English in a Minute: Get off on the Wrong (or Right!) Foot

It is a new year. We hope it begins well for you! If it does not, you may say you are "getting off on the wrong foot."

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Top Photos of the Year 2016 - Human Interest

A gander at the greatest photos that grabbed our interest in 2016.

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Israel-U.S. Relations Stretched Over Issue of Settlements

  The United States and Israel have exchanged criticism over the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. On December 23, the Obama administration allowed the United Nations to pass a resolution that declared Israel’s growing settlements in the occupied territories illegal. Until that vote, the Obama administration had blocked resolutions criticizing Israel by using its veto power in the UN Security Council. Days later, on December 28, Obama’s secretary of state, John Kerry, gave a speech in support of what is known as a two-state solution for the area. Kerry started the speech by saying the U.S. remains committed to Israel’s security. He criticized Palestinian leaders for not doing more to stop terrorist attacks on Israel. But he said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had supported a policy on the settlements “driven by the most extreme elements in his country.” By settlements, Kerry meant Israeli efforts to build new housing in the West Bank. Israeli leaders say religious history and security concerns justify the housing. Palestinian leaders and many world leaders consider Israel’s West Bank developments as a barrier to a peace deal. Such a deal would give the Palestinians their own state in exchange for lasting peace with Israel. In his speech, Kerry said, “Let’s be clear: Settlement expansion has nothing to do with Israel's security. Many settlements actually increase the security burden on the Israeli Defense Forces.” He said the Israeli settler movement ignores the “legitimate” hopes of the Palestinian people for their own state. Republican Donald Trump replaces Democrat Barack Obama as U.S. president on January 20. In a post on the social media site Twitter, he suggested the Obama administration’s Israeli policy will not continue. “We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect. They used to have a great friend in the U.S., but not anymore.” He added:  “January 20th is fast approaching.” Trump recently named lawyer David Friedman as his U.S. ambassador to Israel. Friedman has been a strong supporter of Israel’s settlement movement. Obama and Netanyahu have not had a friendly relationship for much of Obama’s eight-year presidency. Netanyahu took the unusual step of delivering a speech critical of the U.S. president to the U.S. Congress in 2015. The speech criticized the nuclear deal the Obama administration and leaders of other nations were about to sign with Iran. Netanyahu Delivers Speech Responding to Kerry Netanyahu gave his own speech one day after Kerry’s. He was critical of Kerry and the Obama administration. “What he (Kerry) did was to spend most of his speech blaming Israel for the lack of peace by passionately condemning a policy of enabling Jews to live in their historic homeland and in their eternal capital, Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said. He accused Kerry of not doing enough in his speech to discuss the “campaign of terrorism” by Palestinians against Israel over a long period of time. Kerry, in his speech, said the Obama administration has been Israel’s “greatest friend and supporter.” He said he and the president have continually spoken out against terrorism against Israel. But he said the U.S. had no choice but to criticize the growing Israeli settlements that, he said, threaten a two-state peace agreement. He said the number of Israeli settlers on the West Bank increased by 100,000 since Obama became president. “Now, one thing we do know: if Israel goes down the one-state path, it will never have true peace with the rest of the Arab world, and I can say that with certainty,” Kerry said. In defending his criticism of a U.S. ally, Kerry said: “Friends need to tell each other the hard truths.” I’m Bruce Alpert. VOA News reported on this story. Bruce Alpert adapted the story for Learning English and did additional reporting. 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   commit - v. to say someone will definitely do something justify - v. to provide a good reason for doing something burden - n. someone or something that is very difficult to accept, do, or deal with legitimate - adj. allowed or understandable passionately - adv. having, showing, or expressing strong emotions or beliefs enable - v. to make someone able to do or to be something eternal - adj. lasting forever

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Mystery at The Ice Castle Inn: The End

  And now the VOA Learning English program, Words and Their Stories. This week we finish the three-part story “Mystery at The Ice Castle Inn.” You will learn not only the ending of the mystery but also more English expressions that deal with cold. At the end of part two, our four travelers had gone on a treasure hunt. They followed clues and searched the castle. But as they gather by the fire to tell what they found, no one is happy. What they found are not treasures at all. The actress, Sylvia, is deeply disturbed by a pink baby’s rattle. A framed termination letter unnerves teacher Madeline. A white wedding veil angers Vincent, the handsome athlete. Major Jack is saddened by a military medal. As each person looks at their so-called treasure, they hear a terrifying sound from the room above. They all break out in a cold sweat. They are so scared they cannot speak -- well, all but one. The housekeeper remains as cool as a cucumber. They wonder why she is able to stay so calm while they are scared to death. The housekeeper tells them to not move. She will investigate. As they listen to her footsteps traveling up the massive staircase, Sylvia asks, “Shouldn’t one of us go with her? What if it is a wild animal?” Vincent says, “I am staying right here by the fire and drink my wine. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”  The teacher suggests they use furniture to block the door in case the creature, whatever it is, is dangerous. Major Jack suggests they each find something to use as a weapon. Time passes. Finally, Sylvia speaks. “Someone needs to check on the housekeeper,” she says. The actress goes the door. But when she tries the knob, it will not turn! She runs to a window and pulls up. But it does not move. She cries out. “We are not only snowed in --- we are locked in!” Everyone stops cold. They stop immediately. “You can’t snow us, Sylvia,” yells Vincent. “And why would you try to fool us, anyway?” He hurries to the door but finds it is, indeed, locked. The others run to the windows but none will open. Major Jack finally loses his cool and yells at the group. “Why are we here?! What is going on?” “Look, everyone just chill out,” Madeline says, using her poor classroom discipline skills to try to calm the group. Then, she explains why she is at The Ice Castle Inn. “I was invited,” she says. “That’s why I'm here. The plane ticket, room, food -- everything was free!” The others look at each other in shock. They all received identical invitations. Each guest comes to the same realization at once: they are victims of a trick.  “Getting us all together here in this castle – it is one big snow job,” says Major Jack. Sylvia agrees, “Yes, but who is trying to snow us? Who invited us?” Just then, the door to the room creaks open. The four guests stare as the housekeeper walks into the room. She has returned from investigating the upstairs. “I invited you,” she says. “You? You?! You’re just a housekeeper,” says Madeline. She eyes them each, coldly. “No, I’m not just the housekeeper. My name is Crystal Castle. The Ice Castle Inn is mine. And now, I’d like you to meet my daughter, my adopted daughter, Hope.” A young woman enters. She is very thin and her straight, blond hair is messy. But her face – it’s like an angel’s. She wears a silky white nightgown and robe. They look costly. But her feet are bare. Her body twitches and her eyes move nervously around the room. She doesn’t speak. Vincent drops his wine glass. He is suddenly stone cold sober, as he says, “Hope? Is that you?” Madeline, is now standing next to Vincent. “It can’t be. Hope? I haven’t seen you in years.”  “You haven’t seen her in exactly 5 years.” says Crystal. Sylvia and Major Jack do not recognize Hope. They are only more confused. “Was she the one who made that terrible noise? Is she … mad? I mean, is she crazy?” asks the major. Crystal, no longer the housekeeper, yells at them, “Hope is as pure as the driven snow! She is good and kind. But yes, she is mad. And you four people in this room drove her to madness! That is why you are here!” It is now the middle of the night. Crystal let’s everything out in the open. She explains how each person in that room contributed to her beloved girl’s insanity. “I’ll start with you, Vincent. You and Hope were engaged. But on the wedding day, you broke your promise to marry her, leaving her stranded at the church!” Vincent says nervously, “I got cold feet! I was nervous and changed my mind at the last minute.” He picks up the white wedding veil from the floor and holds it tightly. “If you must know, it was the worst mistake of my life. I’ve never been the same. I’ve never been happy. I was happy with Hope. But I was too young to marry.” He sinks into the chair. He looks deep into the fire, his mind trapped in the mistake of years past. “You may think you know me but you don’t know anything about me,” he says, his voice filled with regret. “I know a lot about you, Vincent,” Crystal says. She knows, for example, that Vincent’s wealth and status come entirely from his wife’s family. She also knows that he was married before and never got divorced. “Which means,” she continues, “that you are not legally married to your rich wife. What will happen if I tell her and her family?” “I would lose it all,” he says, “my wealth, home, social position. But, I don’t care. Tell them. I don’t care about anything. Life without Hope has been a cold and lonely place. I bet you didn’t know that.” Outside the storm is easing. The wind blows lighter and the snow has stopped. And, Hope has changed ever so slightly. She puts on a pair of slippers and moves toward the fireplace. Standing over Vincent, she lays a hand on his head. And then she speaks. “It is okay, Vincent. We were very young.” They are Hope’s first words in many months. The young man can’t bring himself to look at Hope. He simply holds tighter to her wedding veil. Crystal moves to her daughter, hugs her tightly and puts a coat over her shoulders. Then, she redirects her frigid stare to Madeline. The teacher looks down at the framed letter in her hands. “You don’t need to speak, Crystal. I can explain this myself,” Madeline says. She says she and Hope worked at the same school. At first, they were best friends. Hope was very talented, beautiful and kind. Everyone liked her very much. Over time, Madeline became very jealous. “I tried to freeze her out as much as possible. I gave Hope the cold shoulder. I tried my best to leave her out of things. But that didn’t work. So, I stole money from the school and made it look like Hope did it. She was fired immediately.” Crystal answers with anger. “You destroyed her career and her reputation!” “Crystal, you should check again,” Madeline says. “Several teachers investigated the theft knowing their beloved Hope would not steal. They suspected I was to blame for the situation. But, they couldn’t find any evidence against me so they couldn’t fire me.” “But, my career has been in a deep freeze ever since,” Madeline continues. "My students hate me, the other teachers hate me and I hate my job. And I’ve never had another friend like Hope.” As she says this she throws the framed termination letter across the room.   Hope says in a calm, clear voice, “It will all be okay. Listen … outside … the storm has stopped.” The actress, Sylvia, suddenly feels an unexpected and strong feeling for this strange, quiet young woman. Then she asks Crystal how she is connected to Hope. Crystal says with an icy tone in her voice, “Why, Sylvia, Hope is your daughter.” With that news, Sylvia passes out cold. When she wakes up, the others learn why the actress so often holds her gold locket close to her heart. In the locket are pictures of a baby girl and a baby boy – babies she gave up for adoption. “I was young and alone,” Sylvia explains. “I was poor and snowed under so many unpaid bills that I could barely breathe. I didn’t know what to do with two babies. But I have thought of them every day since. But how did you come to adopt them?” Crystal says she was a young doctoral student assigned to the orphanage. She took care of the brother and sister. When a rich relative died, she inherited a fortune and The Ice Castle Inn. So, she adopted the two babies and raised them as her own. As Crystal talks of raising two wonderful children, the actress holds the locket to her chest. It was Crystal’s plan all along to expose Sylvia’s history. She thought that people would stop seeing her films if they knew she had given up her own children to further her career. But she now realizes that that is not true.   Crystal also realizes she was wrong and feels, quite unexpectedly, ashamed. She doesn’t feel any better when Sylvia looks down at her locket and asks, “Where is my son?” “This is where the major comes into the story,” Crystal says hesitantly. Major Jack says that he does not know this young woman. Crystals agrees with him. “That’s right. You don’t,” she says. “But you did know her brother – her only brother. They were so close growing up. They were more like best friends than brother and sister. His name was Lieutenant Justice Castle.” Major Jack’s blood turns to ice. Yes, he knows the name Justice Castle very well. “Justice was a soldier under my command – one of the finest soldiers I have ever met. We were on a peace keeping mission and weren’t supposed to see any fighting. But I got my information wrong. I sent his squad into a dangerous area.” The major has a difficult time continuing. His voice breaks as he speaks and his eyes fill with tears. “Justice was killed in action because of my mistake. But I lied on official reports. I blamed him for misreading a map. This has haunted me ever since. Before coming on this trip, I told my superiors the truth about what happened that day. When I return, I will probably be court-martialed. And I deserve it.” Crystal turns off a recording device. She had planned to say, “And now I have recorded your statement, Major.” She had planned to say, “Now, I have the proof I need to ruin you too.” But her plans are not necessary now. He is already a ruined man. Vincent is the next to speak. “Do you mean to tell us, that for the past several years you have been collecting information on us, planning this whole trip just to get even with us?” Crystal stares at the empty faces of the group and says, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” “What does that mean, mother?” asks Hope as she moves to Crystal’s side. “It means,” she explains, “that I have waited a long time to get my revenge. And that just makes my revenge feel even better.” “But revenge won’t bring back Justice, will it.” “No, it won’t, my dear.” Crystal collapses into a chair, tired from the years of planning and hating. She has waited so long to get her revenge for her daughter but now it is cold comfort. The revenge has offered her none of the reward she thought it would. “Oh, look! The sun is coming up!” Hope says happily. “And what’s that on the horizon?” The group are shocked to hear the sounds of a helicopter approaching. “Look mother!” says Hope. “A helicopter is landing on the big lawn! How beautiful the day is going to be.” She looks reborn, renewed.  “Yes, I think it will be,” says Crystal Castle. “Let’s get our bags and leave this cold place. How would you like to spend the rest of the winter on a tropical island?” “That sounds lovely,” Hope says as the color returns to her cheeks. “But what about the others? I hope they will be alright. I hope.” A helicopter is not the only sound they hear. A snow plow is slowly working its way up the long drive to The Ice Castle Inn. It won’t be long before Vincent, Madeline, Sylvia and Major Jack will be able to leave the inn and return to their normal lives. Or will they? Will their lives ever be normal again? Will any of them ever be the same ever again? And so ends “Mystery at The Ice Castle Inn.” I’m Anna Matteo. Anna Matteo wrote “Mystery at The Ice Castle Inn.” Kelly Jean Kelly, Ashley Thompson and Caty Weaver edited the three parts. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story disturb – v. to worry or upset (someone) obvious – adj. easy for the mind to understand or recognize stranded – v. to leave (a person or animal) in a place without a way of leaving it identical – adj. being the same twitch – v. to make a slight, sudden movement that is not controlled or deliberate insanity – n.  severe mental illness : the condition of being insane regret  – n.  to feel sad or sorry about (something that you did or did not do) frigid – adj. very cold : not friendly or loving : lacking emotional warmth inherited – v. to receive (money, property, etc.) from someone when that person dies fortune – n. a very large amount of money — usually singular lullaby – n.  a song used to help a child fall asleep revenge – n. he act of doing something to hurt someone because that person did something that hurt you ashamed – adj.  feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace hesitantly – adv.  slow to act or proceed haunt – v. to keep coming back to the mind of (someone) especially in a way that makes the person sad or upset : haunted – adj. court-martial – v. to present evidence against (someone) in a military court : to put (someone) on trial in a military court tropical – adj. of, relating to, occurring in, or used in the tropics  

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Student Newspapers at U.S. Colleges Face Pressure

  Freedom of the press is one of the most valued rights protected under the United States Constitution. Among other things, the constitution’s First Amendment bars creation of any law limiting freedom of speech, or of the press. American colleges and universities have a long history of producing journalists for the country’s news media. And many of them get their start by working at their college’s student newspaper. These student reporters write about many subjects, from school sports to local events. But a new report suggests that some newspapers publishing stories critical of their colleges are under attack. Who or what is threatening these publications? The report claims school administrators are to blame. The report is called “Threats to the Independence of Student Media.” It is a joint project of four groups: the American Association of University Professors, the College Media Association, the National Coalition against Censorship, and the Student Press Law Center. All four organizations say they support academic freedom in higher education. Released in December, their report lists actions that college and university administrators have taken because of critical stories in student newspapers. For example, the University of Kansas reduced financial support for its student newspaper after the student government voted to do so in April 2015. The paper’s student editors then took a university administrator to court. They claimed the vote was retaliation for a 2014 story critical of the student government election process. Finally, the student government agreed to give the newspaper its full funding. The report also lists actions taken against advisors to student-operated newspapers. In the U.S., almost every student newspaper has an individual with journalism experience guiding the reporters. Cheryl Reed was one example. Northern Michigan University (NMU) asked Reed to serve as its student media advisor for the school’s newspaper, The North Wind, in 2014. The university also made her a professor of investigative journalism because she has years of experience in the field. However, it was not long before Reed and her student journalists began to experience problems. In fall 2014, school officials decided to close a popular, independent coffee shop on campus. The school then replaced it with a Starbucks owned by a former NMU student. The newspaper began to investigate the issue and requested copies of the Starbucks contract. The school first refused before eventually agreeing. Next, the paper requested copies of emails between administrators discussing the activities of The North Wind. As NMU is a public university, these emails were public record. However, the school tried to charge the newspaper for use of the information. At this point, the publication board that governs the newspaper became involved. The board’s members voted against paying for the emails. The student journalists then went to social media. The attention that followed led to the school releasing the documents free of charge. But the problems did not end there. The newspaper published several stories critical of Northern Michigan University. This included reports about sexual assault and payments for travel costs made to one of the school’s trustees. Then, in April 2015, the newspaper board, made up of students, NMU officials, teachers and community members, voted to remove Reed as the advisor. She and a student editor then took four of the board’s student members and an NMU representative to court. They argued the board violated their free-speech rights because of the critical stories. During the court case, one student board member made a sworn statement against NMU. She said the board’s administrative representative met with her individually. She said this meeting was designed to persuade her to vote against paying for access to the emails. She also believed the representative influenced other students so they would vote to remove Reed. Yet, the judge decided there was no violation of constitutional rights. Reed has since left NMU for personal reasons. Also, she fears that many administrators are more concerned with the school’s image than education. Administrators see colleges more and more as a business, and that in itself is a threat to student journalism, she says. "There’s this conflict between how administrators want to sell their campuses … and how student journalists see their role in all of this in terms of their trying to report about their campus from a journalistic means. And that means … How does the campus do business? … How safe are these campuses? … These are all major issues for students. And that’s what the journalists are trying to do, cover them in a way that is responsible but also as any journalist would." Derek Hall is the assistant vice-president of communications at NMU. He denies the board’s action was retaliation or that the administration has power over them. He says the board made its decision for several reasons. This includes concerns about the accuracy of some stories in the newspaper. But Hall was unable to provide VOA with direct examples of the board expressing these concerns to the paper. And he says he has some regrets about the experience. "I’m not going to rationalize much of anything that happened there. It was a lot of petty back and forth … A lot of mistakes were made on both sides." The report on college media lists several other examples of similar actions taken against advisors at other universities. Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, says the problem seems to be growing. LoMonte notes that 40 years ago, students and parents would be shocked at the actions of these university administrations. But, now young people worry much more about bad reputations reducing the value of their college degrees. "What seems to be different is that colleges have recognized they can get away with very open and undisguised acts of retaliation because their communities accept that protecting the reputation of the institution is a legitimate use of authority." LoMonte says students worry that if their school’s public image is damaged, they will be less likely to find employment. Also, administrators warn students against speaking out, he says. If they do, they risk losing their school’s support in finding a job. Chris Evans is with the College Media Association. He says student journalists can play an important role. Many newspapers around the world have reduced their work force greatly in recent years. And an American research group, the Brookings Institute, reported just 1.4 percent of news stories were about education in 2009. Evans says universities need journalists to criticize them and make sure they are doing the job of educating as best they can. If few news organizations are reporting on education, students must produce education-related stories. But, he notes, schools must let students learn the correct skills to become the best possible journalists. "Good journalism involves questioning authority, not getting permission from authority to publish something.  We develop these habits when we’re young. We develop them in high school and then we take them on to college if we are able to go to college, and then out into the newsroom. And … that’s what perpetuates our democracy, in theory." In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court decided high school administrators could control their student newspapers however they like. That is why Evans, LoMonte and Reed all support passing legislation called “New Voices” laws. These measures are designed to protect high school and college student journalists from administrative control. At least 10 U.S. states now have “New Voices” laws. Evans says as more administrators take business-minded attitudes, this is the best way to protect the next generation of journalists. I’m Pete Musto. Pete Musto reported on this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Does your university have a student-run newspaper? How much control does your school’s administration have over what the newspaper reports? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   journalist(s) – n. a person whose job is collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education editor(s) – n. a person whose job is to prepare something written to be published or used retaliation – n. something bad done to someone who has hurt you or treated you badly campus – n. the area and buildings around a university, college or school board – n. a group of people who manage or direct a company or organization trustee(s) – n. a member of a group that manages the money of an organization accuracy – n. freedom from mistake or error rationalize – v. to think about or describe something, such as bad behavior, in a way that explains it and makes it seem correct petty – adj. relating to things that are not very important or serious reputation(s) – n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something legitimate – adj. permitted as directed or required by rules or laws perpetuate(s) – v. to cause something to continue

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A Look Back at the 2016 US Presidential Race

In 2016, Americans voted for a new president. The result was a surprise to many people. Learning English takes a look back at what happened along the way in this unusual election year.

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US Soldier Who Helped Stop Killing of Unarmed Vietnamese Villagers Dies

  American Larry Colburn, who became famous for his actions during the Vietnam War, died earlier this month. He was 67 years old. Lisa Colburn, his wife of 31 years, told the Associated Press that Colburn died three months after they learned he had cancer. “He was a very peaceful man who had a great desire for there to be a peaceful world,” she said. Lawrence Colburn joined the United States military during the Vietnam War. The U.S. government supported South Vietnam in its battle against North Vietnam and its allies. Colburn was the last surviving member of an army helicopter crew that halted the killing of hundreds of Vietnamese civilians by American soldiers. The incident took place in the village of My Lai on March 16, 1968. It is now called the My Lai massacre. The three-man crew had been sent to the village to try to find enemy soldiers. Instead, they found murdered, unarmed civilians and U.S. soldiers who were prepared to kill more villagers. Hugh Thompson, the pilot, landed the helicopter between villagers who were still alive and troops who were planning to shoot them. Thompson told Colburn and the other crew member, Glenn Andreotta, to prepare to shoot the Americans if they tried to kill the civilians. Colburn and Andreotta agreed. In 2006, Colburn told the Democracy Now radio program that the helicopter crew saw troops walking toward about 10 villagers who were hiding in a bunker. He said the crew “decided that if we didn’t do something within the next 30 seconds, these people would die. So (Thompson) landed the aircraft in between the advancing American troops” and the villagers. Thompson spoke to the leader of the soldiers “and asked him how we could get these people out of the bunker. They were obviously civilians. And the lieutenant replied he’d get them out with hand grenades. Mr. Thompson, who was outranked by this lieutenant, actually gave the lieutenant an order, told him to keep his people in place. He had a better idea, and I think he told him, ‘If you fire on these people when I’m getting them out of the bunker, my people will fire on you.’” An Army investigation later found that the soldiers had begun killing the villagers without warning. Before the helicopter crew was able to stop the killing, 504 civilians -- mostly women, children and old people -- were dead. Trent Angers wrote a biography about Thompson called “The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story.” He said that Colburn “stood up, shoulder to shoulder with Hugh and Glenn, to oppose and stand down against those who were committing crimes against humanity. Without his assistance, Hugh might not have done what he did.” Many years after the incident, Colburn and Thompson were given the U.S. Army’s Soldier’s Medal. It is the U.S. military’s highest award for bravery not involving conflict with the enemy. Glenn Andreotta was killed in battle three weeks after the My Lai shootings. Hugh Thompson died in 2006. In 2008, 40 years after the My Lai massacre, Larry Colburn returned to the village. He met Do Ba, whose life Colburn had saved on that day.  Charles Pierce wrote on Esquire.com that Colburn’s actions are “one of the more astonishing displays of courage of which I’ve ever heard.” He wrote that Colburn’s funeral should “be on national television. Children (should) read about him in school. There (should) be memorials on the National Mall and at West Point.” I’m Jonathan Evans. The New York Times and the Associated Press reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the reports 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 bunker – n. a strong building that is mostly below ground and that is used to keep people, soldiers, weapons, etc., safe from attacks grenade – n. a small bomb that is designed to be thrown by someone or shot from a rifle outrank – v. to have a higher rank or position than (someone) shoulder to shoulder – expression united together to achieve a shared goal astonishing – adj. causing a feeling of great surprise or wonder National Mall – n. an area in Washington, DC where there are many monuments and memorials West Point – n. town in New York where the United States Military Academy is located. The USMA trains young men and women to be military officers.

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A National Park for the Father of Parks

  The U.S. National Park Service has been celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016. Woodrow Wilson, America’s 28th president, established the National Park Service in 1916 to “protect the wild and wonderful landscapes” in the United States. But it is an earlier leader who is considered the father of the America’s national parks. In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt, America’s 26th president, signed the American Antiquities Act. The law permitted him – and future presidents - to take immediate action to protect important cultural or natural resources. The Antiquities Act led to the creation of many of the 413 sites within the National Park Service today. No president has played a bigger role in protecting the country’s natural and cultural resources than Theodore Roosevelt. During his time in office, he established five new national parks and 18 national monuments. In all, he protected over 93 million hectares of public land. He became known as “the conservationist president.” Roosevelt’s concern for the land and environment came from the time he spent in the Dakota Territory, beginning in the 1880s. The area where he traveled is now the state of North Dakota. Today, you will find a national park there named in his honor. The park protects badlands, wildlife, [and] scenic views, as well as two ranches where Roosevelt himself once lived.  Welcome to Theodore Roosevelt National Park! Theodore Roosevelt came to Dakota Territory in September 1883. He was a young, married man from New York, where his political career was just beginning. He came to Dakota in hopes of hunting huge animals called bison. He also had a great interest in the Western frontier lifestyle. Roosevelt soon developed an interest in raising cattle. Cattle ranching in Dakota was a big business in the 1880s. Cattle fed on the land’s healthful grasses. He and a partner entered the business. Roosevelt invested $14,000 to build the Maltese Cross Ranch. Roosevelt returned to New York while workers constructed the ranch. He resumed his political duties in Albany, the state capital. But, in early 1884, he experienced two great personal losses. His mother and wife died of illnesses on the same day, February 14. Roosevelt described the pain and loss in his diary with only one sentence: “The light has gone out of my life.” Roosevelt again headed west in the summer of 1884. He sought to escape the reminders of his recent losses. He arrived at his newly built Maltese Cross Ranch. He also decided to build a second ranch in a quieter, more remote area. He called that ranch Elkhorn. Roosevelt traveled between New York and Dakota, working both as a state lawmaker and a cattle rancher. In late 1884, he helped form an organization in Dakota to help protect ranchers’ rights. In 1885, Roosevelt published his first book about his experiences as a rancher and hunter. In it, he predicted that the cattle industry of the Dakota Badlands was not sustainable. In other words, it would not last. Roosevelt was right. Severe weather struck the area in 1886 and 1887. In the winter, a terrible freeze killed many cattle. The animals that survived the cold soon starved. Roosevelt himself lost over half of his cattle. He decided to get out of the business. The experience, however, shaped Roosevelt’s beliefs about the need for conservation in America. Those beliefs, in turn, helped shape his policies as president. Visiting the park Visitors to Theodore Roosevelt National Park today can experience the badlands just as Roosevelt did hundreds of years ago. They can also visit the Maltese Cross Cabin as well as the Elkhorn Ranch area. The park has three main areas -- the South Unit, the North Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. In the South Unit, visitors can drive along the Scenic Loop road. It offers many places to see wildlife and the surrounding badlands. Badlands are very dry places with little vegetation. Wind and water shape badlands, mainly through erosion. The process leaves behind high, flat-topped hills of clay and other soft rock. Many visitors stop to look at Painted Canyon. It gets its name from the colorful exposed rocks there. Trails near the canyon offer visitors a chance to see animals, from the huge American bison to small black-tailed prairie dogs. These animals are not really dogs. They are rodents. Roosevelt described prairie dogs as the “most noisy and inquisitive animals imaginable.” The North Unit also offers several hiking trails. Some paths are short and easy. Others may take two days to complete. The Achenbach trail is a 28-kilometer-long path. It crosses the Little Missouri River and takes visitors into the heart of the Theodore Roosevelt wilderness. The third area of the park is the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. This is what Roosevelt described as his “home ranch.” He wrote of the ranch in this way: “My home ranch-house stands on the river brink. From the low, long veranda, shaded by leafy cotton-woods, one looks across sand bars and shallows to a strip of meadowland, behind which rises a line of sheer cliffs and grassy plateaus.” Today, the Elkhorn cabin itself no longer stands. Visitors will find only stone rocks where the cabin once was. The area that surrounds Elkhorn, however, is among the most beautiful, wild and quiet places in the badlands of North Dakota. It is this peace and beauty that appealed to Roosevelt after the deaths of his mother and wife. But the Dakota badlands did more than just help Roosevelt overcome his pain. They helped shape the kind of president he would later become. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt himself, "I would not have been president had it not been for my experience in North Dakota."   I’m Ashley Thompson. And I’m John Russell.   Ashley Thompson wrote this story with materials from the National Park Service. Caty Weaver was the editor.   Editor's Note: Each week in 2016, VOA Learning English has been exploring some of the many sites within the National Park Service. While this is the final week of our America's National Parks series, we will continue to write about this topic in the future! Let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions.  _______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   badlands - n. a region in the U.S. where weather has worn away rocks into strange shapes and where there are very few plants ranch - n. a large farm especially in the U.S. where animals (such as cattle, horses, and sheep) are raised cabin - n. a small, simple house made of wood frontier - n. a distant area where few people live sustainable - adj. able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed erosion - n. the gradual destruction of something by natural forces (such as water, wind, or ice) conservation - n. the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources​ inquisitive - adj. having a desire to know or learn more veranda - n. a long, open structure on the outside of a building that has a roof strip - n. a long, narrow piece of something sheer - adj. almost straight up and down plateaus - n. a large flat area of land that is higher than other areas of land that surround it

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December 30, 2016

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

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Russia’s President: No Expulsions to Answer US Punishments

  Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he has decided not to expel American diplomats from his country. Russia’s foreign minister had suggested expelling United States diplomats and other measures to answer U.S. sanctions against Russia. On Thursday, President Barack Obama ordered 35 Russians to be expelled from the United States and other measures. The moves came after U.S. intelligence agencies said Russia hacked Democratic Party computers and released stolen emails. The agencies said this was done to interfere with the U.S. presidential election. Putin said Russia “has reasons” to take action against the U.S. But he said he will wait to “plan out further steps” based on the policies of the incoming administration. Republican Donald Trump will replace Democrat Barack Obama as president on January 20. The Russian officials were ordered to leave the country within 72 hours. In addition, Obama ordered the closing of two Russian properties inside the U.S.  He also ordered sanctions against nine Russian individuals, companies and agencies, including the Russian intelligence service. “All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions,” Obama said in a statement. He said the “theft” of computer emails and other data, and their release through WikiLeaks, were done to “interfere” with the 2016 U.S. election. A senior Obama administration official said the United States believes Russia “will continue to interfere” with elections in other countries” and in future U.S. elections. Trump also released a statement after Obama’s announcement. He said, “It's time for our country to move on to bigger and better things.” Trump added: “Nevertheless, in the interest of our country and its great people, I will meet with leaders of the intelligence community next week in order to be updated on the facts of this situation." When Trump becomes president, he could move to cancel the sanctions ordered by Obama. But he might find opposition from Republicans in Congress who have called for punishments against Putin and his government. Putin’s decision not to take action against the new U.S. sanctions came as a surprise. Just hours before Putin’s announcement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested Russia would remove 31 American diplomats and take other action. Putin said he decided against any actions -- for now. “The Russian diplomats returning home will spend the New Year holidays with their relatives and dear ones,” Putin said in a statement. “We will not create problems for U.S. diplomats. We will not expel anybody.” Putin said he is inviting all children of U.S. diplomats to holiday parties at the Kremlin. Dmitry Trenin is director of the Carnegie Moscow Center. Trenin said Putin’s decision not to act against the U.S. sanctions appears to be an “investment” in the possibility of better relations with President-elect Donald Trump. Trenin made his comment on Twitter. I’m Jonathan Evans. Daniel Schearf reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English and did additional reporting. 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 sanctions –n. diplomatic or economic measures taken against a country to punish it for actions considered wrong or illegal hacking - n. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, cause damage further - adj. additional alarm - v. to be worried theft - n. the act or crime of stealing nevertheless - adv. in spite of what has just been said

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'A Princess of Mars,' by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Part One

American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote about a man's journey from Earth to Mars and the world of strange beings he met there.

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