'Transients in Arcadia' by O. Henry

We present the short story "Transients in Arcadia," by O. Henry. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State. There is a certain hotel on Broadway that is very pleasant in the summer. Not many people have heard about it. It is wide and cool. Its rooms have walls of dark wood. There are green trees around it, and soft winds. It has all the pleasures of mountain living, and none of the pains. You will eat better fish there than you could catch for yourself in streams in the hills. You will have better meat than a hunter brings home from the forest. A few have discovered this cool spot in the hot summer of New York. You will see these few guests, eating dinner in the hotel restaurant. They are happy to be there, and happy to know that they are very few. They feel especially wise because they have found this delightful place. More waiters than necessary are always near. They bring what is wanted before anyone asks for it. The pleasing distant noise of Broadway sounds like running water in a forest. At every strange footstep, the guests turn quickly and look. They are afraid that the restless pleasure-seekers will find their hotel and destroy its pleasant quiet. And so these few live during the hot season. They enjoy the delights of mountain and seashore. All is brought to them in their Broadway hotel. This summer a lady came to the hotel giving this name: “Madame Héloise D’Arcy Beaumont.” The name was like a name in the story of a great romance. And Madame Beaumont was the kind of lady the Hotel Lotus loved. She was beautiful and her manner was very fine. Everyone wished to serve her. The other guests believed that as a guest she was perfection. This perfect guest did not often leave the hotel. In this, she was like the other guests of the Hotel Lotus. To enjoy that hotel, one needed to forget the city. New York might have been miles away. At night sometimes one might go out. But during the hot day one remained in the cool shade of the Lotus. Madame was alone in the Hotel Lotus. She was alone as a queen is alone, because of her high position. She rose from bed late in the morning. She was then a sweet, soft person who seemed to shine quietly. But at dinner she was different. She would wear a beautiful dress. I cannot find words fine enough to tell about it. Always there were red flowers at her shoulder. When the head waiter saw a dress like this, he met it at the door. You thought of Paris when you saw it, and of the theater and of old romances. A story about Madame Beaumont was told among the guests in the Hotel Lotus. It was said that she was a woman who had traveled all over the world. It was said that she knew the most important people everywhere. It was said that in her white hands she held the future of certain nations. It was no surprise, they said, that such a lady should choose the Hotel Lotus. It was the most desirable and the most restful place in America during the heat of summer. On the third day of Madame Beaumont’s stay in the hotel, a young man entered as a guest. His clothes were quiet but good. His face was pleasant. His expression was that of a man who had traveled and could understand the world. He said that he would remain three or four days. He asked about the sailing of certain ships. He seemed to like this hotel the best of all he had known. The young man put his name on the list of hotel guests: Harold Farrington. It was a name with a fine sound. And the young man belonged perfectly in the quiet life of the Lotus. In one day he became like all the other guests. Like them he had his table and his waiter. He also had the same fear that the wrong people might suddenly discover this hotel and destroy its peace. After dinner on the next day, Madame Beaumont dropped something as she passed Harold Farrington’s table. He picked it up and, following her, returned it. He spoke only a few quiet words as he did this, and she was pleased by his good manners. She knew that he was a gentleman. Guests of the Lotus seemed to understand each other very easily. Perhaps it was the result of having discovered this Broadway hotel. Guests felt sure that only especially fine people would enjoy the cool delights of the Lotus. Now, very quickly, a sudden friendship grew between Farrington and Madame Beaumont. They stood and talked for a few moments. “I have seen too much of the usual summer hotels,” said Madame Beaumont, with a small but sweet smile. “Why go to the mountains or the seashore? We cannot escape noise and dust there. The people who make noise and dust follow us there.” “Even on the ocean,” said Farrington, sadly, “those same people are all around us. What shall we do when they discover the Lotus?” “I hope they don’t discover the Lotus this week,” said Madame. “I only know one other place I like as well. It is the beautiful home of a prince in the mountains in Europe.” “The best people,” said Farrington, “are seeking for the quiet places, like this one, where they can escape the crowds.” “I promise myself three more days of this delightful rest,” said Madame Beaumont. “The next day my ship sails.” Harold Farrington’s eyes showed that he was sorry. “I too must leave then,” he said. “But I am not sailing for Europe.” “We cannot stay here forever, though it is so delightful,” said Madame Beaumont. “I like it better than my usual life, which is too full of people. I shall never forget my week in the Hotel Lotus.” “Nor shall I,” said Farrington in a low voice. “And I shall never like the ship that carries you away.” On their last evening the two sat together at a little table. A waiter brought them something cool to eat. Madame Beaumont was wearing the same beautiful dress. She seemed thoughtful. When she had finished eating, she took out a dollar. “Mr. Farrington,” she said, with the smile that everyone in the Lotus loved, “I want to tell you something. I’m going to leave early tomorrow morning because I must go back to work. I work selling women’s clothes at Casey’s shop. That dollar is all the money I have. I won’t have any more until I get paid at the end of the week. You’re a real gentleman and you’ve been good to me. I wanted to tell you before I went. “For a year I’ve been planning to come here. Each week I put aside a little of my pay, so that I would have enough money. I wanted to live one week like a rich lady. I wanted to get up in the morning when I wished. I wanted to be served by waiters. I wanted to have the best of everything. Now I’ve done it, and I’ve been happier than I ever was before. And now I’m going back to work. “I—I wanted to tell you about it, Mr. Farrington, because I—I thought you liked me, and I—I liked you. This week I’ve told you many things that weren’t true. I told you things I’ve read about. They never happened to me. I’ve been living in a story. It wasn’t real. I wanted you to think I was a great lady.  “This dress I’m wearing—it’s the only pretty dress I own. I haven’t paid for it yet. I’m paying for it a little at a time. “The price was seventy-five dollars. It was made for me at O’Dowd and Levinsky’s shop. I paid ten dollars first, and now I have to pay a dollar a week until it’s all paid. “And that’s all I have to say, Mr. Farrington, except that my name is Mamie Siviter, and not Madame Beaumont. Thank you for listening to me. This dollar is the dollar I’m going to pay for my dress tomorrow. And now I’ll go up to my room.” As Harold Farrington listened, his face had not changed. When she had finished, he took out a small book and began to write in it. Then he pulled out the small page with his writing on it, and gave it to her. And he took the dollar from her hand. “I go to work too, tomorrow morning,” he said. “And I decided to begin now. That paper says you’ve paid your dollar for this week. I’ve been working for O’Dowd and Levinsky for three years. Strange, isn’t it? We both had the same idea. I always wanted to stay at a good hotel. I get twenty dollars a week. Like you, I put aside a little money at a time, until I had enough. Listen, Mamie. Will you go to the pleasure park on Coney Island with me on pay day?” The girl who had been Madame Héloise D’Arcy Beaumont smiled. “I’d love to go, Mr. Farrington. Coney will be all right, although we did live here with rich people for a week.” They could hear the night noises of the hot city. Inside the Hotel Lotus it was cool. The waiter stood near, ready to get anything they asked for. Madame Beaumont started up to her room for the last time. And he said, “Forget that ‘Harold Farrington,’ will you? McManus is the name—James McManus. Some call me Jimmy.” “Good night, Jimmy,” said Madame. Download activities to help you understand this story here. Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. Have you ever lied to people about who you are or where you are from? Do you dream of living a different life? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   guest(s) – n. a person who pays to stay at a hotel or eat at a restaurant waiter(s) – n. a man who serves food or drinks to people in a restaurant or hotel footstep – n. the sound of a foot making a step seashore – n. the land along the edge of the sea that is usually covered with sand or rocks romance – n. a love story manner – n. the way that a person normally behaves especially while with other people dress – n. a piece of clothing for a woman or a girl that has a top part that covers the upper body and a skirt that hangs down to cover the legs shop – n. a building or room where goods and services are sold

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Jon Bon Jovi: Wedding Singer?

This is What’s Trending Today… When American rock star Jon Bon Jovi attended a wedding in Florida recently, he had no plans to perform. After all, there was already a band playing music for guests. However, the band’s singer, local jazz musician Lourdes Valentin, knew that Bon Jovi was among the wedding guests. So, she and her jazz band played his famous song, “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Valentin told the Associated Press that she did not think Bon Jovi would want to sing the song with them. But, that did not stop her from trying to persuade him to do so. As she sang, Valentin walked over to Bon Jovi’s table. He did not seem like he was interested in performing. At one point, he said to Valentin “you’ve got it.” But, after a few moments, Bon Jovi took the microphone from Valentin’s hand, and got on stage. He and the band performed a jazz version of the 1986 rock and roll classic. A trumpet player added a part in place of an electric guitar. Video of the performance appeared on social media. By Friday, it was a trending topic. Many people wrote that Bon Jovi did not look exactly pleased or excited. They felt bad that the wedding singer had troubled him during the wedding. One Twitter user said it looked like he had been “put on the spot.” Another called the performance, “painful to watch.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I'm Dan Friedell.    Ashley Thompson wrote this report with materials from the Associated Press. Caty Weaver was the editor.  _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   persuade - v. to cause (someone) to do something by asking, arguing, or giving reasons trumpet - n. a brass musical instrument that you blow into that has three buttons which you press to play different notes  put on the spot - idiom. to demand that someone produce as expected. 

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July 8, 2016

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

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US, South Korea to Deploy THAAD Missile Defense

United States and South Korean officials have announced plans to deploy a U.S. missile defense system to South Korea. The officials said the deployment is to answer North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile development programs. General Thomas Vandal is the chief of staff for U.S. Forces in Korea. He and South Korean Deputy Minister of Defense Ryu Je-seung made the announcement in Seoul. Vandal said the two countries had to defend themselves from North Korean weapons. He criticized North Korea’s continued development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction. The missile system is called THAAD, short for Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense. It can shoot down ballistic missiles before they hit their targets on the ground. On Friday, North Korea criticized the U.S. and South Korean agreement. China also expressed strong opposition to the planned deployment and urged the U.S. and South Korea to put a stop to it. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the missile system is not helpful for keeping peace on the Korean peninsula. It also said the deployment will harm the security of countries in the area, including China. In the past, Chinese officials have raised concerns that the THAAD radar system could be used to observe Chinese territory. The U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement that the only weapons to be watched will be North Korean weapons. The Russian government also criticized the planned deployment. It said THAAD will have “irreparable consequences” and will increase tensions in East Asia. South Korea and the United States opened talks about THAAD in February. That followed North Korea’s most recent nuclear test and launch of a long-range rocket. U.S. officials say North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear and missile program in violation of United Nations sanctions. Last month, North Korea launched a partially-successful test of a Musudan missile. That missile flew about 400 kilometers before falling into the sea. But there were signs the North Korean military had or is close to developing the ability to reach U.S. bases in Asia and on islands in the Pacific Ocean. North Korea is believed to have 30 Musudan missiles. The North Koreans also have close to 1,000 other Soviet model missiles. These missiles can reach targets in South Korea and Japan. American officials have said they believe North Korea has enough plutonium to make eight to 12 nuclear weapons. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Brian Padden wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Youmi Kim in Seoul and VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb provided additional information. 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   altitude – n. the height of something peninsula – n. a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water and is attached to a larger land area ballistic missile – n. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes irreparable – adj. too bad to be corrected or repaired sanctions – n. actions that are taken or orders that are given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country plutonium – n. an element that is used to make nuclear energy and nuclear weapons

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Balancing Life, Olympic Hopes on the Big Screen

Look out for Alexi Pappas at the Olympics in August. She is a Greek-American long-distance runner. Pappas will run in the 10,000 meter event for Greece. She grew up in the United States but her grandmother was born in Greece. That is why she can run for Greece at the Olympics. Pappas is not just a runner. She is also a writer, actor and filmmaker. Her first full-length movie, “Tracktown,” came out this summer. The film is about a young woman training in a small city in Oregon for a chance to compete in the Olympics. Just like Pappas. And Pappas plays the character, named Plumb Marigold. Plumb is trying to balance her training with her interest in having a social life. A love interest develops when she meets a man at a bakery. “Tracktown” is named for the city of Eugene, Oregon. Eugene is called Tracktown because it is an important place for track and field events in the U.S. A lot of competitive runners live and train there. It is also the location of the USA Track and Field team Olympic trials. The trials conclude this weekend. The top finishers of every race and competition there will earn a place on the USA Olympic team for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Many people wonder how Pappas is able to train for the Olympics and make a movie at the same time. But she says she enjoys having something that can keep her mind off running. However, Pappas is extremely busy. She could not even attend her film’s opening night in early July. Pappas was in Amsterdam running for Greece at the European Athletics Championships. She finished the race in 32 minutes, 27 seconds and placed 11th. Jeremy Teicher is Pappas’ real-life boyfriend. They made the film together. At the movie’s opening event, Teicher said, “there's a real convergence of life imitating art and fiction." Teicher called the city of Eugene a “really special location.” That is one reason why he and Pappas wanted to make a movie there. If you watch the movie carefully, you will see some other real-life Olympic runners in the movie. One of those runners is Nick Symmonds. Symmonds competed at the Beijing and London Olympics. “Tracktown” will be shown at some film festivals in the future. The producers hope it will then be released at theaters around the U.S. “Our secret goal is that there will be tour buses in Eugene one day taking you around to the locations where we shot,” Teicher said. I’m Dan Friedell.   Tom Banse wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Now that you know some more about Alexi Pappas, will you watch for her at the Olympics? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   convergence – n. when two things join together imitate – v. to make or do something the same way as (something else) trials – n. a test of the quality, value, or usefulness of something character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show feature – n. a movie that is made to be shown in a theater for entertainment: a full-length movie bakery – n. a place where bread, cakes, cookies, and other baked foods are made or sold

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English @ the Movies: 'Get Her Digits'

This English @ the Movies phrase is from the movie "Hello, My Name is Doris." This is a funny movie. Doris is an older woman who likes her new, and much younger, co-worker. The phrase is "get her digits." Does it mean he is in danger? Listen and see if you are right.

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After Twenty Years by O. Henry

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Officers Killed in Dallas Ambush

Five police officers were killed during an attack on a peaceful demonstration in Dallas. Several officers and other civilians were also wounded in the ambush, the city's mayor said Friday morning. The ambush occurred Thursday evening during a protest against the killing of two black men by white police officers in Minnesota and Louisiana.   police shooting.

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1200 UTC Newscast in English

  From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Steve Karesh reporting. In Dallas, Texas, police say two snipers opened fire on police during a demonstration that was being held late Thursday protesting the police killings of two black men earlier this week in separate incidents - one in Minnesota, the other in Louisiana.  The Dallas police chief said early Friday three suspects are in custody and authorities say a fourth suspect is dead. Five of the 11 police officers shot during the chaos have died. Speaking to reporters early Friday, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings called it a "heartbreaking morning." "To say that our police officers put their life on the line every day is no hyperbole, ladies and gentlemen. It's a reality..." Speaking from the NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland, U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the attacks, saying they are a wrenching reminder of the sacrifices police officers make for the public's safety every day: "I'd ask all Americans to say a prayer for these officers and their families, keep them in your thoughts, and, as a nation, let's remember to express our profound gratitude to our men and women in blue, not just today but every day." Officials say the attackers had intended widespread damage and a suspicious package has been secured by the city's bomb squad. Just days after the deadliest bombing in Iraq's history, Islamic State terrorists killed at least 35 people and wounded scores more late Thursday in an attack on a Shi'ite shrine north of Baghdad. The attack on the Sayyid Mohammed shrine included several suicide bombers, guns and mortar fire. In another development, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has fired the head of security in Baghdad as well other security officials following last Sunday's massive bombing. This is VOA.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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'Transients in Arcadia' by O. Henry

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Dallas Shooting Left 5 Police Officers Dead

The Dallas police chief said early Friday three suspects are in custody and authorities say a fourth suspect is dead hours after a peaceful demonstration to protest the slayings elsewhere of two black men by white police officers erupted into chaos.

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