Lesson 43: Time for Plan B

Summary Anna lost her wallet and needs to go to her class. She is calling her friends to get help. Who will help her find money for the train? Speaking In this video, learn how to say the new words. Then learn about using modal verbs, like would and could, to ask for help politely. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about using informal pronunciation with "what are you" and "would you." Conversation Anna: Hey there! Tonight, I am teaching my ukulele class. It is far away. So, I am going to ride the Metro. Oh, no! I lost my wallet! It has my Metro card, my credit card and my money! Oh, no! Anna: It's times like this I remember my father’s important words. He said, “Anna, never … ” No wait, “Always have emergency money.” Anna: It's empty. Time for Plan B. ‘Extra Emergency Money.’ No! It's empty too! Anna, it's time for Plan C. Anna: Hi, Marsha! Marsha: Hi Anna. What’s up? Anna: I’m stuck downtown without any money. Would you be able to come downtown? Please? Marsha: Anna, I can’t. I’m too busy. I have to give a big presentation in one hour. Sorry! Anna: That's ok. Good luck with your presentation! Marsha: Thanks! Anna: Time for Plan D. Anna: Hi, Jonathan! How’s it going? Jonathan: Hey, Anna. Things are great. What’s up? Anna: Well, I was wondering if you could give me some money. Jonathan: What? Anna: See, I lost my wallet and I’m stuck downtown and I -- Jonathan: Anna, I wish I could. I'm at the airport with my mother. Her flight leaves in two hours. Anna: That’s okay. Tell your Mom to have a nice trip! Jonathan: I do wish I could help. Thanks. Anna: 'Bye. Anna: This is serious. Time for … Plan E. Ashley: Hello. Anna: Hi, Ashley! What are you doing? Ashley: Oh! Hi Anna! Anna: (Anna hears a child crying through the phone.) Ashley, I was wondering, uh, would you be able to come downtown? And could you give me $20? Ashley: Anna, I can’t. Anna: I’ll pay you back the money. I promise. Ashley: Anna, I’m not worried about the money. I’m babysitting. (off-camera to niece) That was very, very, bad! Anna: Well, losing your wallet is bad, but it's not the end of the world, Ashley. Ashley: I was talking to my niece, Anna. Anna: Well, thanks anyway, Ashley! Ashley: Good luck getting money. Anna: Good luck babysitting! Ashley: Thanks. Anna: Well, Plans A, B, C, D and E did not work. Think, Anna, think. Time for Plan F. Anna: (singing) Won't you give, could -- Thank you very much, sir! -- would you give me money, won't you give -- Thank you very much! -- could you give, won't you give me money -- until next time! -- won't you give me money? Writing In this lesson, Anna needs help from a friend. Did you ever have a problem that a friend helped you to solve? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using what you know to make polite requests and excuses. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Use What You Know. When we use what we know, we solve problems in communication by thinking of familiar words or structures, and trying to communicate with them. In this lesson, Anna learns that her friends cannot help her. She uses what she knows, playing the ukulele, to get the money she needs to ride on the train. Do you ever use what you know when you speak 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 airport - n. a place where aircraft land and take off and where there are buildings for passengers to wait in and for aircraft to be sheltered babysit - v. to take care of a child while the child's parents are away could - modal verb. used in speech to make a polite request or suggestion downtown - adv. to, toward, or in the main or central part of a city or town emergency - n. an unexpected and usually dangerous situation that calls for immediate action empty - adj. containing nothing flight - n. a journey on an airplane presentation - n. an activity in which someone shows, describes, or explains something to a group of people wallet - n.a small folding case that holds paper money or credit cards without - prep. not having or including (something) wonder- v. to have interest in knowing or learning something worried - adj. feeling or showing fear and concern because you think that something bad has happened or could happen would - modal verb. used to ask a polite question or to make a polite request, offer, or invitation ______________________________________________________________ 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 making polite requests. 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: Could; Would; Be able to; Have got to; Too + adjective Topics: Asking and telling about ability to do things; Review of Giving an Excuse; Expressing past & future ability or obligation Learning Strategy: Personalize Speaking & Pronunciation: Using modal verbs to make polite requests; Informal pronunciation of "what are you & would you" Please let us know what you think by answering the poll. ____________________________________________________________ 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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Women's March Goes Global

January 21, 2017 was to be the day of the Women's March on Washington. However, it became a global event when marches for women's rights were held in more that 670 cities around the world.

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Hundreds of Thousands Attend Women's March on Washington

  Hundreds of thousands of mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, parents and children, and groups of friends gathered January 21 for the Women’s March  on Washington. The protest was peaceful but not quiet. Similar marches took place across the United States and around the world. Demonstrators gathered in Tokyo and Chicago; Berlin and Sydney; Capetown and Los Angeles.       Organizers said more than 600 marches were planned worldwide. They took to the streets the day after U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration. His swearing-in ceremony Friday also drew hundreds of thousands of people to Washington. Organizers of the Women’s March on Washington said as many as 500,000 people filled the streets of D.C.   The crowd was so big that people could not march as a group to the White House as planned. Organizers told people to make their own way there. Crowds of people marched down several D.C. streets leading to the White House. In Chicago, organizers canceled the marching part of their event for safety reasons. The crowd had reached an estimated 150,000 people. Many traveled downtown to the march on the Washington Metro subway system. Metro officials estimated that it had had more than 470,000 riders by 1 p.m. on Saturday, the Washington Post reported.     One metro station became so crowded that the National Guard was told to stand by. On the trains and in the streets, demonstrators wore pointed pink hats and held handmade signs.   Their signs called for respect of women’s rights and human rights. Protesters said they hoped they sent Donald Trump a message on his first full day in office. Rose Malone came from San Francisco, California, and brought her daughter and granddaughters from Colorado. She says protesting is patriotic. “The tradition of standing up for those less fortunate. Give me your tired, your poor, that’s what America is about.” Victoria Bomberry also traveled across the country to be there. She marched with a group called Indigenous Women Rise.   They came from Oklahoma, Montana, Texas and California. They marched in  support of Native American rights and for the protection of natural resources in the United States. Protesters were calling for equal rights for women and minorities, affordable health care, abortion rights, rights for disabled people and for action on climate change.   Singers, writers and actors spoke to the crowd before the march, including America Ferrera. Her parents came to the U.S. from Honduras. She said it is a difficult time to be a woman and immigrant in this country. “Our dignity, our character, our rights have all been under attack. And a platform of hate and division assumed power yesterday.” Gloria Steinem is a long-time activist for women’s rights. She thanked the crowd for coming. "Thank you for understanding that sometimes we must put our bodies where our beliefs are. Sometimes pressing 'send' is not enough." Many men, husbands, brothers, sons and partners participated in the event, too. Scott Martin came from Delaware with his wife and daughter. He says Trump is “anti-rights.” He also says he hopes Trump will only be president for one term, and not two.   “We’re here to say you’re going to be out of here pretty soon. We’re not letting you get away with anything. If you do good, that’s fine, I’ll give you credit for that. But if you don’t, people need to know so that they can make up their mind in four years again." Firouzeh Stankovic of Bethesda, Maryland, came to the United States from Iran as a young child. Stankovic said she felt like an outsider in America last year, for the first time in her life. She said Trump’s call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States and for tougher immigration enforcement frightened her. “It makes you wonder what it is going to mean for me and my family,” she said. Stankovic said the march will send a message that many people are ready to fight against policies they consider harmful to immigrants and others in America. Sidney Walker came with a group of women from the College of William and Mary in the state of Virginia. She says the group wanted to stand together for women’s rights.   "It’s just important to out and let people know that we’re here and that we’re fighting and we’re not just going to sit back and take it.” Singer Alicia Keyes performed her song “This Girl is on Fire” at Saturday’s event. Many of the marchers said they felt fired up—or excited—about the gathering. How that energy and excitement may be turned into action is still unknown.   I’m Anne Ball.   Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English with material from Reuters, Associated Press and Bruce Alpert. Ashley Thompson and Caty Weaver were the editors.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   chant – v. to say (a word or phrase) many times in a rhythmic way usually loudly and with other people patriotic – adj. having or showing great love and support for your country abortion – n. a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy and cause the death of the fetus dignity – n. the quality of being worthy of honor or respect platform – n. something that allows someone to tell a large number of people about an idea, product, etc. tougher – adj. stricter or harder    

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'Predatory' Publications Put Expertise at Risk

  "Fake news" stories have been a major issue in recent months. Some Americans say fake news influenced the 2016 presidential election in the United States. Supporters of candidate Hillary Clinton claim the spread of such stories on social media cost her the election. And, a November 2016 study from Stanford University suggested young people have great difficulty identifying false claims from real ones. But social media and the internet are not the only providers of questionable information. College professors and students spend years researching subjects, hoping to share their information with others and push knowledge forward. Once they complete their research, they publish this information. Researchers usually seek out academic journals to publish their findings, or present them at conferences. A company called OMICS International is an online publisher of academic journals. Its website says OMICS International operates more than 700 journals, with help from over 50,000 experts. It says that OMICS organizes thousands of conferences around the world each year. Yet it is not clear on the site that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is taking legal action against OMICS. In August 2016, the FTC accused the publishing company of unlawful business activities. First, an FTC statement claimed the company lied to researchers about publishing costs. The government claimed OMICS let researchers submit their papers for free, then later demanded money. The FTC also claims the company has refused to remove papers from the website unless researchers paid. This prevented the researchers from publishing their findings in other journals. Additionally, the FTC claims OMICS falsely listed the names of guest speakers at its conferences. This, the FTC says, was in hope of getting other people to willingly pay the fee of $1,000 or more to attend. Srinubabu Gedela says he created OMICS in 2007 with the hope of freely sharing scientific knowledge with the world. OMICS International says it follows the open access model of publishing. This means anyone can read its publications free of charge. Gedela says FTC officials cannot charge him with anything unlawful because they mistakenly have him on record as a permanent U.S. resident. Gedela says he is a resident of India. He also argues the government is taking action in an attempt to stop the success of open access publishing. “All the [FTC accusations have] done [is a] matter of making [accusations] without any valid documentary evidence, just to kill the open access publishing,” he says. “Further, I understand that [the] FTC [is] working towards favoring some subscription-based journal publishers who are earning billions of dollars from scientists’ literature.” The traditional model of publishing academic journals is known as the subscription model. In this model, publishers cover costs and can also make a profit by charging a monthly or yearly fee. That way, researchers can offer their work free of charge. Also, a university library paying the fee then has use of the information in the journals. Jeffrey Beall says he has heard the argument of subscription-based publishers trying to kill open-access publishers before. Yet he does not believe it. Beall is an academic librarian at the University of Colorado in Denver. He has 26 years of experience in his field. Beall says there are many problems with journals like those OMICS publishes. He thinks the subscription model is better at identifying questionable journals and dealing with them in the best way possible. "If a journal performed poorly -- publishing low-quality articles -- or if it had other types of problems libraries would cancel their subscriptions because they didn’t want to pay for a low-quality journal. So, eventually enough libraries would cancel their subscriptions and the journal would go out of business." But what exactly makes a journal low-quality? For one thing, Beall says, low-quality journals abuse the needs of professors to publish. The more a researcher publishes, the more likely he or she will find a job with a college or university. Low-quality journals promise to publish if researchers are willing to pay, Beall says. And that is part of an even bigger problem. Beall notes the most important part of publishing research is the peer-review process. This is when experts in the same field, often having never met the researcher, examine the research for mistakes. This ensures the research is not only understandable, but also completely real, he says. But Beall argues low-quality journals are only interested in money from submission fees. To keep researchers submitting papers, these publishers often avoid the peer-review process. Or they choose experts without the necessary knowledge, he says. And they also lie about how many other academics read their journals. It is not always easy to tell which journals are legitimate -- following accepted rules -- and which are not. So in 2011, Beall began creating an online list of journals and other academic groups he calls predatory. The list was discontinued in early 2017. He admits his decisions to list a journal are based on his subjective opinion. But Beall says he uses many different ways to rate these journals. Often they offer a quick peer-review process, which he says is impossible. Another sign is a large number of spelling or grammar mistakes on a journal’s website. This can make it harder for researchers whose first language is not English to identify predatory journals, Beall says. Professor Peter Dreier notes that even legitimate journals and conferences have their problems. Dreier teaches politics at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. He says academic writing has become so complex that sometimes even fellow experts cannot understand it. This sometimes leads to peer-reviewers approving submissions they otherwise would not, simply because the writing appears scientific. To prove this, Dreier submitted a paper to a conference of the Society for Social Studies of Science held in 2010. Dreier says the submission he wrote was complete nonsense, and the conference accepted it. Dreier warns of two major dangers. He says it is the duty of researchers to increase knowledge in the world. But if they write in a way only other researchers understand, that knowledge will only help the highly-educated. Also, if journals knowingly publish bad research because they seek profit, the value of knowledge decreases. Dreier uses fake news as an example. He says in the past people trusted the established news media. But as more fake news is published, people stop believing things they see or hear in the news. And people must understand that some things are real and some are not, he says. "The very idea of expertise is in question if people don’t trust that there are people that are willing to tell the truth about what’s happening in the world -- not just politicians but scientists. If they don’t trust them because their ideas have been undermined by the pursuit of profit, then it’s very difficult for society to move forward and make progress." I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. What kinds of academic publishers and organizations are in your country? How do researchers know if these publishers and organizations are legitimate or not? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fake – adj. not true or real academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education journal(s) – n. a magazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group of people submit – v. to give a document, proposal or piece of writing to someone so that it can be considered or approved subscription – n. an agreement that you make with a company to get a publication or service regularly and that you usually pay for in advance library – n. a place where books, magazines, and other materials, such as videos and musical recordings, are available for people to use or borrow peer-review – n. a process by which a academic work, such as a paper or a research proposal, is checked by a group of experts in the same field to make sure it meets the necessary standards before it is published or accepted ensure(s) – v. to make something sure, certain or safe predatory – adj. wrongly harming or using others for pleasure or profit subjective – adj. based on feelings or opinions  undermine(d) – v. to make someone or something weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way

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What Does It Mean to Be Stumped?

  And now the VOA Learning English program, Words and Their Stories. Every word has its own story. What does it mean? Where did it come from? And how did it get into our language? There are many stories of early settlers of America: the people who moved westward and opened up new territory. Many of these settlers were farmers who wanted a new home, a piece of land, some crops and cattle. So, they moved west, cutting their way through difficult terrain, searching for a good place to live and farm. When they found it, they took out their axes and cut down trees. This was hard work. One of the hardest tasks was pulling up tree stumps from the ground. And that’s our word today -- “stump.” A tree stump is the part of a tree that remains in the ground after the tree is cut down. Stumps can also be the part of something such as a pencil that remains after the rest has been worn away. Tree stumps gave these early American farmers big problems. Some stumps were so big that farmers had to use two or three horses to pull them out. Stumps became part of life and part of the language. If someone asked a settler if they had cleared the land, they might answer: “Nope. I’m still stumped.” This means they did not know how to get rid of the tree stumps from the ground. And today, this meaning of the word is the same. To be stumped is to not know what to do or say. You are confused. You are blocked. During the early days of America, the trees fell fast. The stumps remained for years. Sometimes they became part of the landscape. Some writers even wrote stories about tree stumps. One day in 1716, a visitor named Ann Maury left the east coast to visit a so-called “stump town” in the west. “I went into the middle of the town,” she wrote. “And there, right in the center, surrounded by wooden buildings, was the great stump of a tree. I asked why this stump had not been pulled up. ‘Oh, we just never thought of it,’ was the answer. ‘Besides,’ the townspeople explained, ‘whenever one of the two chiefs has something to say, he stands upon this stump and is raised higher than the others. In this way, he can be heard better.’” When George Washington became commander of all the colonial troops in 1775, he supposedly used stumps to talk to his troops. In time, anyone who stood on a stump and spoke to the people became a “stump speaker.” As we know, politicians like to speak to crowds. So, it wasn’t long before “stump” entered politics. Presidential candidates travel all over the country to explain their positions on issues to voters and try to win their support. Jon Favreau was a speechwriter for President Barack Obama. He explained in an ABC news video that a stump speech is a candidate’s “argument” for why he or she should be elected. The speechwriter says that stump speeches contain everything a voter needs to know about where a candidate stands on issues important to that campaign. He says that stump speeches are useful “campaign tools that they (politicians) can use on the road.” They can simply reuse the same speech over and over or change it a little to fit each audience. We also use “stump” as a verb. The Online Etymology Dictionary defines “stump” as to "go on a speaking tour during a political campaign." The site says that usage began in 1838. These days, politicians are “stumping” when they go into their same old speech that they have given over and over and over again. So, it is no surprise that “stumping” used this way is often not a good thing. And that is the end of Words and Their Stories. If this story has left you feeling stumped, write us a comment. We will help you figure it out! I’m Anna Matteo. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Stories   stump – n. the basal portion of a bodily part remaining after the rest is removed terrain – n. a geographic area  :  a piece of land  :  the physical features of a tract of land axe – n. a cutting tool that consists of a heavy edged head fixed to a handle with the edge parallel to the handle and that is used especially for felling trees and chopping and splitting wood

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Google Inspires Entrepreneurs Around the World

  In the late 1990s, Google was just a start-up company operating out of a garage in Palo Alto, California. Co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin started the company while studying at Stanford University. Google’s founders and its employees, then, understand some of the challenges that entrepreneurs around the world may face. An entrepreneur is a person who starts a business. They must be willing to risk financial loss in order to make money. Mary Grove is the director of a program called Google for Entrepreneurs. She said, “It’s never been easier, in some ways, to start a company and your audience has never had the potential to be more global.” Grove said Google wants to help new start-up businesses grow and be successful. Google for Entrepreneurs has opened campuses around the world, in cities like London, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Warsaw, Tel Aviv and Seoul. Entrepreneurs in each city can use Google’s buildings without paying. Google provides them with workspaces and meeting spaces. Entrepreneurs can work with each other and learn from people who are more experienced in business. Yeram Kwon is the head of a company in South Korea. Her business is called I.M. Lab. It makes a product that helps people learn to perform the lifesaving technique called CPR. She said she has learned how to solve some of her business’s problems by attending Google events in Seoul. Hilla Brenner is an experienced entrepreneur in Tel Aviv, Israel. She started two companies. She also invests in other companies and mentors people trying to start businesses. She was nine months pregnant when one of her businesses received a $5 million investment. When her baby was born, she took time off from work, but still wanted to be involved in business. Brenner told Google there should be a program for new mothers who want to learn about business while on maternity leave. So Google created Campus for Moms, a nine-week program for new mothers who are interested in starting their own businesses. Campus for Moms started in Tel Aviv. It is now available at other locations around the world. New parents can bring their children with them to the meetings. Outside of its own buildings in these cities, Google provides financial support and resources for partner organizations around the world. Building partnerships is a way for Google to spread the idea of entrepreneurialism around the world. Google can use its network to help find people who want to invest in start-up businesses. Those people need to be ready to take risks. That is something Kwon said makes some Koreans uncomfortable. “Most Korean people think that it is much safer to work for big companies like Samsung and LG,” she said. But, Kwon said the Korean government and technology companies are now supporting people willing to take business risks. Google for Entrepreneurs says it has connected with over 300,000 entrepreneurs in 140 countries. Together, they have raised $1.8 billion and helped create more than 20,000 jobs. I'm Jill Robbins. And Phil Dierking.   Elizabeth Lee wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Do you feel comfortable taking risks in business? 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 entrepreneur – n. a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money potential – n. capable of becoming real campus – n. the area and buildings around a university, college, school, etc. technique – n. a way of doing something by using special knowledge or skill mentor – n. someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person maternity leave – n. time away from for a new mother network – n. a group of people or organizations that are closely connected and that work with each other  

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Chinese Billionaire Does Not See China-US Trade War

The head of China’s largest online seller Alibaba does not think China and the United States will have a trade war despite comments from the Trump administration. Jack Ma is the chairman of the Alibaba Group. At the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, he said, “China and (the) U.S. will never have a trade war. Give Trump some time. He’s open-minded, he’s listening.” The Chinese billionaire said he would do all he could to prevent trade relations between the countries from getting worse. Last week, Ma met with Trump at the Trump Tower in New York City. The Chinese billionaire is said to have discussed a plan to permit one million small U.S. businesses to sell goods on Alibaba’s online shopping platform. During the campaign and after winning the presidential election, Trump strongly criticized the Chinese government’s support for its businesses. He blamed unfair trade policies for taking away U.S. jobs. And he said that China unfairly controls the exchange value of its currency, the yuan. Trump also has threatened to place import taxes on goods from China and other countries in response to their trade policies. According to the South China Morning Post, Ma said, “American international companies made millions and millions of dollars from globalization.” He added that the U.S. should not blame the loss of jobs and companies on globalization. Group says American businesses in China concerned However, a new study by an American business group says many U.S. businesses feel unwelcome in China. The companies say the cost of doing business in China is increasing. They add that rules and regulations are unclear or not enforced in a consistent way. The American Chamber of Commerce in China led the study, which looked at responses from 462 companies. William Zarit is chairman of the chamber. He says trade policies in China make it difficult for American companies. He says, “we feel that over the last few years that we’ve been taken advantage of to some extent, with our open market and the lack of open areas in the Chinese market.” Another major concern for U.S. companies in China is fake products. Fake products are copies of the originals that cost businesses with the legal right to sell them millions of dollars each year. Ma defended Alibaba’s efforts to fight fake products on its shopping platform. He said his company is doing all it can to fight the problem. “Fighting against fake products is a war against human greediness,” Ma said. I’m Mario Ritter.   Bill Ide reported the story on American businesses in China. Mario Ritter adapted it with additional materials from Reuters and other news sources. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. What do you think of globalization and U.S.-China trade. Tell us in the comment section. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   despite –prep. without being prevented by platform –n. a computer program that is used for a specific purpose, such as choosing and selling products consistent –adj. not changing, happening in the same way globalization –n. the process of making the trade of goods and services equivalent in all nations originals –n. not a copy, the real or true product

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English in a Minute: Freebie

"Freebies" are, as you might have guessed, items given out for free! Learn more about how to use this word in this week's English in a Minute!

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English in a Minute: Slippery Slope

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In Photos: Women's March around the World

Hundreds of thousands of women in the United States and around the world are marching on Jan. 21 to send a message to President Donald Trump on his first full day in office that women’s rights are human rights. Protesters are calling for racial and gender equality, affordable health care and abortion rights - issues they fear will be under threat during the Trump presidency.

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The Inauguration of Donald J. Trump

On January 20th, Donald Trump was inaugurated to become the 45th president of the United States. Learning English takes us through the day with the new and former presidents.

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