Lesson 3: I'm Here!

Let's Learn English is a course for English learners. Certified American English teachers designed the course for beginners. There are 52 lessons. Every fifth lesson, there is a review of the previous lessons. Each week, there is a new lesson with video showing the lives of young Americans. The lesson includes instruction in speaking, vocabulary and writing. There are also printable worksheets, assessments and lesson plans for individual learners and English teachers. We encourage you to follow the weekly lessons and share your progress with us through comments and email. Summary Anna is in her new apartment. She wants to cook dinner. She tries to call Marsha for help. Speaking Listen to the teacher in the video. Use your computer or phone to record yourself saying the words. Use this video to practice the new words for this lesson, learn how to answer the telephone, and practice asking for someone. Download the worksheet and practice speaking English by asking and answering questions about addresses.   Pronunciation Practice shortened sounds with the verb BE using this video.   Conversation   Anna: I am in my new apartment! Great! I live with Marsha. We’re roommates. I want to cook dinner. Oh! Hmmm. Is there a supermarket near here? Marsha knows. Marsha's work number is 555-8986. Man: Hello. Anna: Hello. Is this Marsha? It is Anna. Man: I am sorry. You have the wrong number. Anna: Oh. Is this 555-8986? Man: No. This is 555-8689. Anna: Oh. Excuse me! Man: Okay. 'Bye. Anna: One more time. 555-8986. Please be Marsha. Marsha: Hello. This is Marsha. Anna: Yes, Marsha. I want to cook dinner. Marsha: Excuse me? Anna? Is that you? Anna: Oh, yes. I am here! Marsha: Good. You are there. Anna: I want to find a supermarket. Marsha: Oh, okay. The supermarket is at 1500 Irving Street. It is near the apartment. Anna: Great! Goodbye! Marsha: Goodbye, Anna. (Later) Anna: There is a big supermarket on our street. And Marsha says I am a good cook! Until next time! Bye! Writing Click to download the Activity Sheet and practice writing the names and addresses of friends or classmates.  Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The strategy for this lesson is Look for Ways to Practice. Good language learners are always looking for new and different ways to practice using the language they want to learn. Here is an example of a learner who uses this strategy. Alex wants to be more confident when he speaks English. He downloads podcasts of conversations in English. When he is walking or riding in a car he listens and repeats each sentence he hears. He writes text messages and emails in English, using the new words he wants to learn. Every day he talks with anyone who will speak English with him. Sometimes people ask him, "Did you live in an English speaking country?" because he is so confident in using English. Alex laughs and says "Someday!" and looks for more ways to practice. For more information on using this strategy, see the Lesson Plan. How about you? How do you find ways to practice speaking English? Write us an email or leave a comment in the Comments section.   Listening Quiz See how well you understand the lesson by taking this quiz. Each question has a video. Play the video and choose the correct answer. __________________________________________________________________ New Words   cook - v. to prepare (food) for eating especially by using heat dinner - n. the main meal of the day excuse - v. to forgive someone for making a mistake or doing something wrong find - v. to get or discover something or someone that you are looking for here  - adv. in this place or at this location live - v. to have a home in a specified place near - adv. close to something or someone sorry - adj. feeling sorrow or regret supermarket - n. a store where customers can buy a variety of foods and household items there - adv. in that place or at that location want - v. to desire or wish for something wrong - adj.­ not suitable or appropriate for a particular purpose, situation, or 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. This week, use it to practice writing addresses in English. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and resources. Send us an email if you have comments or questions.   Grammar focus: Place pronouns: here, there Topics: Apologizing: sorry, excuse me Learning Strategy: Look for Ways to Practice Speaking and Pronunciation focus: Contractions with BE; polite telephone expressions 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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Asian Americans Are a Fast-Growing, Diverse Group

  The Asian American population is growing faster than any other major ethnic or racial group. From 2010 to 2016, 42 percent of the 8.1 million people who came to the United States from a foreign country were from Asia. Thirty-eight percent came from Latin America, 8.6 percent from Europe, and 8 percent from Africa. This information comes from a new U.S. Census Bureau report. Asian Americans lead in income and education For 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau said Asian Americans had the highest median annual income of all ethnic and racial groups. The median income for Asians was $81,431, about the same as 2015. That compared to a median income of $59,039 for all Americans. Pew said the U.S. Asian population is also better educated. About half of Asians 25 and older have a college degree. That compares to 30 percent among all Americans over age 25, Pew said. Along with education, the Pew study also noted a high level of English language skill among Asians. Seven of 10 Asians in the United States, ages 5 and up, speak English proficiently, the study said. U.S.-born Asian Americans are more likely to speak English well than foreign-born Asians. Stephanie Wong is chapter and membership associate with OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates. She said the information from the Census Bureau is somewhat misleading because it puts Asian Americans from many different backgrounds into one group.  “The Asian American population is very diverse,” Wong said. She suspects some Asian Americans do not receive public or private assistance because of the mistaken belief all Asian Americans are doing well economically. To point out the diverse economic backgrounds of Asian Americans, the Pew Research Center looked at income levels for people from different Asian countries. In 2015, it said that Indian American households had a median income of $100,000, the highest among Asian Americans. For Filipino-Americans, the median household income was $80,000. But the Pew report said eight of the 19 Asian groups it examined had higher poverty rates than the U.S. average. They included the Hmong, Bhutanese and Burmese. Twenty-one million and growing The Asian American population now stands just short of 21 million people, the Census Bureau reported. That represents just over 6 percent of the American population. In a recent report, the Pew Research Center said Asian Americans likely will become the largest immigrant group in the United States. In 50 years, Asians should make up 38 percent of all U.S. immigrants, overtaking the current largest immigrant group, Hispanics, the Pew Center said. William Frey researches urban populations, immigration and other issues for the Brookings Institution, a research center based in Washington D.C. He said immigration policies that support educated immigrants are likely to help Asians. But he said changes in American immigration policy could affect immigration from Asia, as well as other parts of the world. President Donald Trump and some Republicans in Congress have proposed a bill calling on America to reduce the number of legal immigrants admitted into the U.S. each year. They also want to give a preference to well-educated immigrants and/or those with job offers. Asian Americans come from 20 nations Asian American people come from more than 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Each has its own history, language and culture. Some of the biggest growth came from Bhutan, Nepal and Burma, the Pew center reported. But China continues to be the largest country of origin for Asian Americans. Chinese Americans numbered 4.9 million in 2015, or 24 percent of Asian Americans, Pew reported. Pew said that India is number two, with nearly 4 million people listing it as their country of origin. The other leading countries of origin for Asian Americans are the Philippines, 3.9 million; Vietnam, nearly 2 million; Korea, 1.8 million; Japan, 1.4 million; and Pakistan, 519,000. I’m Bruce Alpert. And I'm Jill Robbins.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   census - n. the official process of counting the number of people in a country, city, or town and collecting information about them median annual income - n. the middle value from a series of yearly earnings from smallest to largest over one year misleading - adj. not necessarily true diverse -- adj. including many different groups preference - n. having an advantage origin - n. where someone came from proficiently – adv. good at doing something chapter - n. ​the people in a certain area who make up one section of a large organization​ associate - n.​ a member of a group or organization who is at a level that is below the highest level​

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Discovery May Help Pregnant Women Carry Babies to Full Term

  For the first time, researchers have identified six genes that control the length of a pregnancy. And they say the genes may show whether or not a baby is born early. Preterm birth -- when a baby is born too early -- is a large cause of disability and death among the very young. Fifteen million babies worldwide are born too soon every year. Their lungs may be too small an d undeveloped. They struggle to breathe. Many of them die. For those who survive, problems from being born too early can affect them all their lives. Preterm birth is the leading cause of death among children under the age of five years worldwide. A pregnancy normally lasts about 40 weeks. An infant is considered full term if the baby is born after 37 weeks in the mother’s womb. One study found that a small number of babies born at just 22 weeks gestation have survived with medical treatment. But even late preterm babies are more likely to die or experience problems, even if they are the size and weight of some full-term infants. Late preterm babies are ones born between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation. Now, a group of researchers may have found a way to understand the causes of this complex disorder. The researchers looked at the genetic structure in 50,000 pregnant women. It was the largest study yet of DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid. The study found six genes that seemed to control how long a baby would stay in the mother’s womb. Dr. Louis Muglia is the co-director of the Perinatal Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio. He helped organize the study, and explains what the researchers found. "For the first time, we have the clues that are going to lead us to rational ways of understanding a woman's risk for preterm birth." Dr. Muglia says scientists have known for a long time that preterm birth involves a combination of genetic and environmental causes. One of the newly identified genes is involved in how the body uses the mineral selenium. Selenium is found in soil, seafood and meat. It is also sold in some stores, but not currently included in vitamin supplements women usually take while pregnant. Selenium supplements are low-cost. If the results of the study are confirmed, this could save millions of lives. Supplements such as folic acid have been shown to greatly reduce birth defects. Folic acid, a B vitamin, is added to food in many countries to help prevent health problems. Another finding is that the cells lining a woman’s uterus have a larger-than-expected influence on the length of pregnancy. This study showed that the genes thought to be responsible for the timing of the birth were from the mother. “For the first time, we have an idea of what tissue in the mom is the one that's likely driving the one for preterm birth.” The March of Dimes provided money to help pay for the research. Stacey Stewart works with the non-profit group. "We think this is an important breakthrough in finding solutions to end premature birth, which is the leading cause of death for children between the ages of zero and five and the leading cause of disabilities for babies." The study does not provide any immediate solution for stopping preterm birth. But the discoveries may lead to new ways to prevent this disorder. A final note: the researchers only tested women of European ancestry. They compared their findings to information from three different studies in Finland, Denmark and Norway. The studies pointed to the same six genes. The next step is to expand the research to include women from other races and ethnic groups.   I’m Anne Ball. Carol Pearson reported this story for VOA News. Anne Ball adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding with this short quiz. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gestation – n. the time when a person or animal is developing inside its mother before it is born womb – n. a woman’s uterus where a baby is formed DNA – n. deoxyribonucleic acid -- a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals defect – n. a problem or fault that makes someone or something not perfect    

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Calvin Coolidge: Silent

  VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about Calvin Coolidge. He was the vice president under Warren Harding. When Harding died suddenly a little more than two years into his term, Coolidge became president. Coolidge is linked to two opposing ideas. The first idea is quiet restraint. The president’s nickname was “Silent Cal.” He rarely took part in casual conversation. And as a leader, he often thought the best action was not to take any action. Many voters liked his “cool” style. Coolidge quickly earned a public image as a serious man who did not spend money or words easily.   But Coolidge is also linked to a period in U.S. history known as the Roaring Twenties. In those years, the 1920s, the American economy was generally good. Many people spent money on exciting things – such as the still-new automobile – and on entertainment, including alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, and dancing. Creative expression such as jazz and Art Deco architecture became popular. Calvin Coolidge is often given credit for helping fuel the Roaring Twenties with his pro-business economic policies. But some historians caution against remembering Coolidge’s business freedom policies too fondly. They say he helped create the conditions for the severe economic depression that followed his presidency. Early life Calvin Coolidge and his sister were born and raised on a farm in the northeast state of Vermont. Coolidge spoke highly of both his parents. His father owned a store, and also held local political offices. He had a public image for honesty, public service, and thrift. Young Calvin Coolidge helped his father in the store, and hoped to be just like him. Coolidge also admired his mother’s strong character. He was 12 years old when she died, and he wrote that losing her was “the greatest grief that can come to a boy.” Six years later, his sister also died. Their deaths made young Calvin Coolidge even more serious than he already was. But Coolidge was also known for his wit – a kind of humor that often depends on word play or intelligence. As a student at Amherst College in Massachusetts, Coolidge became known as an able and funny public speaker. That skill helped him rise in politics. He began with lower-level offices in Massachusetts, and later served as that state’s governor.   ​Along the way, he married Grace Anna Goodhue, a teacher for the deaf. She was known to be warm and social, and the couple were reported to have a loving marriage. They went on to have two sons. In 1920, the Republican Party nominated Coolidge to be its vice presidential candidate. In general, voters liked the Republican ticket. They were ready for a change after the reform policies and international engagement of Democrat Woodrow Wilson. Sure enough, the Republicans won the election in a landslide. But Coolidge did not enjoy the office of vice president very much. He had little power in the government. During meetings, he often remained silent. One summer night he and his wife were on vacation in Vermont. His father, Colonel Coolidge, woke them up in the middle of the night with some dramatic news: President Harding had died. Reporters quickly gathered at the small farmhouse. Colonel Coolidge had not put electricity in the house. So everyone watched by the light of an oil lamp. Colonel Coolidge was a public official. He used the family Bible and a copy of the Constitution to swear in his son as the 30th U.S. president. Then the country’s new leader did a very sensible thing: he went back to bed. Presidency President Coolidge believed in limited government, especially limited federal government. He permitted state and Cabinet officials to decide as many issues as they could. Coolidge used his authority to focus mostly on the country’s economy. At the time he took office, the U.S. was at the start of an economic boom. Coolidge tried to maintain that prosperity. He did not regulate businesses too much, and he sharply reduced taxes, especially on the wealthy. By nearly every measure, the economy grew. But the policies also widened the divide between rich and poor Americans, and put the country’s economy in a risky situation. More and more people began to invest their money in the stock market. Some put their dollars in dangerous investments. And business owners produced more goods than most members of the public could really afford. Increasingly, people borrowed money on credit to pay for luxury goods. At the same time, the economic situation of many American farmers was getting worse. The weather had been unusually dry in some places. And the price of food was falling. Farmers asked the federal government for assistance. But Coolidge rejected several bills that might have helped them. The bills had other problems, Coolidge reasoned, and he did not think that the federal government should intervene in the situation. So the farmers continued to suffer.  But most voters remained supportive of Coolidge. Even though the president was considered a quiet person, he spoke often on the radio, appeared in a talking film, met with reporters regularly, and posed in funny costumes for photographers. He easily won elected in 1924. Historians believe he could have won another term, too, in 1928. But Coolidge chose not to seek office. Some believed he was too saddened by the death of his teenaged son. Shortly after Coolidge became president, the boy had been playing tennis and slightly wounded his toe. The wound became infected. The infection spread to the boy’s blood. A few days later, he died.   Although Coolidge continued his presidency, he later said the joy had gone from the job. But when he decided not to seek re-election, he did not talk about his feelings. Instead, he simply wrote a note to reporters saying: “I do not choose to run for President in 1928.” His secretary of commerce, Herbert Hoover, was elected instead. Coolidge retired to his home in Massachusetts and led a quiet private life. Legacy President Coolidge was well-liked by most Americans. Later presidents – including Ronald Reagan – sought to follow some of his economic policies. But many historians have questioned those policies. They say that Coolidge did not pay enough attention to the situation of farmers. And they say the stock market was rising too fast. Seven months after Coolidge left office, the U.S. economy collapsed. The country was still deep in the Great Depression when Coolidge passed away. He died – quietly, of course – during an afternoon nap at the age of 60. His will was but a single sentence. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Listening Quiz See how well you understand the story of America's 30th president by taking this listening quiz. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   casual - adj. happening by chance : not planned or expected conversation - n. talking in an informal way fondly - adv. in a loving way thrift - n. careful use of money so that it is not wasted grief - n. deep sadness caused especially by someone's death wit - n. an ability to say or write things that are clever and usually funny ticket - n. a list of the candidates supported by a political party in an election engagement - n. the act or state of being involved with something sensible - adj. having or showing good sense or judgment

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Indians Hope More Can Be Done to Clean Up the Ganges River

  Darshana Kapoor walked near the riverbank after swimming in the Ganges River in Haridwar town. It is one of the most important places for the Hindu religious group in India. But, the ritual bath was not a good experience for Kapoor. "My faith [strong belief] brought me here, but when I saw garbage floating in the river, I felt so bad. I had to scrub myself," she said. Kapoor is not alone in her opinion. The Central Pollution Board has said that the water of the Ganges River at Haridwar is not fit for bathing. The river's condition disappoints thousands of people who come to the town. They were hoping to see results from a $3-billion cleanup project launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Ganges River starts in the Himalayan Mountains, but those cold, clean waters become polluted as they travel through the plains of north India. Garbage, untreated sewage, and industrial waste are the main causes of the damage. It is a big concern because the river provides water for 400 million people. For over 30 years, the government has been trying to clean up the river. After becoming prime minister in 2014, Modi admitted the cleanup failure and promised to succeed where earlier governments had not. But three years after his promise, environmental activists say that the river is still dying. The National Green Tribunal is India's main environmental court. In July, it criticized the government, saying "the status of the river Ganga has not improved in terms of quality and it continues to be a serious environmental issue." The court banned dumping waste within 500 meters of the river. It also said that no development should be permitted within 100 meters of the river as it flows between Haridwar and the town of Unnao. They are almost 500 kilometers apart. However, environmental activists point out that court orders do not always have an effect. M.C. Mehta is an environmentalist.   “The basic problem in this country and this case also is compliance,” said Mehta. “No monitoring mechanism is there, so it is very difficult to say how much directions have been complied with.” The main challenge is the slow pace of setting up treatment centers. About three-quarters of the sewage generated in the towns and cities in the northern plains flows untreated into the Ganges. Ganesh Singh owns a shop along the riverbank in Haridwar. He said there have been efforts to educate the people about not dumping waste into the river. “Many polythene bags, bottles, garbage used to be thrown into the river earlier. It is better now,” he said. He was happy the river helps bring in more tourists. However, just a few meters down from his shop, piles of garbage dumped along the riverbank were getting slowly washed into the water with the rain. Mehta worries that leaders do not care enough about the issue. “I am not talking about this leadership – it is for the last 32 years the same thing is going on,” he said. “It should not be just lip service that we are the sons and daughters of mother Ganga, without doing something.” This month, Modi gave responsibility for the Ganges cleanup campaign to a top cabinet minister, Nitin Gadkari. Gadkari is known for completing tasks. Devotees and environmentalists are hoping that will happen. I'm John Russell. And I'm Jill Robbins. Anjana Pasricha reported on this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ritual – adj. done as part of a ceremony or ritual bath – n. the act of washing the body usually by sitting or lying in a container filled with water scrub – v.  to rub (something) hard with a rough object or substance and often with soap in order to clean it disappoint – v. to make (someone) unhappy by not being as good as expected or by not doing something that was hoped for or expected status –n.  the current state of someone or something — usually singular compliance – n. the act or process of doing what you have been asked or ordered to do : the act or process of complying monitoring – n. the act of watching, observing, listening to, or checking (something) for a special purpose over a period of time lip service –idiom  support for someone or something that is expressed by someone in words but that is not shown in that person's actions devotee – n. a person who has very strong loyalty to a particular religion or religious figure  

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Disease Continues to Threaten American Bats

  Most people do not have a high opinion of bats. Bats often appear in movies and literature as terrifying creatures to be avoided. The animals have even been linked in popular culture to vampires, seeking to attack and drink the blood of human victims. In reality, bats are usually not a threat to people. Like other wild animals, some bats can carry the dangerous virus rabies. But bats can do good things for people and the environment. For example, bats eat a lot of different insects that can harm our environment. They can also pollinate plants and spread seeds. But a serious disease is currently threatening the bat population in many parts of the United States. The disease is a fungus called white-nose syndrome. It has killed more than 6 million bats across North America since 2007. Bats catch the fungus through their skin while resting on the walls of mountain caves. Biologist Lindsay Rohrbaugh says the disease spreads quickly and can lead to strange behavior in bats.  “Bats are arousing more often than they are supposed to be during hibernation. And when they do that, they are unable to find food, and they unfortunately die.” In Washington D.C., researchers are studying how white-nose syndrome is affecting the area’s nine species of bats. Some scientists are trapping bats on an island in the middle of the Anacostia River to test for the disease. The group is receiving federal money to help carry out their studies. Marco Carvello is with the D.C. government’s Department of Energy and Environment. He says scientists are concerned that the disease is continuing to greatly reduce the bat population. “They typically have one pup a year when they reproduce. So, that’s another reason that white-nose has been so detrimental. They don't have a lot of babies.” The bat deaths are affecting the quality of human life in many ways, according to Lindsay Rohrbaugh. “Without bats, we are seeing an increase of mosquitoes and other pests that are decimating food sources for us. And I think that’s only going to get worse over time if we don’t find some way to protect the species that we have left.” One theory is that some bats are no longer returning to caves to avoid getting sick. This means more of them are now making their way into cities, where contact with humans is more likely. Experts advise people to keep away from bats in case they are infected with rabies. Instead, they say animal control officers should be called to come and safely remove the animals. I’m Bryan Lynn. Veronica Balderas Iglesias and Erika Celeste reported on this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted their report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vampire – n. dead person who leaves the grave at night to bite and suck the blood of living people pollinate – v. to carry pollen from a male part of a flower to the female part of another flower fungus – n. type of plant that gets its food from other living or decaying things hibernate – v. to spend the winter sleeping or resting cave – n. large hole naturally formed in the side of a mountain or under the ground rouse – v. to wake up from sleep pup – n. a young dog detrimental – n. causing damage or injury pest – animal or insect that causes damage to plants or food decimate – v. to destroy large numbers of things  

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Everyday Grammar: Adjectival Infinitives - Time, Place, Way

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Lesson 3: He Said - She Said

Summary When Pete and Anna meet with Director Kelly, they arrive late. Both tell very different stories about their morning. A show begins. Conversation   Anna: Today, Pete and I are meeting with a consultant who will help us with our new show. Yesterday, Pete had promised to meet me here at 8:00 am. but he did not come on time. Prof Bot: Uh-oh. It’s bad to be late for a business meeting. But while we wait for Pete, let’s talk about a new verb tense -- past perfect! You know the past tense, right? Like, "Pete promised to meet me here at 8:00 a.m." Past perfect is a little different. When we talk about two things in the past, we can use the past perfect for the first event. Put "had" before the past participle. "Pete had promised he would meet Anna." Here's your assignment: find sentences with the past perfect tense. Remember, look for "had!" Kelly: You two are late -- exactly 43 minutes late! What happened? Anna: He had to get his "special" coffee -- SPECIAL coffee! Pete: She had to feed her birds -- HER birds! Kelly: Okay, I can see already that you need my help. You can’t both talk at the same time. You have to take turns. Alright, Anna, you go first. Anna: Sure. Kelly, see, Pete and I live in the same building. So, we decided to meet at 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. to come to work together.  I had waited 15 minutes when Pete arrived!  Anna: After Pete had wasted time waiting for coffee, we were late. I left you a message.* Kelly: Hum. I didn’t get that message. Anna: Oh. Sorry. Kelly: Pete? Prof. Bot: Anna left a message. That’s the right thing to do. Did you find some examples of the past perfect sentences? I did. Anna said,    Anna: "After Pete had wasted time waiting for coffee, we were late. Look at that coffee! It looks more like dessert!  Okay, keep watching for past perfect! Pete: Yeah, that’s not why we’re late. This is why we’re late: I had arrived on time at 8:00 a.m. but didn’t see Anna. She was standing behind a tree. I think she was hugging it. I always walk to work. But she said that would take too long and that a scooter would be much faster.  It was awful. I hated it. And it added too much time to our commute! Then Anna stopped by a pond to feed the birds. She had named them after characters from books and yelled the names out loud … Romeo! Juliet! Sherlock!  By the time she had fed all the birds, we were late. Kelly: This is what I think. You two see the same event very differently. Does this happen often with you two? Pete: Yes. Anna: No. Pete: No. Anna: Yes. Kelly: Okay. This is good. This is good! It’s good to see things differently.  I have an idea: we will call the show "He Said, She Said." For every story, you tell a different point of view. Anna: That is a great idea, Kelly! Pete, we are different. That’s why I thought of you for this job! Kelly: I think you two understand perfectly. Anna: Let’s get to work! Kelly: She named the birds? Really? Pete: Yeah… * Business people in the U.S. think you should come to a meeting at the exact time. If you are late to a business appointment, you should call and explain why. New Words commute - v. to travel regularly to and from a place and especially between where you live and where you work consultant - n. a person who gives professional advice or services to companies for a fee event- n.  something (especially something important or notable) that happens exactly - adv. used to stress that something is accurate, complete, or correct hug - v.  to use (something valuable) in a way that is not necessary or effective point of view - n. a way of looking at or thinking about something pond - n. an area of water that is surrounded by land and that is smaller than a lake promise - v. a statement telling someone that you will definitely do something or that something will definitely happen in the future scooter - n. a child's vehicle that is made of a narrow board with two small wheels attached waste - v. to use (something valuable) in a way that is not necessary or effective   Learning Strategy The learning strategy for this lesson is Monitor. As you use English, you can check your understanding. Do you understand? If not, what is the problem? You can also check how you write or speak. Are you making sense? If not, what is the problem? In this lesson, Anna monitored the time of her commute to work. She knew that she and Pete were late. She called Kelly to tell her. Later, Anna and Pete told Kelly the problem. Kelly monitored the different things that they said and had a great idea. They can have different ideas on their new show: "HeSaid - She Said!" How about you? How do you monitor while you are speaking English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email.    Listening Quiz See how well you understand this lesson by taking a listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer.   Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. For Teachers Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus:  Past Perfect Tense Topics: Promptness, Leaving a message, Schedules Learning Strategy: Monitor Comments 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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College Admissions: Understanding the Common Application

  What do all of the over 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States have in common? The answer is not a lot. These schools are all different in many ways. The same is true for their requirements for admitting students. College applications can often be very complex, with several parts. And as the number of people seeking a college education increases every year, competition for admission also grows. So students often end up applying to more than one school, which can be a lot of work. That is why a growing number of colleges and universities have started using the Common Application method, also known as the Common App. It began with 15 U.S. universities in 1975. Today over 730 schools worldwide have students apply for admission this way. Any student can use the Common App so long as he or she is connected to the Internet. The system lets students use one set of materials to apply to as many of its member schools as they want, all at once. To get started, simply go to the Common Application website. Sara Brookshire is the director of admissions at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Brandeis, a private research university, does have a traditional application process, where students can apply directly to the school. But Brookshire says less than two percent of its applicants do so. Most apply through the Common App website. Brookshire says the purpose of using this method is to reduce barriers for students and make the application process less stressful. Some colleges may feel students are showing less interest in finding the best school for them by using the Common App. Some may feel that students simply want to increase their chance of getting accepted. Brookshire admits that students could seek admission to 730 schools if they really wanted to. But many schools that use the Common App require students to pay individual application fees. So the process could get very costly! Brookshire adds that students can no longer expect to get into the first or second school they choose. “So the hope was to be [honest about] the process, but also to still [ask] students to be thoughtful,” Brookshire told VOA. “Find those eight to 10 schools that are appropriate and exciting for you, and go ahead and just send [materials to them].” Like traditional college applications, the Common App website has several parts. The first is where applicants provide personal information, such as their sex, ethnicity and citizenship. Students may also be asked what languages they speak and details of their family. Brookshire says this kind of information gives the school an idea of who the applicant is. The second part of the application is where students provide information about their education history. This includes what high school they attended and their academic performance during the high school years. It also includes a list of the classes students are currently taking and any college-level classes they may have taken. Brookshire notes that attention to detail is very important. Most colleges and universities ask for official documents from a student’s high school to confirm what they are reporting is true. So dishonesty would be a mistake. Also, students should be careful about spelling mistakes, as well as names or words used in email addresses. The third part is where students list any awards or honors they have received. It is also where students list their activities outside of the classroom. Brookshire thinks this part is one of the most important. “What we’re doing on the college side is trying to understand a student’s [possible] fit for our...community,” she said. “It has to do with which [student groups] and organizations that we think they might be involved with, what kind of [effect] they’re going to have on campus, whether or not we think they’ll … [succeed] in a very busy…environment.” Brookshire suggests that students think hard and list as much as they can in the activities section. Sports teams, volunteer organizations, and part-time jobs are all good examples. But, she argues, applicants should also consider adding less structured activities. Most colleges want to see that students have a lot of different interests. However, an applicant demonstrating hard-work and responsibility can also be appealing to admissions officials. For example, Brookshire says, a student could talk about how they had to come home after school every day to care for an aging family member. That would explain why they did not have time to join a school band or debate team. The fourth part of the Common Application is the personal essay. This section shows a student’s ability to communicate in writing, as well as demonstrate their critical thinking skills. Students must choose one of several open-ended questions about themselves. Then, they must answer the question in about 400 to 600 words. Brookshire says this is a chance for students to explain themselves in a way that the other parts of the Common Application do not. It lets them be creative, while also showing the way they think and see the world based on their own experiences. She adds that when choosing which question to answer, students should think about how the subject relates to the schools they would like to attend. One of the past questions was similar to this: “Think about a time when you questioned a belief or idea. What affected your thinking and what was the result?” Brookshire says this might be good question for a student hoping to attend a liberal arts college. Classes at this kind of school will often ask students to question their understanding of the world. But Common Application member schools often request changes to the application materials and the essay questions do change from year to year. The newest form is released once a year on or close to July 1. And as Brookshire notes, the more time students spend on the essay the better. Finally, the last part of the application is a teacher recommendation. This is where a teacher with a personal connection to the applicant writes a letter in support of the student. This letter describes the personal qualities of the student and why the college or university should accept them. Students have no control over what the teacher might write. So Brookshire says a student should probably choose a teacher who taught a subject related to the field they want to study in college. Or students could ask a teacher whose class they struggled but succeeded in in the end. Brookshire suggests that a thoughtful letter from a teacher like that could show that the student never gives up, even when things get difficult.  I’m Dorothy Gundy. And I'm Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported this for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Have you or anyone you know applied to a college through the Common Application process? What was that experience like? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   application(s) – n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan stressful – adj. making you feel worried or anxious appropriate – adj. right or suited for some purpose or situation exciting – adj. causing feelings of interest and enthusiasm academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education spelling – n. the act of forming words from letters campus – n. the area and buildings around a university, college, school band – n. a usually small group of musicians who play popular music together essay – n. a short piece of writing that tells a person's thoughts or opinions about a subject liberal arts – n. areas of study, such as history, language, and literature, that are intended to give you general knowledge rather than to develop specific skills needed for a profession recommendation – n. the act of saying that someone or something is good and deserves to be chosen

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Different Ways to Pass and Fail

  Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories. On this show, we explore the origins and usage of common expressions in American English. During September in the United States — and in many places around the world — children are going back to school. Even if your school days have long passed, you may remember this time of the year well: the smell of books and pencils, the sound of your footsteps as you enter a strange classroom, the nervous feeling in your stomach as you meet your new teacher. Naturally, we all want to do well in school and life. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. So, today we are going to talk about both. The expressions you will hear in today's program are commonly used in a classroom. But, they can also be used in other situations. Let's start with the bad situations first. Now, as you probably know, a bomb is something that blows things up. In American slang, when something bombs, it fails completely. So, if you fail a test, you bombed it. We also often use "bomb" this way when talking about movies, plays or performing. For example, if a comedian is on stage telling jokes but no one is laughing, you can say his jokes are bombing. Afterward, if you are feeling very mean, you could say to him, "Wow, you really bombed." Now, let's say nobody goes to the new superhero movie, you can say it bombed at the box office. The box office is where people buy their movie tickets. In this case, they were buying tickets for a dud or a flop. These two words are often used to describe a form of entertainment that failed in its purpose -- to entertain.​ Even a party that bombs can be called a dud or a flop. And if a class you are taking is boring or useless, you could call it a "a real dud." Now, let's go back to bombing. Please take note that when the word "bomb" is a verb, it means to fail. As a slang expression, however, “the bomb” often describes something really good. For example, if a high school student wears a new pair of sneakers to school, his friends could say, "Those shoes are the bomb!" That means they are great -- in a cool, awesome kind of way. But please be careful: using “the bomb" this way is extremely casual and would not be appropriate to use in a formal situation. For example, let's say your boss wears a new suit to an important meeting. It might not be a good career move to say to her, "That outfit is the bomb! You look awesome!"     And making comments about a bomb at a U.S. airport could get you arrested. So, as we said, be careful! Now, let's talk about expressions to use when you do something really well. Let's say you did well on a test. You got 100% correct. You aced it! You can also say that you passed with flying colors. The last expression might make you think of a big celebration — like maybe your parents celebrated your passing grade by lighting colorful fireworks. But you would be wrong. Word experts seem to agree that the expression "to pass with flying colors" comes from the military. In this case, “pass” doesn’t mean to succeed, but to travel. And “colors” doesn’t mean shades like red or blue, but flags. According to the website The Phrase Finder, “pass with flying colors” originally describes winning ships sailing into port “with flags flying from all the mastheads.” By around 1700, the phrase was being used to describe any kind of victory. That means you can use "pass with flying colors" when you are being graded on a test or course, but also in a situation that is out of your control -- such as a medical exam. Let's say you are nervously waiting in a doctor's exam room for the results of a blood test. The doctor may come in and say, "Don't worry! I'm looking at the results of your blood test and you passed with flying colors!" It's not as if you studied for your blood test and then did well on it. So, this is the doctor's way of being lighthearted or funny. And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories! We here at VOA Learning English hope you pass your next exam with flying colors — or at least we hope you don't bomb on your next project! I'm Anna Matteo. Do you have any slang expressions in your language to describe passing and failing? Let us know in the Comments Section -- where you can also practice using "bomb" or "pass with flying colors" in a sentence. Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story     comedian – n. a person who performs in front of an audience and makes people laugh by telling jokes or funny stories or by acting in a way that is funny : an actor who plays roles that make people laugh dud – n. something that does not do what it is supposed to do : something that is a complete failure : The movie was a box office dud. [=few people went to see the movie] flop – n. informal : to fail completely cool – adj. very fashionable, stylish, or appealing in a way that is generally approved of especially by young people awesome – adj. informal : extremely good casual – adj. designed for or permitting ordinary dress, behavior, etc. : not formal formal – adj. requiring or using serious and proper clothes and manners outfit – n. a set of clothes that are worn together ace – v. US, informal : to earn a very high grade on (an examination) : to get a grade of A on (an examination) masthead – n. the top of a ship's mast lighthearted – adj. having or showing a cheerful and happy nature

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Powerless Aircraft Sets Altitude Record

  Two pilots recently set a new altitude world record for gliders. A glider is an aircraft that does not have an engine. They are pulled into the air by powered airplanes and then released. They are designed to ride warm, rising air to gain altitude. The Perlan II glider reach an altitude of 15,902 meters on September 3. The two pilots flew their aircraft above mountains in southern Argentina.  The pilots beat the earlier world record for gliders by 441 meters. The pilots hope the ability of their plane to reach the edge of outer space will influence young people to follow careers in science and engineering. Reaching new heights The glider was pulled into the air by a small plane. At about 3,000 meters, the plane released the connecting cable and started looking for strong updrafts of air, called the mountain waves, to take them higher. According to chief pilot Jim Payne it took eleven flights to reach the altitude record. "Basically, we take steps of certain amount of altitude and airspeed, gather data, analyze that data and if those data conform to our theory and the model we have for the airplane - then we can safely go on to the next step." A glider flight at high altitude is very difficult.  The glider has no engine to fight turbulence they may encounter. Also, although the airspeed instrument shows the speed of only 80 to 90 kilometers per hour, the true airspeed can be much higher.  At those high speeds, the wings may flutter to the point of breaking. Also, it is very cold said pilot and project manager Morgan Sandercock. "We have electric socks on the pilots, we literally could not fly without those electric socks, we would get frostbite. And heated vests and we're looking at upgrading our heating systems for next year because cold is the big issue that we've been dealing with this year." ​Investing in the future The Perlan II glider is made of special kind of light carbon fiber material.  It also has improved mechanical properties. The company Airbus helped build the glider and transport it to Argentina. Ken McKenzie, an employee with Airbus, says the company hopes the project will attract young people to science and technology. "We want to actually grab the next group of pilots, engineers, mechanics, airport operators, flight attendants, basically kids that are in high school and university right now that may not have considered aerospace as a career and we want to inspire them." In the future, the pilots hope to break the world altitude record for level flight of 25,929 meters, set in 1979 by the U.S. spy plane called the SR-71 Blackbird. The pilots also plan to turn their aircraft into a non-polluting research vehicle for the stratosphere. I’m Phil Dierking. This story was originally written by George Putic for the VOANews.com.  Phil Dierking adapted the story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. What record would you like to break?  Would you be interested in flying at high altitudes? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________ Words in This Story altitude - n.  the height of something above the level of the sea​ cable - n.  a thick, strong rope made of wires that are twisted together​ conform - v.  to be similar to or the same as something ​ flutter - v. to move or flap the wings quickly without flying​ frostbite - n.  a condition in which part of your body freezes or almost freezes​ turbulence - n. sudden, violent movements of air or water​

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