For All Book Lovers: Chapter 1

Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories. When you learn a foreign language, it can be very difficult to know the best word to use in a situation. This show can help you learn how and when to use American expressions. Today, we will explore a seemingly simple word: book.     Everyone knows what a book is. We read books to get information. We read books for stories. A book can be like a time machine that takes a reader on a trip into the past or future. People who love to read and love books are called bookworms. Like the actual insects that feed on the pages and paste of books, bookworms eat up every word on the printed page. Even with the invention of electronic books, or e-books, book lovers are still called bookworms. Parts of a book Besides pages and paste, a book is made up of several parts. Let’s begin with what we usually see first – the cover. In American English we like to say do not judge a book by its cover. This means you should not judge something or someone simply by how it looks on the outside. The cover of a book may look appealing. But that does not mean the inside is well written. This expression is usually used with people. Another part of a book is the page. If we say a book is a real page-turner it means it is very well written and very suspenseful. You cannot wait to turn the page to find out what happens next! However, to turn the page means something different. This means to stop thinking or dealing with something unpleasant. A chapter is also part of a book. It can also mean a part of history or a person’s life. Sometimes these two are used together as in this example, “It is time to turn the page on that dark chapter in history.” This can also be used in a personal example, “She needed to turn the page on the sad chapter in her life.” Instead of turning the page or starting a new chapter, you can be on the same page with someone. To be on the same page means you agree about something. It is as if the two of you are reading from the same book and have stopped at the same place. When you do stop reading in a book, especially a borrowed book, you may want to think twice before dog-earring the page to mark your spot. To dog ear the page of book means to bend the top corner slightly like a dog’s ear. And this upsets many book lovers. So, do not dog ear someone else’s book and definitely do not tear a page out it … except if you are using the idiom. Taking a page out of someone’s book means to do something they would do. This can be used for people and for organizations. For example, some people feel the government should take a page out of the private sector’s book and operate more efficiently. Besides reading books, did you know you can also read people? To read someone like a book means you are able to understand someone very clearly. It is easy to read someone like a book when they are an open book. A person who is an open book shares their thoughts and shows their feelings very easily. A closed book is the opposite. It describes something that is difficult to understand or a person who does not share personal details. This expression can also mean something that has completely ended. For example, if you have a friend who went through a difficult divorce you could say her marriage is a closed book. And one she does not want to read again. All this opening and closing of book, makes me think of studying. Students facing a tough exam must hit the books. This sounds violent. But, it simply means to study long and hard. No one has to physically attack the books, although after hours and hours of studying, a student may want to. Now, let’s listen to some of these expressions in a conversation. What are you doing this weekend? Richard and I are hitting the books. We need to study for the big exam. Richard, the new student? He’s always so cheery. He must have a really easy life. You should not judge a book by its cover. I’ve known Richard a long time. And, actually, he has had a really rough year. Really? I’m surprised to hear that. He is always smiling and is so pleasant with everyone. He has always been a bit of a closed book. He never talks about his personal life, especially the bad times. I should take a page out of Richard’s book and be happy even when times are tough. We’re on the same page there. I’m trying to keep a good attitude too. But he said that he’s finally turned the page on a difficult chapter in his life. Glad to hear it. He seems like a really nice guy. And now it’s time for us to turn the page and end this chapter of Words and Their Stories. But join us again next time as we talk about more words and expressions in American English. I’m Anna Matteo.   Let us know if you have similar expressions using “book” in your language in the Comments Section.  Anna Matteo wrote this for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   shabby – adj. in poor condition through long or hard use or lack of care. efficient – adj. capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy : efficiently is the adverb  

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English in a Minute: Baggage

When you travel, you take things with you in bags. This is called "baggage." But, Anna and Jonathan are not actually talking about travel. Find out another definition of "baggage" means in this episode of English in a Minute!

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Best US Beach? 'Dr. Beach' Says Hawaii's Got It

The best beach in the United States is Hawaii’s Hanauma Bay, says Dr. Beach’s "top 10" list of beaches for 2016. Dr. Beach is coastal scientist Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University. He has been reviewing beaches since 1991. He considers 50 conditions in preparing his list. They include including water and sand quality as well as "safety and management.” Hanauma Bay Beach Park is in the eastern end of Oahu, about 20 kilometers from Honolulu, Hawaii's capital. Dr. Beach says the bay has the best accessible snorkeling in the area. Dr. Beach says it has "thousands of beautifully colored tropical fish which span the rainbow.” Among others on his "top 10" list: Siesta Beach, in Sarasota, Florida; Ocracoke on North Carolina's Outer Banks; Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod in Massachusetts and San Diego's Coronado Beach in California.  Dr. Beach also gives “bonus points” for beaches that ban smoking, like Hanauma Bay. The website notes that, in recent years, “more emphasis is being placed on environmental management and beach safety.” The yearly list is released at the start of Memorial Day weekend in the United States. The holiday signals the unofficial start of summer recreational activities. Monday is Memorial Day. The federal holiday that honors the memory of all the nation's war dead. I'm Caty Weaver. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   beach - n. an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake​ management - n. the act or process of controlling and dealing with something​ accessible - adj. able to be reached or approached​ snorkeling - v. to swim underwater while using a snorkel​ bonus - n. something good that is more than what was expected or required emphasis - n.special importance or attention given to something​

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A Visit with History: Gettysburg National Military Park

This week, we visit a national park that marks one of the most important events in American history. We are exploring the Gettysburg National Military Park in the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Much of the area around Gettysburg still looks like it did in the 1860s, during the Civil War. The town is in the middle of farm country. All around are fields of wheat, corn and other crops. Cows chew on grass under a warm morning sun. Roads that pass through Gettysburg lead to Baltimore, Washington and other big cities. But almost 153 years ago, they served another purpose. They brought two opposing armies to Gettysburg. One was the United States Army of the Potomac, commanded by General George Gordon Meade. The other was the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia led by General Robert E. Lee. His troops had moved north into Pennsylvania from Virginia. There, they had won a series of battles. Now, they were on the move to defeat Meade's army. Lee believed that a Southern victory on Northern land would force a negotiated settlement of the war. This would mean independence for the Confederate states that were attempting to leave the Union. The battle of Gettysburg began on July 1, 1863. More than 170,000 soldiers fought for three days. It was the largest battle ever fought in North America. When it ended on July 3, more than 50,000 soldiers were dead, wounded or missing. Many more would die later from their wounds. In the end, General Lee’s army lost the battle. The Civil War, though, continued for two more years. But Confederate hopes for independence were never again as high as they had been at Gettysburg. Soon after the great battle, people began to visit Gettysburg to try to understand what happened there. One of those visitors, on November 19, 1863, was President Abraham Lincoln. He was invited to help dedicate a ceremony for Union soldiers killed in the battle. Lincoln spoke for just two minutes. His speech began this way: “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedication to the proposition that all men are created equal.” President Lincoln had never been satisfied with the reality of American life at that time. The Declaration of Independence in 1776 had declared all men equal. Yet in the South, and earlier in the North, as well, black men and women were held as slaves. In his address at Gettysburg, Lincoln described a new future for a nation that would be reunited. “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work for which they fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom …” Gettysburg National Military Park was established in 1895, 32 years after the deadly battle. Gettysburg is the most-visited of the Civil War battlefields. Every year, about 2 million people visit the park from around the country and the world. The battlefield covers more than 2,400 hectares. Visitors can find more than 1,300 outdoor sculptures around the battlefield. These are monuments and memorials placed by soldiers’ groups and state militias in areas where their troops fought. Volunteer guides explain to visitors what happened in each area of the huge battlefield. Visitors can also tour the battlefields on their own – by foot, by car, or by bicycle. Many visitors start their visit to Gettysburg at the Gettysburg Museum of the Civil War. The museum has the world’s largest collection of Civil War objects. The museum has more than 1 million items, from soldiers’ private notebooks and uniforms to original maps of the battlefield. The museum also houses the Gettysburg cyclorama painting. This kind of artwork surrounds the people looking at it. The painting shows the final attack in the Battle of Gettysburg: Pickett's Charge. George Pickett was a Confederate general. On July 3, 1863, he led a charge against stronger Union forces. It was a disaster for the Confederate soldiers. French artist Paul Phillippoteaux and a team of 20 artists created the painting in the 1880s. Phillippoteaux and his team visited the battlefield. It took more than one year for the huge painting to be complete. The cyclorama is 114 meters long and almost 13 meters tall. It has long been one of the most popular parts of the Gettysburg experience. But by the 1990s, the painting was in poor condition. Experts warned that if the Cyclorama was not repaired, the painting could be lost. A restoration project began in 2003. The painting was cleaned and separated into its 14 parts, and later moved into the new center. There, the original canvas was sewn onto new cloth made in China. Park service officials say China was one of the few countries able to produce cloth in the sizes needed. Then each part was hung and sewn together. A team of cyclorama experts from Poland worked on the project in Gettysburg. The repair work of the Gettysburg Cyclorama marked one of the largest art conservation effort ever in North America. After the museum, tourists can visit the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, where many of the Union soldiers who died during the Battle of Gettysburg are buried. The cemetery was dedicated on November 19, 1863, the same day President Lincoln gave his “Gettysburg Address." Since 1865, cemetery has been a burial ground for soldiers from all of America’s wars. Gettysburg brings history to life during the summer and fall with its “living historians.” These actors and experts show visitors what it was life was like for a soldier here, in one of the most historically important places in America. The words of America’s 16th president from the Gettysburg battlefield have never been forgotten. Historians agree that Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address defined Americans as a people who believed in freedom, democracy and equality. I'm Ashley Thompson.  And I'm Caty Weaver.    This story was written by Nancy Steinbach. It was adapted by Ashley Thompson with additional material from the National Park Service. Caty Weaver was the editor.  Have you read the Gettysburg Address? Have you visited Gettysburg? What did you think about it? Please leave a Comment, and post on our Facebook page, thanks! _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   liberty - n. the state or condition of people who are able to act and speak freely dedication - n. a feeling of very strong support for or loyalty to someone or something devotion - n. a feeling of strong love or loyalty  sculpture - n. a piece of art that is made by carving or molding clay, stone, metal, etc. canvas - n. a specially prepared piece of cloth on which a picture can be painted by an artist conservation - n. the things that are done to keep works of art or things of historical importance in good condition

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Flying This Summer Means Longer Security Lines

Thousands of travelers have missed their flights due to long security lines. The lines are likely to get worse at U.S. airports with 231 million travelers expected to fly this summer. This weekend, also known as Memorial Day weekend, is the start of the summer travel season in the U.S. Americans will fly to visit families or go on vacations. On Thursday, Kerry Philipovitch of American Airlines told U.S. Congress that 70,000 American customers missed their flights the last 12 months due to long security lines. “We have never seen TSA wait times that affect airlines and passengers throughout the United States like we’ve seen in recent months,” Philipovitch said. Peter Neffenger is the head of the U.S. Transportation Security Agency, or TSA. He said, “We cannot and will not compromise on the security of the traveling public.” Neffenger told Congress that he will not reduce security checks to reduce waits. But he is hiring more officers and moving bomb-detection dogs to large U.S. airports. Neffenger also removed TSA’s security head and put in new leadership at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. On several days, there were reports of security waits of two to three hours in Chicago. How do travelers deal with delay? The TSA offers tips for summer travel, including arriving at airports up to two hours before domestic flights and up to three hours before international flights. At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday, some passengers arriving or flying out of the airport were surprised their waits were not longer. “I was worried about it, but the lines moved quickly today,” said Kellie Artis of Alexandria, Virginia. “I guess I’ve been lucky,” said Odd Steinar Haugen of Norway. Haugen said he waited only 20 minutes to clear security in Phoenix, Arizona, for his Wednesday flight to Washington. Passengers have strong opinions on how to keep waits short. John Rafferty of North Dallas, Texas, said a big problem is that “more passengers are carrying luggage or bags onto airplanes instead of checking them." It takes longer, he told VOA to complete checks of people carrying luggage filled with “everything but the kitchen sink.” By “everything but the kitchen sink,” Rafferty means people who bring lots of things, including things they do not need. Rafferty said one fix would be separate lines for people who paid $25 or more per bag to check their bags with the airline. “Let the people who brought along all these bags wait, not those of us who paid $50 to check our bags,” he said. Some members of Congress have called on airlines to drop their checked baggage charges -- at least for the summer travel season. “Without charges for checking their bags, passengers will be far less likely to carry them on,” which “slows the inspection process,” said Senators Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut in a letter. But some passengers at Washington’s Reagan Airport said people avoid checking bags so they won’t have to wait for checked bags to arrive at baggage claim. “I think people would continue to carry bags on planes, even if there was no charge,” said one passenger, carrying two bags off a flight from Albany, New York. And U.S. airlines, which made $3.8 billion in baggage fees during 2015, do not want to give up that money. More People Flying Airlines for America expects 231 million people to fly this summer in the United States, up from 200 million in 2009. The group represents U.S. airlines and warns of long lines this summer unless more security officers are hired. Paul Hudson is president of Flyersrights.org, which represents airline passengers. He said the major reasons for long security lines are: the continued threat of terrorism, along with fewer airport security officers and 97 million more people flying in 2016 than three years ago. Shortages of TSA workers is partly due to “low morale,” he said. Pauline Frommer is editorial director of Frommer Media, which publishes travel guides. She said it is understandable so many TSA officers quit. “It’s such an awful job. You are underpaid, people hate you, and if you make a mistake, the consequences are huge,” she said. Some passengers are sharing their frustrations on Twitter under hashtag #hatethewait. Among them this passenger flying from a New York/New Jersey airport to Paris: “@AirlineReporter @TSA 90 minutes in line @NY_NJairports. Nearly missed my flight to Paris. #iHateTheWait” But some are more understanding. “Would you rather wait shorter times in @TSA than the possibility of a BOMB being smuggled onto your plane? #iHateTheWait Stop whining! #9/11,” tweeted one passenger. I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and share your views on our Facebook Page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bomb-detection dogs -- n. dogs trained to detect bombs check – v. to give your bags or suitcases to a worker so that they can be loaded onto a plane or train luggage or bags – n. the bags and suitcases that a person carries when traveling editorial director – n. the person who heads the department where books and other publications are written awful – adj. extremely bad or unpleasant consequence – n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions post – n. to put out written statement whine – v. to complain in an annoying way

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Lincoln's Words at Gettysburg

Editor's Note: On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln spoke at the dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg in the state of Pennsylvania. The brief address, known as the Gettysburg Address, would be remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history.   "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. "Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. "But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we cannot hallow, this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work for which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Address   dedicated – adj. having strong support or loyalty; v. used time, money or energy for a purpose dedicate - v. officially make a place for remembering someone or something; proposition – n. a statement to be proved, explained or discussed consecrate – v. to make something holy devotion – n. a feeling of strong love or loyalty resolve – v. make a final, serious decision in vain – adj. without producing a good result

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Children of Indian Immigrants Win Spelling Bee

This is What’s Trending Today: For the third time in three years, two students shared the Scripps National Spelling Bee championship Thursday night. It was an exciting finish to the three-day event. The hashtag #spellingbee was one of the top trending topics on Twitter overnight. The winners were 11-year-old Nihar Janga of Texas, and Jairam Hathwar, a 13-year-old from New York State. Both boys’ parents are from southern India. Two years ago, Jairam’s brother Sriram also shared the spelling bee championship. This year’s championship was unique because of Akash Vukoti, the youngest person ever to compete in the event. He is just six years old! Lots of people said they loved him because, as some of them said, he was “so darn cute!” In a Spelling Bee, a moderator asks competitors to spell a series of words. Some of the words are fairly common in the English language, but others are not. If the student spells the word correctly, he or she keeps competing. Eventually only two spellers remain. The last one to spell a word is the champion. Nihar and Jairam each missed words in the final round. But the two boys spelled their last words correctly, so the championship ended in a tie. The final words were Feldenkrais and gesellschaft. Feldenkrais is a kind of physical education named after a Ukrainian-born Israeli physicist. Gesellschaft is the name of a social relationship created by a German sociologist. This year the spelling bee was more difficult than ever. Instead of only using words with Greek and Latin roots, organizers also chose words with origins in Afrikaans, Danish, Irish Gaelic, Maori and Mayan. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a large event. It started with more than 280 students who had won in local spelling competitions. Those winners move on to the national event, just outside Washington, D.C. Lots of people were talking about the Spelling Bee on social media. One Twitter user said she felt like the Bee was going into “six overtimes.” Other people enjoyed seeing children do a dance move called “the dab” after they spelled words correctly.  ​ One baseball player added he was “amazed by how good” the children were. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Jill Robbins.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Have you ever participated in a Spelling Bee? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   unique – adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else cute – adj. having a pleasing or youthful experience origins – n. roots; the point or place where something begins or is created

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'Hearts and Crosses,' by O. Henry, Part One

We present part one of the short story "Hearts and Crosses," by O. Henry. The story was originally adapted and recorded by the U.S. Department of State.   Baldy woods reached for a drink and got it. When Baldy wanted something, he usually got it. He — but this is not Baldy’s story. Now he took his third drink, which was larger than the first and the second. Baldy had been listening to the troubles of a friend. Now Baldy was going to tell his friend what to do. So the friend was buying him the drinks. This was the right thing for the friend to do. “I’d be king if I were you,” said Baldy. He said it loudly and strongly. Webb Yeager moved his wide hat back on his head. He put his fingers in his yellow hair and moved it about. It now looked wilder than before. But this did not help him to think better. And therefore he also got another drink. “If a man marries a queen, it ought not make him nothing,” said Webb. Here was his real problem. “Surely not,” said Baldy. “You ought to be a king. But you’re only the queen’s husband. That’s what happens to a man in Europe if he marries the king’s daughter. His wife becomes a queen. But is he a king? No. His only duty is to appear with the queen in pictures. And be the father of the next king. That’s not right. Yes, Webb, you are only the queen’s husband. And if I were you, I’d turn everything upside down and I would be king.” Baldy finished his drink. “Baldy,” said Webb, “you and I have been cowboys together for years. We’ve been riding the same roads since we were very young. I wouldn’t talk about my family to anyone but you. You were working on the Nopalito Ranch when I married Santa McAllister. I was foreman then. But what am I now? Nothing.” “When old McAllister was the cattle king of West Texas,” continued Baldy, “you were important. You told people what to do. Your commands were as strong as his.” “That was true,” said Webb, “until he discovered that I wanted to marry Santa. Then he sent me as far away from the ranch house as he could. When the old man died, they started to call Santa the ‘cattle queen.’ Now I tell the cattle what to do. That’s all. She takes care of all the business. She takes care of all the money. I can’t sell any cattle— not one animal. Santa is the queen, and I… I’m nothing.” “I would be king if I were you,” said Baldy Woods again. “When a man marries a queen he ought to be the same as she is. Plenty of people think it’s strange, Webb. Your words mean nothing on the Nopalito Ranch. Mrs. Yeager is a fine little lady. But a man ought to be head of his own house.” Webb’s brown face grew long with sadness. With that expression, and his wild yellow hair, and his blue eyes, he looked like a schoolboy who had lost his leadership to another, strong boy. Yet his tall body looked too strong for such a thing to happen to him. “I’m riding back to the ranch today,” he said. It was easy to see that he did not want to go. “I have to start some cattle on the road to San Antonio tomorrow morning.” “Well, I’ll go with you as far as Dry Lake,” said Baldy. The two friends got on their horses and left the little town where they had met that morning. At Dry Lake, they stopped to say goodbye. They had been riding for miles without talking. But in Texas, talk does not often continue steadily. Many things may happen between words. But when you begin to talk again, you are still talking about the same thing. So now Webb added something to the talk that began ten miles away. “You remember, Baldy, there was a time when Santa was different. You remember the days when old McAllister kept me away from the ranch house. You remember how she would send me a sign that she wanted to see me? Old McAllister said that he would kill me if I came near enough. You remember the sign she used to send, Baldy? The picture of a heart with a cross inside it?” “Me?” cried Baldy. “Sure I remember. Every cowboy on the ranch knew that sign of the heart and the cross. We would see it on things sent out from the ranch. We would see it on anything. It would be on newspapers. On boxes of food. Once I saw it on the back of the shirt of a cook that McAllister sent from the ranch.” “Santa’s father made her promise that she wouldn’t write to me or send me any word. That heart-and-cross sign was her plan. When she wanted to see me, she would put that mark on something that she knew I would see. And when I saw it, I traveled fast to the ranch that same night. I would meet her outside the house.” “We all knew it,” said Baldy. “But we never said anything. We wanted you to marry Santa. We knew why you had that fast horse. When we saw the heart and cross on something from the ranch, we always knew your horse was going to go fast that night.” “The last time Santa sent me the sign,” said Webb, “was when she was sick. When I saw it, I got on my horse and started. It was a forty-mile ride. She wasn’t at our meeting-place. I went to the house. Old McAllister met me at the door. ‘Did you come here to get killed?’ he said. ‘I won’t kill you this time. I was going to send for you. Santa wants you. Go in that room and see her. Then come out here and see me.’ “Santa was lying in bed very sick. But she smiled, and put her hand in mine, and I sat down by the bed—mud and riding clothes and all. ‘I could hear you coming for hours, Webb,’ she said. ‘I was sure you would come. You saw the sign?’ ‘I saw it,’ I said. ‘It’s our sign,’ she said. ‘Hearts and crosses. To love and to suffer—that’s what they mean.’ “And old Doctor Musgrove was there. And Santa goes to sleep and Doctor Musgrove touches her face, and he says to me: ‘You were good for her. But go away now. The little lady will be all right in the morning.’ “Old McAllister was outside her room. ‘She’s sleeping,’ I said. ‘And now you can start killing me. You have plenty of time. I haven’t any- thing to fight with.’ “Old McAllister laughs, and he says to me: ‘Killing the best foreman in West Texas is not good business. I don’t know where I could get another good foreman. I don’t want you in the family. But I can use you on the Nopalito if you stay away from the ranch house. You go up and sleep, and then we’ll talk.’ ” The two men prepared to separate. They took each other’s hand. “Goodbye, Baldy,” said Webb. “I’m glad I saw you and had this talk.” With a sudden rush, the two riders were on their way. Then Baldy pulled his horse to a stop and shouted. Webb turned. “If I were you,” came Baldy’s loud voice, “I would be king!” At eight the following morning, Bud Turner got off his horse at the Nopalito ranch house. Bud was the cowboy who was taking the cattle to San Antonio. Mrs. Yeager was outside the house, putting water on some flowers. In many ways Santa was like her father, “King” McAllister. She was sure about everything. She was afraid of nothing. She was proud. But Santa looked like her mother. She had a strong body and a soft prettiness. Because she was a woman, her manners were womanly. Yet she liked to be queen, as her father had liked to be king. Webb stood near her, giving orders to two or three cowboys. “Good morning,” said Bud. “Where do you want the cattle to go? To Barber’s as usual?” The queen always answered such a question. All the business— buying, selling, and banking—had been held in her hands. Care of the cattle was given to her husband. When “King” McAllister was alive, Santa was his secretary and his helper. She had continued her work and her work had been successful. But before she could answer, the queen’s husband spoke: “You drive those cattle to Zimmerman’s and Nesbit’s. I spoke to Zimmerman about it.” Bud turned, ready to go. “Wait!” called Santa quickly. She looked at her husband with surprise in her gray eyes. “What do you mean, Webb?” she asked. “I never deal with Zimmerman and Nesbit. Barber has bought all the cattle from this ranch for five years. I’m not going to change.” She said to Bud Turner: “Take those cattle to Barber.” Bud did not look at either of them. He stood there waiting. “I want those cattle to go to Zimmerman and Nesbit,” said Webb. There was a cold light in his blue eyes. “It’s time to start,” said Santa to Bud. “Tell Barber we’ll have more cattle ready in about a month.” Bud allowed his eyes to turn and meet Webb’s. “You take those cattle,” said Webb, “to—” “Barber,” said Santa quickly. “Let’s say no more about it. What are you waiting for, Bud?” “Nothing,” said Bud. But he did not hurry to move away, for man is man’s friend, and he did not like what had happened. “You heard what she said,” cried Webb. “We do what she commands.” He took off his hat and made a wide movement with it, touching the floor. “Webb,” said Santa, “what’s wrong with you today?” “I’m acting like the queen’s fool,” said Webb. “What can you expect? Let me tell you. I was a man before I married a cattle queen. What am I now? Something for the cowboys to laugh at. But I’m going to be a man again.” Santa looked at him. “Be reasonable, Webb,” she said quietly. “There is nothing wrong. You take care of the cattle. I take care of the business. You understand the cattle. I understand the business better than you do. I learned it from my father.” “I don’t like kings and queens,” said Webb, “unless I’m one of them myself. Alright. It’s your ranch. Barber gets the cattle.” Webb’s horse was tied near the house. He walked into the house and brought out the supplies he took on long rides. These he began to tie on his horse. Santa followed him. Her face had lost some of its color. Webb got on his horse. There was no expression on his face except a strange light burning in his eyes. “There are some cattle at the Hondo water-hole,” he said. “They ought to be moved. Wild animals have killed three of them. I did not remember to tell Simms to do it. You tell him.” Santa put a hand on the horse and looked her husband in the eye. “Are you going to leave me, Webb?” she asked quietly. “I’m going to be a man again,” he answered. “I wish you success,” she said, with a sudden coldness. She turned and walked into the house. Webb Yeager went to the southeast as straight as he could ride. And when he came to the place where sky and earth seem to meet, he was gone. Those at the Nopalito knew nothing more about him. Days passed, then weeks, then months. But Webb Yeager did not return. Download activities to help you understand this story here. Part two of this story will come next week. Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. Do you think Webb Yeager will return to his wife? What kind of relationship should a husband and wife have? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   king – n. a boy or man who is highly respected and very successful or popular queen – n. a girl or woman who is highly respected and very successful or popular cowboy(s) – n. a man who rides a horse and whose job is to take care of cows or horses especially in the western U.S. ranch – n. a large farm especially in the U.S. where animals such as cattle, horses, and sheep are raised foreman – n. a person who is in charge of a group of workers cattle – n. cows, bulls, or steers that are kept on a farm or ranch for meat or milk cross – n. an object or image in the shape of a cross that is used as a symbol of Christianity proud – n. very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know or are related to

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English @ the Movies: 'Justice is About to be Served'

Our English @ the Movies phrase is from the movie "Kung Fu Panda 3." This cartoon comedy is about a Panda named Po. He becomes a kung fu teacher. The phrase is "justice is about to be served." Are they talking about dinner? Listen and find out.

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May 27, 2016

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

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India Seeks to Limit Use of Maps and Satellite Images

  Indians are discussing a plan to ban use of maps or satellite images of the country without approval from the government. The plan’s critics have launched an online campaign called “Save The Map.” They say the proposed ban could affect many new businesses and services that use technology. The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill would require anyone who wants to use, publish or own maps or geospatial data to seek official permission. A special security committee would consider such requests. Indian officials say the proposed law would help protect military bases from enemies and terrorists. They deny it would cause problems for businesses. But Internet experts say the law would affect anyone who uses mobile phones, laptop computers and online companies, such as ride services. They also fear that the ban would affect computer software programs and Apple or Google Map products. The Center for Internet and Society (CIS) in Bangalore also has criticized the bill. It says the measure would return India to where it was more than 30 years ago -- when businesses were forced to get licenses from government officials before they could begin to operate. Pranesh Prakash works at the center. “What it does (is) it puts in place a license raj for all use of mapping technologies. That just does not make sense. No other country in the world has this regressive mapping law.” Technology experts from Bangalore launched the “Save The Map” campaign. It is calling on Indians to demand that the government change the planned law. The campaign is hoping to copy a successful campaign called “Save The Internet,” which pressured the government to ensure equal access to the Internet. Indian officials have sought to calm critics, saying the bill is not final. The government has asked people to give ideas on how it should be changed by June 4. Officials note the country is dealing with an increasing number of security issues, including an attack at an air base in northern India earlier this year. Terrorists based in Pakistan were said to have carried out the attack. Junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju told a newspaper that the law is needed because India must have ways to “secure its boundary and territory.” But Prakash notes that the measure would not stop terrorists from using geospatial data from sources outside India. “They need satellite imagery and they need maps, period. Now this law doesn’t actually prevent such maps from being created, it doesn’t actually prevent satellite images of India being captured. What it does is prevent Indians from doing so. So it actually won’t prevent foreign-based terrorists -- especially state-backed terrorists -- from attacking India.” Internet and policy experts say the government would not be able to stop others from creating maps or satellite images of sensitive locations in the country.   I’m Anne Ball. Anjana Pasricha reported this story from New Delhi for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. George Grow 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   geospatial – adj. land-based location information data – n. (plural) facts or information used usually to calculate, analyze, or plan something raj – n. ruler regress – v. to return to an earlier and usually worse or less developed condition or state access – n. a way of getting near, at or to something or someone

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