Jury in Oregon Finds Occupiers of a Wildlife Refuge Not Guilty

A jury found brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy and five others not guilty of conspiring to impede federal workers from their jobs at a refuge in Oregon

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Investigation of Hillary Clinton Emails to Be Reopened

  The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has announced it is reopening an investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. FBI chief James Comey made the announcement Friday, less than two weeks before the presidential election. The investigation concerns the Democratic presidential candidate’s handling of email while she served as secretary of state. Comey sent a letter to several Republican congressional leaders. It said the agency has learned of emails that appear to be important to the investigation. He said investigators will examine them to learn if they have secret information in them and if they are important to the agency’s investigation. Comey said he could not predict how long it will take to complete the investigation. Clinton led the State Department during the first term of President Barack Obama. A State Department official told VOA that “nobody knew this was coming.” Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan called the development “long overdue.”  Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told supporters Friday that he was happy about the news. He said he is glad the FBI will, in his words, “right the horrible mistake” it made in ending an earlier investigation into the emails. The FBI began an investigation into the emails in 2015. In July, the agency said there was no reason to charge Clinton. But Comey did say Clinton and her aides were, in his words, “extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.” I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. VOANews.com reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter and Caty Weaver were the editors. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   server – n. the main computer in a network which provides files and services that are used by the other computers

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Emojis Find Their Place in Art

  This is What’s Trending Today. Did you think you could only see emojis on your mobile phone? Well, think again. The Museum of Modern Art in New York City recently received 176 emoji icons created by a Japanese communications company.   They came as a gift from Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation. The emojis will now be displayed in the same building as works by artists like Andy Warhol, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. The graphics are only 12 pixels by 12 pixels. Some of them are in the shape of the moon, a video game controller, a cat, a car and a high-heeled shoe. Emojis first appeared around 1999, but took a long time to catch on. The Unicode Consortium works to make sure computer data and computer code can be understood around the world. It was only in 2010 that the organization translated the emojis into Unicode Standard, a character coding system. That means a person in France can send a message to someone in the U.S. and the emoji will look the same to both people. Now there are almost 1,800 emojis. Some people consider emojis a new language since some messages do not use traditional text.  Visitors will be able to see the emojis in the museum’s lobby through the end of 2016. In a post on Twitter, one person said she “can’t wait to see this.”   Paola Antonelli is the senior curator of the Department of Architecture and Design at the museum. She said the idea of emojis goes back hundreds of years and “covers all of human history. There is nothing more modern than timeless concepts such as these.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on a story by the Associated Press and VOANews.com. Mario Ritter was the editor. Will you go see the emojis in the Museum of Modern Art? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   emoji – n. a picture used to express an idea through mobile phone messaging icon – n. a small picture on a computer screen that represents a program or function pixel – n. any one of the very small dots that together form the picture on a television screen, computer monitor, etc. translate –v. to change words from one language to another character –n. a letter or other symbol concept – n. an idea of what something is or how it works

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October 28, 2016

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

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Police Remove Pipeline Protesters from Private Land in North Dakota

Police have removed more than 100 protesters from private land in the midwestern state of North Dakota. The protesters were showing their opposition to an oil pipeline in a demonstration that turned violent. An official with the Morton County Sheriff’s Department told the Associated Press 141 people were arrested Thursday. Police officers used pepper spray to break up a camp of protesters. Among those arrested was one person who had fired three shots at police. No serious injuries were reported. One man was treated for a leg injury, according to the AP. Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said protesters were given a final warning Wednesday to leave the private land, but they did not go. Protests by Native Americans and their supporters have been held in the area since July. The demonstrators oppose the building of the Dakota Access pipeline. Much of the 1,700-kilometer pipeline is nearly complete. When finished, it would transport about 400,000 barrels of oil a day from North Dakota to Illinois. From Illinois, other pipelines could then transport the supply to shipping ports and refineries across the United States. The pipeline’s path comes within one kilometer of land belonging to American Indians from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. The tribe has said the pipeline, which would be buried under the nearby Missouri River, could endanger its water supply. It also believes construction could destroy sacred Native American historical sites.   The movement supporting the tribe’s position has expanded to include environmental groups. Supporters include Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, civil-rights activist Jesse Jackson, Hollywood celebrities and U.S. Congress members. Hundreds of protesters had gathered on nearby U.S. government-owned land to hold demonstrations. Others have been arrested since those protests began in July.  But this week, the protesters occupied land owned by Energy Transfer Partners, which leads construction of the pipeline. The company has rejected the protesters’ arguments and says the project meets all legal requirements.  Supporters of the project say the pipeline is a safer and more cost-effective method than using roads or railways to move the oil.    The tribe brought a legal case in court to dispute the approval of permits by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction on federal land. A federal judge denied a request in September to halt the project. But three federal agencies took action to stop construction on land owned by the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps is currently deciding whether to reconsider the environmental impact of the pipeline. This would stop construction for a longer period. A spokesman for the protesters said the latest police action will not silence the movement. He said they plan to build a new camp at another location in the pipeline's path - but this time on federal land. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Additional material came from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you think the government should keep blocking construction of this pipeline? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   pepper spray – n. ​ substance made from peppers that causes irritation to the eyes, nose and skin when sprayed barrel – n. ​ a standard measure for oil that is equal to about 159 liters refinery – n. factory where substances such as oil are made pure sacred – adj. relating to religion or consider holy permit – n. written document or license granting authority impact – n. effect of a situation or thing on something else  

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Mammoth Cave: Grand and Gloomy

  This week on our national parks journey, we head to the southeastern state of Kentucky. Here you will find rolling hills and thick green forests. But beneath the land is a strange and silent underground world. One early explorer described it as “grand,” “gloomy” and “peculiar.” Welcome to Mammoth Cave National Park! Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system in the world. It is two times as large as the world’s second-biggest cave system. Its size helped give it its name. Mammoth as an adjective means “extremely large.” Mammoth Cave National Park is in Kentucky’s Green River valley. The park covers over 20,000 hectares. It protects the river valley and hilly land, as well as the vast underground cave system. The U.S. Congress formed Mammoth Cave National Park in 1941. Forty years later, it was named a World Heritage Site. And in 1990, it became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site. Researchers and explorers have mapped than 600 kilometers of passageways in Mammoth Cave. And scientists continue to explore it.   Water formed the cave over millions of years. Other than the Green River, few sources of water exist above ground. That is because water seeps quickly into the earth. Soil made of broken-down limestone absorbs the water. It has created a vast and complex system of chambers and passageways. A delicate and unique ecosystem exists inside the cave. More than 100 kinds of animals live in Mammoth Cave. Some of them live their whole lives in total darkness. Cave shrimp and many other kinds of eyeless, colorless species can be found. Mammoth Cave was once home to about 10 million bats. They included species like Indiana bats, big brown bats, little brown bats and the eastern small-footed bat. Now, they number in the thousands. Humans first entered Mammoth Cave about 4,000 years ago. They discovered uses for minerals inside the cave. Researchers describe them as “primitive miners.” Humans explored Mammoth Cave for nearly 2,000 years. Then, their exploration appears to have ended. The caves would not be explored again until the end of the 1700s. Many stories name John Houchins for re-discovering the cave. They say he was hunting in the area when he came upon a black bear. The bear was close to the entrance of the cave. Houchins shot the bear, but he failed to kill it. The bear ran, and Houchins followed. It led him into the cave. Experts do not agree on the exact year of Houchins’ discovery, and some people question the story entirely. Slaves played many important roles at Mammoth Cave during the 1800s. During the War of 1812, slaves mined the cave for a mineral called saltpeter. It was used to produce ammunition used during battle. And in 1816, slaves began guiding visitors on cave tours. At the time, the cave was still privately owned. One of the greatest early explorers of the cave was a slave named Stephen Bishop. He arrived at Mammoth Cave in 1838, when he was a teenager. He learned the tour paths from white guides. But Bishop wanted to push beyond the cave’s toured areas. He set off to explore parts of the caves no human had ever seen. Bishop and a companion sought to cross an area called the Bottomless Pit. Its unknown darkness had stopped people from trying to go beyond it. But fear and darkness did not stop Bishop. The areas he discovered beyond Bottomless Pit are still open to visitors today. Bishop started naming different areas of the cave he discovered -- Fat Man’s Misery, Cleaveland Avenue, and Mammoth Dome, among others. He was also the first to discover a river running through the cave. Bishop created a map of Mammoth Cave in the early 1840s. It included 16 kilometers of passageways. Most of the passages had been discovered or explored by Bishop himself. His map remained in use for more than 40 years. Bishop gained his freedom in 1856, but he died the next year at the age of 37. His grave lies within Mammoth Cave National Park. It was Bishop who described Mammoth Cave as “grand, gloomy and peculiar.” For national park visitors who venture into the cave today, Bishop’s description remains true. About 500,000 people tour the cave each year. They are among the more than two million visitors to the park itself. Mammoth National Park offers campsites for those who want to sleep under the stars. There is also a hotel in the park. And there are plenty of activities outside of the cave. People ride horses on the more than 100 kilometers of park trails. They also fish and boat in the park’s rivers. But the main draw of Mammoth Cave National Park remains the dark mystery of an underground world, with so much more to discover. I'm Caty Weaver. And I’m Ashley Thompson. Ashley Thompson wrote this story with materials from the National Park Service. Caty Weaver was the editor.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gloomy - adj. somewhat dark peculiar  - adj. not usual or normal mammoth  - adj. very large vast  - adj. very great in size, amount, or extent seep - v. to flow or pass slowly through small openings in something primitive  - adj. to flow or pass slowly through small openings in something venture - v. to go somewhere that is unknown, dangerous, etc.  

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'The Boy on Graves-End Road,' by Caty Weaver

Editor's Note: This is a weekly multimedia series of American short stories for English language learners. Each story has video, audio, quizzes, and a lesson plan for teachers. Hope you enjoy reading and listening to this story! Please leave your questions and comments below. October 31 is Halloween. In the spirit of this ancient holiday, we present a story written by our own reporter and producer Caty Weaver. It's called "The Boy on Graves-End Road." Kelly Ryan was making dinner. Her 10-year-old son Benjamin was watching television in the living room. Or at least she thought he was. KELLY: "Benny-boy, do you want black beans or red beans?" BEN: "Red beans, Mama." Kelly: "Ah! Don't do that, Ben. You scared me half to death! You're going to get it now ... " Ben had come up quietly right behind her. KELLY: "I'll get back to you, stinker!" Kelly goes to the phone, but as soon as she lays her hand on it, the ringing stops. KELLY: "How strange. Oh, the beans!" Kelly turns her attention back to cooking. As soon as she does, the phone rings again. KELLY: "Honey, can you get that?" BEN: "Hello? Oh, hi. Yes, I remember. Sure, it sounds fun. Let me ask my mom. Can you hold? She might wanna talk to your mom. Oh, um, OK. See you tomorrow." KELLY: "Ben, your rice and beans are on the table. Let's eat." KELLY: "So, what was that call about?" BEN: "That was Wallace Gray. You know him, from class. He wants to play tomorrow. Can I go home with him after school? Please, Mom? I get bored around here waiting for you after work." KELLY: "But, I don't even know his parents. Maybe I should talk to them." BEN: "You can't, Mom. He was with his babysitter. He said his parents wouldn't be home until late tonight and they would leave before he went to school in the morning. Please Mom, Wallace lives right over on Graves-End Road. It's a five-minute walk from here. PLEASE,?” KELLY: "Well, OK. What's so great about this guy, anyway? You've got a ton of friends to play with." BEN: "I know. But Wallace is just different. He's got a lot of imagination.” The school week passes, and Ben starts to go home almost every day with Wallace. Kelly notices a change in her son. He seems tired and withdrawn. His eyes do not seem to really look at her. They seem ... lifeless. On Friday night she decides they need to have a talk. KELLY: "Sweetie, what's going on with you? You seem so tired and far away. Is something wrong? Did you and your new friend have a fight?" BEN:"No, Mom. We've been having a great time. There's nothing wrong with us. Why don't you like Wallace? You don't even know him, but you don't trust him." KELLY: "Benjamin, what are you talking about? I don't dislike Wallace. You're right, I don't know him. You just don't seem like yourself. You've been very quiet the past few nights." BEN: "I'm sorry, Mom. I guess I'm just tired. I have a great time with Wallace. We play games like cops and robbers, but they seem so real that half of the time I feel like I'm in another world. It's hard to explain. It's like,  it’s like ... " KELLY: "I think the word you're looking for is intense." BEN: "Yeah, that's it -- it's intense." KELLY: "Well, tell me about today. What kind of game did you play?" BEN: "We were train robbers. Or Wallace was. I was a station manager. Wallace was running through a long train, from car to car. He had stolen a lot of money and gold from the passengers. I was chasing right behind him, moving as fast as I could. Finally he jumps out of the train into the station to make his escape. But I block his path. He grabs a woman on the station platform. She screams 'No, no!' But he yells 'Let me through, or she dies.' So I let him go." KELLY: "What happened then?" BEN: "Well, that's what was weird and, like you said, intense. Wallace threw the lady onto the tracks. And laughed. He said that's what evil characters do in the games. They always do the worst." Later, after Ben went to bed, Kelly turned on the eleven o'clock news. She was only half-listening as she prepared a list of things to do the next day, on Halloween. KELLY: “OK, let's see, grocery shopping, Halloween decorating, the dog’s gotta go to the groomer,  I gotta go to the  hardware store, clean up the garden ... [TV in background] NEWS ANNOUNCER: "Reports say it appears she was pushed off the station platform into the path of the oncoming train. It happened during rush hour today. Some witnesses reported seeing two boys running and playing near the woman. But police say they did not see any images like that on security cameras at the station. KELLY: "No! It can't be. The station is an hour away. They couldn't have gotten there. How could they? It's just a coincidence." The wind blew low and lonely that night. Kelly slept little. She dreamed she was waiting for Ben at a train station. Then, she saw him on the other side, running with another little boy. It must be Wallace she thought. The little boy went in and out of view. Then, all of a sudden, he stopped and looked across the tracks -- directly at her. He had no face. Saturday morning was bright and sunny, a cool October day. Kelly made Ben eggs and toast and watched him eat happily. KELLY: "You know, Benny-boy, a woman DID get hurt at the train station yesterday. She actually got hit by a train. Isn't that strange?" She looked at Ben. BEN: "What do you mean, Mom?" KELLY: "Well, you and Wallace were playing that game yesterday. About being at a train station. You said he threw a woman off the platform, and she was killed by a train." Kelly felt like a fool even saying the words. She was speaking to a ten-year-old who had been playing an imaginary game with another ten-year-old. What was she thinking? BEN: "I said we played that yesterday? I did? Hmmm. No, we played that a few days ago, I think. It was just a really good game, really intense. Yesterday we played pirates. I got to be Captain Frank on the pirate ship, the Argh. "Wallace was Davey, the first mate. But he tried to rebel and take over the ship so I made him walk the plank. Davey walked off into the sea and drowned. Wallace told me I had to order him to walk the plank. He said that's what evil pirates do." KELLY: "I guess he's right. I don't know any pirates, but I do hear they're pretty evil!" BEN: "So can I play with Wallace today when you are doing your errands? Please, Mom? I don't want to go shopping and putting up Halloween decorations." KELLY: "Oh, whatever. I guess so. I'll pick you up at Wallace's house at about five-thirty, so you can get ready for trick or treating. Where does he live again? BEN: "Graves-End Road. I don't know the street number but there are only two houses on each side. His is the second one on the left." KELLY: "OK. I can find that easy enough. Do you still want me to pick up a ghost costume for you?" BEN: "Yep. Oh, and guess what, Mom: Wallace says he's a ghost, too! I suppose we'll haunt the neighborhood together." Everywhere Kelly went that day was crowded. She spent an hour and a half just at the market. When she got home, decorating the house for Halloween was difficult. But finally she had it all the way she wanted. KELLY: "Oh, gosh, five already. I don't even have Ben's costume." She jumped into her car and drove to Wilson Boulevard. The party store was just a few blocks away. Kelly soon found the ghost costume that Ben wanted. She bought it and walked out of the store. EILEEN: "Hey, Kelly! Long time no see. How's Benjamin doing?" KELLY: "Eileen! Wow, it’s great to see you. How's Matt? We've been so busy since the school year started, we haven't seen anyone!" EILEEN: "Matt's good. Well, he broke his arm last month so no sports for him. It is driving him crazy, but at least he's got a lot of time for school now!" KELLY: That's good, yeah. EILEEN: "Anyway, Matt was wondering why Benny-boy never comes by anymore. We saw him running around the neighborhood after school last week. It looks like he’s having fun, but he's always alone. We don't need to set up a play date. Ben should know that. You just tell him to come by anymore. We took him running around the neighborhood after school  last week. It looks like he’s having fun, but he’s always alone. We don’t need to set up a play date. Ben should know that. You just tell him to come by.   KELLY: "Wait, wait a  minute. Alone? What do mean alone? He started playing with a new friend, Wallace somebody, after school, like everyday this past week. Ben hasn't been alone. Wallace Gray, that's it. Do you know him? Does Matt?" EILEEN: "Oh, Kell. Kelly, I'm sure he's a fine kid. I don't know him but don't worry, Ben's got great taste in friends, we know that! I'm sure he wasn't really alone, he was probably just playing hide and seek or something. I didn't mean to worry you. I guess everybody's on edge because of what happened to the Godwin boy this morning." Kelly suddenly felt cold and scared. What Godwin boy? And what happened to him? She was not sure she wanted to know, but she had to ask. EILEEN: "Frank Godwin's youngest boy, Davey, the five-year-old. You know Frank, we call him Captain. He used to be a ship captain. Well, this morning the rescue squad found Davey in Blackhart Lake. They also found a little toy boat that his dad made for him. Davey and his dad named it the Argh. Davey must have been trying to sail it. It’s so sad." KELLY: "Wait, he's dead? EILEEN: "Yes. Davey drowned." KELLY: "Where's Blackhart Lake?" EILEEN: "It's right off Graves-End Road, right behind that little cemetery. That's why they call it Graves-End. Kelly, where are you going?" Kelly: "I've got to get Benjamin." Kelly raced down Main Street. She had not idea who Wallace Gray was or how he was involved in any of this. But she did not trust him and she knew her child was in danger.   Finally she was at Graves-End Road. BEN: "Only two houses on each side." She remembered what Ben had told her. EILEEN: "Right behind that little cemetery." And what Eileen had told her. Kelly got out of the car and walked down the street. She looked around. BEN: "It’s the second one on the left." She could see the lake. Some fog was coming up as the sky darkened on this Halloween night. But there was no second house. Instead, what lay before her was grass and large white stones. The cemetery. Kelly walked through the gate into the yard of graves. KELLY: "Ben?" No answer. She kept walking. KELLY: "Ben? Answer me. I know you're here." Again no answer. But the wind blew and some leaves began to dance around a headstone. Kelly walked slowly toward the grave. Suddenly the sky blackened -- so dark, she could not see anything. She felt a force pushing at her. It tried to push her away from the grave. But she knew she had to stay. KELLY: "Benjamin Owen Orr, this is your mother. Come out this second!" No one answered, except for the sound of the blowing wind. The darkness lifted. Silvery moonlight shone down directly onto the old gravestone in front of her. But Kelly already knew whose name she would see. KELLY: "'Wallace Gray. October 31, 1900, to October 31, 1910. Some are best when laid to rest.'" Kelly took a deep breath. Then ... KELLY: "Wallace Gray this play date is OVER! Give me back my son. Wallace, you are in TIME-OUT." Suddenly, the ground shoots upward like a small volcano. Soil, sticks and worms fly over Kelly's head and rain down again -- followed by her son, who lands beside her. BEN: (COUGHING, CHOKING) KELLY: "Ben! Ben!" BEN: (COUGHING, CHOKING) "Mom, Mom! Are you there? I can't see. All this dirt in my eyes." KELLY: "Ben, I'm here, I’m here baby, right here. Oh, sweet Benny-boy. Can you breathe? Are you really ok? What happened? How long were you in there?" BEN: "I don't know, Mom. But I didn't like it. I didn't like where Wallace lives. I want to go home." KELLY: "Oh, me too, Sweetie. C’mon, Ben, put your arm around me. C’mon. BEN: "And Mom, one more thing ... " KELLY: "What is it, Ben?" BEN: "I don't want to be a ghost for Halloween." _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   scare - v. to cause (someone) to become afraid cemetery - n. a place where dead people are buried : graveyard intense - adj. of a person : very serious platform - n. a flat area next to railroad tracks where people wait for a train or subway headstone - n. a stone that marks the place where a dead person is buried and that usually has the person's name and birth and death dates on it weird - adj. unusual or strange ghost - n. the soul of a dead person thought of as living in an unseen world or as appearing to living people worm - n. a long, thin animal that has a soft body with no legs or bones and that often lives in the ground choke - v. to become unable to breathe usually because something gets stuck in your throat or because the air is not good for breathing Now it’s your turn to use these Words in this Story. In the Comments section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on your use of vocabulary and grammar. Or post it on our Facebook page. 

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Auction Brings New Life to Old Treasures

  Each week, crowds of people fill a sleepy town in the American state of Maryland for a fast-moving auction. Buyers and sellers from up and down the East Coast go there in hopes of finding deals on furniture, jewelry and more. The town of Crumpton is about 160 kilometers east of Washington, D.C., in an area known as Maryland’s Eastern Shore. An auction is a public sale -- where things are sold to the buyer who offers the most money. Things sold at an auction do not have a set price. If an owner decides to sell something, he or she is taking a risk. A person known as an auctioneer has the job of announcing the current price for a product or item. The people who attend auctions are called bidders. They say the price they will bid for an item. An auction is a competitive way to sell something. Several people may want to take something home, but only one person can do so. That makes the seller happy, because the price could be higher than it might have been in a private sale. Bill Caruso has worked for Dixon’s Auctions in Crumpton for 40 years. Caruso is an auctioneer. He speaks quickly and announces the current selling price. “What you need to know is you need to know your buyers, and you need to know your merchandise. You got to get them both together.” The price increases until only one bidder is left. People visit the Crumpton Auction for many reasons. Perhaps they own a small antique store and are looking to buy items that they can offer to their customers. Other visitors come for a little fun and excitement. They hope they will bring something interesting and possibly valuable home. At Dixon’s, many items are selling at the same time. Dixon’s website says there can be 200 items sold in just one hour. Bruce Conover likes to visit the auction. He said he once owned an antique shop, so he came to the auction to buy things he could sell later. "Well I used to have an antique shop so then it was a benefit to come every week to buy stuff and resell it of course. But right now, I'm retired and just having fun, coming out and see what I can buy for my house." Carol Knight said she comes to the auction looking for a surprise. "You could always end up with something you know nothing about. And much to your surprise, if you research it, it could be something good." Some people see something at the auction and think they could take it home, fix it up and then sell it for a higher price. Sandy Jones and Rick Rossi own an antique shop in Maryland. "Sometimes you pay a little more, sometimes you pay a little less. But you get great deals, and there's good people here." I’m Dan Friedell. Elizabeth Cherneff wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Have you ever attended an auction? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   furniture – n. chairs, tables, beds, etc., that are used to make a room ready for use auction – n. a public sale at which things are sold to the people who offer to pay the most bid/bidder – v. to offer to pay (a particular amount of money) for something that is being sold : to make a bid at an auction merchandise – n. goods that are bought and sold antique – n. art, furniture, jewelry, etc., that was made at an earlier time and is often valuable  

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English @ the Movies: 'Give Me A Couple Pointers'

Do you know what "give me a couple pointers" means? It is our English @ the Movies phrase today from the movie "Little Men." In the film, one of the boys wants to be an actor. Watch our story, test yourself, and see if you get it right!

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Grammar and Presidential Elections: Part One

  Political candidates like to use one or more grammatical structures when they speak. They use grammatical structures because they can have a rhetorical effect. In other words, the order of words and the way they are used can direct attention to important ideas and help make points clearer. This clarity, the candidates hope, will influence likely voters to choose them. So, what grammatical structures can you find in political speeches? What can you learn from such speeches? In our report today, we explore one grammatical structure commonly used in the American election campaign. This structure is called the deliberate fragment. Complete sentences and sentence fragments In English, a complete sentence has a subject and a predicate. A predicate is something that expresses what is being said about the subject. Consider the sentence "I am going to the store." The subject is "I" and the predicate is "am going to the store." We say the words “am going to the store” are an incomplete sentence or fragment. When English speakers use a deliberate fragment, they often present a noun or verb phrase as a sentence. The result is that the sentence does not have a subject and predicate. So, a sentence fragment might be: "Going to the store." In this example, the fragment does not have a subject. The Everyday Grammar team avoids sentences like that. We know many of our readers are English language teachers. And we want to give learners a good model of English. However, when used in a careful and intelligent way, sentence fragments can have great effect. Poets, songwriters, politicians and speechwriters have known this for a long time. What do these sentence fragments look like? Let's find some in recent speeches. Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton used them when they officially accepted their party’s nominations three months ago. In their acceptance speeches, both Trump and Clinton used complete sentences before presenting sentence fragments. They use these fragments to highlight or publicize ideas. Consider these examples: "Once again, France is the victim of brutal Islamic terrorism. Men, women and children viciously mowed down. Lives ruined. Families ripped apart. A nation in mourning." "Our military is a national treasure. We entrust our commander-in-chief to make the hardest decisions our nation faces. Decisions about war and peace. Life and death." You may note that both Trump and Clinton begin their statements by using complete sentences. Trump says, "Once again, France is the victim of brutal Islamic terrorism". Clinton says " We entrust our commander-in-chief to make the hardest decisions our nation faces." Both of these statements are complete sentences: they have subjects and predicates. They are not missing any important words. However, after using complete sentences, both candidates presented sentence fragments. They use these fragments for rhetorical effect. Trump's use of fragments Let's listen again to Trump's statement. "Once again, France is the victim of brutal Islamic terrorism. Men, women and children viciously mowed down. Lives ruined. Families ripped apart. A nation in mourning." At the end of the comment, Trump uses a clear sentence fragment: "A nation in mourning." This sentence has no verb -- it is only a noun phrase. This unusual structure directs the listener's attention to it. The fragment "A nation in mourning" notes the results of the terrorist attack. It describes the effect of the violence, and notes the important point Trump wants to make: in his opinion, the world is not a safe place because there have been recent terrorist attacks. What about the other sentences? Men, women and children viciously mowed down. Lives ruined. Families ripped apart. Trump is using a form of parallelism and the passive voice. Parallelism is when something is very similar to something else. In passive voice sentences, the verb acts on the subject, not the other way around. The passive voice does not give information about the person responsible for the violence. Instead, it only gives information about the effects of the violence. You can read about this subject in an earlier Everyday Grammar program. The effect of this grammatical structure – using short, passive sentences and sentence fragments – is to create a strong mental image of the effects of the attack. This grammatical choice – to highlight the effects of the violence – makes sense. Trump wants to persuade voters that Hillary Clinton will not be able to stop violence around the world. Clinton's use of fragments Now, let's listen again to Clinton's statement. "Our military is a national treasure. We entrust our commander-in-chief to make the hardest decisions our nation faces. Decisions about war and peace. Life and death." Clinton also uses sentence fragments after presenting a complete sentence. She follows her first two statements with a fragment, "Decisions about war and peace." This, too, does not have a verb. Clinton could have said "The commander-in chief makes decisions about war and peace."   Or she could have said "The commander-in-chief decides when we go to war and when we remain peaceful." Both of these possible sentences, even if they carry the same meaning, are longer and less direct. By using two fragments – "Decisions about war and peace. Life and Death," Clinton is able to direct our attention to the importance of the decisions that the president makes. She is telling voters that she understands the importance of these decisions. She is also able to keep moving through her sentences without losing her listeners. She knows that if she keeps using the same sentence structure in every sentence, the listeners may soon lose interest in her ideas. Should you use sentence fragments? Both Trump and Clinton used sentence fragments because they have rhetorical effect. When they presented these fragments, they directed listeners’ attention to ideas that they wanted to publicize. They kept the listeners’ attention because they did not keep using the same basic sentence structure again and again! Politics is not the only place you will hear or see sentence fragments. They also appear in songs, poetry, books, newspapers, and daily conversations. Native speakers use sentence fragments because they can be a useful tool when you want to add something special to a long series of sentences. However, in general, fragments are best used only once in a while – and only if you understand what you are doing with them! Instead, you should be working on developing strong, coherent sentences that have a complete subject and predicate. Remember: sentence fragments are like spices. You would probably never eat a meal that only has spices like black pepper or paprika. In the same way, you should not write a story in English that only uses sentence fragments. Such an essay would quickly become unreadable, in the same way that a meal made of pepper would probably be hard to eat! I’m Jill Robbins. And I'm John Russell.  John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story rhetorical – adj. of, relating to, or concerned with the art of speaking or writing formally and effectively especially as a way to persuade or influence people deliberate - adj. done or said on purpose fragment - n. an incomplete part grammatical – adj. following the rules of grammar phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people coherent – adj. logical and well-organized

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Young Voters Fearful of Future, More Support Clinton Over Trump

Fifty-one percent of young Americans are “fearful” about the future of their country. Nearly nine in 10 young African-Americans polled by Harvard said people of their racial background are under attack.” Nearly seven in 10 young Hispanics feel the same way, as do 45 percent of young whites. These opinions are from a poll released this week by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics. One young voter told Harvard: “Everything seems out of control, and our politicians care more about themselves than doing the right thing for all Americans. We’re all extremely divided, and very few seem to have any interest in trying to unite us.” Some young adults questioned by Harvard appear to share an important opinion with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump -- that the system is “rigged” against average Americans. Most Young Voters Support Clinton But the Harvard poll found most young Americans, aged 18 to 29, are not supporting Trump for president. Nearly half of likely young voters, or 49 percent, said they will vote for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate for president. The Harvard poll found 21 percent of likely voters support Trump, the Republican candidate for president. While over half of young Americans are fearful about America’s future, many are hopeful about their own financial futures. The young voters were asked by Harvard how they will be doing when they are their parents’ age. Forty-one percent said they expect to be better off financially. Only 14 percent said they would be worse off. Opinions of Clinton and Trump Harvard said 40 percent of young voters have a positive opinion of Clinton and 53 percent a negative opinion. For Trump, 19 percent said they have a positive opinion, while 73 percent have a negative opinion. What Trump and Clinton Supporters Say Two young voters -- one supporting Trump and the other Clinton -- spoke to VOA about the election. Nathaniel White, a recent graduate of the University of North Alabama, is leading Alabama college Republicans for Trump. White said that support for Trump does not mean young Republicans are happy with recorded comments by Trump in 2005 about women. ​ In the recently released recording, Trump talks in an offensive way about women. But White said America is electing a president to move America ahead economically and keep it safe, not someone to be a role model. “We are looking at someone to lead us into a better position,” White said. “We are looking at 2,000 federal appointments, including the Supreme Court, by the next president. That has to be our biggest concern.” Conrad Zbikowski is a senior at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He is leading college Democratic efforts in Minnesota to elect Hillary Clinton. ​Zbikowski said most young people who supported Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination are now for Clinton. Many Republicans at his college are undecided or are voting for Clinton, he said. “I think millennials have a lot of stresses -- trying to find a good paying job because we owe so much in student loans,” Zbikowski said. “We are looking for someone who can make college more affordable and reduce the interest on student loans and move the country forward. That person is clearly Hillary Clinton.” Nearly Half Young People Will ‘Definitely” Vote Harvard Institute of Politics Polling Director John Della Volpe said 49 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds said they will “definitely” be voting. That is about the same percentage that told Harvard they would definitely vote in 2012, when Barack Obama won a second term. “Young voters are fearful about the future of America, and that is moving them to action,” Della Volpe said. Here is what one young voter told Harvard: “People are not kind anymore and would rather hurt than help. People are selfish and are only looking out for themselves. The leaders running for election are showing the rest of us what the future will look like. I do not want them as role models for the future of America.” I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. ____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story poll - v. to ask people a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something background - n. a person’s experiences, knowledge and ethnic background rig - v. to control or affect something in a dishonest way role model - n. someone who another person admires and tries to be like millennial - n. a person, according to Pew Research Center, born after 1980 stress - n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work positive - adj. good or useful; thinking about the good qualities of someone or something negative - adj. harm or harmful; thinking about the bad qualities of someone or something  

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