Everyday Grammar: Euphemistic Adjectives & Nouns

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Lesson 13: Save the Bees!

Summary Last time, Anna went to visit a home beekeeper. She was nervous. Does Anna go into the hive? Or will she continue to live in fear of bees?   Conversation (blue font shows conditional sentences) Prof. Bot: We are back with Anna and Caroline and the bees. Last time, Anna was afraid. (Anna: I'm not afraid of bees!) But Caroline is helping her to stay safe. Look at sentences that start with "If" to find more conditional sentences. Remember, Type 1 conditionals use the present tense and "will," and Type 2 use the past tense and "would."  Now, let's find out what happens with Anna and the bees. Caroline: I have a feeling that your fear of bees will be gone soon. There are things beekeepers do to protect ourselves. For example, we wear protective clothing. This is a beekeeper’s veil, suit and gloves. There are other things we can do, too. If I use a smoker, the bees will stay calm. Anna: Let’s use smoke … lots of smoke. Caroline: Okay, Anna, that’s enough smoke. Another thing you can do is stay calm.  Okay.  When I lift the frame, you will see the bees.   Anna: I’m ready. Let's do this thing! Caroline: Okay, let's put on our protective clothing. Caroline:  I will carefully take out a frame. This is where the bees live. There are worker bees, drone bees and the queen bee. The bees have different jobs. The queen bee lays the eggs. The worker bees collect nectar and pollen ​from flowers and bring it back to the hive. Then they make honey!  Now, you hold the frame. There are the bees. Anna:  There are so many! And they are so busy! Now I know why we say, “busy as a bee!” Caroline: Good job, Anna. Anna: Caroline, bees are beautiful and important. If I wanted to help the bees, what would I do? Caroline: Great question. You can plant native flowers that bees like. Here’s a book to help you know which ones to plant. Anna: It’s a beautiful book. And look, it tells you which bees like which types of flowers. Caroline: It also tells you how the flowers affect the flavor of the honey. Anna: Flowers make a big difference to bees. If they don’t eat, they won’t live. Caroline: Buying local honey also helps the bees. If you want to help bees, do those two things. Prof Bot: I learned a lot about bees. Hey, if I worked with bees, I would not need protective clothing! Guess what? That was a Type 2 conditional.  And I heard a Type 1 conditional, too. (Anna: If they don’t eat, they won’t live.) Anna: Thanks for the book, Caroline, and the bee puppet and for teaching me about bees. Look … I’m not scared. Caroline: Good job, Anna. If you ever want to see the bees again, I’ll be here! You have my business card. I'll let you see yourself out. Anna: Thanks! Bye! I will plant tons of flowers! Bees: Thanks, Anna. (bees spell out the words) Anna: Sure thing, bees! Oh, and I'm sorry about hitting that hive when I was a little girl. Bees: We love you, Anna. (bees make a heart sign.) Anna: Take care, bees! (to herself) Which way is the Metro? Bees: That way. (they draw an arrow) Anna: Thanks! Prof. Bot: So, if I you want to learn more about bees, visit your local beekeeper like Anna did. Maybe you can try some local honey, too. Now it’s your turn. Practice making conditional sentences. If you practice, you will become better at them. That's type 1!   New Words affect - v. to act on (someone or something) and cause a change difference - n. the quality that makes one person or thing unlike another flavor - n. the quality of something that you can taste flower the part of a plant that is often brightly colored, that usually lasts a short time, and from which the seed or fruit develops frame - n. an open structure that holds something lift - v. to move (something or someone) to a higher position (raise) local - adj. relating to or occurring in a particular area, city, or town native - adj. produced, living, or existing naturally in a particular region nectar - n. a sweet liquid produced by plants and used by bees in making honey pollen - n. the very fine usually yellow dust that is produced by a plant and that is carried to other plants of the same kind usually by wind or insects so that the plants can produce seeds protective - adj. used to protect someone or something : giving or meant to give protection smoker - n. a piece of equipment used for making smoke veil - n. something that covers or hides something else   Learning Strategy The learning strategy for this lesson is Make Predictions. That means to make a guess about what will happen. When you are reading a story in English, if you look at the title and the pictures, you can sometimes guess what the story will be about. Predicting helps you get ready to learn new things, based on things you already understand. In this lesson, Caroline says, "I have a feeling that your fear of bees will be gone soon." She is predicting that Anna will stop being afraid of bees. She can guess that because she has taught other people who feared bees. When they learned about bees, they were not afraid. You can predict in other subjects, too, like science. In science class, they call it making a hypothesis. How about you? How do you make predictions when you are learning 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: Conditional: Present Real (If _____ Will) and Present Unreal (If _____ Would)​ Topics:  Hope-Clauses; Consequences of Actions Discussing Future Events Learning Strategy: Make Predictions   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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America's Presidents - George H.W. Bush

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Working Too Much Harms US College Students’ Academic Progress

  Kara Rowells enjoys hard work. The native of Tarpon Springs, Florida learned to love being busy from her father. “My dad … always had a lot of different jobs at once, and so that’s the model that I saw,” she told VOA. “My dad will often work a job all day … and then go to another job at night. … It wasn’t a crazy concept for me.” So when Rowells began studying at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida in 2008, she was more than happy to support herself. Her parents gave her a little financial assistance. But she covered most of her education costs with loans and her own income. At first, Rowells worked part-time as a teacher for very young children. But she says the average pay for workers in that field in Florida is very low. So she took on other teaching positions to make more money. In 2010, she decided to change schools. She began studying theater performance at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University in Tallahassee – also called Florida A&M. And she took on more jobs. She began teaching dance, as well as taking care of children. But changing schools slowed her progress toward a degree. To speed it up, Rowells had to take more than six classes in one term. In addition, she was working between 10 and 45 hours each week at her jobs. Always being busy would often cause her to feel stress and miss sleep, Rowells says. And, she says, she was not able to enjoy many of the social experiences involved in American higher education. But Rowells was able to finish her study program as planned in 2012. She even earned a graduate degree from Florida State University in 2015 while working just as much as she had as an undergraduate. The most difficult part of her college experience, Rowells says, was learning that despite all her hard work, she still owed about $100,000 in student debt. She does not regret how much or how hard she worked. But she does feel her experience offers some valuable information about balancing work and studies that many college students could use. College students should know their worth, Rowells says. And they should avoid sacrificing other parts of their lives for work if they can. What the research says The majority of students at colleges and universities in the United States work while they study. And, the amount that students are working while studying is increasing. Also, the more hours college students work outside their studies, the more harm they may be doing to their academic success. In 2015, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce reported on the state of working college students. The center found that 70 percent of all U.S. college students have a job while they are enrolled in school. Many of these students are putting a lot of hours into their jobs. The center found that almost half of undergraduates work more than 30 hours per week. And one-quarter of students study full-time while working full-time – at least 40 hours a week. Nicole Smith is the chief economist for the center. She says the numbers of students working – and the numbers of hours they work have all increased over the past 30 years. One reason is that the cost of college in the U.S. has increased greatly in that time. However, that is not the only reason more college students are working more hours. Smith notes that even students whose families can afford to support them are working while they study. That is because employers are expecting more and more out of college graduates, including work experience, she says. “Employers are less likely to want to train their workers for the job traits … that you would not necessarily learn within a college setting,” she told VOA. “Employers are expecting, by the time you … walk in … that you can do exactly what they expect you to do, and … you have all of the experience necessary, so that you can be a 100 percent productive employee from day one.” Smith admits that research shows working up to 15 hours a week can be helpful for college students. It can improve their time management skills, for example. But when students work more than that, they risk more than just missing out on social events, as in the case of Rowells, she says. With students’ attention split between work and class assignments, their performance in both areas will suffer. The ACT Center for Equity in Learning is an organization that studies education in the United States. In August 2017 it reported that working more than 15 hours a week can seriously limit college students’ ability to complete their study programs. The ACT Center’s research showed that working more than 15 hours affected both high- and low-income students similarly. It reported that just 57 percent of high-income students who worked more than 15 hours weekly completed their study programs in six years. Only 41 percent of low-income students who worked more than 15 hours a week completed their programs in the same time. In comparison, college students from either income level who worked under 15 hours were nearly 20 percent more likely to finish in six years than those who worked more. Professor Laura Perna suggests that a big part of the problem is that over-worked college students do not have the time to seek help. Perna teaches in the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. She is also the executive director of the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy. Perna notes that there are only so many hours in the day. Students with jobs do not often have the time to make use of the support services schools offer, such as academic and financial advising. “When those offices are only open a certain number of hours,” she told VOA, “students who are working … may find it more difficult to access those really important services that they need in order to make timely … progress to their degree.” Perna and Smith agree that as older Americans increasingly seek higher education, working college students will become more common. These older students will likely not have parents’ financial support, and may even be supporting other people themselves. In addition, Perna and Smith point out, first-generation and low-income students of any age are more likely to pay for their education by working. They often choose to do so rather than by taking out larger loans.  As the student population changes, Perna and Smith say, U.S. colleges and universities will need to consider how they advise their students and serve their changing needs. I’m ­Pete Musto. And I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Pete Musto reported this for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. How common is working full-time while studying full-time in your country? How do you think working more than 15 hours per week might affect you while you seek a college education? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   crazy – adj. very strange or unusual concept – n. an idea of what something is or how it works financial – adj. relating to money income – n. money that is earned from work, investments, or business stress – n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life or work social – adj. relating to or involving activities in which people spend time talking to each other or doing enjoyable things with each other graduate – adj. of or relating to a course of studies taken at a college or university after earning a bachelor's degree or other first degree academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education afford – v. to be able to pay for something trait(s) – n. a quality that makes one person or thing different from another setting – n. the place and conditions in which something happens or exists access – v. to be able to use, enter, or get near something

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Famed American Architect's Desert Home Brings Crowds

  Every year as southern Arizona cooled, architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his students would travel there to escape the cold of winter in Wisconsin. Wright’s students built shelters at a place he called Taliesin West, northeast of the state capital, Phoenix. They stayed there during the winter term of his School of Architecture. The buildings were wide open to nature. They had no electricity, running water, doors or windows.   The shelters are still used as housing today. From 1937 until 1959, when Wright died, Taliesin West was the winter home of America’s most famous architect. The original Taliesin was Wright’s home in southwestern Wisconsin, a central state. Taliesin is the name of a sixth-century writer. It means “shining brow.” The buildings of Taliesin West are made of redwood beams and large rocks. They were covered early on in almost-transparent canvas to let in light. The canvas was later replaced with plastic, which is stronger against the desert sun. Windows were large openings without glass. The 198-hectare site in Scottsdale, near the McDowell Mountains, is still the winter home of the graduate school. Students can earn a Master of Architecture degree there. It is also the headquarters of The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which governs many of the architect’s buildings. More than 100,000 people visit Taliesin West each year. It has been named a National Historic Landmark. Wright Foundation officials say the number of visitors has increased sharply because this year marks the 150th anniversary of Wright’s birth. Visitors can see the room where Wright designed some of his most famous buildings, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Wright lived to see more than 500 of his designs built. They include homes, offices and schools. Another very famous Wright work is Fallingwater, a private home built over a waterfall in a Pennsylvania forest. Wright also designed the 19-story Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida; and the Ennis House, a home in Los Angeles designed like a Mayan temple. Experts say Taliesin West is among the best buildings Wright designed. At the home, visitors can see the same desert landscape that Wright and his students looked at from the room where they created. It is a view that Wright once called “a look over the rim of the world.” I’m Caty Weaver.   Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English from Associated Press report. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   architect -n. a person who designs buildings​ beam -n. a long and heavy piece of wood or metal that is used as a support in a building or ship​ transparent -adj. able to be seen throug​ canvas -n. a strong, rough cloth that is used to make bags, tents, sails, etc.​ landscape -n. an area of land that has a particular quality or appearance​ rim -n. the outer edge of a usually round object​  

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Expressions for the Road!

  Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. The United States is a big country with many, many roads. Many, if not most, of Americans depend on motor vehicles to get from place to place. It goes without saying that, when talking or writing, Americans often use expressions with words from the world of automobiles. Now, let's examine a few common expressions that come from parts of a vehicle. First is the part of the car that protects the front and back of a vehicle -- the bumper. The bumper is what suffers the most damage in a small accident. The front bumper extends on both sides to the fender, which protects the front wheels. If your car hits someone else’s and causes a small amount of damage, we call it a fender-bender. But let's get back to the word bumper. American traffic reporters often use the term bumper-to-bumper when describing heavy traffic. It means that vehicles are moving very slowly, and almost touching each other. Americans can use the term bumper-to-bumper as an adjective. If you are late for dinner because of traffic, you can tell your friends, "Sorry, I'm late. But traffic was bumper-to-bumper." They will understand. Another part of a vehicle – mainly found on small trucks and on some models of cars -- is the tailgate. This is the gate or doorway that opens up in the back of the vehicle. If your car or truck has one, you can lower the tailgate and sit on it. This door on the back of larger passenger vehicles has led to something very American: the tailgate party. Tailgate parties usually take place in a parking area, where one or more of these vehicles are stopped. Their tailgates are open, with food or drinks available for the drivers and their passengers. In the United States, tailgate parties are common at large sporting events or music shows. Now, many cars do not have tailgates. That's fine. If you spend time friends and others in a large parking lot before a rock concert or a big game, you are still tailgating! So, that form of tailgating is fun. But it is not fun when someone is tailgating your vehicle. A tailgater is someone who drives much too close to the back of your car. At best, this can be a pain, if not making you, the driver, really angry. But tailgating is also dangerous and the cause of many rear-end accidents.  There are other behaviors that can lead to a traffic accident. Let’s take rubber necking, for example. Rubber necking is when drivers slow down on a road to look closely at a wreck or something else eye-catching as they are passing. Some drivers can stretch their neck far out of the window to see something like a serious crash. This is where we get the term. Drivers who rubber neck, however, can create their own accidents. First, they slow down, causing problems for other drivers and affecting the flow of traffic. But more importantly, they aren't looking at the road in front of them! The first rule of driving should always be look where you are going! Another rule should be, stay calm. The most dangerous kind of driving behavior is road rage. This is anger or violence towards other drivers. Road rage is such a big problem in some areas, that local governments have laws that make some acts of road rage illegal. The road hog is more of a pain than dangerous. To hog something means to take too much of something. So, a road hog takes up too much of the road. The road hog sometimes drives in two lanes of traffic. Other times, they may not let other motorists pass them. And that bring us to the end of our road and this episode of Words and Their Stories! Next time you take a drive, you'll be able to talk about your fellow drivers. And with any hope, you won't run into any rage road. I'm Bryan Lynn. And I'm Anna Matteo.   Have you ever run into any of these of drivers on the road? Let us know in the Comments Section. Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. At the end of the show, Willie Nelson sings “On the Road Again.” ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   neck – n. the part of an animal that connects the head with the body rage – n. violent and uncontrolled anger parking – n. a large area of public land kept in its natural state to protect plants and animals

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Is Water Really on Mars?

  A new study suggests that dark markings on the planet Mars represent sand – not water. Research in 2015 had suggested that lines on some Martian hills were evidence of water. Yet American scientists now say these lines appear more like dry, steep flows of sand. If water is present, they said, it is likely to be a small amount. Water in liquid form would be necessary for microbial life. NASA, the American space agency, said more research is needed. Michael Meyer is the lead scientist for NASA's Mars exploration program. He noted that the latest study does not reject the presence of water. But he admitted, "It just may not be as exciting as the idea of rivers going down the sides of cliffs." NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provided the images of dark lines. Thousands have been reported on the Red Planet. The new findings come from a team led by Colin Dundas of the United States Geological Survey in Flagstaff, Arizona. His team measured 151 of these lines in 10 areas. Most of the lines end with slopes between 28 degrees and 35 degrees. These measurements are similar to active sand dunes on both Mars and Earth, the researchers noted. They said a small covering of dust that moves and sometimes becomes lighter might help explain the markings. They usually appear in the Martian summertime, then disappear until the next year. If these lines are dry, "this suggests that recent Mars has not had considerable [large] volumes of liquid water," the researchers wrote. Dundas and his research team say that many questions remain. To Meyer, the large number of questions is what makes Mars so fun. Scientists have long gone changed their thinking about the planet depending on the findings of the most recent studies. “I still think that Mars poses a great potential for having had life early on in its history,” Meyer said. “As long as that’s true, we also have a reasonable possibility of life still being on Mars. It just happens to be cryptic or well hidden.” NASA currently has no robotic vehicle — either on Mars or in development — with the ability to climb steep slopes. The lack of such equipment has engineers coming up with ideas like Martian helicopters or drones. “But going from a clever idea that works in your sandbox to something that goes to Mars takes a fair amount of engineering development,” Meyer said. I'm John Russell.   Marcia Dunn reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted his report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   steep – adj. dropping or falling sharply; extremely high microbial – adj. of or relating to microbes or bacteria cliff – n. a high, steep surface of rock, earth, or ice degree – n. a form of measurement for the size of angles, the shape formed by two lines extending from the same point slope – n. ground that slowly drops downward or upward; ground that slopes volume – n. an amount of something cryptic – adj. difficult to understand; having or seeming to have a hidden meaning  

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English in a Minute: Old Habits Die Hard

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December 8, 2017

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

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Women in Delhi Use Open Information Law to Get Services

  A law that permits Indians to get information about their government is helping a group of women in Delhi get needed services. The women have led a successful campaign demanding that city officials improve access to water, waste removal services and transportation. The women live in Savda Ghevra, a slum resettlement colony for people who have been moved from extremely poor areas. It is the largest such colony outside of the city of New Delhi. The success of the women is a rare example of poor people in India using the Right to Information Act to change their community. Access to basic services When they hear the water trucks arrive, residents of Savda Ghevra rush out of their homes to fill their containers. Doing this can be difficult. But after living without access to tap water for many years, residents are pleased that the water truck comes every day. "We used to bring water from such a long distance," said Urmila Devi. "We could not even offer anyone a glass of water; we had to keep it for our children." Devi was among the 30,000 people who were moved to a place outside the city when India's capital was preparing for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. However, the people in the colony have been struggling to get services they need, such as clean water.     But the situation started to change when women like Devi learned how to use the law to get basic services. The women filed applications under the Right to Information Act. They learned that trucks that were supposed to bring water to their area were going to other places. This is a common problem in Delhi where there is not enough water. Often, the trucks would go to places where residents could pay for the water. The requests led officials to place tracking devices on the water trucks. In addition, a device was installed in Savda Ghevra to supply water in case home supplies become low. The Right to Information Act became law in 2005. Since then, citizens have filed tens of thousands of applications through it. They have sought information about things like damaged roads. The success that the women had with accessing water moved them to demand other services, such as public toilets and a health center. A community center also is being built. Few public buses used to serve the area, but that has recently changed, too. Learning how to file the documents was not easy for these women, many of whom have difficulty reading and writing. At first, their writing was not very good, Devi said. But, it slowly improved, especially with the help of younger boys and girls involved in the project. A nonprofit group provides help The community learned to file the applications and to deal with city officials through a project led by a nonprofit organization called Marg. Devi and the other women remember traveling for long distances to attend the meetings. After believing for their whole lives that they did not have legal rights, it was hard for them to believe that they did. It took the women almost one year to learn how to petition officials. Mohammed Noor Alam is the program manager at Marg. He says women were the most willing to learn because they are the most affected by lack of services, especially water.  Alam says filing the application for water taught the women that they could claim other rights. He also says this has created lasting change.   Women like Nazra Khatun are now turning their attention to social problems such as safety for women and young girls.  She said that the women feel empowered after their efforts. Now, they would like to end domestic violence in their community. The power of activism has turned these women into community leaders, Alam said. “They are like hawks keeping watch on everything.” When women lead such a holistic change, all of society can progress, he said. I'm Lucija Millonig.  And I'm Alice Bryant.   Anjana Pasricha reported this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   access – v. a way of being able to get or use something slum – n. an area of a city where poor people live and the buildings are in bad condition tap – n. a device for controlling the flow of a liquid or gas from a pipe or container file – v. to give something, such as an official form or a document, to someone in authority so that it can be considered install – v. to make a machine ready to use in a certain place toilet – n. a large bowl attached to a pipe that is used for getting rid of bodily waste and then flushed with water petition – v. to ask a person, group, or organization for something in a formal way domestic violence – n. violent behavior in the home, commonly involving the violent abuse of a spouse or romantic partner hawk – n. a kind of bird that kills other birds and animals for food holistic – adj. relating to or concerned with complete systems rather than with individual parts

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Christmas Attractions Across America

  Cities all across the United States are dressing up for the Christmas season with trees, lights and holiday magic. Today, we look at a few of them. New York City In New York City, one of the best-known holiday attractions is Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree in Manhattan. The tree is lit during a public ceremony in late November. The city has displayed a large Christmas tree here since 1933. This year’s tree is 23 meters tall and covered with 50,000 lights. A Swarovski crystal sits on top. Ornate window displays are another New York Christmas tradition. Large department stores along the famous shopping area of Fifth Avenue create imaginative displays during the holiday season. Stores choose different themes every year. This year, for example, Saks Fifth Avenue’s windows celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Disney film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.”  Another famed department store, Bergdorf Goodman, celebrates New York's diverse museums and cultural sites, such as the Philharmonic and the New York Historical Society. The Fifth Avenue windows are so popular that police use long ropes to set up controlled lines for the window viewing. Baltimore, Maryland Miracle on 34th Street is a well-known and beloved American Christmas movie. And there is actually a real Miracle on 34th Street – in Baltimore, Maryland. Every year, Baltimore residents along a block of 34th street put up an almost blindingly bright display of Christmas lights and decorations. Thousands of people visit the block to see the bright and colorful display of Christmas cheer, now in its 71st year. The event opened with an official lighting ceremony on November 25 and will continue through the holidays. New Orleans, Louisiana Every December, City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana, becomes a winter wonderland. It features more than 10 hectares of light displays, it's famous old oak trees wrapped in thousands of twinkling lights. More than 165,000 people visit the so-called Celebration in the Oaks each year. New Orleans also celebrates its French Creole connection each holiday season with Reveillon dinners. Reveillon comes from the French word for “awakening.”  The 19th-century French Creole tradition began as a large meal eaten after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The “reveillon” tradition is still alive in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Restaurants there offer special Reveillon meals that include oysters and other seafood, meat, soup, dessert and more. North Pole, Alaska The icy North Pole is said to be the home of Santa Claus. So it is no surprise that the small Alaskan town with the same name is home to the world’s largest Santa statue. It stands in front of Santa Claus House, the center of the town’s Christmas activities.  While the town displays Christmas decorations all year round, it really comes alive in December. The North Pole Christmas in Ice contest brings ice artists from around the world to the town of 2,000 people. Visitors can slide down frozen slides and work their way through complex ice mazes. Indianapolis, Indiana The central U.S. city of Indianapolis, Indiana is famous for its yearly Indy 500 automobile race. During the winter holiday season, the world-famous race track fills up with more than two million Christmas lights, 500 light displays and 40 holiday scenes. Visitors are permitted to drive their own cars on the speedway. Los Angeles, California A traditional Mexican festival takes place in Los Angeles, California. The nine-day Las Posadas celebration is one of the city’s oldest Christmas events. Las Posadas can be found on Olvera Street, considered the first street of the city. The celebration commemorates the story of Mary and Joseph traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem to prepare for Jesus’ birth. Celebrations are held nightly from December 16 through December 24.  The events include a candlelight parade. Children clothed to look like shepherds, angels, and Mary and Joseph lead the march, followed by worshipers. The public can also join the parade or just watch from the side. The group sings songs in English and Spanish as they walk. “Posada” means “inn” or “shelter” in Spanish. During the parade, the marchers stop at stores along Olvera Street that pretend to be inns. They ask the business owners for shelter. The stores usually deny the request, often in song. Finally, one will say yes, and the marchers are admitted. Free hot drinks and sweet bread are served.  Grand Canyon Railway, Arizona Many scenic railways around the country offer train rides that center on Santa Claus and Christmas.  In Arizona, the Grand Canyon Railway brings to life the classic children’s book “Polar Express,” written by Chris Van Allsburg. The train sets off from Williams, Arizona and travels for 90 minutes until it arrives at “Santa’s Village,” where Santa and his elves welcome the passengers. Santa and his helpers ride the train back to Williams with the children. Each child receives one a small bell as a gift. Does your city, town or village do something special for the holiday season? I'm Caty Weaver.  And I'm Ashley Thompson. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   magic - n. a very pleasant, attractive, or exciting quality​ attraction- n.​ something interesting or enjoyable that people want to visit, see, or do​ ornate -​ adj. covered with decorations : covered with fancy patterns and shapes theme- n.​the main subject that is being discussed or described in a piece of writing, a movie, etc.​ twinkling-​ adj.​ shining brightly and then faintly. soup- n. a food made by cooking vegetables, meat, or fish in a large amount of liquid​ dessert- n.​ sweet food eaten after the main part of a meal​ slide-​ v.​  to move smoothly along a surface​ maze - n. ​a complicated and confusing system of connected passages​ commemorate-​ v.​ to exist or be done in order to remind people of (an important event or person from the past) classic-​ adj.​ to exist or be done in order to remind people of (an important event or person from the past)

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