Lesson 38: She's My Best Friend!

Summary In this lesson, Anna's best friend from her hometown, Penelope, visits Washington, D.C. Anna tells Penelope about her friends and her job. Is Penelope going to make a change in her life? Speaking In this video, learn how to say the new words for this lesson and the rules of making superlative adjectives. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about stressing the superlative adjectives in a sentence. Conversation Anna: Hello! I have great news. My best friend from my hometown is coming here -- to Washington, D.C.! I can’t wait to catch up with her! Oh! I gotta go. Her train arrives in 10 minutes! Anna: Penelope! Penelope: Anna! I am really happy to see you! Anna: Me too! How was your trip? Penelope: It was fine. Anna: Let me help you with your bags. Penelope: I’m really excited to be in Washington, D.C.! I can’t wait to hear about … everything! Anna: I have so much to tell you. Let’s go to my apartment. We can talk over a hot cup of tea. Penelope: I love your apartment building, Anna. Is your rent expensive? Anna: Well, I have a roommate. So, we split the rent. Penelope: Oh, that’s right. Is your roommate nice? Anna: Marsha is the nicest person I know in this city. Sometimes she worries too much. And she says I’m the messiest cook she knows. But we are great roommates. Penelope: So, Anna, is it hard to make friends in D.C.? Anna: At first it was hard. But now, Marsha is a good friend. And there’s Pete. Of all the people I know in D.C., Pete is the most serious and also the silliest. Penelope: He sounds … interesting. Anna: Jonathan and Ashley are two other good friends of mine. In the city, they are the friendliest people I know. They always help me when I need it. Penelope: Your friends sound great! So, tell me about your job. Anna: I love my work! I make a children’s show called the “Time Traveling Treehouse.” Penelope: Anna, that is the best job for you! Do you remember when we were little? We played in that old treehouse behind my family’s house for hours! Anna: I forgot about that! We thought it really time traveled! Penelope, it is really good to talk to you. New friends are good. But old friends are the best. Penelope: I know. Our hometown isn’t the same now. You are not there. Anna: No crying. Why don't you move here and live with me and Marsha? Penelope: Anna, I can’t leave our hometown. You forget -- I love my job, too. Anna: I didn’t forget. You are the most famous turkey farmer I know! Penelope: Thanks, Anna. Anna: Come on. Let’s go eat dinner at one of D.C.’s most famous restaurants. Penelope: Awesome! Anna: That’s the restaurant, Penelope. I’ll be right there. Anna: I have a great apartment. I love my work. And I have awesome friends -- both old and new. I am the luckiest woman in Washington, D.C. (sound of thunder) Anna: Until next time ? Writing Who is the most important person in your life? They can be a family member or a friend. Tell us about them using some superlative adjectives like nicest, silliest, the most _____ and so on. Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using superlative adjectives. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Evaluate.  When we think about the good or bad qualities of someone or something, we are evaluating. In this lesson, Anna tells her friend Penelope about her new life and friends in Washington, D.C. She evaluates by using words like best, nicest, friendliest, messiest and silliest. Anna says, "New friends are good. But old friends are the best. " We can also evaluate our English language skills by testing ourselves. You can take the quizzes in these lessons, have a friend listen while you repeat new words and phrases, or record yourself and listen to your own pronunciation. How do you evaluate or check your use of 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 catch up (with) - phrasal verb. to talk to someone you have not seen for some time and find out what they have been doing cry - v. to produce tears from your eyes often while making loud sounds because of pain, sorrow, or other strong emotions expensive - adj. costing a lot of money famous - adj. known or recognized by very many people friendly - adj. acting like a friend friendliest - superlative adj. lucky - adj. having good luck luckiest - superlative adj. messy - adj. not clean or tidy messiest superlative adj. nice - adj. kind, polite, and friendly nicest - superlative adj. rent - n. money that you pay in return for being able to use property and especially to live in an apartment or house that belongs to someone else silly - adj. silliest - superlative adj. playful and funny split - v. to divide (something, such as money or food) among two or more people or things tea - n. a drink that is made by soaking the dried leaves of an Asian plant in hot water train - n. a group of vehicles that travel on a track and are connected to each other and usually to an engine turkey - n. a large American bird that is related to the chicken and that is hunted or raised by people for its meat ______________________________________________________________ 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 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: Superlative Adjectives Topics: Describing people, places, & things; Reporting details; Identifying positive & negative personal qualities Learning Strategy: Evaluating Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Stressing superlative adjectives   ____________________________________________________________ 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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Refugee Football Team Aims for Greek League

  Greece has a new football team called Hope Refugee United. Every one of its players is a refugee.  It all started with a few young men kicking a football around at a refugee camp near Athens. Americans know the game as soccer. The newly formed team has played only a few games as Hope Refugee United. Now, the players are dreaming bigger as they take part in trials to form an official league team. Their hope is to compete against some of Greece’s best teams in the coming weeks. For the love of Football For many of the players, this chance to compete fills an important void in their lives. They find life in their refugee camp at times frustrating, and with little to do. Sometimes, there are fights between people of different ethnicities. However, a shared love of the sport of football has begun to bring the refugees together. Seventeen-year-old Fahim Ahmad fled to Greece from Afghanistan. He says that when he and others formed teams to play football, the refugees seemed friendly and less tense. The players did not care about ethnicity. They only wanted peace and to make friends. Professional Support The refugee team now has received support from a number of people, including Petros Kokallis. He is a former vice president of Olympiakos, one of the country’s most famous football teams. His non-governmental organization called Organization Earth, has been providing support for football training. "This team is going to compete in a Greek championship, so we think this is a great opportunity for these guys to represent their community in the wider Greek community and interact with it." Thanks to Organization Earth’s support, the players now make trips out of the refugee camps to a play on a better field. Organization Earth also has helped with other projects. At the Skaramagas refugee camp, the group is showing children to play the sport. Petros Kokallis hopes to expand the efforts and get the football players out of the camp as often as possible. "One of the main goals of the program is to de-ghettoise refugees and get them out of camps and get them into normal society" These efforts have been working for the players of Hope Refugees United. As the team trained for its third game, player Ali Shaheen explained why the name of their team feels just right. "I feel like football makes me alive. I play football with the friends, the guys. I feel like I forget all of the bad stuff, really. I feel like I forget everything. I don't think about the past, the war, anything. I just think about my future." I’m Phil Dierking. John Owens reported this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted his report for Learning English. ­­­­­George Grow was the editor. How to you feel sports helps people of different backgrounds come together? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   frustrating - adj. causing feelings of anger and annoyance ghetto – n. the poorest part of a city interact – v. to talk or do things with other people league – n. a group of sports teams that play against each other opportunity – n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done void – n. a large empty space

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You’re Dreaming!

Join us now for Words and Their Stories, a program from VOA Learning English. On this show we talk about the origins and meanings of common expressions in American English. Every week we dream up topics you might find interesting. Well, we also do research. But today we have dreamt up a show on “dreams.” Dreams are the visions we have when we are asleep. But the word “dream” fills the expressions we use when we are awake. “The stuff dreams are made of” is a romantic expression. It describes a really wonderful experience. For example, let’s say you really love flight and space travel. So, a friend invites you to see a launch of a space shuttle. She even invites you to meet the astronauts who are going to fly into space. After this experience you can say to her, “That was the stuff dreams are made of! It’s a dream come true!” A dream come true is exactly that – a dream that has become reality. Let’s make it even better. Let’s say your friend can get you on the space shuttle. You can actually wear a space suit and sit in the flight commander’s seat! That would be beyond your wildest dreams. In other words, even you could not have dreamed up such a wonderful experience. However, once you enter the space shuttle you feel ill. Your hands shake and you are unable to talk. The astronauts try to help you. But you freak out, yelling, “Let me out of here! Let me out of here!” When you start throwing the flight manuals around the cockpit, the police come and remove you from the shuttle. It’s a disaster. A nightmare.   After the police take your statement and your fingerprints, your friend tries to calm you down. She tells that everything will be okay. But all you can say to her is, “I wish it was all just a bad dream.” But it wasn’t. You are barred from participating in any NASA-related field trips. And now you have a police record. However, months later your childhood dream of space travel comes back strong. You decide to become a pilot. Your friend advises against it. She reminds you that you have a severe case of claustrophobia, a fear of being in small spaces. She calls your goal of becoming a pilot a pipe dream. A pipe dream is a hope or wish that is impossible to achieve. This expression began in the late 19th century. Word experts say it refers to a dream experienced when smoking an opium pipe. Those dreams rarely come true. But you insist it is possible for you to be the first person to fly around the world with your faithful pet cat -- Galaxy. Your friend, however, says, “Dream on!” She could also say, “In your dreams!” Both of these informal expressions are ways of saying that someone’s idea is a fantasy. Friends can use them in a funny way with each other. Otherwise, both expressions can sound a little mean. Then your friend uses another informal expression. She tells you to wake up and smell the coffee! She adds that you are living in a dream world if you think you can become a world-famous pilot who flies with a cat. People who live in a dream world are unrealistic. They refuse to face facts. Your friend’s remarks are hard for you to hear. But you know she is right. So, you decide to write a children’s book about someone who flies around the world with a beloved pet. As you are already a children’s book author, this is a dream that can definitely come true. For the next few months, you happily daydream about the story you will write. To daydream is to let your creative mind, your imagination, take over. Luckily for you, you can daydream anywhere – not just in small spaces such as a cockpit. It turns out you are better dreaming about air travel than doing it. Your book is a spectacular success. With the money you make from your book sales, you are finally able to buy your dream house. And it has a special room just for Galaxy, your cat. Your proud friend invites you to speak at the school where she teaches. You tell her students to follow their dreams and to dream big. You also tell them that even broken dreams have value. You can always pick up the pieces and make a new one! That night you call her on the phone to thank her for reminding you to never stop dreaming. She says that is what friends are for. “Goodnight,” you say. “Goodnight,” she says. “Sweet dreams.”   And that brings us to the end of Words and Their Stories. I’m Anna Matteo teaching English for Voice of America. And you know, I wouldn’t dream of doing anything else. Anna Matteo wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly edited the story. The songs heard in this program are the Everly Brothers singing "All I Have to Do Is Dream" and Patsy Cline singing "Sweet Dreams." ______________________________________________________________ Words and Their Stories   romantic – adj. not realistic or practical : not based on what is real freak out – v. a wildly irrational reaction or spell of behavior cockpit – n. a space or compartment in a usually small vehicle (as a boat, airplane, or automobile) from which it is steered, piloted, or driven escort – v. to go with (someone or something) to give protection or guidance claustrophobia – n. abnormal dread of being in closed or narrow spaces opium – n.  a bitter brownish addictive narcotic drug that consists of the dried latex obtained from immature seed capsules of the opium poppy fantasy – n. the free play of creative imagination spectacular – adj. causing wonder and admiration : very impressive proud – adj. having or displaying excessive self-esteem

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Pakistan's New Army Chief Takes Command

General Qamar Javed Bajwa has taken command of Pakistan’s army, the sixth-largest in the world. The official change of command ceremony took place earlier this week near the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The former chief, General Raheel Sharif, called Bajwa a “strong decision maker” who faces a complex security situation. Many Pakistanis did not want Sharif to leave office. Some put up large street signs asking him to stay. Others launched a social media campaign with the hashtag “ThankyouRaheelSharif.” Many people believe Sharif improved security and reduced violence. They say he led the military to success against militants and extremists. But some people say he expanded the influence of the military and took control of some duties usually performed by civilian officials. In this way, they say, he quietly took power away from the government. In fact, Sharif at least once publicly criticized the government for not doing more to carry out the National Action Plan, created to fight terrorist violence. In his last public speech as army chief, he said that to deal with its problems -- including criminality and corruption -- Pakistan must enact the plan. Tens of thousands of Pakistanis have been killed in extremist violence over the past 10 years. A military operation launched in 2014 has greatly improved the security situation. But attacks continue, showing that extremists are still active in the country. The new army chief must also deal with increasing tensions with India. Indian and Pakistani troops often fire at one another across the Line of Control -- an unofficial border in the disputed Kashmir area. Bajwa formerly served as commander of the army unit which is responsible for areas around the Line of Control. Bajwa must also deal with problems on his country’s western border with Afghanistan. Relations between the two countries have worsened since last year, when tensions lessened. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wanted Pakistan to help negotiate a peace agreement with the Afghan Taliban. Pakistani officials said they tried to do so, but could not force the Taliban to if the militants did not want a deal. Afghanistan says Pakistan has continued its policy of supporting the Afghan Taliban, including giving the group’s supporters places to hide. Afghan leaders say the Pakistanis are doing this so they can keep some influence in Afghanistan and block Indian influence. But the most important issue for the new military chief might be easing tensions between Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership. Publicly, the two sides dispute reports of tensions. The military leaders say they support the constitution. But for months, some Pakistanis have worried that the military is plotting to remove the civilian leaders and take control of the country. Local media reports that some of the reasons General Bajwa was chosen as army chief is he does not seek attention and is not interested in political issues. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chose him even when other generals have served longer in the army. This has happened before. Earlier prime ministers have chosen less-senior generals because they believed they were not interested in removing the civilian government. But that has not always been the case. Years ago, then-Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto named General Zia ul-Haq over other, more experienced generals. But the general led a military rebellion against Bhutto and executed him. More recently, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif named General Pervez Musharraf as army chief. Musharraf ousted Sharif in 1999 and sent him into exile. Tensions between the civilian and military leadership increased in October after a Pakistani newspaper reported on an argument between the two sides at a national security meeting. Pakistani officials said the report was not true. But the newspaper said that it was. The daily English language paper, The Dawn, said the civilian leaders gave a warning to military officials at the meeting. They said that if the military did not stop supporting militants in Afghanistan and India, Pakistan would face international isolation. The military leadership was reportedly angry about the story. They reportedly believe a civilian gave information about the meeting to the newspaper. Investigators are trying to find out who leaked information to The Dawn. Whether General Bajwa continues the investigation with the same strength as the former army chief may show what kind of relationship he wants to have with Pakistan’s civilian leadership. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Ayeesha Tanzeem reported this story from Islamabad for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for Learning English. 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   senior – adj. higher in standing or rank than another person in the same position isolation – n. the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others; the condition of being isolated leak – v. to give (secret information) to someone so that it becomes known to the public

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Appeal for Next US President to Help Women in Business

  Before Americans knew who would become the next president, a group of business leaders sent a letter to the two main candidates. Elizabeth Gore wrote the letter, and 85 business leaders, both men and women, signed it. Gore serves an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Dell computer company. Her letter urges the next president to take steps that would make it easier for businesses owned by women to grow. The letter was called “What We Need to Succeed.” Gore noted that in the United States, women are starting new businesses twice as often as men, but their businesses too often fail. She thinks this is because women do not receive the same amount of financial support as men when their companies are launched. Also, she wrote, companies operated by men get more attention in the media. Gore and the business leaders who signed the letter offered a list of things the government could do to help women-owned businesses. Their suggestions include helping more women entrepreneurs get start-up loans. One way to do this is by offering incentives – motivation for banks or investors to make such loans. For example, cutting taxes on earnings from investments in women-owned businesses would make those companies more appealing to investors. Gore’s letter called on the new U.S. president to make it easy for businesses of all sizes to sell products and services in other countries. The letter went on to ask the new president to support changes in America’s education system. Gore wrote about the importance of  science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She said some young women do not get the support they need to study those subjects while in school. Actress Jessica Alba was one of the people who signed the letter. Alba started The Honest Company, which makes products without using dangerous chemicals. Another signatory was Melanie Whelan, who launched an exercise studio business called SoulCycle. Two other signatories are Steve Case, the founder of AOL, and Rhonda Vetere, the chief technology officer of Estee Lauder. The business leaders were not just appealing to the idea of equality between men and women. Gore noted a study that found the U.S. economy could grow by $30 billion if women were more actively involved. Gore told VOA “I always think about the venture funding gap, but there’s really a gap in the whole cycle.” Another study found that women-owned businesses grew faster than those owned by men in the 10 years ending in 2007. A U.S. Department of Commerce report showed these businesses added 500,000 jobs to the economy. Gore said there are many good social reasons to support women in business. But the most important reason is that it is good for business. “If [women] get access to capital, they outperform their male peers,” she said. “That is a good business bet, not just a social bet.” Gold told VOA recently that president-elect Donald Trump has yet to answer her letter. But she and some of the other signatories plan to visit Washington in February. They plan to meet with politicians and “explain why it’s critical for our country and the economy to be prioritizing the success of women entrepreneurs.” I’m Dan Friedell. Tina Trinh wrote this story for VOANews.com Dan Friedell adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Do you think more women will start businesses in the U.S. with Donald Trump as president? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   start-up – n. a new business capital – n. money, property, etc., that is used to start or operate a business critical – adj. extremely important prioritize – v. to make (something) the most important thing in a group venture – n. a new activity, project, business, etc., that typically involves risk attractive – adj. having a feature or quality that people like incentive – n. something that encourages a person to do something entrepreneur – n. a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money in-residence – n. having an official position as a writer, artist, etc., who has been chosen to live and work at a college or other institution for a period of time

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Majority of US Undergraduates Are ‘Nontraditional’

  There is a commonly held belief in the United States about the best path to a college education. Many Americans would say this path involves graduating from high school at age 17 or 18. Then, going off to university to live and study for just four years. And, at the end of that term, receiving a degree. But, that is not as usual a path as people might think. U.S. Department of Education research suggests that the majority of undergraduate college students take a less traditional approach. Carey Dwyer is an example. She graduated from high school in 2005 and began studying physical therapy at Temple University in Philadelphia. But, after her first year, she decided she wanted to study nursing instead. Dwyer moved back home and began seeking an associate’s degree at Montgomery College in Takoma Park, Maryland in 2006. However, medical issues forced her to take time off school. She started working full-time and going to school part-time. Dwyer faced several difficulties. But she says nothing was as hard as returning to school after she took the time off. In 2010, Dwyer completed her associate’s degree -- also called a two year degree. She was 24. Then, she joined the Army. Using the money she earned, Dwyer completed a bachelor’s degree at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina in 2015. Now married with three children, she says she does not mind that it took her almost ten years to complete her education. In the end, she says she only put in all the effort because she wanted to. "Ultimately, all that matters is that I got my degree done. I didn’t get it for anyone else. I did it for me, specifically, to follow my goals and my aspirations." Strayer University is a for-profit college with centers all over the country. Earlier this year, Strayer worked with the media company U.S News and World Report to create the 2016 College Experience Survey. The researchers gathered information from 1,000 U.S. undergraduate students. The study findings showed that 70 percent of the students questioned were “nontraditional.” But what does nontraditional mean? The Strayer report identifies nontraditional college students in several ways. A student who passes General Educational Development (GED) tests instead of earning a high school diploma is considered nontraditional. So is a student who works more than 35 hours a week, or studies part-time while seeking a bachelor’s degree. And, a student who was 25 years or older when they last took classes, or when they graduated, is also considered nontraditional. Information from the U.S. Department of Education suggests the nontraditional student population may be growing. In 2013 the department reported 29 percent of undergraduates were between 18 and 24 years old, studying full-time in four-year degree programs. Karl McDonnell is the chief executive office of Strayer Education, the company that owns Strayer University. McDonnell says there are so many nontraditional students now because many see education as the best way to reach new opportunities. But, he adds, nontraditional students also have much different needs.  "Over the last 5 to 10 years we’ve had a more challenging labor market. So as people try to find well-paying jobs and/or move up in their organization, a college degree is becoming more and more important -- you might even say essential. And the types of programs that higher education needs to pursue, they tend to be things that are flexible in nature." McDonnell notes that most of the students at Strayer University are nontraditional. They are often older people with years of work experience and families to raise. This means they need to be able to attend classes during the times that they are not working or caring for others, he says. McDonnell argues that most schools are much more concerned with their traditional students. Online courses like the ones Strayer offers are increasingly useful for nontraditional students, he says. But others suggest there is more schools need to do for nontraditional students than just offering classes over the internet. Eva Yuma is in the final year of her bachelor’s degree program at the University of Maryland (UMD). She also took a long path to get where she is now. Yuma took a year off from studies after graduating from high school. She then started seeking a degree in art history at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in 2009. More than two years later, she found she was unhappy and moved back to the U.S. In 2013, she returned to school and became a film major. Yuma says the most difficult part about going back to school was deciding to take on more debt to pay for her continuing education. But she also says her relationship to her school changed. For example, she says she does not seek new friends the way she did during her first few years of higher education. Yuma says she feels more professional than the traditional students. She believes she is less afraid to speak her mind. But Yuma argues UMD could do more to build connections between the nontraditional students. That way they could share their networks and experience. "There isn’t very much community for those students. I guess they assume that you already have an established community; you don’t need the undergrad experience like the other kids do." Yancey Gulley is an assistant professor for the higher education student affairs program at Western Carolina University. He has 15 years of experience as a college administrator. The educator says schools need to stop using the term “nontraditional.” He worries that the term could harm students. It may make some feel that their schools consider them less intelligent or less hardworking. "It really does say to them, ‘You are an exception. You shouldn’t belong here. You’re probably not going to be successful, but we’re gonna to let you give a good old try. Good luck to you.’ And that’s really demonizing students [that] walk around our campuses every day and take our classes." Gulley notes there are programs in place that are designed to support nontraditional students. For example, Fayetteville State University offers a program that opens a faster path to a nursing degree for people who already have nursing experience. The University of Maryland also works with a foundation to provide financial assistance to older students. But, Yancey Gulley says some schools may not realize they are failing to provide equal support to their students. The U.S. higher education system was designed for traditional students. Gulley says schools must make sure all their students can access all the same supports and services. I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. How do people in your country define traditional and nontraditional students? How do schools treat both? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   graduating – v. earning a degree or diploma from a school, college or university undergraduate – n. a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a degree associate’s degree - n. a degree that is given to a student who has completed two years of study at a junior college, college or university in the U.S. bachelor’s degree – n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university, usually after four years of study aspiration(s) – n. something that a person wants very much to achieve diploma – n. a document which shows that a person has finished a course of study or has graduated from a school challenging – adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable essential – adj. extremely important and necessary flexible – adj. easily changed online – adj. done over the Internet assume – v. to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true demonizing – v. trying to make someone or a group of people seem bad or wrong realize – v.  to understand or become aware of something

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English in a Minute: Sink Your Teeth Into

What do you want to sink your teeth into? This expression is not always about eating. Find out how to use this phrase in this week's English in a Minute!

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Report: Volunteer Who Dressed as Clown for Syrian Kids Killed

  A volunteer who helped entertain children in war-torn Syria reportedly has been killed. The man, 24-year-old Anas al-Basha, was center director for the group Space for Hope. It supports hundreds of children who lost parents in Syria’s civil war. The Associated Press reported Basha was killed in an air strike Tuesday in the northern city of Aleppo. Syrian rebels control eastern Aleppo, where an estimated 250,000 civilians are trapped. An estimated 100,000 of them are believed to be children. The rebels are fighting government forces, supported by Russia, that are trying to retake Aleppo. United Nations officials have said intense bombing in eastern Aleppo had left every neighborhood there unsafe. They said the fighting has “devastated” civilian living conditions. Attacks have also killed and wounded aid workers.    The Space for Hope supports 12 schools and four centers providing psychological and financial aid to children. Anas al-Basha helped lead these efforts. He also was known for dressing as a clown to try to cheer up the children and make them laugh. The Associated Press reported that Basha was killed in an air strike in the Mashhad neighborhood of eastern Aleppo. Many civilians, including Basha’s parents, had already fled the increasing attacks in the city. Basha’s brother Mahmoud wrote about the loss on his Facebook page. He said his brother remained in Aleppo to “help the civilians and give gifts for the children in the streets to bring hope for them.” He said Basha “lived to make children laugh and happy in the darkest, most dangerous place.” A co-worker of Basha told the AP she will remember him as a friend who loved his work with children. “He would act out skits for the children to break the walls between them,” she said. She noted that workers trying to help suffering children in Syria are currently “exhausted.” She said they are trying to stay strong so they can provide psychological support to young war victims. Anas al-Basha’s wife remains trapped in Aleppo. The two got married just two months ago. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on a report from the Associated Press. Caty Weaver 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 devastated – adj. completely destroyed psychological – adj. relating to the human mind and feelings clown – n. someone who dresses in funny clothes and has a painted face and makes people laugh seal – v. to close off to prevent people from entering or leaving skit – n. a short, funny performance  

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Thousands of Veterans to Join Dakota Pipeline Protest

  More than 2,000 U.S. military veterans are expected to join a protest at a camp in North Dakota. Thousands of activists have been protesting against a large oil pipeline project near a Native American reservation. A reservation is an area of land in the United States that is kept separate for Native Americans to live and govern. The protesters, who call themselves "water protectors," are concerned about drinking water on the reservation and downstream on the Missouri River. At the camp, activists are facing snow, storms and below-freezing temperatures. The veterans are part of a group called Veterans Stand for Standing Rock. They are building temporary housing and working with protesters. Protesters have spent months opposing plans to build the Dakota Access Pipeline beneath a lake near the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s reservation. The protesters say the $3.8-billion pipeline is a threat to water resources and holy Native American burial grounds. The veterans plan to form a human wall in front of police to protect protesters. Local police officers say they have made more than 525 arrests connected to the protest since August.  On November 21, police fired tear gas and large water cannons in below-freezing temperatures. They also fired rubber bullets. Some people were wounded. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s department said protesters had started fires on the bridge and other places that night. But protesters said they lit controlled fires for warmth. CNN reported that protesters also said police flares started fires in the grass. Protesters ordered to leave On Monday, North Dakora state officials ordered that activists leave the camp because of dangerous weather conditions. On Wednesday, however, officials also said they would not force the people to leave. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineeres controls the land where the protest is taking place. However, the protesters say the Standing Rock Sioux tribe owns the land under a treaty from the 1800s. On Thursday, North Dakota's chief law enforcement official called some of the protesters “frightening” and said it was "time for them to go home.” U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday said he supports the completion of the pipeline. Trump’s transition team also said he supports peaceful protests. Members of the North Dakota Veterans Coordinating Council condemned the involvement of veterans and asked them not to take part. North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple has said it was probably not possible to build the pipeline in a different place. But, he said he would try to rebuild a relationship with Standing Rock Sioux leaders. Dalrymple said that state officials never thought about forcibly removing protesters. He also said his order for them to leave was mostly because of concerns about extreme weather putting people in danger.​ The Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, LP, owns the 1,885-kilometer pipeline project. It is complete except for the part under protest.  I'm Alice Bryant.  And I'm Anne Ball.    Alice Bryant adapted this story for Learning English from Reuters. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   veteran - n. someone who fought in a war as a soldier, sailor, et cetera pipeline - n. a line of connected pipes that are used for carrying liquids and gases over a long distance downstream - adv. in the direction in which a stream, river, etc., flows water cannon - n. a machine that shoots a large, powerful stream of water and that is used by police to control violent crowds flare - n. a weapon that fires out a large flame – often used to attract attention attorney - n. lawyer; a person whose job is to guide and assist people in legal matters transition team - n. a group of people who manage the change between one system or administrative regime and another

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New Starbucks CEO to Take Over in 2017

  This is What’s Trending Today. The coffee company Starbucks said its chief executive officer, Howard Schultz, plans to leave his position in April of 2017. He will reportedly work on a new Starbucks brand. Schultz, 63, is credited with greatly expanding the company and its brand worldwide. He began working with Starbucks in 1982 as the operations and marketing director. At the time, Starbucks had just four coffee shops. All were in Seattle, Washington. Today, the company has 24,000 stores in 70 countries. Starbucks opened its first store outside of the U.S. in 1996 in Tokyo, Japan. Since then, Starbucks stores have opened in China, Dubai, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Mexico and many other places. Schultz was the company’s CEO from 1987 until 2000. He became the CEO again in 2008. Kevin Johnson will replace him. Johnson is currently the company’s chief operating officer and once worked with Microsoft. Schultz said that after he steps down, he will work to make a special Starbucks brand bigger. That brand is called Starbucks Reserve. It serves high-quality drinks. The coffee served in its cafes can be two times more expensive than regular Starbucks coffee. There are still very few Starbucks Reserve stores.  But, Starbucks reportedly plans to open many more of these cafes around the world in the near future. People reacted to the news of Schultz’s departure on social media. Some Twitter users had not heard of Starbucks Reserve stores before. One person wrote: “high-end coffee? Isn’t that what Starbucks is? If paying $3.16 for an iced medium coffee isn’t high-end, I don’t know what is.”  Another person wrote: “I’ll not purchase one $12 coffee in my lifetime.” Others on social media wondered if Schultz was considering running for president in 2020. He supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in the recent U.S. elections.  And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. What do you think of the Starbucks change? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   brand – n. a category of products that are all made by a particular company and all have a particular name chain –n. a group of businesses (such as stores, restaurants, or hotels) that have the same name and basic appearance and sell the same products or services high-end –adj. higher in price and of better quality than most others credit –v. to give honor or recognition to (someone or something) for doing something or for making something happen

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December 2, 2016

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

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