Ties with US, North Korea Make Singapore a Good Meeting Place

  American President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have agreed to meet in Singapore on June 12. Singapore’s position in Asia, and diplomatic ties with the U.S. and North Korea, make it a natural choice for the historic meeting. Trump announced the meeting in a tweet Thursday. Singapore is one of the few countries that have diplomatic relations with both North Korea and the United States. It is also considered a neutral place. About Singapore The city-state of less than 6 million people is between Malaysia and Indonesia. The country has 700 square kilometers of land. That is about three and one half times the size of Washington, DC. Britain founded Singapore as a trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963, but became independent two years later. The country maintains strong international trading ties. It is a port city, between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, on one of the busiest waterways in the world. Singapore is also a wealthy country, with incomes similar to those of leading European nations. The country has been ruled by one party since gaining independence in 1965. Protests cannot take place without permission. Movement is limited and there are controls on media. Why Singapore? Tom Plant is an expert on nuclear issues at London’s Royal United Services Institute. He said Singapore is “a great location” for the meeting. Plant told the Associated Press that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “will be on friendly territory, not hostile territory. But he wouldn’t be on home turf.” North Korea’s state companies have, in the past, traded with Singaporean companies. Under pressure from the United States, Singapore officially stopped trade relations with North Korea in 2017. U.S. ties to Singapore are strong. The port city has long provided services to visiting U.S. Navy ships in the Asia-Pacific area. It is also the regional headquarters of large American companies including Google, Facebook and Airbnb. Former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore David Adelman said Singapore is the perfect location for the meeting. He said, “Singapore has been a great friend to the U.S. But also Singapore has carefully worked to be a friend to all, which has earned it trust in capitals around the world.” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, “We hope this meeting will advance prospects for peace in the Korean Peninsula.” In 2015, Singapore was the site of another historic meeting, between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan’s then-President Ma Ying-jeou. It was the first such meeting since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. I’m Caty Weaver. Hai Do adapted this AP story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter 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   neutral –adj. not supporting either side location –n. place turf –n. an area or place that feels like your home advance –v. to move forward prospects –n. possibilities or opportunities  

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Trump to Meet N. Korea’s Kim Jong Un June 12 in Singapore

United States President Donald Trump has announced his planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take place on June 12 in Singapore. The president wrote on Twitter “We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!” The meeting would be the first between a sitting U.S. president and a leader of North Korea. The announcement came hours after Trump welcomed three Americans who had been held prisoner in North Korea back home on Thursday. The former prisoners arrived at Joint Base Andrews near Washington early in the morning. North Korea freed the prisoners after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met for a second time with the North Korean leader. Trump and his wife, Melania, boarded the plane that carried the three men. The three then stepped out, shaking hands with the president and waving to media and military personnel. Trump thanked the Korean leader for their release. He said, “We’re starting off on a new footing. This is a wonderful thing that he released the folks early.” Trump said he believed Kim wanted to bring North Korea “into the real world” and he had high hopes for their planned meeting. “I think we have a very good chance of doing something very meaningful,” Trump said. Only months ago, Trump and Kim exchanged insults. However, tensions began to ease beginning with North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. Trump then accepted an invitation to meet with Kim. The three former prisoners are Korean-Americans. Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. They were separately detained in 2017. North Korean officials accused the two of anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. The third detainee, Kim Dong Chul, was arrested in October 2015. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor in 2016 after being found guilty on charges of spying. Kim Dong-chul said, “I was treated in many different ways, but overall I had to do much labor and when I became ill I received some treatment.” The three appeared to be in good health on their release. But they were taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for additional medical examinations. The release followed a recent announcement by Kim that North Korea would suspend missile tests and shut down a nuclear bomb test area. Bonnie Glaser is an Asia expert at Center for Strategic and International Studies. She warned that, “The North Koreans have still said nothing to indicate that they are willing to give up their nuclear weapons.” American Vice President Mike Pence agreed. He told the CBS This Morning program, “What Kim Jong Un has said publicly and in discussions is that he is prepared to negotiate to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Pence added, “Those words are important, but we’ll see what they mean.” I’m Jonathan Evans.   Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English with additional reporting from Reuters. Mario Ritter was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   folks –n. people participation –n. the act of being involved or taking part in something indicate –v. to show, to direct attention to achieve –v. to get or reach by working hard denuclearization –n. the process of removing nuclear weapons    

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Trump: 3 Americans Held in North Korea Released

President Donald Trump says three Americans who were detained in North Korea have been released. Trump said the three men are returning to the United States with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The president made the announcement on Twitter Wednesday. He added that the three “seem to be in good health." Trump also said he plans to meet with the released Americans when they land at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.  The announcement follows Pompeo’s visit to North Korea. The secretary of state went there to prepare for talks between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump added that Pompeo had a “good meeting” with Kim. The three Korean-Americans released by North Korea had spent many months trapped in the country. Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song were teaching at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. They were separately detained in 2017. North Korean officials accused the two of anti-state activities and trying to overthrow the government. The third detainee, Kim Dong Chul, was arrested in the North Korean city of Rason in October 2015. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labor in 2016 after being found guilty of espionage charges. Pompeo’s latest trip to North Korea came just weeks after he met with Kim. Earlier this week, the North Korean leader met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the second time in a little more than a month. Observers say the talks are a sign that negotiations have reached a critical point. "It suggests that a major deal is under consideration that involves major concessions on each side," noted Dennis Wilder. He served on the U.S. National Security Council during the presidency of George W. Bush. I’m Jonathan Evans.   George Grow wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from VOANews.com and the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   strategic – adj. something important or necessary to completion of a plan concession – n. something given up   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Met Gala 2018

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute annual benefit celebrates the opening of the exhibit Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, on Monday, May 7, 2018, in New York.

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Volcano Erupts on Hawaii's Big Island

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has destroyed more than 20 homes and spewed lava many meters into the air, leaving displaced residents unsure of how long they might be out of their homes.

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Big Bend National Park

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Scientists Observe Birth of Huge Galaxy Cluster

For the first time ever, astronomers have observed the birth of a galaxy cluster, known as a protocluster. The event, billions of light-years away, could form one of the largest-known structures in today’s universe. Using the most powerful telescopes on Earth, the scientists have observed a group of 14 galaxies in the early stages of crashing into one another. The galaxies are forming stars at a rate 1,000 times faster than our own Milky Way galaxy. Yet all 14 galaxies fit into an area just about four times the size of our galaxy. The gathering of galaxies is 12.4 billion light-years away from Earth. Because of the length of time it takes for light to travel, the scientists are actually looking back in history. The protocluster, named SPT2349-56, appeared when the universe was about a tenth of its current age. They say it happened 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang. The Big Bang is the explosive force that gave rise to the universe about 13.8 billion years ago. Chris Hayward is a scientist with the Flatiron Institute in New York. He told the Simons Foundation, “This is the missing link in our understanding of how clusters form.” The astronomers reported this galactic gathering in the journal Nature in late April. History of the universe Scott Chapman of Dalhousie University in Canada is one of the authors of the report. Chapman, Hayward, Tim Miller of Yale University and others observed the protocluster using the South Pole Telescope in Antarctica. Chapman said how the group of galaxies got so big so fast "is a bit of a mystery.” "It just hit you in the face because all of a sudden there are all these galaxies there," Chapman said. "We went from three to 14 in one fell swoop. It instantly became obvious this was a very interesting, massive structure forming and not just a flash in the pan.” The protocluster was formed before the more mature galaxy clusters seen in the modern universe. That makes the protocluster an excellent test bed for learning more about how present-day clusters formed and evolved. I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on a Simons Foundation report. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. What other discoveries do you think scientists will make that might change their ideas about the history of the universe? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ ​______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cluster – n. a group of things or people that are close together light-year(s) – n. a unit of distance equal to the distance that light travels in one year, about 9.46 trillion kilometers galaxies – n. the very large groups of stars that make up the universe journal – n. a magazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group of people author(s) – n. a person who has written something in one fell swoop – idm. done all at once or all together obvious – adj. easy to see or notice flash in the pan – idm. a brief, intense effort that produces no really major result mature – adj. grown to full size evolve(d) – v. to change or develop slowly often into a better, more complex, or more advanced state

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Japan's Shohei Ohtani Making 'ShoTime' in California

  “An incredible player came from Japan” a fan of the Los Angeles Angels said recently. The player is Shohei Ohtani. And he has gained a lot of attention since he joined Major League Baseball in America. Major League Baseball teams usually select a player to be a pitcher or a batter. Ohtani is special because he can play both at the highest level. Ohtani was already famous when he was in high school. Against the best pitcher in the high school national tournament, he hit a home run. Before turning 18, he recorded the fastest pitch in the history of Japanese high school baseball at 160 kilometers an hour. Very few major league pitchers in America can throw that fast. Nippon-Ham Fighters Japanese team After high school, Ohtani was the first player selected by the Nippon-Ham Fighters, a Japanese professional team, in 2012. By 2016, Ohtani excelled as both a pitcher and a batter for the team in Sapporo. He hit 22 home runs as a batter and had 10 wins as a pitcher while striking out 174 opposing batters. As a pitcher, Ohtani also threw the fastest pitch in the history of Nippon Professional Baseball at 165 kilometers an hour. He then led the Nippon-Ham Fighters to the championship of the Nippon Professional Baseball league. At the end of every season in Japan, sports reporters choose the Best Nine. The award is given to the best player at each position in the league. Ohtani won the Best Nine award as a designated hitter and as a pitcher. And he also won the league’s Most Valuable Player Award. The Los Angeles Angels On December 8, 2017, Shohei Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball in the U.S. He chose the team over the well-known New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. In his first three home games as the Angels’ designated hitter, Ohtani hit three homeruns. He became the first Angels rookie to do so. As a pitcher, Ohtani won his first game striking out six batters in six innings on April 1. Then, on April 8, he had a perfect game through six and one third innings before permitting a hit. In baseball, when a pitcher does not permit any runs, hits or errors, he is said to have pitched a perfect game.   Compared to famous players of the past When he played in Japan, some Japanese fans compared Ohtani to Babe Ruth. Ruth is one of the greatest American professional baseball players. He began his Major League career as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox but played in the outfield for the New York Yankees. Now, many people in the United States have started to compare Ohtani to Babe Ruth. Baseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan. More than 20 million people attend professional baseball games in Japan each year. Now, Major League Baseball is getting more popular among Japanese baseball fans. One of the reasons is that more star Japanese baseball players, like Ohtani, are playing in the United States. Japanese fans get up early to watch Ryohei Takahashi is a Japanese baseball fan. He especially likes Major League Baseball. These days, he gets up very early in the morning to watch Ohtani’s games. He sometimes needs to wake up at 4:00 in the morning. There is a 16-hour time difference between Japan and the U.S. West Coast. Ryohei told VOA that he did not expect that Ohtani would be such a good hitter. He thought that the Japanese star might instead mainly pitch. But, “I am glad to watch his two-way success,” he said. Ryohei added that, “He is already playing an important role for the Angels. Ohtani will be able to continue to have a big impact on the rest of the season. I am hoping that his successful story continues, and he becomes [an] MVP candidate.” Shunsuke Ijima is a Japanese university student. He watched Ohtani’s near-perfect game in Anaheim, California. He told VOA, “When I entered the stadium in Anaheim, I saw many people wearing Ohtani T-shirts. During the game, the spectators gave a standing ovation for his wonderful pitching. Ohtani is a treasure of Japan. I am proud to be from [the] same country as him.” Japanese media have closely covered Ohtani and his games. When the New York Yankees played against the Angels in late April, they were hoping for a dream match-up between Ohtani as a batter against the Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. In his first time batting against the Yankees, the 23-year-old Ohtani hit a home run against pitcher Luis Severino. But he sprained his ankle later in the game. So, the dream match-up will have to wait for another day. I'm Mario Ritter. Rei Goto wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter and Hai Do were the editors. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   pitcher –n. the player who throws the ball to the batter in baseball designated hitter –n. a player who bats (usually in place of the pitcher) but does not play on the field roster –n. a list of players on the team rookie –n. a first year player in professional sports (and in some other jobs) role –n. the part someone plays in a group effort MVP (Most Valuable Player) –n. an award in some professional sports given to the player considered better than all the others spectator –n. someone who watches an event, usually a sport with many people in attendance   standing ovation –n. when people stand and clap to recognize a good job by a performer  

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Report Says Tennis Has 'Significant' Integrity Problems

  A new report says the sport of tennis faces “very significant” problems with integrity.   The report said the problems, involving issues like fair play and honesty, are most notable at the lower levels of the sport. It said a major cause was a sharp increase in internet betting -- with some players winning money by losing to their opponents on purpose. The Interim Report of the Independent Review of Integrity was released last week after a two-year independent investigation. It said that investigators had not found widespread corruption at the highest levels of tennis worldwide. But it did find that there is “evidence of some issues at these levels.” The report offered suggestions for dealing with those issues. One idea is a proposal to study how tennis players are paid. Currently, payments are based on appearances in tennis events. The report also proposed a study of the current system for rating players. And it called for closer examination of the lower levels of tennis. The Review was ordered by major bodies of the sport in 2016. They acted following a report by the British Broadcasting Company and BuzzFeed News. The report claimed that 16 of the world’s top 50 players were suspected of purposefully losing to other players. The report said the “problems are greatest where prize money relative to costs,” likelihood of public interest and attention, and financial resources of tennis events are lowest. It added that the launch of online gaming and the sale of official ‘live’ results of tennis matches have worsened the problem. Such results are published on the internet and social media as play continues. The writers of the report added that there are no simple solutions. But they want “to address and limit the betting markets that ultimately drive…the problem.” The report said many at the lowest level of tennis struggle to cover the costs of competing. This, the report said, made the idea of placing bets on matches more appealing to players. Many of them had knowledge of match-fixing. A study of 3,200 players found that 16 percent said they knew players placing bets on matches, while 11 percent knew of inside information being provided. Tennis’s governing organizations have promised to enact the report’s final findings after a period of discussion. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Neil Robinson reported this story for the Reuters news agency. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   betting – n. the custom of risking money in a game or bet; gambling significant – adj. major or important; having meaning integrity – n. the quality of being honest and fair interim – adj. used or accepted for a limited time; not permanent resource – n. a supply of something; a thing that provides something useful review – n. a study or investigation online – adj. of or involving computers or computer technology address – v. to deal with; to communicate directly ultimately – adj. eventually

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At Beautycon, Social Media Stars Redefine Beauty

  For some people, makeup is not just about the latest lipstick product or eyeliner. It is about having power. Just ask the people who attended Beautycon, a recent 2-day event in New York City. The attendees were able to see and test products from over 100 makeup and beauty care brands. They also could listen to talks by social media stars whose expertise is all things beauty. At Beautycon, the “stars” were not famous supermodels or designers, but everyday people who have used social media to change the makeup industry. Millions of people use social media to follow the latest news about beauty care. These Instagram and YouTube users are creating new markets in the business and forcing industry insiders to rethink their ideas. Irene Kim, a Korean-American, is active on social media. Kim says she found a way to express herself through social media and “share her individuality.” "Beauty is limitless. It's whatever you want to do and how you want to express yourself," she added. Kim was one of the speakers at the event. Mecca Iman, who loves using makeup, agrees. "It's deeper than just how it looks. It’s how you feel," she said. Democratization of Beauty Moj Mahdara, the head of Beautycon Media, told VOA that beauty magazines no longer decide who is beautiful, or healthy-looking. "Now you have a generation of young people who are creators,” she said. “(The) consumer is really their friend.” Iman cried when she met social media star Raye Boyce. Boyce produces “how-to” videos on makeup and beauty care. She is better known by her online name, "ItsMyRayeRaye." "I learn so much from her," said Iman. Major manufacturers have noted the power of social media. Boyce recently partnered with CoverGirl to advertise the company's makeup products on her social media. She was also given the chance to visit the research and development laboratories of Coty, the parent company of CoverGirl, and other beauty brands like Clairol, Rimmel and Max Factor. "I feel like they're listening to us, they're trying to understand the space," said Boyce. Nabela Noor, a beauty influencer with 749,000 followers on Instagram, has partnered with companies like Sally Hansen, Benefit and e.l.f. Cosmetics. "The reason why I wanted to do what I'm doing is because I wasn't seeing anyone else like me," said Noor, a Bangladeshi-American. "I wasn't seeing myself represented on television, in the media," she said. "I thought, if I'm not seeing it happen, I'm going to make it happen for myself." Tokyo Stylez also was in New York for the event. Born in Nebraska, he started working in hair care by posting his wig creations on Instagram. He now works with performers like Nicki Minaj, Beyonce and Rihanna. "People really support what I do - they trust my vision, they trust my judgement on things. So if I say, 'Go do this' they really go do it," he added. Tokyo Stylez commands about $900 per person for all-day classes where he talks about hair care treatments. "I just do me, and it works for me," he said. Beauty From the Inside Out Self-acceptance is one of the main ideas used by marketers for Generation Z, the young people born from the middle of the 1990s to early 2000s. One area of Beautycon, called "B-Well," dealt mainly with health and well-being, with companies selling, vitamins and healthy treats. "Beauty is both inside and out, and how you treat your insides and your mental health and your physical health and your spirituality is all a part of how you foster beauty," said Mahdara. She believes the industries dealing with health, well-being and beauty are coming together. “(It) will be a very big movement moving forward," she said. I'm Susan Shand.   Tina Trinh reported this story or VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted her story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   makeup – n. colors applied to the face for beauty brand – n. a category of products that are all made by a particular company online – adj. of or involving computers consumer – n. one who buys things wig – n. fake hair that one wears on one’s head vision – n. the ability to see; the power of imagination foster – v. to make, or to encourage

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Old Oyster Shells Improve Water Quality, Help Oyster Population

  Oysters are a favorite of seafood lovers across the United States. Oysters, a kind of shellfish, are native to U.S. waters on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Now, more than 20 eateries and other seafood businesses have joined together on a project to help the environment. Their goal is to collect old oyster shells and use them to grow new oysters. Project organizers say the recycled shells can also act as a filter. They remove dirty particles from the water. Tony Price is with the Shell Recycling Alliance, a program of the Oyster Recovery Partnership. The program collects discarded oyster shells from seafood restaurants. It then uses the shells as homes for baby oysters. Price told VOA that his truck stops at storage areas behind restaurants to collect containers filled with smelly shells. "We do seven pickups a week, plus events on weekends,” he says. “I'd say we're getting somewhere between 500 and even 800 bushels a week." Last year, the program collected 33,400 bushels of shells from restaurants around the Chesapeake Bay area. Every half shell collected becomes a new home for about 10 baby oysters. A win-win Oysters have been a popular choice at Mike's Crab House in Riva, Maryland, since 1958. Mike’s is one of more than 330 eateries in Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. that now recycle oyster shells. Tony Piera says he and Mike's other owners joined the program four years ago. "It's a win-win for us. It's a win-win for the environment. Now, the Oyster Recovery comes here two days a week, and they pick them up." Over the past year, Mike's Crab House has donated a lot of shells to the program. It is one of the top 10 donors, with more than 822 bushels of recycled oyster shells in 2017. Piera says he thinks more people come to his restaurant now because they know he recycles there.  "They know it's good for the environment, and the Chesapeake Bay." Saving the bay with saved oysters The Oyster Recovery Partnership began in 2010 with 22 restaurants.  Karis King works for the partnership. She says the program has been well received and is growing. "We've continued to grow and expand from us basically knocking on doors, trying to get people involved… It's turned into requests every single day, How do we become a part of this program?'  I'm really excited about the program.' I want to do my part.'" The program offers assistance to persuade more restaurants to join. In Maryland, restaurant owners can get tax credits based on how many bushels they donate. The group also educates the restaurant workers about the program and why recycling oyster shells is important. New homes for new oysters After the shells are collected, the next step is to take them to an area where they are cleaned. The shells sit in the open air for about a year so they can dry and have any living tissue die off and break down.  Next, high pressure water is used to clean the shells. This gives them a nice white color. Then, the shells go to the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Oyster Hatchery. Stephanie Alexander leads the hatchery. She says her team gets small baby oysters, called spat, ready for their new homes. "We get adult oysters, we spawn them and create the babies.  And then, we grow those baby oysters for about two to three weeks.  Then they mature and then we attach them to shells to become spat on shell." After attaching the spat to the recycled oyster shells, they are returned to Chesapeake Bay. Here, they will continue to grow and increase the oyster population. Alexander says new generations of oysters are very important for the health of the Chesapeake because they help clean the water. Cleaner water creates a healthier environment for fish, other seafood and plants. The Shell Recycling Alliance is always looking for more restaurants to join. This is good for the coastal community, and for people who love to eat oysters. I’m Phil Dierking.   Faiza Elmasry reported this story for VOANews.com.  Phil Dierking adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Do you recycle any animal shells in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   attach - v. to fasten or join one thing to another​ mature - adj. having or showing the mental and emotional qualities of an adult​ filter - v. to pass (something, such as a gas or liquid) through a filter to remove something unwanted​ bushel - n. a unit for measuring an amount of fruit and grain that is equal to about 35.2 liters in the U.S. and to about 36.4 liters in the U.K.​ bay - n. a large area of water that is part of an ocean or lake and partly surrounded by land​ discard - v. to throw (something) away because it is useless or unwanted​ pickup - v. collect something that has been left elsewhere.​ knock - v.  to hit something (such as a door) with the knuckles of your hand or with a hard object (such as a knocker) in order to get people's attention​

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