You Can Use the Simple Past Tense to Make Polite Offers

  Imagine you are at a café in the United States. The server walks toward you and asks the following question: Did you want cream for your coffee? You might ask yourself how you should answer. What is the server talking about? Why did the server use a past tense construction, "Did you want?" Why did the server not say "Do you want cream for your coffee?" In today's Everyday Grammar, we will try to solve a mystery: why do some Americans use the past tense when they are talking about the present? Simple Past Tense The simple past tense is used for actions or situations that happened in the past. These actions or situations are finished. For example, you might hear a person say, "Did you have a good weekend?" When they ask this question, they are using the past tense construction, "Did you have…", and they are clearly discussing a recent weekend that is now finished. They might ask such a question when they see you on Monday or Tuesday – when you are back at work or school, for example. The traditional use of the simple past tense is this: to note complete actions or situations in the past. This definition is true most of the time in English conversation. Simple Past Tense with "want" and "need" However, there are exceptions. For example, in conversation, Americans often use the simple past tense of the verbs want or need even though they are asking a question about the present. Let’s go back to the American café. You might hear a conversation such as this: Server: Did you want cream for your coffee? Customer: No thanks! Server: Did you need more water? Customer: Yes, please! In the conversation, the server uses the simple past tense when asking questions. It would be grammatically correct to say "Do you want cream for your coffee” or "Do you need more water?" So, why did the server use the simple past tense instead of the present tense? Culture and Grammar Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber are grammar experts. They say that different cultures have different rules about politeness. In American culture, it is often considered polite to speak indirectly. One way some Americans speak indirectly, Conrad and Biber say, is by using a past tense verb when asking about a present desire. Americans do this by using the construction did + want and did + need. Even close friends may use this polite form with each other. When they are asking about what another person wants to do, some Americans say, "Did you want to go to the concert?" instead of "Do you want to go to the concert?" However, speakers do not answer such questions in the simple past tense. The answer usually comes in the verb forms that you would expect -- a simple present, present progressive or future tense verb, for example. Consider one of our example sentences: "Did you want to go to the concert?" The response to this question could be in the simple present tense: "No, I don't want to." Or the response could be in the present progressive: "No, I'm watching a movie." Or the answer could be in the future tense: "Yes, I'll go to the concert." You can read more about these verb forms in previous Everyday Grammar stories. Past tense with other verbs We started this program with a question: why do some Americans use the past tense when talking about the present? We have discovered that Americans generally only do this when asking about a present desire or preference – and usually only with the verbs want and need. In general, Americans do not use the simple past in this way when they are asking for information or using other verbs, such as like, love, prefer, and so on. This lesson is not designed to give you yet another grammar rule to remember. The point is to show you that native speakers will use language in ways that do not always follow the grammatical definitions that you may have learned about. Today's lesson will be useful if you are ever listening or speaking to an American. You might be able to ask polite questions, or understand what Americans mean when they ask you a question. Remember: we have talked about a grammatical structure that you might hear or use in conversation. It does not follow the traditional rules of grammar, so we do not advise that you use it on your next English grammar test! I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. *See Conrad and Biber Real Grammar: A Corpus-Based Approach to English. Pearson Education. 2009. Pgs. 1-3 _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   politeness – n. having or showing good manners or respect for other people concert – n. a public performance of music preference – n. a feeling of liking or wanting one person or thing more than another person or thing

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Federer, Williams Sisters Set Up 'Old Folks' Finals in Australia

This is What’s Trending Today. Professional athletes in most sports start to slow down after the age of 35. Some retire. Jamaican Olympic runner Usain Bolt has talked about retiring, for example. He is only 30 years old. But on Thursday, Serena Williams earned a spot in the Australian Open finals. She will face her older sister, Venus, who won her semifinal match a day earlier. It is the first time the Williams sisters will play in a “Grand Slam” final since 2009. Venus is 36. Serena is 35. One older champion will play in the men’s final, too. Roger Federer qualified for the final by defeating Stan Wawrinka. Federer, like Serena Williams, is 35 years old. It will be one of the sport’s oldest tournament finals in a long time. Ken Rosewall of Australia is the oldest winner of a Grand Slam. He was 37 when he won the Australian Open in 1972. Serena Williams is already the oldest winner of a women’s Grand Slam tournament. She won Wimbledon last year at the age of 34. Many people are impressed that three of the finalists are 35 or older. All of the players have recently had injuries. Federer missed six months due to back and knee injuries. He told the crowd that he did not think he would be able to make it back to a Grand Slam final. “If I can’t walk for another five months, that’s okay,” he said. The Williams sisters have had difficulties, too. Earlier this month, Venus won a match in New Zealand but withdrew from the tournament after hurting her arm. She also learned in 2011 she had the immune system disorder called Sjogren’s syndrome. The disorder kept her from practicing and staying in good physical condition for a number of years. Serena took time off to recover from knee and shoulder injuries after losing in the semifinals of the U.S. Open last September. It is the ninth time the sisters will face each other in a major tournament finals. Serena has defeated her sister six of those times. If she wins, Serena will beat Steffi Graff’s record for the most Grand Slam titles ever in women’s tennis. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Who do you think will win the Australian Open matches? Let us know in the comments section. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tournament – n. a sports competition or series of contests that involves many players or teams and that usually continues for at least several days Grand Slam – n. an important tournament in tennis or golf, for example, the Australian Open, Wimbledon, or U.S. Open immune system – n. the system that protects your body from diseases and infections  

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A Market Grows on a Broken Bridge in Mosul

  People in the city of Mosul have set up a market on a broken bridge. The bridge is one of several damaged or destroyed in fighting between Iraqi government troops and Islamic State (IS) militants. Government troops now control almost all of Mosul east of the Tigris River. Sixteen-year-old Ahmed says the militants “blew up most or all of the bridges before the army arrived. Maybe it was strategic. But I think they just want(ed) to destroy things.” The market opened just a few days after IS militants were forced out of the area two weeks ago. Helicopters still attack militants in some nearby neighborhoods. Smoke can be seen rising from airstrikes and shells exploding. But the market continues to grow. A man named Mohammed sells dairy products, frozen chickens and bottled water on the bridge. “I didn’t choose to stay and live under Islamic State rule,” he says. “But where else would I go?” Mohammad is joined by others selling fruit, credit for telephone service, cleaning products and other goods. On the street near the bridge, people sell fuel, snack foods, cigarettes and other things. Groups of young men sell vegetables. Another young man sells containers filled with cooking gas. Over the past few months of IS rule, prices in Mosul rose sharply. Food and fuel prices were five to 15 times their usual level. The increases harmed many people in Mosul. Prices are now back to normal. But people say they and others have little money to spend. People selling goods on the bridge say they are much happier now than they were in the past few months. They say the militants became cruel as Iraqi army troops moved closer to the city. A young man says he helps people move goods from place to place, using his wooden cart. He says he earns $8 to $12 a day for this service. Carts like his must be used because automobiles are banned in areas of the city controlled by government forces. That is because troops fear the vehicles will be used by suicide bombers. But Iraqis are still moving around the city. Some of them are returning to the homes from which they fled. Others are fleeing Mosul. And many people are searching for supplies after many months -- or even years -- of isolation.  I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA Correspondent Heather Murdock reported this story from Mosul. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report into 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   strategic – adj. of or relating to a general plan that is created to achieve a goal in war, politics, etc., dairy – adj. relating to foods made from milk snack – n. a small amount of food eaten between meals cart – n. a small wheeled vehicle that is pushed isolation – n. the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others

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News Words: Deteriorate

Learn what the word deteriorate means in this week's News Words.

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Trump Announces Plan for Border Wall

  President Donald Trump ordered the construction of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to act on his campaign promise of stronger immigration enforcement. The president signed executive orders to make federal funds available to build the wall during his Wednesday visit at the Department of Homeland Security. Trump also ordered the hiring of 10,000 immigration officers and 5,000 Border Patrol agents. He ordered the end of a policy in which some people are picked up after crossing the border illegally, and then released. The president also directed his secretary of Homeland Security to start the process of cutting federal money to cities that refuse to turn over undocumented immigrants. The cities have called themselves “sanctuary cities.”   He said countries will take “their criminals back," although he did not say how he would force them to do so. His order also calls for building more detention facilities for illegal immigrants. ‘Get the bad ones out’ “We are going to get the bad ones out -- the criminals, the drug dealers and gangs and gang members and cartel leaders,” Trump said. “The day is over when they can stay in our country and wreak havoc.” From the day he first announced his candidacy for president in June 2015, Trump promised to enforce immigration laws and build a big wall along America’s southern border. "I will build a great, great wall on our southern border,” he said in announcing his candidacy. “And I will have Mexico pay for that wall." Cost estimates for the wall range from $10 billion to $20 billion.     In an interview with ABC News, Trump said planning for the wall will start immediately and construction can start in a matter of months. The U.S. will pick up the costs, he said. But Trump said Mexico will repay the United States for the cost of the wall. “There will be a payment, it will be in a form, perhaps a complicated form," Trump told ABC. He said negotiations would begin soon. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has said Mexico will not pay for the wall. He plans to meet with Trump at the White House next week. Trump said he will also take steps to stop people from bringing guns from the United States into Mexico. "We're going to save lives on both sides of the border,” he said. Limiting entry from some countries Trump is also expected to take action within days to limit who can enter the United States as refugees. He has been considering a four-month freeze on refugee admissions. And he wants to stop the entry of refugees from Muslim-majority countries for at least 30 days. Groups that work with immigrant communities criticized the president’s enforcement plan. Lynn Tramonte is deputy director of America’s Voice Education Fund. “There’s no way around it: Trump is declaring open season on immigrants, refugees, Latino families, and other people of color in America.” Greg Chen is director of Advocacy for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He said Trump’s plan could put an end or cause a big reduction in America’s role as a safe place for people threatened by violence and repression.   Bruce Alpert reported this story for Learning English with additional reporting from Ken Bredemeier. Hai Do 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   sanctuary - adj. a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter gang - n. a group of criminals cartel - n. a group of illegal drug sellers wreak havoc - idiom, meaning to cause a lot of trouble complicated - adj. hard to understand or explain role - n. a part that someone has in a particular activity or situation open season - expression. a period when all restrictions on an activity or product are ignored

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China’s Planned 'Silk Road' Reaches London

  The first-ever direct China-to-Britain freight train arrived in London last week. It was the latest evidence of China’s efforts to redevelop the “Silk Road” trade routes that once stretched from Asia to Europe. The train arrived in London after an 18-day, 28,000-kilometer trip. It traveled from China through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France and then crossed under the English Channel. Inside the 68 containers were household goods, clothing, cloth, bags and suitcases. Philippa Edmunds works at the British Campaign for Better Transport. “This is twice as quick as sea, so it’s got an important role there. And, as I said, It’s much, much cleaner and cheaper than air freight -- I mean, it’s 20 times less pollution than air freight.” But the train itself may be more important than the goods it was carrying. Observers say the trip had a political message: that China is developing new trade routes and new markets. Freight trains from China already bring goods to 15 European cities. China needs to find more places to sell the goods it makes. That is the belief of Jie Yu of the London School of Economics. “The domestic market in China now seems to be very much stagnated. So the Chinese (are) desperately looking for the new markets, and being able to absorb that excessive amount of production capacity. And obviously that freight train serves (as) a very good vehicle for the Chinese manufacturers and (may help) restore the business confidence inside China.” Jie Yu says Chinese leaders believe they can use trade to gain more influence in the world. “History opened a new era. And China has shown its willingness much more to shoulder more responsibility on the global stage and try to become a kind of responsible leadership.” Another historic trip was taking place as the Chinese train arrived in London: Xi Jinping became the first Chinese president to attend the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. At the meeting, he spoke about the importance of globalization and free trade. China’s government made strong statements in support of free trade and globalization in the days after Donald Trump became president of the United States. Trump says China’s trade policies have hurt the American economy. Some experts believe Xi’s words were an answer to the new president’s criticism of Chinese policies. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Henry Ridgwell reported this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his report into 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   route – n. a way that someone or something regularly travels along cheap – adj. not costing a lot of money; less expensive; less costly stagnate – v. to stop developing, progressing, moving, etc.; to be or become stagnant absorb – v. to take in and make (something) part of a larger group, country, etc. capacity – n. the ability to hold or contain people or things (usually singular) globalize – v. to make (something) cover, involve or affect the entire world; to begin to operate throughout the world  

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How to Turn Your Phone into a Wi-Fi Hotspot

  While it may seem as if Wi-Fi is available everywhere, sooner or later you will go somewhere Wi-Fi is not. You still need to get on the Internet. What are you to do? Well, you may have a solution right in your pocket: a cell phone. Many cell phones let you turn your cellular connection to the Internet into a Wi-Fi connection for other devices. This is called creating a "hotspot." Your cell phone will show as a Wi-Fi network that others can join. Connecting a tablet or computer to that hotspot is called "tethering." When to Use Your Phone as a Hotspot Using your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot can help when you want to share your phone's Internet connection with your computer or tablet or someone else’s. Or perhaps there is an available Wi-Fi network but you are not sure the connection is secure. Using your phone as a hotspot will let you avoid unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Family car trips could be more fun if you use your phone's hotspot to connect a tablet to the Internet. You may be able to avoid paying a fee for your tablet's cellular plan by tethering your tablet. Maybe your home or office has a power outage and you need to use the Internet. Connect your laptop or tablet to the Wi-Fi hotspot on your phone. How to Turn Your Phone into a Wi-Fi Hotspot iPhone To turn your iPhone into a hotspot, go to Settings, then Personal Hotspot.                 The next screen will let you set a password. Do not skip this step (see below). The name of your network is the name you have given to your phone.                           Slide the switch to on and follow the directions that appear. Android You can use your Android phone as a hotspot if it is running Android 2.2, or later operating systems. Your phone and carrier must also permit tethering. To turn your Android phone into a hotspot, go to Settings, then Mobile Hotspot & Tethering.                             Tap on Mobile Hotspot to turn it on, set the name of your network and set a password. Connecting a Device to Your Wi-Fi Hotspot You connect a computer or tablet to your phone's Wi-Fi hotspot just as you would connect to any other Wi-Fi network. Select the name of your phone's network, enter the password and connect.             Some phones also permit you to tether using a cable and/or Bluetooth. Things to Know about Using Your Phone as a Hotspot Before you start using your phone as a hotspot, there are some things you need to know. Tethering uses the data allotment of your cell phone plan... When your phone is a hotspot, it is sharing your monthly data allotment with other devices. Tether only when you need it, so you can avoid running out of data before the end of the month. Password is important... You also do not want your phone to become an open Wi-Fi network, free for anyone to use. Your data allotment could be used up in minutes! For that reason, you want to select a strong password and share it only with people you trust. Keep your phone plugged in when tethering... Hotspots use a lot of power so your phone’s battery can run down quickly. If you are going to tether for a while, be sure to plug in your phone to charge while the hotspot is turned on. Turn the hotspot off when you are done using it... You will save battery power and data if you turn the hotspot off as soon as you are finished tethering. You need a cell phone signal to use the hotspot... If you are in a place without a cell phone signal then your phone's hotspot will not connect a device to the Internet. Test your hotspot before you need to use it... Make sure your phone and carrier both permit hotspot connections. You may be able to have multiple devices connected to your hotspot... And, remember, the more devices that are connected to your hotspot, the faster your data allotment will go. I’m Caty Weaver.   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Have you ever used your phone as a hotspot? Does your phone have this ability? When would you use a hotspot? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cellular - adj. relating to a system that uses radio waves instead of wires to send data and telephone signals hotspot - n. a place providing Internet connection to devices such as computers and tablets tethering - v.​ connecting one device to another, usually for sharing an Internet connection  skip - v. to not do (something that is usual or expected)​ outage - n. a period of time when there is no electricity in a building or area​ allotment - n. an amount of something given to someone to use or have  

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Report: Populist Leaders Can Make Corruption Worse

  A new report says countries that elect populist leaders can have increased problems with inequality and government corruption. Watchdog group Transparency International (TI) released its findings Wednesday in an annual report on worldwide corruption. The Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 cited examples of how corruption and inequality have helped fuel growing populist movements around the world. Many traditional politicians promise to get rid of corruption, but end up failing in the end, according to the report. This can cause unhappy voters to turn to populist candidates to “break the cycle of corruption and privilege,” it added. In many cases, the election of populist candidates worsens the same corruption that helped launch the populist movements, the report concludes. “In countries with populist or autocratic leaders, we often see democracies in decline and a disturbing pattern of attempts to crack down on civil society, limit press freedom, and weaken the independence of the judiciary,” said TI chairman Jose Ugaz. The best and the worst The watchdog ranked 176 countries on a scale of 0-100. Zero has the highest level of corruption, while 100 has the least corruption. Nearly 70 percent of all the countries scored below 50. At the top of the list were Denmark and New Zealand, both with a score of 90. Finland came next with a score of 89, followed by Sweden with 88. The report said each of these countries had an open government, free press and independent judicial systems. Coming in last was Somalia – with a score of 10 – which TI concluded had the worst corruption problems. It has received the lowest score for the past 10 years. The report cited corruption problems in Somalia’s parliamentary and presidential elections. Other nations at the bottom were South Sudan (11), North Korea (12), and Syria (13). TI said low-ranking countries were found to have police and court systems that are not trusted by the public. In addition, many of these nations lacked basic services because government money is mismanaged. Anti-corruption laws either do not exist or are ignored, and people often face extortion, the report added. Two examples of nations that dropped on the list in recent years are Turkey and Hungary. The report said the reason was that both countries saw a rise in “autocratic leaders.” On the other hand, Argentina improved in the rankings after electing a new president to replace a populist government. The United States came in at number 18 on the list - down from 16 the previous year - with a corruption score of 74. Finn Heinrich is the research director for Transparency International. He said the organization will be watching the direction of the U.S. government under President Donald Trump. He said Trump had repeatedly promised to get rid of corruption in Washington, D.C., by “draining the swamp.” However, Heinrich told the Associated Press, “the people in his Cabinet have many conflicts of interest. They are not people who stand for transparency." I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Hai Do 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   privilege – n. a right or benefit given to some people and not to others autocratic – adj. relating to a ruler who has absolute power disturbing – adj. upsetting or unsettling extortion – n. to get money from someone by threatening harm transparency – n. the quality of being transparent, or clear

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Turkey, Russia and Iran Hold Syrian Peace Talks

Turkey, Russia and Iran have agreed to set up a process to help enforce a partial ceasefire in Syria. Negotiators for the three sides met for two days of talks with Syrian government and rebel representatives in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The three also agreed to support efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian civil war. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Wednesday that the meetings were, in his words, “a serious diplomatic success.” Yildirim said that any resolution of the conflict should involve a new Syrian government that represents “all factions.” A major point of disagreement in earlier talks has been the influence of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in any new government. Turkey supports the Syrian rebels. They want Assad to leave power. But Assad’s supporters, including Russia, want him to remain as president. A statement released at the end of the talks said the Syrian government and opposition should meet next month in Geneva, Switzerland. After the talks in Astana, opposition groups expressed concern about the plan developed by Turkey, Russia and Iran to ensure all sides obey the ceasefire. Issam Alrayyes represents the Free Syrian Army’s Southern Front. He said his group has always expressed concern about promises made by foreign governments. He added, “We hope this time that Russia is taking a different role.” The leader of the Syrian opposition delegation, Muhammad Alloush, said he gave Russia a detailed proposal for a peace deal. He said he expects an answer within a week. Syrian government and opposition did not talk directly The Syrian government, Russia and Iran all welcomed the trilateral plan. However, the government said its forces would push forward with an offensive against rebels close to Damascus. Syrian officials said the military is fighting terrorist groups allied with al Qaida. The Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jaafari, also was the government’s negotiator at the Astana talks. He said all sides had agreed on the final declaration. However, any major agreement remains unlikely because the Syrian rebel delegation refused to talk directly to the government. Also, some rebel groups were not invited to the talks because of their links to Jihadist groups. The U.N.’s special diplomat for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said there are many groups, including extremists, fighting in Syria. Making progress between the government and rebels, he said, is difficult. Russia, Iran and Turkey negotiated the current ceasefire in Syria in late December. However, the Syrian government and rebels have repeatedly broken the truce, which does not cover the whole country. The talks in Astana were the first negotiations organized by Iran, Russia and Turkey. Some observers are concerned the peace effort may overtake Syrian negotiations that have taken place in Geneva. However, Syrian expert Noah Bonsey says the new negotiations are more likely, in his words, “something in-between.” Bonsey is with the International Crisis Group. He said the Astana talks offer something different from the Geneva peace talks, but also provide new energy to negotiations there. The rebel groups in Astana said they will not attend the next meeting in Geneva if the current ceasefire fails. The next meeting is expected to take place on February 8. Syrian opposition representatives met in Kazakhstan in 2015. U.N. diplomats organized peace talks involving other nations including the United States. They resulted in earlier, unsuccessful ceasefires. Russia and Turkey invited the U.S. government to the Astana talks. But the State Department said new President Donald Trump was setting up his administration. The U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan did attend the talks as an observer. I’m Mario Ritter. Daniel Schearf and Chris Hannas reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted their report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story faction – n. group that has different ideas or opinions that those of the larger group of which it is a part role – n. the part someone plays in a situation or system jihadist – adj. describing someone or something linked to religious war mainly against non-Muslims trilateral – adj. involving three people or groups

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After 19 Years, Japan Has a Sumo Grand Champion

  This is What’s Trending Today. The sport of sumo wrestling started in Japan over 1,000 years ago. But the Japanese have not had a native sumo “grand champion,” known as a Yokozuna, since 1998. Sumo wrestlers known as Yokozuna compete at the sport’s highest level. That changed on Wednesday when a wrestler known as Kisenosato won his first championship at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. Kisenosato is a 30-year-old whose real name is Yutaka Hagiwara. He weighs 178 kilograms and stands 1.88 meters tall. Over the past 20 years, all the sumo grand champions have been from Mongolia, Hawaii and American Samoa. Usually, wrestlers must win two competitions back-to-back to become Yokozunas. But Kisenosato was recognized because of his latest victory and strong performances in recent events. Three other wrestlers currently compete at the Yokozuna level. Kisenosato said he would do his best to honor his new classification. A 2015 survey showed that sumo wrestling is still the most popular sport in Japan. But other sports, like baseball, soccer, boxing and golf are rising in popularity. Sumo’s popularity suffered recently because of reports of scandals, including stories of young wrestlers being treated poorly by their mentors. Kisenosato’s success is big news in Japan. One Facebook user published an image showing his photograph on the front of six different newspapers. A Twitter user said the title of Yokozuna comes with a lot of responsibility. “I am confident he will deliver.”  And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Jill Robbins.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think of Kisenosato’s promotion? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   mentor – n. someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person tournament – n. a sports competition or series of contests that involves many players or teams and that usually continues for at least several days promote – v. to change the rank or position of (someone) to a higher or more important one scandal – n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong grand – adj. having more importance than others; large or striking

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January 25, 2017

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

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