Shark! Dangerous in the Water and in English

Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories. On this weekly show, we tell about commonly used American expressions. By knowing these expressions, you can improve your ability to speak and understand American English. Today, we go deep into the high seas to meet one of the most feared hunters in the ocean – the shark! Sharks are large, usually gray saltwater fish. Unlike other creatures, they have a skeleton made of cartilage, not bones. Sharks also have sharp teeth. They are known for being dangerous and eating whatever they want. That’s in the water. On land, Americans use the word “shark” in a number of expressions. It’s no surprise that they all suggest some form of danger. The word shark can be used to describe someone who is tricky and uses other people. An example of this is the term loan shark. Loan sharks are people, not fish. They loan money at very high interest rates to others who need the money badly.  A “shark” can also be someone who is very good at something. However, they often use their skill to trick others. Sometimes we use this version of “shark” as a verb. For example, let’s say you are skilled at playing the game of pool, also known as pocket billiards. In fact, you never lose a game. One night, you go to a pool hall and act like you are not a good player. You miss shot after shot on purpose. You invite another person to play a game. You play against them and lose. Then, you ask them to give you another chance. Not only that, you offer them money if they beat you a second time. The opponent happily accepts and, to be fair to you, makes the same offer. But you defeat them and win all the money. In a situation like this, you are considered a pool shark and have “sharked” your opponent. But you had better leave. As at the beach, sharks are also not popular in a pool hall. It goes without saying that sharks, whether in the water or on land, can be dangerous. If you are swimming with sharks in the ocean, you might be in serious danger. And if you are swimming with sharks on land, you are spending time with the wrong crowd. Let’s go back to the pool hall and our story about the pool shark. Imagine that the people whose money you won are not the nicest. They are criminals who are now angry at you for winning their money. You could say, based on this example, you are swimming with sharks. If the sharks are circling, then someone is in danger and their enemies are preparing for the kill. When sharks smell blood in the water, they come and circle the wounded animal. The same can be said for people. Let’s say you are at work and experience bad luck on a project or two. You are in danger of losing your job. Your co-workers may smell blood in the water. You could say the sharks have started circling. In this example, your mistakes are the blood and the sharks are your co-workers. On the other hand, someone who is shark bait is not dangerous -- just the opposite. Shark bait is one way of describing a person who swims in the ocean alone. For people who live at the beach, shark bait can also be an expression for someone who gets sunburned easily because they are not used to the bright sun. But for everyone else, shark bait describes someone who is unsuspecting and easy to trick. Two great words that mean “shark bait” are naïve and gullible. Now, to jump the shark is one of those idioms that doesn’t make much sense unless you know about its roots. The expression “jump the shark” comes from the American television show “Happy Days.” This TV series was first broadcast in 1974 and continued until 1984. In 1977, Fonzie -- the show’s most popular character -- jumped over a shark while waterskiing. It was a silly story. And years later, TV critics said this jumping the shark program was the beginning of the decline of “Happy Days.” So, when Americans say something has “jumped the shark,” they mean it used to be popular or of high-quality, but no longer is. We also use this expression to describe something that has become silly or has no connection to reality. This expression usually refers to a TV show or the career of an artist or writer. Not everyone believes that Pablo Picasso’s art jumped the shark later in his career. But some critics think that it did. I hope we haven’t jumped the shark with today’s Words and Their Stories. I’m Anna Matteo … … and I’m Jonathan Evans.   Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   skeleton – n. the structure of bones that supports the body of a person or animal cartilage – n. a strong but flexible material found in some parts of the body (such as the nose, the outer ear, and some joints) loan – n. an amount of money that is given to someone for a period of time with a promise that it will be paid back : an amount of money that is borrowed naïve – adj. having or showing a lack of experience or knowledge : innocent or simple gullible – adj. easily fooled or cheated : quick to believe something that is not true beach – n. an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake decline – v. to become worse in condition or quality

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University Students Working to Solve US Defense Problems

  Stanford University in California offers a class called “Hacking for Defense.” This course helps Stanford students understand some of the national security issues facing the United States. Students taking the course are not reading books or doing traditional research. Instead, they are working to solve problems given to them by the U.S. military. Teachers launched the 10-week-long class last year. Now, it is being taught at eight other universities. Class projects include helping troops deal with changes in mapping technology and creating sensors to help injured soldiers. Other projects involve cyber security -- helping protect computers from attack.  A teacher may ask students to find ways to help military veterans with more than one injury. Others can be asked to develop technology that will let Navy Seal divers stay underwater longer. Benji Nguyen is a graduate student at Stanford. His interest is public policy. “So I’m with USTRANSCOM, which manages transportation in the United States, to better-improve cyber security at the country’s seaports.”  Nguyen’s parents are from Vietnam. “I’ve talked about this class, actually. Their impression is that when I’m here I’m studying, reading textbooks, or doing problem sets. When I told them I am actually working with the military to help solve a problem, they were really excited about it actually.” Steve Blank is one of the teachers. He says students from other countries attend the class. “We take the military intelligence problems and we scrub them down so anybody can work on them. But I was surprised by the number of foreign students from Singapore and China, from India, who were just interested in learning that same methodology and could take it home -- from wherever they are.” Blank says the students learn how an organization makes decisions. They have to learn where the money for a project comes from, who controls the financing and who is going to build the project. Some students create companies after completing their studies. Others accept positions at an agency they worked with. Buvana Dayanandan wants to help injured soldiers. “We are working on helping veterans that have experienced some polytrauma and figuring out how technology can increase their quality of life and their independence for a longer period of time.” I’m Dan Friedell.   Michelle Quinn reported this story from Stanford University in California for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report 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   hack – v. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, cause damage, etc. cyber – adj. related to computers USTRANSCOM – n. United States Transportation Command, a military unit scrub – v. informal reduce to a simpler form polytrauma – n. a medical term describing the condition of a person who has been subjected to multiple traumatic injuries  

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Lesson 15: I Love People-Watching!

Summary Anna and her friends are eating lunch outside on a beautiful day in Washington, DC. They are people-watching. They like seeing the many different people walking by. Speaking In this video, you can learn to say the new words. Learn about the sounds English speakers make to show they are happy. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about how people look with a friend.​ Pronunciation ​In this video, you ​learn about how to make tag questions. These are the short questions at the end of a sentences, as you hear in the video, "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Conversation   Anna: Hello! People from all over the world come to Washington, D.C. When I’m at work, I love eating lunch outside. I like to watch people walking by. They all look very different. Today, my friend Ashley is eating lunch with me. Anna: Ashley, today the weather is beautiful, isn’t it? Ashley: Yes, it is. Ahh. Ooh, we have to return to work! Anna: No, we have time! Let’s people-watch a little more. Ashley: Okay. Anna: Oh, I know her. She works in my office! Keyana, hi! Come and join us! Keyana: Hi Anna, how are you? Anna: I’m doing great! Keyana, this is my friend Ashley. Keyana: Hi, Ashley! Anna: We need to return to work. But the weather is beautiful and people-watching is fun! Keyana: I love people-watching too! Anna: Well, have a seat! It is fun to see how people are different or the same. Keyana: It is. For example, Anna, you are tall. But Ashley and I are short. Anna: And Keyana, you and Ashley have brown eyes; I have blue eyes. Keyana: You two have light skin and I have dark skin. Anna: Ashley, you have straight hair. Keyana and I have curly hair. Ashley: You have very curly hair, Anna. Keyana: I need to return to work. See you, Anna! Nice to meet you Ashley! Ashley: Bye, Keyana! Ashley: Anna, I have to go, too. Are you returning to work? Anna: I still have time. And this sun feels so good! Ashley: Um, Anna, what does your boss look like? Anna: She is short. She has straight, light hair. Ashley: Does she wear glasses? Anna: Yes. Yes, she does. Ashley: Is she wearing a blue sweater today? Anna: How do you know that? Ashley: She’s coming this way. Anna: Oh no! Hide me! Ashley: Um, bye, Anna. Call me later. Anna: Bye, Ashley! Talk to you later! Caty: Anna? Is that you? Anna: Ms. Weaver! Hi! Caty: What are you doing behind that bench? Anna: I am looking for my, my … stick. Here it is. Anna: I am people-watching. Oh! But it’s time to return to work! Caty: No need to hurry. I love people-watching too! Let’s sit! Anna: Sure! Ahh. Caty: It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it? Anna: Yes. Yes, it is, Ms. Weaver. Anna: People-watching in D.C. is fun. It makes me forget the time! Anna: Until next time! Ahh.   Writing What do you look like? What  does your friend look like? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend.   Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Access Information Sources. In our digital world there are many free sources of information to help you learn English. And remember that other people can also help.  Here is an example. João is visiting Miami. He wants to take a tour of the National Park in the Everglades (or marismas in Portuguese). He finds the word "Everglades" in his pocket paperback Portuguese - English dictionary, but doesn't know how to pronounce it. He opens a translation web page on his phone, writes "Everglades" and pushes the button to translate. Soon a symbol appears under the word. João clicks on the symbol to hear the sound of the word, "Everglades." He goes to the hotel tour desk and asks, "Do you have a tour of the Everglades?" The clerk understands him and begins to show him the tour information. João asks the clerk, "Will you please say the word slowly for me? I want to check my pronunciation." The clerk smiles and pronounces the word and João says it again. Now João is sure he can say it correctly. How do you access information sources when learning English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy.   Quiz Test your understanding by taking this listening quiz. Play the video, then choose the best answer. ​______________________________________________________________ New Words   bench - n. a long and usually hard seat for two or more people blue - adj. having the color of the clear sky brown - adj. having a color like coffee or chocolate curly - adj. formed into a round shape dark - adj. of a person's hair, eyes, skin, etc.: black or brown in color eyes - n. the part of the body that you see with forget - n. to be unable to think of or remember (something) glasses - n. a pair of glass or plastic lenses set into a frame and worn over the eyes to help a person see hair - n. a thin threadlike growth from the skin of a person or animal hide - v. to put (something) in a place where it cannot be seen or found join - v. to come together with (something or someone) light - adj. not dark or deep in color; pale like - prep. similar to look like - to have an appearance that is very similar to (someone or something) people-watch - v. to spend time idly observing people in a public place. seat - n. something (such as a chair) that you sit on : a place for sitting have a seat - a polite invitation to sit down. short - adj. having little height; not tall skin - n. the natural outer layer of tissue that covers the body of a person or animal stick - n. a cut or broken branch or twig straight - adj. not having curves, bends, or angles tall - adj. greater in height than the average person ______________________________________________________________ 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 describing people.   For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Descriptive adjectives; Tag questions Topics: Describing Differences and Similarities; Watching People Learning Strategy: Access Information Sources Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Non-Verbal Expressions of Happiness; Rising and Falling Intonation in Tag 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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'Love of Life,' by Jack London, Part Two

We present the second of four parts of the short story "Love of Life," by Jack London. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State. The man cursed, threw the empty gun on the ground. He uttered a cry of pain as he started to drag himself to his feet. It was a slow task. When he finally stood on his feet, he needed another minute or two to straighten himself, so that he could stand as a man should stand. He climbed a small hill and looked about. There were no trees, no bushes. There was nothing but grassy gray plants and some gray rocks and gray streams. The sky was gray. There was no sun or promise of sun. He had no idea where north was, and he had forgotten how he had come to this spot the night before. But he was not lost. He knew that. Soon he would come to the land of the little sticks. He felt that it lay to the left somewhere, not far. Possibly it was over the next low hill. He returned to prepare his pack for traveling. He assured himself of the existence of his three separate portions of matches, although he did not stop to count them. But he did pause, trying to decide what to do about a bag made from moose skin. It was not large. It could be covered by his two hands. But he knew it weighed 15 pounds—as much as all the rest of the pack. This worried him. He finally set it to one side and proceeded to roll the pack. He paused again to gaze at the moose-skin bag. He picked it up quickly with a quick glance around him. It was as if he thought the cruel wasteland was trying to steal it. When he rose to his feet, the bag was included in the pack on his back. He started walking to the left, stopping now and again to eat muskeg berries. His ankle had stiffened, but the pain of it was nothing compared with the pain of his stomach. His hunger was so great he could not keep his mind steady on the course he had to follow to arrive at the land of the little sticks. The berries did not help his hunger. Their bitter taste only made his tongue and mouth sore. He came to a valley where some birds rose from the rocky places. “Ker-ker-ker” was the sound of their cry. He threw stones at them but could not hit them. He placed his pack on the ground and followed them as a cat advances on a bird. The sharp rocks cut through his trousers until his knees left a trail of blood. But the hurt was lost in the pain of his hunger. He moved his body through the wet plants, becoming wet and cold in the process. But he did not notice this, so great was his desire for food. Always the birds rose before him. Their cry of “Ker-ker-ker” sounded as if they were laughing at him. He cursed them and cried aloud at them with their own cry. Once he came upon one that must have been asleep. He did not see it until it flew up in his face from behind some rocks. He grasped the air as suddenly as the rise of the bird, and there remained in his hand three tail feathers. As he watched its flight he hated it. He felt that it had done him some great wrong. Then he returned to where he had left his pack and lifted it again to his back. As the day continued, he came into valleys where game was more plentiful. Twenty or more caribou passed by, within easy shooting distance of a gun. He felt a wild desire to run after them, certain that he could catch them. A small black animal came toward him, carrying a bird in its mouth. The man shouted. It was a fearful cry, but the animal, leaping away in fright, did not drop the bird. Late in the afternoon he followed a stream which flowed through some thick grass. He grasped these grasses firmly near the root and pulled up what looked like a vegetable. It was round and white. Eagerly he sank his teeth into it. It was tender on the outside and gave the promise of food. But its inside was hard and stringy, and, like the berries, it had no food value. Nevertheless, he threw off his pack and went among the grasses on his hands and knees, eating the grass like a cow. He was very tired and often wished to rest—to lie down and to sleep. But he was led on, not so much by his desire to find the land of the little sticks as by his hunger. He looked into every pool of water, searching without success for things to eat. Then, as the night darkened, he discovered a single small fish in one of these pools. He plunged his whole arm in, but the fish escaped his grasp. He reached for it with both hands and stirred the mud at the bottom of the pool. During his excitement he fell in, getting wet as high as his shoulders. Then the water was too cloudy with mud to allow him to see the fish. He was forced to wait until the mud had again settled to the bottom. Then he tried again, until the water was again filled with mud. But he could not wait. He took a tin container from his pack and began to empty the water from the pool. He threw it out wildly at first, and so short a distance that it flowed into the pool again. He worked more carefully, trying to be calm, but his heart was pounding and his hands were trembling. At the end of half an hour the pool was nearly dry. Not a cupful of water remained. And there was no fish. Then he discovered a narrow opening among the stones through which it had escaped into a larger pool—a pool which he could not empty in a night and a day. If he had known of the opening, he could have closed it with a rock before he began and the fish would have been his. Thus he thought, and he sank down upon the wet earth. At first he cried softly to himself. And then he cried loudly to the uncaring wasteland around him. He built a fire and warmed himself by drinking hot water. Then he built a camp on the rocks as he had done the night before. The last things he did were to be certain that his matches were dry and to wind his watch. The blankets were wet. His ankle pained him. But he knew only that he was hungry. Through his restless sleep he dreamed of feasts and food served in all imaginable manners. When he awakened he was cold and sick. There was no sun. The gray of earth and sky had become deeper. A cold wind was blowing and snow was whitening the hilltops. The air about him grew white with snow as he made a fire and boiled more water. But it was wet snow, half rain. At first it melted as soon as it hit the earth. But it continued falling, covering the ground and destroying his fire. This was a signal for him to put his pack on his back and struggle forward, he knew not where. He was not concerned with the land of little sticks, nor with Bill and the cache under the upturned boat by the river Dease. He was mad because of hunger. He did not notice the course he followed, except that it led him through the bottoms of the valleys. He felt his way through the wet snow to the watery muskeg berries, and was guided by touch as he pulled up the grass by the roots. But it had no taste and did not satisfy his hunger. He had no fire that night, nor hot water. He pulled his blanket around him to sleep the broken sleep of hunger. The snow became a cold rain. He awakened many times to feel it falling on his upturned face. Day came. It was a gray day with no sun. It had ceased raining. The sharpness of his hunger had departed. There was a dull pain in his stomach, but it did not trouble him so much. He was more in control of himself. And once again he was interested in the land of little sticks and the cache by the river Dease. He cut the remains of one of his blankets into strips and bound his bleeding feet. He used one of the strips on his swelled ankle and prepared himself for a day of travel. When he was ready to pick up his pack, he paused long before deciding to keep the moose-skin bag, but when he departed, it went with him. The snow had melted under the rain, and only the hilltops showed white. The sun appeared and he succeeded in locating the way he had been traveling. But now he knew that he was lost. Perhaps he had wandered too far to the left. He now turned to the right to return to his true course. Although the hunger pains were not as great as they had been, he realized that he was weak. He was forced to pause for frequent rests. At those times he ate the muskeg berries and grasses. His tongue felt dry and large and it tasted bitter in his mouth. His heart troubled him very much. When he had traveled a few minutes, it would begin pounding. Then it would leap in a series of beats that made him feel faint. In the middle of the day he found two small fish in a large pool. It was impossible to empty it. But he was calmer now and he managed to catch them. They were no bigger than his little finger, but now he was not particularly hungry. The dull pain in his stomach had been growing duller. It almost seemed that his stomach was asleep. He ate the fish with great care. The eating was an act of pure reason. Although he had no desire to eat, he knew that he must eat to live. In the evening he caught three more small fish, eating two and saving the third for breakfast. The sun had dried the wet plants and he was able to build a fire. He had not traveled more than ten miles that day. The next day, traveling whenever his heart permitted, he went no more than five miles. But his stomach did not give him any pain. It seemed to be sleeping. He was now in a strange country, too, and the caribou were becoming more plentiful. There were wolves also. Their howls could be heard across the land, and once he saw three of them crossing his path. Another night passed. And in the morning, being more reasonable, he untied the leather string that held the moose-skin bag. From its open mouth poured a yellow stream of gold dust. He divided the gold into two equal parts. One half, wrapped in a piece of a blanket, he hid among a large formation of rocks. The other half he returned to the bag. He also began to use strips of the one remaining blanket for his feet. He still kept his gun, because there were cartridges in that cache by the river Dease. This was a cloudy day, and this day hunger waked in him again. He was very weak. It was no uncommon thing now for him to fall. Once he fell into a bird’s nest. There were four tiny birds, a day or so old, no more than a mouthful. He ate them greedily, putting them alive into his mouth and crushing them like eggshells between his teeth. The mother bird flew about him with cries of anger. He used his gun as a club with which to hit her, but she flew beyond his reach. He threw stones at her and by chance, one broke a wing. Then she ran away, dragging the broken wing, with him following her. The little birds had not satisfied his hunger. He jumped along on his painful ankle, throwing stones and screaming loudly at times. At other times, he struggled along silently, picking himself up patiently when he fell, or rubbing his eyes with his hand when faintness threatened to overpower him. The bird led him across some wet ground in the bottom of the valley. He discovered footprints in the wet grasses. They were not his own. He could see that. They must be Bill’s. But he could not stop, because the mother bird was running ahead. He would catch her first. Then he would return and examine the footprints. He tired the mother bird; but he tired himself also. She lay on her side breathing heavily. He lay on his side, a dozen feet away, unable to move toward her. And as he recovered, she recovered. She flew beyond reach as his hungry hand stretched out to catch her. The hunt started again. Night darkened and she escaped. He fell because of weakness, cutting his face. He did not move for a long time; then he rolled on his side. He wound his watch and lay there until morning. It was another gray day. Half of his last blanket had been used for foot-wrappings. He failed to find Bill’s trail again. It was not important. His hunger drove him on. He wondered if Bill, too, were lost. By the middle of the day, the weight of his pack became too great. Again he divided the gold, this time merely pouring half of it on the ground. In the afternoon he threw away the rest of it. There remained now only the half of the blanket, the tin container, and the gun. A hallucination began to trouble him. He felt certain that one cartridge remained. It was in his gun and he had not seen it. However, he knew all the time that the gun was empty. But the hallucination continued. He fought it for hours. Then, he opened his gun eagerly, only to find nothing inside. He struggled ahead for half an hour, when the hallucination arose again. Again he fought it, and still it continued. To give himself relief, he again opened the gun and found it empty. At times his mind wandered even further. But these moments away from reality were brief, because always the pains of hunger forced him to return. Once, as his mind was wandering, he was returned to reality by a sight that almost caused him to faint. Before him stood a horse. A horse! He could not believe his eyes. A thick cloud was in his eyes, flashing with points of light. He rubbed his eyes fiercely to clear his sight. Then he saw before him not a horse, but a great brown bear. The animal was studying him with curiosity.   To download a lesson plan to accompany this part of the story, click here.​ Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. Have you ever had to eat something you would normally never eat? What was that experience like? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page.   _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   curse(d) - v. to say an offensive word that people say when they are angry bush(es) - n. a plant that has stems of wood and is smaller than a tree pause - v. to stop for a short period of time moose - n. a large animal with very large, flat antlers that lives in forests in the northern part of America, Europe, and Asia glance - v. to look at someone or something very quickly stiffen(ed) - v. to become difficult to bend or move trouser(s) - n. pants mud - n. soft, wet dirt feast(s) - n. a special meal with large amounts of food and drink wolves - n. (plural form of wolf) a large wild animal that is similar to a dog and that often hunts in groups nest - n. the place where a bird lays its eggs and takes care of its young eggshell(s) - n. the hard outside part of an egg wing - n. a part of an animal's body that is used for flying hallucination - n. an image, sound or smell that seems real but does not really exist bear - n. any one of a group of large and heavy animals that have thick hair and sharp claws and that can stand on two legs like a person

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From Chihuahua to Wisconsin: America's Most Misspelled Words

  Hello and welcome to Words to the Wise. I’m Pete Musto. In the studio with me is Learning English intern Olivia. Hi Olivia! Hi Pete. Can you tell everybody where and what you are studying? I am, studying journalism at the University of Missouri. So, Olivia has been hard at work in her three days here! She has written a piece about an unusual map of the United States. Why is it special, Olivia? Well, Google published a map that shows all of the states in America but it does not include their names. Instead, the state is identified with the word its population seems to have difficulty spelling. How in the world would Google find that out? Good question. Google examined the search term “how to spell.” The word that came up the most for each state became that state’s most commonly misspelled word. Ok, so I will need some examples. Of course! Let’s take a word that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines as “very attractive in a physical way.” It is similar to pretty. Beautiful? Yep. B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L, right? That’s right. But you might find it spelled B-I-U-T-I-F-U-L or B-E-U-T-I-F-U-L in New York, California, Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan! Those five states requested the spelling of beautiful from Google more than any other word. OK. I can understand the mistake. Many people say the word like that first misspelling “bee-you-tee-full.” And the second one was so close to correct – just missing an “a.” Another word commonly misspelled is "pneumonia." Maine, Alabama, Michigan and Washington all have trouble with that one. Well, it is spelled p-n-e-u-m-o-n-i-a. It is hard because the “p” is silent. Plus, it is easy to mix up the order of “n-e-u.” True. I don’t think you can make fun of anyone having trouble with that word. But, Olivia, there is one state that is probably getting some friendly teasing about its word.  Tell us…what was the most commonly searched for spelling in Wisconsin. I’ll spell it for you: W-I-S-C-O-N-S-I-N! Wow! Poor Wisconsin. That has to be tough to live with! So, what are some of the words you think are understandably difficult to spell? Well, probably the most famous is “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” It is a made up word - 34 letters long - and it is the longest word on Google’s map. It comes from a song in the movie Mary Poppins. I’m not sure if that one is even in most dictionaries! Another sort-of funny misspelling came from South Dakota. People there have trouble with the word “college.” Guess they need to go to spelling school! Very funny! Another word on Google’s America’s Most Misspelled Words map is "chihuahua." That one covers the states of South Carolina and Arizona. In Delaware and Indiana the winning word is “hallelujah.” And Arizona and Colorado most often Google the spelling for “tomorrow.” Google released the map during the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee. I bet none of those words were even part of the competition there. Probably not! Well, thanks a lot for the report, Olivia! You are very W-E-L-C-O-M-E, Pete. To our fans out there, we want to know what you thought of this Words to the Wise and what you‘d like us to talk about in the future. I’m Pete Musto. And I’m Olivia Liu. Olivia Liu wrote this Words to the Wise. Caty Weaver and Mario Ritter were the editors. ____________________________________________________________

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Ananya Vinay, 12, Wins National Spelling Bee

Ananya Vinay never looked all that impressed by any of the words she was given in the final competition of the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 12-year-old from Fresno, California, showed little emotion and needed little time as she correctly spelled word after word. Sometimes she would ask the official bee pronouncer, Dr. Jacques Bailly, all the important questions, such as “Part of speech?” and ″Language of origin?” Sometimes, though, she did not even do that. Ananya seized her chance at victory when her only remaining opponent, Rohan Rajeev, misspelled a word. It was a simple-looking but rarely used Scandinavian word, “marram,” a beach grass. Ananya then calmly spelled two words in a row. Her winning word was “marocain,” a clothing fabric. “I knew them all,” Ananya later said. Ananya hardly smiled, even when her parents and younger brother hurried onto the stage to hug her as colorful confetti fell. She took time to comfort Rohan, who remained in his seat, rubbing tears from his eyes. “It’s like a dream come true,” Ananya said. “I’m so happy right now.” She will take home more than $40,000 in cash and prizes. Ananya is the 13th Indian-American in a row to win the bee. Like most other Indian-American winners, she prepared by taking part in highly competitive bees that are limited to Indian-Americans. However, she did not win those competitions. Bee Background More than 290 spellers traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this week to take part in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. They qualified for the event by winning their regional or local spelling competitions. Most of the competitors are in middle school. This year’s oldest competitor was 15. The youngest speller, Edith Fuller, just turned six. Bee organizers believe she is the youngest person ever to qualify for the national spelling bee. After qualifying in March, Edith became famous across the nation. On Wednesday, in between rounds of competition, she held her own press conference. "Edith, how does it feel to be the youngest speller in history?" "It feels really exciting." "Do you hope to come back to the bee next year?" "I do, if I don’t win this time." After her press conference, Edith correctly spelled “tapas” in the third round. But, her score on a written vocabulary test was not high enough to move her forward to the final on Thursday. Preparing for the Bee All bee words come from the more than 490,000 entries in Webster’s Third New International Dictionary. Bee qualifiers study for many hours each day. They learn language patterns and the roots of words. A root is a word from which other words are formed. Successful spellers know much about Latin, French, Greek and Sanskrit roots and rules. In the finals Thursday, spellers faced words including “choucroute” and “tulsi.” “Choucroute" is a French word for a kind of vegetable served with meat. “Tulsi” is a kind of herb. That word entered the Hindi language from Sanskrit. While some of this year’s bee words were recognizable to the average American, most were not. Almost all entered English from other languages. But a few – such as McMansion, shopaholic and webisode – were new words in American popular culture. A few were even trademarked names, like “Klydonograph.” That word, a photographic device, meant dismissal for competitor Erin Howard in the final rounds. The word has no known roots or language of origin.  Last year’s winners Nihar Janga was 11 years old when he tied with then-13-year-old Jairam Hathwar at the 2016 National Spelling Bee. They were the final two spellers left for 25 rounds, before judges declared them both winners. Because of bee rules, they are not permitted to take part in future spelling bees. But, both Nihar and Jairam came to Washington this year to watch. Jairam says his life has been busy in the past year. “It was very packed at the beginning with a lot of media tours and events and meeting a lot of people. After that it started to die down.” Nihar and Jairam were the third co-champions in a row. This year, bee organizers added a tiebreaker test.  The Bee’s final day Melodie Loya is 12 years old. She is a small, quiet girl from New York. She was one of the 40 spellers who made it to the final rounds on Thursday. Melodie, who is home-schooled, said she studied up to four hours each day to prepare for the national bee.     “I like with spelling that every word is made of roots, so certain languages are spelled a certain way and I think that’s really cool.” She covered the walls of her bedroom with the words she misspelled while preparing. Melodie made it to the sixth round of competition. Fewer than 30 spellers remained. Then, the bee’s pronouncer, Dr. Bailly, asked her to spell the word "subauditur." Melodie took her time. She asked Dr. Bailly all the permitted questions: language of origin; definition; part of speech, and alternate pronunciations. Then, she began to spell. “S-U-B-A-U-D-I-T- She paused before continuing. “-O-R.” A bee official rang a bell. That meant Melodie had not given the correct spelling. She said “thank you” and walked off the stage to the area where competitors who have lost wait for their parents. Television cameras capture it all up close. Melodie’s eyes filled with tears as she hugged her mother. Rohan Sachdev, 14, was the next speller up after Melodie’s dismissal. It was his second time competing at nationals. But he said it was his third year to attend the event.  “I was here in the sixth grade, and then last year my brother beat me in the county and so I still came here…I still knew much more than my brother, it’s just I got a tougher word than him. But he’s a pretty good speller, too.” Sachdev easily made it through round six, and then round seven and eight. And by Thursday afternoon, he was one of 15 spellers left. He finished Thursday night in a tie for 12th place. The American sports network ESPN carried the final spelling rounds live, just as they do with major sports events. The hashtag #SpellingBee trended on social media. ESPN’s bee experts had not predicted Ananya Vinay’s win. They favored Texan Shourav Dasari as victor. He was one of four spellers remaining Thursday night when he got the word “Mogollon.” Without asking Dr. Bailly for any information about the word, Shourav spelled the word in just six seconds. He then returned to his seat before officials even announced he was right. Social media users said the moment was more exciting than anything in the NBA finals,” which were airing at the same time as the bee.  Later, though, Shourav misspelled “Struldbrug,” a word created by Jonathan Swift in his novel “Gulliver’s Travels.” It had no recognizable roots or language patterns to fall back on. This was Shourav's final year of bee eligibility.  “I was honestly, absolutely shocked. It was stunning,” former speller Jacob Williamson said. “Shourav is one of the greatest spellers of all time and he’s probably the best speller that never won. I’m Ashley Thompson. And I’m Caty Weaver.   Ashley Thompson reported this story, with additional materials and reporting from the Associated Press. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   impress - v. to cause (someone) to feel admiration or interest confetti- n.  small pieces of brightly colored paper that people often throw at celebrations (such as weddings and parties)   comfort - v.  to cause (someone) to feel less worried, upset, frightened, etc. :to give comfort to (someone) regional  adj. ​relating to a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way pattern - n. a repeated form or design especially that is used to decorate something trademark  n. ​something (such as a word) that identifies a particular company's product and cannot be used by another company without permission alternate  adj. ​other than the usual​ eligibility - n.  the state of having the right to do something 

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Hong Kong Activists Plan to Mark Tiananmen Anniversary

  Rights activists in Hong Kong say they are planning large public events for this Sunday, June 4. The events will mark the 28th anniversary of the Chinese military’s attack on pro-democracy activists in the Tiananmen Square area of Beijing. But the Hong Kong activists must deal with the growing political influence of China’s Communist Party in the city. The Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China organizes a march each year on the anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre. Richard Choi is deputy chairman of the alliance. He told reporters that the group’s work “will remain unfinished” until the government overturns the official version of what happened on June 4, 1989. Choi called on people in Hong Kong to gather to show their unhappiness with China’s authoritarian form of government. He dismissed reports that the anniversary events have lost the support of Hong Kong’s younger generation. “We are still seeing a lot of young people turning out for June 4 events, whether as part of another organization or not,” he told reporters. “And various student groups have held their own memorial activities in various forms over the past two or three years. I think the younger generation does still care about June 4.” Before Britain surrendered Hong Kong to China in 1997, Hong Kong-ers were promised they would continue to have their traditional freedoms of speech and association. The promises were part of a constitution written by British and Chinese officials. But critics say those freedoms are being weakened. And peaceful demonstrators have recently been charged with crimes. Some experts fear China is trying to suppress popular protests. Xi Jinping to visit Lee Cheuk-yan is one of the leaders of the Alliance. He said the protest this Sunday is a chance to show public anger at the government before the 20th anniversary of the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong. “Nobody is happy with this regime, so they should come to the candlelight vigil as a way of showing our displeasure to President Xi Jinping,” he said. Xi is likely to travel to Hong Kong for events marking the anniversary of its return to Chinese rule. Activists have accused police in Hong Kong of detaining leaders of the city’s 2014 Occupy Central democracy movement so they will not be seen or heard during his visit. Nine activists, academics and lawyers -- including the three founders of the movement -- face criminal charges in a trial that is to begin June 15. Hundreds of rights activists marched in Hong Kong last Sunday to mark the 28th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. On that day in 1989, Chinese troops put an end to weeks of peaceful protests around the country. The military operation led to a nationwide campaign against the protesters. On Sunday, protesters marched to the Communist Party’s office in Hong Kong. They clashed briefly with police. Local media said the number of protesters was the lowest since 2008. And few students joined the demonstration. Thousands to gather this Sunday Organizers said about 1,000 people joined the march, but police estimated that about 450 did so. Richard Choi said activists are hoping for thousands of people to gather at another event for the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Choi told reporters that the “Alliance’s attitude is basically that we will continue to organize this event regardless of how many people show up.” He was reacting to reports that support for the event is weakening as China expands its political influence in the former British colony. At one time, hundreds of thousands of people protested. But the movement ended without a political victory. And China’s government said the protests were being directed by what it called hidden “hostile foreign forces.” I’m Bryan Lynn.   This story was published on the Radio Free Asia. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for VOA Learning English. George Grow edited his story. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   massacre – n. the violent killing of many people authoritarian – adj. expecting or requiring people to obey rules or laws; not allowing personal freedom freedom of association – n. an individual’s right to join or leave groups voluntarily, and the right of the group to take collective action to pursue the interests of its members. regime – n. a form of government candlelight vigil – n. an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc., especially at night, holding burning candles attitude – n. the way you think and feel about someone or something  

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In Wisconsin, Suspicion of Big Government

Editor's Note: VOA reporters recently traveled to rural areas along the Mississippi River to speak with the "forgotten men and women" who are supporters of President Donald Trump. They spoke to farmers, factory workers, and retirees in largely white, Christian middle class communities. This is one of their stories.     Off a road in rural Wisconsin sits a 57-year-old American working in an open garage. He makes a small amount of money by selling metal parts from broken equipment. Until two years ago, the man worked as a dairy farmer. He had 24 cows to milk. But, like many small dairy farmers, he was unable to compete with larger farms. The man says the Affordable Care Act -- the health insurance program known as Obamacare -- hurt his business. Under the law, Americans are required to take part in the program if they do not have a health insurance policy. The former farmer says Obamacare forced him and many of his friends to spend more money than they could afford for a product they did not want. He says years of insensitive government policies have fueled anger and questions about programs designed to improve American lives.   The man is like many Americans who voted for Donald Trump last year after supporting Barack Obama in earlier presidential elections. He says that people in Trempealeau County no longer trust traditional politicians. “All the money goes to the cities,” he says. “All the people in the rural areas this time said ‘we’ve had enough.’” The former farmer says he voted for Trump mainly because he did not like the Affordable Care Act. But he admits Obamacare has helped him. Two years ago, he was unable to work because of an infection in his leg. Doctors performed an emergency operation. Today, most of his earnings come from a government program for disabled Americans. Government estimates show that more than 200,000 formerly uninsured people in Wisconsin now have health care because of ObamaCare. Estimates also show that more than two million Americans have additional benefits. But the former farmer says almost everyone else he knows did not get sick or injured since they signed up for Obamacare. He says many of them had to pay a lot of money for the policy. He says even if he did want it, it should have been his decision and not a requirement. He says the government should not have forced him to buy the insurance. The man asked VOA not to release his name because he fears he will be spied on. He said people should not believe anyone who says they supported Trump for reasons other than their anger over the Affordable Care Act.   VOA Correspondent Heather Murdock reported this story from Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report 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   garage – n. a building or part of a building in which a car, truck, etc., is kept part – n. one of the pieces that are put together to form a machine insurance – n. an agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and the company promises to pay money if the person needs health care afford – v. to be able to pay for (something) benefits – n. something extra (such as vacation time or health insurance) that is given by an employer to workers in addition to their regular pay    

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English @ the Movies: 'Gifted'

This week we talk about a word, "gifted," on English at the Movies. This film is about a smart young girl, and who is the best person to take care of her. Do you know what "gifted" means? Is it about presents? Watch and find out!

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America's Presidents - Abraham Lincoln

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Trump Withdraws US from Paris Climate Deal

President Donald Trump is withdrawing the United States from the 2015 Paris climate change agreement. This makes the U.S. one of three countries to reject the global accord. He said the agreement hurts the U.S. economy and American workers. “The Paris accord would undermine our economy, hamstring our workers, weaken our sovereignty, impose unacceptable legal risk and put us at a permanent disadvantage to the other countries of the world.” He condemned the accord for requiring the U.S. to pay other countries “trillions” of dollars. Now, he says, he is putting America first. “I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” Trump said he would look for a new deal that would “protect the environment, companies, citizens and the country.” But he added, “if we can, great. If we can’t that’s fine.” The Paris accord The agreement was made to fight global warming and pollution by reducing carbon emissions. Many scientists and world leaders say man-made greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide are slowly warming the planet, and hurting the environment. Carbon dioxide comes from burning fossil fuels. Others question the science. They say that climate changes are natural, and they say that the Paris accord will slow economic growth and cause higher energy costs. The 2015 Paris agreement was endorsed by 195 countries, except Nicaragua and Syria. President Barack Obama signed the agreement shortly before he left office. The former president criticized Trump’s move. In a statement he said nations that stay in the Paris agreement get “benefits in jobs and industries created.” He added, “even as this Administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I’m confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we’ve got.” Many American business leaders have also asked Trump—the businessman, and now president -- to stay in the agreement. They include heads of Apple, Google, Tesla and Walmart. Even fossil fuel companies such as Exxon Mobil, BP and Shell say the United States should stay in the deal. Michael Brune heads the Sierra Club, a group that supports environmental protection. He said in a statement, “Americans will look back at Donald Trump’s decision to leave the Paris Agreement as one of the most ignorant and dangerous actions ever taken by any President.” Support for Trump’s decision Scott Pruitt, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, spoke after Trump. He praised Trump’s decision, and said American businesses have been a leader in reducing pollution “For that reason, Mr. President, you have corrected a view that was paramount in Paris. That somehow the United States should penalize it’s own economy, be apologetic, lead with our chin, while the rest of the world does little. Other nations talk a good game, we lead with action not words.” Freedom Works is a group supporting smaller government. In a statement it said staying with the agreement would cost the U.S. economy more than $2 trillion and nearly 400,000 jobs. It called the agreement a “misguided treaty.” Twenty-two senators from Trump’s Republican Party signed a letter last week supporting withdrawing from the agreement. It said that “remaining in it would subject the United States to significant litigation risk” that could complicate Trump’s effort to overturn Obama era regulations, known as the Clean Power Plan. International reaction U.S. allies around the world have expressed concern about what will happen if America pulls out of the agreement. European leaders and Pope Francis pushed Trump to stay in the deal while he was travelling last week. In a Berlin speech, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that fighting climate change is a “global consensus” and an “international responsibility.” “China in recent years has stayed true to its commitment,” said Li, speaking in Berlin Wednesday. Critics also say that U.S. withdrawal from the agreement will leave a leadership hole that will be filled by China or Russia. I’m Anne Ball.   Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English based on reports from VOA’s Peter Heinlein and the Associated Press. Hai Do 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   hamstring - v. damage or ruin sovereignty - n. a country's independent authority greenhouse gas - fossil fuels - n. a fuel such as coal, oil or gas. penalize - v. punish or give unfair advantage litigation - n. lawsuit consensus - n. a general agreement about something

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