U.N. Asks for Record $22 Billion to Aid World's Needy

  The United Nations, or U.N., is asking for $22.2 billion dollars to provide life-saving help for nearly 93 million people worldwide. The U.N. made the request on Monday to international donors. The request says the donations would go to helping the most vulnerable people in 33 countries. U.N. officials say the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II. They say more than 128 million people are in need of urgent support. The people are said to be victims of conflict, displacement and natural disasters. Of this number, U.N. officials are requesting money to help the individuals most severely in need of life-saving assistance.  Stephen O’Brien is the U.N.’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. He says the donations will make a big difference in the lives of tens of millions of people. O’Brien said the money will be used for life-saving food assistance to people close to starvation in areas including the Lake Chad Basin and South Sudan. The donations will also help people in other countries. “It will provide protection for the most vulnerable people in Syria, in Iraq, and in Yemen. And, it will enable children, education for children whose schooling is disrupted by El Niño among many other responses.”  The crisis in Syria is the United Nations' biggest humanitarian concern. The U.N. plans to help nearly 13 million Syrians who are displaced within the country or living as refugees in neighboring countries.  O’Brien says humanitarian assistance is only a temporary solution. He told VOA that a political solution is the only thing that will end the suffering in Syria. He noted that the Syrian conflict is more than five years old. “Humanitarians can do no more than fill the gaps of people who either need food or shelter or medicines or treatments or evacuation or who need access to water and sanitation and hygiene and other non-food items in order simply to survive.”  In addition to Syria, U.N. officials said that Yemen, South Sudan and Nigeria are among the countries with the greatest humanitarian needs. They have had large displacements of people inside and outside their borders. The United Nations noted that about 1.2 million people have fled South Sudan, making this the biggest refugee movement in Africa. Eighty percent of those who fled are women and children. I’m Alice Bryant. Lisa Schlein wrote this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted her story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vulnerable - adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally disrupt - v. to cause something to be unable to continue in the normal way El Niño ​- n. a flow of unusually warm water along the western coast of South America that causes many changes in weather in other places gap - n. a space between two people or things evacuation - n. to remove someone from a dangerous place sanitation - n. the process of keeping places free from dirt, infection, and disease by removing waste, trash and garbage hygiene - n. the things that you do to keep yourself and your surroundings clean in order to maintain good health

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Independent Defeats Populist in Austrian Presidential Election

  Austria has elected Independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen as president. The former Green Party leader defeated Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer. Van der Bellen captured 53.3 percent of the vote, compared to 46.7 percent for Hofer. The results do not include absentee ballots but officials say there are too few of those to change the outcome. Van der Bellen supports Austrian membership in the European Union. He called his victory a “signal of hope and change” to “all the capitals of the European Union.” In  contrast, Hofer spoke out against EU attempts to get too much control over individual states. He threatened to call a referendum on whether Austria should leave the EU. He also took a strong anti-immigration position during his campaign. Experts partly link Hofer’s rise in popularity to immigration policies. Many people are concerned about the current migrant crisis in Europe. Tens of thousands of migrants have sought asylum in Austria in the past few years.  Many of Hofer’s followers are young men. They include members of Austria’s so-called Identity movement, which opposes multiculturalism. The movement is growing, adding groups in countries across Western Europe. Hofer’s loss is seen as a setback to such populist movements in Europe.  Hofer told reporters that although he lost, he will keep up efforts to make sure the Austrians who voted for him are not ignored. “We are not done,” he told VOA. “I will fight for the next elections.” Political experts say the election of Donald Trump in the United States heavily influenced politics in Austria and other EU nations. Trump campaigned on strong immigration enforcement and criticized European policies on migrants. I’m Caty Weaver.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Jamie Dettmer and Luis Ramirez of VOA News and 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   referendum – n. a direct vote in which people cast ballots to decide on a specific issue or policy multiculturalism – n. the belief that different cultures within a society should all be given the same importance  setback – n. a problem that makes something happen later or more slowly than it should populist – adj. related to policies that supposedly represent the opinions of ordinary people

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Pipeline Protesters Cheer In North Dakota

  This is What’s Trending Today.   The United States Army Corps of Engineers has denied a permit that would be needed to complete a major oil pipeline under the Missouri River. The announcement on Sunday ended a tense situation between the U.S. government and several thousand people. They had set up a protest camp on federal land in North Dakota. For months, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe has been leading demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline project. The tribe says the pipeline would affect its drinking water supply and destroy its holy places. The Corps of Engineers is responsible for studying and approving permits for all water crossings nationwide. In North Dakota, protesters are celebrating the federal agency’s decision. Many people who followed the story on social media also are celebrating. They posted articles and videos about the news on social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. “North Dakota,” “Dakota Access Pipeline” and “Army Corps of Engineers” were all trending topics on Sunday and Monday. Some news media produced videos of tribe members cheering when they heard the news. Corry Westbrook is an environmental activist in Florida. She called the agency’s decision “great and wonderful news” in her Facebook post. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted that the protesters “showed the importance of standing together against injustice.” Members of the tribe started protesting in late July after the Corps of Engineers approved the final land easements and crossing of the Missouri River. The river feeds a nearby, man-made lake, which is used to collect drinking water. The pipeline is designed to bring oil over 1,800 kilometers from western North Dakota to oil processing centers in southern Illinois. The Army Corps of Engineers controls the land along the way close to the tribe’s reservation. The crowd of protesters grew over time. At one point, protesters fought with police who tried to break up the crowd by firing tear gas, rubber bullets and a water cannon. Even with the arrival of cold weather, the number of protesters grew. They were joined last week by thousands of U.S. military veterans who offered their support by building temporary shelters. The Corps of Engineers said on Sunday it will work with Energy Transfer, the company responsible for building the pipeline, to find another way to cross the lake. But Energy Transfer said the decision is only a delay and it plans to finish the project without changing the direction of the pipeline. That means some of the protesters will be back. Many people warned that work on the pipeline could begin again in early 2017 once Donald Trump is sworn-in as president. A Trump aide says the president-elect will “support construction” of the pipeline and will consider the project once in office. 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 the decision by the Army Corps of Engineers? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   trend – n. something that is currently popular or fashionable injustice – n. lack of justice reservation – n. public land set aside for a special purpose construction – n. the act of building something; putting several pieces together

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To Fight Malaria, Bed Nets Are the Most Important Weapon

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. United Nations researchers are reporting progress in the fight against the disease malaria. The researchers confirm that malaria-carrying mosquitoes are becoming more resistant to insecticide products. But they note that another way to guard against the insects -- chemically-treated bed nets -- still provides a lot of protection against the disease. The researchers reported on a five-year-long study. The findings were released at a meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in Atlanta, Georgia. A parasite called plasmodium is responsible for the spread of malaria. Mosquitoes infected with plasmodium pass the disease to human beings through mosquito bites. The parasites reproduce in the human liver, and then infect red blood cells. After they enter the blood cells, they reproduce again. As they do this, they destroy the cells. Signs of the disease appear in victims 10 to 15 days after they are bitten. People with malaria develop a high body temperature. They also can become weak, are unable to hold down food and suffer pain in the head or muscles. If not treated, malaria can make the victim sick and even cause death. The U.N.’s World Health Organization carried out the study on malaria infection in five countries: Benin, Cameroon, Kenya, Sudan and India. The U.N. agency received financing from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. WHO teams examined the effectiveness of long-lasting nets treated with insect-killing chemicals. Tessa Knox, a WHO scientist, was one of the researchers. She says the result of the study was positive. It showed that “the long-lasting nets that are being used all throughout sub-Saharan Africa are still working.” She says that finding showed that there needs to be an increase in the supply of nets. And she adds, health workers should “make sure that everybody who’s living in at-risk areas is sleeping under a net and using the net correctly.” Mosquitoes have developed a resistance to the chemicals in the bed nets. But Dr. Knox says the netting still can offer protection against the disease. “So a mosquito could land on a net and, while it wouldn’t die immediately, what it would do is continue to search on the net for holes so that it can penetrate and go underneath and bite the person beneath the net. In the process of searching on the net, it contacts the net’s surface and absorbs insecticide. And as it absorbs that insecticide, it would eventually take on a lethal dose, which would kill that mosquito. So even if they don’t die immediately, the searching process would mean that eventually they may die.” Dr. Knox says there is an “urgent need for new and improved malaria-fighting tools.” But she says until they are developed and deployed, officials believe the insecticidal nets will continue to be the main way malaria is prevented. As part of the study, researchers in Sudan covered the walls of homes with an insecticide made from chemicals that differed from those used in bed nets. They say that step reduced infections by an additional 50 percent, compared with using only long-lasting insecticidal nets. Dr. Knox says the insecticides used to kill malaria-carrying mosquitoes should not cause health problems for people. “All of the chemicals that are being applied broadly across sub-Saharan Africa have been through a very strict safety testing to get the WHO recommendation that would allow their usage. So there aren’t any concerns that the current insecticides that (manufacturers) have been using in the nets, nor are there concerns that the sprays that are being used on the wall, if they’re being used in the correct way.” The World Health Organization says long-lasting insecticidal nets are one of the most important parts of malaria control efforts in African countries south of the Sahara Desert. That part of the continent has 90 percent of the world’s malaria infections. The WHO says availability of the nets in the area rose from two percent in 2000 to 53 percent in 2015. I’m Anna Matteo.   VOA’s Joe de Capua reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his 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   insecticide – n. a chemical substance that is used to kill insects net – n. a device that is used for catching or holding things or for keeping things out of a space and that is made of pieces of string, rope, wire, etc., woven together with spaces in between; a net that is placed over something (such as a bed) in order to keep out mosquitoes absorb – v. to take in (something, such as a liquid) in a natural or gradual way lethal – adj. causing or able to cause death apply – v. to put or spread (something) on a surface, a part of the body, etc.

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December 5, 2016

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

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US Air Force Faces Shortage of Fighter Jet Mechanics

  The United States Air Force has a shortage of mechanics to provide support for its fighter airplanes. VOA recently reported that the Air Force has 725 fighter pilots less than the 3,500 it is permitted to have. It is training about 135 more fighter pilots this year than in 2014. But it will be a long time before they are ready for action. Pilots must train for years -- at a cost of millions of dollars -- before they have enough experience to fly fighter jets. The fighter pilot shortage is happening at a time when private airline companies are adding pilots. Private airlines pay more and their pilots spend less time away from home. Two Air Force generals told VOA that the military is still able to meet the demands for fighter jet support. But they added that unless more pilots choose a career in the Air Force, the service will soon be unable to meet the demands of top commanders. They warn that this could possibly affect both U.S. troops and civilians. But even if the Air Force can train and keep jet fighter pilots, it must have enough mechanics to maintain the jets. And right now it has a shortage of more than 3,000 of these maintainers. Mechanics at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in the state of Virginia have much work to do. They help keep F-22 Raptor jets flying. They also work on the T-38 Talon -- a jet that is about 50 years old and must often be repaired. This Air Force fighter pilot says the mechanics work hard. “Maybe once a day to once every other day we’ll bring back a jet that needs, has some kind of issue that needs to get fixed by our maintenance before it can get launched back up. So even at night when we’re not flying, they’re workin' on the planes and making sure that they’re ready to go for the next day.” This senior airman is one of the mechanics. “We all understand that the whole ‘(do) more with less’ is, is happening, but I mean it, regardless, jets have to fly. So we’re gonna make it happen, but yeah there's, there’s definitely pain in that process.” Air Force Lieutenant General John Cooper works on ways to train and keep pilots and mechanics. “We were livin', you know, on the edge with our maintainers for a long time, but we were able to accomplish the mission.” Now, General Cooper says budget cuts have made his job much harder. But he says the Air Force has begun enlisting and training new fighter jet mechanics. And he says if the budget does not get smaller, the shortage will end in 2021. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise. VOA Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her 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   mechanic – n. a person who repairs machines (such as engines) and keeps them running properly maintain – v. to keep (something) in good condition by making repairs, correcting problems, etc. living on the edge – expression very close to something such as success or failure accomplish – v. to succeed in doing (something) mission – n. a specific military or naval task  

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Supercharged Plants May Mean More Crop Production

  One day, “supercharged plants” may help feed people around the world. Supercharged plants are ones that grow faster than normal plant life. Scientists can speed up the growth by modifying, or changing, the structure of plants’ genes. The modifications make them react quickly to changes in light.  This all has to do with photosynthesis, the process in which plants turn sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into food. Steve Long is a plant biologist with the University of Illinois. "Arguably, photosynthesis is the most important process on our planet. It is the driving force behind all of life." Plants grow fastest in the sun. That is when they make the most food for themselves. But their rate of growth can slow when things like clouds or trees block sunlight. But when the sun returns, it can take many minutes for growth to speed up again. This can be a problem because it means some of our most important crop plants are not as productive as they could be. Researchers say demand for food is expected to increase up to 70 percent by the middle of the century. They also note rising temperatures on Earth’s surface. That is why they are looking for ways to improve photosynthesis and make plants more productive. Steve Long wanted to find a way to help plants get back up to speed quickly after a period of darkness. So he and his team added genes that shortened the recovery time. It also increased the speed at which the plants grew. His modified plants grew up to 20 percent more than untreated ones. "This finding, where we've just made one modification that has boosted crop yield, is really a boost to the whole area, because everyone else working on photosynthesis can now see that if we can improve photosynthetic efficiency in crops, we will get more yield." In Long's study, his group used a form of genetic engineering called transgenics. It means taking genes from one plant, then putting them into another. There is a scientific debate about whether transgenics is a good idea or not. The findings were published in the journal Science. Why is it important for plants to be efficient at making their food? Some of our most important crop plants are ones that are not very efficient at photosynthesis. Matthew Reynolds knows this. He is with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known as CIMMYT.  Reynolds was not involved in the research. He spoke to VOA on Skype. "Population is growing so fast, climate change is affecting negatively predictions of productivity, and so we're kind of forced to push our crops to the limit." His group studies how plants reproduce naturally. But he says that Long’s work of increasing plant growth is “a very big deal.”  He says the experimental use of transgenics is a start. "A transgenic event can prove a proof of concept so we can start looking for natural variation as well." Reynolds says the increased rates of production noted by Long's team are impressive. He has some hope about the process. But he also has questions. "What is the downside? Why have the plants not done that before? And we always ask those questions when we see something that looks a bit too good to be true..." Long's group worked with tobacco plants because they are easy to study. Now they are experimenting with rice, soybeans, cowpeas, and cassava – four important food crops. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided money for the study. The organization says any new technology approved from this research will be made freely available to farmers in Africa and South Asia. I’m Anne Ball. Steve Baragona reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted his report for Learning English with additional information from Reuters. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. And find us on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   modify – v. to change some parts while not changing other parts photosynthesis – n. the process plants use to make food using sunlight, carbon dioxide and water yield – n.  the amount of something produced by a plant or farm efficiency – n. the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time or energy transgenics – n. biotechnology that involves producing plants, animals or foods into which genes from another species have been incorporated impressive – adj. deserving attention, admiration or respect

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Clothing Designer from Malawi Targets Overseas Markets

  Lilly Alfonso is one of the top fashion designers in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. Alfonso has shown her creations at fashion shows in London, Paris and Amsterdam. Her clothes are now being sold at stores in South Africa. She is using individuals in Britain and the United States to sell her products in those countries. Lilly Alfonso hopes her creations will be sold throughout the world within five years. When a VOA reporter went to see the designer, she was on the telephone. “They (are) wanting 32, 34, 35, 36, 38, so I will send you the sizes right away after this…” Alfonso says she has loved the world of fashion since she was six years old. “Every time I, I look(ed) at any cloth that is there for me, quickly I would want to change to what I like. Pretty much, I would cut a hand, or make it short. I would be almost half-naked most of the time. I used to get into trouble...” She opened her own tailoring business. And in 2010 she was named best designer at a fashion show in Lilongwe. “So that motivated me more to say ‘Everything is possible.’ The person who invented the car, even the plane, he had to start with a dream. What would stop me?” Her business is growing. Alfonso employs 30 people in her fashion design center. She buys some of the material she uses in her clothing from disabled weavers in Malawi. She also offers free training to young designers, like student Mphatso Chilaga. “Now I’m having this experience, how to draw models -- really like (in a) professional way, how models are supposed to be drawn, how prints are drawn and printed, how you can study material, how you can determine a color on a person by comparing with their complexion if it would suit them or not.” But her success has brought problems. She says she must now deal with people who are copying her designs. I’m John Russell.   Lameck Masina reported this story from Lilongwe, Malawi. 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   fashion – n. the business of creating and selling clothes in new styles naked – adj. not wearing any clothes; not covered by clothing tailor – v. to make (clothing that is measured to fit a particular person) motivate – v. to give (someone) a reason for doing something fabric – n. woven or knitted material; cloth weave – v. to make something (such as cloth) by crossing threads or other long pieces of material over and under each other complexion – n. the color or appearance of the skin especially on the face suit – v. to be attractive on (someone)  

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Africans’ Demand for Democracy Declines

  A report about a new public opinion survey shows that a ten-year-long period of Africans demanding democracy has recently ended, and such demands have been declining since then in the 16 countries the survey has regularly examined. The report is called Do Africans Still Want Democracy? It was written by Afrobarometer, an African, non-partisan research network. Researchers spoke with people in 36 African nations about their political beliefs. Robert Mattes wrote the report. He is a political studies professor and the director of the Democracy in Africa research group at the University of Cape Town. He is also a visiting scholar at Princeton University. He says he wanted to know if Africans want to live in a democracy or if they prefer military rule, one-party rule or a strong man who does not have to worry about elections and legislators. The survey found overall support for democracy was 46 percent. “…and that is a significant downturn from our last surveys -- which we did in 2013, 2014 -- in which support for democracy in Africa, or demand for democracy, had reached a high point of 51 percent.” Mattes says the survey found that the more educated people are, the more likely they are to support democracy. “They use new media at high rates (and) they engage with the political process. And they often have a more procedural view of democracy -- they learned about it in school as elections, about legislatures, about representation, about rights and liberties.” Mattes says people support a democracy only if it helps them economically and politically. And he says support for democracy depends upon elections being free and fair. “…where elections are seen by people as completely aboveboard and with a high level of public integrity, demand has maintained or even increased. But where large (a) large percentage of the people have doubts about the integrity of the election, demand for democracy has dropped precipitously.” Professor Mattes says a country’s political system can be harmed if a political party refuses to accept the results of an election. The survey found the demand for democracy is higher in urban areas and among those with a high school or university education. Middle-class business people and professionals and those who work in offices also had a higher level of support for democracy. “That is the group we think have been rising in Africa over the last five to 10 years with the sustained growth that many countries had. People with a job are much more likely to support democracy than people who are partially employed or unemployed.” The report notes that Africa is far more democratic than it used to be. It says “more than half of all Africans today live in functioning multiparty electoral democracies that are demonstrably freer than were the military or one-party regimes that previously dominated the continent.” I’m Marsha James. VOA Correspondent Joe de Capua reported this story from Washington. 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   downturn – n. a situation in which something (such as business or economic activity) decreases or becomes worse (usually singular) engage with – phrasal verb  to give serious attention to (someone or something) procedural – adj. describing a series of actions that are done in a certain way or order; an established or accepted way of doing something aboveboard – adj. open, honest and legal integrity – n. the quality of being honest and fair precipitous – adj. happening in a very quick and sudden way sustain – v. to provide what is needed for (something or someone) to exist, continue, etc. regime – n. a form of government

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Everyday Grammar: Separable Phrasal Verbs

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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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