Understanding Adverbs: Always

  The film “Casablanca” is one of the most famous American movies of all time. At the end of the film, the actor Humphrey Bogart says a heartbreaking farewell to the woman he loves. Bergman: But what about us? Bogart: We'll always have Paris. Besides affecting one’s emotions, this movie scene can teach you a lot about English grammar. It can show you how English speakers use adverbs in a sentence. In our program today, we explore a single word: always. We will discover why Bogart said his famous line the way he did. Do not worry. Unlike the ending of “Casablanca,” we will not leave you in tears! Adverbs and Movability In other Everyday Grammar stories, we explored adverbs. Adverbs are words that change the meaning of a verb, adjective, or sentence. They are often used to show time, place, or a way of doing things. Adverbs are often movable. They can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Consider these examples: Occasionally I eat seafood. I occasionally eat seafood. I eat seafood occasionally. In this example, the adverb occasionally appears in three different places in the sentence. The placement of the adverb does not change the meaning. All three sentences have the same meaning. Most English speakers would not think it strange if you used any one of these sentences. Always is not as movable What about the adverb always? In general, the adverb always is not as movable as other kinds of adverbs – like the word occasionally. You will not often hear an English speaker use always at the beginning or the end of a sentence. Most often, you will hear always in the middle of the sentence, before the verb it is modifying. In some cases, you might hear it at the beginning of a sentence – when giving an order or command, for example.* Or you might hear it at the end of a sentence, but usually only in an artistic setting: a poetry reading or a musical performance, for example. But the central point is this: in speaking and in writing, always does not move its position as often as other adverbs. So, if you were to take our example sentence, "I eat seafood," and use the adverb always, you could say, "I always eat seafood." Always generally is found after “BE” verbs and auxiliary verbs, but before other verbs. You will find this structure in many popular films. Consider this famous line from “A Streetcar Named Desire:” "Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951 In the example, always appears after the auxiliary verb, have, and just before the main verb, depended. This same idea is true of Bogart's famous line from “Casablanca,” "We'll always have Paris." "We'll" is a short way to say, "we will." Always appears after the auxiliary verb, will, and before the main verb, have. Emphasized always You might think that our story about the word always ends here, but it does not! English speakers can also change the meaning of always. When you hear or read the adverb always in its usual position, before the verb it is modifying. It generally has the meaning of habitually. However, sometimes you will hear English speakers emphasize the word always. In this case, the meaning of the sentence has changed. Think back to our example sentence: "I always eat seafood." This sentence means that you usually eat seafood – perhaps when you go to a restaurant. If the speaker says, "I ALWAYS eat seafood," with the emphasis on the word "always," then the speaker is expressing annoyance. Perhaps the speaker is angry that another person – a close friend, for example – did not remember they like to eat seafood when they go out to dinner. Here is another example: you hear a child say, "My father always works late on Thursdays." This sentence uses the adverb always to express a habitual or common action. However, if you hear the child say, "My dad ALWAYS works late on Thursdays," then you know that the child is unhappy with the father's work schedule. What can you do? So, now you know that if Bogart had used the emphasized always in the film Casablanca, the ending of the film would have been very different. The next time you are listening or speaking, try to pay attention to the placement of the word always. Then, try to identify if it is emphasized or not. This will help you understand the speaker's feelings. Remember: English does not always communicate meaning through grammar. Emphasis plays an important role in showing the meaning of a sentence. With practice, you, too, will be able to use always like a native speaker! I’m Pete Musto. And I'm John Russell.  John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. *Always can begin imperative sentences. Here is an example: Always wear your seatbelt.  _______________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   farewell – n. an act of leaving adverb – n. a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a sentence and that is often used to show time, manner, place, or degree occasionally – adv. sometimes but not often emphasize – v. to place emphasis on (something) auxiliary verb – n. a verb (such as have, be, may, do, shall, will, can, or must) that is used with another verb to show the verb's tense, to form a question, etc.​ modify – v. to limit or describe the meaning of (a word or group of words)​ scene – n. a part of a play, movie, story, etc., in which a particular action or activity occurs​

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America Celebrates Veterans Day

November 11 is Veterans Day in the United States. But because Veterans Day falls on a Saturday this year, Friday, November 10 is a federal holiday. A “veteran” is anyone who has served in the armed forces. Veterans Day honors the living. A separate holiday, Memorial Day in May, honors those who died in military service. The United States has about 18.5 million veterans. The term veteran is not just for those who have served in wars. It describes anyone who has ever been in the military. On November 11, communities across the country hold ceremonies and parades to mark Veterans Day. Military bands play. Public officials take part in the events. And soldiers fire guns into the air in a salute to remember those who died in service to their country.  The history of Veterans Day relates to World War I. Many people at the time called it “the war to end all wars.” The United States entered the fighting in Europe in 1917. But the U.S. armed forces were small. So the government began to draft men between the ages of 21 and 31. The men came from cities and farms. Some were rich. Others were poor. There were doctors, lawyers, businessmen, and college students. Many were married. The following year, the government expanded the draft. Now it called on men between the ages of 18 and 45. More than 13 million reported for duty.  Many women joined the armed forces, too. Most got office jobs at military bases in the United States. Some, however, went to France to work as nurses in battlefield hospitals. World War I ended when Germany surrendered at 11 o'clock in the morning on November 11, 1918 -- in other words, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.  The following year, President Woodrow Wilson signed a declaration to observe November 11th as Armistice Day in the United States. It would be a day to honor the men and women who had served in the U.S. armed forces during the war. In 1926, Congress made Armistice Day a national holiday.  But new problems were on the way. Soon, everyone knew that World War I would not be the war to end all wars. In all, more than 4,000,000 Americans served in the armed forces during the first World War. And 16 million would serve during the second one. Armistice Day in 1945 was a special day in the United States. Germany had surrendered in May 1945. And Japan surrendered in August of that year. Most of the men and women who had served in the war were home. So, instead of honoring just veterans of World War I, Americans also honored veterans of World War II. In 1954, Congress decided to change the name of Armistice Day. The holiday became Veterans Day. I’m Dorry Gundy.   Jerilyn Watson wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   draft – v. to choose for some purpose, such as military service nurse – n. someone who has training to care for sick or injured people o’clock – adj. used to show position on a close or time piece hour – n. the time of day, based on two 12-hour periods

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Indonesian Village Uses Owls to Protect Crops

  To make room for agriculture, trees and other plants are often cleared away so that farmers have space to grow crops. The clearing of forests forces many animals from their homes. They often flee the area in search of a new place to live. There is a big downside to that. Some of those animals are natural predators. They control pest populations. They can help to clear the fields of rats, mice, and other rodents that eat and damage crops. This happened at one small farming village in Indonesia. After land was cleared for farming, rats and mice began appearing in large numbers. Villagers tried to target the animals by smoking them out and hunting them. But the villagers were unsuccessful. So, one farmer decided to try another method -- a natural one. Pujo Arto brought owls to his farm. Owls, after all, are experts at hunting rodents. It is what they do. And it worked! However, Pujo Arto didn't stop with his own field. He set up a Natural Predator Program. Now, owls are busy catching rats and mice in the fields around the village of Tlogoweru. There is a huge upside: no need for chemical pesticides, which can harm not only rodents, but other creatures. In 2011, the Indonesian man began setting up boxes where the owls live. He is also raising owlets in the village. After about four months, the young birds are released. These facilities have raised more than owls. They have also raised awareness in the community about the importance of owls. "We raised awareness within our community by building homes for these owls. At the same time, government officials helped to create laws to protect these owls." In addition to controlling pests naturally, there is another upside to the program. His village is now a popular stop for eco-tourists. People interested in learning more about owls, wildlife protection and natural pest control come to his village to learn more. Do owls make good pets? For owls, awareness is good, but popularity is not. Because of the Harry Potter books and movies, owls are increasingly popular as pets in Indonesia. So, many are sold in local bird markets. However, owls are wild animals and may not be a good choice to keep around the home. Before buying an owl, experts warn people about the downsides of owning one as a pet. Owls are loud. They can require a lot of care and attention. More importantly, they can be aggressive and can cause damage or injury. Their sharp claws are made for catching small animals and can injure the owner. One Indonesian man, a father, did his homework. He knew all of these downsides. But that did not stop him from buying his daughter an owl ... or from getting hurt himself.   "As parents, we usually give our children what they want. That is, if we can. But before getting an owl, we had to learn more about the nature of an owl. And coincidentally, just recently, I got clawed." This is exactly the kind of situation Pujo Arto is trying to end. To date, his program has raised and released more than 2,000 birds. He hopes the program will continue to provide farmers owls for natural pest control. But Arto adds that he hopes his program also shows people that owls belong in the wild as natural predators not in the home as domestic pets. I'm Anna Matteo.   Faith Lapidus reported on this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English writing additional information about owl conservation. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   downside – n. a part of something that you do not want or like : a drawback or disadvantage predator – n. an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals : an animal that preys on other animals rodent – n. a small animal (such as a mouse, rat, squirrel, or beaver) that has sharp front teeth upside – n. a part of something that is good or desirable : an advantage or benefit pesticide – n. a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage plants or crops awareness – n. a realization, perception, or knowledge of something eco-tourist – n. one who tours natural habitats in a manner meant to minimize ecological impact pet – n. a domesticated animal kept for pleasure rather than utility aggressive – adj. ready and willing to fight, argue, etc. : feeling or showing aggression claw – n. a sharp curved part on the toe of an animal (such as a cat or bird) : claw – v.  to scratch, grip, or dig with claws or fingers coincidentally – adv. happening because of a coincidence : not planned domestic – adj. relating to or involving someone's home or family

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Actor Kevin Spacey Removed from New Movie

Actor Kevin Spacey is facing more career problems as the number of accusations of sexual wrongdoing against him increase. Friday, a major movie company said it planned to replace the actor in a film set for release next month. Sony Pictures says it will remove Spacey from the film project All the Money in the World. It says it will re-shoot his parts with Academy Award winning actor Christopher Plummer. Movie director Ridley Scott is working quickly to make the changes to the film in order to meet the planned release date of December 22. In the movie, Spacey played the late oil businessman J. Paul Getty. The film tells the story about the kidnapping of Getty’s grandson, John Paul Getty III, in 1973. Getty refused to pay for his grandson’s release. Sony announced earlier that it was withdrawing the movie from the American Film Institute film festival in Los Angeles. Several movie and television companies have cut ties with Spacey after the actor Anthony Rapp accused him of sexual assault. The incident is reported to have taken place in 1986 when Rapp was 14 years old. In a statement, Spacey said he did not remember such an event but that he was sorry if it happened. Since then, more than 10 men have accused Spacey of sexual wrongdoing. The movie and television streaming company Netflix has since dismissed Spacey from its series House of Cards and withheld another Spacey film. On Wednesday, a former television news reporter, Heather Unruh, accused Spacey of sexually attacking her son last year. The incident reportedly took place on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Unruh says a criminal investigation is taking place. However, Nantucket police are barred from confirming or denying the case because it involves sexual assault accusations. Unruh said, “I just want to see Kevin Spacey go to jail.” She added that she wanted this “not just for my son, but for the many others.” British news reports say police in London are investigating sexual assault claims from 2008. At least two other men have accused Spacey of sexually molesting them when they were teenagers. I’m Lucija Millonig.   Kenneth Schwartz and Richard Green reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   assault –n. carrying out an act of violence or threatening to do violence against someone streaming –adj. related to send video content such as movies, television shows or live material over the internet harassment –n. to repeatedly have unwanted interactions with someone molesting –v. to harm someone in a sexual way We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Let's Teach English Unit 10: Collaboration Through Persona Poems

In this lesson, students learn how to write a poem. They use a format the teacher calls a “persona poem.” See the whole unit at http://ift.tt/2hh1EfK

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Eight Things You Didn't Know Google Translate Could Do

  As smartphones continue to get smarter, we can only expect Google Translate to stay one step ahead.   Over 200 million people around the world now depend on the free application every day. And yet, many repeat users do not know about some of its most exciting features. We are here today to help change that. Use your smartphone camera Let's start with your smartphone camera.   By pointing the camera at an object with words on it, you can translate those words into many languages. This feature will translate the words from whatever the camera sees -- whether it is a street sign, restaurant menu, or even handwriting. Simply touch the camera button on the app and point the device at whatever you'd like. This may be one of the app's most striking features, although it usually works better with printed words than handwriting. Translate spoken words and phrases Google Translate now also translates whatever it hears. If your electronic device has a microphone, you can talk directly into it and the program will quickly begin translating several sentences. But it does not like when a speaker stops in the middle of a thought. This feature works on both the smartphone app and the website. You can even play pre-recorded audio or video close to the microphone and Google Translate will work fairly well. To use this feature, just touch the microphone image. We reported recently on Google Pixel Buds, which also translates spoken language. Use offline translation for travel If you have ever been to another country, you know how unpredictable a cellular or wireless connection can be. Google Translate now offers users the ability to download a whole language for future use offline. To activate the service, you must first download the language with a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, so it's probably best to do this before traveling. The download for each language can be about 25 or 30 megabytes in size. So look at the data plan for your device if you expect to download without Wi-Fi. To find the offline translation feature, just hit the settings image in the app. Translate your handwriting Our next feature seems like it was created just for fun. You can now write words by hand directly onto the screen of your smartphone in the Google Translate app. The app will then translate the word or expression. This feature works well, even with unclear handwriting. We tested it by writing words unclearly in a few languages. Each time, the translation was correct. Create your own phrasebook Another wonderful feature is the phrasebook. You can save and reuse your most commonly searched words and expressions in the phrasebook. To do this on your smartphone or computer, simply touch the star image. On a computer, the phrasebook also lets you sort the saved terms by language – which is useful if you are using or learning several languages.  The phrasebook can even be an excellent tool for examining sentence structure; you can use it to compare the structure of sentences in two languages. Get slower pronunciations Language learners all over the world will welcome the next feature. Everyone knows how difficult it can be to understand a foreign language when it is spoken too quickly. But, did you know that Google Translate will slow down the speed of its speech at your request? Simply touch the listen image twice to hear the translation at the slower speed. Use WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger You will never feel too distant from friends or family overseas with the next feature. If your smartphone uses the Android operating system, you are in luck. Google Translate will perform translations directly in WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. No need to copy and paste the text from those apps into Google Translate. Make Google Translate better Finally, you can help to improve the translation quality of Google Translate for users around the world. There are two ways to do this: suggest a change for individual translations or join the Translate Community. Suggesting a change is easy: just type or paste in words or phrases on the device as you normally would. If the translation looks problematic, simply "suggest an edit" inside the translated box. The second way is to join the Translate Community. Go to http://ift.tt/1aU2PoC and sign into your Google account. Then, you can either review the quality of phrases that have already been translated or translate words and phrases into your chosen language. I'm Alice Bryant. And I'm Jill Robbins.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   smartphone – n. a mobile phone that can be used to send and receive e-mail, connect to the Internet, take photographs and more application – n. a computer software program for computers, smartphones or other mobile devices feature – n. an interesting or important part of something translate – v. to take things said or written in one’s own language and put them in another language app – n. short for "application" microphone – n. a device into which people speak to record their voices or to make them sound louder download – v. to move or copy a computer file or program from a usually larger computer system to another computer or device offline – adj. not connected to a computer or telecommunications system screen – n. the surface on which an image appears paste – v. to put into another part of the document or into another document

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Immigrants in Ohio Create a Lively Food Culture

Immigrants and refugees bring ethnic restaurants to central Ohio.

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Twitter and Snapchat Announce Changes

This is What’s Trending Today… Social media services Twitter and Snapchat announced this week they are taking on new looks. Both services have far fewer users than Facebook, and are seeking to expand their audiences. Twitter is expanding its message limit to 280 characters for nearly all its users, ending its well-known 140-character limit. And Snapchat, long popular with young people, will make changes in hopes of becoming easier for everyone to use. It has yet to provide details of the changes. Twitter says that 9 percent of tweets written in English reached the 140-character limit. As a result, users had to spend time reworking the wording of tweets. By removing that barrier, Twitter is hoping people will tweet more, increasing the interest of other users. The Associated Press reports that people around the world are talking about the changes to Twitter. Some German government officials celebrated the changes Wednesday. Germany’s justice ministry wrote that it can now more easily tweet about legislation concerning the oversight responsibilities for marking beef. The law is known in German as the Rindfleischetikettierungsueberwachungsaufgabenuebertragungsgesetz. In Rome, student Marina Verdicchio welcomed the changes. She said the move “will give us the possibility to express ourselves in a totally different way and to avoid canceling important words when we use Twitter.” Others were not as excited, including at least one person who repeated the words of Shakespeare: “Brevity is the soul of wit.” The expansion to 280-character tweets will be extended to all Twitter users except those tweeting in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Those languages will still have the 140-character limit. That is because writing in those languages involves fewer characters. And that’s What’s Trending Today.  I'm Ashley Thompson.    The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   audience - n. the people who watch, read, or listen to something character - n. a symbol (such as a letter or number) that is used in writing or printing brevity - n. the quality of being brief; the use of few words to say something wit  - n. an ability to say or write things that are clever and usually funny

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November 8, 2017

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

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More Americans Setting Records for Physical Endurance

  American Tim Freriks remembers visiting the world famous Grand Canyon as a child. He recalls looking up from the very bottom of the Grand Canyon at the huge walls of rock hundreds of meters above his head. At the time, Freriks was not excited about the long walk back to the top. And he never imagined he would one day run up the trail along the side of the canyon’s walls. Freriks had that childhood memory after he ran from the canyon’s North Rim to the South Rim. He finished the 34-kilometer “rim-to-rim” run with what is called the “fastest known time,” or FKT. There was no prize -- only the unofficial record for the fastest race time. This kind of award has become a goal for athletes in all kinds of activities on trails, mountains and mountain cliffs. A growing athletic movement Endurance events have captured the imagination of an increasing number of trail runners, climbers and mountaineers. Social and traditional media have helped create attention for these men and women. In the past, the competitors may not have been well known, but now they can earn money from company sponsorships. The Associated Press reports that Freriks’ run, completed in under 2 hours and 40 minutes, was one of several notable records set in October. Two rock climbers made history at Yosemite National Park in California. They set a speed record for climbing up the huge wall of El Capitan in under two hours 20 minutes. Normally, this climb takes experienced climbers three days.  Shawn Bearden is a trail runner and a physiology professor at Idaho State University. He says endurance events have been influenced by a number of things. They include the development of lighter equipment, growing interest in long-distance running and the ability of people to follow athletes’ progress online. Some people are refusing to wait for traditional races and compete whenever they want. “The FKT stuff is a cool dynamic,” said Tim Freriks, “You’re out there alone a lot of the time. There isn’t much publicity. It feels more pure.” There is a long history of people setting out to set speed and distance records. For years, sailors have attempted to set records for sailing around the world. Swimmers have successfully crossed the English Channel since 1875. And now simply climbing to the top of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, is not enough. Some climbers want to see if they can be the fastest at reaching the top. “I think it’s a natural human tendency to keep pushing back the human boundaries of what’s perceived to be possible — like trying to set a world record,” said Peter Bakwin, a Colorado native. Bakwin, a trail runner, created a website for listing fastest times. Runs and climbs that once took months, weeks and days are now being completed in only weeks, days and hours. As one of the few people keeping unofficial records, Bakwin is now seen as a judge of whether a claim is true. In the past, people self-reported their successes on the honor system. Now, modern technology can prove if the claims are true using global positioning system records, digital photographs and social media posts. Record competition Sometimes, it is difficult to keep records. Bakwin was the first person known to run the Muir Trail in under four days. The Muir Trail travels along some of the most beautiful parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On foot, the trip normally takes two to three weeks to complete. Bakwin said he would run about 80 kilometers a day, and only take short breaks to sleep. However he also took time to enjoy nature. He remembered being tired one night and decided to climb to the top of a mountain under a full moon. “It was magical,” he said. “It’s hard to explain the attraction of pushing your limits of endurance in nature. Some people get it and some people think it’s totally crazy.” However, his best time from 2003 did not last even a year before someone broke his record. In October, Americans Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds broke the speed record for climbing up El Capitan. They climbed the 884-meter vertical wall in 2 hours and 19 minutes. Their time beat the record set five years earlier by Americans Hans Florine and Alex Honnold. To set the new record, they took a risk by bringing very little equipment with them as they climbed. This helped them go faster, but also meant they had little protection from falling. They also did not carry any water. Florine has held the speed record for climbing El Capitan eight separate times.  Florine said many people have asked him if he would try to set the record again. But at the age of 53, he said he feels too old. Freriks, who is 26, is the same age as Florine when he set his first record on El Capitan. Freriks imagines his “rim-to-rim” run record will be broken, but if so he will try to reclaim it again. I’m Phil Dierking.   The Associated Press reported this story. Phil Dierking adapted the report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Are there any physical challenges you would like to set a record for? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   athlete - n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength​ crazy - adj. unable to think in a clear or sensible way​ endurance - n. the ability to do something difficult for a long time​ sponsorship - n. an arrangement in which a sponsor agrees to give money to someone or something​ online - adj. connected to a computer, a computer network, or the Internet​ dynamic - adj. always active or changing​ tendency - n. a quality that makes something likely to happen or that makes someone likely to think or behave in a particular way​ post - v. to add (a message) to an online message board​ vertical - adj. going straight up​

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Scientists Find Large Amounts of Precious Metals in Wastewater

  In recent months, stories about sewers getting clogged have made international headlines. For example, a so-called "fatberg," a mass of grease and diapers, clogged London's sewers. A new study has found stranger materials in a wastewater system: large amounts of rare and precious metals. Researchers examined 64 wastewater treatment centers across Switzerland. A government press release says it was the first study on trace elements in wastewater in an industrialized country. The researchers found 3000 kg of silver and 43 kilograms of gold in effluent and sludge from the centers. The value of the materials was somewhere around $3.1 million dollars. The silver and gold were in the form of tiny particles. The researchers said the particles were most likely released during manufacturing of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or watches. Bas Vriens is one of the researchers. "You hear stories about an angry man or woman throwing jewelry down the toilet, but we didn't find any rings, unfortunately," he said. "The levels of gold and silver were very small, in the micrograms, or even nanograms, but when you add them up it's pretty substantial." The researchers also found large amounts of rare earth minerals. The level of metal concentrations did not violate Swiss laws. They were removed before the water entered the drinking water system. Vriens cautioned people against trying to find precious metals in drinking water. "It wouldn't make sense for people to boil their tap water to recover gold or silver because it has already been filtered out before it re-enters the drinking water supply," Vriens said. I'm John Russell.   John Revill reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   clog – v. to slowly form a block in (something, such as a pipe or street) so that things cannot move through quickly or easily diaper – n. a piece of cloth or other material that is placed between a baby's legs and fastened around the waist to hold body waste grease – n. an oily substance trace – n. a very small amount of something effluent – n. liquid (such as sewage or industrial chemicals) that is released as waste sludge – n. a soft, thick material that is produced in various industrial processes (such as in the treatment of sewage) toilet – n. a large bowl attached to a pipe that is used for getting rid of bodily waste and then flushed with water unfortunately – adv.  used to say that something bad or unlucky has happened

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