from armed groups. DRC officials have jailed nine activists linked to the group. Amnesty International called on the DRC government in February to release the LUCHA activists. Amnesty International will hold the awards ceremony on May 28 in Dakar, Senegal. I'm Marsha James. Reuters reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Are you active in human rights issues? Let us know, and practice your English writing skills, in the Comment Section. Or leave a message on our Facebook page. _________________________________________________ Words in This Story courage –n. the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous injustice –n. unfair treatment, a situation where a person’s rights are ignored dignity –n. the quality of being worthy of honor or respect brilliant – adj. very impressive or successful convictions –n. a strong belief or opinion

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News Words: Transplant

News Words explain words in the news. This week your hosts tell you about the word, transplant.

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Commonly Confused Words Part 3: Homophones

  From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. This week, we are looking at more commonly confused words in the English language. Today’s subject is homophones. Homophones are two or more words that sound alike, but have different meanings or spellings. It is easy to understand the difference between some homophones. For example, English learners usually understand the difference between the word ate -- the past tense of eat -- and eight -- the number. But other homophones are difficult, even for native English speakers. Bear and Bare One set of commonly confused homophones are the words bear and bare. Let’s start with bear [b-e-a-r.] Of course, as a noun, a bear is a large, heavy animal with thick hair and sharp claws. But the word bear [b-e-a-r] can also be a verb. It can mean “to accept or get through something,” usually something difficult. The verb bear is often used with the modal verb can and a negation. Using this structure, “cannot bear” sometimes means “strongly dislike.” If you travel to a very cold place in the middle of winter, you might say, “I cannot bear the cold weather.” Bear can also mean “to assume or accept something, such as a cost or responsibility.” For example, “The man must bear full responsibility for his actions.” Bear can also sometimes mean “to carry.” For example, Americans often talk about the “right to bear arms,” or the right of citizens to possess a gun. Sometimes, people make jokes about this expression. They replace the meaning of bear in this example with its meaning as a noun. The phrase then means that people have a right to possess a bear’s arm. The past tense of bear [b-e-a-r] is bore [b-o-r-e]. For example, you might hear a sentence like, “The company bore all of the expenses.” In the present tense, bore is a verb in its own right. But it has no relation to the past tense of bear. Now let’s turn to the word bare [b-a-r-e]. Bare is mostly used as an adjective. It means “not having a covering” or “not covered by clothing, shoes or something else.” If you just moved to a new home, the walls could still be bare. And, if you take your shoes and socks off before entering a room, you will have bare feet. As a verb, bare [b-a-r-e] is similar to its adjectival meaning. To bare means “to remove the covering from something.” It can also mean “to show or expose.” For example, an angry animal might bare its teeth. The past tense of bare [b-a-r-e] is bared [b-a-r-e-d]. Sight, Site and Cite Next, we turn to three more homophones: sight, site and cite. All three words sound exactly the same. Sight [s-i-g-h-t] means one of your five senses. As a noun, it is “the ability to see.” Sight can also mean “someone or something that is seen.” For example, “The sunset last night was a beautiful sight.” Another meaning of sight is “a famous or interesting place in an area.” If you take a trip to the United States, a tour guide might show you all the sights in New York City or Washington, DC. But some of those famous sights are also sites [s-i-t-e-s]. The word site means “a place where something important has happened.” It can also be “a place where something is, was, or will be located.” So, if you like history, you might want to visit important battle sites near Washington, DC. Site has a few other meanings. It is also short for website. The third homophone, cite [c-i-t-e], is a verb. It can mean “to write or say the words” of a person, book or another source. It can also mean “to mention something,” usually to support an idea or opinion. When you write research papers in school, for example, you cite other sources to support your argument.   So, if you ever have a disagreement with a friend about the English language, you can always cite (with a "c") Everyday Grammar by visiting our site (with an "s"). I'm Ashley Thompson.  And I'm Jonathan Evans.  Join us next week as we discuss more commonly confused homophones! Ashley Thompson wrote this article for VOA Learning English. Dr. Jill Robbins and George Grow were the editors.  _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   homophone - n. a word that is pronounced like another word but is different in meaning, origin, or spelling negation - n. a word or phrase made negative expose - v. to reveal something

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Radiohead 'Disappears' from Internet, Releases New Song

This is What’s Trending Today… The English rock band Radiohead once recorded a song called “How to Disappear Completely.” Earlier this week, the band appeared to have done just that. On Sunday, Radiohead slowly started to disappear from the Internet. Its Facebook posts and tweets were erased. The band’s website went white.   ​Radiohead fans quickly began discussing the possibility of a new album. It would be the band’s ninth studio album. Then, on May 3, the band posted a 15-second video clip on its previously empty Instagram account.   The video showed an animated bird made of clay. Later that day, it posted another video on Instagram of several animated clay people wearing masks, circling around a woman tied to a tree. And then, finally, came a music video for the band’s first new song in five years. The song is called “Burn the Witch.” Scenes from the short Instagram videos appear in the music video. It has already been viewed more than 7 million times on YouTube. The video begins with a man arriving in a new town. At first, the town seems scenic and friendly. But the man begins to see strange things going on. The end of the animated video shows people gathered around a huge wooden structure shaped like a person. The man is told to climb a tall ladder and go inside of the wooden structure. A woman then sets the whole thing on fire. Fans immediately started trying to understand the meaning of the song and the music video. Virpi Kettu helped create the band’s new music video. She recently spoke with Billboard magazine about “Burn the Witch.” She told Billboard that she believes the band wanted the video to bring attention to Europe’s refugee crisis, especially the “blaming of different people...the blaming of Muslims and the negativity” in Europe. Radiohead begins a world tour later this month. And that's What's Trending Today.  I'm Anna Matteo.   Ashley Thompson wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   clay – n.  a heavy, sticky material from the earth that is made into different shapes and that becomes hard when it is baked or dried animated – adj. produced by the creation of a series of drawings, pictures, etc., that are shown quickly one after another negativity – n.  an attitude in which someone considers only the bad qualities of someone or something

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VOA English Newscast: 1500 UTC, May 5, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News.      I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. A 48-hour ceasefire took hold Thursday in Syria's battered second city of Aleppo. It comes after President Bashar al-Assad's regime and rebel forces gave in to mounting diplomatic pressure. Relieved residents returned to the streets after two weeks of heavy fighting in the metropolis. It is a key battleground in Syria's five-year civil war. The Syrian army said late Wednesday that it had agreed to calls from Russia and the United States for a two-day truce in Aleppo that would begin from 1:00 am, local time, Thursday. The agreement followed an intense diplomatic push by Moscow and Washington to salvage peace efforts. This comes meanwhile as 64,000 Syrians are stranded at the border with Jordan after the intensified violence around Aleppo. That is according to Jordanian border guards Thursday. Jordan insists it must screen newcomers to ensure they are genuine refugees and not Jihadists seeking to infiltrate the country. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced his resignation Thursday, paving the way for the country's president to pursue a tighter grip on power. Davutoglu had fallen out with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He announced that he was stepping aside after a meeting with executives of the ruling Justice and Development Party. The party will hold an emergency convention on May 22 to select a new party leader. A helicopter believed to be carrying six people, including a Malaysian deputy minister and a parliament member, went missing Thursday over the Borneo island state of Sarawak, according to reports. Contact with the aircraft was lost around 5 pm, local time, during a short flight. This is VOA News. ________________________________________________________________ We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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May 5, 2016

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

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Thousands Flee Fires in Alberta, Canada

A raging forest fire in the Canadian province of Alberta forced the evacuation of 88,000 residents this week. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls the damage “absolutely devastating.” Fort McMurray is in the northern part of Alberta, which is a province in western Canada. The area around Fort McMurray is known for its tar sands from which oil can be taken. It is the third-largest oil reserve in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The fire started Sunday and is moving rapidly around the city. Some people are evacuating south towards the large city of Edmonton. Others are going north toward the work camps close to the oil sands. Residents report 15-foot-high walls of flame. The skies are gray with smoke and soot. The Associated Press news agency reports that the fire is especially hard to control because Fort McMurray is warmer and drier than usual for this time of year. About 1,600 homes and other structures have been destroyed or damaged. Hospitals have been closed and evacuated. The Alberta Emergency Management Agency says the downtown area of the city is safe, so far. The evacuation has not been easy. Some cars ran out of gas on the road. Some gas stations were damaged by the fire. Gasoline trucks were called in to help some motorists refuel on the side of the road. Many of the oil producers that remove oil from the sands say they will slow production during the fire. Some staff have been evacuated. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says there is little danger of the oil sands burning as a result of the fire. Much of the oil-rich material is located underground. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story based on reporting from the Associated Press. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Are you following the fire in Alberta? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   soot – n. a black powder that is formed when something (such as wood or coal) is burned evacuate – v. to remove (someone) from a dangerous place devastate – v. to destroy much or most of (something) : to cause great damage or harm to (something) raging – adj. very wild and violent    

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