Lesson 2: Hello, I'm Anna!

Let's Learn English is a course for English learners. Certified American English teachers designed the course for beginners. There are 52 lessons. Every fifth lesson, there is a review of the previous lessons. Each week, there is a new lesson with video showing the lives of young Americans. The lesson includes instruction in speaking, vocabulary and writing. There are also printable worksheets, assessments and lesson plans for individual learners and English teachers. We encourage you to follow the weekly lessons and share your progress with us through comments and email. Summary Anna moves to Washington, DC. She goes to her new apartment and meets a new friend. Speaking Listen to the speaker in the video. Use your computer or phone to record yourself saying the words. Listen to yourself, then listen to the video again. Can you say the words the same way? If not, listen carefully and try again. Pronunciation Watch the video to learn about linked sounds, or how speakers say "you're" for "you are."  Conversation   Jonathan: Hey, Pete! Who’s your friend? Pete: She is Anna. She is new to D.C. Jonathan: Where are you from? Anna: I am from a small town. Jonathan: Well, welcome to D.C. Anna: Thank you. Jonathan: I am Jonathan. I am in apartment B4. Anna: I am in apartment C2. Marsha is my roommate. Jonathan: I know Marsha. She is nice. Pete: And I am in Apartment D7. I have to go now. Anna: Oh! Pete: Remember to call  Marsha at work. Tell her you’re here. Anna: Right, thanks, Pete. Nice to meet you! Jonathan: You too, Bye. Anna: Apartment C2, here I come! Writing We often write our name and address on forms. Americans write and say an address this way: name, number, street city, state, zip code, country. How do people in your country address an envelope? Anna sends a letter to her family. Look at how she writes the address: Now download the worksheet and practice filling in a form and addressing an envelope. Learning Strategies  Learning strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. This lesson's learning strategy is preview. To preview is to look over what you will study in advance. During the preview, remember what you already know about the topic and the language, and think of what you need to learn. Here is an example: Mari previews the video for Lesson 2 of Let's Learn English. She sees the title is "Hello, I'm Anna." She thinks, "This lesson is about meeting people. What words do I know in English for when I meet people? What do people usually say and do?" She knows, "Nice to meet you" from Lesson 1. She remembers hearing "Where are you from?" in class. She wants to know if the new friends ask other questions. Mari keeps this in mind as she watches the video. When she hears Jonathan ask, "Where are you from?" she smiles and thinks, "I know what that means already!" She watches carefully to see how Anna answers the question. Preview is an important learning strategy because it helps you prepare for what you will learn. Do you use this strategy when you are learning? Send us an email or write to us in the comments section. See the Lesson Plan for more details. Listening Quiz See how well you understand the lesson by taking this quiz. Each question has a video. Play the video and choose the correct answer. _____________________________________________________________ New Words know - v. to have met and talked to (someone) meet - v.  to see and speak to (someone) for the first time. Anna meets Pete near her apartment.  call - v.  to make a telephone call. I call once a week to talk to my parents. friend - n. a person who you like and enjoy being with. Meet my friend, Anna. number - n.  a number or a set of numbers and other symbols that is used to identify a person or thing or a telephone number. I am in apartment number D7. remember - v. to have or keep an image or idea in your mind of (something or someone from the past) or to think of (something or someone from the past) again. Do you remember me?  roommate - n. a person who shares a room, apartment, or house with someone else. Anna and Marsha both live in apartment C2 because they are roommates. work - n.  the place where you do your job. She is not at work today. 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 writing addresses in English. For Teachers Click on the Lesson Plan to learn how to teach this lesson in your classroom. The Activity Sheet and script of the video are included in the Lesson Plan. Grammar Focus: BE + noun; BE + location ; Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, we, they Topics: Welcoming & Leave-taking, Spelling names aloud Pronunciation: Contractions with BE Speaking Focus: Vocabulary; saying your address _______________________________________________________________ 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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New Water 'Bottles' Could Help Fight Plastic Pollution

  Scientists and designers in London have found a possible solution to the problem of plastic bottle waste. The group at Skipping Rocks Lab has made a water bottle you can eat. The product is called Ooho. Unlike plastic bottles, Oohos are not tall and hard. They look more like bubbles, or small, round, clear balls. They can hold liquid inside.  People who drink Oohos can be surprised: the outside bursts in the mouth.  Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez is with Skipping Rocks Lab. He explains that the outside, or the membrane, of Ooho is made of seaweed, a plant that grows in the ocean. "It's a membrane made of seaweed that can contain water or any kind of liquid. It's made from an extract of the brown seaweed.” The Ooho membrane is tasteless, and you can eat it. But the company says even if you throw away the membrane, it will degrade in about four weeks. Gonzales says the membrane is strong, and good for the environment. Every year, billions of plastic water bottles are thrown away, polluting land and waterways around the world. The typical water bottle made of plastic can take hundreds of years to degrade. Lise Honsinger is also with Skipping Rocks Lab. "Most people just grab a bottle of water, hold it for five minutes, drink it, throw it away. How can that then exist for 700 years? So, yeah,  this is absolutely a solution to that. We are very purist; we don't want to see this packaged in plastic. No, this will be served as-is, as a packaging." There are limits to the Ooho. It cannot be refilled. Each bottle is small. And Oohos do not store for more than a few days. The Skipping Rocks Lab is working on those issues. "We're still working on things like extending the shelf life, looking at different options in terms of thickness, if we want to make one that stands up more, or more flexible for marathons where people just want to eat it whole." Right now, Skipping Rocks Lab can make only a few thousand Oohos a day. But it is developing new technology that could increase that number to hundreds of thousands. I'm Caty Weaver. Kevin Enochs wrote this story for VOA News. Anne Ball adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bubble – n. a tiny, round ball of air or gas inside a liquid membrane – n. a thin sheet or layer extract – n. a substance that you get from something by using a machine or chemicals sphere – n. a round object flexible – adj. capable of bending or being bent

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May 2, 2017

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

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Explainer: Checks and Balances

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US: Invitation to Philippine Leader Linked to Containing North Korea

  The United States is defending President Donald Trump’s decision to invite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to the White House. The two presidents spoke by telephone on Saturday. Trump noted the need to strengthen an Asian alliance against the growing threat from North Korea’s military. He also spoke by phone on Sunday with Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The president also invited the two leaders to the White House. A White House statement described the discussions between the Philippines and U.S. presidents as “very friendly.” Trump told Duterte that he was interested in developing a “warm, working relationship." However, on Sunday, Trump’s chief of staff Reince Prebus said on U.S. television that the phone call should not be seen as support of Duterte’s record in his war on drugs. “It doesn’t mean that human rights don’t matter, but what it does mean is that the issues facing us developing out of North Korea are so serious that we need cooperation at some level with as many partners in the area as we can get.” However, the White House statement about Trump’s call to Duterte did not note international condemnation of some of the Philippine leader’s policies. Philippine leader has faced criticism on human rights Rodrigo Duterte has been strongly criticized for his war on drug trafficking. Last year, then-United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned Duterte’s support for extra-judicial killings. Philippine forces are accused of executing drug suspects before they can be tried. Ban called the killings “a breach of fundamental human rights and freedoms.” Some observers estimate that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Duerte’s war on drugs since he took office last year. About one-third of the deaths have resulted from police raids; the rest, by vigilantes. Duterte, himself, told British media last year that he personally killed three suspects while he was mayor of the southern city of Davao. Relations between the United States and the Philippines worsened last June after Duterte became president. The administration of then-president Barack Obama criticized the Philippines for a lack of respect for the rule of law in its campaign against drug dealers. Gerard Finin is with the East-West Institute. He told VOA’s Victor Beattie that a meeting of Trump and Duerte could have good results. Finin said that because the Philippines is a treaty partner with the United States, it is important to keep high-level communications open between the two sides. He added that, until now, U.S. efforts to get the Philippines to respect the law in its anti-drug trafficking campaign have not succeeded. Finin said the administration will be able to give a message to the Philippine leader during talks at the White House. Also, the invitation will give Duterte a chance to see how the United States deals with issues such as the illegal drug trade. Finin noted that the Philippine ‘war on drugs’ appeared to ease in October after the death of a South Korean businessman at National Police Headquarters in Manila. Since then, however, the violence has grown worse. Much needs to be done, Finin said, before Philippine officials show a respect for human rights and people receive fair trials before they are punished. Phone calls made as tensions in the area increase Trump’s calls to the Asian leaders took place within days of another test of a missile by North Korea. However, the U.S. effort to build support with Asian nations is considered part of an effort to increase pressure on the North Korean government. North Korea has continued to test long-range missiles in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The latest launch failed last weekend. North Korea also has carried out five nuclear tests. On Monday, Trump said he is willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un under the right conditions to discuss the North’s nuclear activities. A White House spokesman said there is no Trump-Kim meeting planned. He added that such talks are possible only if North Korea ends its "provocative" behavior. The United States recently completed military exercises with South Korea. The U.S. government has ordered the deployment of an advanced anti-missile system to South Korea. In addition, American warships, including the USS Carl Vinson and at least one nuclear submarine, have been sent to waters near the Korean peninsula. Japan plans to send its helicopter carrier Izumo to guard a U.S. supply ship as it travels in the western Pacific Ocean. The move is believed to be the first time that Japanese forces have been ordered to protect U.S. ships. Japan’s constitution bars the nation from carrying out an offensive war. I’m Mario Ritter. And I'm Ashley Thompson. Lou Lorscheider, Fern Robinson and Victor Beattie reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted their reports for Learning English. George Grow 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   breach – n. a failure to do something that is required by law or agreement fundamental – adj. something very basic, very important extra-judicial –adj. outside of the justice system vigilante – n. a person who is not a law enforcement officer who acts like one and seeks to carry out justice advanced – adj. at a high level, fully developed provocative –adj. meant to cause a response  

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More US Money to Combat Famine under Budget Deal

  Congressional Republicans and Democrats reached agreement on a bill funding the federal government through September 30. Congress is expected to approve the $1 trillion spending bill later this week. Without congressional action, some American government operations would stop and many federal employees would be forced to stay away from their jobs. The bill sets spending levels for U.S.-based programs, such as medical research, education and environmental protection. It also sets spending levels for foreign aid. For example, the bill would provide $990 million to aid the international response to severe food shortages mostly in Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. Almost $7 billion would go to programs that assist refugees and others displaced by conflict. Another $100 million what fund what members of Congress say is countering Russian influence in Europe and South and Central Asia. The bill would also provide $358 million for international antiterrorism programs. That includes efforts to cut financing for terrorist groups, improve border and airport security and keep materials used for weapons of mass destruction from terrorists. The bill also provides over $6 billion to address security needs at 275 American embassies and diplomatic offices around the world. The budget bill accepts some proposals of the administration of President Donald Trump, but not others. For example, it does not provide money for a wall along the United States border with Mexico. The bill also does not fund a request from the administration to employ additional immigration control officers. But congressional Republicans said the bill would provide a $1.5 billion “down payment” for improved border security measures proposed by the Trump administration. However, the bill would raise spending on the U.S. military, as Trump requested. The increase provided in the bill would be $25 billion over the 2016 budget, House Republicans reported. The bill includes some cuts in international aid requested by the Trump administration. For example, it would cut aid to the United Nations and other international organizations by $640 million. There was no immediate comment by UN officials about the effect of such cuts on its operations. Republicans and Democrats in Congress negotiated the legislation. Vice President Mike Pence appeared on “CBS This Morning” Monday to say that President Donald Trump supports the bill. "We couldn't be more pleased," Pence said. He called the bill a “win for the American people.” Senator Charles Schumer of New York leads Senate Democrats. He also praised the spending agreement. He said, “This agreement is a good agreement for the American people, and takes the threat of a government shutdown off the table.” He said the bill removes some proposals opposed by Democrats, such as an “ineffective” wall along the Mexican border.   But the bill would increase spending for programs important to middle class Americans such as medical research and education, Schumer said. Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin leads Republicans in the House of Representatives. He holds the powerful position of Speaker of the House. He said, “America will be stronger and safer because of this government funding bill. It acts on President Trump’s commitment to rebuild our military for the 21st century and bolster our nation’s border security to protect our homeland.” Under the bill, some American foreign aid would come with conditions. For example, the bill would withhold aid to Pakistan unless the government cooperates with the U.S. to fight terrorism. Aid to Egypt would require its leaders to continue its current partnership with the U.S. and continue the nation’s peace treaty with Israel. The bill also places conditions on continued U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority. The group must show willingness to take steps to reduce violence against Israelis. Parts of the legislation are aimed at China. One measure would ban processed poultry from China from being used in the United States Department of Agriculture’s school meal program. The bill also includes funding to cover costs to New York City and Florida for security for President Trump and his family. Trump’s wife and son have remained in New York City so the son could complete the school year at a city school. "We are getting what we are owed," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "That's good news for our city and the hardworking police officers… Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English based on reports by the Associated Press, Reuters, and budget documents released by Congress. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   funding - v. provided money for programs counter - v. to do something in defense or in response to something down payment - n.  initial funding on a large project or program shutdown - n. the act of stopping the operation or activity of a government or business off the table - phrase meaning that a proposal or project is no longer being considered commitment - n. a promise to do or give something bolster - v. to increase poultry - n. birds such as chickens and ducks that are raised on farms for their eggs or meat  

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‘Clickbait’ for Colleges: Online Media Appeals to Students

Millions of people share material like videos and news stories with their friends and family over the Internet every day. They use social media websites like Facebook and Twitter to do so. In 2016, the Pew Research Center reported about 62 percent of adults in the United States get their news from social media. Now, some U.S. colleges and universities have decided they want some of that internet action. And they are using a kind of web content known as ‘clickbait’ to get it. Clickbait is content that is designed to attract web users and persuade them to click on a link to a webpage. Clickbait often uses shocking headlines that make users feel like they have to know more, like “What Famous Stars Look Like Without Makeup” or “Five Common Foods That Could Kill You.” People are likely to want to learn what those foods are. So they click on the link. Often this leads to a page with an advertisement written as a news report. And the page is also usually filled with more clickbait. The more clicks these websites get, the more advertisers pay the website owners. Buzzfeed is one of the most popular websites in the U.S. For years, critics have viewed Buzzfeed as a major source for what they call clickbait. Some Buzzfeed reports are based on lists, like “23 Things Parents Should Never Apologize For” or “50 Tweets That Show How Different America and Britain Are.” The lists include lots of pictures and little written information. Other Buzzfeed reports are advertisements, like “13 Things You Could Actually Buy If You Didn’t Have Student Loan Debt.” The University of Wyoming paid for that one. The ad promotes the school’s lower costs of education. Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was one of the first universities to partner with Buzzfeed in 2015. Shortly after, schools like Indiana University and the University of Wyoming began working with Buzzfeed, as well. Chad Baldwin is the vice president of communications at the University of Wyoming. His school paid $100,000 for two pieces of material from Buzzfeed in 2016. He admits it was costly. But he said the stories on Buzzfeed have received more than 100,000 views. “There are a lot of the traditional things we still use,” Baldwin said. “[But] the social media element is huge and anyone who resists engaging in those [ways] is probably going to get left behind.” Jay Baer is the creator of U.S.-based Convince & Convert, a marketing company that deals mostly with social media. He is also a parent of a high school student currently choosing a college to attend. Baer said there are many media companies that do this type of branded advertising for businesses. This includes large newspapers like The New York Times. And he feels that universities should have considered this method of advertising much sooner. But he also said he is concerned about the ethics of universities using this kind of advertising and about news media sites that receive money from businesses. “As a parent, I wondered whether this was actually informing potential students … and how [trustworthy it] is,” Baer said. “Does it concern me as a citizen that people who report the news are also making [material] for money? Yeah, of course. But I don’t know what the alternative is.” Stephen Loguidice is the vice president of global brand development for Buzzfeed. He said Buzzfeed does not create clickbait and its content is not all paid advertising. Loguidice said Buzzfeed understands how young people react to advertising. He said most do not trust or even see information on television or in print media. He said young people seek information from content shared on social media. “It’s always been, ‘How do I get the message that I want to say in front of the people I need it in front of?’” Loguidice said. “With social [media], now [companies] have to think about, ‘How do I say what they want to hear and not necessarily what I want to say?’ And at the end of the day, now [companies are] competing with friends and family and co-workers and trusted news sources and all these other things.” In traditional advertising, a company tells an advertiser exactly the kind of message it wants to send. But Buzzfeed studies its most popular stories and uses that information to create copy. Instead of forcing people to listen to a company’s message, Buzzfeed includes parts of that message in with other interesting material. For example, the online music service Spotify paid Buzzfeed for a branded marketing campaign in 2014. Buzzfeed then created a story for them with the headline “15 Of The Best Bands To Come From College Campuses.” Jennifer Cronin is a professor of marketing and social media in the Mendoza School of Business at the University of Notre Dame. She noted that Buzzfeed’s materials could be considered clickbait. But, she said there is also nothing wrong with that. And the website clearly shows what is and is not paid advertising, she said. Yet she did warn that several companies have faced trouble recently for things they have said or shared themselves online. Companies can lose public favor easily if they are connected to online material considered offensive or untrustworthy. She said, “Colleges are supposed to be very elite and [centered] on academics. … And so, when you use these other [methods], if you do it poorly then there is the chance that you could harm your reputation.” I’m Caty Weaver. And I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. What do you think is the best way for universities to share their message with the current generation of young people? Should colleges be using this type of branded marketing? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   website(s) – n. a place on the internet that contains information about a person, organization or thing, and that usually consists of many websites joined by hyperlinks click – v. to press a button on a mouse or some other device in order to make something happen on a computer headline(s) – n. the title written in large letters over a story in a newspaper branded – adj. having a well-known brand name, or name of a category of products that are all made by a given company and all have a given name alternative – n. something that can be chosen instead of something else global – adj. involving the entire world band(s) – n. a usually small group of musicians who play popular music together campus(es) – n. the area and buildings around a university, college, or school elite – adj. seen as the most successful or powerful academics – n. courses of study taken at a school or college reputation – n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something

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Children of 'BBC Dad' Inspire New Show

  This is What’s Trending Today. Do you remember Robert E. Kelly? He is the professor from South Korea who quickly became world famous earlier this year. On March 10, Kelly was giving an interview to the BBC about the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye when his two young children burst into his home office.    His four-year-old daughter, Marion, opened the door to Kelly’s home office and marched confidently up to her father. Her baby brother, James, followed. He entered the room in a walker, a device with wheels for babies who cannot yet walk. Not long after, Kelly’s wife, Jeong-ah Kim, ran into the office. She quickly tried to gather the children so that Kelly could continue with his interview. The video of Kelly’s interview spread quickly on the Internet. In two days, more than 20 million people watched it. The incident started an online discussion about the roles of men and women, and whether Kim should have been so concerned about the children interrupting Kelly’s interview. An Australian television comedy show even made a parody video of the moment. Only this time, the politics expert was the mother. A few days after the BBC interview, the whole Kelly family held a news conference and appeared together on several television news programs. Many people who watched these talked about young Marion’s stylish look. She wore glasses and a trench coat. Now, about six weeks later, the New York Times has an update on the Kellys.  The Times reported that the Kelly kids inspired an animated show. It is called “The Adventures of Mina and Jack.” Two New Yorkers are producing the show. The first episode is short; it runs less than three minutes. In the video, Mina and Jack join their father on a business trip and help catch a thief who stole bars of gold. The creators are hoping the show may someday run on children’s television networks. The Kellys themselves have nothing to do with the cartoon show. But they say they enjoy it. So far the video has about 200,000 views on YouTube. And many who have watched the episode wrote that they hope “The Adventures of Mina and Jack” becomes a full television series. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the New York Times. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   impeach – v. to charge (a public official) with a crime done while in office parody – n. a piece of writing, music, etc., that imitates the style of someone or something else in an amusing way stylish – adj. following the popular style inspire - v. to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create animated – adj. produced by the creation of a series of drawings, pictures, etc., that are shown quickly one after another : produced through the process of animation cartoon – n. a film or television show made by photographing a series of drawings : an animated film or television show trench coat – n. a usually long raincoat with deep pockets and a belt  

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Your Bones Are Alive! Learn How to Keep Them Strong

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. You may not realize it, but your bones are living tissue. And that tissue is always breaking down and re-growing. When the growth of new bone tissue does not keep up with the loss of old bone tissue you may develop a medical condition called osteoporosis. What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis literally means "porous bones." Normal bones have many tiny holes. With osteoporosis, the bones become so thin in places that even a simple stretch or a cough can result in a bone fracture. Some fractures, like hip fractures, can lead to death. The National Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States says “some reports show that up to 50 percent of patients (in the U.S.) with hip fracture die within six months.” Who will get osteoporosis? About two hundred million people worldwide have osteoporosis. Health experts say that number will increase greatly as the world’s population gets older. After all, everyone's bones weaken with age. The International Osteoporosis Foundation says that one in three women over the age of 50 will experience an osteoporotic fracture. The organization says for men over 50, the probability is one in five. Usually people get osteoporosis as a result of hormonal changes, or from a lack of calcium or vitamin D. White and Asian people are at higher risk for the disease. Women are more likely to get it than men. Old people, small people and those with a family history of osteoporosis are also at higher risk for the disease. There are behaviors that can help prevent osteoporosis. Eating healthful foods, being physically active and avoiding tobacco and alcohol use are important. The importance of impact exercises However, one of the most important things that will protect you against osteoporosis when you are older is how much bone mass you get when you are young. The better your bone mass, the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis when you get older. According to several health websites, our bones are at their strongest between the ages of 20 to 30. Bones, like muscles, react to pressure. When bones experience increased impact or force, they grow new cells. So, it is important that children do high-impact activities like running, playing sports like basketball and volleyball and simple jumping. Jumping jacks and jumping rope are great exercises for a child’s bone growth. These impact exercises will help to build up bone mass needed later in life. Not all exercises help your bones As we said earlier, inactivity is bad for your bones. However, even people who exercise often can have low bone density. This can lead to osteoporosis. For example, meet bicyclist Dean Hargett. Every week, Hargett bikes more than 160 kilometers. This exercise is great for his heart, but it doesn't do much for his bones. Hargett was surprised when the doctors told him that he had low bone density. "It alarmed me. I don't want to have fragile bones. I want to be able to be strong and healthy throughout the rest of my life."   So, swimming and cycling might be great for your heart, but they do not do a lot for re-growing your bones. And even if you are very active and exercise often, that does not necessarily mean you have strong bones. Pam Hinton is a researcher in nutrition, exercise and bone health at the University of Missouri in the United States. Hinton studied how two kinds of exercises affected men’s bone health: resistance and jump-training. Resistance training is a form of exercise in which you work against force. The study took place over a 12-month period. The results showed that resistance exercises did more than just slow the rate of bone loss. "We actually saw an increase in bone mass with either type of exercise, so that was a very encouraging and exciting result." Bicyclist Dean Hargett is encouraged by the news. He now knows he has to do more than cycle to stay healthy. He also has a warning -- do not take bone strength for granted. In other words, do not make the mistake of thinking your bones are always going to be strong and healthy. "Don't take your bone strength for granted. They can wither just like any other part of your body." Exercises and food for healthy bones So, to help your bones stay healthy, the National Osteoporosis Foundation in the U.S. suggests doing weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises. Examples of high-impact weight-bearing exercises are: -     dancing -     hiking -     jogging/running -     jumping rope (other sites suggest simply jumping in place) -     stair climbing and -     tennis For muscle-strengthening exercises, they suggest: -     lifting weights -     using weight machines -     and lifting your own body weight.   And remember, what you put into your body matters too. Get enough calcium and vitamin D. New research shows that vitamin K may also be good for your bones. Good sources of K include dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach. Lower your salt use, too. Avoid soda and too much alcohol as well. Both can affect how your body uses calcium. And, if you smoke, quit. That’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo.   Carol Pearson interviewed the people in this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo added additional reporting from a variety of health-related websites. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________ Words in This Story   literally – adv. in a completely accurate way a story that is basically true even if not literally true fracture – n. the act or process of breaking or the state of being broken; especially :  the breaking of hard tissue (as bone) impact – n. the act or force of one thing hitting another jumping jack – n. an exercise in which a standing person jumps to a position with the legs and arms spread out and then jumps back to the original position alarm – v. to strike with fear fragile – adj. easily broken or destroyed a fragile vase fragile bones encourage – v. to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope hormone – n. a natural substance that is produced in the body and that influences the way the body grows or develops wither – v. to become dry and sapless; especially :  to shrivel from or as if from loss of bodily moisture soda – n. US : a drink made of soda water, flavoring, and some type of sugar ________________________________________________________________ Now, test your understanding of this story with our short quiz.  

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May 1, 2017

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

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Lesson 1: Welcome!

Let's Learn English is a course for English learners. Certified American English teachers designed the course for beginners. There are 52 lessons. Every fifth lesson, there is a review of the previous lessons. Each week, there will be a new lesson with video showing the lives of young Americans. The lesson includes instruction in speaking, vocabulary and writing. There are also printable worksheets, assessments and lesson plans for individual learners and English teachers. We encourage you to follow the weekly lessons and share your progress with us through comments and email. Summary Anna moves to Washington, DC. She meets Pete at her new apartment.  Speaking Watch the video and record yourself. Listen to yourself. Then listen to the video again. Pronunciation In careful speech, we say words with a small break. In everyday speech, the sounds come together with little or no break. Watch the video to learn about how the sounds change. Practice the example. Conversation  Pete: Hi! Are you Anna? Anna: Yes! Hi there! Are you Pete? Pete: I am Pete Anna: Nice to meet you Anna: Let's try that again. I'm Anna Pete: I'm Pete. "Anna" Is that A-N-A? Anna: No. A-N-N-A Pete: Well, Anna with two "n's" ... Welcome to ... 1400 Irving Street! Anna: My new apartment! Yes!   Writing Introduce yourself in the Comments section. Download the worksheet to learn the alphabet and numbers. For a fun way to learn the alphabet, watch the alphabet video below.  Learning Strategy Each week we teach a new learning strategy. The first one is Set a Goal. ​ When we set a goal, we decide what we want to do or learn. You are studying English with VOA Learning English. What do you want to learn? Here is an example: Pat works at a coffee shop. She wants to greet her customers in English. She sets a goal: "In three months, I will feel confident in greeting customers in English." Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. Setting a goal is an important learning strategy because it gives you a strong reason to keep studying.  What is your goal for learning English this year? Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section. See the Lesson Plan for more details. Listening Quiz Check how well you understand the lesson with this quiz. Play the video and choose the correct answer. New Words apartment - n. a usually rented room or set of rooms that is part of a building and is used as a place to live. She lives in an apartment. meet - v.  to see and speak to someone for the first time. Pete meets Anna on the street. new - adj. not known before; recently bought or rented. Anna has a new friend. nice - adj. good and enjoyable . It is nice to see you. street  - n. a road in a city, town, or village. Anna lives on Irving Street. try - v. to make an effort to do something. Please try to say it again. welcome - interjection. used as a friendly greeting to someone who has arrived at a place. Welcome to America! _______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. For more practice, each lesson has an activity sheet. In this lesson, you can use it to learn to say the letters and numbers.   For Teachers   ​Download a lesson plan for this lesson here. Let us know your thoughts about this lesson in our Comments section or send us an email. Grammar focus: BE + name in introductions;  BE + location Topics: Meeting people; Personal information;  Learning the Alphabet (Activity sheet);  Learning the Numbers 1-20 (video) Speaking & Pronunciation focus: Meeting people; Pronouncing linked sounds

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2nc1j2P
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