Michelle Obama Commencement Address at City College of New York

Michelle Obama gave her last commencement address as First Lady of the United States at the City College of New York. Listen as she talks about education and diversity in America.

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English in a Minute: Fly on the Wall

A "fly" is a small insect with wings. So, why would a person wish they could be a "fly on the wall?" Let's listen to Anna and Jonathan's conversation to understand this week's English in a Minute!

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Release Details About Drone Strikes, Groups Say

  Rights groups are calling on the United States to release details about its secretive drone attacks around the world. A recent U.S. drone strike in Pakistan led to the calls for more transparency. The leader of Afghanistan’s Taliban was killed in that attack. In the past, U.S. drone aircraft have hit terrorist targets in Yemen and Somalia. Rita Siemion is with the group Human Rights First. She says the U.S. government should establish clear policies and provide real numbers on all its drone attacks. “And, ‘Just trust us. We have high standards. We are doing the best that we can,’ really isn’t enough.” The administration of President Barack Obama has promised to provide this kind of information in a report soon. The report is expected to list the number of combatants and civilians killed in U.S. drone strikes since 2009. It will not have information from active battle areas like Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. President Obama’s spokesman, Josh Earnest, told reporters in March the report represents a big step forward for transparency. “We wouldn't even acknowledge publicly that these things were taking place. So the fact that we’re now in a position on a regular, routinized basis to publish the results and to quantify the totals about the impact of these operations -- I do think represents substantial progress in the direction of transparency.” But Human Rights First and other critics of the drone policy believe it is not enough to just list the number of deaths and injuries. They say administration officials should also explain how they collected the data and how they define terms used in the report. John Hannah worked as an adviser to two U.S. presidents: Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. He says the drone program is not the best way to deal with terrorists. “The Obama administration has almost completely foregone an effort to capture and detain and get intelligence from these terrorists. Instead, it has universally decided it’s going to be the judge, jury and executioner.” Hannah does believe drone strikes can be effective in some areas. He noted countries such as Yemen and Pakistan, where the governments have not aggressively fought terrorists. Hannah also said drone attacks do reduce the number of civilian casualties compared to conventional military conflict. The answer, he said, is to create safeguards for accountability, while balancing national security, transparency, and the rule of law. “Ensure that we are doing everything possible to find the right balance that ensures American security, and yet at the same time, ensures that we are not crossing that line into becoming a lawless nation.” I’m Bryan Lynn.   Aru Pande reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you think the United States should release more information about its drone attacks around the world? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   drone – n. unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control transparency – n. the state of being transparent combatant – n. person or nation engaged in fighting during war quantify – v. calculate the quantity of something data – n. facts or information forgo – v. to give up conventional – adj. used and accepted by most people accountable – adj. required to explain actions or decisions ensure – v. make certain that something will happen

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Flour Products Suspected of Bacteria Issue

American food product manufacturer General Mills has recalled about 4.5 million kilograms of flour. General Mills announced the flour recall because of a possible link to E. coli infections in 20 states, reported the Associated Press. Escherichia coli are bacteria found in the environment. The bacteria are often harmless. But some stronger forms of E. coli can make people sick. They can cause diarrhea and dehydration. The company’s recall was announced on May 31. In the United States, a food recall means that inspectors identified one or more problems with a product. The General Mills recall is for several kinds of Gold Medal and Signature Kitchens flour. Those products were sold at Safeway, Albertsons and other stores. Much of the recalled flour was produced at the company’s factory in Kansas City, Missouri, the AP said. General Mills said E. coli has not been found in any of its flour products. The company said it is still recalling the flour out of “an abundance of caution.” The company said 38 people became sick from the middle of December through May 3. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that half of the people used flour before getting sick. Some of the flour used was a General Mills brand. Those getting sick may have also eaten uncooked dough or batter, the company said. It said people should not eat uncooked dough or batter. General Mills urged people to wash their hands and work surfaces after contact with such products. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   The Associated Press reported 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 and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   recall – n. a request by a company for people to return a product that has a defect or problem flour – n. powder made from a grain (especially wheat) that is used in cooking for making bread and cakes E. coli – n. a kind of bacteria that is sometimes in food and water and that can make people sick diarrhea – n. an illness that causes you to pass waste from your body very frequently and in liquid rather than solid form dehydration – n.  the process of removing water or moisture from the body abundance – n. a large amount of something dough – n. a mixture of flour, water and other ingredients that is baked to make bread and cookies batter – n. a mixture of different ingredients (such as flour, sugar, eggs and oil) that is cooked and eaten

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Teen Hacks North Korea Website with ‘Password’

You know how we are not supposed to use a simple term like “password” when creating a password? Someone forgot to tell North Korea. Or they didn’t listen. Because a British teenager gained use of a new North Korean website by entering the password ... “password.” Scotland’s Andrew McKean, 18, hacked a website North Korea calls “Best Korean Social Network.” It looks like a Facebook page, but it is not part of the American-based social network. The real Facebook site serves more than 1 billion people every month. The North Korea site, reports MarketWatch, is seen by about 1,000 households. McKean said he found out which computer program was used to build the site, according to NYMag.com. Then, he easily hacked the admin account, or the account that controls the site. “McKean says he had access to user accounts, the ability to censor content, and could have even changed the site name,” said the online magazine. But all he left was a simple message that read, “Uh, I didn’t create this site just found the login.” The site appears to be taken down. I’m Kathleen Struck. Kathleen Struck wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Have you ever been hacked? Was your password easy to guess? Leave us a Comment, and post your response on our Facebook page, thanks! ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   hacked – v. to break into files or accounts network - n. a system of lines, wires that are connected to each other households -adj. of or relating to a house or the people living in the house account - n. a company's record of the products or services used by a customer

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Everyday Grammar: American English vs. British English

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Minivan-sized Sponge Found off Hawaii Coast

It might be hard to imagine, but scientists found a sponge the size of a minivan in deep waters near the Hawaiian Islands. The scientists said this sponge is the largest one ever found by researchers. A U.S. government research ship called the Okeanos Explorer found the record-setting sponge last year. A report on the discovery was published recently in the journal Marine Biodiversity. The ship was in the Pacific Ocean, off the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, when the researchers first saw the sponge. They were surprised to find it about two kilometers below the water’s surface. Because the sponge is so large, the researchers said it suggests that it is very, very old. They captured pictures of the rare organism with video taken by an underwater vehicle, which was operated from the research ship. The sponge has a bluish-white color, and looks a little like a huge brain. Christopher Kelley is a biologist at the Hawaii Undersea Research Lab.  He helped with the research project. "Here's this animal that has presumably never been encountered before,” he told The Maui News. “And it's enormous and that kind of brings up a little intrigue for deep water and what else exists down there.” The scientists said the sponge measured over 3.5 meters from one end to the other. They said it was from 1.5 to two meters wide. That would make it bigger than the largest sponge ever recorded. Scientists do not know how long sponges can live. But some of the large ones found in shallow water are thought to be over 2,300 years old. Some estimates say they could be thousands of years older. “The largest portion of our planet lies in deep waters, the vast majority of which has never been explored,” said Daniel Wagner. He is the lead scientist for the project with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. NOAA is short for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Wagner said that finding such a large sponge shows “how much can be learned from studying deep and pristine environments,” like the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawaii. Sponges are similar to coral reefs because they give other sea life a habitat or place to live. They also filter seawater. They remove unwanted material that other sea creatures do not eat. The report said very large and old sponges provide "key ecosystem services such as filtering large amounts of seawater.” According to the study, sponges also provide important homes for invertebrate and microbial species. Sponges are actually sea creatures, but sometimes people think they are plants. A website called Shape of Life says ancient sponges were the first animals on Earth, showing up about 2.5 billion years ago. Sponges are simple organisms. They come in many different shapes and sizes. They connect to rocks or other solid structures and get their food through the seawater. The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument was founded in 2006. Its website says the monument area is the “largest contiguous fully protected conservation area under the U.S. flag, and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world.” It protects 362,073 square kilometers of land. That makes it bigger than every U.S. national park combined. The Okeanos Explorer made another discovery last February when it spotted a “ghost-like” octopus believed to be a new species. The octopus was found in water over 4,000 meters deep, off Hawaii’s Neckler Island. Okeanos’ remotely-operated vehicle, Deep Discoverer, spotted the creature on a flat rock. According to NOAA, “the appearance of this animal was unlike any published records and was the deepest observation ever for this type of cephalopod.” I’m Anne Ball.   This story was written by VOA News. Anne Ball adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   presume - v. to think something is true without knowing it is true intrigue - v.  to make (someone) want to know more about something shallow – adj. not deep pristine – adj. clean and fresh as if new invertebrate – n. an animal without a backbone microbial – adj. having to do with microbes—tiny living things that can only be seen with a microscope cephalopod – n. a kind of sea animal mollusk such as an octopus or squid.

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Lesson 16: Where Are You From?

Summary Anna interviews tourists on the National Mall in Washington, DC. She learns about where they are from and the languages they speak. Speaking In this video, you can learn to say the new words. Learn how to say your country and nationality. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about countries and nationalities with a friend.​ Pronunciation ​In this video, you ​learn about how English speakers say, "a couple of."  Conversation   Anna: Hello! Washington, D.C. has many tourists! People from different countries come here. Today, my job is to interview tourists. I have to learn why they come here. This is very exciting! Excuse me. I’m Anna Matteo from The News. Do you have time for an interview? Sabrina: Sure, I have time. Anna: What is your name? Sabrina: My name is Sabrina. Anna: What country are you from? Sabrina: I’m from Bangladesh. Anna: So, you are Bangladeshi. Sabrina: That’s right! My nationality is Bangladeshi. Anna: Do you like Washington, D.C.? Sabrina: Yes! The city is very beautiful! Anna: What do you like to do in Washington D.C.? Sabrina: I like history. So, I like walking around and looking at all the monuments and memorials. They make history come alive! Anna: Washington has many monuments and memorials. The Washington Monument is behind us! Which is your favorite? Sabrina: I really like Lincoln Memorial. It is very beautiful. And it feels like Abraham Lincoln is still alive.    Anna: Awesome. Thank you for your time, Sabrina! Sabrina: You’re welcome. Anna: Let’s find another tourist. Anna: Oh! Excuse me. I am Anna Matteo from The News. Do you have time for a couple of questions? Louis: Sure! Anna: Are you from Washington, D.C.? Louis: No, I’m not. Anna: What is your name and where are you from? Louis: My name is Louis. And I’m from China. Anna: What languages do you speak? Louis: I speak Chinese and English. Anna: What do you like about Washington DC? Louis: I like the museums. I really like the art museums. Anna: Many of the museums are free. Louis: I like that too! Anna: Awesome! Thanks for your time, Louis. Louis: You’re very welcome. Bye! Anna: Now, let’s find another tourist! Anna: Hello! I am Anna Matteo from The News. Do you have time to answer a couple of questions? Mehrnoush: Sure! Anna: What is your name and where’re you from? Mehrnoush: My name is Mehrnoush. I am from Iran. I’m Iranian. Anna: What language do they speak in Iran? Is it Persian? Mehrnoush: They speak Farsi. Anna: What do you like to do in Washington DC? Mehrnoush: Well, I like learning about government and politics. Anna: Washington has many politicians! Mehrnoush: It does! I want to see the U.S. Capitol. Anna: Look, you are very near. Mehrnoush: I am! Anna: Have fun! Mehrnoush: Thanks! Anna: There you have it. Tourists from all over the world come to Washington, D.C. They all like doing and seeing different things in the city. This is Anna Matteo reporting for The News. Until next time! Anna: Is that okay? Awesome! Now, I want to do my favorite thing in the city … ride the carousel!   Writing Where are you from? What languages do you speak? What do you like to do when you travel? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice writing and talking about countries and nationalities 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 Monitor. We monitor to check on what we hear and say when we are speaking and listening in English. Here is an example from this lesson's conversation. Anna asks, "What country are you from?" She monitors to make sure Sabrina understands the question. Sabrina answers, "I’m from Bangladesh." Now, Anna knows that Sabrina understands the question.  Anna thinks she knows how to say Sabrina's nationality. She tries it: "So, you are Bangladeshi." Anna is listening to monitor what Sabrina says. Anna is not sure: is "Bangladeshi" the right way to say Sabrina's nationality? Some people use the word, "Bengali" to say this nationality.   Sabrina answers, "That’s right! My nationality is Bangladeshi." In Anna's mind, she monitors her understanding. She thinks, "I can say Bangladeshi for the nationality of a person from Bangladesh." How do you monitor when learning 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.   Quiz Anna asks the tourists many questions. Can you choose the right question for each person? See how well you understand the lesson by taking this short quiz.  ​______________________________________________________________ New Words ​Abraham Lincoln – n. the 16th President of the United States alive – adj. living; not dead art – n. something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings carousel – n. a machine or device with a moving belt or part that carries things around in a circle country – n. an area of land that is controlled by its own government couple – n. two (things) or a few (things) favorite – n. a person or a thing that is liked more than others free – adj. not costing any money government – n. the group of people who control and make decisions for a country, state, etc. history – n. the study of past events memorial – n. something (such as a monument or ceremony) that honors a person who has died or serves as a reminder of an event in which many people died monument – n. a building, statue, etc., that honors a person or event museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public nationality – n. the fact or status of being a member or citizen of a particular nation question – n. a sentence, phrase, or word that asks for information or is used to test someone's knowledge politics – n. activities that relate to influencing the actions and policies of a government or getting and keeping power in a government ride – v. to sit on and control the movements of (a horse, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.) tourist – n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure U.S. Capitol – n. the building in which the U.S. Congress meets in Washington, D.C. Countries/Nationalities/Languages Bangladesh – n. a country in Asia Bangladeshi – n. a native or inhabitant of Bangladesh. adj. of, relating to, or characteristic of Bangladesh or its people.   China - n. People's Republic of, a country in E Asia. Chinese - n.  the standard language of China, based on the speech of Beijing; Mandarin; a native or descendant of a native of China. adj. of or relating to China, its inhabitants, or one of their languages​   Iran - n. a republic in SW Asia. Iranian - adj. of or relating to Iran, its inhabitants, or their language; of or relating to the Iranian languages. n. a subbranch of the Indo-European family of languages, an inhabitant of Iran; Persian.​ Farsi - n.​ the modern Iranian language of Iran and western Afghanistan, written in the Arabic alphabet; modern Persian.​ Persian – adj. of or relating to ancient and recent Persia (now Iran), its people, or their language. n. a member of the native peoples of Iran; the principal language of Iran and western Afghanistan, in its historical and modern forms. ______________________________________________________________ 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 talking about nationalities  and languages.   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: Nationality and language names used as nouns and adjectives Topics: Countries and Nationalities; Tourism activities Learning Strategy: Monitor (comprehension and production) Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Talking about countries, languages, and nationalities; Saying "a couple of" quickly ______________________________________________________________ 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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Live Streaming Phone Apps Explode in China

Millions of people in China are now sharing parts of their lives with the world by broadcasting live video on their phones. There are more than 80 apps for live streaming in China, and the number is growing all the time. Two of the most popular are Twitter’s Periscope and Facebook Live. The country also has its own video streaming app called Ingkee. It lets users send live video while interacting with viewers. In just one year, the app reached number one on Apple’s iTunes store in China. Paul Haswell is a technology expert and partner with the law firm Pinsent Masons. He said streaming apps are popular with young people because they can send video of anything they want. “They are successful for the same reasons they are successful in the West. They allow anyone to be a broadcaster of anything,” said Haswell. Some users stream video of personal events like vacations or weddings. Others broadcast to as many people as possible while interacting with viewers through chat. “You’re becoming a live reporter anytime you want to,” Haswell said. College student Nic Li told Forbes.com she spends three to four hours each week chatting and singing with viewers on Ingkee. “Sometimes I feel lonely and want to talk to people,” she said. “It feels nice when viewers are paying attention to me.” The apps are also being used for commercial purposes. Individuals and companies have used them for selling makeup and skin care products. Celebrities also use live streaming to directly interact with fans. Some of the content, such as pornography, is illegal to send over video in China. The country’s Ministry of Culture has shut down many users and websites streaming illegal material on live apps. But the activity has become big business in China. Ingkee says 50 million people have already downloaded its app. Another company claims 120 million users. Even the person considered to be China’s richest man, Wang Jianlin, has used live streaming to publicize his company. Wang is chairman of the property development company, Dalian Wanda Group. He streamed live video while visiting a company theme park. He also sent video while relaxing aboard his private plane last week.     I’m Bryan Lynn. Shannon Van Sant reported this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you use any live streaming apps with your phone? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   app – n. a computer application mostly used on a mobile device streaming – n. method of transmitting video or audio over a computer network interact – v. – to talk or do things with other people makeup – n. cosmetics applied to the face content – n. information contained in a website or other electronic source pornography – n. material showing people naked or in sexual situations download – v. the means of getting a file or program onto a computer or device relax – v. spend time resting or doing something enjoyable  

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International Students Find ‘Gator Spirit’ at University of Florida

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is the first part of a new ongoing series about international student life at colleges and universities across the U.S. Please join us over the next several weeks as we bring you stories about these amazing individuals and the American higher education system as a whole. Beautiful beaches. Glamorous nightlife. These were the scenes Mandisa Haarhoff imagined when she learned the University of Florida had accepted her. She was picturing Miami.   But Haarhoff quickly learned that the University of Florida is really in the city of Gainesville. Gainesville is a city of over 128,000 people in the northern part of Florida, an almost 5-hour drive from Miami. Gainesville also has no beaches, only swamps — filled with alligators. Not Miami Haarhoff is originally from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. She applied to several schools across the U.S. to earn a doctorate, or PhD, in English studies. In 2012, the University of Florida invited her to join their program. Founded in 1854, the school is a top-ranked public research university. It is home to nearly 50,000 students, about 6,000 of whom are international. The U.S. government gave Haarhoff a Fulbright scholarship to pay for her first two years there. Haarhoff was excited to study in the U.S. and pursue her dream. But she also felt sad when she arrived at Gainesville. She was not sure she would enjoy living in this small Florida city. Her first days were difficult. She says she missed her family and the food back home. But after a short time, she fell in love with Gainesville. She loved how green the city is. She enjoyed being able to ride her bike everywhere. And before long, she got into the "Gator spirit." "So I was a big follower of the Gator spirit and that was a great way to get me into school spirit. ... You’d find me in the stadium literally screaming." Gator spirit Just about every college in the US has a symbol or image that represents the school. The symbol, usually an animal, is called the mascot. The purpose of mascots is to make students feel like part of the school community. The University of Florida’s mascot is an alligator, or gator. Alligators can be found everywhere in Gainesville, even on the university’s campus! The gator mascot represents the University of Florida’s sports program. The university has many sports teams, but its American football team is by far the most popular. The football stadium holds nearly 90,000 people. Fans and students call their loyalty to the University of Florida “gator spirit.” The feeling unites them. It reminds them they are all part of the same school family. Haarhoff says the gator spirit made her feel welcome. From Germany to Gainesville Paula Roetscher is another foreign student at the University of Florida. She is from Buttstädt, Germany. She came to Gainesville as an undergraduate student in 2012. Roetscher struggled at first to adjust to a new culture. She says American students share their feelings and opinions with strangers much more than Germans do. She also says she had to learn to be more open-minded. Roetscher also had to adjust to a foreign language. She says she was only somewhat prepared to study at the college level at an English-speaking university. In high school, Roetscher studied at an International Baccalaureate, or IB, program. IB is an international organization that teaches international issues in different and more challenging ways than a traditional education does. IB began in 1968 and reported having more 5,500 programs around the world in February 2016. IB programs for high school students help prepare them for college. Students can also use IB classes as credit towards their degree. Roetscher says she completed her IB program with strong English skills. But those skills were not good enough when she first arrived at the University of Florida. She says that doing everything in English is difficult, even for students who are well-prepared. "One expectation, I think, is that if you’re good at writing and reading English back home in school, you think you’ll do well here, too. But then, of course, you have to speak English and that’s a big challenge for a lot of international students..." Roetscher now speaks English like a native speaker. Her main challenge these days is the hot, humid weather in Florida. "Germany has four distinct seasons. Florida does not have four distinct seasons." Academic life Her early difficulties she did not stop Roetscher from taking full advantage of the academic opportunities at the University of Florida. Roetscher chose to seek two undergraduate degrees: one in sustainability studies and another in geography. She also chose to seek a minor degree in the Arabic language. She has been studying Arabic since she was 11 years old. Roetscher says university students in Germany usually complete an undergraduate degree in fewer than four years. She also had some extra credits from her high school IB program. Therefore, she felt she could do more with the time she had. Outside the classroom Roetscher is also taking advantage of opportunities outside the classroom. She has a special interest in refugees. In 2015, she joined the Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice. The group is collection of different religious organizations who fight for immigrant rights. Roetscher and the organization work with the city government to make Gainesville an official “Welcoming America” city. Welcoming America is an organization of U.S. cities that agree to provide resources for immigrant communities. Haarhoff, the graduate student from South Africa, also succeeds outside the classroom. She says she has always been interested in acting, singing and dance. So she joined the Actor’s Warehouse, a local theater company. She has now won several awards for her part in the play called "Tshepang." Haarhoff won the award for "Best Actress for Community Theater" at the Florida Theatre Conference in 2015 and again at the Southeastern Theatre Conference in 2016. Looking ahead Haarhoff still misses South Africa and plans to return when she completes her Ph.D. But she says making American friends along with international friends is the best advice for someone feeling lonely. Now, with everything she has learned from her friends and her studies, she has a lot to share when she gets home. I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported and wrote this story for VOA news Learning English. Adam Brock produced the video. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. Now it’s your turn. What else do you know about the University of Florida? Do you think you would want to study there based on this story? Let us know in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   beach(es) – n. an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake glamorous – adj. very exciting and attractive swamp(s) – n. land that is always wet and often partly covered with water alligator(s) – n. a large reptile that has a long body, thick skin, and sharp teeth, that lives in the tropical parts of the U.S. and China, and that is related to crocodiles applied – v. asked formally for something such as a job, admission to a school or a loan, usually in writing doctorate – n. the highest degree that is given by a university scholarship – n. an amount of money that is given by a school or an organization to a student to help pay for the student's education stadium – n. a very large usually roofless building that has a large open area surrounded by many rows of seats and that is used for sports events or concerts scream(ing) – v. to suddenly cry out in a loud and high voice because of joy, pain or surprise campus – n. the area and buildings around a university, college or school undergraduate – n. a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a degree open-minded – adj. willing to consider different ideas or opinions challenging – adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable humid – n. having a lot of moisture in the air distinct – n. different in a way that you can see, hear, smell or feel taking (full) advantage of – idm. using something, such as an opportunity, in a way that helps you academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education sustainability – n. the ability to use something without completely using it up or destroying it geography – n. an area of study that deals with the location of countries, cities, rivers, mountains and lakes minor degree – n. a second subject studied by a college or university student in addition to a main subject

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For All Book Lovers: Chapter 2