Lesson 50: Back to School

Summary Anna has been wanting to go back to school for a long time. In this lesson, we go to class with her at Georgetown University, where she is getting ready to give a report in her class. Did she understand the directions? Speaking In this video, learn how to say the new words. Then learn about the present perfect continuous verb tense. Pronunciation This video teaches about how the word "for" is pronounced quickly in sentences using the present perfect continuous and a time phrase. Conversation   Anna: Hello, and welcome to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.! I am going back to school! Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the United States. The Jesuits are a religious order known worldwide for their many colleges and universities. Students have been studying here since 1792! Sarah: Hey, are you finished with your report? Taylor: Almost. I have been writing and re-writing since last night! The subject is really interesting to me. Sarah: Me too! I have been studying this topic* for a long time. Anna: Am I late? Sarah: You’re a little late. But don’t worry. The professor isn’t here yet. Anna: How long has the class been waiting? Taylor: We’ve only been waiting for about 10 minutes. Anna: Oh good. Oh, no! I forgot my pencil sharpener. Excuse me, do you have a pencil sharpener I can borrow? Taylor: No, sorry. Anna: Oh wait. I found my extra one! Whew, that was close. Anna: So, how long have you been studying at Georgetown? Andrew: I’ve been studying here since 2015. Anna: Awesome. You know, I've been wanting to go back to school for a long time. So, here I am! Andrew: Well, you picked a great school. I’ve been really happy here. Anna: Awesome. See, I’ve been working for several years now. So, going back to school makes me a little nervous. Randall: Don’t be nervous. Just pay attention and do your best! Anna: That is great advice. You know, I have been paying attention. But sometimes I still feel like I don’t understand. Like last week … Anna: What’s that? Jada: This is my draft. Anna: What draft? Jada: The professor told us to bring our drafts. Anna: I think she said “giraffe.” Jada: No. She didn’t. Anna: Here comes the professor. Dr. Jones: Hello class! Sorry I'm late, but the snow storm made getting here really difficult. I see you’ve been waiting very patiently. So, let’s get started! Who wants to give their talk first? Anna: Oh! Oh! Please, please pick me. Dr. Jones: Anna? Anna: Who me? Sure. Thanks. Anna: Here is my report on “Violins in the City.” Anna: People have been looking for a solution to the problem of violins in the city. I say stop! Stop! They are not the problem! In fact, violins are part of the solution! Anna: Violins create beautiful music that can fill a city with hope. Dr. Jones: Anna … Anna: If we put a violin in the hands of every child … Dr. Jones: Anna! The topic is “Violence in the city.” Violence. Not violins. Anna: Until next time …Like I was saying, many people are saying that violence in the city is a problem. A very big problem. *  topic = subject Thanks to Georgetown University for allowing us to film on their historic campus. And a special thanks to the Georgetown students and staff who appeared in this episode: Andrew Debraggio, Sarah Mucha, Taylor Soergel, Jada Bullen, and Randall-Grace Johnson.   Writing In this lesson, Anna goes back to school. Did you ever take a special training course or classes? What did you learn? If you have not gone back to study, do you want to study something? Tell us about it. Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using the present perfect continuous tense and monitoring what you hear. Please note, our activity sheets now can be completed on the computer.   Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Monitor. This strategy is what we use when we are speaking, and we want to know if our listeners understand what we say. We also monitor while we are listening, to check on whether we understand what we hear. In this lesson, Anna goes back to school. She misunderstands the professor, and gives her report on the wrong topic. As she is speaking, she looks at her classmates. Their faces show they are confused. Anna should be monitoring here, to see that the other students cannot understand why she is talking about violins.  After the professor corrects her, she begins talking about the topic of violence. What do you do to monitor when you are speaking in English? Write to us about it in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy.   Quiz Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz.  ______________________________________________________________ New Words   Catholic - adj. of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church class - n. a group of students who meet regularly to be taught a subject or activity draft - n. a version of something (such as a report) that you make before you make the final version confused - adj. unable to understand or think clearly giraffe - n.  a very tall African animal that has an extremely long neck and legs Jesuit - n. a man who is a member of a religious group called the Roman Catholic Society of Jesus order - n. a religious organization whose members usually live together and promise to follow special rules and traditions patient - adj. able to remain calm and not become annoyed when waiting for a long time pay attention - phrase to listen to, watch, or consider something or someone very carefully pencil - n. an instrument used for writing and drawing that has a hard outer part and a black or colored center part professor - n. a teacher especially of the highest rank at a college or university religious - adj. believing in a god or a group of gods and following the rules of a religion report - n. a written or spoken description of a situation or event sharpener - n. a tool or machine that makes something sharp since - prep. in the time after (a specified time or event in the past) orfrom (a point in the past) until the present time solution - n. something that is used or done to deal with and end a problem study - v. to learn about something by reading, memorizing facts or attending school understand - v. to know the meaning of something violence - n. the use of physical force to harm someone or to damage property violin - n. a musical instrument that has four strings and that you play with a bow ______________________________________________________________ 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 using the present perfect continuous verb tense.   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: Present perfect continuous verb tense   Topics: Discussing duration of activity; Expressing surprise; Reassuring someone    Learning Strategy: Monitor Speaking & Pronunciation: Reduced "for" in sentences using  the present perfect continuous and a time phrase Poll _______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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More Americans Died From Drugs Than Ever Before

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle Report. In 2016, more than 60,000 people died in the United States because of drugs. That is the highest number of drug deaths and the fastest yearly increase in recorded history. Early data suggests that deaths from opioids and other drugs will continue to rise in 2017. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein made this statement in June 2017 at a news conference with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officials.   Rosenstein called it a “horrifying surge in drug overdoses." He added that drug abuse is wrecking families and communities throughout the U.S. More than two million Americans have some sort of physical dependence on opioids. Opioids are a type of painkiller that are legally prescribed to many people. Opioids are addictive if people take too much of them or take them for a long period of time. New types of illegal killer drugs However, there is a new and even more dangerous part of the opioid crisis and it is happening much more often. This is the making and selling of extremely strong, illegal types of drugs that copy ones that already exist. One such drug is fentanyl. Fentanyl is so strong that even the smallest amounts — as little as two or three grains — can kill. Police officers and other first responders who try to help drug overdose victims are often affected by the drug themselves. DEA does not yet have data on this part the problem. However, officials say there is a clear increase in cases where first responders have become ill while handling evidence or helping overdose drug victims. Chuck Rosenberg is a high-level official at the DEA. He has warned emergency responders to take great care in drug-overdose cases. He advises them to wear protective gear such as masks and gloves.   Even dogs trained to find illegal drugs are at risk. Their handlers have begun carrying antidotes for both the animals and themselves. However, these new synthetic drugs are so powerful that many doses of antidotes are sometimes needed to save the rescuers.   Rosenberg summed up DEA advice to emergency teams at an overdose scene: "If you don't know what it is, assume there's something in it that will kill you.'' Increasing danger in Europe The extremely fast rise in opioid problems is also happening in Europe. The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction reported in June 2017 that dangerous synthetic drugs similar to heroin and morphine are a growing health threat in the European Union. Experts at the center say on its website that more than 8,000 people died from overdose in the EU in 2015. This is the third year in a row that the number of overdoses has increased in the EU. And the center warns that drug-related deaths in Europe could be much higher. For this, it blames delayed reporting and “under-reporting in some countries.” And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo. _____________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding by taking this short quiz. ​ _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   data – n. acts or information used usually to calculate, analyze, or plan something opioid – medical n. possessing some properties characteristic of opiate narcotics but not derived from opium horrifying – adj. something that causes someone to feel horror surge – n. a sudden, large increase antidote – n. a remedy to counteract the effects of poison sum up – phrasal verb to present a summary : to assess and then describe briefly synthetic – adj. made by combining different substances : not natural  

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Houston Faces Worsening Flooding Conditions

Houston, a city in the American state of Texas, will face worsening flooding conditions as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to rain on the city. On Friday, Harvey, the strongest storm to strike Texas in 50 years, came ashore near Corpus Christi, about 354 km south of Houston. It has since remained around Texas' Gulf Coast. The storm's rains submerged cars and flooded highways. Schools, airports and office buildings in the fourth largest city in the United States were closed as high waters filled some neighborhoods. More flooding is expected to come as the storm moves back in the direction of Houston. Weather reports say some areas in Texas could have as much as 1.27 meters of rain from the storm. Brock Long is the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. At a news conference on Monday, he said that more than 30,000 people are expected to be placed temporarily in shelters. The area immediately surrounding Houston, called the metropolitan area, is home to 6.8 million people. It is also home to many oil refineries in the U.S. Many have stopped operations, likely for weeks, due to the storm, including Exxon Mobil’s facility in Baytown. It is the United States' second largest refinery. As of Monday morning, the shut down reduced about 2.4 million barrels of oil, or 13 percent of daily U.S. production. The outages will limit the availability of U.S. gasoline and other refined products and push prices higher, experts said. Federal authorities predicted it would take years to repair the damage from Harvey. The rains brought back memories of Tropical Storm Allison, which struck Texas in 2001. It flooded 70,000 homes and caused $9 billion in damage. Damages are not likely to be as extensive as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which killed 1,800 people in and around New Orleans. Nor will damages likely be as high as Sandy, which hit New York in 2012. Those storms caused $80 billion and $36 billion in insured losses, respectively, according to Hannover Re, one of the world’s largest reinsurance companies. I'm Alice Bryant   Ruthy Munoz and Marianna Parraga reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   worsen – v. to make (something) worse or to become worse administrator – n. a person whose job is to manage a company, school, or other organization refinery – n. a place where something, like oil, is refined reinsurance -- n.  insuring (something) again so that the insurance is shared by more than one company

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India, China Agree to End Tense Border Conflict

  India and China have reached an agreement to end the most serious dispute in years between the Asian powers.  The two sides agreed to settle a border dispute at Doklam in the eastern Himalayas. Increased tensions there had raised fears of a wider conflict between the two countries. India’s foreign ministry says the decision followed diplomatic communications between Chinese and Indian officials. A quick removal of border personnel from the disputed area at Doklam “has been agreed to and is on-going,” said a ministry statement on Monday. It added that, “We were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests." China’s foreign ministry said that Chinese soldiers will continue to patrol the area. A foreign ministry official said "China will continue to exercise sovereignty rights to protect territorial sovereignty in accordance with the rules of the historical boundary." The announcement comes days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to China for meetings of the group of nations known as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). These talks are to take place next week. The timing of the BRICS summit had put pressure on China and India to find a solution before Modi’s visit. The dispute over the Doklam plateau in the Himalayas started two-and-one-half months ago. It has lasted much longer than earlier border conflicts between China and India. The two sides disagree about other parts of their 3,500 kilometer long border. The conflict began when Indian troops prevented China from building a road at Doklam, a plateau disputed between China and Bhutan. Since then, about 300 troops from each side have been sent to the area. This has raised fears of a larger conflict. India has refused to leave the territory. It fears that Chinese control of the plateau would give China easy access to a small piece of land connecting central India to the country’s northeast.  China has accused India of entering its territory. The Indian government, however, has claimed that the plateau was disputed territory between Bhutan and China. India also said its forces had moved in to help its small neighbor. India wanted both countries to remove their troops. China had demanded that India pull its troops back from the disputed area.  Chinese media also called on India to remember its defeat in a war fought between the two sides in 1962. In China, a spokesperson said, "China hopes India respects the historical boundary and works with China to protect peace along the border on the basis of mutual respect of each other's sovereignty." Commentators in India welcomed the decision on Monday. They said both sides appeared to have found a face-saving solution. Former India diplomat K.C. Singh told NDTV television India would not object to Chinese troops guarding the area because they did so in the past also. Singh also said, "What they (India and Bhutan) have objected to is changing the status quo, which is building a road.” I’m Phil Dierking.   Anjana Pasricha reported on this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  What do you think is the best way for countries to resolve border conflicts?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   ______________________________________________________________  Words in This Story    convey - v. to make (something) known to someone patrol - v. to walk or go around or through especially in order to make sure that it is safe​ plateau - n. a large flat area of land that is higher than other areas of land that surround it​ sovereignty - n. a country's independent authority and the right to govern itself​ accordance - n. in a way that agrees with or follows something, such as a rule or request) access - n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone​ mutual - adj. shared between two or more people or groups​ face-saving - adj. done to keep someone from looking foolish​ status quo - n.  the way things are now​

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Calls for End of Hate, Racism at MTV Awards

This is What’s Trending Today. The MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night in Los Angeles included performances by popular musicians of the last 12 months. A number of musicians also denounced racism and discrimination after recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. Katy Perry hosted the event featuring singers and music groups, including Kendrick Lamar, Fifth Harmony, Miley Cyrus, and Lorde. Lamar opened the show with a hot version of his song, “Humble” that included back-up performers dancing on a wall of fire. They wore special suits that kept them from getting burned. “Humble” went on to win one of the night’s biggest awards: Best Hip-Hop Video. Critics, including Rob Sheffield of the music magazine Rolling Stone, wrote about the show. Sheffield said Perry’s attempts at comedy in her role of host fell flat and her performance of her song “Swish Swish” felt “labored and witless.” He was more excited to see British rock singer Rod Stewart’s appearance during the band DNCE’s version of “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” Stewart first recorded the song in 1978 and joined Joe Jonas on stage. Sheffield was also impressed by Lorde, who could not sing because of an illness. Lorde came on stage and danced along to a recorded version of her song “Homemade Dynamite.” Other performances of note came from the British girl-group Fifth Harmony and new rap artist Cardi B. Fifth Harmony performed its hit “Down” without Camila Cabello, who left the group in late 2016. Cardi B impressed fans with “Bodak Yellow,” one of the top rap songs of the summer. The music event also featured political comments from singers and special guests. Robert Wright Lee is a religious leader and a descendant of Confederate Civil War general Robert E. Lee. He introduced Susan Bro, saying he is “working to confront racism and white supremacy.” Bro is the mother of Heather Heyer. She was killed when a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of activists protesting their presence Charlottesville, Virginia. Bro presented the Fight Against the System Award and announced the Heather Heyer Foundation, which will help people fight hate. Michael Jackson’s eldest daughter, Paris, presented the Best Pop Video award to Fifth Harmony. She also condemned the “violence, hatred and discrimination” from the white supremacist groups. Singer and actor Jared Leto honored singers Chis Cornell and Chester Bennington, who committed suicide over the summer. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on reports by The Associated Press and Rolling Stone. Hai Do was the editor. Did you watch the MTV show? What did you think? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story feature – n. an interesting or important part host – n. a person who talks to guests on a television or radio show witless – adj. very foolish or stupid descendant – n. someone who is related to a person or group of people who lived in the past white supremacist – n. a person who believes that the white race is better than all other races and should have control over all other races confront – v. to oppose or challenge (someone) especially in a direct and forceful way  

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A Desert Turns Green

On the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula, the desert turns green as clouds cover it like a blanket. This is the country of Oman's monsoon season. The natural event, which lasts for three months, draws hundreds of thousands of tourists with cool weather and beautiful views. It began this year on June 21. A 60-day festival, in Oman's Dhofar region, draws about 50,000 people every night for dance competitions, musical performances, and exorcisms. In the midst of the clouds, people celebrate Oman's cultural diversity of Arab, African, and Asian roots. ​The festival Officials in Dhofar region started the monsoon festival in 1998. The monsoon festival now draws performers from 40 countries, said festival director Talal al-Masahli. He added that 60 percent of the visitors come from Oman, while the rest come from nearby countries such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Each night, a different Omani city takes the main stage. The port of Sohar did a sea-themed show with cannons and a large wooden ship. The next night, a group from Bidbid chanted with swords while a musician blew into a ram's horn. Salem Ashoor, leader of the local Ahmad al-Kabir Sufi order, said diverse groups use the festival to share their cultures. The Sufi order, for example, performed a musical exorcism in front of almost of 500 people. More tourists come every year Khalid al-Najar is a meteorologist. He explains that the mountains surrounding Salalah, Dhofar's capital city, trap moisture from the Indian Ocean monsoon. Air pressure pockets above Saudi Arabia and Tibet drive air currents to Oman. These weather currents create a unique environment, which has heavy fogs and lush mountains and coasts. "It's magical," said Muna al-Ajmi, an Omani chemical engineer visiting the region with two children. Thomas Wagmann, on holiday from Dubai, noted, "Compared to Dubai, this [Dhofar region] is just fantastic because you can be outdoors all the time."  He added, "You don't even have to worry about sunburn because there's no sun." I'm John Russell.   Samuel McNeil wrote this story for AP News. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   monsoon – n. a wind in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia that brings heavy rains in the summer exorcism – n. to force (an evil spirit) to leave cannon – n. a large gun that shoots heavy metal or stone balls and that was once a common military weapon  blow – v.  to create a current of moving air by breathing meteorologist – n.  a scientist who studies the atmosphere and with weather moisture – n. a small amount of a liquid (such as water) that makes something wet or moist

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America's Presidents - Theodore Roosevelt

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Harvey Causes Unprecedented Rains in Texas

Tropical Storm Harvey has left at least two people dead as flooding and tornadoes presented continuing danger for the residents of southeastern Texas.

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Introducing Let's Teach English

Summary The Let’s Teach English video series offers free online training for English language educators worldwide. It is based on the Women Teaching Women English text for adult, beginning level learners. Voice of America and the University of Oregon are partners on this project. The course includes: 1.  An introductory video which summarizes the main topics of second language teaching and shows classroom examples of the topics. 2.  Ten 5-minute video episodes based on the units of Women Teaching Women English. Each of these episodes provides a model of communicative language teaching through simulated language classroom interaction. The course can be used by men and women. 3. English teaching materials from the course, Women Teaching Women English.  The student book, teacher’s manual, and audio files can be accessed for each unit. This course is the result of a collaboration between the University of Oregon American English Institute and the U.S. Department of State.    Teaching Topics Click on the image below for more details about the course and these teaching topics. Theory of Constructivism Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) Method Learner-Centered Practices and Active Learning     Transcript Tra Mi: You have been watching the videos. Your assignment was to choose a teaching topic, explain it in your own words, and give an example of where you see it in the video course. Can you tell me what you chose?   Rebecca Sui: I chose Constructivism.   Linh Dan: Mine is about the Communicative Language Teaching Method.   Laila Azimi: I looked for some Learner-Centered Practices, such as teaching students how to use learning strategies.   Tra Mi: Very good. Since Let’s Teach English is built on the theory of Constructivism, why don’t you start?   Rebecca Sui: Sounds good to me!   Rebecca Sui: When I think of building or “constructing” something, I see a house or a school. To me, constructivism means my students are taking in new ideas and new words, and building their own understanding of the world around them. I found an example of this in Unit 4. First, the teacher prepares students to read a story by talking about the content. She has her students bring in pictures of technology that they know about. In this way, students start with things they already know about. Then they can connect that to the new information in the story. The teacher gets her students interested in the story by previewing the title and images.   Rebecca Sui: The students know about technology and the internet. But, they do not know that someone could learn from the internet without having an internet connection. They read a story and learn about a mobile library called SolarSPELL, where information from the internet could be stored. Finally, her students make a picture to explain the SolarSPELL library in their own words.   Rebecca Sui: I think this is a good example. They knew something to start with, but they had to construct or build on their knowledge. They read about the Solar SPELL and then they told about it in their own words. They learned some new words in English and they also learned about a new place, Vanuatu.   Tra Mi: Okay, great start on constructivism. Who wants to talk next?   Linh Dan: I do! I decided to talk about the Communicative Language Teaching method.   Linh Dan: In Unit 5, the students do role-plays in groups, and each group has different information. That way, their role plays are all different. This is a great example of a real world task and Communicative Language Teaching. Students use their own words to shop, sell, and bargain in the marketplace. Video clip of shopping role play   Linh Dan: The students were in a real-world situation in this unit. They were using English in a meaningful way to do the task. They had a clear purpose for communicating. And, just as important, the activity was learner-centered because they had choices in the language and actions that they used.   Tra Mi: Thank you, Linh Dan! Now, for Layla’s presentation.   Laila Azimi: I want to tell you what I learned about Learner-Centered Teaching and Active Learning for students. In Unit 9, the students practice an interview for a job. They each choose the job that they want to get. Then, they practice the learning strategy of “predicting” in two ways. They predict what kinds of questions can occur in their interviews. And, during the role-play, the listening group predicts what questions might come next.   Laila Azimi: We saw one student’s interview for the job she chose. We know that every student chose a different job, did research about that job, and wrote her own interview questions.   Tra Mi: What was the teacher’s role in this?   Laila Azimi: The teacher’s job was to support the learners in their choices and research. She also gave them more control over their learning by teaching them to apply strategies. In this case, they predicted hard questions for the interview. They can use these strategies later in other real-world situations. Tra Mi: Thank you, all, for sharing these important topics of language teaching: Constructivism Communicative Language Teaching Learner-Centered Practices and Active Learning Tra Mi: So, let’s start with the first unit!   Laila Azimi, Linh Dan, and Rebecca Sui: Yes, let’s teach English together!   _____________________________________________________________   Poll

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Lesson 49: Operation Spy!

Summary Ms. Weaver has asked Anna to help with Operation Spy. Her mission is to learn all she can about spying. She learns by going to the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. Speaking In this video, learn how to say the new words. Then compare the present perfect, present, and past verb tenses.  ​Pronunciation Use this video to learn about how Americans pronounce the reduced forms of "has" and "have' in the present perfect verb tense. Conversation Anna: It is no secret that Washington, D.C. has spies. Well, it should be a secret because spying is secret. But it’s not a secret. There’s even a spy museum! The International Spy Museum has created an amazing collection of spy things! And today, we will see them! My boss, Ms. Weaver, has sent me here … on a mission! Ms. Weaver: Hello, Anna, are you there? Anna: That’s her. Yes, Agent Peacock. This is Agent Flamingo, reporting for duty. Ms. Weaver: Agent what? Look, Anna … I mean, Agent Flamingo, I want you to learn all you can about spying. Anna: You mean, collect intelligence? Ms. Weaver: Yeah, it’s for our new show -- “D.C. Secrets.” Anna: You've got it, Agent Peacock. The mission is safe with me. Ms. Weaver: Oh, okay, great. Just be back by noon. Anna: Agent Peacock, I’m at an air duct! Ms. Weaver: Yes, spies sometimes sneak down air ducts. Anna: I have never snuck down an air duct. It’s dark and small. I’m afraid of dark, small places. Ms. Weaver: You can do it, Agent Flamingo. You know, spies aren’t afraid of a little darkness. Anna: Right. It’s just an air duct -- a dark, small air duct. Okay. I’m doing it, Agent Peacock! I am sneaking down a long, dark, small air duct. I’m having a little trouble breathing. Ms. Weaver: Just keep going, Agent Flamingo. Think of the team! Anna: Okay, I will think of the team. I’m thinking of the team, Agent Peacock! I did it! I did it! I sneaked down an air duct. That was a little uncomfortable. Ms. Weaver: Good! Anna: What's the next mission? Ms. Weaver: Umm … have you ever cracked a code? Anna: No. Ms. Weaver: Well, go learn. Spies use their brains. Anna: Got it! I’ve never cracked a code before. Let’s try, Agent Flamingo! This is really hard. I'm still trying to crack the code. I've cracked the code! I've cracked the code, Agent Peacock! My brain really hurts. Ms. Weaver: Great. Umm, Agent Flamingo, now answer this question: Do spies have to be in good shape? Anna: “Yes,” Agent Peacock! Spies have to be in really good shape! Can you hear me? Ms. Weaver: You’re breaking up, Flamingo. Anna: The International Spy Museum is awesome! Agent Peacock, I completed the mission! Ms. Weaver: Great. Great. Now, I have another very important mission for you. Anna: Got it. See you back at H.Q.! Ms. Weaver: Yummy! You brought my lunch! Thanks, Agent Flamingo! Anna: Mission completed. Agent Peacock! (Amelia makes a face.) Ms. Weaver: Don't ask.   Special thanks go out to the International Spy Museum for letting us film in the museum! Writing In this lesson, Anna learns about a job that many people think is exciting. Have you ever thought about doing a job that is different from the one you have now, or the one you think you will have when you finish school? Would it be more fun or more exciting? Tell us about the job. Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet to practice three verb tenses and learn about how your friends practice speaking English.  Please note, our activity sheets now can be completed on the computer.​ Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Find Practice Opportunities. This strategy is what we use when we look for any chance we can get to practice speaking, listening to, reading, or writing English.  In this lesson, Anna is learning about being a spy. She practices some of the things that spies do - sneaking down an air duct, cracking a code, and staying in good shape. She found a good opportunity to practice spy skills. These experiences will help her to write a good story for her children's show. What do you do to find opportunities to practice English? Maybe you meet another English learner for coffee and speak English when you are together. Maybe you write emails or texts to a friend in English. Or you could read in English for fun: novels, comics, blogs, tweets, and so on. Write to us about how you look for ways to practice in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy.   Quiz Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz.  ______________________________________________________________ New Words agent - n. a person who tries to get secret information about another country or government air duct - n. a duct or pipe for air to flow through to the rooms of a building brain - n. the organ of the body in the head that controls functions, movements, sensations, and thoughts breathe - v. to move air into and out of your lungs code - n. a set of letters, numbers or symbols that is used to secretly send messages to someone collection - n. a group of interesting or beautiful objects brought together in order to show or study them complete - v. to finish making or doing (something) crack - v. to find an answer or solution to (something) duty - n. something that is done as part of a job flamingo - n. a tall wading bird with mainly pink or scarlet plumage and long legs and neck H.Q. - abbrev. headquarters - n. a place from which something (such as a business or a military action) is controlled or directed intelligence - n. secret information that a government collects about an enemy or possible enemy mission - n. a task or job that someone is given to do operation - n. a set of planned actions for a particular purpose peacock - n. a male peafowl, which has very long tail feathers that it can spread like a fan secret - n. a fact or piece of information that is kept hidden from other people shape - n. a physically strong and healthy condition sneak - v. to move quietly and secretly in order to avoid being noticed spy - n. a person who tries secretly to get information about a country or organization for another country or organization   ​______________________________________________________________ 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 using the present, past, and present perfect verb tenses, and talk about ways to practice English. 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: Present perfect vs. present; Present perfect vs. past tense Topics: Reacting to information; Research for work Learning Strategy: Find Practice Opportunities Speaking & Pronunciation: Reduced forms of has/have in present perfect tense _______________________________________________________________ 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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William Taft: Heavy

VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about William Howard Taft, who took office in 1909. In some ways, the story of Taft’s presidency is also a story about Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency. Roosevelt had been president for the eight years before Taft. The two men were friends; Roosevelt was even a mentor to Taft. But the two men were very different. Roosevelt was energetic, both in his physical abilities and in his use of executive power. His vision for the country was progressive. In contrast, Taft was a more conservative, heavy man who fell asleep in meetings, and who did not make decisions quickly. In fact, Americans often remember Taft because of his size. His weight changed frequently, but as president Taft usually weighed about 135 kilograms. One popular story claims that Taft got stuck in a White House bathtub. This story is not true. However, it is true that Taft had a special bathtub made for him. Several men could sit comfortably in it. As president, Taft did continue some of Roosevelt’s reforms, but in a more orderly way. He also took some actions that contradicted Roosevelt’s wishes. In four years, the two men had gone from political allies to competitors for the White House.  Early life Taft was another president who was born in the state of Ohio. He grew up in the city of Cincinnati, along with five siblings. Taft’s father was a well-known lawyer, public official and diplomat. He was an advisor to President Ulysses Grant. His mother was an intelligent, independent woman who also worked for the public good. The Tafts had high expectations for their son. He became an excellent student, who went on to study at Yale and then the University of Cincinnati Law School.   Taft sought a career path that he hoped would lead him one day to the U.S. Supreme Court. He worked as a lawyer, and then as a judge in Ohio. Along the way, he met Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt helped Taft advance his career as a judge. But one person was not happy about the career move: Taft’s wife. Taft had married an intelligent, independent woman named Helen Herron, known as Nellie. She had always wanted to be first lady, and she urged her husband to follow a path toward the White House. In time, Nellie Taft had her wish. In 1900 President William McKinley offered Taft a position in the Philippines. The islands had come under the control of the United States after the Spanish-American War. McKinley wanted Taft to help prepare the Philippines to be ruled by civilians, instead of by soldiers. Taft worried he would not like the job; however, he knew that it was a good chance to build a political career. Taft was right about that. But he was wrong about disliking the job. He enjoyed it so much that he turned down two offers to return to the U.S. and serve on the Supreme Court. In the Philippines, Taft successfully established courts, schools, a transportation network, and a health care system. Taft did have pejorative views about the people who lived there – he did not think they were yet capable of governing themselves. But he performed his job as governor general effectively. Taft might have even stayed in the Philippines if it were not for his friend Theodore Roosevelt. In 1901, Roosevelt became president. He asked Taft to become his secretary of war. Taft agreed, partly so he could continue to supervise the Philippines. But the job also put him in a position to become president himself. Presidency William Taft did not really want to be president. But Theodore Roosevelt and Nellie Taft wanted him to be. During the election of 1908, Taft permitted Roosevelt to do most of the campaigning for him. He spent a lot of time golfing. Taft was the first president to be strongly linked – so to speak – to the sport of golfing. (Another word for golf course is “links.”) Yet voters approved of Taft. They likely hoped he would continue the reforms of Roosevelt. He won the election easily. Once in the White House, however, Taft did several things that reversed Roosevelt’s positions. First, Taft signed a bill that did not reduce tariffs as much as many progressive activists wanted. Then, Taft removed one of Roosevelt’s friends from a goverment position. Taft believed he was correct in making the move, but Roosevelt and many other Republicans were furious. Some historians say they did not give Taft enough credit for the many reforms he did make. His government pursued a large number of anti-trust suits against big business. It also advanced two Constitutional amendments – one to establish a federal income tax, and another to permit voters to elect senators directly. As the end of Taft’s term in the White House came near, the Republican Party was divided. At their 1912 convention, a majority of delegates nominated Taft for president again. But a number left the meeting in anger. They created a new group, called the Progressive Party, and nominated as their candidate Theodore Roosevelt. Taft and Roosevelt, along with the Democratic Party candidate, fought a bitter campaign during 1912. Of the three, Taft came in last. Roosevelt came in second. The divided Republicans had given control of the White House to the Democratic candidate Woodrow Wilson. Legacy Happily for him, Taft’s story does not end there. Taft taught at Yale University Law School for a while. Then, when a Republican took the White House again, President Warren Harding appointed Taft as chief justice of the Supreme Court. He is the only person to lead both the executive and judicial branches of the U.S. government. Taft was clear about which one he favored: He was much more comfortable as a justice than he was as president. One journalist at the time described Chief Justice Taft as “a smiling Buddha, placid, wise, gentle, sweet.” He even lost weight. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.      ____________________________________________________________ Listening Quiz See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   mentor - n. someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person contrast - n. the act of comparing people or things to show the differences between them contradicted - v. to not agree with (something) in a way that shows or suggests that it is false or wrong advance - v. to help the progress of something network - n. a system of lines, wires, etc., that are connected to each other pejorative - adj. insulting to someone or something reversed - v. to cause (something, such as a process) to stop or return to an earlier state tariffs - n. a tax on goods coming into or leaving a country progressive - n. a person who favors new or modern ideas especially in politics and education comfortable - adj. allowing you to be relaxed : causing no worries, difficulty, or uncertainty

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