Everyday Grammar: Parallelism

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Lesson 46: May I Borrow That?

Summary Anna finds out it's Marsha's birthday. She wants to give her a present. But she does not have much money. What will she do? Speaking In this video, learn how to say the new words. Then learn how to talk about borrowing or lending.​ Pronunciation Use this video to practice the pronunciation of words that end with an "r" sound in American English. Conversation   Anna: Have a nice day at work Marsha! Marsha: You too, Anna. Oh, wait. Do you have pen and paper I can borrow? Anna: Of course. Marsha: We are meeting at this restaurant tonight. Anna: What is happening tonight? Marsha: Today is my birthday. We are celebrating at 7pm tonight. Did you forget? Anna: Sorry, Marsha! I gotta go! See you later! Marsha: Don't forget! Tonight … 7pm! Anna: I forgot Marsha’s birthday! And I don’t get my paycheck until next week. I know. I'll make her a gift. I’ll just have to borrow a couple of things. Anna: Amelia, may I borrow your stapler? Amelia: Sure. I can lend you my stapler, Anna. But please return it. It’s my favorite stapler. Anna: You can trust me. I understand. One time, I loaned my stapler to the wrong person. Anna: Thanks, Amelia. Amelia: Don’t mention it. Bye, stapler! Anna: Jonathan! Can I borrow your scissors? Jonathan: Oh! Hi, Anna! What’re you doing? Anna: Can I borrow your scissors? Sorry to bother you. Jonathan: Yes, I can lend them to you, but you must return them. These scissors -- they are the sharpest scissors in the office. Watch. Anna: Wow, those are sharp. I will be very careful. Jonathan: Okay. Anna: And I’ll bring them back tomorrow. Jonathan: Good. Anna: Thank you. Jonathan: You're welcome. Anna: Happy Birthday, Marsha! (gives Marsha a gift) Marsha: Thanks, Anna! I love birthday gifts! Anna, it is … interesting. What is it? Anna: Well, I know you love hats. And you need office supplies. So, this is your own office supply hat! Marsha: Wow! That is a lot of office supplies! Anna: Many people loaned or shared their supplies with me. Some people really love their office supplies. It has paper, pens, tape, erasers, rubber bands, binder clips, paper clips, and a light! Marsha: What is the balloon for? Anna: The balloon will help your friends find you. Let’s try it! You get a seat in the restaurant - I will find you! Anna: Sometimes all the money in the world can’t buy the perfect gift. Until next time!   Writing In this lesson, Anna makes a gift for her friend Marsha. Did you ever make a gift for a friend or a family member? What was it? How did you make it? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice  talking about borrowing and lending office supplies. You can now fill in the activity sheet on the computer!   Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Act it Out. When we act out something, using our body instead of using words, we are finding another way to communicate our meaning.  That helps when we do not know a word, or when it is too loud to talk. We can also use this strategy to build stronger memories of the things we are learning. In this lesson, Anna wants to ask Jonathan if she can borrow his scissors. But he is listening to loud music, so she acts out using scissors. He understands that she wants to use his scissors easily before he hears her question. Do you ever act out the new words you are learning in English? Try it with the new words for office supplies in this lesson. Say each word and make an action with your hands as if you are holding or using that thing. Does it help you learn the new words? 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   borrow - v. to take and use (something that belongs to someone else) for a period of time before returning it bring back - phrasal verb. to return with (something or someone) celebrate - v. to do something special or enjoyable for an important event, occasion or holiday gift - n. something that is given to another person lend - v. to give (something) to (someone) to be used for a period of time and then returned loan - v. to give (something) to (someone) for a period of time mention - v. to talk or write about something or someone in a brief way don't mention it -used to answer someone who has just thanked you for something paycheck - n. the money that you regularly earn sharp - adj. having a thin edge that is able to cut things supplies - n. [plural] : things (such as food, equipment, fuel, and so on) that are needed for a particular purpose   Office Supplies ​______________________________________________________ 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 talking about borrowing and lending things. For Teachers ​ Grammar: Verbs lend, borrow, and loan Topics: Asking for permission Learning Strategy: Act It Out Pronunciation: Words that end in "r" in American English 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. ____________________________________________________________ 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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Tenured Positions at US Public Universities Are Under Attack

The idea of tenure has long been important to American higher education. In the 1700s, religious groups operated most colleges in the United States and, before that, Britain’s North American colonies. Often, college officials would remove employees who spoke about subjects that were in conflict with the school’s teachings. By the late 1800s, it became common for individuals who gave large amounts of money to a college to have powers similar to those officials. Then, at the start of the 20th century, the presidents of three private universities decided their professors needed more protection. The three universities were Harvard University, Columbia University and the University of Chicago. The presidents felt professors needed the freedom to explore difficult issues, which would, in turn, help better educate students. So they created a system to reduce the ability of donors to influence the removal of professors. This system is called tenure. After World War II, most U.S. colleges and universities established tenured teaching positions. A tenured position was meant to last as long as a professor chose to teach at the school that offered it. But during the 1950s and 1960s, some American professors were dismissed for expressing their political beliefs. Then in 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a case involving tenure. The court ruled that a tenured position must be based on a written contract between a professor and a school. It also decided that any school wishing to end a professor’s tenure had to do so through a process similar to a trial. Critics say tenure is 'guaranteed job for life' But some people call tenure a “guaranteed job for life” for professors, and, in some cases, a waste of money. One of tenure’s critics is Rick Brattin, a member of Missouri’s State House of Representatives. Last month, he proposed a measure that, in part, bans tenure for anyone who starts teaching at a public university in Missouri after January 1, 2018. Brattin says he proposed his bill because the costs of higher education have risen too high. He calls tenure at public universities “un-American” and an unnecessary cost to taxpayers. Tax money helps pay for operating costs at public universities, including professors’ wages. Brattin argues that once professors earn tenure, they often care less and less about how well they teach. "You cannot tell me that every tenured professor is absolutely doing everything to the fullest extent, that’s not even possible. So to have a system in place that protects that person with a guaranteed lifetime employment, it works against itself. Because then we have no ability to shed those who just shouldn’t have made the cut, but they slid in and now they have this protection." Brattin is not alone in his opposition to tenure. Iowa Senator Brad Zaun has proposed banning it in his state. And Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker weakened tenure protection laws for the University of Wisconsin in 2015. Not every professor receives tenure. When a university offers a position to a teacher, that teacher is first called an “assistant professor.” This means they are on the path to tenure, and must spend the next 7 or more years proving themselves. It means they must prove their teaching abilities and the value of their research. After that period, school administrators and other tenured professors in the same field decide if the candidate should receive tenure. Then, if approved, that person becomes an “associate professor.” Others support tenure track In 2013, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) reported that the number of tenured positions at U.S. schools has dropped since 1975. Beginning in 1915, the AAUP was one of the first organizations of college professors to fight for academic freedom. Brattin claims some professors seek tenured positions so they can enjoy employment for life. He adds that giving tenured professors power to judge tenure candidates makes no sense. In no other industry do members of that industry police each other, he says. And no other business guarantees a job for as long as an employee wants it. Yet at least one other part of American society makes this promise: U.S. federal judges can hold their position for life. Also, it is possible for colleges and universities to dismiss tenured professors. Hans-Joerg Tiede is the top official dealing with academic freedom and tenure for the AAUP. He says some schools have removed tenured professors by closing down their academic study programs completely. Also, schools facing extreme financial problems have canceled tenure contracts. And schools have removed tenured professors for legal and ethical violations, Tiede adds. Banning tenure would work if every university administrator was completely interested in protecting their professors, he says. But that is not always the case. For example, the AAUP criticized Louisiana State University last year after the school removed a tenured professor of 14 years for making “inappropriate statements.” Tiede argues it is the job of professors to challenge, and sometimes even shock students to get them to think differently. Banning tenure at a given university will only weaken that school in the end, he says. "If you remove tenure, you’re moving your institutions of higher education … outside of the mainstream of higher education in the United States. And you will have a very difficult time attracting faculty members, because faculty members want to have the freedom to be able to be able to engage in research and to teach." And, Tiede says, once a professor earns tenure and becomes an associate, their work is not over. They can still work to earn the higher position of “full professor” and beyond. Also, professors are not the main reason costs have gone up, Tiede says. The real reason, he argues, is the growing number of school administrators and their salaries. However not all professors want a guarantee of life-time employment. James Wetherbe is a professor of information technology at Texas Tech University. He has also earned tenure from four different schools, and rejected it every time. Wetherbe agrees with Brattin that the current tenure system can lead to professors caring less about the quality of their teaching. He also notes the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of speech. Public university professors who feel they have been punished for what they say or do can take legal action. This is true with or without tenure. Wetherbe suggests a new system in which associate professors apply for a new, unbreakable contract every three years. Full professors would do the same every five years. "If you’re doing a good job, then you’re in good shape. Now, can you get caught in a political situation? Can you get caught up in a freedom of speech or academic freedom issue? Yes, you can. But … most faculty can deal with an administration that’s out of line within a five-year period." Wetherbe says that schools will want to avoid any damage to their public image. For example, Mount St. Mary’s University removed a tenured professor for comments he made against an administrator in February 2016. The university then removed that administrator and renewed the professor’s position a short time later. I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto wrote this report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Is tenure a common practice at universities in your country? How do you think tenure might be changed to operate better? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tenure – n. the right to keep a job, especially the job of being a professor at a college or university, for as long as you want to have it donor(s) – n. a person or group that gives something such as money, food, or clothes in order to help a person or organization contract – n. a legal agreement between people, companies or organizations extent – n. the point or limit to which something extends or reaches shed – v. to get rid of something academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education make(s) no sense – idm. to be unfair, hard to understand, or have bad judgment society – n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values inappropriate – adj. not right or suited for some purpose or situation challenge – v. to test the ability, skill, or strength of someone or something salaries – n. amounts of money that employees are paid each year apply – v. to ask formally for something such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan out of line – idm. behaving in a way that breaks the rules or is considered inappropriate renew(ed) – v. to cause something to continue to be effective or valid for an additional period of time

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South Korea Leads List of Life Expectancy Gains

  A new study predicts that South Korean women will be the first group in the world to have an average lifespan of more than 90 years. Researchers at Imperial College London and the World Health Organization studied the lifespans of people in 35 industrialized countries. Their findings suggest that by 2030 people will be living longer. It also says the gap between men and women could start to close in most countries. South Koreans living the longest Women are predicted to live longer lives than men in all countries. Behind South Korean women, women in France, Japan, Spain and Switzerland are expected, on average, to live to age 88. The life expectancy of South Korean men is expected to increase, but only to about age 84.  In Australia, Switzerland, Canada and the Netherlands, men also are expected to live to about 84 on average. According to the study, the increase in life expectancy in South Korea was caused by decreases in deaths from infections and long-term diseases in children and adults. The study says gains in life expectancy are a result of economic improvements in South Korea.  These gains have led to improved youth nutrition, increased access to primary and secondary health care, and the development of new medical technologies.  South Koreans also have a lower body-mass index and blood pressure than people in most western countries, and lower smoking in women. The U.S. is behind other developed countries While women and men in South Korea led the study, Americans continued to have one of the lower life expectancies among developed countries. Macedonia had the lowest life expectancy for women at nearly 78 years, and Serbia for men at about 73 years. Men and women in the U.S. are predicted to have life expectancies of 80 and 83 years, about the same as Mexico and Croatia. The writers of the study said life expectancy increases were smaller partly because of a lack of universal health care in the United States. The study also said problems such as relatively high child and maternal mortality rates, and high rates of homicide and obesity were to blame. Changing expectations Scientists once thought that a life expectancy beyond 90 years was impossible.  However gains in medicine, combined with improved social programs, are helping people live longer lives. These improvements are also happening in countries where people already live a long time, according to the study's lead researcher, Majid Ezzati of Imperial College London. "I can imagine that there is a limit, but we are still very far from it,'' he said. Ezzati estimated that people would eventually survive on average to at least 110 or 120 years. The study says that obesity, tobacco use and harmful alcohol use are the leading causes of death in adults.  However, having an effective health care system is important for a country to improve life expectancy.  The survey noted the good effects of having universal health-care coverage. The study said that, with longer life expectancy, there will also be new pressures on health and social services.  The number of people needing long-term care in their old age will increase, which will put stress on available facilities giving this care. The study suggests that either more facilities will need to be built, or health care may need to be provided at home. There will also be additional pressure on pensions and social security.  These are programs that provide money to people after they retire from work. With people living longer, they will require more pension or social security payments than earlier generations. The study suggests that either the retirement age will need to be increased or plans will need to put in place to transition workers to retirement at a later age. I’m Phil Dierking   This story was originally written for VOAnews.com by Smita Nordwell.  Phil Dierking adapted this story for Learning. Mario Ritter was the editor. Do you think banning refugees from entering a country will keep that country safe?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   body-mass index – n. a weight-to-height ratio, calculated by dividing one's weight in kilograms by the square of one's height in meters and used as an indicator of obesity and underweight. homicide – n. the act of killing another person industrialize – v. to develop industries in a country or region on a wide scale. lifespan – n. the length of time for which a person or animal lives life expectancy – n. the average period that a person may expect to live. mortality – n. the death of a person, animal, etc. nutrition – n. the process of eating the right kind of food so you can grow properly and be healthy obesity – n. the problem of being overweight in a way that is unhealthy

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Welcome to La La Land

Scientists Discover 50,000-Year-Old 'Super Life' in Mexico

  Scientists have found living organisms trapped in crystals that could be 50,000 years old. The organisms were found in a hot, but beautiful cave system in Naica, Mexico. These ancient life forms can be seen only with a microscope. They are dormant, with all biological activity suspended inside the solid crystals. Penelope Boston leads the Astrobiology Institute at NASA, the space agency of the United States. She says the ancient microbes were able to exist by eating minerals such as iron and manganese. She spoke about the discovery recently at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. If the findings are confirmed, they will show how microbes can survive in extreme conditions. Researchers have been studying the microbes for nine years. But they have not reported their discovery in a scientific publication, and other scientists have yet to confirm the findings. Penelope Boston plans to do more genetic tests on the microbes, which she revived both in the laboratory and in the Mexican caves. 40 strains of microbes, viruses Forty different kinds of microbes and some viruses were found in the underground area. The genetic structures of these organisms are 10 percent different from those of their nearest relatives. Boston says that means their closest relative is about as genetically different as humans are from mushrooms growing in the forest. The caves in Naica are 800 kilometers deep. They were once used for mining lead and zinc. Before the miners began working in the caves, the area was isolated from the surface and the outside world. Some of the caves are as big as the large religious centers built during Europe’s Middle Ages. There are crystals covering the walls. The caves are so hot that scientists must wear special clothing to keep cool. The clothing keeps the crystals safe from human germs or other damage. Boston said the researchers could only work for about 20 minutes at a time before they had to go to a room that was 38 degrees Celsius to cool down. No surprise in extreme life NASA officials would not let Boston share her findings with scientific experts before last week’s announcement. So scientists could not say much about the findings. But Norine Noonan, a biologist with the University of South Florida, said she believed them. “Why are we surprised?” Noonan asked. “As a biologist, I would say life on Earth is extremely tough and extremely versatile.” The microbes are not the oldest life forms on Earth. Several years ago, scientists published studies about microbes that may be 500,000 years old and still alive. Boston says those microbes were trapped in ice and salt, not rock or crystal. Other experts were asked to estimate the age of the Naica microbes. To do this, they looked at where the microbes were in the crystals and how fast those crystals grow. Boston is also studying microbes commonly found inside caves in other countries, such as Ukraine and the United States. These microbes eat copper sulfate and appear to be impossible to kill. Boston said they show how difficult life on Earth can be. I’m Jonathan Evans.   The Associated Press news agency reported on this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for VOA 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   crystal – n. a piece of something that is formed when the substance turns solid cave – n. a large hole that was formed naturally in the side of a hill or under the ground dormant – adj. asleep; alive, but having all activity suspended revive – v. to become active again; to return to life mushroom – n. part of a fungus that grows above ground isolate – v. to separate or set apart from others versatile – adj. changing quickly; having many uses

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Trump Popular with Supporters, But Others Oppose Him

Republican Party activists and Republican voters mostly approve of Donald Trump’s first actions as president of the United States. But the new president has low approval ratings among Democratic Party supporters and independent voters. After a month in office, Trump, a Republican, leads a nation that remains divided on many issues after a divisive election. He defeated Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate for president, in November. He replaced Barack Obama, another Democrat, as president on January 20. Trump’s supporters say he is doing what they hoped he would when they voted for him. But others, mainly Democrats and independents, disapprove of the immigration and environmental policies his supporters praise. Trump may have his best chance of his early presidency to appeal to people other than his supporters when he speaks to Congress on Tuesday. Trump’s spokesman, Sean Spicer, said the president will talk about his busy and productive start of his presidency. But Spicer said he will also talk about his efforts “to be a president that brings people together, that unites them.” Public approval ratings for the president range from 38 percent to 52 percent, based on recent opinion surveys. The average ratings show 44 percent of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing and 50 percent disapprove, according to RealClearPolitics.com Trump has had a busy first month as president. He has launched a new effort to remove undocumented immigrants from the United States. He ordered a travel ban aimed at people from seven Muslim majority nations. Trump is moving to reduce federal rules of the environment and banking industry. He also wants to repeal and replace a national health care program, known as Obamacare. The travel ban is now on a court-ordered hold. And efforts to repeal Obamacare have been slowed by disputes among Republicans on how to replace it and growing support for the health law, according to recent polls. ​ Still active on social media Trump has been active on Twitter, attacking news stories critical of his administration and those protesting his policies. On Twitter, Trump called some media organizations the “enemy of the American People.” He said “classified information” is being given to the news media “like candy.” He also tweeted that if there is a terrorist attack on America, the blame goes to the judge who suspended enforcement of his travel ban. John Feehery is a Republican political adviser. He said that Trump’s strongest supporters during the 2016 election campaign are very happy with what he is doing. “He has basically been taking the status quo and throwing it on the ground and smashing it up,” Feehery said. But there are danger signs, with record low approval ratings so early in his presidency. While Feehery said it is good that Trump enjoys strong support from his political base, he needs to expand that support. “He’s got to figure out, ‘OK, how do I do things that make the rest of the country comfortable in my leadership,’” Feehery said. Doing what he promised Gene Humber is a Trump supporter. He was called on to speak during a recent Trump event in Florida. “When President Trump during the election promised all these things that he was going to do for us, I knew he was going to do this for us,” Humber said. John Bonifaz is president of a group called Free Speech for People. He recently gave a petition to Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin, a Democrat. The document called on Congress to remove Trump from office. Bonifaz said the president is not following the rule of law or the U.S. Constitution. With Republicans in control of both houses of Congress, removal efforts appear unlikely to succeed. But Democrats say more people are coming forward to compete as candidates against Republican office holders. Some political experts suggest Democrats are following the example of opponents of President Obama. Conservative Americans formed what was known as the Tea Party in 2009, the first year of the Obama presidency. They showed up at meetings with congressional members to demand that they oppose the Democratic president. Trump is expected to discuss his early actions as president when he speaks to Congress. He talked a little about his speech Friday during a visit to the Conservative Political Action Conference. Trump said he is removing undocumented immigrants who carried out crimes. He also said he is ending rules against coal use, and approving a long-delayed oil pipeline to help expand the American economy. ”Basically, all I’ve done is kept my promise,” Trump said. I’m Alice Bryant. And I'm Bruce Alpert.   Jim Malone reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted his report and did additional reporting. George Grow 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   range - n. a series of numbers that includes the highest and lowest possible amounts poll - n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something repeal - v. to make a law no longer valid candy – n. a sweet treat status quo - n. keep things the same smash - v. to break something into many pieces base - n. strongest supporters basically - adv. what sometimes comes down to in its simplest form classified – adj. of or related to something kept secret, often for reasons of national security

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'The Fall of the House of Usher,' by Edgar Allan Poe, Part Two

We present the second of three parts of the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher," by Edgar Allan Poe. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State.   Roderick Usher, whom I had known as a boy, was now ill and had asked me to come to help him. When I arrived I felt something strange and fearful about the great old stone house, about the lake in front of it, and about Usher himself. He appeared not like a human being, but like a spirit that had come back from beyond the grave. It was an illness, he said, from which he would surely die. He called his sickness fear. “I have,” he said, “no fear of pain, but only the fear of its result — of terror. I feel that the time will soon arrive when I must lose my life, and my mind, and my soul, together, in some last battle with that horrible enemy: fear!” I learned also, but slowly, and through broken words with doubtful meaning, another strange fact about the condition of Usher’s mind. He had certain sick fears about the house in which he lived, and he had not stepped out of it for many years. He felt that the house, with its gray walls and the quiet lake around it, had somehow through the long years gotten a strong hold on his spirit. He said, however, that much of the gloom which lay so heavily on him was probably caused by something more plainly to be seen — by the long-continued illness — indeed, the coming death — of a dearly loved sister — his only company for many years. Except for himself, she was the last member of his family on earth. “When she dies,” he said, with a sadness which I can never forget, “when she dies, I will be the last of the old, old family — the House of Usher.” While he spoke, the lady Madeline (for so she was called) passed slowly through a distant part of the room, and without seeing that I was there, went on. I looked at her with a complete and wondering surprise and with some fear — and yet I found I could not explain to myself such feelings. My eyes followed her. When she came to a door and it closed behind her, my eyes turned to the face of her brother — but he had put his face in his hands, and I could see only that the thin fingers through which his tears were flowing were whiter than ever before. The illness of the lady Madeline had long been beyond the help of her doctors. She seemed to care about nothing. Slowly her body had grown thin and weak, and often for a short period she would fall into a sleep like the sleep of the dead. So far she had not been forced to stay in bed; but by the evening of the day I arrived at the house, the power of her destroyer (as her brother told me that night) was too strong for her. I learned that my one sight of her would probably be the last I would have — that the lady, at least while living, would be seen by me no more. For several days following, her name was not spoken by either Usher or myself; and during this period I was busy with efforts to lift my friend out of his sadness and gloom. We painted and read together; or listened, as if in a dream, to the wild music he played. And so, as a warmer and more loving friendship grew between us, I saw more clearly the uselessness of all attempts to bring happiness to a mind from which only darkness came, spreading upon all objects in the world its never-ending gloom. I shall always remember the hours I spent with the master of the House of Usher. Yet I would fail in any attempt to give an idea of the true character of the things we did together. There was a strange light over everything. The paintings which he made me tremble, though I know not why. To tell of them is beyond the power of written words. If ever a man painted an idea, that man was Roderick Usher. For me at least there came out of his pictures a sense of fear and wonder. One of these pictures may be told, although weakly, in words. It showed the inside of a room where the dead might be placed, with low walls, white and plain. It seemed to be very deep under the earth. There was no door, no window; and no light or fire burned; yet a river of light flowed through it, filling it with a horrible, ghastly brightness. I have spoken of that sickly condition of the senses, which made most music painful for Usher to hear. The notes he could listen to with pleasure were very few. It was this fact, perhaps, that made the music he played so different from most music. But the wild beauty of his playing could not be explained. The words of one of his songs, called “The Haunted Palace,” I have easily remembered. In it I thought I saw, and for the first time, that Usher knew very well that his mind was weakening. This song told of a great house where a king lived — a palace — in a green valley, where all was light and color and beauty, and the air was sweet. In the palace were two bright windows through which people in that happy valley could hear music and could see smiling ghosts — spirits — moving around the king. The palace door was of the richest materials, in red and white; through it came other spirits whose only duty was to sing in their beautiful voices about how wise their king was. But a dark change came, the song continued, and now those who enter the valley see through the windows, in a red light, shapes that move to broken music; while through the door, now colorless, a ghastly river of ghosts, laughing but no longer smiling, rushes out forever. Our talk of this song led to another strange idea in Usher’s mind. He believed that plants could feel and think, and not only plants, but rocks and water as well. He believed that the gray stones of his house, and the small plants growing on the stones, and the decaying trees, had a power over him that made him what he was. Our books — the books which, for years, had fed the sick man’s mind — were, as might be supposed, of this same wild character. Some of these books Usher sat and studied for hours. His chief delight was found in reading one very old book, written for some forgotten church, telling of the Watch over the Dead. At last, one evening he told me that the lady Madeline was alive no more. He said he was going to keep her body for a time in one of the many vaults inside the walls of the building. The worldly reason he gave for this was one with which I felt I had to agree. He had decided to do this because of the nature of her illness, because of the strange interest and questions of her doctors, and because of the great distance to the graveyard where members of his family were placed in the earth. We two carried her body to its resting place. The vault in which we placed it was small and dark, and in ages past it must have seen strange and bloody scenes. It lay deep below that part of the building where I myself slept. The thick door was of iron, and because of its great weight made a loud, hard sound when it was opened and closed. As we placed the lady Madeline in this room of horror I saw for the first time the great likeness between brother and sister, and Usher told me then that they were twins — they had been born on the same day. For that reason the understanding between them had always been great, and the tie that held them together very strong. We looked down at the dead face one last time, and I was filled with wonder. As she lay there, the lady Madeline looked not dead but asleep — still soft and warm — though to the touch cold as the stones around us.   Download a lesson plan to use with this story here. Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. How do help someone deal with the loss of a loved one? How do you deal with sad moments in your life? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   grave – n. a hole in the ground for burying a dead body doubtful – adj. uncertain or unsure about something tremble – v. to shake slightly because you are afraid, nervous, or excited ghastly – adj. very shocking or horrible palace – n. the official home of a king, queen, president, or other official ghost – n. the soul of a dead person thought of as living in an unseen world or as appearing to living people church – n. a building that is used for Christian religious services vault – n. a locked room where money or valuable things are kept graveyard – n. a place where people are buried; cemetery horror – n. a very strong feeling of fear, dread, and shock

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Google Reports Progress in Bringing Internet Service to Rural Areas

  The owner of technology company Google has reported progress in its plan to offer Internet service to rural areas around the world. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, calls the plan “Project Loon.” Its goal is to increase access to the billions of people currently without internet connectivity. Alphabet has no plans to use traditional wiring, which can be costly. Instead the idea is to float huge balloons about 20 kilometers above the surface of the Earth. The balloons would act like telecommunications satellites, providing internet service to the rural areas. The huge objects would ride air currents to either stay in place or move to another position high in the skies.   At first, the idea was to have a large number of balloons circling the planet. One balloon would move away from an area while another arrived to guarantee service in the affected areas. But Alphabet announced it has found a way to make balloons float over one area for an extended period. In a statement released online, the company said its software “can now send small teams of balloons to form a cluster over a specific region where people need internet access. This is a shift from our original model…in which we planned to create rings of balloons sailing around the globe, and balloons would take turns moving through a region to provide service.” The company said the discovery was made during tests of balloons launched from the island of Puerto Rico to float in Peruvian airspace. The company said some of the balloons stayed in the same area for as long as three months. The company said the discovery should speed up the project and reduce costs: “We’ll reduce the number of balloons we need and get greater value out of each one.” But Project Loon workers must still find ways to increase the life of the balloons. A British Broadcasting Corporation report says the longest service for a single balloon was 190 days. Google has also explored the idea of providing internet service to rural areas using solar-powered drone aircraft. But it cancelled that project because of technological barriers and high costs. I’m Bryan Lynn.   VOANews.com reported on this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the story 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   access – n. permission or ability to enter or pass through a place; ability to communicate with a person or thing cluster – n. a group of similar things specific region – n. a given area shift – n. a move or change solar – adj. of or related to the sun aircraft – n. something that flies; a vehicle for traveling through the air  

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Researchers Find Way to Reduce Methane from Cows

  Scientists in Mexico say they may have found a way to cut production of methane, a gas linked to rising temperatures on the Earth’s surface. The scientists say their method may help reduce the methane released by cows, one of the main producers of the gas. When talking about global warming, many people think of carbon dioxide, another heat-trapping gas. Studies have shown that large amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reflect heat back to earth, causing climate changes. Methane is an even more powerful heat-trapping gas. Cows are known to produce high levels of methane when they eat and process food. Farm animals are responsible for 44 percent of all human-caused methane, according to the Reuters news service. Researchers at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico are studying how a cow's diet affects the production of methane. The researchers are using a specially designed machine to measure the effect. Stefanny Hernandez is an assistant researcher at the university. She told VOA that, "approximately 95 percent of methane that is emitted by cattle is from breathing.” The scientists use the machine to try to capture the animal’s breathing to examine the methane released, she explained. Most of the gas is released when cows belch. The digestive bacteria in a cow’s stomach causes the animal to expel the gas through its mouth. There are an estimated 1.3 to 1.5 billion cows in the world. Each animal releases as much as 120 kilograms of methane per year.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that, when measured in pounds, the effect of methane on climate change is more than 25 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. In addition, a 2006 United Nations report found that raising cattle produces more greenhouse gases than cars and trucks combined. This includes not just gases released by the cattle, but the effect of related activities, such as clearing forests to raise the animals.  Octavio Castelán is the head of the university’s cattle and environment laboratory. He told VOA, “If we can reduce methane emissions, then we can rapidly reduce the effect on climate change." As it is difficult to capture the gas released by cows for use as energy, one way to lessen its release is to change their diet. Scientists in some countries are looking for ways to decrease cow methane. But, Castelán explained, while they are trying different plants and chemical compounds, those products would be too costly and difficult to bring to Mexico. The Mexican researchers have found two animal food sources offering promising results: leaves from the leucaena tree and the flowers of the cosmos plant. Both plants grow in warm climates. The researchers found that cows who ate grass mixed with the leucaena leaves belched about 36 percent less methane than a diet of grass alone. The cosmos flower reduced these emissions by 26 percent when mixed with the animal’s feed. In addition, the two plants do not have a harmful effect on milk and meat production. In fact, the researchers found that leuceana leaves improve the quality of cow milk. This can give Mexican farmers more reason to grow the plants and change their cattle’s diet.   I’m Alice Bryant.   George Putic reported this story for VOANews.com. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English with additional information from scientific and news sources. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   global - adj. of or related to the world emit - v. to send gases, light, or energy out into the air cattle - n. cows, bulls, or steers that are kept on a farm or ranch for meat or milk belch - v. to let out air from the stomach through the mouth very loudly greenhouse - n. a structure that protects plants and extends growing seasons

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February 24, 2017

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

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