Lesson 30: Rolling on the River

Summary Anna plans to have a dinner party. She needs to buy seafood, so she goes to the waterfront. She gets a surprise at the fish market. Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words for this lesson. You can also learn about how to use count and noncount nouns. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about the abbreviations for dozen and pounds. Conversation Anna: Hello! Washington, D.C. sits on the Potomac River. This river is important to the history and culture of the city. Today, I am at an outdoor seafood market near the Potomac River. Some say it is the oldest outdoor seafood market in the United States! I am here to buy seafood. Let’s see what they have! Anna: Excuse me. Can you help me? Pete: Sure! What do you need? Anna: Pete!  Pete: Anna! Anna: What are you doing here? Pete: I work here. You know, it’s not easy to be a writer. Anna: Yeah, I heard that. Sorry. Pete: But this job is great. I work outside by the river. And I can eat all the free seafood I want! Anna: That is great, Pete. In fact, I am here to buy some seafood for my dinner party. Pete: You came to the right place. They have the freshest seafood in town. How much money can you spend? Anna: I can only spend $50. Pete: Okay. What do you want? Anna: First, I want to buy some shrimp. Pete: Sure thing. Follow me. How much shrimp do you want? Anna: How much do I need for five people? Pete: (yells to co-worker) Give her a pound of shrimp! Anna: Ok, now I want to buy some crabs. Pete: The crabs here are delicious! They are the best because they come from the nearby Chesapeake Bay! Walk this way. Pete: How many crabs do you want? Anna: I want a dozen crabs. Pete: You should get the larger crabs. They have the most meat. Anna: Then I want a dozen large crabs, please! Pete: Is that everything you need? Anna: Let’s see … I have shrimp and crabs. And a friend is bringing a salad and many ears of corn-on-the-cob. Pete: Is that all the seafood that you need? Anna: Yes. Pete: That’ll be $49.95. Cash or credit? Anna: Credit, please. Pete: Anna, you love to eat seafood. Did you grow up on the water? Anna: No, I didn’t. But I love the water. And I love being on the water. Pete: You know how to sail? Anna: Well … this afternoon I am going on a boat. Pete: You are full of surprises. What kind of boat? Is it a motorboat or a sailboat? Anna: It’s a special boat, Pete. Well, thanks for your help. See you later! Pete: See you, Anna! Wow, Anna’s a sailor! Who knew? Anna: Yes, rivers are important to the history and culture of Washington, D.C. And now I am part of this city’s interesting waterfront culture. Until next time! Writing Where do you buy fresh food? Is there a seafood or vegetable market near where you live? Tell us about it! Try to use some of the words from this lesson, like best, freshest, oldest, spend, money, and larger. Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using comparative and superlative adjectives 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 Make Inferences . Making inferences means using some information to make a guess. When learning a new language, we often need to guess at the meanings of words or sentences. In this week's video, Pete guesses that Anna grew up on the water.  He says, "Anna, you love to eat seafood. Did you grow on near the water?"  Anna answers, "No, I didn’t. But I love the water. And I love being on the water."  Pete hears that and uses the information to make an inference about Anna. He asks her, "You know how to sail?" Can you find another place in the conversation when Pete makes an inference?  Do you ever make inferences when listening to or reading English? Write to us about it in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan  for more details on teaching this strategy. Quiz Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz. ​______________________________________________________________ New Words best - adj. better than all others in quality or value Chesapeake Bay- n. an inlet of the Atlantic, in Maryland and Virginia. It is 200 miles (or 320 km) long; and from 4–40 miles (or 6–64 km) wide. corn-on-the-cob - n. corn when cooked and eaten straight from the cob - the part of corn that the kernels grow on; an ear of corn. crab - n. a sea animal that has a hard shell, eight legs, and two large claws credit - n. money that a bank or business will allow a person to use and then pay back in the future dozen - n. a group of 12 people or things ear - n.  the part of a corn plant on which the seeds grow freshest - adj. the most fresh many - adj. used to refer to a large number of things or people much - adj. large in amount or extent larger - adj. greater in size or amount market - n. a place where products are bought and sold money - n. something (such as coins or bills) used as a way to pay for goods and services and to pay people for their work most - adj. almost all or the majority of motorboat - n. a boat with a motor oldest - adj. having the highest age of a group Potomac River - proper noun. a river flowing from West Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay. It flows between Maryland and Virginia. pound - n. a unit of weight that is equal to 16 ounces or about a half of a kilogram river - n.  a large natural flow of water that crosses an area of land and goes into an ocean or a lake sail - v. to travel on water in a ship or boat sail - n. large piece of strong cloth that is connected to a ship or boat and that is used to catch the wind that moves the ship or boat through the water sailboat - n.  a boat that has a sail sailor - n. a person who works on a boat or ship as part of the crew salad - n.  a mixture of raw green vegetables, such as different types of lettuce, usually combined with other raw vegetables seafood - n. fish and shellfish that live in the ocean and are used for food some - adj.  refers to an unspecified amount or number spend - v. to use money to pay for something water - n. an area of water such as a lake, river, or ocean waterfront - n. the land or the part of a town next to the water of an ocean, river or lake. ______________________________________________________________ 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 using comparative and superlative adjectives. 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:  Comparative and superlative adjectives; Quantitatives (much/many); Count/non-count nouns Topics:  Asking for and making food recommendations; Units of measure & their abbreviations; dollar amounts expressed in numerals; credit/debit payment Learning Strategy: Make Inferences Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Using count and noncount nouns;  Abbreviations for amounts ______________________________________________________________ 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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Brainwash: Not as Clean as You Think

September 30, 2016

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

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Malawi Girls Learn to Defend Against Sexual Attack

Schoolgirls in Malawi are learning to defend themselves against sexual abuse. This is the goal of a Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa, a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Kenya. The group is not offering martial arts classes to the schoolgirls. But it is teaching the young women what to do if someone tries to attack them. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has financed the program since a report about sexual assault in Malawi was released last year. The report found that one in every five girls under the age of 18 in Malawi has been sexually assaulted. Loveness Thole is with Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa. She says the class teaches girls several different methods of self-defense. “The curriculum involves both verbal and physical skills. With the physical skills, it's used only if it is the last and best option. So, meaning to say, we use mainly the verbal skills, which is how to use their voices to end assaults.” The schoolgirls learn to shout for help or act like they see someone coming to trick their attacker. The girls also learn ways to disable an attacker so they can run away. The NGO has been teaching these classes for two hours every week in seven districts around Malawi. Project coordinator Simang’aliso Domoya says the group hopes to bring change to the country. “At the end of the year, we would like to reduce the incidences of rape. We would also like to promote education by reducing early marriages, school drop-outs and also early pregnancies.” At least 25,000 girls have been involved in the program. Teacher Rebecca Msalanyama says before, girls were not reporting sexual attacks. But now some are feeling empowered to report incidents to teachers and parents. One girl, named Shang Chituzu, said she has already had to use her skills. “My uncle ordered me to lie on his bed,” she said. “When I asked him why, he started touching my body. I told him to stop and that I [would] report him to the police or my mother if he [continued]. After hearing this, he ordered me out of his room.” The project is also teaching boys that they should respect girls. It also shows them how to become involved if they see a girl being assaulted. Project organizers want to extend the self-defense program to students across Malawi. They hope there will be enough money to offer it nationwide.  I’m Pete Musto.   Lameck Masina reported on this story for VOANews.com. Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. What kind of programs are there that educate young people about sexual assault in your country? How can sexual assault be prevented? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story martial arts – n. any one of several forms of fighting and self-defense, such as karate and judo, that are widely practiced as sports assault – n. the crime of trying or threatening to hurt someone physically curriculum – n. the courses that are taught by a school or college verbal – adj. relating to or consisting of words district(s) – n. an area or section of a country, city, or town drop-out(s) – n. a person who stops going to a school or college before finishing uncle – n. the brother of your father or mother or the husband of your aunt  

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Meltwater Lakes in Antarctica Show Signs of Trouble

Antarctica is home to the largest ice mass on Earth. The continent sits on 14 million square kilometers of rock. About 98 percent of the land surface is covered by ice. Beautiful lakes have begun to appear on the top of the ice. They look like islands of deep blue in an ocean of white. These lakes are called supraglacial or meltwater lakes. Although the lakes can be beautiful, the ones scientists studied are a sign of trouble. Amber Leeson is a scientist with Lancaster University in England. "We really weren't expecting to find lakes as far inland as 20 kilometers, which was the furthest inland lake we found during the study. And it was important that we found the link between the atmospheric temperature and the depth, number, and size of the lakes..." Scientists say Antarctica has always had supraglacial lakes appearing on the ice during the summer months. But the more lakes there are, the more unstable they make the continent’s ice shelf. Ice shelves are permanent, but floating pieces of ice that connect to the land. They form where a glacier or ice sheet reaches a coastline and into the sea. Leeson says water from the lakes can drip down through the glacier, causing the huge river of ice and snow to weaken. "If they form on the grounded ice, which is the bit of the ice sheet that sits on the bedrock, then the water they contain can drain away through the ice to the base, where it can lubricate the flow of the ice and make it flow a bit faster. If they form on the floating part of the ice, which is where the ice shelf extends over the ocean and begins to float on the sea, by repeatedly filling and draining they can actually weaken the ice shelf." Leeson and other scientists believe that lakes are partly responsible for the collapse of the Antarctica ice sheets. "...the Larsen B ice shelf collapsed in 2002 and we think that this is because it was covered in lakes in the years prior to collapse, and that by repeatedly filling and draining, they weaken the ice sheet, leading to its eventual disintegration..." And as temperatures rise, the team expects to see more and more lakes appearing in the continent. The scientists fear that all that meltwater could raise the world's sea levels. I’m Marsha James. Marsha James wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Her story includes information from an Associated Press report. 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 ice mass - n. a large piece of ice supraglacial lake – n. any pond of liquid water on the top of a glacier ice sheet – n. a very large and thick area of ice that covers a region ice shelf – n. a floating sheet of ice permanently attached to a land mass glacier – n. an large areas of ice formed from falling snow and building up over the years

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Grand Tetons National Park is for Exploring

This week on our National Park series we travel to a dramatic western landscape in Wyoming. The area’s huge mountains rise and rise and rise some more. Their jagged peaks shadow the beautiful valley of Jackson Hole. Rushing rivers wind their way through the land. Wild animals roam and flowers, trees and other plants thrive.  Welcome to Grand Teton National Park. Grand Teton sits 16 kilometers south of Yellowstone National Park. It is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the largest ecosystems in the world.     Humans first came to the area more than 11,000 years ago. Native Americans hunted animals, gathered plants and collected rocks for tools. To this day, native groups consider the mountains sacred. In the early 1800’s, the area was popular with fur trappers because of the many animals there. Around that time, French-Canadian fur trappers named the mountains the Grand Tetons. Some say this was because of the presence of Teton Indians in the area. In 1862, the United States Congress passed the Homestead Act in order to settle the western lands. The law permitted any current or future citizen to claim a plot of land for just ten dollars. Many did. But the extreme weather and rocky soil of the Teton area made it difficult to raise crops and cattle. By the early 1900s, some homesteaders opened dude ranches. These were places where wealthy people could pay to experience the cowboy life. The cost included lodging, food, the use of a horse and involvement in outdoor activities. Millionaire businessman John D. Rockefeller toured the Grand Teton area in 1926. He fell in love with the mountain scenery. He bought land in and around the Jackson Hole valley. A few years later, Congress created a small national park that protected the Teton Range and its lakes at the foot of the mountains.           Later, around 1950, the small park and Rockefeller’s land were combined to form the present-day Grand Teton National Park. Working ranches still exist in Jackson Hole today. The local economy, however, depends on tourism and wealthy homeowners. Visitors almost anywhere in Grand Teton can look up and see beautiful, pointed mountain peaks. The Teton Range is relatively young. At almost 4,200 meters high, Grand Teton is the tallest of the range. But all the mountains are pretty tall. Nine other Teton peaks reach higher than 3,600 meters. They rise suddenly along the western side of the valley. Forests blanket the mountainsides. Many lakes are found at the foot of the hills.           The Snake River runs through the Grand Teton National Park from north to south. The park has some of the oldest rocks of any U.S. National Park. Some are as old as 12 million years.            Mormon Row is one of the most historic places in the park. The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, or Mormons, established the area in the late 1800s. The settlers moved into the area from nearby Idaho. They became farmers. They built water systems which led to their great success in farming. On Mormon Row sits two picturesque barns. Homesteaders and brothers John and Thomas Alma Moulton built them in 1913. The barns sit in a field with a clear view of the Teton range. Beyond the barns, there are many other historical homesteads to explore.         Mormon Row leads to Antelope Flats. That is where we find the open grass and prairie lands of the Jackson Hole area. It is a perfect place to see wildlife such as antelope, elk, bison, moose, and coyote.         Grand Teton National Park offers many activities including hiking, swimming, skiing and fishing. And it remains a place where visitors can go if they dream of a taste of the cowboy life. I’m Dorothy Gundy. And I’m Caty Weaver.  Dorothy Gundy reported on this story for VOA News Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story ecosystem – n. all living things, such as plants and animals, and things that are not living, such as rocks, soil, sunlight, and water in one environment sacred - adj. worthy of religious worship, very holy​ fur trappers – n. a person whose business is the trapping of animals  homesteaders – n. people who go to live and grow crops on land given by the government, especially in the past dude ranch – n. a large farm especially in the western U.S. where people on vacation can ride horses and do other activities that cowboys typically do lodging – n. a place to live or stay scenery - n. a view of natural features (such as mountains, hills, valleys, etc.) that is pleasing to look at​ picturesque – adv. very pretty or charming, like a painted picture We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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US Brings Legal Action Against Chinese Company for North Korea Ties

The United States announced criminal charges and economic sanctions against four Chinese individuals and a Chinese company earlier this week. The U.S. government said it acted to punish them for suspected support for North Korea's nuclear weapons program. On Wednesday, a State Department official suggested that more Chinese companies and individuals could face investigation for suspected violations of sanctions on North Korea. The State Department’s coordinator for Sanctions Policy, Daniel Fried, spoke to the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee. He said, “It would also be useful if Chinese banks and companies understood that increasingly dealing with North Korean companies, especially those that are sanctioned, is going to be risky.” Two days earlier, the Treasury Department announced criminal charges and economic actions against a Chinese seller of industrial machinery. It named four top officials of Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Developmental Company Limited (DHID). The four include the company’s chairwoman, Ma Xiaohong. They are accused of plotting to avoid sanctions against North Korea, and using American financial businesses to hide the money they earned illegally. Chinese officials also are investigating the company. They are looking at its connection with the Kwangson Banking Corporation, a North Korean bank. U.S. and United Nations have said the bank has provided financial services in support of North Korea’s weapons programs. A State Department officials said, “This shows we can work cooperatively with China; we both see it in our interests to apply greater pressure on North Korea.” On Tuesday, a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs official spoke to reporters about the U.S. action. Spokesman Geng Shuang said China was prepared to support U.N. resolutions against North Korea. The resolutions call for sanctions to punish the North for its nuclear and missile tests. However, the spokesman expressed opposition to other countries using their own laws against companies or people within China. “I want to stress that we oppose any country enacting so-called ‘long-arm jurisdiction,’ using its own domestic laws against a Chinese entity or individual,” he said. In March, China agreed to the strongest U.N. Security Council sanctions yet to limit trade with North Korea. The council's members have approved other actions to punish the country for its nuclear activities and missile program. Those restrictions have largely halted North Korean trade with countries other than China. North Korea has faced severe international sanctions to punish the country for its nuclear activity and missile program. Those restrictions have largely halted North Korean trade with countries other than China. However, new research suggests that North Korean state-operated businesses are using middlemen in China to avoid sanctions. I’m Mario Ritter. This story was written from reports by Pete Cobus and Nike Ching for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story entity –n. a legal business or organization, something that exists by itself and is separate from other things middlemen –n. people who buy goods from a producer and sell them to someone e

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American Golf Fan Putts Better than the Professionals

This is What’s Trending Today. American David Johnson is now a hero to every sports lover who ever thought “I could do it better than the professional.” Johnson was in the crowd as pro golfers warmed up for the Ryder Cup on Thursday in the American state of Minnesota. The Ryder Cup is a golf competition between teams of men from Europe and the United States. The event takes place every two years. It runs through Sunday. Johnson was watching the European players work on putting at the sixth hole of the Hazeltine National Golf Club. The players were Rory McIlroy, Andy Sullivan, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose. They are four of the best golfers in the world. And they were unable to hit the ball into the hole from about four meters away. They tried a number of times and continued to miss. From the crowd, Johnson shouted that he could make the putt. And the golfers asked him to come out and show them. One of the pro golfers even told Johnson he would give him $100 if he made the putt. So Johnson, wearing blue jeans, a baseball cap, and a red jacket, took a putter and studied the green. As he prepared, another person said “there’s millions of people watching!” Johnson took a short stroke, hit the ball, and it went right into the hole. Thousands of people cheered. Johnson pumped his arms, made a fist and raised his hands into the air. The four pros all gave him a handshake. Johnson, a 30-year-old from North Dakota, became a star almost immediately. After the show, he spoke with sports reporters for television stations and news agencies. McIlroy recorded the incident on his mobile phone and put the video on Twitter. One golf lover tweeted: “they ask him to try, and BOOM #GoUSA.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think of Johnson’s putt? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tournament – n. a competition or series of events that involve many players or teams and that usually continues for several days putt – v. to hit a golf ball with a special club (called a putter) so that it rolls along the ground toward the hole jacket – n. clothing worn around the upper body, usually during cool weather fist – n. a hand with the fingers bent down toward the palm mobile – adj. able to be moved from one place to another

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Report: Smoking May Permanently Damage Genetic Material

Here is another reason to not light up a cigarette. Smoking can permanently damage your genetic material, according to a new study. Researchers at the Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research say smoking leaves a long-term “footprint” on a person’s DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. The researchers have ties to Harvard Medical School in the American state of Massachusetts. DNA is the genetic material of which all living things are formed. Health problems, like heart disease and cancer, are believed to be at least partly a result of damage to a person’s DNA. The changes in the genes are a result of a natural process called “DNA methylation.” It changes how the DNA works or operates, and possibly affects the body’s natural defenses against disease. Roby Joehanes is the first author of a report on the study. He said the researchers found ‘compelling evidence’ that smoking has a long-lasting influence on our ‘molecular machinery.’ “The encouraging news is that once you stop smoking, the majority of DNA methylation signals return to never smoker levels after five years, which means your body is trying to heal itself of the harmful impacts of tobacco smoking," he said. However, cigarette smoking can still have an influence on people’s health more than 30 years after they stopped smoking, he said. The researchers studied blood samples from 16,000 people, smokers and non-smokers alike. They found that for most, DNA damage resulting from smoking slowly disappeared five years after people quit smoking. But some of the damage appeared to be permanent. Researchers said in the study, the smokers experienced changes to more than 7,000 genes. That is about one-third of known human genes. DNA methylation is one of the ways genes are expressed, or show up, in the body. It affects which genes ‘turn on’ and that can lead to the development of smoking-related diseases, said Dr. Stephanie J. London. She works at the U. S. National Institutes of Health and was another author of the study. “Equally important is our finding that even after someone stops smoking, we still see the effects of smoking on their DNA,” she said. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable health disorders. It kills an estimated 480,000 Americans every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking is believed to cause more than 6 million deaths worldwide each year, mostly through cancer, heart disease and lung disease. Campaigns to get people to give up smoking have seen some success in the United States. Smoking levels have dropped. Now only an estimated 15 percent of the adult population smokes. The study was published in the American Heart Association journal, Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics. I’m Anne Ball.   This report was based on a story from VOANews.com. 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 us on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story compelling – adj. very interesting and able to hold your attention methylation – n. the process in which certain chemicals called “methyl groups” are added to proteins, DNA and other molecules author – n. someone who is a writer impacts – n. effects quit – v. stop doing something

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'The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky' by Stephen Crane, Part Two

From VOA Learning English, this is American Stories. Our story is called “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky.” It was written by Stephen Crane. Today, we will hear the second and final part of the story. “Don’t know whether there will be a fight or not,” answered one man firmly, “but there’ll be some shooting -- some good shooting.” The young man who had warned them waved his hand. “Oh, there’ll be a fight fast enough, if anyone wants it. Anybody can get in a fight out there in the street. There’s a fight just waiting.” The salesman seemed to be realizing the possibility of personal danger. “What did you say his name was?” he asked. “Scratchy Wilson,” voices answered together. “And will he kill anybody? What are you going to do? Does this happen often? Can he break in that door?” “No, he can’t break in that door,” replied the saloon-keeper. “He’s tried it three times. But when he comes you’d better lie down on the floor, stranger. He’s sure to shoot at the door, and a bullet may come through.” After that, the salesman watched the door steadily. The time had not yet come for him to drop to the floor, but he carefully moved near the wall. “Will he kill anybody?” he asked again. The men laughed, without humor, at the question. “He’s here to shoot, and he’s here for trouble. I don’t see any good in experimenting with him.” “But what do you do in a situation like this? What can you do?” A man answered, “Well, he and Jack Potter -- ” “But,” the other men interrupted together, “Jack Potter’s in San Antonio.” “Well, who is he? What’s he got to do with this?” “Oh, he’s the town policeman. He goes out and fights Scratchy when he starts acting this way.” A nervous, waiting silence was upon them. The salesman saw that the saloon-keeper, without a sound, had taken a gun from a hiding place. Then he saw the man signal to him, so he moved across the room. “You’d better come with me behind this table.” “No, thanks,” said the salesman. “I’d rather be where I can get out the back door.” At that, the saloon-keeper made a kindly but forceful motion. The salesman obeyed, and found himself seated on a box with his head below the level of the table. The saloon-keeper sat comfortably upon a box nearby. “You see,” he whispered, “Scratchy Wilson is a wonder with a gun -- a perfect wonder. And when he gets excited, everyone gets out of his path. He’s a terror when he’s drunk. When he’s not drinking he’s all right -- wouldn’t hurt anything—nicest fellow in town. But when he’s drunk -- be careful!” There were periods of stillness. “I wish Jack Potter were back from San Antonio,” said the saloon-keeper. “He shot Wilson once, in the leg. He’d come in and take care of this thing. ”Soon they heard from a distance the sound of a shot, followed by three wild screams. The men looked at each other. “Here he comes,” they said. A man in a red shirt turned a corner and walked into the middle of the main street of Yellow Sky. In each hand the man held a long, heavy, blue black gun. Often he screamed, and these cries rang through the seemingly deserted village. The screams sounded sharply over the roofs with a power that seemed to have no relation to the ordinary strength of a man’s voice. These fierce cries rang against walls of silence. The man’s face flamed in a hot anger born of whiskey. His eyes rolling but watchful, hunted the still doorways and windows. He walked with the movement of a midnight cat. As the thoughts came to him, he roared threatening information. The long guns hung from his hands like feathers, they were moved with electric speed. The muscles of his neck straightened and sank, straightened and sank, as passion moved him. The only sounds were his terrible invitations to battle. The calm houses preserved their dignity at the passing of this small thing in the middle of the street. There was no offer of fight -- no offer of fight. The man called to the sky. There were no answers. He screamed and shouted and waved his guns here and everywhere. Finally, the man was at the closed door of the saloon. He went to it, and beating upon it with his gun, demanded drink. The door remained closed. He picked up a bit of paper from the street and nailed it to the frame of the door with a knife. He then turned his back upon this place and walked to the opposite side of the street. Turning quickly and easily, he fired the guns at the bit of paper. He missed it by a half an inch. He cursed at himself, and went away. Later, he comfortably shot out all the windows of the house of his best friend. Scratchy was playing with this town. It was a toy for him. But still there was no offer of fight. The name of Jack Potter, his ancient enemy, entered his mind. He decided that it would be a good thing if he went to Potter’s house, and by shooting at it make him come out and fight. He moved in the direction of his desire, singing some sort of war song. When he arrived at it, Potter’s house presented the same still front as had the other homes. Taking a good position, the man screamed an invitation to battle. But this house regarded him as a great, stone god might have done. It gave no sign. After a little wait, the man screamed more invitations, mixing them with wonderful curses. After a while came the sight of a man working himself into deepest anger over the stillness of a house. He screamed at it. He shot again and again. He paused only for breath or to reload his guns. Potter and his bride walked rapidly. Sometimes they laughed together, quietly and a little foolishly. “Next corner, dear,” he said finally. They put forth the efforts of a pair walking against a strong wind. Potter was ready to point the first appearance of the new home. Then, as they turned the corner, they came face to face with the man in the red shirt, who was feverishly loading a large gun. Immediately the man dropped his empty gun to the ground and, like lightning, pulled out another. The second gun was aimed at Potter’s chest. There was a silence. Potter couldn’t open his mouth. Quickly he loosened his arm from the woman’s grasp, and dropped the bag to the sand. As for the bride, her face had become the color of an old cloth. She was motionless. The two men faced each other at a distance of nine feet. Behind the gun, Wilson smiled with a new and quiet cruelty. “Tried to surprise me,” he said. “Tried to surprise me!” His eyes grew more evil. As Potter made a slight movement, the man pushed his gun sharply forward. “No, don’t you do it, Jack Potter. Don’t you move a finger toward a gun yet. Don’t you move a muscle. The time has come for me to settle with you, and I’m going to do it my own way -- slowly, with no interruption. So just listen to what I tell you.” Potter looked at his enemy. “I haven’t got a gun with me, Scratchy,” he said. “Honest, I haven’t.” He was stiffening and steadying, but at the back of his mind floated a picture of the beautiful car on the train. He thought of the glory of the wedding, the spirit of his new life. “You know I fight when I have to fight, Scratchy Wilson. But I haven’t got a gun with me. You’ll have to do all the shooting yourself.” His enemy’s face turned pale with anger. He stepped forward and whipped his gun back and forth before Potter’s chest. “Don’t you tell me you haven’t got a gun with you, you dog. Don’t tell me a lie like that. There isn’t a man in Texas who ever saw you without a gun. Don’t think I’m a kid.” His eyes burned with anger and his breath came heavily. “I don’t think you’re a kid,” answered Potter. His feet had not moved an inch backward. “I think you’re a complete fool. I tell you I haven’t got a gun, and I haven’t. If you’re going to shoot me, you’d better begin now; you’ll never get a chance like this again.” So much enforced reasoning had weakened Wilson’s anger. He was calmer. “If you haven’t got a gun, why haven’t you got a gun?,” he asked. “Been to church?” “I haven’t got a gun because I’ve just come from San Antonio with my wife. I’m married,” said Potter. “And if I had thought there’d be a fool like you here when I brought my wife home, I would have had a gun, and don’t you forget it.” “Married!” said Scratchy, not at all understanding. “Yes, married. I’m married,” said Potter, clearly. “Married?” said Scratchy. Seemingly for the first time, he saw the pale, frightened woman at the other side. “No!” he said. He was like a creature allowed a glance at another world. He moved a pace backward, and his arm, with the gun, dropped to his side. “Is this the lady?” he asked. “Yes, this is the lady,” answered Potter. There was another period of silence. “Well,” said Wilson at last, slowly. “I suppose we won’t fight now.” “We won’t if you say so, Scratchy. You know I didn’t make the trouble.” Potter lifted the bag. “Well, I guess we won’t fight, Jack,” said Wilson. He was looking at the ground. “Married!” He was not a student of good manners. It was merely that in the presence of this foreign condition he was a simple child of the wildlands. He picked up his fallen gun, and he went away. His feet made deep tracks in the heavy sand. Try this Listening Quiz to check your understanding. ___________________________________________________________________ Words in this story feverishly - adv. done in a way that involves intense emotion or activity : feeling or showing great or extreme excitement muscle - n. a body tissue that can contract and produce movement Old West / Wild West - expression. the western United States in its frontier period characterized by roughness and lawlessness pace - n. a single step or the length of a single step passion - n.  a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something saloon - n. a business where alcoholic drinks are served saloon-keeper – n. a person who runs a bar; a bartender whiskey - n. a strong alcoholic drink made from a grain (such as rye, corn, or barley) Teachers, here is a lesson plan for this story:  

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English @ the Movies: 'I've Lost Direction'

Today's English @ the Movies saying is "I've lost direction." It is from a movie called "A Hologram for the King." If someone says "I've lost direction," what do you think it means? Watch our story, test your self, and see if you get it right.

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