DIALOGUES 1. - THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN The scene is the Royal Geographical Society in London. The time is October 1951.

CHAIRMAN: Order! Ladies and Gentlemen, order please! Ladies and Gentlemen, I have great pleasure in introducing to you Mr Eric Shipton. Mr Shipton is, as you know, the leader of our expedition to the Himalayas. Several weeks ago, as you know, he reported by radio that he had found footprints in the snow. These were of such a strange nature that we have brought him back from Nepal to report to us here at the Society. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Shipton. SHIPTON: Ladies and Gentlemen, you all know about the Abominable Snowman, the Yeti, as he is called by the Sherpas. There have been reports about the Yeti since the year 1899, when the first footprints were found. Many people say that it is nothing more than a legend. VOICE 1: And so it is! A legend. SHIPTON: That is what I thought myself, sir, until three weeks ago. We were high up on the slopes of Mount Everest in deep snow, when Michael Ward, Sherpa Tensing and myself suddenly saw footprints. VOICE 1: It's a hoax. VOICE 2: The man is a liar. CHAIRMAN: Order! Order, sir. Ladies and Gentlemen, order please! SHIPTON: As you well know, the Sherpas believe that the Yeti has the body of an ape and the face of a human. VOICE 1: That's a likely story! CHAIRMAN: Please sir, I must ask you to be quiet. SHIPTON: They believe that is well over two metres high, and of course the most interesting feature is its enormous feet. LADY 1: Excuse me! Can I ask a question? CHAIRMAN: Yes, madam. LADY 1: Mr Shipton, you say that the Yeti is over two metres high? SHIPTON: No, madam, the Sherpas believe that it is well over two metres high. LADY 1: That is surely bigger than the biggest ape?
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SHIPTON: It is indeed very large, madam, if it is true. The Sherpas also say that its body is covered with hair. They think also that it is very fierce and wild. I wouldn't like to meet it on a dark night. LADY 2: Mr Chairman, can I ask if the Yeti, as it is called, has ever attacked humans? SHIPTON: I'm afraid I cannot answer that question, madam. I simply don't know. What I do know is that the Sherpas are very frightened of the Yeti. VOICE 1: (sarcastically) If it exists! SHIPTON: As you say, sir, if it exists. May I continue, Mr Chairman? CHAIRMAN: Yes. Please carry on, Mr Shipton, we are all very interested. SHIPTON: As I say, we saw a line of footprints in the snow. VOICE 2: How big were they? SHIPTON: We measured them very carefully and they were well over twelve inches long. VOICE 1: (sarcastically) must have been a policeman! CHAIRMAN: Perhaps I could ask a question here, Mr Shipton? When did you find these footprints? SHIPTON: It was in the middle of the morning, Mr Chairman, about eleven o'clock as I remember. CHAIRMAN: And was the light good? Was the sun out? SHIPTON: Yes, the weather was perfect, Mr Chairman, and the footprints were very clear indeed. CHAIRMAN: Go on, Mr Shipton; tell us some more about these footprints. SHIPTON: The footprints went on for a good two kilometers, before we lost them in the rocks. VOICE 2: Are you saying that these footprints went for two kilometers? There must have been hundreds of prints! SHIPTON: Yes, sir. That is quite correct. There were hundreds of footprints and we could see each of them very clearly. CHAIRMAN: Can you describe them, Mr Shipton?

SHIPTON: Yes, sir. Each print clearly showed the toes and the heel. VOICE 2: Did you take any photographs? SHIPTON: Yes, sir. We did, and I now have pleasure in showing you an enlarged photograph of one of the footprints. A footprint of the Abominable Snowman, the Himalayan Yeti. VOICE 2: How far apart were the footprints? SHIPTON: They were one and a half to two metres apart. CHAIRMAN: That means that they were made by a very large animal. SHIPTON: You are right, Mr Chairman. The animal must have been very large indeed. VOCABULARY: time: poca; reported: inform; footprints: huellas plantares; of such a strange nature: de ndole o carcter tan extrao; have brought him back: lo tenemos de regreso; legend: leyenda; what I thought myself: lo que yo mismo pens; high up: a gran altura; slopes: laderas; in deep snow: con nieve espesa; Sherpa: hijo de la tribu (en el Himalaya); suddenly: de pronto, repentinamente; hoax: engao, patraa; liar: mentiroso, embaucador; as you well know: como bien saben; ape: mono, simio; likely: muy probable; feature: caracterstica; surely: seguramente; fierce and wild: feroz y salvaje; to meet it: toparme o encontrarme con l; has ever attacked: ha atacado alguna vez; are very frightened of: le tienen mucho temor a; carry on: adelante, prosiga; how big were they: qu tamao tenan; we measured them: las medimos; well over twelve inches long: ms de doce pulgadas de largo: must have been: debe haber sido; the light: la iluminacin; was the sun out?: haba sol?; very clear: muy claras; go on: siga, continue; went on: continuaban; for a good two kilometers: a lo largo de ms de dos kilmetros; there must have been: deben haber encontrado; hundreds: cientos; very clearly: con mucha claridad; the toes and the heel: los dedos de la pata (pie) y el taln; enlarged: ampliada; how far apart were: qu distancia haba entre; that means that: eso significa que; must have been very large: debe haber sido muy grande. 2. - THE LADY or THE TIGER: Part 1 Now, the VOA Special English program, "American Stories". We present the short story THE LADY, OR THE TIGER? By Frank R. Stockton. Here is Barbara Klein with the story. Long ago, in the very olden time, there lived a powerful king. Some of his ideas were progressive. But others caused people to suffer. One of the king's ideas was a public arena as an agent of poetic justice. Crime was punished, or innocence was decided, by the result of chance. When a person was accused of a crime, his future would be judged in the public arena.

All the people would gather in this building. The king sat high up on his ceremonial chair. He gave a sign. A door under him opened. The accused person stepped out into the arena. Directly opposite the king were two doors. They were side by side, exactly alike. The person on trial had to walk directly to these doors and open one of them. He could open whichever door he pleased. If the accused man opened one door, out came a hungry tiger, the fiercest in the land. The tiger immediately jumped on him and tore him to pieces as punishment for his guilt. The case of the suspect was thus decided. Iron bells rang sadly. Great cries went up from the paid mourners. And the people, with heads hanging low and sad hearts, slowly made their way home. They mourned greatly that one so young and fair, or so old and respected, should have died this way But, if the accused opened the other door, there came forth from it a woman, chosen especially for the person. To this lady he was immediately married, in honor of his innocence. It was not a problem that he might already have a wife and family, or that he might have chosen to marry another woman. The king permitted nothing to interfere with his great method of punishment and reward. Another door opened under the king, and a clergyman, singers, dancers and musicians joined the man and the lady. The marriage ceremony was quickly completed. Then the bells made cheerful noises. The people shouted happily. And the innocent man led the new wife to his home, following children who threw flowers on their path. This was the king's method of carrying out justice. Its fairness appeared perfect. The accused person could not know which door was hiding the lady. He opened either as he pleased, without knowing whether, in the next minute, he was to be killed or married. Sometimes the fierce animal came out of one door. Sometimes it came out of the other. This method was a popular one. When the people gathered together on one of the great trial days, they never knew whether they would see a bloody killing or a happy ending. So everyone was always interested. And the thinking part of the community would bring no charge of unfairness against this plan. Did not the accused person have the whole matter in his own hands? The king had a beautiful daughter who was like him in many ways. He loved her above all humanity. The princess secretly loved a young man who was the best-looking and bravest in the land. But he was a commoner, not part of an important family. One day, the king discovered the relationship between his daughter and the young man. The man was immediately put in prison. A day was set for his trial in the king's public arena. This, of course, was an especially important event. Never before had a common subject been brave enough to love the daughter of the king. The king knew that the young man would be punished, even if he opened the right door. And the king would take pleasure in watching the series of events, which would judge whether or not the man had done wrong in loving the princess.
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VOCABULARY: in the very olden time: antiguamente; powerful: poderoso; progressive: progresistas; caused people to suffer: le hacan sufrir a la gente; public arena: anfiteatro, coliseo, circo de acceso pblico; agent of poetic justice: procurador de justicia; crime: el delito; punished: castigado; innocence: la inocencia; decided: acordada; by the result of chance: como resultado del azar; judged: juzgado; would gather: se concentraba; high up: arriba de todo; a sign: una seal; the accused person: el acusado; stepped out into: sala a; directly opposite: enfrente del; side by side: una al lado de la otra; exactly alike: idnticas; the person on trial: el reo; whichever door he pleased: la puerta que ms le gustara; out came: sala; a hungry tiger: un famlico tigre; the fiercest: el ms feroz; jumped on him: le saltaba encima; tore him to pieces: lo haca pedazos; guilt: culpa; the case: el caso; suspect: sospechoso; was thus decided: era decidido de esta manera; iron bells rang sadly: las campanas de hierro taan luctuosamente; great cries: gritos agudos; went up: surgan; from the paid mourners: por parte de los llorones a sueldo; hanging low: gachas; sad hearts: entristecidos; made their way home: se retiraban a sus hogares; mourned greatly: lamentaban enormemente la muerte; one so young and fair: alguien tan joven y honrado; so old and respected: tan anciano y respetado; died this way: muerto de semejante forma; came forth: del escondite sala; to this lady: con esta dama; permitted nothing to interfere with: no permitia que nada interfiriera con; method: mtodo, sistema; punishment and reward: castigo y recompensa; clergyman: sacerdote; musicians: msicos; joined: se unan al; marriage ceremony: ceremonia nupcial; cheerful noises: alegres sonidos; on their path: a su paso; carrying out justice: dar cumplimiento de la justicia; its fairness appeared perfect: su imparcialidad pareca perfecta; which door was hiding: qu puerta ocultaba a; either as he pleased: a su gusto; without knowing whether: sin saber si; fierce animal: feroz animal; came out of: sala de; trial days: das de proceso; a bloody killing: un sangriento asesinato; the thinking part: la parte pensante; bring no charge of unfairness: no reportara injusticia; did not the accused person have the whole matter in his own hands?: acaso no estaba la solucin de todo el asunto en las propias manos del reo? like him: como l, muy parecida; secretly loved: amaba secretamente; the best-looking: el ms buen mozo; bravest: el ms valiente; a commoner: un plebeyo; the relationship: la relacin; put in prison: encarcelado; a day was set for his trial: se fij la fecha de su proceso; never before: nunca antes; a common subject: un lacayo; brave enough to: lo suficientemente valiente para; would be punished: sera castigado; even if: aunque; the right door: la puerta correcta; would take pleasure in watching: disfrutara viendo; which would judge whether or not: que juzgaran si o no; had done wrong: se haba equivocado. 3. - "THE LADY or THE TIGER?" - Part 2 The day of the trial arrived. From far and near the people gathered in the arena and outside its walls. The king and his advisers were in their places, opposite the two doors. All was ready. The sign was given. The door under the king opened and the lover of the princess entered the arena. Tall, beautiful and fair, his appearance was met with a sound of approval and tension. Half the people had not known so perfect a young man lived among them. No wonder the princess loved him! What a terrible thing for him to be there!

As the young man entered the public arena, he turned to bend to the king. But he did not at all think of the great ruler. The young man's eyes instead were fixed on the princess, who sat to the right of her father. From the day it was decided that the sentence of her lover should be decided in the arena, she had thought of nothing but this event. The princess had more power, influence and force of character than anyone who had ever before been interested in such a case. She had done what no other person had done. She had possessed herself of the secret of the doors. She knew behind which door stood the tiger, and behind which waited the lady. Gold, and the power of a woman's will, had brought the secret to the princess. She also knew who the lady was. The lady was one of the loveliest in the kingdom. Now and then the princess had seen her looking at and talking to the young man. The princess hated the woman behind that silent door. She hated her with all the intensity of the blood passed to her through long lines of cruel ancestors. Her lover turned to look at the princess. His eye met hers as she sat there, paler and whiter than anyone in the large ocean of tense faces around her. He saw that she knew behind which door waited the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. He had expected her to know it. The only hope for the young man was based on the success of the princess in discovering this mystery. When he looked at her, he saw that she had been successful, as he knew she would succeed. Then his quick and tense look asked the question: "Which?" It was as clear to her as if he shouted it from where he stood. There was not time to be lost. The princess raised her hand, and made a short, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw it. Every eye but his was fixed on the man in the arena. He turned, and with a firm and quick step he walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating. Every breath was held. Every eye was fixed upon that man. He went to the door on the right and opened it. Now, the point of the story is this: Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady? The more we think about this question, the harder it is to answer. It involves a study of the human heart. Think of it not as if the decision of the question depended upon yourself. But as if it depended upon that hot-blooded princess, her soul at a white heat under the fires of sadness and jealousy. She had lost him, but who should have him? How often, in her waking hours and in her dreams, had she started in wild terror, and covered her face with her hands? She thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the sharp teeth of the tiger!
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But how much oftener had she seen him open the other door? How had she ground her teeth, and torn her hair, when she had seen his happy face as he opened the door of the lady! How her soul had burned in pain when she had seen him run to meet that woman, with her look of victory. When she had seen the two of them get married. And when she had seen them walk away together upon their path of flowers, followed by the happy shouts of the crowd, in which her one sad cry was lost! Would it not be better for him to die quickly, and go to wait for her in that blessed place of the future? And yet, that tiger, those cries, that blood! Her decision had been shown quickly. But it had been made after days and nights of thought. She had known she would be asked. And she had decided what she would answer. And she had moved her hand to the right. The question of her decision is one not to be lightly considered. And it is not for me to set myself up as the one person able to answer it. And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the open door the lady, or the tiger? VOCABULARY: outside its walls: fuera de sus muros; advisers: consejeros; the lover: el amante; entered: ingres a; was met with: fue recibida con; approval and tension: aprobacin y tensin; half the people: la mitad del pblico; so perfect a young man: un joven tan perfecto; no wonder: no era ninguna sorpresa que; to bend to the king: para inclinarse ante el rey; think of: pensar en; the great ruler: el gran soberano; instead: en cambio; were fixed: estaban fijos; who sat: que estaba sentada; from the day it was decided: desde el da en que se decidi; the sentence: la condena; thought of nothing but: pensado en otra cosa que no fuera; more power: ms poder; influence: influencia; she had possessed herself of the secret of the doors: se haba adueado del secreto de las puertas; gold: el oro; a woman's will: la determinacin de una mujer; who the lady was: quin era la mujer; the loveliest in the kingdom: las ms encantadoras del reino; now and then: de vez en cuando; hated: odiaba a; silent door: puerta silenciosa; passed to her through long lines of cruel ancestors: heredada de generaciones y generaciones de ancestros crueles; his eye met hers: su mirada se cruz con la de ella; paler and whiter than: ms plida y ms blanca que; large ocean of tense faces: enorme ocano de rostros tensos; around her: que la rodeaban; he had expected her to know it: l haba supuesto que ella lo saba; the only hope for: la nica esperanza de; was based on: radicaba en; quick and tense look: rpida e intensa mirada; there was not time to be lost: no haba tiempo que perder; raised her hand: levant su mano; toward the right: hacia la derecha; no one but her lover saw it: nadie excepto su amante lo not; every heart stopped beating: todos los corazones dejaron de latir; every breath was held: todos contuvieron el aliento; every eye was fixed upon that man: la vista de todos estaba clavada en ese hombre; the point of the story: el asunto de la historia; the more we think: cuanto ms pensamos en; the harder it is: ms difcil es; it involves: todo esto implica, supone; the human heart: la sensibilidad humana; think of it not as if: piensa en ella no como si; depended upon yourself: dependiese de ti mismo/a; hot-blooded princess: princesa apasionada; under the fires of sadness and jealousy: bajo los fuegos de la tristeza y los celos; how often: cuntas veces; in her waking hours: en sus horas de desvelo; in her dreams: en sus sueos; in wild terror: aterrorizada; the sharp teeth: los filosos
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dientes; how much oftener: cuntas ms veces; had she seen him open: lo haba ella observado a l; ground her teeth: apretado sus dientes; torn her hair: arrancado sus cabellos; her soul: su alma; had burned in pain: se haba quemado de dolor; her look of victory: su apariencia de vencedora; her one sad cry: su triste lamento; would it not be better for him: no habra sido mejor para l; cries: lamentos; that blood: toda esa sangre; shown quickly: demostrado rpidamente; of thought: de mucho pensar; she would be asked: que sera consultada; lightly considered: analizado con ligereza; it is not for me to set myself up as the one person: y no pretendo ser la nica persona; able to answer it: capaz de resolverlo. 4. - THE LOCHNESS MONSTER Is there a monster in Loch Ness in Scotland? Many people think so. Many people certainly hope that there is. The people who hope that there is a monster there call it 'Nessie'. INTERVIEWER: Loch Ness is in Scotland. It is a lake 36 km long and the water is very deep, and very dark. It is also very, very cold, but strangely, the water never freezes. Many fish live there, so it's a perfect home for very large water creatures. Many people believe that a large creature does indeed live there. In 1872, and again in 1932 there were reports. They described a very large animal, which looked like a boat. People saw this animal in the water, swimming very fast. In 1933, Mr and Mrs MacKay saw the animal. Mrs MacKay, can you tell us what you saw? MRS MACKAY: Yes. I was with my husband, and we were in the car. We were driving along the road beside Loch Ness, going from Inverness to Glasgow. INTERVIEWER: What did you see? MRS MACKAY: Suddenly, my husband saw an enormous animal in the water. INTERVIEWER: What did it look like? MRS MACKAY: It had a long neck, and a head. which looked like a snake. INTERVIEWER: Could you see anything else? MRS MACKAY: Yes. It had big humps on its back. INTERVIEWER: Go on. MRS MACKAY: Well, it also had a very long tail, which was splashing on the water. INTERVIEWER: How long would you say the animal was? MRS MACKAY: It's difficult to say. I should think eight, or perhaps ten metres long. INTERVIEWER: How long was it there for? MRS MACKAY: It wasn't there for very long. We saw it for perhaps two or three minutes, then it went under the water.
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INTERVIEWER: Mr and Mrs MacKay are not the only people to have seen the Monster. Many thousands of people have seen it. So many people have seen it, that in fact it's now called 'Nessie'. The interesting thing is that all the descriptions are the same, and this is most unusual. Everybody says it's between seven and ten metres long, and the skin is a very dark colour. It has a long neck, and a head like a snake. Unfortunately, there are no good photographs of it. Most people see the Monster when it's in the water, but sometimes it comes on to the land. Mr Smith, I think that you live near Loch Ness? MR SMITH: Yes, that's right. INTERVIEWER: And is it true that you've seen the Loch Ness Monster? MR SMITH: Yes, that's right. It was in 1952. I was with my father in the car, and we were coming home at night. Suddenly, we came round a corner, and we saw this ... this thing on the road! INTERVIEWER: Go on. Tell me. What was it like? MR SMITH: Well, it had a long neck - several metres long - and great big flippers. INTERVIEWER: What did you do? MR SMITH: We turned the car round as fast as we could, and we drove away! INTERVIEWER: Scientists are also very interested in 'Nessie'. In 1973, some students from Birmingham University came to try and find the Monster. Mr Dixon, in 1972 you were a student at Birmingham University. JOHN DIXON: Yes, that's right. That was the year we went to try and find 'Nessie'. INTERVIEWER: Tell me what you found. JOHN DIXON: Well, we had some sonar equipment. INTERVIEWER: Can you tell me quickly what that is? JOHN DIXON: You use sonar equipment for making pictures using sound waves. INTERVIEWER: Tell me what you saw, Mr Dixon. JOHN DIXON: We saw two strange, large animals, about ten metres long, in our sonar beam. INTERVIEWER: Can you tell me how long you saw them for? JOHN DIXON: Yes. We saw them clearly for about ten minutes. They moved very fast. INTERVIEWER: Anything else?
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JOHN DIXON: Yes, they dived very deep. INTERVIEWER: Can you tell me what they looked like? JOHN DIXON: Yes. You won't believe this, but to us they looked like Plesiosaurs. INTERVIEWER: Plesiosaurs? But... but that's impossible! Plesiosaurs... JOHN DIXON: Yes, I know what you are going to say. Plesiosaurs became extinct sixty-five million years ago. INTERVIEWER: So, who or what is 'Nessie'? Is there only one Monster, or is there a family of monsters, and can 'Nessie' really be a Plesiosaur? Does this mean that there are some prehistoric monsters still living amongst us, in the middle of Scotland? GLOSSARY: loch /loj/: lago (en escocs); does indeed live: que realmente vive (uso enftico del auxiliar does para afirmativo); snake: serpiente; humps: jorobas, gibas; splashing: chapoteando; flippers: aletas; drove away: huimos en el auto; to try and find: para tratar de encontrar; what you found: qu cosa encontraron; sonar equipment: sonda ultrasnica; sound waves: ondas sonoras; sonar beam: haz o rayo de la sonda; dived: buceaban, se zambullan; became extinct: se extinguieron; amongst us: entre nosotros 5. - EARTHQUAKE IN JAPAN This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. The earthquake that shook Japan with historic strength on Friday created a tsunami wave ten meters high. The water washed away boats, cars and houses in coastal areas north of Tokyo. It also led to tsunami warnings across the Pacific. Scientists recorded the magnitude of the earthquake at 8.9. The United States Geological Survey says it was the fifth largest earthquake since 1900. The largest, with a 9.5 magnitude, shook Chile in 1960. The quake struck near the east coast of Honshu, Japan's main island. It was centered under the sea about 130 kilometers east of Sendai. The tsunami washed away whole neighborhoods in Sendai. President Obama offered whatever assistance Japan needs. He had already planned to meet with reporters Friday, and began by talking about the disaster. "First and foremost, our thoughts and our prayers are with the people of Japan. This is a potentially catastrophic disaster and the images of destruction and flooding coming out of Japan are simply heartbreaking. "Japan is, of course, one of our strongest and closest allies and this morning I spoke with Prime Minister [Naoto] Kan. On behalf of the American people, I conveyed our deepest condolences, especially to the victims and their families, and I offered our Japanese friends whatever assistance is needed. We currently have an aircraft carrier in Japan and another is on its way.
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Japanese media said the tsunami carried away a ship carrying one hundred people. Television images showed a whole community on fire. The quake has produced powerful aftershocks. It also raised concerns about possible effects on the world's third-largest economy. The economy was the second largest until China recently moved into that position. Japan was already struggling to rebuild economic growth and reduce its budget deficit and government debt. Japan has invested a lot of resources in preparing for earthquakes. Still, the 1995 earthquake in Kobe caused an estimated one hundred billion dollars in damage. The value of the yen dropped Friday but then recovered. Japan is the world's third-largest importer of oil. World prices for oil fell after the quake. This followed weeks of increases because of unrest in the Middle East and North Africa. Oil traders said prices fell because of a belief that quake damage will hurt growth in Japan and reduce demand for energy. The quake happened about 370 northeast of Tokyo. It shook buildings in the capital, halting all train and subway traffic and leaving many people unable to get home. Joruji Shinozaki wrote on the VOA Learning English page on Facebook: Friday's earthquake was a nightmare. Suddenly the building where I live in Tokyo shook violently and objects began to fall. I was so scared because I've never experienced such a strong quake before in my life. Another Facebook user in Japan, Mitsutoshi Sato, wrote: It was a frightening experience. The blackout lasted for more than 10 hours around me. Thank each and every one of you in the world praying for Japan. And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. GLOSSARY: earthquake: terremoto; shook: estremeci; strength: fuerza; tsunami wave: ola marina; washed away: arrastr; coastal areas: zonas costeras; north of: al norte de; led to: llev a; warnings: advertencias; recorded: registraron; quake: terremoto (forma abreviada); main island: la isla principal; east of: al este de; whole neighborhoods: barrios completos; whatever assistance: toda la ayuda que; disaster: desastre, catstrofe; first and foremost: primero y principal; prayers: plegarias; flooding: inundacin; heartbreaking: desgarradoras; allies: aliados; on behalf of: en nombre de; conveyed: transmit; deepest condolences: ms profundas condolencias; currently: en estos momentos; on its way: en camino; media: los medios; carried away: arrastr; on fire: incendiada; aftershocks: rplicas, temblores secundarios; raised concerns: gener preocupaciones; struggling: esforzndose; growth: crecimiento; budget deficit: deficit presupuestario; invested: invertido; resources: recursos; still: a pesar de eso; in damage: en daos; dropped: cay; oil: petrleo; fell after the quake: cayeron luego del terremoto; because of unrest: debido a la intranquilidad; oil traders: los
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petroleros; belief: creencia; will hurt growth: afectar el crecimiento; halting: paralizando; unable to: sin posibilidad de; nightmare: pesadilla; so scared: muy asustado; frightening experience: experiencia aterradora; blackout: apagn, corte de luz masivo; lasted for: dur; thank each and every one of you: agradezco a cada uno de ustedes; praying: que recen. 6. - NEVER ON WEDNESDAY - Part 1/5 FRED: DOT: TOM: FRED: TOM: FRED: TOM: FRED: DAD: FRED: DAD: FRED: DAD: FRED: DOT: DAD: FRED: DOT: TOM: DOT: TOM: FRED: DAD: FRED: DAD: FRED: DAD: FRED: TOM: FRED: Ill get it. Ooooh! I think it's for me. Tell him I'll be there in a sec. Tell her I'm busy. Ask her to leave her number. Dad, can I use the... the car tonight? (imitating DAD) No. Would you be quiet? Youll see... "No." Don't put ideas in his head... Dad, can I have the car tonight? Uhmmm? I said, "Can I use the car tonight?" May I... Okay. May I? May you what? You mean you really didn't hear anything I said except "Can I"? Haven't you heard of the generation gap? They turn us off. Not as often as you turn us off. You heard that, and she wasn't even talking to you! Why don't you hear me? It's your deep voice. It doesn't carry. It won't carry through that scratching you're making with that nail file. At least I don't bite my nails... like some people do. (imitating nail-file noise) Grrgh-grrgh-grrgh. I can't even do my homework. Would you two cut it out? I'm trying to reach Dad. Dad? Uhmmm? Da-a-a-d... Dad, give us a sign you're listening: one rap for Yes ... two for No. O-o-okay, you got through. What is it? Whew! Dad, may I use the car tonight? No. Wait!! Don't hang up! I'm not finished. I told you so. (MOTHER enters and listens to this bit of dialogue) Back to your books, Einstein.

GLOSSARY: Ill get it = I'll answer it: yo responder el telfono; in a sec = in a second, right away: de inmediato; they turn us off = they repulse us: nos rechazan; as often as = as frequently as: tan seguido como; It doesn't carry = It doesn't have good communication: no comunica bien; scratching: raspadura; nail file: lima para uas; I don't bite my nails: no me como las uas; cut it out = stop it, stop the argument: dejar de pelear; rap = knock: golpecito; you got through = you won: me vencieron, me ganaron; whew!: ah! por fin! (expresin de alivio); don't hang up = don't stop the conversation: no cortes, sigue la conversacin (utilizado para las conversaciones telefnicas y, por extensin, para las comunes);
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I'm not finished = I've not finished: an no termin (de hablar); back to your books = keep on studying: t sigue estudiando 7. - THE SILENT KILLER - Part 1/2 This is "Science in the News, in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus. And I'm Christopher Cruise. Winter has brought cold weather to many areas in Earths northern hemisphere. With the cold comes a danger as old as mans knowledge of fire -- death or injury by carbon monoxide poisoning. Today, we tell about this ancient and continuing danger. An eight year old boy died earlier this month in his home near Boston, Massachusetts. His mother reportedly had burned charcoal in the home. Police believe the boy died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Also in January, carbon monoxide killed four members of a poor family in central California. A ten-year-old girl, her eight-year-old sister and two of their relatives died from the poison gas. It is said to have come from a gas-powered generator being used to heat the home. They were using the device because they had failed to pay their heating bill, and the company had turned off their heat. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes many deaths and injuries to people and animals around the world. The gas has been a problem since people first began burning fuels to cook food or to create heat. It is a problem in all parts of the world that experience cold weather. Americas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has studied deaths caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. It found that the average number of carbon monoxide deaths in the United States was greatest in the month of January. The CDC also found that carbon monoxide kills more than four hundred Americans each year. And, it said, more than twenty thousand people are taken to hospital emergency rooms for treatment of health problems linked to the gas. Four thousand of them had to stay in the hospital to be treated. Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer because people do not know it is in the air. The gas has no color. It has no taste. It has no smell. It does not cause burning eyes. And it does not cause people to cough. But it is very deadly. It steals the bodys ability to use oxygen. Carbon monoxide decreases the ability of the blood to carry oxygen to body tissues. It does this by linking with the blood. When the gas links with the blood, the blood is no longer able to carry oxygen to the tissues that need it. Damage to the body can begin very quickly from large amounts of carbon monoxide. How quickly this happens depends on the length of time a person is breathing the gas and the amount of the gas he or she breathes in. Another consideration is how much alcohol the person might have to drink. Carbon monoxide poisoning has warning signs. But people have to be awake to recognize them. Small amounts of the gas will cause a persons head to hurt. He or she may begin to feel
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tired. The person may feel sick. The room may appear to be turning around. The person may have trouble thinking clearly. People develop severe head pain as the amount of gas continues to enter their blood. They will begin to feel very tired and sleepy. They may have terrible stomach pains. Carbon monoxide is measured in parts per million in a normal atmosphere. Breathing in two hundred parts per million of carbon monoxide will cause the first signs of poisoning. It will result in head pain, stomach problems and a feeling of tiredness after two to three hours. A level of eight hundred parts per million will cause a person to lose consciousness. Victims will not know what is taking place around them. This will happen within two hours of breathing in this amount of carbon monoxide. Twelve thousand parts per million of the gas will cause death in one to three minutes. Medical experts say carbon monoxide affects people differently. For example, a small child will experience health problems or die much quicker than an adult will. The general health of the person or his or her age can also be important. An older adult with health problems may suffer the effects of carbon monoxide more quickly than a younger person with no health problems. People with heart disease may suffer chest pains. They may begin to have trouble breathing. Carbon monoxide does not always cause death. But it can cause many medical problems. Breathing low amounts of the gas for long periods of time can lead to permanent damage in the heart, lungs or brain. Experts say small amounts of carbon monoxide over a long period of time can greatly harm an unborn baby. GLOSSARY: brought: trado; weather: clima, tiempo; knowledge: conocimiento; injury: dao, intoxicacin; poisoning: envenenamiento; ancient: antiguo; earlier this month: a principios de este mes; reportedly: supuestamente; had burned: haba quemado; charcoal: carbn de lea; killed: mat a; relatives: parientes; it is said: dicen que; gas-powered generator: generador a gas; being used: que se estaba usando; to heat: para calefaccionar; device: dispositivo, aparato; heating bill: factura de calefaccin; company: empresa; had turned off: haba desconectado, deshabilitado; has been: ha sido; since: desde que la; to cook: para cocinar; disease: enfermedades, afecciones; found that: detect que, descubri que; average number: cantidad promedio; taken: trasladados; treatment: tratamiento; linked to: relacionados con; silent killer: asesino silencioso; taste: sabor; smell: olor; burning eyes: ardor de ojos; cough: toser; deadly: mortal; steals: elimina (roba); decreases: disminuye; carry: llevar; tissues: tejidos; is no longer able to: ya no puede; damage: el dao; large amounts: grandes cantidades; how quickly this happens: con qu velocidad esto sucede; length of time: extensin de tiempo; breathing: respirando; warning signs: seales de alerta; awake: despierta, despabilada; may feel sick: puede sentirse mal; may appear: puede parecer; turning around: dando vueltas; trouble: dificultades para; develop: desarrolla; as: a medida que; sleepy: somnolientos; measured: medido; tiredness: cansancio; level: nivel; lose consciousness: perder el conocimiento; victims: las vctimas; taking place: sucediendo; within: dentro de, en un trmino de; differently: de diferentes formas; much quicker: mucho ms rpido; more quickly: ms velozmente; heart disease: enfermedad coronaria; chest
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pains: dolores de pecho; lungs: pulmones; brain: cerebro; harm: daar a; unborn baby: feto, nonato. 8. - THE SILENT KILLER - Part 2/2 What causes carbon monoxide gas? Any device that burns fuels like coal, gasoline, kerosene, oil or wood can create the gas. Water heaters that burn natural gas create carbon monoxide. Fireplaces and stoves that burn wood create the gas. Natural gas stoves and gas dryers or charcoal grills also create carbon monoxide. Automobiles create it. Experts say the leading cause of carbon monoxide poisoning is damaged or misused equipment that burns these fossil fuels. Many people die or are injured by the gas because they do not use these devices correctly. Any device used to heat a home should be inspected to make sure it is working correctly. And cooking equipment like a charcoal grill should never be used to heat an enclosed area. Fuel-burning devices can create carbon monoxide gas because not all of the fuel is burned. Most devices used for home heating have a way to expel the gas from the home. For example, a fireplace has a chimney. Natural-gas stoves or gas water heaters are usually connected to a device that safely expels the gas from the home. Automobiles also have a system for releasing unburned fuel. Anyone who uses a device that burns fossil fuel must inspect the equipment carefully to reduce chances of carbon monoxide escaping. Companies that produce the devices usually provide directions about using the device correctly. These directions should be read and understood before using any equipment that burns fuel inside a home. A small, portable generator used to create electricity during a power outage can be dangerous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that such a device can kill within minutes when not used correctly. You can do a number of things to protect yourself from the effects of carbon monoxide. First, immediately leave the area if you recognize the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning in yourself or others. Seek emergency medical services after you leave the area where you suspect the gas might be. Usually, the treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning involves breathing in large amounts of oxygen. However, a doctor will know the best method to treat the effects of such poisoning. Carbon monoxide does not quickly leave the body, even after treatment has begun. It can take several hours before the gas disappears. If you suspect carbon monoxide is a problem in your home, call your local fire department. Many firefighters have the necessary equipment to find or identify the gas. In many countries, it is possible to buy and use a special device that will warn when harmful levels of carbon monoxide are in the area. These devices can be linked to a homes electric
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system. Others are battery-powered. Experts say these devices should be placed near sleeping areas in the home and they should be tested at least twice a year. The most important weapon against carbon monoxide poisoning is the safe use of materials to heat any enclosed area. Safety directions that come with heating equipment must be followed. Older equipment powered by fossil fuels should be inspected every year to make sure it continues to be safe. Knowledge about the dangers of carbon monoxide could be the most important information you ever learn. This "Science in the News" was written by Nancy Steinbach and Christopher Cruise. Our producer was June Simms. Im Faith Lapidus. GLOSSARY: device: dispositivo; oil: aceite; wood: madera; water heaters: los calentadores de agua; fireplaces: los hogares a lea; stoves: las estufas; dryers: secadores; charcoal grills: parrillas (barbacoas) de carbn; leading: principal; misused: utilizados indebidamente; fossil: fsiles; to heat: para calefaccionar; enclosed area: zona no ventilada; burned: quemado; way to expel: forma de eliminar; chimney: chimenea; releasing: liberar; directions: instrucciones; should be read: deberan leerse; power outage: apagn elctrico; warns: advierte; within minutes: en minutos; leave the area: abandone la zona; poisoning: envenenamiento, intoxicacin; seek: busque; suspect: sospecha; might be: podra encontrarse; treatment: tratamiento; breathing in: inhalar; such: semejante, tal; even after: an despus del; firefighters: bomberos; are battery-powered: funcionan a batera; at least: por lo menos; weapon: arma; knowledge: conocimiento. 9. - CHILDREN AND COMPUTERS Worldwide This is the VOA Special English Development Report. Market researchers estimate that more than one billion personal computers are in use worldwide. Availability has improved in developing countries, but still remains limited compared to industrialized nations. Experts continue to debate how best to close this digital divide. Nicholas Negroponte established the One Laptop Per Child project in 2005. He would like to put a low-cost laptop in the hands of every child, especially those living in extreme poverty. His nonprofit organization has shipped its specially designed laptop to developing countries around the world. NICHOLAS NEGROPONTE: "It is already in the hands of 1.2 million children, in 31 countries, 19 languages. And one country, Uruguay, has just completed doing every single child in the country." But the program has critics. They say trying to supply every child with a laptop, even at the current price of 160 dollars, is costly and inefficient. Stephen Dukker also makes low-cost computers. But his can run programs and applications for several students at once. He says these "virtual desktops" lower costs, reduce energy use
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and lessen the need for technical support. His company NComputing says it has set up over 40,000 networks in more than one hundred countries. Stephen Dukker says all you need to connect to a network is a keyboard and monitor. STEPHEN DUKKER: "You think you've got your own computer all to yourself and you can't tell the difference that you're working on something other than a computer and sharing this other resource and doing it at a much lower cost than having your own PC." As computers reach more children in developing countries, so too in many cases is the Internet. It can be a great educational tool. But children also need to learn about the possible threats that can be found on social networks and other sites. Mark Matunga is with Microsoft East Africa in Kenya. He says poverty may put African children especially at risk. MARK MATUNGA: "They're being told that, 'Hey you know what, I can send you a few dollars. I can come and visit you. I can buy you a ticket. You come to my country.'" His company is working with the Kenyan government and a children's rights group. Mark Matunga says the coalition is trying to educate the public about how to protect children from online abuse. And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms with reporting by Adam Phillips and Cathy Majtenyi. GLOSSARY: Market researchers: los investigadores de mercado; worldwide: en el mundo entero; availability: la disponiblidad; still remains: todava se mantiene; continue to debate: siguen discutiendo; digital divide: brecha digital; poverty: pobreza; nonprofit: sin fines de lucro; shipped: despachado; costly: costoso; at once: de inmediato; lower: disminuyen; lessen: atenan; has set up over: ha instalado ms de; sharing: compartiendo; as computers reach: a medida que las computadoras llegan a; threats: amenazas, peligros; at risk: en peligro, en situacin de riesgo; coalition: alianza; online abuse: los abusos en Internet. 10. - PROVERBS - Part 1 Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and their Stories". Today we talk about proverbs. A proverb is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Proverbs are found in most cultures and are often very old. In American history, Benjamin Franklin was famous for his proverbs. Franklin lived in the 1700s. He was a leader of the American Revolution against English rule. He was also a scientist, inventor and writer. For many years, Franklin published a book called "Poor Richard's Almanac." He included many proverbs that he had heard or created. Some of them are still used today. Like this one: "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." Franklin is also remembered for other proverbs like, "A penny saved is a penny earned." This means that money should not be wasted.

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Here are other examples of proverbs that Americans use. The first ones are about love. Some people say, "All is fair in love and war." They mean that anything you do in a relationship or in battle is acceptable. Another proverb about love is, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." This means you love someone even more when he or she is far away. But other people say, "Out of sight, out of mind." You may not even think about that person when he or she is not with you. Which of these proverbs do you think is most true? Another proverb says "Love is blind." In other words, when you are in love with someone, you may refuse to see anything bad about that person. Here is another popular saying about love: "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." Some people believe that a woman can win a man's love if she prepares his favorite foods. Some people are only interested in having a relationship with someone who is very goodlooking. You might tell them that "Beauty is only skin deep." Your girlfriend may be lovely to look at, but she may also have some bad qualities. Or the opposite may be true. Your boyfriend is a wonderful person, but not good-looking. So what a person looks like is not really important. Another proverb is true in love and war or other situations: "Actions speak louder than words." It means that what you do is more important than what you say. Sadly, we have no more time for this program. So we must say, "All good things must come to an end." GLOSSARY: truth: verdad; belief: creencia; leader: lder; rule: dominio; heard: odo; created: creado; like: como; to rise: levantarse; wealthy: rico, pudiente; wise: sabio; saved: ahorrado; earned: ganado, percibido; wasted: derrochado; relationship: relacin, parentesco; battle: batalla; fonder: con mayor afecto, ms carioso; true: verdadero, genuino; refuse to: negarse a; good-looking: atractivo, de buen aspecto fsico; skin deep: superficial (espesor de la piel); louder: ms fuerte, ms alto; sadly: lamentablemente. 11. - PROVERBS - Part 2 Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and Their Stories". A proverb is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Many proverbs give advice about the best way to live. We asked our listeners to send us their favorite proverbs. A short time later, we received suggestions from around the world. We heard from listeners in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. The top proverb among these listeners is this one: "Where there is a will, there is a way." This means that you can rise above your problems if you have a goal and work very hard. Some listeners liked another proverb: "Strike while the iron is hot." This means it is best to take action quickly and at the right time. Another favorite proverb was, "God helps those who help themselves."
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Xu Da-ju from China wrote that his country has thousands of proverbs. Several of them are also used in the United States. One example is "Birds of a feather flock together." This means that people who are alike often become friends or spend time together. Another proverb is "Blood is thicker than water." This means family ties are stronger than other relationships. A similar proverb states "Charity begins at home." A person should help his family or close friends before helping others. Alina from China sent us this proverb: "He who would climb a ladder must begin at the bottom." That is good advice when working around your home or looking for a job. Antonio Jose from Brazil says his favorite proverb is "Tell me who walks with you, and I'll tell you who you are." Didier Vermeulen of France sent us this one: "It does not matter the speed you go. The most important thing is to never stop." Wafaa from Egypt says his favorite proverb is, "Think twice, act wise." He also says he is making an effort to use this saying in his life. Another favorite proverb among our listeners is "Practice makes perfect." This means you will become good at something if you keep doing it. Another popular proverb is: "If you want something done right, do it yourself." Najeeb from Afghanistan sent us this proverb: "If you risk nothing, then you risk everything." And, here is the favorite proverb of Marius Meledje in Ivory Coast: "Your defeat now is your victory in the future." He says it means you can learn from your mistakes. This will help you do better when facing similar situations in the future. This VOA Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. GLOSSARY: truth: verdad; belief: creencia; give advice: aconsejan; rise above: superar, sobreponerse a; looking for: buscando; act wise: acta con sabidura; risk nothing: nada arriesgas; defeat: derrota. 12. - CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS AGRICULTURE This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. A government report says climate change is already affecting American agriculture. The new report is from the Climate Change Science Program, which brings together the research efforts of thirteen federal agencies. President George Bush launched the program six years ago. Here are some of the findings by scientists: The growing season has increased by ten to fourteen days in northern parts of the United States over the last nineteen years. Much of the East and South now get more rain than a century ago. But the report says there is some evidence of increased drought conditions in the West and Southwest. Western states have less snow and ice on the mountains and earlier melting in the spring. Grain and oilseed crops are likely to develop faster with increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But higher temperatures will increase the risk of crop failures.
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Also, horticultural crops such as tomatoes, onions and fruit are more easily affected by climate change than grains and oilseed crops. Fewer animals will die during warmer winters, but greater numbers will die during hotter summers. And temperature extremes reduce animal production of meat or milk products. Forests in the West, the Southwest and Alaska already have increases in fires, insect outbreak and dead trees. But young forests on good soil will be more productive because of increased carbon dioxide levels. At the same time, invasive plants will also grow faster and are likely to move northward. Recent research also suggests that weeds might get harder to kill with glyphosate, the most widely used plant killer in the United States. The Department of Agriculture was the lead agency for the new report. Thirty-eight scientists from universities, national laboratories, nongovernmental organizations and federal service wrote it. They considered more than one thousand scientific publications. The report was the strongest statement yet by the Bush administration that human activity is the main cause of climate change in the last fifty years. Carbon dioxide from the burning of oil, natural gas and coal is the main gas blamed for trapping heat in the atmosphere. The report says warming is very likely to continue in the United States during the next twentyfive to fifty years. And it says this is so even if future greenhouse-gas emissions are reduced. And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. Glossary: report: informe; says: seala, indica; affecting: afectando; brings together: concentra, rene; research efforts: esfuerzos de investigacin; federal agencies: organismos oficiales; launched: lanz; six years ago: hace seis aos; findings: conclusiones, hallazgos; by scientists: de parte de los cientficos; growing season: temporada de cultivo; increased: aumentado, incrementado; by ten to fourteen days: de diez a catorce das; northern: del norte; over the last: en los ltimos; much of: gran parte de; get more rain: reciben ms precipitaciones; a century ago: hace un siglo; evidence: prueba, evidencia, certeza; drought: sequa; western states: los estados occidentales; less snow and ice: menos nieve e hielo; earlier melting: deshielos anticipados; spring: primavera; grain and oilseed crops: las cosechas de cereales y oleaginosas; are likely to develop: tienden a desarrollarse; faster: ms rpidamente; increased carbon dioxide: aumento del dixido de carbono; in the atmosphere: en el aire, en la atmsfera; higher: ms elevadas; risk of crop failures: riesgo de fracaso en las cosechas; horticultural crops: las cosechas hortcolas; such as: tales como; onions: cebollas; more easily affected: afectadas con mayor facilidad; fewer animals: pocos animales; will die: morirn; warmer: ms clidos; greater numbers: mayor cantidad; hotter: ms trridos; temperature extremes: los extremos de temperatura; reduce: reducen; milk products: productos lcteos; forests: los bosques; increases in fires: aumento de incendios; insect outbreak: ataque o invasin de insectos; dead trees: rboles secos; on good soil: sobre buen terreno; increased: incrementado, aumentado; invasive plants: plantas invasoras; will also grow faster: tambin crecern ms rpido; to move northward: desplazarse hacia el norte; weeds: las malezas; might get harder to kill: podran ser ms difciles de eliminar;
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glyphosate: glifosato (poderoso herbicida); most widely used: ms ampliamente utiizado; lead agency: organismo principal; nongovernmental organizations: organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONGs); wrote it: lo redactaron; one thousand: un mil; yet: a la fecha; main cause: causa principal; burning: combustin; coal: carbn; blamed for trapping heat: acusado de atrapar o concentrar el calor; is very likely to continue: es muy probable que continue; this is so even: esto se mantendr aunque; greenhouse-gas emissions: emanaciones con efecto invernadero; are reduced: se reduzcan; 13. - PHYSICAL EXERCISE - Part 1/2 This is the VOA Special English program "Science in the News". Im Faith Lapidus. And Im Bob Doughty. Today, we will tell about physical exercise. We will tell why exercise is important, and some of the popular ways to get in shape. Summer officially returns to the United States in less than two weeks. For many Americans, summer is a time to put on swim wear and spend time at the sea or a lake. But before going anywhere, they may want to lose any extra weight gained during the winter. So, where does one get started? Diet is surely important, but diet alone will not do much good without an exercise plan. Health experts have long noted the importance of physical activity. Exercise not only improves your appearance. It can also improve your health. Exercise helps to reduce the risk of some diseases. They include heart disease, stroke, type-two diabetes, osteoporosis and even some kinds of cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. In two thousand six, heart disease killed more than six hundred thirty thousand Americans. High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels in blood can increase your risk of heart disease. Medical experts say both can be reduced through normal exercise. Physical activity is also known to increase the release of endorphins. These chemicals reduce feelings of pain. They also help people feel more happy and peaceful. There is some debate about exactly what causes the brain to release endorphins. Some experts believe it is the act of exercising itself. Others say it is the feeling one gets from having met an exercise goal. Either way, the two things work together when it comes to improving ones emotional health. Surprisingly, exercise improves your energy levels by increasing the flow of blood to the heart and blood vessels. One of the main reasons people exercise is to control or reduce their weight. Physical activity burns calories the energy stored in food. The more calories you burn, the easier it is to control or reduce your weight. So exactly how much exercise do you need to do to gain all of these great health effects? Experts say it is easier than you think. Two years ago, the Centers for Disease Control released its first ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

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The report included suggestions for young people, adults, disabled persons and those with long-term health problems. One of the major ideas noted in the report is that some activity is better than none. So if you are not doing anything, now is the time to get started. The C.D.C. defines physical activity as anything that gets your body moving. And, it says there are two separate, but equally important kinds of physical activity. Aerobic or cardio exercise gets your heart rate going faster and increases your breathing. Some examples are activities like walking at an increased speed, dancing, swimming or riding a bicycle. Muscle-strengthening activities help build and strengthen muscle groups in the body. This kind of exercise includes things like lifting weights, or doing sit-ups and push-ups. To get the most from your exercise plan, experts say adults should get at least two and a half hours of aerobic exercise each week. More intense activities reduce the suggested amount of time to one hour and fifteen minutes. Examples are playing basketball, swimming and distance running. Earlier advice from the C.D.C. said people need to exercise thirty minutes each day for at least five days to get the health benefits of exercise. More recent research suggested that those gains are the same whether you exercise for short periods over five days or longer sessions over two or three days. In addition, the newer suggestions say any exercise plan should include at least two days of muscle training. Each exercise period should be at least ten minutes long. The total amount of activity should be spread over at least three days throughout the week. Most importantly, experts say people should choose physical activities that they find fun. This helps to guarantee that they stay with the program. Glossary: physical exercise: ejercicio fsico; ways: formas, maneras; get in shape: mantenerse en forma; summer: el verano; less than: menos de; swim wear: trajes de bao; spend time: pasar momentos de ocio; extra weight gained: exceso de peso adquirido; surely: por cierto; without: sin; health: salud; not only improves: no slo mejora; appearance: apariencia;.risk: riesgo; diseases: enfermedades; stroke: derrame; even: hasta; kinds of: tipos de, clases de; leading cause: principal causa; death: muerte; killed: mat; high blood pressure: presin sangunea alta; levels: niveles; increase: aumentar; both: ambos; also: asimismo; release: liberacin; endorphins: endorfinas; feelings of pain: las sensaciones de dolor; peaceful: calmos; brain: cerebro; having met: de haber logrado; an exercise goal: un objetivo de gimnasia; either way: de cualquier manera; work together: trabajan a la par; when it comes to: cuando se trata de; flow: flujo, torrente; blood vessels: vasos sanguneos; main reasons: principales razones (por las que); burns calories: quema caloras; stored: almacenada; the more: cuantas ms; the easier it is: ms fcil es; to gain: para conseguir; health effects: efectos saludables; easier than: ms fcil de lo que; released: lanz; guidelines: manual de orientacin; disabled: discapacitadas; long-term: de largo plazo; major: importantes; noted: observadas; report: informe; than none: que ninguna; to get started: para comenzar; defines: define; as anything that: como todo aquello que; equally: igualmente; aerobic: aerbico; heart rate: frecuencia cardaca; breathing: respiracin; at an increased speed: a velocidad en aumento; swimming: natacin;
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muscle-strengthening: de fortalecimiento muscular; build: construir; strengthen: fortalecer; lifting weights: levantar pesas; sit-ups: ejercicios abdominales; push-ups: flexiones; to get the most from: para obtener el mximo de; at least: por lo menos; two and a half hours: dos horas y media; each week: cada semana, por semana; earlier advice from: consejos previos de parte de; recent research: reciente investigacin; gains: beneficios; the same: los mismos; whether: que si; over five days: ms de cinco das; in addition: aparte de eso; should include: debera incluir; muscle training: entrenamiento muscular; should be at least: debera ser por lo menos de; amount: cantidad; should be spread over: deberia ser distribuda; throughout: a lo largo de; should choose: debera escoger; that they find fun: que les entretiene; to guarantee: a asegurar, garantizar; they stay: se mantengan. 14. - PHYSICAL EXERCISE - Part 2/2 So, what are some of the most popular physical activities in the United States? Walking tops the list. A 2006 report from the C.D.C. found that more than seventy-nine million Americans walk to stay physically fit. For many people it is considered the easiest way to get exercise. It does not require a health club membership. Walking is safe. And, it is said to be as valuable for ones health as more intense forms of exercise like jogging. Walking is also reported to be less damaging to the knees and feet. This makes it a better choice of exercise for older adults. Another popular form of exercise is jogging, or running at a slow to medium speed. USA Track and Field Hall of Famer, Bill Bowerman, is credited with bringing jogging to the United States in the nineteen seventies. He did so after witnessing the popularity of the activity himself during a trip to New Zealand in the nineteen sixties. He started the first running club in America and wrote a book about jogging for fitness. Bill Bowerman also helped establish Nike, the tennis shoe company. Jogging provides great physical conditioning for the heart and lungs. And, it increases the flow of blood and oxygen in the body. All of these things combined help to improve heart activity, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and reduce bone and muscle loss. Running is also a good way to lose weight. People burn an average of 160 calories a kilometer while running. The Census Bureau says swimming was the third most popular sports activity in the United States in 2007. The top two were walking and exercising with equipment. Swimming is said to be one of the best ways to exercise. Nearly all of the major muscle groups are put to work. Swimming also presents less risk of muscle and joint injury because of the bodys weightlessness in water. This makes it a great choice of exercise for people with special needs, like pregnant women, older adults, and persons who are overweight. Water aerobics is another popular form of exercise. This can be anything from walking or running against the resistance of water, to doing jumping jacks in the water. There is a debate about whether or not swimming burns as many calories as other forms of exercise. But one thing is sure: the effects on your health are just as great.

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Whatever kind of exercise you choose, experts agree that you should start small and work your way up. Start by exercising ten minutes a day two times a week. After a few weeks, increase your time to fifteen or twenty minutes, and increase the number of days. Next, try to increase the intensity of your workout. If you have been walking, try walking faster, or take turns between walking and jogging. And try not to forget those muscle strengthening exercises. The more time you spend exercising, the more health benefits you get. Health experts advise people who have been physically inactive to have a complete physical exam before beginning a new exercise program. If one of your goals is to lose weight, you will also need to change how and what you eat. To lose weight, you must use or burn off more calories than you take in. A pound of fat is equal to about 453 grams or 3,500 calories. To lose that fat in a week, you have to burn off at least that amount in calories or eat that much less. The best thing to do is to combine both ideas. Eat fewer calories and increase your activity so that you burn off more. The National Institute of Health suggests that women limit their calories to no less than 1,200 calories a day without medical supervision. For men, the number is no less than 2,500. The American government also says a healthy diet is one that is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Glossary: tops the list: encabeza la lista; C.D.C.: Center for Disease Control and Prevention; found that: detect que, descubri que; fit: en forma; the easiest way to get: la forma ms sencilla de hacer; require: requiere; membership: membresa, asociacin; as valuable: tan valioso; as more intense forms: como formas ms intensas; less damaging: menos perjudicial; knees: rodillas; feet: pies; a better choice: una mejor eleccin; slow: lenta; speed: velocidad; hall of famer: luminaria; is credited with bringing: se le atribuye haber trado; after witnessing: despus de ver; during: durante; fitness: aptitud fsica; establish: afincar, fundar; tennis shoe: zapatillas de tenis; provides: provee, entrega; lungs: pulmones; increases: aumenta; flood of blood: torrente sanguneo; to improve: a mejorar; lower: ms baja, menor; pressure: presin; levels: niveles; bone: hueso; muscle loss: prdida muscular; to lose weight: para perder peso; burn: quema; average: promedio; while running: mientras corre, al correr; swimming: la natacin; is said to be: se dice que es; nearly all: casi todos; major: principales, ms importantes; are put to work: se ponen en movimiento; less risk of: menor riesgo de; joint injury: lesin de ligamentos; weightlessness: ingravidez; a great choice: una gran opcin; pregnant women: mujeres embarazadas; who are overweight: que tienen sobrepeso; anything from: cualquier cosa desde; against: contra; jumping jacks: saltitos (saltar sin desplazarse abriendo y cerrando las piernas y juntando y separando los brazos); whether or not: si o no; as many calories as: tantas caloras como; great: estupendas; whatever kind of: cualquiera sea el tipo de; agree that: concuerdan en que; should start: deberas comenzar; work your way up: ir aumentndolo progresivamente; start by exercising: comienza por ejercitarte; two times a week: dos veces por semana; next: a continuacin; workout: ejercicio fsico; take turns between: alterna entre; muscle strengthening: fortalecimiento muscular; the more time: cuanto ms tiempo; spend: pasas; the more health benefits: ms beneficios sanos; get: obtienes; advise: aconsejan; goals: objetivos; to change: cambiar; how and what: cmo y qu; must: debes; burn off: gastar, quemar; than you take in: que las que ingieres; pound of fat: libra de grasa; at least: por lo
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menos, como mnimo; amount: cantidad; eat that much less: eliminar esa cantidad de lo que comes; both ideas: ambas alternativas; fewer: menos; so that: a fin de; suggests: sugiere; limit: limiten; without: sin; healthy diet: dieta sana; high in: elevada en; whole grains: granos enteros. 15. - FOOD LABELS This the VOA Special English Agriculture Report. It can be hard to decide which foods to buy in an American grocery store these days. The information on many products makes different claims. These labels suggest that the food is safe, pure or kind to animals. The label "organic" guarantees that the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) recognizes the product was grown under special conditions. The department says foods that meet requirements of its National Organic Program can use an official label. It shows the words "USDA Organic" inside a circle. For example, U.S.D.A. organic food does not contain genes that have been scientifically changed. The food is grown without chemical treatments against insects or disease. It is grown without chemical fertilizers. The U.S.D.A. organic label on meat and dairy products guarantees that they are from animals that live much of the time outdoors. The animals have been fed only organic food. The animals have not received antibiotic drugs. And they have not had hormone substances to make them grow bigger. Organic meat and dairy products usually cost more than other products. But many people buy them because they believe they are more healthful. The U.S.D.A. is trying to decide if fish can be labeled "organic." A decision is not expected for many months. However, the Marine Stewardship Council says its label promises that fish are not endangered and were caught without harming the local ecosystem. There are also labels on coffee. Some coffee growers plant their crops on land with no natural plants to provide shade from the sun. Other coffee is grown under trees that provide shade for the coffee and homes for birds. This coffee is labeled "Bird Friendly." The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Council of the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., guarantees coffee with the "Bird Friendly" label. Other food labels include "natural," "cage-free" and "free-range." Experts say it may be harder for the food buyer to decide what these mean. For example, chickens may not have been raised in a cage. Still, they may have been in overcrowded conditions inside a building. The Department of Agriculture will be holding meetings with food producers and the public to try to develop requirements for labels. And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Steve Ember. Glossary:
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hard: difcil, complejo; grocery store: tienda de comestibles; claims: atributos; labels: etiquetas, rtulos; safe: seguro, libre de riesgos; pure: puro, esterilizado; kind: benigno; guarantees: garantiza; recognizes the product: reconoce que el producto; was grown: fue cultivado, producido; meet requirements: cumplen con las exigencias; inside a circle: dentro de un crculo; genes: genes; scientifically changed: alterados cientficamente; without chemical treatments: sin procesos qumicos; disease: enfermedad; fertilizers: fertilizantes; dairy products: productos lcteos; outdoors: al aire libre; fed: alimentados con; antibiotic drugs: drogas antibiticas; hormone substances: sustancias hormonales; grow bigger: desarrollar un mayor tamao o volumen; cost more than: cuestan ms que; more healthful: ms saludables; labeled: etiquetado como, rotulado como; a decision is not expected: no se espera una decisin; however: sin embargo, no obstante; promises: promete; endangered: expuestos, comprometidos; were caught: fueron extrados; without harming: sin daar, sin afectar; local ecosystem: ecosistema local (de la zona o regin); coffe growers: caficultores (productores de caf); crops: cultivos; to provide shade from the sun: que protejan del sol con sombra; homes for birds: nidos para las aves; bird friendly: adaptado para las aves; migratory bird: aves migratorias; natural: sin agregados, orgnico; cage-free: no criado en jaulas (los animales circulan libremente por la granja durante el da); free-range: de campo, de corral, de granja; what these mean: lo que estas significan; raised: criados; still: a pesar de ello; overcrowded: superpoblado; inside a building: en el interior de un edificio; holding meetings: llevando a cabo reuniones; food producers: productores de alimentos; the public: el pblico, el consumidor; to try to develop: para tratar de desarrollar; requirements: requisitos, exigencias. 16. - THE LADY IN BLACK - Part 1 / 2 Our story today is called "The Lady in Black." It was written by Eleanor H. Porter. Here is Faith Lapidus with the story. The house was very still. In the little room over the porch, the Lady in Black sat alone. Near her, a child's white dress lay across a chair. On the floor at her feet lay a tiny pair of shoes. A doll hung over a chair and a toy soldier occupied the little stand by the bed. And everywhere was silence the strange silence that comes only to a room where the clock has stopped ticking. The clock stood on the shelf near the end of the bed. The Lady in Black looked at it. She remembered the wave of anger that had come over her when she had reached out her hand and silenced the clock that night three months before. It had been silent ever since and it should remain silent, too. Of what possible use were the hours it would tick away now? As if anything mattered, with little Kathleen lying out there white and still under the black earth! "Muvver!" The Lady in Black moved restlessly and looked toward the closed door. Behind it, she knew, was a little boy with wide blue eyes who wanted her. But she wished he would not call her by that name. It only reminded her of those other little lips silent now.
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"Muvver!" The voice was more demanding. The Lady in Black did not answer. He might go away, she thought, if she did not answer. There was a short silence, and then the door opened slowly. "Pe-eek!" It was a cry of joyful discovery, but it was followed almost immediately by silence. The unsmiling woman did not invite him to come near. The boy was unsteady at his first step. He paused, then spoke carefully, "I's here." It was maybe the worst thing he could have said. To the Lady in Black it was a yet more painful reminder of that other one who was not there. She gave a sharp cry and covered her face with her hands. "Bobby, Bobby" she cried out, in a release of unreasoning sadness. "Go away! Go away! I want to be alone alone!" All the brightness fled from the boy's face. His eyes showed a feeling of deep hurt. He waited, but she did not move. Then, with a half-quieted cry, he left the room. Long minutes afterward, the Lady in Black raised her head and saw him through the window. He was in the yard with his father, playing under the apple tree. Playing! The Lady in Black looked at them with serious eyes, and her mouth hardened at the corners. Bobby had someone to play with him, someone to love him and care for him, while out there on the hillside Kathleen was alone all alone. With a little cry the Lady in Black sprang to her feet and hurried into her own room. Her hands shook as she pinned on her hat and covered herself with her black veil. But her step was firm as she walked downstairs and out through the hall. The man under the apple tree rose hurriedly and came forward. "Helen, dearest not again, today!" he begged. "Darling, it can't do any good!" "But she's alone all alone. You don't seem to think! No one thinks no one knows how I feel. You don't understand. If you did, you'd come with me. You wouldn't ask me to stay here!" choked the woman. "I have been with you, dear," said the man gently. "I've been with you today, and every day, almost, since since she left us. But it can't do any good this continuous mourning over her grave. It only makes more sadness for you, for me, and for Bobby. Bobby is here, you know, dear!"

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"No, no, don't say it," cried the woman wildly. "You don't understand! You don't understand!" And she turned and hurried away, followed by the worried eyes of the man, and the sad eyes of the boy. Glossary: still: tranquila; porch: porche, zagun; lay across: se extenda sobre; tiny: pequeo; hung over: colgaba de; toy soldier: soldado de juguete; by: al lado de; strange: raro; has stopped ticking: ha detenido su tic-tac; shelf: estante; wave of anger: arranque de ira; had come over her: que le haba atacado; reached out: extendido; silenced: silenciado, detenido su marcha; ever since: desde entonces; remain: permanecer; of what possible use were: qu utilidad tendran; tick away: marcar (las horas); as if anything mattered: como si nada tuviese importancia; lying out there: yaciendo afuera; still: sin movimiento; restlessly: nerviosamente; toward: en direccin a, hacia; who wanted her: que la buscaban; only reminded her: slo le recordaba; demanding: exigente; might go away: podra irse; thought: pens; slowly: lentamente; joyful discovery: alegre descubrimiento; almost: casi; unsmiling: seria; unsteady: indeciso, vacilante; paused: se detuvo; worst: peor; a yet more painful reminder: un recordatorio an ms doloroso; gave a sharp cry: di un agudo sollozo; release: liberacin; unreasoning sadness: irracional melancola; fled: desapareci; deep hurt: profundo dolor; half-quieted: apenas calmado; afterward (also afterwards): ms tarde; raised: levant; yard: patio; apple tree: manzano; hardened: se endureci; at the corners: en las comisuras; while out there: mientras all; on the hillside: en la ladera; all alone: totalmente sola; sprang to her feet: se puso de pie de un salto; shook: temblaban; as she pinned on her hat: mientras se colocaba su sombrero; black veil: velo negro; her step: su paso, su caminar; rose hurriedly: se incorpor rpidamente; came forward: se adelant; he begged: le implor; it can't do any good: no mejorar nada; how I feel: como me siento; if you did: si lo comprendieras; you'd come with me: vendras conmigo; you wouldn't ask me: no me pediras; choked: se atragant; gently: cortsmente; since she left us: desde que ella nos dej; mourning: luto; over her grave: sobre su tumba; more sadness: ms tristeza; wildly: violentamente; hurried away: sali corriendo; worried eyes: mirada preocupada; sad eyes: mirada triste. 17. - THE LADY IN BLACK - Part 2/2 It was not a long walk to the burial place. The Lady in Black knew the way. Yet, she stumbled and reached out blindly. She fell before a little stone marked "Kathleen." Near her a grayhaired woman, with her hands full of pink and white roses, watched her sympathetically. The gray-haired woman paused and opened her lips as if she would speak. Then she turned slowly and began to arrange her flowers on a grave nearby. The Lady in Black raised her head. For a time she watched in silence. Then she threw back her veil and spoke. "You care, too," she said softly. "You understand. I've seen you here before, I'm sure. And was yours a little girl?" The gray-haired woman shook her head. No, dearie, it's a little boy or he was a little boy forty years ago."
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"Forty years so long! How could you have lived forty years without him?" Again the little woman shook her head. "One has to sometimes, dearie, but this little boy wasn't mine. "But you care. You understand. I've seen you here so often before." "Yes. You see, there's no one else to care. But there was once, and I'm caring now, for her sake." "For her?" "His mother." "Oh-h!" It was a tender little cry, full of quick sympathy. The eyes of the Lady in Black were on the stone marked Kathleen "It ain't as if I didn't know how she'd feel," said the gray-haired woman. "You see, I was nurse to the boy when it happened, and for years afterward I worked in the family. So I know. I saw the whole thing from the beginning, from the very day when the little boy here met with the accident." "Accident!" It was a cry of concern and sympathy from Kathleen's mother. "Yes. It was a runaway and he didn't live two days." "I know! I know!" choked the Lady in Black. Yet she was not thinking of the boy and the runaway horse accident. "Things stopped then for my mistress," continued the little gray-haired woman, "and that was the beginning of the end. She had a husband and a daughter, but they didn't seem to be important not either of 'em. Nothin' seemed important except this little grave out here. She came and spent hours over it, bringin' flowers and talkin' to it." The Lady in Black raised her head suddenly and quickly looked into the woman's face. The woman went on speaking. "The house got sadder and sadder, but she didn't seem to mind. She seemed to want it so. She shut out the sunshine and put away many of the pictures. She sat only in the boy's room. And there, everything was just as it was when he left it. She wouldn't let a thing be touched. I wondered afterward that she didn't see where it was all leadin' to, but she didn't." "Leading to'?" The voice shook. "Yes. I wondered she didn't see she was losin' 'em that husband and daughter; but she didn't see it."
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The Lady in Black sat very still. Even the birds seemed to have stopped their singing. Then the gray-haired woman spoke: "So, you see, that's why I come and put flowers here. It's for her. There's no one else now to care," she sighed, rising to her feet. "But you haven't told yet what happened," said the Lady in Black, softly. "I don't know myself really. I know the man went away. He got somethin' to do travelin' so he wasn't home much. When he did come he looked sick and bad. He come less and less, and he died. But that was after she died. He's buried over there beside her and the boy. The girl well, nobody knows where the girl is. Girls like flowers and sunshine and laughter and young people, you know, and she didnt get any of them at home. So she went where she did get em, I suppose. "There! And if I haven't gone and tired you all out with my talkin'!" said the little gray-haired woman regretfully. "No, no. I was glad to hear it," said the Lady in Black, rising unsteadily to her feet. Her face had grown white, and her eyes showed a sudden fear. "But I must go now. Thank you." And she turned and hurried away. The house was very still when the Lady in Black reached home. She shivered at its silence. She hurried up the stairs, almost with guilt. In her own room she pulled at the dark veil that covered her face. She was crying Now, a choking little cry with broken words running through it. She was still crying as she removed her black dress. Long minutes later, the Lady in black no longer moved slowly down the stairway. Her eyes showed traces of tears, but her lips were bravely curved in a smile. She wore a white dress and a single white rose in her hair. Behind her, in the little room over the porch, a tiny clock ticked loudly on its shelf near the end of the bed. There came a sound of running feet in the hall below, then: And with a little sobbing cry Bobby's mother opened her arms to her son. Glossary: burial place: tumba; yet: a pesar de eso; stumbled: tropez; reached out: logr acercarse; blindly: a ciegas; marked: con el nombre de; gray-haired: de cabellos canosos; watched her: la observaba; as if she would speak: como si estuviera por hablar; grave: tumba; nearby: cercana; raised: levant; for a time: por un instante; threw back: apart; veil: velo; you care, too: usted se interesa, tambin; shook: neg con; dearie: querida; forty years ago: hace 40 aos; how could you have lived: cmo ha podido vivir; one has to: tenemos que hacerlo; wasn't mine: no era mo; so often before: tantas veces antes; no one else to care: nadie ms que se interese; for her sake: por el bien de ella; tender little cry: tierno lamento; it ain't as if
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I didn't know: no es que yo no supiera; I was nurse to: yo cuidaba a; for years afterward: y luego durante aos; met with the accident: sufri el accidente; concern: preocupacin; runaway: fugitivo; mistress: ama; not either of 'em: ninguno de los dos; went on: continu; sadder and sadder: cada vez ms triste; to mind: importarle; she seemed to want it so: pareca gustarle eso; shut out the sunshine: ocultaba la luz solar; put away: apart, descolg; wouldn't let: no permita que; I wondered afterward: luego yo me preguntaba; where it was all leadin' to: adnde conducira todo eso; she was losin' 'em: ella los estaba perdiendo; still: quieta, tiesa; it's for her: es por ella; sighed: suspir; softly: delicadamente; went away: se alej; to do travelin': que involucraba viajar; looked sick: se lo vea enfermo; less and less: cada vez menos; buried: enterrado; laughter: la risa; she didn't get any of them: no tuvo nada de eso; there!: vaya!; tired you all out: la cans; with my talkin': con mi charla; regretfully: con arrepentimiento; unsteadily: inestablemente; had grown white: haba empalidecido; sudden fear: repentino temor; hurried away: se fue velozmente; shivered at: tembl ante; with guilt: con culpa; choking: asfixiante; removed: se quitaba; in black no longer: ya no vestida de negro; moved slowly down: descendi lentamente; stairway: escalera; traces of tears: huellas de llanto; bravely: valientemente; she wore: llevaba puesto; tiny clock: pequeo reloj; there came: surgi; running feet: pies que corran; in the hall below: abajo en el zagun; it's Muvver come back: es Muvver que regresa; sobbing cry: sollozo; opened her arms to her son: abraz a su hijo. 18. - SOCIAL NETWORKS 1 / 2 Welcome to "This is America" in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty. And I'm Faith Lapidus. This week on our program: the world of social media. people use social networking sites to share ideas, opinions and interests. Millions post comments, videos, pictures, links and other content, or just follow what other users post. People reconnect with old friends and classmates, and make new connections. Social networks are all about connecting friends and friends of friends, just like in the physical world. Social media is a way to communicate one to many. But sites generally have a way for users to also send private messages and to control access to their pages. Social media is still young and evolving. Take the example of Facebook. It was launched in 2004 as a social network just for Harvard students. Then it opened up to all colleges. Then high schools got their own private pages. Now anyone can join. Facebook said it had over 250 million active users as of July. And not everyone is happy about that. Karey is a student at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. KAREY: "I have kept my mom off of Facebook. She wants one, I said 'No, you can't have one.' It started out as a college thing and then high school students got it. The value of it decreases to me with like the wider amount of people. Like the older population that gets it, I'm not OK with that." Ekin Oz is a seventeen-year-old exchange student from Turkey. She does not think older people should be on Facebook. EKIN OZ: "I think it's so silly because like it's something for teenagers."

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But a lot of older people would disagree that social networks are just for teenagers. About eighty percent of American adults use the Internet. A recent online survey found that half of them now belong to social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn. Forrester Research says four out of five online adults use social media at least once a month. That includes almost everyone age eighteen to thirty-four. Now, the fastest growing group of users are people thirty-five and older. That would include thirty-nine-year-old Evan Falchuk. He says he first heard about social media two or three years ago at a business meeting. EVAN FALCHUK: "What I was really surprised by when I first joined was how many people were there who I knew.' Evan Falchuk is a lawyer. But he is president and chief operating officer of Best Doctors, a medical company in Boston, Massachusetts. He likes to use LinkedIn, a social networking site for professionals. EVAN FALCHUK: "I mean, I travel all over the world and have dozens of people that I meet every month and I get business cards from them. And you get back to your office and look at the business card and you say 'Who was that again? And what did we talk about?' I try to write notes, but it's very hard. Whereas if you connect with them on LinkedIn, now I've got not only the person's name and contact information, but I know what their prior jobs were. I know who they are connected to who I might know. You have a much richer way of connecting with this person than you otherwise would." Evan Falchuk uses Facebook to connect with friends and family members. But not all share his enthusiasm for social media. EVAN FALCHUK: "My wife is a little bit less of a social media user than I am. So I like to share things about what's going on. And we like to go out to dinner to different places, for example, and I like to share 'Hey we're at this place and this is what we had and it was good.' And then she is more private and says 'Well, I don't really want everybody to know where we are and what we're doing.'" For couples in long-distance relationships, the main ways to communicate used to be phone calls, letters and visits. Now, they have texting, e-mail, instant messaging and video chat. Patricia is a student at Radford University in Virginia. PATRICIA: "I was in a long distance relationship for about a year, and Skype really helped because you could actually see the other person when you are talking." Skype is an Internet video and phone service that was just in the news. Its current owner eBay agreed to sell a sixty-five percent share to a group of investors for two billion dollars. Ekin Oz uses Facebook and Skype to stay in touch with family and friends back in Turkey. EKIN OZ: "I'm using Facebook to contact with my friends, I'm using Skype to contact with my family. Because I miss my family so much, I want to see them, their faces. It's much more important than friends."
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But even a simple text message can mean a lot. Dan in Virginia is twenty years old. He will be in a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend after joining the Marines. He says texting is good because it lets you communicate whenever you have time. Not everyone in the military, however, is at ease with social media. The Marine Corps has banned the use of sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter on its computers. But the ban does not limit access on other computers. Many service members use social networks to communicate with their families or with the public. The Defense Department has been writing a policy for all of the military on the use of social networking sites. Defense officials say they are aiming for a balance that will not compromise the security of operations or military networks. Glossary: networking sites: sitios de redes sociales; to share: para compartir; millions post comments: millones de mensajes; links: enlaces; users: usuarios; post: colocan; reconnect: se vuelve a relacionar; classmates: compaeros de estudio; just like:exactamente como; a way of: una forma de; still: todava; evolving: en evolucin, en desarrollo; was launched: fue lanzado/a; opened up: se extendi; join: unirse, formar parte; about that: en tal sentido; kept off: mantenido alejada; started out as: empez como; the value of it decreases to me: su valor se reduce para m; like the wider amount of: como la gran mayora de; the older population: la poblacin de ms edad; should be: debieran estar; would disagree that: estaran en desacuerdo en que; online survey: encuesta de Internet; half of them: la mitad de ellos; belong: pertenecen; four out of five:cuatro de cada cinco; at least: por lo menos; the fastest growing group: el grupo de ms rpido crecimiento; would include: incluira a; what I was really surprised by: lo primero que realmente me sorprendi; I first joined: me un por primera vez; lawyer: abogado; chief operating officer (COO): responsable de control operativo;all over the: por todo el; dozens: docenas; very hard: muy engorroso; whereas: mientras que; what their prior jobs were: cules eran sus ocupaciones anteriores;who I might know: a quien podra conocer; much richer way: forma mucho ms enriquecedora; otherwise: de otro modo; family members: familiares; not all: no todos; little bit less: bastante menos; for couples: para las parejas; relationships: relaciones; main ways to: principales formas de; used to be: solan ser; texting: mensajes de texto; actually see: ver realmente (fsicamente); current owner: actual dueo; agreed to sell: acept vender; investors: inversores;stay in touch: mantenerse en contacto; back in Turkey: al regresar a Turqua; can mean: puede significar; military: ejrcito; however: sin embargo; at ease with:cmodo/a con; has banned: ha prohibido; the ban: la prohibicin, el "baneo"; service members: miembros de las fuerzas armadas; Defense Deparment: Departamento de Defensa; policy: normas de comportamiento; aiming for a balance: aspirando a un equilibrio; that will not compromise: que no comprometa. 19. - SOCIAL NETWORKS - Part 2/2 Public officials recognize that social media has changed the way people communicate. The White House, for example, held a live discussion last Tuesday on its Facebook page. People watched and commented on a speech by President Obama that was broadcast to students nationwide from a Virginia high school. Before the speech, a student at the school asked for advice about how to get the president's job.
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BARACK OBAMA: "First of all, I want everybody here to be careful about what you post on Facebook because in the YouTube age, whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life. And when you're young, you make mistakes and you do some stupid stuff. And I've been hearing a lot about young people who you know, they're posting stuff on Facebook, and then suddenly they go apply for a job and somebody has done a search and, so, that's some practical political advice for you right there." Experts say a good rule to remember is not to post anything you would not want your mother to see. But what if your mother or father is one of your "friends," as in a friend you accepted on Facebook? Some parents use social media to communicate with their kids and to monitor their activities. This, in turn, has led to myparentsjoinedfacebook.com. This is a site for sharing and laughing at things that parents have posted. Ekin Oz, the exchange student from Turkey, has a different concern about privacy. She worries about cybercrime and the information that could be gathered about a person from different Web sites. EKIN OZ: "I'm scared of copying my personal information to use, like my photos they can use for things which is not good for me, and I'm concerned about that. If someone write my name on Google they can find one picture from Facebook or something, but is it safe?" By now most parents know about the dangers of sex offenders using social networks. But the computer security company F-Secure points out the risk even in posting information like vacation plans. Someone who wants to break into the house will then know when people are away. And then there is the time issue. Jenn is a student at Appalachian State in North Carolina. JENN: "I'm probably on Facebook a lot more that I should be. I'll go on sometimes to check it and then get right back off. And then maybe ten minutes later I'll be like 'Oh, well, I need to talk to so-and-so,' and so then I'll go back on it, every thirty minutes or something." And how often does her classmate Karey check her page? KAREY: "If it's like during school when things are busy, once maybe for like twenty minutes max. But then if it's like during the summer and I'm really bored, I don't have anything else to do, then it might be a little longer." And Ekin? EKIN: "I check my account at least one time a day. If I talk with my family, it's like an hour. But if I don't talk to them, just ten or twelve minutes at most." And what about Evan Falchuk a frequent commentator on social media. How often does he check for updates? EVAN FALCHUK: "It kind of happens in the background, because I have an iPhone which I love. And the iPhone has applications on it for each of the social media that we've been
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talking about. And so I'm frequently looking at it or typing stuff or posting something. It feels like it's something I do, continuously." Some people like to write long entries in their blogs. On Twitter, each message, or tweet, is limited to one hundred forty characters. Market researchers at Pear Analytics say they are big fans of Twitter. But in a recent study they declared that forty percent of the tweets captured over a two-week period were "pointless babble." Evan Falchuk would agree that some people write things like "I am now sitting in the doctor's waiting room." EVAN FALCHUK: "But most of the people on Twitter that I see are actually trying to have a substantive discussion a real conversation about topics that are interesting to them. So for me personally, I'm in the health care business and in America we're having this very important debate about health care. And I'm connected with hundreds actually I think maybe thousands of health care professionals or people with an opinion on health care or doctors or others who are constantly posting things to do with what's going on in health care." Some people find answers through social media. Others find love. A woman named Georgina says she used a social dating site because she was looking "for a higher quality of a mate." She was still looking when we talked to her. But she thinks the new technologies are a great way to communicate as long as people still show traditional respect for each other. GEORGINA: "Back in the 1980s when I was dating without computers, cell phones, text messaging, instant messaging, people had to be more organized. They had to be home, and they had to stick to their plans, because you had no way of communicating with someone once you left for your destination. Nowadays, with the extremely fast mode of communication, people have the ability to be lazy and spontaneous and not organized, because they can text you at the last minute or call you wherever you are and say 'I'm not coming, change of plans.'" Glossary: held: mantuvo; live: en vivo; speech: discurso; broadcast: transmitido; nationwide: en todo el pas; asked for advice: solicit consejos; about how to get: acerca de cmo lograr; to be careful about what: tener cuidado con lo que; whatever you do: todo lo que hagas; will be pulled up again later: puede afectarte ms adelante; stupid stuff: tonteras, tonteras; they go apply for a job: van a postularse para un empleo; what if: qu ocurre si; to monitor: para controlar; in turn: a su debido tiempo; for sharing: para compartir; laughing at: reirse de; have posted: han escrito; concern: preocupacin; about privacy: sobre la privacidad; cybercrime: delitos informticos; could be gathered: podra recopilarse; I'm scared of copying: tengo miedo de copiar; like: como; safe: seguro; sex offenders: delincuentes o transgresores sexuales; points out: resalta, destaca; risk: riesgo; even in posting: an al colocar; break into: entrar por la fuerza a; are away: se encuentran fuera de casa; the time issue: el problema de la frecuencia de consultas; a lot more than I should be: mucho ms de lo que debera; I'll go on: me conecto, ingreso; get right back off: desconectarme; I'll be like: me ocurre algo as como; so-and-so: tal-y-cual; I'll go back on it: vuelvo a conectarme; every thirty minutes: cada treinta minutos; how often?: con qu frecuencia?; classmate: compaero de clase; like: algo as como; max (maximum): como mximo; bored: aburrido; anything else to do: otra cosa que hacer; it might be: podra ser; at least: por lo menos; one time a day: una vez por da; like an hour: como una hora; at most: como mximo; what about: qu ocurre con; frequent commentator: forista frecuente; check for updates: revisa
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si hay actualizaciones; it kind of happens in the background: esto te pasa como algo de fondo (necesario); applications: programas para mviles; that we've been talking about: de los que hemos estado hablando; typing stuff: tipeando cualquier cosa; posting: subiendo a Internet; continuously: constantemente; entries: anotaciones; blogs: sitios web donde las personas publican sus diarios personales; tweet: mensaje (en Twitter); market researchers: los analistas de mercado; a two-week period: un trmino de dos semanas; pointless babble: pura chchara (conversaciones sin sentido alguno); substantive: substancial, interesante; health care: atencin sanitaria; debate: debate, discusin; to do with: relacionadas con; through: a travs de; dating site: pgina de contactos personales; mate: pareja; as long as: en tanto y cuanto; for each other: mutuo, recproco; back in the 1980s: retrocediendo a la dcada del ochenta; to stick to: ajustarse a; once you left for: una vez que partas para; nowadays: hoy en da; fast mode: modalidad veloz; to be lazy: de ser perezoso; spontaneous: espontneo; at the last minute: a ltimo momento; wherever you are: donde te encuentres; change of plans: cambio de planes. 20. - THE DENTIST ASSISTANT: If you just could wait in here a moment Mr. MacEnroe. MAC: Thank you very much... Good afternoon. SMITH: Good afternoon. Are you here to see the dentist? MAC: Yeah, unfortunately. I hate going to the dentist. This is like a nightmare for me. SMITH: Really? MAC: Yeah. Have you been to this dentist before? SMITH: Well, uh, not actually, but I've seen, uh, several others in this city and, uh, unfortunately I've had some, uh, very bad luck. MAC: I'd rather prefer you not to talk about it, but... SMITH: Well, let me just... MAC: I'm feeling a little nervous you know. SMITH: Let me just tell you. It, it, it, uh, just a few stories. All right? MAC: Can you make them short? SMITH: Of course. Of course. MAC: And with a happy ending or something? SMITH: Of course. Of course. Of course. Um, well, uh. just about two months ago I was going in for a simple cleaning. Right? MAC: Yeah. SMITH: And, uh, well I was having my teeth checked and cleaned and before I know it I'm, uh, being put to sleep because the doctor thinks I need a root canal. Right? MAC: Huh? "I need a what"? Oh, don't, no, don't, don't carry on. Tell me, tell me another one 'cos that sounds too complicated. SMITH: No, no, no, no, no, no. Not bad. Anyway, he puts me to sleep, right? MAC: Well, I supposed that's an advantage if you're, if you're asleep then you, you don't realize, but I suppose the worst thing is when you wake up. SMITH: Yeah, yeah. At the moment you don't, but as soon you wake you realise that, um, something horrible and tragic has happened. MAC: No? SMITH: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. MAC: No. I'm sure it can't be as bad as you're... you're saying it is. SMITH: No, that's it, well, yeah it can be. It can be even worse. Yeah.
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MAC: Oh. SMITH: Yeah. Yeah. MAC: You're making me feel much better actually 'cos, 'cos when I came in the room I was feeling nervous and now I'm like hysterical really, but never mind if you, if it makes you feel happy to carry on telling me these stories and make me feel worse then, then go ahead. SMITH: May I? MAC: Yeah. Well, why not? As long as you're enjoying yourself, then that's the only important thing really. SMITH: Anyway, all right. I, I, I had the root canal, right? MAC: Yeah. SMITH: I wake up and I realise that, uh, my, um, you know how they, they put the bibs on when you go to the dentist to... MAC: Yeah. SMITH: to sop up the... MAC: Well, I haven't been to the dentist for a while, but, yeah, tell me. SMITH: Anyway, they put these bibs on you, right? To sop up any saliva or spit or... or blood that, y'know, that might come out of your mouth. MAC: Blood? SMITH: Yeah, blood. And perhaps some... MAC: Have you, did you go to a dentist or did you go to a butcher? SMITH: Well, um, he called himself a dentist, but, uh, what he did to me was, was really the work of a butcher. MAC: All right. It's been quite nice weather recently. Hasn't it? SMITH: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. MONICA: Oh, hi honey. How ya' doin'? SMITH: Great. Thanks. I'm being, um, made to feel much more at home and much more comfortable by this gentleman I've just on my left here. ASSISTANT: The dentist will see you now, Mr. Smith. MAC: Well, good luck and I hope there's not too much blood. SMITH: Yeah. Thank you. MONICA: God. Who were you talking to? That was a really sexy guy. MAC: He was a horrendous person who's been telling me terrible stories about going to dentists when I, I don't even want to go the dentist. MONICA: You're such a baby. I'm sure that man was much manlier than you are. Look at him. He just walked in there and just like waltzed in and here you are complaining again. I found a place to park. Did you know that? MAC: I, I saw him taking some tablets before. I don't know if there were anything particular, but he seemed to be quite relaxed, but... who knows? MONICA: Can you imagine? I'd like to take a look at his mouth. MAC: Well. MONICA: Maybe some other things as well. MAC: How can you talk about things like that in a moment, in such a terrible moment like this? MONICA: I'm trying to calm you down, honey. MAC: You're trying to calm me down. You're trying to make me jealous! I'm already having a bad time thinking about going to the dentist and now you're trying to make me feel jealous. MONICA: Well, now I'm trying to, well, at least you've got something else on your mind.
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MAC: Why don't we like do something else? Why don't... I don't really need to go to the dentist. I'm, I'm feeling perfectly OK. MONICA: Well, why don't we wait around for Mr. Smith. Um, I'd like to have a drink with him. MAC: Why don't you wait around for Mr. Smith. Why don't you go into the dentist and talk to the dentist and talk to Mr. Smith and do whatever you want and I'll go and do something different. MONICA: I go every six months to the dentist so I really don't need very often. You do. You wait to the last minute until your teeth turn black. MAC: I can't understand it. I went, I went ten years ago. MONICA: Ten years ago. MAC: It's seems quite normal. MONICA: Did you look at... did you see that guy's smile? He had such a healthy look. MAC: Ugh. MONICA: Not like your teeth. MAC: Well, don't look at me. Why don't you go and talk to him and leave me alone. MONICA: Well, believe me, I'd like to do that. MAC: Well, I'd be rather happy if you did because you're making me feel worse. You're making me feel guilty. You're making me feel nervous. MONICA: Oh, hush! MAC: And now you are making me feel bad about how ugly I am. MONICA: You're not ugly. You're just not as sexy as he is. MAC: You're always thinking about the same thing. By the way, where did you park the car? MONICA: I parked just around the corner. MAC: Did you park well or did it... did it hit anything while you were parking? MONICA: Oh, who knows? I didn't hear anything. MAC: Well, I hope it was Mr. Smith's car. MONICA: Oh, wouldn't that be nice. MAC: Yeah, it'd be nice for him. It'd be a nice surprise when he comes back after the stories he was telling me before. ASISTANT: The dentist will see you now, Mr. MacEnroe. MAC: Really? Um, thanks. I think. Glossary: nightmare: bad dream (in this context) terrifying experience (pesadilla), root canal: dental operation (tratamiento de conducto), to carry on: continue (continuar, seguir), 'cos: (slang) because (porque), bib: piece of textile wore by a baby while it eats (in this context) piece of textile worn on the torso to protect the patient's clothes from blood (babero), to sop up: soak up, absorb (absorber), while: long period of time (mientras), spit: saliva ejected from the mouth (resto de saliva), butcher: person who sells meat (carnicero), how ya doin': (slang) how are you doing?, how are you? (cmo andas?), you're such a baby: you are so childish (= infantile, puerile) (eres tan infantil), manlier: more manly, more virile (ms viril), to waltz in: enter without worries or preoccupations (ingresar como si nada, sin preocupaciones) guy (US English) - bloke (UK English): man (tipo), I'd be rather happy: I would be happy (me sentira mejor). to feel guilty: feel at fault, feel like a culprit, feel culpable (sentirse culpable) hush!: be quiet!, shut up! (Cllate) ugly: unattractive, not beautiful (feo, poco atractivo) 21. MOUTH EXPRESSIONS
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Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and their Stories". People use their mouths for many things. They eat, talk, shout and sing. They smile and they kiss. In the English language, there are many expressions using the word mouth. But some of them are not so nice. For example, if you say bad things about a person, the person might protest and say Do not bad mouth me. Sometimes, people say something to a friend or family member that they later regret because it hurts that persons feelings. Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell. The speaker might say: I really put my foot in my mouth this time. If this should happen, the speaker might feel down in the mouth. In other words, he might feel sad for saying the wrong thing. Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something. The other person might protest: I did not say that. Do not put words in my mouth. Information is often spread through word of mouth. This is general communication between people, like friends talking to each other. How did you hear about that new movie? someone might ask. Oh, by word of mouth. A more official way of getting information is through a company or government mouthpiece. This is an official spokesperson. Government-run media could also be called a mouthpiece. Sometimes when one person is speaking, he says the same thing that his friend was going to say. When this happens, the friend might say: You took the words right out of my mouth! Sometimes a person has a bad or unpleasant experience with another person. He might say that experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Or the person might have had a very frightening experience, like being chased by an angry dog. He might say: I had my heart in my mouth. Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very rich family. There is an expression for this, too. You might say such a person, was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. This rich person is the opposite of a person who lives from hand to mouth. This person is very poor and only has enough money for the most important things in life, like food. Parents might sometimes withhold sweet food from a child as a form of punishment for saying bad things. For example, if a child says things she should not say to her parents, she might be described as a mouthy child. The parents might even tell the child to stop mouthing off. But enough of all this talk. I have been running my mouth long enough. "Words and their Stories" in VOA Special English, was written by Jill Moss. Im Faith Lapidus. 22. BILINGUAL PEOPLE
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I'm Carolyn Presutti with the VOA Special English Health Report. In the early nineteen fifties, researchers found that people scored lower on intelligence tests if they spoke more than one language. Research in the nineteen sixties found the opposite. So which is it? Researchers presented their newest (8) studies in February at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The latest evidence shows that being bilingual does not necessarily make people smarter. But researcher Ellen Bialystok says it probably does make you better at certain skills. She says: Imagine driving down the highway. There are many things that could capture your attention and you really need to be able to monitor all of them". Why would bilingualism make you any better at that?And the answer, she says, is that bilingual people are often better at controlling their attention a function called the executive control system. She says it is possibly the most important cognitive system we have. It is where all of our decisions about what to attend to, what to ignore and what to process are made. Ms. Bialystok is a psychology professor at York University in Toronto, Canada. She says the best method to measure the executive control system is called the Stroop Test. A person is shown words in different colors. The person has to ignore the word but say the color. The problem is that the words are all names of colors. She explains: So you would have the word blue written in red, but you have to say red. But blue is just lighting up all these circuits in your brain, and you really want to say blue. So you need a mechanism to override that, so that you can say red. Thats the executive control system.Her work shows that bilingual people continually practice this function. They have to, because both languages are active in their brain at the same time. They need to suppress one to be able to speak in the other. This mental exercise might help in other ways, too. Researchers say bilingual children are better able to separate a word from its meaning, and more likely to have friends from different cultures. Bilingual adults are often four to five years later than others in developing dementia or Alzheimers disease (39). Foreign language (40) study has increased (41) in the United States. But linguist Alison Mackey at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. points out (42) that English-speaking countries are still far behind (43) the rest of the world. VOCABULARY: in the early: en los comienzos (de los); nineteen fifties: aos 50; researchers: los investigadores; found that: descubrieron que; scored: alcanzaban valores; lower: ms bajos; spoke: hablaban; research: la investigacin; nineteen sixties: aos 60; the opposite: lo contrario, lo opuesto; their newest: sus ms recientes; meeting: encuentro, reunin; advancement: avance; science: ciencia; the latest: la ms reciente; shows: demuestra; being bilingual: ser bilinge; smarter: ms inteligente; probably: probablemente; does make you: realmente te hace [uso enftico del auxiliar "does" en el afirmativo]; better: mejor; at certain skills: para determinadas habilidades; highway: autopista; there are: existen; could capture: podran atraer; need to be able to: necesitas poder; monitor: controlarlas; bilingualism:
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bilingismo, dominio de dos idiomas; any better at that: algo mejor para eso; often: a menudo, frecuentemente; possibly: posiblemente; cognitive system: sistema cognitivo (capacidad intelectual); it is where: es el lugar en el cual; all of our decisions: todas nuestras decisiones; what to attend to: a qu cosas prestarles atencin; what to ignore: qu cosas ignorar; what to process: qu procesar; are made: se llevan a cabo; to measure: medir, cuantificar; Stroop Test: examen de tiempo de respuesta a un estmulo visual; a person is shown: a una persona se le muestran; explains: explica; written: escrita; lighting up: iluminada, destellando; brain: cerebro; to override that: para sustituirlo; they have to: ellos se ven forzados a hacerlo; both: ambos; active: activos, en actividad; in their brain: en su cerebro; at the same time: al mismo tiempo, simultneamente; to suppress: suprimir; one: uno (idioma); to be able to speak: para poder hablar; in the other: en el otro (idioma); might: podra; in other ways: de otras formas; are better able to: estn ms capacitados para; meaning: significado; more likely to: con ms probabilidades de; are often four to five years later: se demoran cuatro o cinco aos ms; in developing dementia: en desarrollar trastornos mentales; Alzheimer's disease: la enfermedad de Alzheimer (enfermedad degenerativa del sistema nervioso); foreign language: lengua extranjera; has increased: ha aumentado; linguist: lingista, fillogo; points out: resalta; still far behind: todava atrasados con respecto al. 23. STEVE JOBS This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. The chief executive who presented the latest, and coolest, electronics to the world has stepped down. Steve Jobs announced his resignation as head of Apple in a letter last week. He wrote: I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apples CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer in 1976. The company sold a new kind of electronic device: the personal computer. Apple Computer grew more quickly than anyone could have imagined. In 1985, however, Steve Jobs resigned after disputes with managers who had been brought in to direct business operations. He soon started his own software company, NeXT, and bought a computer animation studio. Pixar movie studio would go on to create movies like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. They are two of the most successful animated films ever made. Apple struggled during the 1990s. Many products failed. The company began losing money and its stock price sank. In 1997, Apple bought NeXT and brought back Steve Jobs. Apple used software developed at NeXT to create the Mac OS computer operating system. The next year, Apple became profitable. And a series of highly successful products followed. In 2001, Apple released the iPod, a digital music player. The iPhone arrived in 2007. Apple has also been a leader in online marketing. The iTunes Music Store sells songs for download. The App Store sells applications for computers and mobile devices. As Steve Jobs has noted, trial and error has always been part of the Apple model.
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STEVE JOBS: "We just try to build products we think are really wonderful and that people might want. And, sometimes we are right and sometimes we are wrong." Steve Jobs is closely linked with the success of Apple. Investors were scared when he announced he had an operation for pancreatic cancer in 2004. His decision to leave comes as Apple continues to release winning products. Apple sold over four and a half million iPads in the first three months of this year. The company holds the largest share of the growing tablet computer market. On August 9th, Apple first passed Exxon Mobil Corporation to become the most valuable publicly traded company in the world. Since then the two companies have traded the lead. VOCABULARY: chief executive: director ejecutivo; the latest and coolest: los ms novedosos y modernos; electronics: productos electrnicos; stepped down: renunciado; resignation: renuncia; head: presidente; no longer meet: ya no poder; duties: deberes, obligaciones; expectations: expectativas; CEO = Chief Executive Officer: Principal Director Ejecutivo (el funcionario de ms alto grado en las empresas estadounidenses); to let you know: en hacrselos saber; unfortunately: lamentablemente; sold: venda (to sell / sold / sold / selling); new kind of: nuevo tipo de; device: equipo; grew more quickly: creci ms velozmente (to grow / grew / grown / growing); than anyone could have imagined: de lo que se podra haber imaginado; however: sin embargo, no obstante; resigned after disputes: renunci tras disputas; who had been brought in: que haban sido introducidos; to direct: para dirigir; business operations: las operaciones comerciales; his own software company: su propia empresa de programas operativos; bought: adquiri (to buy / bought / bought / buying); computer animation studio: estudio de animacin computada; would go on to create: continuaran creando; struggled: compiti tenazmente; failed: fracasaron; began losing: comenz a perder; stock price sank: y el valor de sus acciones se fue a pique (to sink / sank / sunk / sinking); brought back: reincorpor; used: utiliz; operating system: sistema operativo; the next year: al ao siguiente; became profitable: rindi ganancias; a series of: una serie de; highly successful: sumamente exitosos; followed: le siguieron; released: lanz al mercado; leader: lder, puntero; online marketing: mercadeo en Internet; for download: para descargar; applications: programas, aplicaciones; mobile devices: equipos celulares o porttiles; noted: resaltado; trial and error: prueba y error; model: modelo, estilo; to build products: crear productos; might want: le gustara tener; we are right: tenemos razn; we are wrong: nos equivocamos; closely linked with: estrechamente vinculado con; success: xito; investors: los inversores; scared: atemorizados; pancreatic: del pncreas; comes as: surge mientras; continues to release: sigue lanzando; winning products: productos exitosos; sold over: vendi ms de; four and a half million: 4.500.000; in the first three months: en los primeros tres meses; holds: posee; the largest share: la participacin ms grande (del mercado); growing: en constante crecimiento; the most valuable: la ms apreciable, valiosa; publicly traded: negociada en bolsa; in the world: del mundo; since then: desde entonces; have traded: han disputado; the lead: el Liderazgo. 24. ENGLISH FOR SPANIARDS This is the VOA Special English Education Report. Spain is struggling with a recession. More than one in five Spaniards are out of work.
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Unemployment is the highest of the seventeen nations that use the euro. But one area of the economy that seems to be doing well is English classes. A report this year from the EF Education First company listed Spain as a "low proficiency" country in English. Spain ranked just below Italy and just above Taiwan. There are many Spanish language TV shows and movies. Spaniards can also watch Hollywood movies dubbed in Spanish or news from Latin America. One of the few English voices on Spanish TV belongs to Richard Vaughan. RICHARD VAUGHAN: "Hello and welcome back to another half-hour segment of Cloverdale's Corner. Today is Tuesday, and Lourdes has had to leave but we still have four people here ... Richard Vaughan is from Texas but for thirty-five years has lived in Spain. He operates that country's biggest English teaching company. It even has its own TV channel. "Aprende Ingles" Learn English Spain's only national channel in English. He says people watch his channel and take his classes to get a better job. RICHARD VAUGHAN: "People don't learn English here for cultural reasons. Some do. But the motive is always, ninety-nine percent of the time is... professional." Modern changes in the world economy globalization may offer chances for a better job in another country. But economic problems at home can also make people feel they have few other choices. NICK BYRNE: "People realize, you know, they are not only going to have to be mobile out of a choice, but they are going to have to be mobile because of necessity." Nick Byrne is director of the language center at the London School of Economics. NICK BYRNE: "We found that, in our university language centers across the UK and indeed across Europe, that language learning is up. We're not talking about people doing a whole degree in languages, but people going on evening courses English courses particularly." In Spain, some of those studying English hope for jobs in Britain or the United States. But others want to work for international companies with offices in Spain. Many companies now require workers to be bilingual. Dominic Campbell is an American who lives in Madrid and teaches English part time. DOMINIC CAMPBELL: "It's a lot of jobs now are actually mandatory that you know at least two languages and a lot of them actually want at least Spanish and English. And, a lot of them are asking for Spanish, English and French especially airlines." Mr. Campbell says many of his students thought speaking Spanish was enough. DOMINIC CAMPBELL: "They just think, you know, 'My English is poor, I don't want to speak it, I don't want to learn how to speak it. I've got Spanish, that's all I need.'"
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But people also need jobs. More than forty percent of Spaniards in their twenties are out of work. Inigo Gomez has a degree in education. INIGO GOMEZ: "I'm a teacher, and I didn't get a job here. So I think it's a good idea to go to the United Kingdom and try to find a job as a Spanish teacher." And while he does that, many Spaniards for the first time will be spreading their new education in English at home. VOCABULARY: struggling: luchando, enfrentando; recession: recesin, depresin econmica; one in five: uno de cada cinco; ou of work: desempleados; unemployment: el desempleo; the highest: el ms alto; nations: pases; that use: que utilizan; area: sector; that seems to be doing well: que parece estar funcionando bien; report: informe; listed: ubic a; low proficiency: bajo nivel de competencia; ranked: se ubic; just below: debajo de; above: por encima de; dubbed: doblados; voices: voces; belongs to: pertenece a; welcome back: bienvenidos nuevamente; half-hour segment: seccin de 30 minutos de duracin; has had to leave: ha tenido que irse; we still have: an nos quedan; for thirty-five years: durante 35 aos; operates: administra; that country's biggest: la ms grande de ese pas; it even has: hasta posee; only: nico; channel: canal de TV; to get a better job: para conseguir un mejor puesto de trabajo; for cultural reasons: por razones de cultura; some do: alguno s lo hacen; the motive: la causa; ninety-nine percent of the time: el 99% de las veces; changes: los cambios; world economy: la economa mundial; globalization: globalizacin; may offer chances: puede ofrecer oportunidades; at home: en el pas de origen; make people feel: hacerles sentir a la gente; few other choices: algunas otras alternativas; to be mobile out of a choice: movilizarse por eleccin; but they: sino que ellos; to be mobile because of necessity: movilizarse por necesidad; director: director, gerente, administrador; language center: centro de idiomas; we found that: descubrimos que; across the UK: en todo el Reino Unido; and indeed: y por cierto; across Europe: en toda Europa; language learning is up: el aprendizaje de idiomas est en alza; a whole degree: una carrera completa; but people going on: sino gente que realiza; evening courses: cursos vespertinos; some of those studying: algunos de los que estn estudiando ingls; hope for jobs: lo hacen con la expectativa de puestos de trabajo; but others want: pero otros desean; require workers: necesitan que los trabajadores; to be bilingual: sean bilinges; part time: a tiempo parcial, por media jornada; actually mandatory: realmente obligatorio; at least: por lo menos; a lot of them: muchos de ellos (puestos de trabajo); especially airlines: especialmente las compaas areas; thought speaking: pensaban que con hablar; was enough: era suficiente; poor: escaso, pauprrimo; how to speak it: cmo hablarlo, a hablarlo; I've got: ya tengo; that's all I need: es todo lo que necesito; also need jobs: necesita tambin puestos de trabajo; more than forty per cent: ms del 40%; in their twenties: de 20 a 29 aos de edad; out of work: sin trabajo, desempleados; a degree in education: un ttulo universitario en educacin; I didn't get a job here: no consegu trabajo aqu; it's a good idea: es una buena idea; try to find a job: tratar de encontrar trabajo; as a Spanish teacher: como profesor de espaol; while he does that: mientras se ocupa de eso; many Spaniards for the first time: por primera vez muchos espaoles; will be spreading their new education: estarn ampliando su nueva capacitacin; at home: en su propio hogar. 25. - CLOTHING EXPRESSIONS
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Now, the VOA Special English program "Words And Their Stories". Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let's see if I can name a few off the cuff, or without any preparation. People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are restless or nervous have ants in their pants. They might also fly by the seat of their pants. They use their natural sense to do something instead of their learned knowledge. Sometimes, people may get caught with their pants down. They are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say she wears the pants in the family. Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can burn a hole in your pocket. Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to tighten your belt. You may have to live on less money and spend your money carefully. But once you have succeeded in budgeting your money, you will have that skill under your belt. I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really take my hat off to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it at the drop of a hat immediately, without waiting. And sadly, you cannot pull money out of a hat. You cannot get money by inventing or imagining it. Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are too big for their boots think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people. I really do. You can bet your boots on that. Yet, truly important people are hard to replace. Rarely can you fill their shoes or replace them with someone equally effective. My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too firm and severe. They think he is a real stuffed shirt. But I know that my father wears his heart on his sleeve. He shows his feelings openly. And, he knows how to keep his shirt on. He stays calm and never gets angry or too excited. Also, my father has never lost his shirt in a business deal. He is too smart to lose all or most of his money. This is because my father rolls up his sleeves and prepares to work hard. He often has a special plan or answer to a problem that he can use if he needs it. He is like a person who does magic tricks. We say he has a card up his sleeve. Vocabulary: off the cuff: de manera improvisada (sacar de la manga)[cuff = puo de una camisa]; lower parts: parte inferior; restless: inquietos; ants in their pants: impacientes (con hormigas en los pantalones); they might also: tambin podran; fly by the seat of their pants: dejarse llevar por su intuicin [seat = parte trasera de un pantaln]; natural sense: percepcin natural; instead of: en lugar de; learned knowledge: conocimiento cientfico; caught with their pants down: atrapados en una situacin avergonzante; they are found: alguien los encuentra; takes control: toma las decisiones ; what to do: qu hay que hacer; wears the pants in the family: lleva los pantalones en la familia; is likely to be spent: probablemente sea gastada; burn a hole in your pocket: compulsin por el consumo, necesidad de gastar rpidamente el
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dinero (el dinero arde en los bolsillos; belt: cinturn; to hold up: para sostener; less money than usual: menos dinero que de costumbre; tighten your belt: gastar menos (ajustarse el cinturn); to live on less money: vivir con menos dinero; succeeded in: logrado; budgeting: presupuestado, organizado los gastos; skill: habilidad; under your belt: como experiencia; praise: elogio, admiro; take my hat off to: me quito el sombrero ante; yet: sin embargo; when it comes to: en lo que respecta a; own: propio; I spend it: yo lo gasto; at the drop of a hat: instantneamente, sin reflexionar; sadly: por desgracia; pull money out of a hat: no se puede hacer magia con el dinero; boots: las botas; who are too big for their boots: que se la creen, que se le suben los humos a la cabeza; I dislike such: me disgusta ese tipo de; I really do: lo digo de verdad; bet your boots: estar completamente seguro; truly: genuinamente; hard to replace: difciles de reemplazar; rarely: contadas veces; fill their shoes: sustituirlos, reemplazarlos; runs: administra; sleeves: mangas; too firm and severe: obstinado y estricto; stuffed shirt: persona engreda o presuntuosa; wears his heart on his sleeve: demuestra abiertamente sus sentimientos (lleva el corazn en la manga de su camisa); openly: sin ocultamientos; to keep his shirt on: mantener la calma; never gets angry: jams se enfada; lost his shirt: arriesgarse en negocios turbios (perder hasta la camisa); rolls up his sleeves: se dedica seriamente a trabajar (arremangarse); magic tricks: trucos ilusionistas; a card up his sleeve: un recurso alternativo (un as en la manga). 26. PROVERBS PART 3 Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and Their Stories". Today we explain more popular proverbs. A proverb is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Proverbs are popular around the world. Many listeners have sent us their favorite proverbs. They give advice about how to live. We begin with two popular proverbs about staying healthy by eating good food: One is an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Another is you are what you eat. Several proverbs about birds also give advice. You may have heard this one: The early bird catches the worm. This means a person who gets up early, or acts quickly, has the best chance of success. Another famous proverb is a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. This means you should not risk losing something you have by seeking something that is not guaranteed. Here is another piece of advice: Do not count your chickens before they are hatched. In other words, you should not think too much about some future event before it really happens. Another proverb warns do not put all your eggs in one basket. This means you should not put all of your resources together in one place because you could risk losing everything at one time. Many Americans learned this the hard way by investing all their money in stock shares, which then lost value. Another proverb says a fool and his money are soon parted. This means someone who acts unwisely with money will lose it.

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Here is more advice: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Also, never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. You might learn that haste makes waste if you do something too fast, resulting in mistakes. Most people would agree with this proverb: honesty is the best policy. Yet another proverb advises us not to be concerned about something bad that you cannot change. It says there is no use crying over spilled milk. Do you agree with the proverb that children should be seen and not heard? Maybe you have told your children that hard work never hurt anyone. But other people say that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. They believe it is not wise to spend all your time working and never having fun. Finally, here is one of our favorite proverbs: People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. This means you should not criticize other people unless you are perfect yourself. Vocabulary: well known: famoso, muy conocido; saying: dicho, refrn; truth: verdad; belief: creencia; around the world: en todo el mundo; listeners: oyentes; give advice about: aconsejan sobre; staying healthy: mantenerse sano/a; An apple a day keeps the doctor away: A diario una manzana es cosa sana (LITERAL: Una manzana por da mantiene alejado al mdico); You are what you eat: Eres lo que comes; several: varios; may have heard: deben haber escuchado; The early bird catches the worm: Al que madruga Dios lo ayuda (LITERAL: El pjaro madrugador atrapa la lombriz); the best chance: la mejor oportunidad; A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: Ms vale pjaro en mano que cien volando (LITERAL: Un pjaro en la mano es mejor que dos en el arbusto); risk losing: arriesgar la prdida de; by seeking: por buscar; guaranteed: garantizado; piece of advice: consejo; Do not count your chickens before they are hatched: No cuentes los pollos antes de haber nacido; some future event: algn hecho prximo; warns: advierte; Do not put all your eggs in one basket: No pongas todos los huevos en la misma canasta; resources together: recursos juntos; at one time: de una sola vez; the hard way: de manera penosa; by investing: al invertir; stock shares: acciones de bolsa; which then lost value: las que ms tarde perdieron valor; A fool and his money are soon parted: A los tontos no les dura el dinero; unwisely: desacertadamente; If at first you don't succeed, try, try again: Quien persevera, vence (LITERAL: Si al principio no tienes xito, vuelve a intentarlo); Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today: No dejes para maana lo que puedas hacer hoy; might learn that: podras aprender que; Haste makes waste. La prisa es mala consejera. (LITERAL: Por apurarse puede perderse todo); too fast: demasiado rpido; would agree with: estara de acuerdo con; Honesty is the best policy. La honestidad rinde sus frutos; advises us: nos aconseja; concerned: preocupados; There is no use crying over spilled milk: A lo hecho, pecho (LITERAL: No tiene sentido llorar por la leche derramada); Children should be seen and not heard: Cuando seas padre comers huevos; Hard work never hurt anyone: El trabajo pesado nunca mat a nadie; All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy: Puro trabajo y nada de relajo dejan a Jack hecho un estropajo; wise: acertado, atinado; People who live in glass houses should not throw stones: Es ms fcil ver la paja en el ojo ajeno que la viga en el propio (LITERAL: Quien vive en un invernadero no debera tirar piedras); you should not criticize other people: no deberas criticar a otras personas; unless: a menos que.
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27. - CHRISTMASTIME Welcome to "This is America" in VOA Special English. Im Faith Lapidus. This week on our program we hear from some Americans about Christmas past, present and future. Sharing Christmas with family and friends is traditional. It is especially important to the Cerqueira family. Maria and Abel moved from Portugal twenty-five years ago and raised their two children in the United States. But they left much family behind in Portugal, and still feel a strong connection to their homeland. The Cerqueiras will spend Christmas in New Jersey with Maria's brother and his family. But they also plan to celebrate with family members in Portugal. How? With an Internet video call on Skype. MARIA CERQUEIRA: You talk like you are together, you know? Even if you cant touch, you can see the person. It is very nice, you know? The Cerqueiras say many Christmas traditions are the same in Portugal and America. Many people have a tree, sing songs and exchange gifts. Some people open their presents on Christmas Eve, some wait until Christmas morning. But one difference is the food. Americans commonly eat ham or turkey at Christmas. Maria Cerqueira describes a traditional Christmas Eve meal in northern Portugal. MARIA CERQUEIRA: Its codfish, with potatoes, carrots, kale. And we have octopus salad, also with vinegar and olive oil and onion. We cook the octopus also. Also we boil it and then we cut it in little pieces. We make a salad. The codfish is also boiled and salted and covered in olive oil. Abel Cerqueira says the Portuguese also have a traditional drink at Christmastime. It starts with a red wine from northern Portugal. ABEL CERQUEIRA: In Portuguese its called 'vinho verde.' Vinho verde meaning green wine. A red wine called green wine? The green is more about the ripeness, or lack of ripeness, of the grapes used to make the wine. Vinho verde is not a sweet wine. But the Portuguese make it sweet on Christmas. Abel Cerqueira says they heat the wine on the stove. Then they mix in sugar. The wine is enjoyed during and after the meal. The Cerqueiras left some traditions behind when they left Portugal. For instance, Abel says gifts were never wrapped in paper when he was growing up. When you woke up Christmas morning, he says, you found your presents completely open under the tree no boxes, bags or paper. Also, Abel and Maria say Portuguese children try to play a trick on Santa Claus. The night before Christmas, they place their oldest, poorest looking shoes near the chimney. They think that Santa will give children with poor shoes more presents and better presents.

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But not the two Cerqueira children. They leave their shoes in their rooms and receive their presents wrapped under the Christmas tree. The couple says they started doing that part of Christmas the way they saw their American friends do it. Vocabulary: we hear from: nos enteramos de, nos ponemos al da; sharing: compartir; moved from: se mudaron desde; raised: criaron; left much family behind: dejaron atrs a muchos familiares; still feel: todava sienten; a strong connection to: un estrecho vnculo con; homeland: terruo, tierra natal; will spend: pasarn; they also plan: ellos tambin tienen previsto; to celebrate: festejar, celebrar; family members: integrantes de la familia; video call: video llamada; on Skype: con las redes sociales, sitios web y medios de comunicacin se utiliza la preposicin ON = on Facebook, on OM Personal, on TV, on the radio, etc); like you are: como si estuvieras; even if you can touch: aunque no puedes tocarla; are the same in: son las mismas en; sing songs: cantan villancicos; exchange gifts: intercambian regalos; on Christmas Eve: en Nochebuena; some wait until: algunos esperan hasta; Christmas morning: la maana de Navidad; difference: diferencia; the food: la comida; commonly: generalmente; ham or turkey: jamn o pavo; northern: en el norte de; AT CHRISTMAS ON CHRISTMAS: Una duda comn para muchos hispanos que pasamos a aclarar: AT CHRISTMAS significa "at Christmastime", es decir, "las Navidades", o sea todo el perodo de fiestas a finales de diciembre; ON CHRISTMAS significa "on Christmas Day", es decir, "el 25 de diciembre". TIPS: Los britnicos prefieren utilizar la frase "on Christmas Day" para referirse al 25 de diciembre. ("In Christmas" no es correcto). codfish: bacalao, abadejo; carrots: zanahorias; kale: col rizada, coliflor; octopus salad: ensalada de pulpo; vinegar: vinagre; olive oil: aceite de oliva; onion: cebolla; we boil it: lo hervimos; cut it: lo cortamos; in little pieces: en trozos; we make a salad: hacemos una ensalada ("we do a salad" no es correcto); boiled: hervido; salted: salado (se le agrega sal); covered in olive oil: cubierto por aceite de oliva; red wine: vino tinto; it's called: se lo llama; vinho verde (Portuguese): green wine; is more about: est ms relacionado con; ripeness: madurez; lack of ripeness: falta de madurez; of the grapes used: de las uvas utilizadas; a sweet wine: un vino dulce; make it sweet: lo endulzan; they heat the wine: calientan el vino; on the stove: en la cocina (hornillo, estufa); they mix in sugar: lo mezclan con azcar; enjoyed: disfrutado; during: durante; after the meal: despus de la comida; left some traditions behind: dejaron atrs algunas costumbres; for instance: por ejemplo; were never wrapped: nunca se los envolva; growing up: creciendo; when you woke up: cuando uno se despertaba; you found: encontrabas; your presents: tus regalos; completely open: totalmente abiertos; no boxes, bags or paper: no se usaban cajas, bolsas o papel; try to play a trick on: tratan de engaar a; their oldest (shoes): sus (zapatos) ms viejos; poorest looking shoes: los zapatos de apariencia ms humilde; near the chimney: cerca de la chimenea; will give children: les dar a los nios; but not the two: pero eso no sucede con los dos; they leave their shoes: dejan sus zapatos; wrapped: envueltos; the couple says: el matrimonio (pareja) dice que; they started doing: empezaron a hacer; the way they saw: del modo en que observaban; their American friends do it: hacerlo a sus amigos norteamericanos; 28. - SANTA CLAUS: Now, the Special English program "Words and Their Stories". Our expression today is "Santa Claus". Santa Claus is someone who will remain in the hearts of children forever. He is the make-believe person who brings toys and other gifts to children at
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Christmas. To grown-ups, he is a special symbol of goodwill and selfless giving. Santa Claus also has some other names: Saint Nicholas, St. Nick, Kris Kringle, Pelznickel. Two of his names Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas both come from the Dutch who settled in New York long ago. The Dutch believed Saint Nikolas gave gifts to children. They honored this kindly saint with a yearly festival on December sixth. The English-speaking people who lived nearby greatly enjoyed Dutch festivals. And they brought the saint and the custom of giving gifts into their own celebration at Christmas time. The Dutch spoke the name "Saint Nikolaas" very fast. It sounded like "sinterklaas." And so, when the English said this word, it sounded like "Santa Claus". West of New York, in Pennsylvania, many German farmers had also heard of Saint Nikolas. But they called him Pelznickel. This word came from "pelz," meaning fur, and "nickel" for Nicholas. And so, to the Germans of Pennsylvania, Saint Nicholas or Pelznickel was a man dressed in fur who came once a year with gifts for good children. Soon, people began to feel that the love and kindness Pelznickel brought should be part of a celebration honoring the Christkindl, as the Germans called the Christ child. After a time, this became Kris Kringle. Later, Kris Kringle became another name for Santa Claus himself. Whatever he is called, he is still the same short, fat, jolly old man with a long beard, wearing a red suit with white fur. The picture of Santa Claus as we see him (check it up above) came from Thomas Nast. He was an American painter born in Bavaria. He painted pictures for Christmas poems. Someone asked him to paint a picture of Santa Claus. Nast remembered when he was a little boy in southern Germany. Every Christmas, a fat old man gave toys and cakes to the children. So, when Nast painted the picture, his Santa Claus looked like the kindly old man of his childhood. And through the years, Nast's painting has remained as the most popular picture of Santa Claus. Santa can be seen almost everywhere in large American cities during the Christmas season. Some stand on street corners asking for money to buy food and gifts for the needy. Others are found in stores and shopping centers. It is easy to find them by the long lines of children waiting to tell Santa what they want for Christmas. If one took a vote among children to learn who their favorite person was, there is no question who would win Santa Claus. Vocabulary: will remain: permanecer; forever: para siempre; make-believe: ficticio, imaginario; toys: juguetes; gifts: regalos; to grown-ups: para los adultos; goodwill: buena voluntad; selfless giving: entrega desinteresada; also: asimismo; both come from: ambos provienen de; the Dutch: los holandeses; settled: se instalaron, se afincaron; long ago: hace mucho tiempo; honored: homenajeaban; kindly saint: santo bondadoso; yearly festival: celebracin anual; who lived nearby: que viva en las cercanas; greatly enjoyed: disfrutaban enormemente; brought: trajeron [bring / brought / brought / bringing ]; custom: costumbre; into their own: en su propia; the Durch spoke: los holandeses pronunciaban; very fast: muy rpido; it sounded like: sonaba como; west of: al oeste de; German farmers: granjeros alemanes; fur:
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piel; dressed in fur: vestido con pieles; who came: que vena; once a year: una vez por ao; kindness: amabilidad, buen corazn; should be part of: debera formar parte de; celebration honoring: celebracin en honor de; Christ Child: Nio Jess; after a time: ms adelante; this became: ste [el apodo] se convirti en; for Santa Claus himself: para el mismo Santa Claus; whatever he is called: como sea que se lo llame; he is still: l sigue siendo; the same: el mismo; short, fat, jolly old man: anciano bajo, obeso, jovial; with a long beard: de barba larga; red suit: traje rojo; as we see him: como lo observamos (ver la imagen de arriba); came from: provino de; born in: nacido en; in southern Germany: al sur de Alemania; looked like: se pareca a; kindly old man: anciano bondadoso; of his childhood: de su niez; through the years: a travs de los aos; painting: cuadro; has remained: se ha mantenido; as the most popular picture: como la imagen ms conocida; almost everywhere: casi en todas partes; in large: en las grandes; Christmas season: temporada navidea; some stand: algunos se paran; on street corners: en las esquinas; asking for: pidiendo; for the needy: para los necesitados; others are found: a otros se los encuentra; by the long lines: cerca de las largas filas (colas); waiting to tell: esperando decirle a; what they want: lo que desean; if one took a vote: si emitiramos un voto; among children: entre los nios; to learn who: para saber quin; their favorite person was: es su persona favorita; there is no question: no cabe duda; who would win: quien saldra ganador. 29. FOREIGN STUDENTS This is the VOA Special English Education Report. The number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States has increased for the fifth year. The Institute of International Education in New York released its annual "Open Doors" report this week. It says a record high of more than seven hundred twenty thousand students from other countries studied in America during the last academic year. The number was five percent higher than the year before and almost one-third higher than ten years ago. There were big increases from China, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Iran and Venezuela. Almost twenty-two percent of international students were Chinese, with increases especially at the undergraduate level. Together, almost half of all international students came from China, India and South Korea. Peggy Blumenthal at the institute says Chinese students are now studying throughout the United States. PEGGY BLUMENTHAL: "Ten, twenty years ago, students from China only knew of a handful of U.S. institutions, but now they are enrolling in our community colleges, in our small liberal arts institutions, in the research universities really spread across the country. Ms. Blumenthal suggests one reason for the increase is a lack of space in Chinese colleges for everyone who wants an education. She says students and their parents are also looking for a different educational experience. More international students study in California than any other state, followed by New York, Texas, Massachusetts and Illinois. For the tenth year in a row, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles led the country, with more than eighty-six hundred foreign students.
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The most popular area of study for international students is business and management, followed by engineering. Some schools are making special efforts to welcome students from other cultures. Workers greet students in different languages at a dining hall that the University of California, Los Angeles, spent five million dollars to modernize. Peter Angelis is an assistant vice-chancellor at UCLA. PETER ANGELIS: "We conduct a survey annually to find out what our students like and don't like about residing on campus. And consistently, through these surveys, we've heard over and over again that cuisines from the various regions of Asia are our students' (first) preferred choice for food. In fact, Japanese food is their top choice overall. On top of this we recognize here at UCLA that we have a large student population here on campus. Roughly forty percent of our undergrad students are from families with roots to countries throughout Asia. The best way to celebrate this cultural diversity is through cuisine and through food." The "Open Doors" report says about forty-five percent of international students in the United States are women. Almost two-thirds of all foreign students receive the majority of their funding from personal and family sources. The report is published in partnership with the State Department. And that's the VOA Special English Education Report. I'm Christopher Cruise. Vocabulary: number of: cantidad de; colleges and universities: en la prctica, no existe en Estados Unidos diferencia entre la denominacin "universidad" (university) o college. Originalmente las instituciones con muchas facultades y escuelas de postgrado se llamaban universities y las ms pequeas, con pocas especialidades, se denominaban college; increased for the fifth year: incrementado por quinto ao consecutivo; released: public; report: informe; a record high: una cifra sin precedentes; more than: ms de; 720,000: seven hundred twenty thousand; five percent higher: 5% ms elevado; the year before: el ao anterior; almost one-third higher: y casi un tercio ms elevado; than ten years ago: que diez aos atrs; increases: incrementos; at the undergraduate level: a niveles de estudiante universitario; together: en conjunto; almost half of: casi la mitad de; came from: provenan de; throughout: a lo largo y a lo ancho de; only knew of: slo conocan; a handful of: un puado de; enrolling in: inscribindose en, matriculndose en; community colleges: colegios (universidades) locales que no forman parte de las grandes universidades estatales y ofrecen cursos a personas que han dejado de estudiar y trabajan, o a jvenes que no pudieron ser aceptados en las ms exigentes universidades; research: investigacin; really spread across the country: efectivamente diseminadas por todo el pas; suggests one reason: sugiere que un motivo; for the increase: para el incremento; a lack of space: una falta de cupo o espacio; for everyone who: para todo aquel que; looking for: buscando; educational experience: experiencia educativa; than in any other state: que en cualquier otro estado; Illinois: presta atencin a la omisin de la S final en la pronunciacin; for the tenth year in a row: por dcimo ao consecutivo; led the country: encabez las universidades norteamericanas; 8,600: colloquially, North Americans usually say "eighty-six hundred" (86x100=8,600) instead of "eight thousand and six hundred"; business and management: negocios y administracin; engineering: ingeniera; efforts: esfuerzos; to welcome: para recibir; other cultures: otras culturas; greet: saludan a los; at a dining hall that: en un comedor para el cual; spent: gast, invirti; to modernize: para
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modernizar, para poner al da; assistant vice-chancellor: rector auxiliar; at UCLA: en la Universidad de California, Los Angeles; we conduct a survey: realizamos un estudio; annually: anualmente; to find out: para detectar; what our students like: lo que les gusta a nuestros estudiantes; about residing on campus: en lo que respecta a alojarse en el campus (zona universitaria); consistently: constantemente; through: a travs de; over and over again: una y otra vez; cuisines: la gastronoma; the various regions: las diferentes regiones; preferred choice: eleccin favorita; top choice overall: al tope de sus gustos; on top of this: como si fuera poco; student population: poblacin estudiantil; roughly: aproximadamente; forty percent: 40%; undergrad: reduccin de "undergraduate"; with roots to: con races en; throughout: a lo largo y a lo ancho de; cultural diversity: diversidad cultural; through: por medio de; forty-five percent: 45%; almost two-thirds: casi dos tercios; the majority of: la mayor parte de; their funding: su financiamiento; sources: fuentes, procedencia; in partnership with: de manera conjunta con. 30. FATHERS WHO COOK Welcome to "This is America" in VOA Special English. Im Fritzi Bodenheimer. And Im Mario Ritter. This week on our program, we hear about fathers who cook for their families. John Donohue is an editor and cartoonist for the New Yorker magazine. He discovered a new job for himself when he became a father for the first time. JOHN DONOHUE: I started cooking a lot for my wife and the baby. It was a lot of fun. Now Mr. Donohue has published a book called Man with a Pan: Culinary Adventures of Fathers who cook for their families. He asked other men to share their stories. He collected thirty-four essays written by writers and chefs. One of them was Mark Bittman, a food writer for the New York Times. Mr. Donohue explained how Mr. Bittman became a food writer. JOHN DONOHUE: He was married, he had a new baby. He was driving a taxi. He was kind of working odd jobs and so he started to cook. That led to his first book, which actually put him on the map as a writer. Man with a Pan also includes an essay by the author Stephen King. JOHN DONOHUE: Stephen King started cooking for his family in Maine after his wife lost her sense of taste and lost interest in doing any cooking. He wanted better food for his family, so he went into the kitchen. He talks about using the microwave and other basic things about keeping things simple. Thats his motto. He has great advice: Dont set the kitchen on fire. Author Mohammed Naseehu Ali shared childhood memories of his mothers kitchen in Ghana.
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MOHAMMED NASEEHU ALI: I grew up in a Hausa Muslim community. And, in our community, you know, it's highly frowned upon for men to be around the kitchen. But, you know, my mother, she allowed me to hang around while she cooked. And that experience in the kitchen may have also helped prepare Mr. Ali to become a writer. MOHAMMED NASEEHU ALI: Ive actually kind of compared cooking to writing. Its pretty much the same thing. In writing, you have a blank page for you to start with. In cooking, you have an empty pot to creatively start thinking of what you going to put in the pot, to mix it together to create some food. Travel writer Jack Hitt also wrote an essay for Man with a Pan. JACK HITT: In the essay, one of the things you discover when you start to cook is that following a recipe wasnt simply just a matter a measuring out cups and tablespoons, but something much bigger and more metaphysical than that. Its a very minimalist sort of form that implies so much more than what is actually written. And its like gardening, in some sense, or driving that becomes second nature and becomes instinctive. Mr. Hitt says his cooking skills have evolved over the last sixteen years. In the process, he discovered a way to better connect with his family. JACK HITT: All of sudden, I found that there was this little kid in the room who had been watching me doing this from a chair, confined, and suddenly was very interested in participating. So the next thing I know, I had an assistant. And then a few years after that, I had another assistant. And, weve been sort of experimenting in the kitchen, the three of us, and then whenever my wife is around, which it was increasingly more common, four of us, and in the kitchen, cooking, you know, but essentially raising a family. Mark Kurlansky, is a writer, cook and pastry chef. He says anyone can cook. MARK KURLANSKY: Cooking is like everything else. Just need to do it all the time to get good at it. In fact I know people who just cant, they can't cook. And I dont understand why. Its just like I encounter people who cant write, no matter how hard they try. And I dont understand why they cant do that. I mean if you can talk, why cant you write, and if you can eat, why cant you cook? Mr. Kurlansky has advice for men who want to cook. MARK KURLANSKY: Make it simple. If you buy good ingredients and you cook them very simply, you will always have a great meal. Man with a Pan editor John Donohue says he expects more fathers will cook as the need grows and society becomes more accepting of a man with a pan.

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Our program was written and produced by Brianna Blake, with additional reporting by Faiza Elmasry and Deena Prichep. Im Fritzi Bodenheimer. And Im Mario Ritter. Join us again next week for "This is America" in VOA Special English. Vocabulary: about fathers who cook: acerca de los padres que cocinan; cartoonist: dibujante de historietas; when he became a father: cuando fue padre; it was a lot of fun: fue/era de lo ms divertido; man with a pan: un hombre con sartn; culinary adventures: aventuras culinarias; to share: que compartieran; essays: composiciones, redacciones; chefs: cocineros; food writer: columnista de la seccin gastronmica; became: se convirti en; he was kind of working odd jobs: estaba como haciendo trabajos poco importantes; he started to cook: empez a cocinar; that led to: eso lo llev a; put him on the map: lo posicion; as a writer: como escritor; also includes: tambin incluye; an essay by: una redaccin escrita por; started cooking for: empez a cocinar para; after his wife: despus que su esposa; lost her sense of taste: perdi su sentido del gusto; lost interest in: perdi inters en; better food: mejor comida; he went into: se meti en; microwave: microondas; about keeping things simple: acerca de mantener todo sencillo (no complicar las cosas); his motto: su lema, su consigna; great advice: excelente consejo; don't set the kitchen on fire: no prendas fuego a la cocina; shared childhood memories: comparti recuerdos de su niez; of his mother's kitchen: de la cocina materna; I grew up: me cri; Muslim community: comunidad musulmana; it's highly frowned upon: es visto con malos ojos; for men to be around: que los hombres anden dando vueltas por; she allowed me: ella me dejaba; to hang around: andar por all (por la cocina); while she cooked: mientras cocinaba; may have also helped prepare Mr. Ali: debe haberle ayudado tambin al Sr. Ali a prepararse; to become a writer: para convertirse en escritor; kind of compared: algo as como comparado; cooking to writing: la cocina con la escritura; it's pretty much the same thing: es prcticamente la misma cosa; blank page: pgina en blanco; for you to start with: para que comiences; an empty pot: una cacerola vaca; to mix it together: mezclarlo todo; travel writer: escritor de viajes; an essay for: un ensayo o composicin para; essay: ensayo; following a recipe: seguir una receta (al pie de la letra); just a matter: una cuestin de; measuring out: distribuir; tablespoons: cucharadas; much bigger: ms complicado; minimalist sort of form: un estilo minimalista; that implies: que implica; what is actually written: de lo que est escrito (en la receta); like gardening: como la jardinera; in some sense: en cierto sentido; becomes instinctive: resulta intuitivo, se hace por intuicin; cooking skills: habilidades culinarias; have evolved: han evolucionado; over the last sixteen years: en los ltimos 16 aos; a way to better connect: una forma de relacionarse mejor; all of a sudden: repentinamente; I found that: me percat de; from a chair: desde una silla; confined: limitado; very interested in: muy interesado en; the next thing: la siguiente cosa que; assistant: ayudante; sort of: algo as como; the three of us: nosotros tres; whenever my wife is around: cada vez que mi esposa anda por all; which it was increasingly more common: lo que suceda cada vez ms seguido; essentially: fundamentalmente; raising a family: criando una familia; pastry chef: pastelero; like everything else: como cualquier otra cosa; to get good at it: para ser bueno en eso; in fact: en realidad; who just can't: que simplemente no saben; I encounter people: me topo con personas; no matter how hard they try: por ms que traten; has advice for men: tiene un consejo para los hombres; make it simple: hazlo fcil (no te compliques); ingredients: ingredientes; he expects: espera que; as the need grows: a medida que crece la demanda; society becomes: la sociedad se vuelve; more accepting: ms receptiva; with additional reporting by: con informacin adicional provista por.
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31. CHARLES DARWIN Welcome to "Explorations", in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember. This week, Barbara Klein and I tell about one of the most influential thinkers in science history. Charles Darwin developed the theory of how living things develop from simpler organisms over long periods of time. That theory is known as evolution through natural selection. Charles Darwin read widely and sought ideas from other fields of study. He was influenced by Thomas Malthus work, "An Essay on the Principle of Population" written in 1798. Malthus argued that populations are always limited by the food supply. Darwin would later say that this work caused him to realize the struggle for limited resources was a fact of life. He said small changes took place in individual animals. Changes that helped them survive would continue. But those that did not would be destroyed. The result of this would be the formation of new species. The British philosopher Herbert Spencer described this struggle as "survival of the fittest." But biologists use the term natural selection to describe the evolutionary process. Charles Darwin developed his idea slowly over more than twenty years. He was concerned that he would lose the support of the scientific community if he revealed it. He wrote to his friend, botanist Joseph Hooker, that speaking about evolution was like confessing a murder. It was not until 1858 that Darwin was forced to release his theory to the public. Another naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, had independently written a paper that contained ideas similar to Darwin's concerning evolution. Wallace had reached these ideas from his studies on islands in the western Pacific Ocean. With help from Darwin's friends, the two naturalists presented a joint scientific paper to the Linnean Society of London in July of 1858. At first there was little reaction. Then, in November 1859, Darwin released the results of all his work on evolution. The book was called "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life". It was an immediate success. The "Origin of Species" was praised by many scientists. But religious leaders denounced it. For them, evolution opposed the explanation of creation found in the book of Genesis in the Bible. Today, almost all scientists accept the theory of evolution. But many non-scientists are unsure about whether humans evolved over millions of years. In the United States, public opinion studies have shown that less than half the population believes in evolution. Natural selection does not explain everything about why species evolve. Darwin did not know about Gregor Mendels work on heredity. And the discovery of genetics and DNA molecules took place long after his death. Yet, Darwin theorized in a world much different from the one we know. That is why scientists today wonder at the depth of his knowledge and the strength of his arguments.
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Charles Darwin died on April 19, 1882. He was buried at Westminster Abbey, in London, among other heroes of Britain. Vocabulary: About one of the most: acerca de uno de los ms; influential thinkers: influyentes pensadores o filsofos; science history: historia de la ciencia; developed: desarroll; theory: teora; living things: organismos vivos; develop: evolucionan; through natural selection: a travs de la seleccin natural; read widely: lea extensamente; sought ideas: busc ideas [seek / sought / sought / seeking]; fields of study: disciplinas; influenced by: influido por; An Essay on the Principle of Population: Ensayo sobre el Principio de la Poblacin; argued that: sostena que; limited by: limitadas por; the food supply: el suministro de alimentos; would later say: expresara ms adelante; caused him to realize: le hizo darse cuenta de; struggle: lucha, puja; a fact of life: una triste realidad; took place: ocurran; changes that helped them survive: los cambios que les ayudaran a sobrevivir; would continue: continuaran; would be destroyed: seran destrudos; the formation of a new species: la creacin de una nueva especie; British philosopher: filsofo britnico; survival of the fittest: supervivencia de los ms aptos (la ley del ms fuerte); biologists: los bilogos; evolutionary process: proceso evolutivo; slowly: pausadamente; over more then: durante ms de; concerned: preocupado; that he would lose: de perder; the support of the scientific community: el apoyo de la comunidad cientfica; if he revealed it: si revelaba su idea; botanist: botnico; like confessing a murder: como confesar un asesinato; it was not until 1858 that: recin en 1858; was forced to release: se vio obligado a divulgar; naturalist: naturalista; a paper: un artculo; that contained ideas similar to Darwin's: que contena ideas similares a las de Darwin; concerning evolution: con respecto a la evolucin; had reached these ideas: haba llegado a estas conclusiones; on islands: en islas; western: occidental; with help from: con la ayuda de; joint scientific paper: artculo cientfico compartido; Linnean Society of London: Sociedad Linneana de Londres (sociedad cientfica); at first there was little reaction: al principio hubo poca oposicin; released the results: public los resultados; On the Origin of Species: Del Origen de las Especies (mediante la seleccin natural o la conservacin de las razas favorecidas en la lucha por la vida); an immediate success: un xito rotundo; praised by: elogiado por; religious leaders: lderes religiosos; denounced it: lo condenaron, lo censuraron; for them: para ellos; evolution opposed: la evolucin se opona a; found in: encontrada en; the book of Genesis: el libro de Gnesis; almost all: casi todos los; are unsure about whether: dudan acerca de si; humans evolved: los seres humanos evolucionaron; public opinion studies: informes de opinin pblica; have shown: han demostrado; that less than half the population: que menos de la mitad de la poblacin; believes in evolution: cree en la evolucin; about why: sobre por qu; species evolve: las especies evolucionan; on heredity: sobre los factores hereditarios (transmisin de cualidades genticas); discovery of genetics: descubrimiento de la gentica; DNA molecules: molculas ADN (molculas que contienen la informacin gentica de forma codificada); took place: tuvo lugar; long after his death: mucho tiempo despus de su muerte; yet: sin embargo; theorized: teoriz; much different: muy distinto; from the one we know: del que conocemos; wonder at: se maravillan con; depth of his knowledge: profundidad de su conocimiento; strength: fuerza; arguments: argumentos, fundamentos; buried at: sepultado en [bury / buried / buried / burying]; Westminster Abbey: Abada de Westminster; among other heroes: junto a otros hroes. 32. - "ONE" EXPRESSIONS:
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Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and Their Stories". Today I will tell about expressions using numbers. Let us start with the number one. Numbers can be tricky. On the one hand, they are simply numbers. On the other hand, they have meanings. I for one use these expressions a lot. Many people consider themselves number one, the most important person. They are always looking out for number one and taking care of number one. It is as if they are the one and only person on Earth. Some people however, are not so self-centered. My brother is such a person. It is true no joke. I am not trying to pull a fast one on you. First, you have to understand that my brother is one in a million. He is such a nice person. All his friends like him. They consider him one of the boys. Recently, my brother had a bad day at the office. It was just one of those days. Nothing went right. So he stopped at a local bar -- a drinking place -- after leaving work. My brother planned to have a glass of beer with his friends -- a quick one before he went home. But a quick one turned into one or two, and soon those became one too many. As my brother was leaving, he ordered a last drink -- one for the road. His friends became concerned. One by one, they asked him if he was able to drive home safely. Now my brother is a wise and calm person. He is at one with himself. He recognizes when he has had too much alcohol to drink. So he accepted an offer for a ride home from a female friend. At one time in the past, my brother had been in love with this woman. She is a great person -kind, thoughtful and intelligent -- all good qualities rolled up into one. But sadly their relationship did not work. He always used to say "One of these days, I am going to marry this girl." But that never happened. For one thing, she did not love him as much as he loved her. It was just one of those things. The situation was regrettable and my brother had to accept it. But even now, he considers her the one that got away. However, they are still friends. And because my brother had been kind to her, she felt that one good turn deserves another. He was good to her and she wanted to help him in return. So she drove him home. If my brother had driven home from the bar that night, his number would have been up. Something bad would have happened. Thankfully he made it home safely. And, he and the woman are back to square one. They are back to where they started being friends. Vocabulary: tricky: tramposos; on the one hand: por un lado, por una parte; simply: simplemente; meanings: significados; I for one: en mi caso personal; number one: el nmero uno, el mejor, el lder; looking out for number one: cuidando de s mismos y de sus intereses primero; taking care of number one: preocupndose por ellos mismos; the one and only: la nica, incomparable e inimitable; self-centered: egocntricos; no joke: no es broma; to pull a fast one (on someone): engaar (a alguien); one in a million: una persona nica y extraordinaria; one of the boys: un hombre que ha sido socialmente aceptado en un grupo masculino; one of those days: un da negativo en el cual todo parece andar mal; a quick one: un trago alcohlico rpido antes de seguir; one or two: alguno que otro; one too many: ms
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de la cuenta, en exceso; one for the road: el ltimo trago alcohlico antes de irse a casa; concerned: preocupados; one by one: uno por uno, de uno en uno; if he was able to: si poda, si era capaz de; drive home: conducir a casa; safely: con seguridad, sin percances; wise: centrado; calm: tranquilo; at one with himself: totalmente de acuerdo consigo mismo; recognizes: sabe reconocer; an offer for a ride home: una invitacin para llevarlo a su casa; from a female friend: de parte de una amiga; at one time: en un tiempo, en una poca; kind: amable; thoughtful: juiciosa; rolled up into one: combinadas en una sola; sadly: lamentablemente; did not work: no funcion; one of these days: en cualquier momento, uno de estos das; for one thing: primeramente, como primera medida; one of those things: algo puede ser desafortunado pero debe aceptarse; regrettable: lamentable; but even now: pero an ahora; the one that got away: la oportunidad perdida; still: todava; one good turn deserves another: si alguien te ayuda es justo devolverle el favor cuando lo necesite; in return: a cambio, en recompensa; she drove him home: lo llev en auto a su casa; his number would have been up: le habra llegado la hora (de morirse); would have happened: habra ocurrido; thankfully: afortunadamente; he made it home: lleg a casa; are back to square one: (informal) empezando de cero; comenzando todo desde el principio. 33. COLOR EXPRESSIONS: Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and Their Stories". Every people has its own way of saying things, its own special expressions. Many everyday American expressions are based on colors. Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. They may say they are red hot about something unfair. When they are red hot they are very angry about something. The small hot tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hots for their color and their fiery taste. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz. Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the 20th century. It probably comes from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health. Blue is a cool color. The traditional blues music in the United States is the opposite of red hot music. Blues is slow, sad and soulful. Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded a famous song Mood Indigo about the deep blue color, indigo. In the words of the song: You aint been blue till youve had that Mood Indigo. Someone who is blue is very sad. The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling stomach may say she feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green. Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the back side of the paper money.
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The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day in which everything goes wrong as a black day. The date of a major tragedy is remembered as a black day. A blacklist is illegal now. But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations. In some cases, colors describe a situation. A brownout is an expression for a reduction in electric power. Brownouts happen when there is too much demand for electricity. The electric system is unable to offer all the power needed in an area. Blackouts were common during World War Two. Officials would order all lights in a city turned off to make it difficult for enemy planes to find a target in the dark of night. Im Warren Scheer. Listen again next week for another "Words and Their Stories" program in Special English on the Voice of America. Vocabulary: Its own way of saying: su propia forma de expresar; are based on: se basan en; hot color: color clido; heat: calor; to be red hot: HUMOR: enojados, furiosos; ALIMENTOS: al rojo vivo, muy picantes; MUSICA: intensa, en pleno apogeo; unfair: injusto; fiery taste: sabor picante; the kind called: el tipo (de msica) denominado; lighter: ms claro; to be in the pink: estar, sentirse fuerte como un len; 20th century: siglo XX; that they are in good health: que gozan de buena salud; cool color: color fro; blues music: msica blue (nostalgia, tristezas); soulful: sentimental; recorded: grabaron; indigo: ail, ndigo, azul profundo; you ain't been: no has estado; till: hasta que; to be blue: estar triste, melanclico; unnatural: anormal; sick feeling: sensacin de descompostura (en el); to feel green: sentirse con nuseas; to look very green: verse muy mareado; upset: molesto, contrariado; to be green with envy: estar verde de envidia; greenbacks: billetes (dlares); back side: reverso; goes wrong: anda mal; a blackday: un da negro (desafortunado); a major tragedy: una tragedia de gravedad; blacklist: lista negra (discriminatoria); illegal: ilegal; refused to employ: se rehusaban a dar empleo a; unpopular; mal miradas, mal vistas; brownout: restriccin del alumbrado por economa; demand: demanda; unable to offer: no puede brindar; blackout: apagn, corte de luz; turned off: se apagaran; to make it difficult for: para dificultar a los; to find a target: encontrar el blanco u objetivo. Exercise: Y ahora a demostrar la habilidad en este ejercicio seleccionando las expresiones ms adecuadas. A little green / Black day / Black list / Blackout / Blue / Brownout / Green with envy / In the pink / Red Hot. 1. A ____________________ is a list of undesirable persons. 2. Mabel was __________________ when she saw Lucia`s new car. 3. Another ______________________? Now I can barely see anything. 4. My grandmother is ____________________ and is doing very well. 5. There was a _______________________ to avoid an enemy attack from the air. 6. He is feeling _____________________ because his girlfriend is very sick. 7. What's wrong? Oh, I feel _____________________ about my stomach. 8. A ____________________ usually refers to a sad or tragic time. 9. Many people are really ____________________ about lack of employment.
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ANSWERS: 1. - A blacklist is a list of undesirable persons. 2. - Mabel was green with envy when she saw Lucia`s new car. 3. - Another brownout? Now I can barely see anything. 4. - My grandmother is in the pink and is doing very well. 5. - There was a blackout to avoid an enemy attack from the air. 6. - He is feeling blue because his girlfriend is very sick. 7. - What's wrong? Oh, I feel a little green about my stomach. 8. - A black day usually refers to a sad or tragic time. 9. - Many people are really red hot about lack of employment. 34. - BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: This is Steve Ember. And this is Shirley Griffith with the VOA Special English program, "Explorations". Today we present about the history of the English Language. The English language was strongly influenced by an event that took place one thousand four hundred years ago. In the year 597, the Roman Catholic Church began its attempt to make Christianity the religion of Britain. The language of the Catholic Church was Latin. Latin was not spoken as a language in any country at that time. But it was still used by some people. Latin made it possible for a church member from Rome to speak to a church member from Britain. Educated people from different countries could communicate using Latin. Latin had a great effect on the English language. Here are a few examples. The Latin word discus became several words in English including disk, dish, and desk. The Latin word quietus became the English word quiet. Some English names of plants such as ginger and trees such as cedar come from Latin. So do some medical words such as cancer. English is a little like a living thing that continues to grow. English began to grow more quickly when William Caxton returned to Britain in the year 1476. He had been in Holland and other areas of Europe where he had learned printing. He returned to Britain with the first printing press. The printing press made it possible for almost anyone to buy a book. It helped spread education and the English language. Slowly, during the 1500s, English became the modern language we would recognize. English speakers today would be able to communicate with English speakers in the last part of the sixteenth century. It was during this time period that the greatest writer in English produced his work. His name was William Shakespeare. His plays continue to be printed, acted in theaters, and seen in motion pictures almost four hundred years after his death. The development of the English language took a giant step just nine years before the death of William Shakespeare. Three small British ships crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1607. They landed in an area that would later become the southern American state of Virginia. They began the first of several British colonies. The name of the first small colony was Jamestown. In time, people in these new colonies began to call areas of their new land by words borrowed from the native people they found living there. For example, many of the great rivers in the
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United States are taken from American Indian words. The Mississippi, the Tennessee, the Missouri are examples. Other Native American words included moccasin, the kind of shoe made of animal skin that Indians wore on their feet. This borrowing or adding of foreign words to English was a way of expanding the language. The names of three days of the week are good examples of this. The people from Northern Europe honored three gods with a special day each week. The gods were Odin, Thor and Freya. Odins-day became Wednesday in English, Thors-day became Thursday and Freyasday became Friday. Experts cannot explain many English words. For hundreds of years, a dog was called a hound. The word is still used but not as commonly as the word dog. Experts do not know where the word dog came from or when. English speakers just started using it. Other words whose origins are unknown include fun, bad, and big. English speakers also continue to invent new words by linking old words together. A good example is the words motor and hotel. Many years ago someone linked them together into the word motel. A motel is a small hotel near a road where people travelling in cars can stay for the night. Other words come from the first letters of names of groups or devices. A device to find objects that cannot be seen called Radio Detecting and Ranging became Radar. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is usually called NATO. Experts say that English has more words that explain the same thing that any other language. For example, the words large, huge, vast, massive, and enormous all mean something really big. People often ask how many words there are in the English language. Well, no one really knows. The Oxford English Dictionary lists about 615,000 words. Yet the many scientific words not in the dictionary could increase the number to almost one million. And experts are never really sure how to count English words. For example, the word mouse. A mouse is a small creature from the rodent family. But mouse has another very different meaning. A mouse is also a hand-held device used to help control a computer. If you are counting words do you count mouse two times? English is becoming the common language of millions of people worldwide, helping speakers of many different languages communicate. This Special English program was written and produced by Paul Thompson. This is Steve Ember. And this is Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for another "Explorations" program. Vocabulary: Strongly: fuertemente; event: hecho, acontecimiento; took place: ocurri, tuvo lugar; attempt: intento; spoken: hablado; as a language: como idioma; at that time: en esa poca; still used: usado todava; made it possible: facilit; church
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member: feligrs; could: podan; had a great effect on: influy mucho en; a few: algunos; became: se transform en; several: varios; ginger: jengibre; cedar: cedro; so do: lo mismo ocurre con; a little like: algo as como; continues to grow: continua creciendo; printing: imprenta; printing press: prensa, mquina para imprimir; it helped spread: ayud, contribuy a difundir; slowly: de a poco, lentamente; we would recognize: que habramos de reconocer; would be able to: podran; in the last part of: en los finales de; the greatest: el ms grande; continue to be printed: se siguen imprimiendo; acted: (se siguen) actuando; seen: (se siguen) viendo; motion pictures: pelculas del cine; almost: casi; after his death: despus de su muerte; took a giant step: dio una salto gigantesco; landed: desembarcaron; that would later become: que seria ms adelante; in time: con el transcurrir del tiempo; began to call areas: comenzaron a denominar a las zonas; borrowed from: tomadas de; they found living there: encontraban viviendo all; moccasin: mocasn, abarca, almadrea, zapato indio;t he kind of: el tipo de; animal skin: cuero; wore on their feet: usaban en sus pies; borrowing: prstamo, que se toma en prstamo; adding: adicin, agregado; a way of: una forma de; honored: rendan tributo a; gods: dioses; hundreds of years: cientos de aos; hound: perro de caza, sabueso; fun: diversin; by linking: uniendo; motel = motor + hotel: parador, hotel de carretera; can stay: puedan alojarse; for the night: durante la noche; devices: aparatos, dispositivos; radar: radar (acrnimo ingls proveniente de Radio Detection and Ranging >> deteccin y medicin de distancias por radio); that explain: que explican; any other: ningn otro; large: grande; huge: enorme;vast: extenso; massive: inmenso; enormous: enorme; no one really knows: nadie lo sabe con certeza; yet: a pesar de ello; could increase to almost: podran aumentar a casi; really sure: totalmente seguros; to count: contar; rodent family: familia de los roedores; hand-held device: dispositivo manual; to help control: ayudar a manejar; two times: (twice) dos veces; is becoming: se est convirtiendo; common: habitual; worldwide: mundialmente. 35. ONLINE TEXTBOOKS: This is the VOA Special English Education Report. Electronic books have changed the way many people read for pleasure. Now online textbooks are changing the way some students learn and some teachers teach. More than 175,000 students attend the public schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside Washington. Last year, the school system used digital books in fifteen schools. This school year, middle schools and high schools changed from printed to electronic textbooks in their social studies classes. Luke Rosa is a history teacher at Falls Church High School. His students work on school laptop computers. He explains the idea to them this way. LUKE ROSA: "I mean, it's just like a regular textbook, except it's got it all online." Peter Noonan, an assistant superintendent of schools, says with electronic textbooks, publishers can quickly update the content with the latest information. PETER NOONAN: "The world's changing consistently. And the online textbooks can change right along with the events that are happening."
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Digital books also cost less than printed textbooks, he says. PETER NOONAN: "Usually it's in the neighborhood of between fifty and seventy dollars to buy a textbook for each student, which adds up to roughly eight million dollars for all of our students in Fairfax County. We actually have purchased all of the online textbooks for our students for just under six million dollars." So what do students think? MELANIE REUTER: "I don't have to carry a textbook around, so that's nice." MARIA STEPHANY: "I don't like it because the Internet sometimes, it's like, doesn't work." BRIAN TRAN: "You can highlight your work. You can leave notes on your work and it'll all be saved onto your account. It's a lot better than a regular textbook." Social studies teacher Michael Bambara says the e-book he uses in his government class is better than a printed textbook. He likes the way it has materials for students with different levels of reading skills. MICHAEL BAMBARA: "Particularly this book, that I use in government has differentiated reading levels, so a person can individualize their learning and I can individualize their instruction." But the students also need access to the Internet when they are not at school. About ten percent of students in Fairfax County do not have a computer or online access at home. Stephen Castillo is one of them. STEPHEN CASTILLO: "Pretty much I go to, like, the library, I guess, or go to a friend's house." Public libraries in the county have free Internet. There are also after-school computer labs as well as computer clubhouses supported by the county. Middle school student Slieman Hakim is happy about that. He says his family has to share a single computer at home. SLIEMAN HAKIM: "All of my family works on a computer, my sister and me both do our homework on it. So I come here to do my homework. It's good." Other school systems in the area are also considering online textbooks. In Prince George's County, Maryland, a survey showed that sixty percent of students have computer access at home. Curriculum Director Gladys Whitehead says an e-book test project is being planned. GLADYS WHITEHEAD: "Next year we'll just have a Pilot with probably one classroom and one subject area, so that we can see, you know, what issues will come up with complete online access." And that's the VOA Special English Education Report. I'm Christopher Cruise.
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Vocabulary: The way: la forma en que; for pleasure: por placer; attend: asisten a; county: condado; used: emple, utiliz; school year: ao lectivo; middle school: escuela secundaria (que incluye de quinto a octavo grado); high school: preparatoria (Mxico); colegio de bachillerato (Colombia); enseanza media (Espaa y Chile); escuela superior (Puerto Rico); printed: impresos; social studies classes: cursos de ciencias sociales; work on: trabajan en (preposicin ON para computadoras e Internet); school laptop computers: computadores porttiles escolares; this way: de esta forma; it's just like: es lo mismo que; regular: estndar; it's got it all: lo tiene todo; superintendent: director general; publishers: los editores; quickly update: actualizar velozmente; content: contenido; the latest: la ms reciente; consistently: regularmente; right along: a la par; events: hechos; less than: menos que; printed textbooks: libros de texto impresos; it's in the neighborhood of between: cuesta aproximadamente entre; for each: para cada; which adds up: lo que hace un total de; roughly: aproximadamente, ms o menos; actually: prcticamente, en realidad; purchased: adquirido, comprado; for just under: por algo menos de; so: entonces; carry around: llevar consigo; it's like doesn't work: es como que no funciona; highlight: resaltar (con color); saved: guardado (electrnicamente); onto: sobre, en; a lot better: mucho mejor; the way it has: la forma en que provee; reading skills: comprensin lectora; differentiated: bien diferenciados; reading levels: niveles de lectura; individualize: personalizar; instruction: enseanza, instruccin; also need access: necesitan tambin (contar con) acceso; ten percent: 10%; online access: acceso a Internet; pretty much: bastante (seguido); library: biblioteca; I guess: me parece; after-school: extraescolares; computer labs: salas de informtica; as well as: as como tambin; clubhouses: sedes de clubes; supported by: mantenidos por; has to share: tiene que compartir; a single computer: una nica computadora; all of my family: toda mi familia; both: ambos, los dos; considering: analizando (utilizar); survey: encuesta; showed: arroj, demostr; project: proyecto; is being planned: se est planificando; PILOT = Programmed Inquiry Learning Or Teaching: Encuesta Programada de Aprendizaje o Enseanza; subject area: campo temtico; so that: de forma tal que; issues: problemas; will come up: surgirn. 36. - FRENCH WORDS IN ENGLISH: Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and Their Stories". A listener from Venezuela sent us a question about the meaning of the expression mayday. He wrote that he often hears this expression in movies. Mayday is an emergency code word. It is used around the world in voice communications. You might see a war movie in which an airplane has been hit by rocket fire. The pilot gets on his radio and calls mayday, mayday, mayday to tell that his plane is in danger of crashing to the ground. Mayday has nothing to do with the month of May. It comes from the French expressions venez maider or maidez which mean help me. Frederick Stanley Mockford created the mayday call signal in the 1920s. Mockford was a radio officer at Croydon Airport in London. He was asked to think of a word that could be used in an emergency. The word had to be easily understood by all pilots and airport workers.
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Much of the air traffic at that time was between Croydon Airport and Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France. So he proposed the word mayday. Today, many groups use the word to mean a life-threatening emergency. The call is always given three times to prevent mistaking it for some similar sounding words. Many other French words are commonly used in English. One of these words is even in the Special English Word Book. It is sabotage. It means to damage or destroy as an act of subversion against an organization or nation. You may have heard the term laissez-faire to describe a kind of economic or political policy. It means to leave alone and not interfere. It was first used in France in the 18th century. In the business world, entrepreneur is another French word. It means a person who starts and operates a new business and has responsibility for any risks involved. Many French words are used in the arts. For example, a film noir is a movie about murder and other crimes. These films were popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Anything in art, music or literature which is very modern or ahead of its time is called avant-garde. If you are looking for a job, you must prepare your resum. This document lists all of your education, skills and experience. Something that is one of a kind and like no other thing is called unique. The French are famous for their food. All cooks need to know how to saut. This is frying something quickly in a small amount of oil or butter. When you are eating at a restaurant, the server may tell you bon apptit, which means good appetite, or enjoy your meal. And if you go away, someone may wish you bon voyage or have a good trip. This program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Faith Lapidus. Vocabulary: Sent us: nos envi; mayday: llamada de socorro; hears: oye; emergency code word: cdigo de emergencia; you might see: podra ocurrir que t veas; rocket fire: proyectil; crashing to the ground: estrellarse, caer a tierra; has nothing to do with: no tiene nada que ver con; venez m'aider: vengan a socorrerme (come help me); m'aidez: socorro, aydenme (help me); call signal: seal de llamado; he was asked to: le pidieron que; at that time: en esa poca; proposed: propuso, sugiri; to mean: para expresar; life-threatening emergency: emergencia que entraa riesgo de muerte; to prevent mistaking it: para evitar confundirla; similar sounding words: palabras de sonido parecido; sabotage: sabotaje (deliberate act of destruction); to damage: daar; to destroy: destruir; act of subversion: hecho subversivo; laissez-faire: dejar hacer, libre cambio (poltica no intervencionista); not interfere: no interferir; entrepreneur: emprendedor (que inicia un proyecto propio); for any risks involved: por todos los riesgos implicados (en su proyecto); film noir: cine negro (visin cnica de la vida a travs de actos de delincuencia); ahead of its time: adelantado a su tiempo; avant-garde: de vanguardia; looking for: buscando; resum: CV, curriculum vitae; lists: enumera; skills: habilidades; one of a kind: nico en su gnero; unique: irreemplazable, nico; saut: rehogar, sofreir, saltear; frying: frer, fritar; server: camarero; bon apptit: buen provecho; if you go away: si te vas de viaje; bon voyage: buen viaje.
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37. - HOMENAJE A DONNA SUMMER SONG I remember that first night we met Dancing to the sounds of clarinets Dancing cheek to cheek Oh, how sweet you and me And the thirties beat Oh I remember our first night I remember how we carried on Arm in arm Until the light of dawn From the very start Stole my heart Knew right then That we'd never part Oh I remember that first night I saw your lovelight Through the candle's glow Champagne was flowing And so I let myself go And when the night was over We both looked around the room Remember darling Chairs on the table And only me and you I remember how we carried on On and on Until the light of dawn And from the very start Stole my heart Knew right then That we'd never part I remember that first night Recuerdo esa primera noche cuando nos conocimos Bailando al comps de los clarinetes Bailando mejilla a mejilla Ah, qu dulce t y yo Y el sonido de los aos treinta Ah recuerdo nuestra primera noche Recuerdo cmo nos llevbamos Tomados del brazo Hasta la luz del amanecer Desde el primer momento Me robaste el corazn Supe exactamente entonces Que jams nos separaramos Ah recuerdo esa primera noche Observ tu halo amoroso A travs del resplandor de la vela Corra la champaa Y me dej liberar Y cuando termin la noche Nos quedamos mirando la sala Recuerda amor Sillas sobre la mesa Y slo t y yo Recuerdo cmo nos seguamos Siempre adelante Hasta la luz del amanecer Y desde el primer momento Me robaste el corazn Supe exactamente entonces Que jams nos separaramos Recuerdo esa primera noche

38. - WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT VITAMINS? This is "Science in the News" in VOA Special English. Im Bob Doughty. And Im Faith Lapidus. This week, we tell about vitamins. The word vitamin dates back to Polish scientist Casimir Funk in 1912. He was studying a substance in the hull that covers rice. This substance was believed to cure a disorder called beriberi. Funk believed the substance belonged to a group of chemicals known as amines. He
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added the Latin word "vita," meaning life. So he called the substance a vitamine an amine necessary for life. Which foods should be eaten to keep us healthy? Let us look at some important vitamins for these answers. Vitamin A helps prevent skin and other tissues from becoming dry. It is also needed to make a light-sensitive substance in the eyes. People who do not get enough vitamin A cannot see well in darkness. They may develop a condition that dries the eyes. This can result in infections and lead to blindness. Vitamin A is found in fish liver oil. It also is in the yellow part of eggs. Sweet potatoes, carrots and other darkly colored fruits and vegetables contain substances that the body can change into vitamin A. Vitamin B-one is also called thiamine. Thiamine changes starchy foods into energy. It also helps the heart and nervous system work smoothly. Without it, we would be weak and would not grow. We also might develop beriberi. Thiamine is found not just in whole grains like brown rice, but also in other foods. These include beans and peas, nuts, and meat and fish. Another B-vitamin is niacin. It helps cells use food energy. It also prevents pellagra a disease that causes weakness, reddish skin and stomach problems. Niacin is found in meat, fish and green vegetables. Vitamin B-12 is needed so folic acid can do its work. Together, they help produce red blood cells. Vitamin B-12 is found naturally in foods like eggs, meat, fish and milk products. Folic acid has been shown to prevent physical problems in babies when taken by their mothers during pregnancy. Vitamin B-12 is found in green leafy vegetables and other foods, like legumes and citrus fruits. In some countries, it is added to products like bread. Vitamin C is needed for strong bones and teeth, and for healthy blood passages. It also helps wounds heal quickly. The body stores little vitamin C. So we must get it every day in foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes and uncooked cabbage. Vitamin D increases levels of the element calcium in the blood. Calcium is needed for nerve and muscle cells to work normally. It also is needed to build strong bones. Vitamin D prevents the childrens bone disease rickets. Ultraviolet light from the sun changes a substance in the skin into vitamin D. Fish liver oil also contains vitamin D. In some countries, milk producers add vitamin D to milk so children will get enough. Vitamin K is needed for healthy blood. It thickens the blood around a cut to stop bleeding. Bacteria in the intestines normally produce vitamin K. It can also be found in pork products, liver and in vegetables like cabbage, kale and spinach. Some people fear they do not get enough vitamins from the foods they eat. So they take products with large amounts of vitamins. They think these products, called vitamin supplements, will improve their health and protect against disease. Many adults now take vitamin supplements every day.
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Several studies have not been able to show that taking vitamin supplements in addition to a balanced diet helps to prevent disease. One study found that older Americans do not get enough Vitamin C and required minerals. The study involved more than 6,000 individuals. More than half of them took vitamin supplements. Vitamins are important to our health. A lack of required vitamins can lead to health problems. Different vitamins are found in different foods grains, vegetables and fruits, fish and meat, eggs and milk products. And even foods that contain the same vitamins may have them in different amounts. Experts say this is why it is important to eat a mixture of foods every day, to get enough of the vitamins our bodies need. This "Science in the News" program was written by Brianna Blake. Im Faith Lapidus. And Im Bob Doughty. Vocabulary: Dates back to: se remonta al; Polish: polaco; hull: cscara; rice: arroz; was believed to cure: se pensaba que curaba; disorder: enfermedad; beriberi: enfermedad producida por una deficiencia en vitamina B1; belonged to: perteneca a; chemicals: compuestos qumicos; amines: aminos; vita: vida (en latn); should be eaten: deberan ingerirse; to keep us: para mantenernos; healthy: sanos; helps prevent: ayuda a prevenir; tissues: tejidos (conjunto de clulas); dry: seco, deshidratado; light-sensitive: sensible a la luz; in darkness: en la oscuridad; develop: contraer; condition: problema de salud; that dries: que seca; lead to: llevar a, conducir a; blindness: ceguera; is found: se encuentra; fish liver oil: aceite de hgado de pescado; yellow part: yema; sweet potatoes: batata, camote, papa dulce; darkly colored: de color oscuro; contain: contienen; thiamine: tiamina; changes starchy foods: convierte a los alimentos altos en caloras; into energy: en energa; smoothly: sin dificultades; without it: sin ella; weak: dbiles; would not grow: no desarrollaramos; whole grains: granos enteros; brown rice: arroz integral; beans: porotos; peas: arvejas; nuts: nueces; niacin: niacina; cells: las clulas; prevents pellagra: previene la pelagra (enfermedad causada por una dieta deficiente); weakness: debilidad; reddish skin: piel enrojecida; stomach problems: malestares estomacales; folic acid: cido flico (necesario para el crecimiento celular y la reproduccin); help produce: ayudan a generar; blood cells: glbulos sanguneos; milk products: productos lcteos; during pregnancy: durante el embarazo; leafy: cubiertos de hojas; legumes: legumbres; citrus fruits: frutas ctricas; added: adicionado; strong bones: huesos slidos; teeth: dientes; blood passages: conductos sanguneos; wounds: (las) heridas; to heal: cicatrizar; stores little: almacena poca cantidad de; uncooked cabbage: repollo crudo; increases: aumenta; calcium: calcio; nerve and muscle cells: clulas nerviosas y musculares; rickets: raquitismo; milk producers: los productores de leche; thickens: espesa; cut: cortadura, incisin; to stop bleeding: para dejar de sangrar; pork products: productos porcinos; liver: hgado; cabbage: repollo (col, berza); kale: col rizada, coliflor; spinach: espinaca; fear: temen; large amounts: gran cantidad; vitamin supplements: suplementos vitamnicos; will improve: mejorarn; against disease: contra las enfermedades; have not been able to: no han podido; in addition to: adems de; balanced diet: dieta equilibrada; to prevent disease: a prevenir enfermedades; found: detect; required minerals: los minerales necesarios; involved: involucr; individuals: personas; more than half: ms del 50%; took: ingeran, tomaban; important to: importantes para; a lack of: una falta (ausencia) de; can lead to: puede conducir a; are found: se encuentran; and even: y hasta (los); amounts: cantidades; mixture: mezcla, combinacin; to get enough: para obtener lo suficiente; our bodies need: que nuestros cuerpos necesitan.
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39. WOMEN AND WORK: (Equality in employment) CHAIRMAN: Good morning. For the next fifteen minutes we shall be bringing you our regular Monday morning phone-in programme. This week our topic is "Women and Work". To discuss this topic with me, we have Mrs Winifred Gammon, who is a retired teacher, having spent many years teaching in a girls' school in North London. Then we have Mrs Rosemary Francis. She began work as a bank clerk, but she tells me that what began as 'just a job' soon turned into a career. She is now a top executive for a leading bank, and specializes in loans to industry. Finally, we have Peter Brown, who is a personnel director for an engineering firm in the Midlands, and has recently appointed two young women to managerial positions in the company. Now, for our first caller. Hello, caller, will you tell us your name, please? JOAN BENNET: Yes, good morning Mr Simpson, my name is Joan Bennet, and my question is this: Why is it that so few women get jobs as managers? CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much for that question. Let me repeat it. Why is it that so few women get jobs as managers? Mr Brown. MR BROWN: I'm bound to say that the most important reason in my opinin is because many people still think that a woman's most important job is to have children. In the old days, many children died soon after being born, and very few people lived to an old age. Before we had machines, nearly all jobs were done by human beings, and it was necessary for families to have as many children as possible. Many people saw children as the best, in fact, the only insurance for old age. Of course, these conditions have changed, but human nature changes very slowly. CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much. Mrs Gammon, what would you like to say about this subject? MRS GAMMON: What was the caller's name, again? CHAIRMAN: Joan Bennet. MRS GAMMON: I think that one of the reasons why women don't get many top jobs, Mrs Bennet, is because men believe that women are too emotional. Even today, when women have more freedom and equality than ever before, there are many men who have strong prejudices against them. Women are supposed to be emotional, timid, given to panic. They are supposed to gossip a great deal, and they are thought to be 'catty', about other people. Above all, one of the reasons, I think, why women don't get many top jobs is because people think that they are unable to keep a secret, and that they have no sense of humour. CHAIRMAN: Do you agree with these views, Mrs Gammon? MRS GAMMON: No, I certainly do not. It is quite wrong to attach these characteristics only to women. As I know from my own experience, men gossip just as much as women do.
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CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much for those views. I hope that you found them interesting, Mrs Bennet. JOAN BENNET: Yes, thank you very much. CHAIRMAN: We have another question now. Who is our caller? GILLIAN: My name is Gillian Morrison, and I should like to hear something about sex discrimination legislation. Can you tell me what this means in practice, please? CHAIRMAN: Yes, thank you for that question. It's about sex discrimination legislation. Rosemary Francis? MRS FRANCIS: Yes, one aspect of the Employment Protection Act concerns maternity. An employer cannot give a woman the sack for becoming pregnant. If she has a job which would be dangerous for a pregnant woman, such as being a radiologist, then her employer must offer her an alternative job, until the baby is born. Women also have the right to get their job back, up to twenty-nine weeks after the baby is born. They may not get exactly the same job, but they do have a right to get back to the same employer. CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Have you anything to add, Mr Brown? MR BROWN: It's Miss Morrison, isn't it? GILLIAN: Well, Mrs Morrison, actually. MR BROWN: I'm sorry, Mrs Morrison. I would smply like to add that the Equal Pay Act also says that women must have the same pay as men, and that women's work must be given the same value as a man's job. It also says that women must have the same holidays as men, and must have the same conditions of work, such as shift work, bonuses and luncheon vouchers. CHAIRMAN: I think we have time for one more short question. Who is our caller now? MR DAVIDSON: Good morning, Chairman, my name is Davdson, and I live in Tunbridge Wells. I just want to say that I am very saddened to hear all the comments by the members of your pannel. My question is this: Isn't it true that the number of divorces in this country is going up every year? Don't the members of the panel know that there is already a very large number of broken homes, and of children living with only one parent? Aren't the members of the panel aware that juvenile crime is becoming a very serious problem in this country? Now the reason for all this is that far too many women are going out to work. There are more married women at work in this country than in any other country in Europe, and this is a development which ought to be stopped. I would like to ask the panel why they don't come out with the truth and say that more girls should be prepared to stay at home when they get married and look after their children. This would have the added advantage of reducing unemployment, since many women are taking away the jobs that men ought to be doing.
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CHAIRMAN: Well, that is a difficult question for us to answer, Mr Davidson, in the remaining few minutes of this programme, but I will ask our panel members to reply. Mrs Francis? MRS FRANCIS: I think Mr Davidson is talking nonsense, and moreover I think he knows that he is talking nonsense. In this society we are trying to ensure that women are equal to men in every respect. This means that they should be free to seek employment, and it means in particular that they should be able to have the jobs which up to now have been done only by men. Why is it that there are so few women bank managers? Why is it that there are hardly any women members of Parliament? Why is it that there are so few women head teachers in our comprehensive schools? Does Mr Davidson think that it is because women are incapable of doing these jobs? Women in our society must be free to make their own decisions. Some may wish to stay at home to bring up their children. Of course, one possibility is that men, or some men at any rate, may wish to stay at home and look after the children, while their wives go out to work. Other women may wish to work at the same time as bringing up a young family, and then there is the possibility that some women may want to devote themselves to a job, and not have a family at all. But the most important thing is that they should be free to make their own choice. No, Mr Davidson, you will have to think again. I'm afraid that you will have to learn to be more up-to-date. CHAIRMAN: Thank you Rosemary. Is there anything that you would like to say, Mr Brown? This will have to be a short answer, Im afraid. MR BROWN: Well, Rosemary hasn't answered the first part of the caller's question, you know. It seems to me that there is a case to be answered. None of us can be happy about the large number of divorces, and none of us can be content to see the large number of broken homes, or the very high figure for children living with one parent. However, I agree with Rosemary, we cannot try to solve this problem by discriminating against women in employment. CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much. There we have to bring our programme to an end. Thank you very much for calling. Until next week at the same time. Vocabulary: Phone-in programme: programa con participacin del pblico mediante llamada telefnica; loans: prstamos; appointed: nominado, nombrado; managerial positions: puestos gerenciales; I'm bound to say: debo decir; after being born: luego de haber nacido; nearly all: casi todos los; human beings: seres humanos; insurance: seguro, garanta; subject: tema, tpico; top jobs: altos cargos; emotional: sensibles, sentimentales; given to panic: proclives a entrar en pnico; to gossip a great deal: chismear demasiado; catty: maliciosas; above all: sobre todo, principalmente; unable to keep a secret: incapaces de guardar un secreto; to attach: atribuir; gossip just as much as: chismean exactamente lo mismo que; concerns: concierne a, atae a; give a woman the sack: despedir a una mujer; for becoming pregnant: por encontrarse embarazada; which would be: que pudiera resultar; radiologist: radilogo/a; to get their job back: de recuperar su puesto de trabajo; do have a right: realmente tienen derecho; the same pay as: el mismo pago que; such as shift work: trabajar por turnos; bonuses: gratificaciones; luncheon vouchers: cupones alimenticios; saddened: apenado, afligido; going up: aumentando; broken homes: hogares destrozados; aware: enterados,
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informados; juvenile crime: delincuencia juvenil; far too many: demasiadas; ought to be stopped: tendra que frenarse; come out with: confiesan; look after: cuidar de; added advantage: ventaja adicional; unemployment: desempleo; taking away: arrebatando; for us to answer: para que la respondamos; remaining: restantes; talking nonsense: diciendo tonteras; moreover: por otra parte; to ensure: de asegurar; in every respect: en todo sentido; to seek: para buscar; should be able to: deberan poder; hardly: apenas; head teachers: directoras de escuela; to bring up: para educar; at any rate: de todos modos; to devote themselves: dedicarse; up-to-date: actualizado; none of us: ninguno de nosotros; content to see: complacidos de ver; discriminating against: discriminando en contra de; to bring something to an end: poner punto final a algo. 40. - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AND HAPPINESS This is the VOA Special English Health Report. Are people less happy or more happy the older they get? If you answered more happy, then you were right, based on a study published two years ago. It found that people generally become happier and experience less worry after age fifty. In fact, it found that by the age of eighty-five, people are happier with their life than they were at eighteen. The findings came from a Gallup survey of more than three hundred forty thousand adults in the United States in 2008. At that time, the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five. Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. Stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties. Happiness was highest among the youngest adults and those in their early seventies. But the people least likely to report feeling negative emotions were those in their seventies and eighties. The survey also found that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older. However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men did. The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being related to age. So why would happiness increase with age? One theory is that, as people get older, they become more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions. They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences. The findings appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Happiness is not the only thing that apparently improves with age. In a study published this year, people in their 80s reported the fewest problems with the quality of their sleep. Researchers surveyed more than one hundred fifty thousand American adults. The study, led by Michael Grandner at the University of Pennsylvania, appeared in the journal 'Sleep'.
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The original goal was to confirm the popular belief that aging is connected with increased sleep problems. The survey did find an increase during middle age, especially in women. But except for that, people reported that they felt their sleep quality improved as they got older. Vocabulary: The older they get: cuanto ms envejece; you were right: acertaste; based on: basado en; it found: (el estudio) descubri; less worry: menos preocupacin; after age fifty: despus de los 50 aos; in fact: en realidad; by the age of: hacia la edad de; than they were: que lo que estaban; at eighteen: a los 18 aos; findings: conclusiones; a Gallup survey: un sondeo de la opinin pblica; three hundred forty thousand: 340.000; at that time: en ese momento; the people were between: las personas (involucradas en la encuesta) se encontraban entre; Psychiatry: Psiquiatra; Behavioral Science: Etologa (ciencia del comportamiento); led: condujo (to lead/led/led/leading); team: equipo de trabajo; levels of stress: los niveles de estrs; highest: los ms altos; among: entre (ms de 2); dropped sharply: caan abruptamente; reached their fifties: llegaba a los 50 aos; the youngest: los ms jvenes; in their early seventies: entre 70 y 75 aos; least likely to report: menos proclive a comentar; negative emotions: sentimientos negativos; those in their seventies and eighties: los que tenan de 70 a 89 aos; emotional pattterns: patrones (estndares) emocionales; as they grow older: a medida que envejecan; however: sin embargo; at all ages: de todas las edades; reported: informaron; sadness: melancola, tristeza; worry: preocupacin; researchers: investigadores; also considered: tambin tuvieron en cuenta; possible influences: probables factores; being unemployed: hallarse sin trabajo; being single: encontrarse soltero o solo; like these: como stas; did not affect: no influan en; well-being: bienestar; related to age: relacionados con la edad; why would happiness increase with age?: por qu aumenta la felicidad con la edad?; theory: teora; thankful: agradecidos; for what they have: por lo que tienen; less time: menos tiempo; appeared: fueron publicadas; proceedings: actas: apparently improves: mejora aparentemente; the fewest problems: la menor cantidad de problemas; quality of their sleep: calidad de su sueo (dorman bien); surveyed: encuestaron; one hundred fifty thousand: 150.000; appeared: fue publicado; journal: publicacin para profesionales; original goal: objetivo inicial; popular belief: creencia popular; aging: el envejecimiento; connected with: relacionado con; sleep problems: trastornos del sueo; did find: realmente detect; an increase: un incremento; middle age: la mediana edad; improved as they got older: mejoraba a medida que envejecan. And that's the VOA Special English Health Report. I'm Jim Tedder. 41. - THE EXACT SCIENCE OF MATRIMONY Now, the VOA Special English program AMERICAN STORIES. Our story today is called The Exact Science of Matrimony. It was written by O. Henry. Here is Barbara Klein with the story. Jeff Peters and Andy Tucker could never be trusted. One day, the two men decided to open a marriage business to make some quick and easy money. The first thing they did was to write an advertisement to be published in newspapers. Their advertisement read like this: A charming widow, beautiful and home-loving, would like to remarry. She is only thirty-two years old. She has three thousand dollars in cash and owns valuable property in the country. She would like a poor man with a loving heart. No objection to an older man or to one who is
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not good-looking. But he needs to be faithful and true, can take care of property and invest money with good judgment. Give address, with details about yourself. Signed: Lonely, care of Peters and Tucker, agents, Cairo, Illinois. When they finished writing the ad, Jeff Peters said to Andy Tucker: So far, so good. And now, where is the lady? Andy gave Jeff an unhappy look. What does a marriage advertisement have to do with a lady? he asked. Now listen, Jeff answered. You know my rule, Andy. In all illegal activities, we must obey the law, in every detail. Something offered for sale must exist. It must be seen. You must be able to produce it. That is how I have kept out of trouble with the police. Now, for this business to work, we must be able to produce a charming widow, with or without the beauty, as advertised.
Well, said Andy, after thinking it over, it might be better, if the United States Post Office should decide to investigate our marriage agency. But where can you hope to find a widow who would waste her time on a marriage proposal that has no marriage in it? Jeff said that he knew just such a woman. An old friend of mine, Zeke Trotter, he said, used to work in a tent show. He made his wife a widow by drinking too much of the wrong kind of alcohol. I used to stop at their house often. I think we can get her to work with us. Missus Zeke Trotter lived in a small town not far away. Jeff Peters went out to see her. She was not beautiful and not so young. But she seemed all right to Jeff. Is this an honest deal you are putting on, Mister Peters? she asked when he told her what he wanted. Missus Trotter, said Jeff, three thousand men will seek to marry you to get your money and propert. What are they prepared to give in exchange? Nothing! Nothing but the bones of a lazy, dishonest, good-for-nothing fortune-seeker. We will teach them something. This will be a great moral campaign. Does that satisfy you? It does, Mister Peters, she said. But what will my duties be? Do I have to personally reject these three thousand good-for-nothings you speak of? Or can I throw them out in bunches? Jeff explained that her job would be easy. She would live in a quiet hotel and have no work to do. He and Andy would take care of all letters and the business end of the plot. But he warned her that some of the men might come to see her in person. Then, she would have to meet them face-to-face and reject them. She would be paid twenty-five dollars a week and hotel costs. Give me five minutes to get ready, Missus Trotter said. Then you can start paying me. So Jeff took her to the city and put her in a hotel far enough from Jeff and Andys place to cause no suspicion. Jeff Peters and Andy Tucker were now ready to catch a few fish on the hook. They placed their advertisement in newspapers across the country. They put two thousand dollars in a bank in Missus Trotters name. They gave her the bank book to show if anyone questioned the honesty of their
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marriage agency. They were sure that Missus Trotter could be trusted and that it was safe to leave the money in her name. Their ad in the newspapers started a flood of letters more than one hundred a day. Jeff and Andy worked twelve hours a day answering them. Most of the men wrote that they had lost their jobs. The world misunderstood them. But they were full of love and other good qualities. Jeff and Andy answered every letter with high praise for the writer. They asked the men to send a photograph and more details. And they told them to include two dollars to cover the cost of giving the second letter to the charming widow. Almost all the men sent in the two dollars requested. It seemed to be an easy business. Still, Andy and Jeff often spoke about the trouble of cutting open envelopes and taking the money out. A few of the men came in person. Jeff and Andy sent them to Missus Trotter and she did the rest. Soon, Jeff and Andy were receiving about two hundred dollars a day. One day, a federal postal inspector came by. But Jeff satisfied him that they were not breaking the law. After about three months, Jeff and Andy had collected more than five thousand dollars, and they decided it was time to stop. Some people were beginning to question their honesty. And, Missus Trotter seemed to have grown tired of her job. Too many men had come to see her and she did not like that. Jeff went to Missus Trotters hotel to pay her what she was owed, and to say goodbye. He also wanted her to repay the two thousand dollars that was put into her bank account. When Jeff walked into the room she was crying, like a child who did not want to go to school. Now, now, he said. Whats it all about? Somebody hurt you? Are you getting homesick? No, Mister Peters, she said. Ill tell you. You were always a good friend of my husband Zeke. Mister Peters, I am in love. I just love a man so hard I cant bear not to get him. Hes just the kind Ive always had in mind. Then take him, said Jeff. Does he feel the same way about you? He does, Missus Trotter answered. But there is a problem. He is one of the men who have been coming to see me in answer to your advertisement. And he will not marry me unless I give him the two thousand dollars. His name is William Wilkinson. Jeff felt sorry for her. He said he would be glad to let her give the two thousand dollars to Mister Wilkinson, so that she could be happy. But he said he had to talk to his partner about it. Jeff returned to his hotel and discussed it with Andy. I was expecting something like this, Andy said. You cant trust a woman to stick with you in any plan that involves her emotions. Jeff said it was a sad thing to think that they were the cause of the breaking of a womans heart. Andy agreed with him. Ill tell you what I am willing to do, said Andy. Jeff, you have always been a man of a soft and generous heart. Perhaps I have been too hard and worldly and suspicious. For once, I will meet you half-way. Go to Missus Trotter. Tell her to take the two thousand dollars out of the bank and give it to this Wilkinson fellow and be happy.
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Jeff shook Andys hand for a long time. Then he went back to Missus Trotter. She cried as hard for joy as she had done for sorrow. Two days later, Jeff and Andy prepared to leave town. Wouldnt you like to go meet Missus Trotter once before we leave? Jeff asked Andy. Shed like to express her thanks to you. Why, I guess not, Andy said. I think we should hurry and catch the train. Jeff was putting all the money they had received in a belt he tied around his body. Then Andy took a large amount of money out of his pocket and asked Jeff to put it together with the other money. Whats this? Jeff asked. Its Missus Trotters two thousand dollars, said Andy. How do you come to have it? Jeff asked. Missus Trotter gave it to me, Andy answered. I have been calling on her three nights a week for more than a month. Then you are William Wilkinson? Jeff asked. I was, Andy said. The Exact Science of Matrimony was written by O.Henry. It was adapted for Special English by Shelley Gollust and produced by Lawan Davis. Your storyteller was Barbara Klein. Im Steve Ember.

Vocabulary: Could never been trusted: (en ellos) no se podra confiar jams; a marriage business: un negocio casamentero; advertisement: aviso; read like this: deca as; charming widow: viuda encantadora; home-loving: muy hogarea; to remarry: volver a casarse; in cash: en efectivo; owns: posee; she would like: ella preferira; with a loving heart: de carcter afectuoso; no objection to: no rechazar; notgood-looking: de apariencia corriente; faithful and true: fiel y sincero; can take care of: que pueda administrar; invest money: invertir dinero; with good judgement: con sensatez; lonely: solitaria; care of: dirigirse a; ad: aviso
(forma corta de "advertisement"); so far, so good: hasta ahora todo bien; have to do: tiene que ver; illegal: ilegales; obey: obedecer; for sale: n venta; must exist: debe existir; must be able to: tienes que poder; produce it: mostrarlo; kept out of trouble: mantenido al margen de los problemas; for this business to work: para que este negocio funcione; as advertised: como fue publicitado; thinking it over: pensarlo bien; it might be better: podra ser mejor; should decide: decidiera investigar; waste her time: perder el tiempo; marriage proposal: propuesta matrimonial; tent show: barraca de feria; I used to stop at: sola pasar por; get her to work: conseguir que colabore; an honest deal: un trato honrado; putting on: proponiendo; will seek to: buscarn de; give in exchange: entregar a cambio; but the bones of lazy: sino los desechos de un holgazn; good-fornothing: despreciable; fortune-seeker: cazador de fortunas; moral campaign: campaa moral; my duties: mis deberes; do I have to personally reject?: he de rechazar personalmente?; can I throw them out in bunches?: puedo desairarlos en conjunto?; would take care of all: se haran cargo del despacho de todas las; business end of the plot: la parte comercial del asunto; warned her: le advirti; might come to: podran venir para; face-to-face: cara a cara; reject them: rechazarlos; she would be paid: le pagaran; to get ready: para prepararme; far enough from: lo bastante alejada de;
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place: casa; to cause no suspicion: para no despertar sospechas; to catch a few fish on the hook: enganchar algunos pescados en el anzuelo; placed: colocaron; across: por todo; they put: depositaron; in XX's name: a nombre de XX; bank book: chequera; questioned: pona en duda; marriage agency: agencia matrimonial; could be trusted: podan confiar en ella; started a flood of: origin una catarata de; the world misunderstood them: eran incomprendidos por el mundo; with high praise: con grandes elogios; include: adjuntar; requested: solicitados; still: incluso; cutting open: abrir; taking the money out: extraer el dinero; came by: apareci; satisfied him: lo convenci de; breaking the law: violando la ley; to question their honesty: se reciban quejas acerca de su honestidad; have grown tired of: se haba cansado de; what she was owed: lo que se le deba; to repay: devolver; crying: llorando; getting homesick?: extraa/aora su casa?; I can't bear: no soporto; he's just the kind: es el ideal; I've always had in mind: que siempre haba soado; unless I give him: a menos que le entregue; felt sorry for: sinti pena por; partner: socio; I was expecting something like this: me esperaba algo as; to stick with you: para participar plenamente con uno; that involves her emotions: que afecte a sus emociones; a sad thing: algo triste; agreed with: estuvo de acuerdo con; I am willing: tengo voluntad de; too hard, worldly and suspicious: demasiado duro, prctico y codicioso; for once: por una vez; I will meet you half-way: coincidimos; she cried as hard for joy: llor tanto de alegra; as she had done for sorrow: como haba llorado de disgusto; why, I guess not: mejor no; belt: cinturn; to put it together with the other money: ponerlos junto con el otro dinero; it's Missus Trotter's 2,000 dollars: son los 2.000 dlares de la Sra. Trotter; how do you come to have it?: como es que los tienes t?; I have been calling on her: la he estado visitando; three nights a week: tres noches por semana; for more than a month: durante ms de un mes; then you are...: entonces t eres...; I was: lo era. 42. - MONEY EXPRESSIONS 1/ 1

Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and their Stories". I think people everywhere dream about having lots of money. I know I do. I would give anything to make money hand over fist. I would like to earn large amounts of money. You could win a large amount of money in the United States through lotteries. People pay money for tickets with numbers. If your combination of numbers is chosen, you win a huge amount of money often in the millions. Winning the lottery is a windfall. A few years ago, my friend Al won the lottery. It changed his life. He did not have a rich family. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Instead, my friend was always hard up for cash. He did not have much money. And the money he did earn was chicken feed very little. Sometimes Al even had to accept hand-outs, gifts from his family and friends. But do not get me wrong. My friend was not a deadbeat. He was not the kind of person who never paid the money he owed. He simply pinched pennies. He was always very careful with the money he spent. In fact, he was often a cheapskate. He did not like to spend money. The worst times were when he was flat broke and had no money at all. One day, Al scraped together a few dollars for a lottery ticket. He thought he would never strike it rich or gain lots of money unexpectedly. But his combination of numbers was chosen and he won the lottery. He hit the jackpot. He won a great deal of money. Al was so excited. The first thing he did was buy a costly new car. He splurged on the one thing that he normally would not buy. Then he started spending money on unnecessary things.
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He started to waste it. It was like he had money to burn. He had more money than he needed and it was burning a hole in his pocket so he spent it quickly. When we got together for a meal at a restaurant, Al paid every time. He would always foot the bill, and pick up the tab. He told me the money made him feel like a million dollars. He was very happy. But, Al spent too much money. Soon my friend was down and out again. He had no money left. He was back to being strapped for cash. He had spent his bottom dollar, his very last amount. He did not even build up a nest egg. He had not saved any of the money. I admit I do feel sorry for my friend. He had enough money to live like a king. Instead, he is back to living on a shoestring a very low budget. Some might say he is penny wise and pound foolish. He was wise about small things, but not about important things. "Words and their Stories" in VOA Special English, was written by Jill Moss. Im Faith Lapidus. Vocabulary: Make money hand over fist: hacer mucho dinero en poco tiempo; to earn: ganar (dinero); large amounts of: grandes cantidades de; you could: uno/a podra; lotteries: lotera, juegos de azar; is chosen: es elegida, sale sorteada; huge: enorme; in the millions: en el orden los millones de dlares; winning: ganar; a windfall: un golpe de fortuna, una ganancia inesperada; born with a silver spoon in his mouth: nacido con una cuchara de oro en la boca (o "en cuna de oro"); instead: en cambio; hard up: en estado de pobreza, sin dinero, sin blanca; he did earn: que realmente ganaba; chicken feed: insignificante (alimento para las gallinas); hand-outs: ddivas, limosnas, algo de dinero prestado; do not get me wrong: no me malinterpreten; deadbeat: aprovechado, gorrn, caradura; paid: pagaba; he owed: que l deba; pinched pennies: cuidaba el dinero; he spent: que l gastaba; cheapskate: tacao, avaro, agarrado; the worst times: los peores momentos; flat broke: sin un centavo, sin un duro; at all: en absoluto; scraped together: junt a duras penas, logr ahorrar; lottery ticket: billete de lotera; strike it rich: hacerse rico; gain lots of: conseguir parvas de; unexpectedly: de buenas a primeras; he hit the jackpot: acert el gordo, se hizo rico; a great deal of: una gran cantidad de; excited: emocionado; costly: costoso; splurged on: se dio el lujo de; would not buy: no comprara; spending money on: gastar dinero en; to waste it: a derrocharlo; money to burn: exceso de dinero; it was burning a hole in his pocket: le quemaba las manos (literalmente, el bolsillo); when we got together for: cuando nos juntbamos para; paid: pagaba; foot the bill: hacerse cargo de la cuenta; pick up the tab: correr con los gastos; made him feel like a million dollars: lo hacia sentirse millonario, sentirse extraordinariamente; too much: demasiado; down and out: empobrecido, arruinado; he had no money left: ya no le quedaba dinero; he was back to: volvi a; being strapped for cash: andar falto de dinero; had spent: haba gastado; bottom dollar: su ltimo dlar; he did not even: l ni siquiera; build up a nest egg: ahorrar algo de dinero; I do feel sorry for: siento sincera pena por; like a king: como un rey; instead: en cambio; live on a shoestring: vivir con lo mnimo; very low budget: bajsimo presupuesto; some might say: algunos podran decir que; penny wise and pound foolish: inteligente para las cosas pequeas y muy tonto para las grandes.

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43. - MONEY EXPRESSIONS 2 / 2 Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and their Stories". Many people believe that money makes the world go around. Others believe that money buys happiness. I do not agree with either idea. But I do admit that money can make people do strange things. Let me tell you about a person I once knew who liked to play card games for money. He liked to gamble. My friend Bob had a problem because he liked to gamble at all costs. He would play at any time and at any price. To take part in a card game such as poker, my friend would have to ante up. He would have to pay a small amount of money at the beginning of the game. Bob always played with cold hard cash only coins and dollar bills. Sometimes my friend would clean up. He would win a lot of money on one card game. He liked to tell me that one day he would break the bank. What a feeling it must be to win all of the money at a gambling table! Other times my friend would simply break even. He neither won nor lost money. But sometimes Bob would lose his shirt. He would lose all the money he had. He took a beating at the gambling table. When this happened, my friend would have to go in the hole. He would go into debt and owe people money. Recently, Bob turned to crime after losing all his money. In his job, he kept the books for a small business. He supervised the records of money earned and spent by the company. Although my friend was usually honest, he decided to cook the books. He illegally changed the financial records of the company. This permitted him to make a fast buck. My friend made some quick, easy money dishonestly. I never thought Bob would have sticky fingers. He did not seem like a thief who would steal money. But, some people will do anything for love of money. Bob used the money he stole from his company to gamble again. This time, he cashed in. He made a lot of money. Quickly he was back on his feet. He had returned to good financial health. His company, however, ended up in the red. It lost more money than it earned. The company was no longer profitable. It did not take long before my friends dishonesty was discovered. The company investigated and charged him with stealing. Bob tried to pass the buck. He tried to blame someone else for the deficit. His lie did not work, however. He ended up in jail. Today, I would bet my bottom dollar that my friend will never gamble again. I would bet all I have that he learned his lesson about gambling. "Words and their Stories" in VOA Special English was written by Jill Moss. Im Faith Lapidus. Vocabulary: Money makes the world go around: el dinero mueve al mundo, el dinero habla por s solo, el dinero todo lo puede, poderoso caballero es Don Dinero; money buys happiness: el
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dinero compra la felicidad; to gamble: jugar por dinero; at all costs: a cualquier costo, a toda costa, cueste lo que cueste; to ante up: desembolsar dinero, cancelar una deuda; cold hard cash: dinero contante y sonante; clean up: ganar dinero con facilidad, arrasar con todo; break the bank: hacer saltar la banca; what a feeling: qu sensacin; gambling table: mesa de apuestas; break even: terminar sin prdidas; neither won nor lost: ni ganaba ni perda; lose his shirt: perder hasta la camisa; took a beating: reciba una paliza; to go in the hole: meterse en deudas; go into debt: endeudarse; owe: deber; turned to crime: se convirti en delincuente; kept the books for: llevaba la contabilidad de; records of money earned and spent: registros contables del dinero ingresado y gastado; cook the books: falsificar los movimientos contables; to make a fast buck: hacer dinero fcil (deshonestamente); have sticky fingers: tener la mano larga (dedos pegajosos); who would steal: que fuera a robar; for love of money: por amor al dinero; steal/stole/stolen/stealing: robar; cashed in: sac partido, abus; was back on his feet: sali a flote; ended up in the red: acab insolvente; was no longer profitable: ya no era rentable; it did not take long before: no pas mucho tiempo hasta que; charged him with stealing: lo acus de estafa; to pass the buck: eludir responsabilidad, escabullir el bulto (culpar a otro); tried to blame someone else: intent culpar a otro; his lie did not work: su mentira no prosper; ended up in jail: termin en la crcel; bet my bottom dollar: apostar mi ltimo dlar. 44. SAVING MONEY FOR COLLEGE This is the VOA Special English Economics Report. How much does a college education cost? In the United States, the College Board releases yearly reports on prices at colleges and universities. The group bases its findings on "published" tuition and fees, meaning the prices officially listed by the school. Students might pay less for instance, if they receive scholarships. Nationally, tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities rose more than 8 percent during the academic year that just ended. The increase was seven percent if you exclude California. California has about ten percent of the nations full-time students in public four-year colleges. In-state tuition and fees averaged more than eight thousand dollars nationally. The average total charge which includes housing and meals was 17,000 dollars. The total charge for students from out of state was 30,000 dollars. Tuition and fees increased four and a half percent at private nonprofit four-year schools. That was still higher than the inflation rate. The average was 28,500 dollars. For-profit schools charged an estimated 14,000 dollars in tuition and fees. That was up 3.2 percent from the year before. One way for parents in the United States to start saving for college when their child is still very young is called a 529 plan. The plans are named for the part of the federal tax law that created them in 1996. All fifty states and the District of Columbia offer them. Private investment companies operate most of these plans, and each state has its own rules. Many plans are open to families from other states.
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Five twenty-nine plans offer different investment choices. Families must decide how aggressively they want to put money into stocks, bonds or other investments that can rise or fall in value. There are limits on how much families can put into 529 plans. Another choice is called a prepaid tuition plan. Parents can pay for an education at a public college or university in their state while their child is still growing up. But what if the child decides to go to school out of state, or not at all? The money can go to educate another family member, or the parents can withdraw it and pay taxes on the gains. There are other ways to save for college while also saving on taxes. One way is to put money for a child into what is called a custodial account until the child becomes an adult. And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report. I'm Faith Lapidus. Vocabulary: College Board: Junta Universitaria; releases: pblica; yearly reports: informes anuales; on prices: sobre los costos; bases its findings: basa sus conclusiones; tuition and fees: matrculas y aranceles; might pay less: pueden pagar menos; for instance: por ejemplo; scholarships: becas; nationally: a nivel nacional; four-year: de 4 aos; rose: aument; that just ended: que acaba de finalizar; increase: incremento; if you exclude: si se excluye; fulltime: de tiempo completo; in-state: a nivel estadual; averaged: dieron como promedio; the average total charge: el costo total promedio; which includes: que incluye; housing and meals: alojamiento y comida; out of state: fuera del estado; four and a half percent: 4 1/2 por ciento; nonprofit: sin fines de lucro; still higher: ms alto an; inflation rate: tasa de inflacin; for-profit schools: las escuelas comerciales (con nimo de lucro); charged: cobraron; up 3.2 percent: arriba del 3.2 por ciento; one way: una forma, una salida; to start saving: para empezar a ahorrar; is still very young: todava es muy joven; 529 plan: el plan 529; the plans are named: los planes reciben el nombre; the federal law that created them: la ley de impuesto federal que los cre; all fifty states: los 50 estados; offer them: los ofrecen; private investment companies: empresas privadas de inversin; operate: operan, administran; its own rules: sus propias normas; five twenty-nine plans: los planes 529; investment choices: alternativas de inversin; stocks: acciones; bonds: bonos; rise or fall in value: subir o bajar en valor (apreciarse o depreciarse); on how much: acerca de cunto (dinero); another choice: otra alternativa; prepaid tuition: matrcula pagada por adelantado; still growing up: todava creciendo; out of state: a otro estado; withdraw it: retirar (el dinero); pay taxes on the gains: pagar impuesto sobre las ganancias; other ways to save: otras formas de ahorrar; while also saving on taxes: mientras se ahorra tambin en impuestos; custodial account: cuenta en custodia; becomes an adult: se convierte en adulto. 45. THE DOCTOR AND THE PAINTER A famous painter was very worried about his sick dog, which had a badly inflamed throat. But he knew that a doctor wouldn't examine a dog. So, in order to get a specialist to come to his house to look at his dog, he decided to pretend he himself was the one who was ill. This artist was a very selfish man, so in spite of the fact that it was past midnight, he called a prominent throat specialist Doctor: Hello! This is Dr. Knowitall.
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Artist: Oh, Doctor Knowitall, you must come to my house immediately. Doctor: Sir! I am a famous throat specialist. I only see patients during the day, and by appointment. Artist: But... but doctor, I'm the celebrated portrait painter, Raphael DePicter, and this is, an emergency. Doctor: I've had a busy day, and I have to operate very early tomorrow morning. Can't you wait until tomorrow afternoon? Artist: Oh, no, doctor! That would be too late. I beg you, please come right away. And hurry! Doctor: Very well. Since you are Raphael DePicter, I'll make an exception. I'll come right away. When Doctor Knowitall arrived at Mr. DePicter's house and saw that the patient was not the artist but his dog, he was furious. But immediately he thought of a plan to get even. Hiding his anger, he said calmly... Doctor: I can't tell you right now what's the matter with your dog, but this medicine will alleviate it. I'll study the case and call you when I've made the diagnosis. At midnight of the following day Mr. DePicter was awakened when his telephone rang... Artist: Who is it? Doctor: This is Doctor Knowitall. Mr. DePicter, come quickly to my house. It's urgent! Artist: But doctor, it's past twelve! Besides, early tomorrow morning I have an appointment to paint the portrait of a very important person. Can't you wait until tomorrow afternoon? Doctor: Oh, no! That would be too late! And what I have to say is too important to discuss over the telephone. Please hurry! Mr. DePicter, thinking it was about his dog's illness, jumped out of bed, got dressed, and ran to the doctor's house... Artist: Doctor, doctor! What's the matter? Why did you call me at this time of night? Doctor: I'm very concerned about something and I must know the answer right now. Artist: All right, all right. What is it? Doctor: Please tell me: how much would you charge to paint my house? Vocabulary:
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Sick: ill (enfermo); inflamed: red and painful (inflamada); selfish = egotistical (egosta); in spite of the fact that: despite (a pesar de que); prominent: well-known; famous (famoso); throat specialist: (especialista en garganta); by appointment: por turnos, con cita previa; celebrated: widely known; famous (reconocido); to operate: to perform surgery (operar); to operate on somebody: Yesterday, Kevin was operated for appendicitis by Dr. Closter (operar a alguien); right away: immediately (enseguida); very well: all right (de acuerdo); make an exception: hacer una excepcin; get even: take revenge (vengarse); hide = conceal (ocultar); anger: strong emotion (ira, rabia); right now: at this time (ya mismo); what's the matter: what's wrong (qu ocurre); awakened = not sleeping (despierto); over the telephone = on the phone (por telfono); jumped out of bed: salt de la cama; got dressed: se visti; at this time of night: at this very late hour (a esta hora de la noche); concerned = worried (preocupado). 46. - THE CASE OF THE BALLOON MAN Inspector Winters is talking with Dr. DeLator... Winters: The whole police force is looking for Izzy the Balloon Man, who kidnapped little Dennis Farrell. Delator: Doesn't anyone know where Izzy hangs out? Winters: Nobody knows anything about him. Once a week he stops his old truck by the Farrell estate and gives out popcorn and pink balloons. The kids love the funny faces he makes as he puts the balloons to his lips and huffs and puffs as he blows air into them. Last Thursday Izzy made his usual stop and drove off... or so it appeared. Later, Sam Potts and the Reverend Bevin were in Sam's backyard, which is next to the Farrell property. Sam noticed one of Izzy's balloons stuck high up in his oak tree. Since there was no wind to blow it loose -in fact, the day was so calm that there had been no wind blowing all day- Sam got a long ladder and climbed into the tree. Delator: How do you know all this? Did Sam tell you? Winters: Yes, and the Reverend Bevin, who was there with him, saw the balloon in the tree, too, and saw Sam go up to get it. Well, from that height -about twenty feet- Sam said he could see over the Farrells' twelve-foot wall. As he released the balloon, he glanced into the Farrell yard. He said he saw the Balloon Man put young Dennis into his truck and drive off. He told the minister what he had seen. Neither man thought much of it until they heard that Dennis was missing. Yesterday, Dennis's father received a note stating that Dennis was being held for ransom and that instructions would follow. Delator: Well, Inspector, putting together everything you've told me, I think that Sam Potts is the kidnapper, and not the Balloon Man! Answers to "THE BALLOON MAN" Why did Dr. Delator think so? Dr. Delator realized that Sam Potts had used the innocent clergyman to confirm a tale of kidnapping that never occurred as he reported it.
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Potts had obviously stuck the balloon high in the oak as a prop. On a day without a wind, a balloon blown up by breath could never rise high into a tree. as a prop: as a support (como respaldo, soporte) blown up: inflated, filled with air (inflado) breath: air exhaled in respiration (aliento, aire de la boca) Vocabulary: Police force: all the police (la Polica); balloon man: a man selling balloons (vendedor de globos); kidnapped: stole a child (rapt); hangs out: lives, resides (vive, merodea); estate: house, property (propiedad); gives out: distributes (reparte); kids: children (nios, pibes, chavales); faces he makes: the funny ways in which he distorts his face (muecas que hace con su cara); huffs and puffs: blows, emits puffs of breath (sopla, echa soplidos); drove off: drove (his car or truck) away (se alej en auto); Reverend: title of respect for a clergyman (el Reverendo); backyard: garden behind a house (jardn trasero); stuck: sticked (atascado, enganchado); to blow it loose: cause the balloon to be free (soltarlo, dejarlo suelto); ladder: device for climbing up and down (escalera de mano); released: let free (solt, dej en libertad); glanced into: took a brief look at (ech un vistazo a); the minister: the clergyman (el sacerdote); held for ransom: kept as a prisoner while payment is demanded for release (secuestrado con pedido de rescate); putting together: adding up mentally (atando cabos). 47. - BUSINESS EXPRESSIONS Now, the VOA Special English program "Words and their stories". There are many special terms in the world of business. The following story is about a sweetheart deal which I made last week. I made the deal with a friend, and we both made a profit. I had started a small company several years ago. I worked hard to make it successful. It was a sign-making business. It was a small company, not a blue chip company. It was not known nationally for the quality of its signs. It did not make millions of dollars in profits. And it was private. It was not a public company with shares traded on the stock market. Still, I worked hard building up my business. I did not work only a few hours each day -- no bankers hours for me. Instead I spent many hours each day, seven days a week, trying to grow the company. I never cut corners or tried to save on expenses. I made many cold calls. I called on possible buyers from a list of people I had never seen. Such calls were often hard sells. I had to be very firm. Sometimes I sold my signs at a loss. I did not make money on my product. When this happened, there were cut backs. I had to use fewer supplies and reduce the number of workers. But after several years, the company broke even. Profits were equal to expenses. And soon after, I began to gain ground. My signs were selling very quickly. They were selling like hotcakes. I was happy. The company was moving forward and making real progress. It was in the black, not in the red. The company was making money, not losing it.
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My friend knew about my business. He is a leader in the sign-making industry a real big gun, if you know what I mean. He offered to buy my company. My friend wanted to take it public. He wanted to sell shares in the company to the general public. My friend believed it was best to strike while the iron is hot. He wanted to take action at the best time possible and not wait. He offered me a ball park estimate of the amount he would pay to buy my company. But I knew his uneducated guess was low. My company was worth much more. He asked his bean-counter to crunch the numbers. That is, he asked his accountant to take a close look at the finances of my company and decide how much it was worth. Then my friend increased his offer. My friends official offer was finally given to me in black and white. It was written on paper and more than I ever dreamed. I was finally able to get a break. I made a huge profit on my company, and my friend also got a bang for the buck. He got a successful business for the money he spent. Vocabulary: Terms: palabras, vocablos, trminos; sweetheart deal: arreglo amistoso; I made the deal with: hice el trato con; we both made a profit: los dos salimos ganando; sign-making business: fabricacin de avisos y letreros; blue chip company: compaa de primer nivel; in profits: en ganancias; shares: acciones; traded: negociadas; stock market: mercado burstil; building up: acrecentando; banker's hours: trabajo de pocas horas, trabajo bancario; cut corners: hice las cosas a medias; save on expenses: economizar gastos; cold calls: llamadas telefnicas espontneas, no solicitadas; hard sells: ventas agresivas, con presin; firm: firme, decidido; at a loss: perdiendo dinero; cut backs: recortes, reducciones (generalmente de gastos y personal); broke even: recuper los gastos invertidos, logr un punto de equilibrio; gain ground: ganar terreno, progresar financieramente; selling like hotcakes: vendindose rpidamente, como pan caliente; moving forward: avanzando, progresando; in the black: con fondos, con solvencia; in the red: endeudada, insolvente; big gun: pez gordo, personaje importante; take it public: hacerla cotizar en bolsa; to strike while the iron is hot: golpear el hierro cuando todava est ardiente (atender un asunto antes de que sea demasiado tarde, aprovechar el momento justo); to take action: actuar, meter mano; a ball park estimate: un estimado grosero; uneducated guess: clculo errado por desconocimiento; was worth: vala; bean-counter: contador; crunch the numbers: hacer cuentas, clculos; increased his offer: aument su oferta; in black and white: por escrito, de puo y letra; more than I ever dreamed: ms de lo que hubiese imaginado; to get a break: recortar el precio; huge profit: enorme ganancia; bang for the buck: una excelente relacin costo/beneficio. This VOA Special English program "Words and their stories" was written by Jill Moss. Im Faith Lapidus.
48. - A DINNER PARTY

ANGELA: Can I give you a hand? ELIZABETH: You can cut the tomatoes, if you like. ANGELA: OK.
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ELIZABETH: Oh, do you mind if I turn the radio on for a moment? ANGELA: Go ahead. ELIZABETH: There's a programme about schools. ANGELA: Oh. (Elizabeth turns on the radio) MAN: Yes... very interesting. Have you noticed any other differences between schools in Australia and schools in England? WOMAN: I find that the teaching staff room varies a lot between Australia and England. The teachers in Australia are more unified: they have a one idea, and it's generally carried out as a as a unified, whole idea. But in England I find that the teachers tend to have lots of varying ideas. Perhaps they think they're being ... um ... sort of "liberal" or ... um ... sort of "freedom lovers", but they tend to ... to fight against each other in their ideas and beliefs (The telephone rings) and don't present to the students a unified idea, so that the child knows exactly where he's going. (Elizabeth turns off the radio and answers the telephone) ELIZABETH: Hello? JEFF: Elizabeth? Hi, it's me. ELIZABETH: Oh, hi, Jeff. Where are you? WINTERS: I'm still at the office. Sorry. But I'm leaving right now. Is everybody there? ELIZABETH: Angela's here, but the others haven't arrived yet. JEFF: OK. I'm on my way. Bye. ELIZABETH: Bye. (Elizabeth turns the radio on again) MAN: Thank you for joining us. In next week's "Opinions on Education", we'll be discussing private schools. A good thing, or a bad thing? Until then, goodbye. ELIZABETH: Oh. (She turns the radio off again)
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ANGELA: Well, are you a liberal, freedom-loving teacher? ELIZABETH: I don't know. I suppose so. I just try to be a good teacher. ANGELA: Is your staff room full of fighting teachers? ELIZABETH: No, I wouldn't say we fight exactly. We don't all have the same opinions, of course. But I think that's a good thing. ANGELA: Have you seen the film "If..."? ELIZABETH: Um ... Oh, the film about English public schools. ANGELA: Yes. ELIZABETH: Yes. I saw it a few years ago. ANGELA: What did you think of it? ELIZABETH: Well ... I thought it was ... sort of ... "interesting". Vocabulary: Give a hand: ayudar, dar/echar una mano; do you mind if: te importa si; turn on: encender; go ahead: adelante; have you noticed: has observado; any other differences: otras diferencias; between schools in: entre las escuelas de; teaching staff room: sala de profesores; varies a lot: vara mucho; unified: unidos; carried out: cumplida, llevada a cabo; whole: completa, integral; I find that: me doy cuenta que, observo que; tend to have: tienden a tener; varying ideas: ideas diversas; perhaps: quizs; sort of: algo as como; liberal: liberales, librepensadores; freedom lovers: amantes de la libertad; to fight: pelear; against each other: entre ellos, el uno con el otro; beliefs: creencias; don't present: no ofrecen; so that the child knows: a fin de que el nio sepa; turns off: apaga; I'm still: todava estoy; right now: ya mismo; the others: los dems; haven't arrived yet: an no han llegado; on my way: en camino, en viaje; thank you for joining: gracias por estar con nosotros; until then: hasta entonces; freedom-loving teacher: profesor amante de la libertad; I suppose so: supongo que s; I just try to be: slo trato de ser; fighting teachers: profesores peleadores, combativos; I wouldn't say: yo no dira que; we fight exactly: peleamos exactamente; we don't all have: no todos tenemos; the same: las mismas; a few years ago: hace unos aos; what did you think of it?: qu te pareci? sort of: bastante, algo as como.

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THREE WOMEN SHARE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE Three women shared 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for their "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights, to full participation in peace-building work." The recipients are Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, activist Leymah Gbowee of Liberia, and activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. The 1.5 million dollar prize was equally divided among the three female laureates. In a statement announcing last year's winners, the Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee said, "We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society." Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is Africa's first democratically-elected woman president. Since her inauguration in 2006, she has contributed to securing peace in Liberia, to promoting economic and social development, and to strengthening the position of women. Leymah Bgowe is responsible for mobilizing and organizing women across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia, and to ensure women's participation in elections. Tawakkul Karman played a leading role in the struggle to attain women's rights and for democracy and peace in Yemen, both before and during the Arab Spring. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton congratulated the three Nobel Peace Prize winners saying, "they are shining examples of the difference that women can make and the progress
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they can help achieve when given the opportunity to make decisions about the future of their societies and countries." She added: "The unflinching courage, strength and leadership of these women to build peace, advance reconciliation, and defend the rights of fellow citizens in their own countries provide inspiration for womens rights and human progress everywhere. This recognition of their extraordinary accomplishments reflects the efforts of many other women who are promoting peace and security in their countries and communities." Vocabulary: shared: compartieron; prize: premio; struggle: lucha; safety: seguridad; rights: derechos; full: ntegra; peace-building: orientado a la paz; recipients: beneficiarias; Liberian: liberiano/a (nativo de Liberia, Africa); activist: militante; equally: a partes iguales; among: entre (ms de 2 personas, animales o cosas); laureates: laureadas, premiadas; achieve: lograr, alcanzar; lasting: duradera; unless: a menos que (las); obtain: consigan; as men: que los hombres; developments: evoluciones, desarrollos; at all levels: en todos los niveles; since: desde; inauguration: asuncin presidencial; to securing peace: para asegurar la paz; to strengthening: para fortalecer; responsible for: responsable de; mobilizing: movilizar; across: en todos los; ethnic and religious lines: frentes tnicos y religiosos; to bring an end to: para poner punto final a; to ensure: para asegurar; in elections: en las elecciones (voto); played a leading role: desempe un papel de liderazgo; to attain: para lograr; Arab Spring: Revolucin rabe; shining examples: destacados ejemplos; when given: cuando se les concede; unflinching courage: coraje firme; strength: fortaleza; leadership: liderazgo; fellow citizens: compatriotas; provide: proporcionan; recognition: reconocimiento; accomplishments: logros; efforts: esfuerzos; promoting: impulsando.

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Pgina para exmenes OM. http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omquestion/contenidotematico.htm 68. Is your English getting better? - Yes, it is. I understand more and more every day. - Oh, no. It's getting worse everyday. English grammar is really difficult. 69. Did you go out last night? - Yes, I went to the movies with some friends but I didn't enjoy the film very much. - No, I didn't go out. I was really tired. 70. Did you have time to write the letter? - Yes, I wrote it and mailed it this morning. - No, I didn't. I was busy all the morning. 71. Was the weather good when you were on vacation? - Yes, it was incredibly good. I really enjoyed those beach days. - No, it was raining all the week and I had to stay at the hotel. Really boring!! 72. Where were you at 3:00? - I was taking a walk along the park. - I was just cooking at home. My phone isn't working. 73. How long have you been studying English? - I've been studying English in OM PERSONAL for the last six months.

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