News in Slow English | Learn English Online

November 23, 2017

EPISODE # 11

Intro

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Jessica:	It’s Thursday, November 23, 2017. Welcome to another episode of our weekly program, News in Slow English! Greetings to all our listeners! Hi, Chris.
Chris:	Hello, everyone! Hi, Jessica.
Jessica:	Chris, the Christmas shopping has started! Are you ready?
Chris:	I am very well prepared! Christmas shopping is easy!
Jessica:	Easy?
Chris:	Easy for those who know how to give a useful, elegant, intellectual, and memorable gift!
Jessica:	Useful, elegant, intellectual, and memorable? What is it?
Chris:	A gift subscription to News in Slow English!
Jessica:	Well, I agree that it is elegant, intellectual, and memorable. But why is it useful? Why do English speakers need it?
Chris:	I mean for my friends who are learning English. For others, I’ll give gift subscriptions to News in Slow Spanish, or French, or Italian, or German.
Jessica:	Very clever! OK, now that we’re finished with our elegant promotional chat, let’s proceed with the program announcement. As always, we’re going to start the program with a discussion of current events. We will begin with President Trump’s reversal on his own decision to allow the importation of elephant “trophies.” Next, we’ll talk about two E.U. agencies leaving the UK following Brexit. Then, we’ll have a conversation about a Leonardo da Vinci painting that was sold last week for $450 million. And finally, we’ll talk about an event that shocked many soccer fans – the Italian national soccer team has lost its chance to play in next year’s World Cup.
Chris:	Thank you, Jessica! I suggest selecting the ban on imports of elephant “trophies” as our Featured Topic for this week’s Speaking Studio.
Jessica:	Agreed! The second part of our show will be dedicated to American culture and the English language. In the grammar section of our program, we’ll illustrate the use of today’s topic: Personal Pronouns. And we’ll conclude our program with another English expression: “To rain on someone’s parade.”
Chris:	Very good, Jessica! Let’s get started!
Jessica:	Yes, Chris – there’s no time to waste! Let the show begin!
Chris:	Hit it!

News Stories

Featured Topic: President Trump reverses decision to allow imports of elephant “trophies”

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President Trump reverses decision to allow imports of elephant “trophies”

Late last Friday, United States president Donald Trump halted his administration’s decision – announced just two days earlier – to allow elephants shot recreationally in Zimbabwe and Zambia to be imported back to the U.S. Trump made the announcement on Twitter, saying he would postpone the decision until “all conservation facts” were reviewed further.

Last Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it was reversing the ban on so-called elephant “trophies” that had been implemented in 2014 under former President Barack Obama. The agency said that reversing the ban could help conservation efforts “by providing incentives to local communities to conserve the species and by putting much-needed revenue back into conservation.”

Some expressed doubts that Zimbabwe was properly managing its conservation programs, especially given the current political turmoil.

Chris:	Wow! It’s a very good decision to leave the ban on trophies in place!
Jessica:	Chris, have you asked yourself why the ban was reversed in the first place?
Chris:	Mmm… I don’t know…. Maybe President Trump didn’t follow the advice my mama gave me?
Jessica:	Which is?
Chris:	Think before you act!
Jessica:	He probably did not get this message from his mama...
Chris:	But seriously, maybe because Trump’s sons are big-game hunters? Remember the photos showing them with dead animals a few years ago?
Jessica:	I do...
Chris:	Some people believe that hunting CAN be part of a conservation program.
Jessica:	Tourism can bring in far more money. Look, I would go on a safari trip to see wild animals.... but I would not go there if I knew that in that country, elephants, rhinos, lions, and other animals were being hunted for trophies. So please don’t tell me that this animal killing is a good way to fund conservation programs!
Chris:	But you know that groups who support big-game hunting say that it contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to countries in southern and eastern Africa, right? However, groups that oppose it say the numbers are actually much lower…
Jessica:	Forget about the money! Hunting animals as a way to protect them is a ridiculous idea. Africa’s elephant population has decreased dramatically over the past several years. Encouraging hunting will only make the problem worse.

Amsterdam, Paris to host key E.U. agencies following Brexit

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Amsterdam, Paris to host key E.U. agencies following Brexit

Ministers from 27 European countries met on Monday to choose new host cities for two key E.U. regulatory agencies currently based in London. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Banking Authority (EBA) will relocate to Amsterdam and Paris, respectively, because of Britain’s departure from the E.U. in 2019.

The loss of the prestigious agencies has both a symbolic and economic impact for Britain. The EMA, which evaluates medicines and authorizes their sale across the EU, employs 900 people and attracts some 36,000 scientists and regulators each year, bringing business to hotels and restaurants. The EBA, which sets banking rules and regulations for the bloc, employs 170 people.

Competition for the two agencies was intense, with 19 cities vying to host the EMA, and eight competing for the EBA. The ministers selected the new host cities by secret ballot. Amsterdam tied Milan to host the EMA, while Paris tied Dublin to host the EBA. The winning cities were then determined by drawing names from a bowl.

Chris:	What were the factors that the ministers were supposed to consider?
Jessica:	First of all, the winning cities need to have facilities completely ready by the time Britain leaves the E.U. Second, they should be easy to get to – for example, there should be direct flights from other European cities.
Chris:	What about the current employees?
Jessica:	What do you mean?
Chris:	Are they just going to quit? Or are they expected to move to Amsterdam and Paris?
Jessica:	That’s an interesting question... A survey of the EMA’s staff was done in September, and it asked the employees how willing they would be to move to each of the 19 cities that was competing to host the agency.
Chris:	And?
Jessica:	For the most unpopular city, 94 percent of the staff said they would quit rather than move. Even for the most popular city, 19 percent said they would quit. We don’t know which cities they were – they weren’t disclosed.
Chris:	I see… There’s another problem with this. I suspect that the move may slow down the process of approving medicines.
Jessica:	In the short term...
Chris:	Hmm… but I guess it’s an inevitable part of the long and difficult process that is Brexit.

Leonardo da Vinci painting sells for record-breaking $450 million

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Leonardo da Vinci painting sells for record-breaking $450 million

A long-lost painting of Jesus Christ by Leonardo da Vinci sold last Wednesday for $450 million, the highest price ever paid for a work of art. Christie’s, the New York auction house that sold the painting, would not reveal the buyer’s identity.

The painting, “Salvator Mundi,” was commissioned by King Louis XII of France more than 500 years ago and was presumed lost until early this century. In 2005, it sold for $10,000 at an estate sale; the buyers did not realize it was painted by da Vinci until years later, when it was restored and authenticated by experts. In 2013, a Swiss art collector bought the work for $80 million, and sold it to a Russian collector for $127.5 million the same year.

The latest buyer placed the winning bid by telephone, helping to conceal his or her identity. The price far surpasses that of Pablo Picasso’s 1955 “Women of Algiers,” which sold for $179.4 million at auction in 2015. It also exceeds the record for private sales, which are believed to include $300 million for a painting by Paul Gauguin and $250 million for a work by Paul Cézanne.

Chris:	To own anything created by da Vinci would be incredible. But… $450 million? For that amount of money, I would expect da Vinci to come back to life!
Jessica:	Well, at least one very wealthy person disagreed with you! I guess it’s all subjective…
Chris:	Subjective? It’s crazy!
Jessica:	The painting is believed to be da Vinci’s last work of art that is not in a museum – which means it might have been art collectors’ last chance to own a da Vinci. And someone, obviously, could afford that price.
Chris:	But it makes no sense! Look at the changes in price. How did it go from $80 million to $450 million in just four years?
Jessica:	Well, keep in mind: Christie’s is a business. It had an interest in selling the painting at a very high price, because it made money on the sale...
Chris:	So…?
Jessica:	...so, it marketed the painting aggressively.
Chris:	Marketed it? As in, made commercials for it?
Jessica:	Sort of. Christie’s released a video about the painting that compared the painting to the discovery of a new planet, and called it the holy grail of Christie’s business.
Chris:	Hmm. And all this time, I thought that art experts were too intellectual and refined to be manipulated by marketing...
Jessica:	Why? Art collectors are no different from anyone else. They want to feel good about the things they buy, and to believe that they’re special. So, if they are led to believe that…
Chris:	I don’t know, it still makes no sense. $450 million? I could think of a hundred other things I would do with that money. Buying a painting most certainly isn’t one of them.

Italy fails to qualify for World Cup for first time in six decades

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Italy fails to qualify for World Cup for first time in six decades

The Italian national soccer team lost its chance to play in next year’s World Cup after tying Sweden 0-0 on November 13th, in a match that it needed to win. The result marks the first time since 1958 that the team, which has won the World Cup four times, has failed to qualify.

After placing second out of six teams in its qualifier group, Italy needed to win a two-leg playoff against Sweden to secure a spot in next year’s tournament in Russia. Yet the team lost 1-0 against the Swedes on November 10th before tying them three days later, allowing Sweden to advance. Many Italian soccer fans and sports commentators consider the result a national tragedy, and blamed missteps by coach Gian Piero Ventura. Others, meanwhile, say the players were the weakest group that had ever competed for Italy in a tournament.

The morning after the tie, a headline in Italy’s leading sports newspaper read: “This is the apocalypse.” The former chair of Italy’s soccer federation, Franco Carraro, said the result could cost Italy around $1.2 billion between missed advertising sales, television rights, merchandising sales, and visits to restaurants and bars during the tournament.

Chris:	What a huge disappointment for Italy! Congratulations to Sweden – but it will be very strange to not see Italy on the field in Russia next year.
Jessica:	Apparently, that wasn’t the only surprise in the qualifying matches. Holland didn’t qualify either, and they’ve been in the finals a few times, haven’t they?
Chris:	Yes, three times. Most recently in 2010. And Chile – who won the last two Copa Americas – didn’t qualify, either.
Jessica:	Nor did the U.S. team, right?
Chris:	Right… but unfortunately, that wasn’t as much of a surprise.
Jessica:	Hmm. Back to Italy… It was surprising, and pretty disturbing, to read some of the reactions after they didn’t qualify.
Chris:	Like what?
Jessica:	Well, for example, the head of an anti-immigrant party, the Northern League, said on Twitter that there are too many foreigners on the field. He said there should be more space for Italians!
Chris:	That’s extremely disappointing, but not surprising that a politician would use this result to make a case for his agenda. The truth is, immigrants have made many soccer teams better.
Jessica:	Just about every team has problems at some point. This result should motivate the Italians to improve for the 2022 World Cup. So maybe this is good for them in a way…
Chris:	The main issue for Italy now is that they need to invest more in training young players, since many of their players are older and will be retiring soon. That’s what Germany did starting in the early 2000s, and it has paid off.
Jessica:	Yes, they won the last World Cup, right? But changing a system and preparing young players takes a long time. It might not help so much for 2022...
Chris:	Well, it needs to start sometime…

Grammar

Transcript

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Personal Pronouns

Chris:	Jessica, do you know where the expression “flying saucer” comes from?
Jessica:	Yes, it’s another term for UFO, an unidentified flying object. It’s a spacecraft that aliens from other worlds use to come to visit us... if you believe that sort of thing.
Chris:	Well, that’s the science fiction side of it. A UFO is actually just an object people see in the sky that they cannot explain. There is usually a perfectly good explanation for most of them. But what I meant was: do you know when that term was first used?
Jessica:	I imagine it must be very old. In the Middle Ages, it was heresy, because humankind was the center of the universe. But I’m sure people have always looked at the stars and have asked themselves, “are we alone? “Is it just us in the universe?”
Chris:	Actually, it’s a surprisingly recent term. The phrase “flying saucer” originally referred to a meteorite that crashed in the U.S. in 1930. By 1947, it was widely used by American newspapers. That year, an American aviator named Kenneth Arnold claimed to have seen 9 flying saucers! That was the first official UFO sighting.
Jessica:	1947? Was that part of the famous Roswell incident?
Chris:	What do you know about the Roswell incident, Jessica?
Jessica:	Well, I know that it has spawned some of the biggest conspiracy theories in American history. In 1980, two authors named Charles Berlitz and William Moore published a best-selling book about the incident. It stated that an alien spacecraft had crashed on a ranch close to Roswell in 1947, that alien bodies had been recovered, and that the U.S. government is still lying about them to this day.
Chris:	I’ve read it! They interviewed a lot of eyewitnesses.
Jessica:	But the truth is, the UFO that crashed was just a weather balloon.
Chris:	No, it wasn’t.
Jessica:	Are you saying the whole thing was a... cover-up?
Chris:	Indeed, it was.
Jessica:	Are you telling me that you believe we were actually visited by aliens?
Chris:	No, of course not. Here’s what happened: In 1947, an officer at the Army Airfield in Roswell issued a statement that they had recovered a flying saucer. Then, the Air Force held a press conference, stating that it was just a weather balloon. They showed photos of the debris to the public and the story died.
Jessica:	So, if it wasn’t a weather balloon, and it wasn’t an alien spacecraft… what was it?
Chris:	In 1996, the Air Force finally told the truth. The “UFO” was a balloon, but it wasn’t watching the weather. It was part of the top-secret Project Mogul, which was supposed to detect Soviet nuclear tests.
Jessica:	What about the eyewitnesses who saw aliens being transported away?
Chris:	That was all just a cock and bull story.
Jessica:	Hundreds of books and movies have been written and produced about this incident. There was even video footage of an alien autopsy!
Chris:	That has been debunked, too! You know, people love a good conspiracy theory.
Jessica:	That I can believe. When aliens are involved, the human imagination knows no bounds.

Lesson

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns refer to a person or group of people. Personal pronouns come in two forms: subject pronouns and object pronouns.

I. Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns are used when replacing the subject of the sentence. When using a personal pronoun to talk about a person, animal, place, or object that is the subject of a sentence, use: I, we, you, he, she, it, they.

I am going to bring coffee to work tomorrow.
‘I’ is used as it is the subject of the sentence.

Janet is going to babysit tonight. She will be over at 8.
‘She’ is used as it is the subject of the sentence.

II. Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are used when replacing the object of the sentence. When using a personal pronoun to talk about a person, animal, place, or object that is the object of a sentence, use: me, us, you, him, her, it, them.

Could you bring me some coffee?
‘Me’ is used as it is the object of the sentence.

Janet is babysitting tonight. You’ll be able to see her at 8.
‘Her’ is used as it is the object of the sentence.

A common mistake even native speakers make with pronouns is ‘and I.’ The misconception is that it ‘and I’ is always grammatically correct and ‘and me’ is always incorrect. This is not true. “And I’ is used when it is the subject of the sentence and ‘and me’ is used when it is the object of the sentence.

My brother and I are going over to Griffin’s house.✔ Correct
‘My brother and I’ is used as it’s the subject of the sentence.

Griffin is coming over to record a podcast with my brother and me. ✔ Correct
‘My brother and me’ is used as it’s the object of the sentence.

Expressions

Transcript

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To rain on someone's parade

Chris:	Jessica, can you guess what my dream job would be?
Jessica:	That’s easy – a political commentator… Hmm, no! A conspiracy theorist!
Chris:	I hate to rain on your parade, but you guessed wrong. I’ve always dreamed of being a food critic.
Jessica:	A food critic? I never would have guessed! Why?
Chris:	Are you kidding? Going to fabulous restaurants, eating, and writing about eating? Doesn’t that sound awesome? Besides, it must be so easy!
Jessica:	Not to to rain on your parade, Chris, but it’s actually a very competitive field, and only a handful of food critics are successful.
Chris:	Well I did say it was a dream, didn’t I?
Jessica:	With platforms like Yelp and Instagram, everybody thinks they’re a food critic these days! If you want to be a professional you really need to stand out. But we’re just dreaming, right? So tell me, Chris, what would you write about?
Chris:	New American cuisine!
Jessica:	Hmm. I have noticed that more restaurants seem to be calling themselves “New” or “Contemporary” American. It’s an interesting trend.
Chris:	I agree! Go back 15 or 20 years. If you made plans to go to a nice restaurant, you would most likely end up in a place that served ethnic cuisine from around the world. To find American cuisine, you would go to a diner, or a pub, and you’d eat burgers and fries, buffalo wings, salads, stuff like that.
Jessica:	But now, if you go to a New American restaurant, you’ll see more creative dishes on the menu. Chefs like to mix and match elements of several different cuisines, fusing together flavors from Italian or French or Spanish or Chinese or Mexican fare in unexpected ways.
Chris:	Actually, just bringing together ingredients from different countries does not make it New American.
Jessica:	Ok, I guess I oversimplified it. But I see you’ve done your research. Please tell me what New American cuisine really is.
Chris:	Let’s start with a little history. A culinary movement in the early 90s focused on regional American cooking. Classically-trained chefs took regional recipes from across the United States and reinterpreted them.
Jessica:	It sounds like they used “New American” to allow themselves to include whatever they like on their menu without being restricted to a certain cuisine or specific technique. It’s actually very American now that think of it. It reflects our culture - the idea that we are one great melting pot.
Chris:	Very well said! That’s the American spirit – we bring a lot of different things together and create something new.
Jessica:	So, I was right then! Mixing elements from different cuisines defines “New American!”
Chris:	Sorry, but I have to rain on your parade once again. That’s only one part of it. There’s also the farm-to-table concept.
Jessica:	Oh, you mean sourcing their food from local farms to highlight very fresh ingredients?
Chris:	That’s right! It’s all about designing menus that evolve seasonally. Fresh local ingredients all year round. It’s good for the environment and absolutely delicious!
Jessica:	Farm-to-table is very popular these days in restaurants ranging from the very elegant and expensive to quiet, casual dining.
Chris:	And the farms are evolving alongside the restaurants too! Very exciting times to be a food critic, huh?
Jessica:	Yes, but there’s one thing I still don’t understand, Chris. Just the other day you told me that when you go to a restaurant you always order the same thing! Sorry to rain on your parade, but you need to be a little more adventurous to become a food critic… Aw, Chris, don’t be sad, being a political commentator isn’t so bad either.

Lesson

Translate to:

To rain on someone's parade
Nothing ruins a parade quite like a rain storm. A parade, generally speaking, is an event held as a celebration of something else; it commemorates a past event, an achievement, or even just an idea. The key word is “celebration” – parades are supposed to be a good time! And thus, when we say that someone or something rained on our parade, we mean that their action, or even just their presence, has ruined our fun. If we break the phrase down further, the parade symbolizes a positive outlook, plans, or aspirations and the rain is the event or person who diminishes that experience. In other words: spoils the fun…

The phrase is most often used to say that someone has ruined a pleasurable moment, usually by introducing an opposing opinion or previously unknown information. Say that you have plans to do something that you are really excited for and, suddenly, someone reveals to you that your plans must be cancelled for some reason: By doing so, they have rained on your parade. It is also commonly heard in the negative, as a request: please don’t rain on my parade...

The song “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” written by Bob Merrill for the 1964 musical Funny Girl and performed by Barbra Streisand, is the most likely origin for the expression. No record of the idiom exists prior to the release of the musical but, if it existed before, the song certainly made it popular. Today, considering its relatively recent appearance, this is a very widely used expression.

Example 1:
I know you had dinner plans tonight, and I hate to be the one to rain on your parade, but I just heard that the boss is going to ask us all to stay late again.

Example 2:
Please don’t rain on my parade by telling me all the reasons why this is not the best time of the year to go camping. I’ve been looking forward to this trip and I’m going!

Example 3:
Amber always brings such a negative vibe wherever she goes. She really rained on my parade when she showed up at the party yesterday.

Pronunciation

Let's practice pronunciation on few short phrases from today's episode. Listen carefully how the native speaker pronounces each sentence. Follow the intonations in each sentence. When you are ready, record one paragraph at a time with your own voice and then compare your pronunciation and intonations to the native speaker's:

Please allow the use of the microphone

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Quizzes

Quiz 1
Textfield background will turn green if your answer is correct, and red if the answer is incorrect

Translate to:

Fill in the blanks with the correct personal pronoun.
1. Could you please find Jane and give the document?
2. I can't finish the assignment in time. What should do?
3. This is my fiancé. are going to get married next summer.
4. Alice is going to help my sister and fix the computer.
5. I don't want to give the bad news.
6. John and Sarah are still really upset. I don't think are coming to dinner.
7. I just checked the score of the game. is still 2-0.
8. Do you know that guy in the black suit? I don't think I've met before.
9. I haven't seen Travis and Sandra in years. How are ?
10. The clock is broken. hasn't worked in months.
Quiz 2
Textfield background will turn green if your answer is correct, and red if the answer is incorrect

Translate to:

Type the correct form of the personal pronoun listed in the blank.
1. Henry (as an object)
2. The speaker and a friend (as an object)
3. The speaker and a friend (as a subject)
4. Female singer (as an object)
5. Soccer team (as an object)
6. San Francisco (as a subject)
7. President Obama (as an object)
8. Group of teachers (as a subject)
9. Stray dog (as an object)
10. The speaker (as a subject)

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EPISODE # 2

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EPISODE # 1

I. Subject Pronouns

II. Object Pronouns

Example 1:

Example 2:

Example 3: